Synchronized Skating Season 2018-2019

Willin

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With the Finlandia Trophy SP competition today, the Synchronized season has gotten started.
It seems like Paradise and Marigold are going to be neck-and-neck this year.

Some notes for the season:
  • Team Surprise has retired, potentially creating an opportunity for a new country to take 2 spots at worlds 2020
  • Cup of Berlin is cancelled
Rule changes are trying to bring synchro back to the team-based skating we saw in the '00s as opposed to the individual skills we saw emphasized in recent seasons while still pushing the limits.
  • New rules emphasize creativity in the core elements (line, block, circle, wheel) by giving more freedom of what will be called
  • A twizzle element (with the same calling standards as dance twizzle sequences) will be both exciting and yikes. I'm most nervous at lower levels and non-top teams
  • Random individual skating is being discouraged in favor of hooked up skating
  • Less crazy creative elements (yay!), probably discouraging Haydenettes freestyle-session-type messes that have become common.

Based on the photos from Finlandia, I'm excited to see Team Unique's programs based on costumes alone. I'm less excited that Marigold's SP is a tribute to Why Not Synchro - because we know why not: there's too many athletes. I'm not excited to see Paradise's SP because either they're getting new dresses after Finlandia like last year or they're doing another boring SP to soft, slow, maybe inspirational music while wearing white dresses. The Rockette's new SP seems better than last year's, but they seem to have a lot of turnover so we'll see what happens.
 

synchrogirl17

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I am so excited for the new season! I can't remember another season with so many rule changes and new elements at once.

I am also very intrigued by Team Unique's SP look. One of their most famous/popular short programs was their 2012-13 "TU Flow", and this looks like it could be a similarly modern style.

Paradise, for me, has become monotonous. Absolutely gorgeous and stunning, of course, but they really need to show a wider range. Look at the Finnish teams, for instance...

I am so, so happy that the Creative element is changing too. It was awful to choreograph, and often a mess to skate/watch.
 

Willin

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@synchrogirl17 Seriously creative elements just annoyed me so much. I had no idea what the point even was after a certain point. All Hayden's teams did was have like 8 girls doing different spins and 4 doing an axel. Choreographing them was a mess wondering what enough team members could do so it wouldn't look like a hot mess - and then to make sure everyone could collect into one unit at the end. And skating it was a pain in the butt since there were so many paths going on.

ITA that Paradise is just so monotonous. The same spirals every year, the same SP every year, the same SP dresses every year... They were so much more interesting before they started winning. What's worse is that Russia 2 is also doing a more classical piece with white dresses for the SP this year, making the SP competition that country boring.
With innovation being a big part of synchro PCS/GOE I have no idea how they've been winning so much - the Finnish teams are so much better about being interesting while maintaining the speed and skating skills. Then again Hayden and NEXXICE have both been rather monotonous recently, but not to the same extent. Hayden also has the MITF-repeating issue, but that's improved the last couple of years.

It sounds like Team Unique's SP is hip hop themed. It seems that's Hayden's niche since Run This Town, so I'll be excited to see another team take it on. I didn't like the song they used in 2012-2013 (certainly when it was in direct comparison with Run This Town's swagger), so I hope they choose something that lives up to those outfits!
 

synchrogirl17

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I think Paradise won by playing it safe. They did what they do best. Having said that, in my opinion their 2017 World win was a total sham...

Team Unique has done a bit of hip hop in the past too. I find them very versatile.

I think NEXXICE is scared to move past that perfect skating skills vibe. But that's not enough anymore. And I loved Haydenettes' Prince FS, but their programs last year felt too similar for me (wasn't Woodkid's music in both?)
 

maija

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Finlandia Trophy results yesterday (only short programs, 4 teams from Finland, 3 teams from Russia).

Finlandia Trophy 2018 SyS
Senior

Result

1 Marigold IceUnity FIN 80.76
2 Paradise RUS 79.27
3 Team Unique FIN 73.64
4 Helsinki Rockettes FIN 70.44
5 Tatarstan RUS 66.85
6 Crystal Ice RUS 66.55
7 Lumineers FIN 64.78
 

Willin

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@synchrogirl17 Yeah. They in no way should've won worlds in 2017. If you ignore all the BS about the visa issues (why the heck wouldn't you bring your alternates or at least apply for visas for them?) they had errors like feet down and formation problems in the NHE that other teams didn't have. It also annoys me that they win by playing it safe. Other teams have to innovate to win (Team Surprise, Marigold IceUnity, Team Unique, Haydenettes) so why shouldn't they?

Team Unique is versatile - I loved their Hunger Games FS - but I haven't seen too much of them since they're not always on the world team and non-worlds competition videos of good quality are hard to find. I wish I could see more.

Yeah, NEXXICE really needs to move past the boring music + perfect skating skills. They don't try to innovate or do anything even remotely creative. I suppose they do more than Paradise as far as some variation in music and theming, but it's boring choreographically. Their Bohemian Rhapsody was one of the most boring programs to that piece of music possible - the only slightly unique thing was the handstand at the end. And the widow program was only unique in that one skater was wearing a different colored dress - the rest was the same old same old.

I think the music was the same artist for both Haydenettes programs last year? At least it was very similar in style. I think what happened is two things: 1. Run This Town was really well received so they did the Hip Hop FS, which won the FS at worlds that year, leading them to think that style was what set them apart. 2. For Run This Town, the Hip Hop FS, and last year's programs they've worked with a choreographer that is specific to that style, so maybe they like him a little too much... They've done some slightly different stuff in the mean time (Prince, Gladiator, etc.) so I hope this year it's something different. Despite poor results related to skater turnover, their Bollywood SP was well received, so maybe something like that? I know they've debuted their SP this year at An Evening With Champions, but since the fans there are mostly singles fans they haven't posted any reports of what the SP was. I'll be interested to find that out.
 

synchrogirl17

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I love Unique's SP. We need a bit of crazy in synchro sometimes! There were a few mistakes, of course, so I look forward to seeing it clean. I feel like they definitely pushed the creativity more than the other teams.
 

Willin

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I really like the changes made this year rules-wise. There's still some solo skating, but it seems teams are really striving to innovate within the team mold again instead of an ice show or freestyle-session-like look. I dislike the lack of transitions from a lot of teams. Those are some of the most fun and creative parts of synchro.


I hate Marigold's SP. It seems kinda... pretentious? Idk how to say it. It's pretty bland and boring in comparison to past programs and the ending, while creative and portraying the story, is just kinda cringe. Instead of doing an Olympic themed program to protest synchro not being in the Olympics maybe they should've tried to choreograph more things in 8s and 12s to show other teams that synchro can still be synchro with fewer skaters. Because as much as we all hate the idea, that's the only way synchro will be in the Olympics.

I thought Tartarstan was going to do a boring Paradise-esque program, but I liked the darker musical tone of the music. With their dress looking similar to Paradise's typical SP dress and the normal soft tones at the start of the program it seems like they similarity's intentional: as if they're sending Paradise a message of sorts. Especially since Paradise is doing the same SP they've done the last few years. Crystal Ice was really good for a first year team and certainly had a more exciting and creative program than the other two Russian teams (and a couple of the Finnish teams as well). I'll be excited to see more from them. I hope they can sneak their way onto the world team soon.

I LOVED Team Unique's SP. They were the only team that got fun/creative transitions in and their hip hop choreography was better (and better executed) that Hayden's has been (fight me, fellow hayden fans). The decision to wear pants with the new twizzle element was genius - with skirts you can really tell when someone's wobbling or off on a twizzle, with pants it's harder to pick a bad twizzle out of the crowd. The Rockettes also had some creative transitions, but the spread out choreography they used for a lot of the choreography didn't seem in the spirit of the rule changes.
 

synchrogirl17

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Instead of doing an Olympic themed program to protest synchro not being in the Olympics maybe they should've tried to choreograph more things in 8s and 12s to show other teams that synchro can still be synchro with fewer skaters. Because as much as we all hate the idea, that's the only way synchro will be in the Olympics.

I would much rather give up on the Olympic dream than completely change the sport. Having an even square number is perfect!

I don't hate Marigold's SP, but I certainly don't like it very much. Plus, while the dresses are pretty, the shorts and shiny tights ruin the look for me.
 

synchrogirl17

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I LOVED Team Unique's SP. They were the only team that got fun/creative transitions in and their hip hop choreography was better (and better executed) that Hayden's has been (fight me, fellow hayden fans).

I totally agree. I actually find Haydenettes a bit repetitive and forced. I love teams that really change it up every year.
 

Willin

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@synchrogirl17 At least the Haydenettes stopped doing the thing where they do the exact same moves element in the SP and the FS every season...

I agree that the shorts on Marigold's costumes are bad, but I hate the random Olympic ring-colored things on the shorts and top covered up by the toga-esque draped fabric. Like, if you have to hide a big element of a costume it probably shouldn't be there...
 

Willin

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I have some thoughts on what we've seen so far this fall.
In general:
  • Positives:
    • I'm loving the increased room for creativity. Teams at all levels are really taking it to heart and trying some interesting things in their programs.
    • I like the move back to team-based as opposed to individual skating
    • I'm so, so happy the Creative Element has been reigned in
    • I appreciate that they've removed the second group lift element in favor of more creative transitional or mid-element lifts
    • I like the throwback type stuff some teams are adding in
  • Negatives:
    • I hate the lack of transitions due to the cut back on time

As far as individual teams go:
  • Hayden looks like a hot mess.
    • No one would have any idea they'd been practicing 20+ hours a week since August if it wasn't assumed. It's depressing how sloppy everything was at Boston Synchro given what the Russian and Finnish teams look like at this point in the year.
    • Their choreography is much more interesting and innovative in past years
    • The Greatest Showman doesn't scream Senior FS to me; it screams Juv/Int/Nov freeskate
    • I get the Hayden pattern is to look like a hot mess in the fall and then kill it at Nationals/Worlds, but maybe they need to rethink that and focus on looking good all season
  • Marigold IceUnity doing a Transformers FS is also a Choice
    • But the choreography is really innovative and difficult - I LOVE the subtle lifts IN the pivoting block and I'm happy the rules changed to allow that to happen
  • Team Unique's Metallica FS seems to be taking the place of Team Surprise in innovation
    • I'm shocked at how many good transitions they fit in with 30 less seconds
    • Some of the choreographic lifts are just so surprising and stellar; The choice to go for the pair spins as opposed to death spirals really sets them apart on that element
    • I LOVE their line element
    • Those 4-skater spins in the circle is so creative
  • The Rockettes seems to be innovating more than usual, but look sloppier than the other two finnish teams
    • Their Moves element is my favorite this season. It doesn't look like two spiral lines with a disorganized mess happening around them
    • Their FS does a better job of conveying the story they're trying to portray than usual, but it's a bit of a strange program
    • I like the leg variation in the death spirals and the transition into the no point intersection. I also like that they're bringing back the good 'ol '90s threading the needle move
  • Team Paradise is doing more of the same old boring classical music
    • Again they're not as creative as the other top teams, and I think that holds them back especially in a season when creativity is being promoted so heavily
    • But, like usual, they look very pretty and clean in their skating
  • Les Supremes FS debut was perfect for their The Artist FS, but the lighting obscured some of the more interesting parts of it
    • I'm so happy to see bauers being used in the FS, good knee slides, and dudes getting lifted
    • Their FS isn't the most creative of the season, but it's still a pleasure to watch
    • That transition into the pairs spins is a thing of beauty
In general I just have a lot of elements I want to gif this season due to their creativity
 

Aceon6

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Hayden always has trouble in the fall. They have a lot of academic types who really prioritize schoolwork from September through the winter break knowing that the team takes the most time after the holidays. Blame school!
 

thumbyskates

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I have some thoughts on what we've seen so far this fall.
In general:

I just had to pipe up - WTF is with that "lift" of sorts done where the guy handslides across the ice? Half the team is standing on two feet. It's awful and while I appreciate that they're trying to be innovative, this is terrible and looks like an end of the year carnival gone wrong. The program was really not Senior material.

I can't figure out the Rockettes FS theme. What is happening here?
 

just tuned in

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I just had to pipe up - WTF is with that "lift" of sorts done where the guy handslides across the ice? Half the team is standing on two feet. It's awful and while I appreciate that they're trying to be innovative, this is terrible and looks like an end of the year carnival gone wrong. The program was really not Senior material.

I can't figure out the Rockettes FS theme. What is happening here?
I agree, the handslide is wtf and terrible, but I thought the handstand lifts were pretty cool, especially keeping with the circus theme.
 

Willin

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I thought the handstand lifts were going in a good direction for a circus theme, but ITA that there was way too much two foot in it. I think there are ways to alter that while making it more difficult. But in general, yeah, that program is totally not senior material other than the dresses - and given that those are used dresses I bet they'll have something gaudier by Nationals. I was thinking probably a red, black, and gold version of the prince costumes? Some Haydenettes costumes are really great, but when they do something like this they usually miss.

@thumbyskates Their programs usually make no sense even if you read the team's official explanation. This year it is called "Radio Waves," hence the radio noises and open narration. I mean, it still doesn't make whole lot of sense (especially the Hip Hip Chin Chin section), but it makes more sense than past programs.
 

Willin

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Hayden always has trouble in the fall. They have a lot of academic types who really prioritize schoolwork from September through the winter break knowing that the team takes the most time after the holidays. Blame school!
I sympathize with this argument, as I personally know how hard it is to balance school and competitive skating, but I don't buy it.
Why don't I buy it? There are dozens of other teams with academically minded skaters who do show up polished and ready to compete in the fall. If you're just going on the criteria of elite and/or college students, I can think of a few:
  • Miami University and Adrian College both require all athletes to be full time students. Per varsity sports rules at the school they are limited to 20 hours of practice a week - surely less than Hayden practices. As far as I know they also don't have the same non-team skating requirements. Both looked GREAT at Porter.
  • Some teams like The Skyliners, California Gold, NEXXICE, and Les Supremes aren't 100% college students but do have a fair number of full-time college students. Again, they show up looking good in the fall.
  • All collegiate teams have teams composed of full time college students per USFSA rules. Yes, they only have one program, but they also only practice 1/3 to 1/2 the hours/week Hayden practices and start their seasons later due to their academic calendars. They don't generally require outside practice hours. And yet collegiate is often one of the most hotly contested divisions throughout the season, including at early competitions like Porter.
  • Junior teams (including the Lexettes) are also looking very polished in fall despite being composed almost entirely of full-time high school students taking heavy course loads. (IMO the 7 hours of classes + 3-4 hours of homework every day + studying was a lot harder to balance with skating than college)
Idk, I just don't think it's right to "blame school" when you see so many other teams are perfectly fine despite school.
 

Aceon6

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Understood. Lexington is it’s own little island. I guess you have to live around here.
 

just tuned in

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I don't understand it. Was there a lot of turnover from last year's team to this year's? Compared to other teams mentioned? I wonder if the coaches come in with choreo only half-baked. (I have absolutely no basis for saying this.)
 
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Willin

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@Aceon6 I don't really understand what you mean by that? That they're more serious about school or that the early part of the season isn't considered important to teams/skaters from that rink?
 

Aceon6

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@Aceon6 I don't really understand what you mean by that? That they're more serious about school or that the early part of the season isn't considered important to teams/skaters from that rink?
Lexington is extremely competitive. A lot of the local kids do school, supplemental tutoring, violin, skating, and some sort of public service thing. There’s tremendous pressure to have a perfect resume, so kids don’t get to focus as much as they should. The imported kids have more time to skate, but the team moves at the pace of the others.
 

Willin

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@Aceon6 I mean, I also don't buy that. I skated with a number of people in college who had that exact thing in high school, but there was no slowing down or waiting for the academically minded. These were girls who were on competitive top teams in Michigan and Chicago (and even a couple of former Haydenettes/Miami/Braemar girls). They were expected to get top grades and never back down at competition. There's no room to slow down and wait: parents and other skaters will ridicule you if you're the sloppy team (or sloppy person on that team) at the competition no matter how small or early in the season it is.

In California the kids who skate are under the exact same if not more pressure to do well. You are expected to take a full load of AP classes, volunteer hours, multiple clubs/honor societies, at least one school-based extracurricular, and skating. And you're supposed to excel at them all. Straight A's, perfect SAT/ACT scores, winning skating competitions, becoming club or honor society president/officer, getting county honor band/choir/theatre, academic awards, etc. etc. etc. If you don't excel, expect to be bullied or looked down on by both parents and other students. I was raised in that environment and it's as tough as it sounds, but it was even tougher because you can't use your overworked schedule or pressure to succeed as an excuse to slack at anything else.

ETA: Not that I think it's bad that they are letting people focus on school in the fall, but what I'm trying to say is that I think it's possible to do both: to skate well and succeed in school.
I, and many of the skaters I knew, did it by compartmentalizing things. At the rink you focus on only rink stuff and forget everything else. It made skating a nice break and made me want to try harder so I could block out school.
(In general I think the culture of overworking these kids needs to go away, but that's for another thread)
 
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synchrogirl17

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I am already sick of The Greatest Showman, and that’s coming from someone who really liked the film :D

I feel like there are a million teams (pun intended ;)) using it. I have no idea why teams choose the latest hit films to skate to, it makes it hard to stand out (Great Gatsby, La La Land...)
 

Willin

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So... much... greatest showman at all the competitions this weekend save me please

(Although Hayden was the only team above the Intermediate (?) level I saw skating it)


In other news, Synchro was featured on Japanese TV! Here's the clip featuring Johnny Weir and Miki Ando! It features Jingu Ice Messengers and Marigold IceUnity. It seems JIM are doing a synchronized jump transition 1T-1T. Very interesting. ISI synchro allows full team synchronized jumps but in USFS it's still restricted to half the team for most (all but Senior?) levels.

I really like Hayden's Greatest Showman dresses, but I wish the coloration was more even (eg. 2 or 4 skaters for each color rather than 2 for one color, 3 for another, etc.). I still wish they weren't doing Greatest Showman. It's way too Juvenile for them. One of my favorite things about Hayden is that they're trendsetters. When they did hip hop other teams followed suit. When they did Lady Gaga all other Lady Gaga programs took inspiration. They also used very underutilized music most of the time. Doing Greatest Showman in a year when I swear half the youth teams at a given competition are doing Greatest Showman isn't creative at all. It's a huge letdown.
 

just tuned in

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So... much... greatest showman at all the competitions this weekend save me please

And several other circus-themed ones, as well.

The juvenile teams' music is a real grab-bag. Delaware skating to a unicorn-hugs-marshmallow theme more appropriate to SS1, and Team Image skating to "Lady is a Tramp."
 

Willin

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@just tuned in wtf I feel like a lot of the music choices this year from teams of all levels are just bizarre and out of left field.
Like I can respect MIU for trying to do a different style with Transformers, but of all action movies - and all action movies about robots/aliens - they chose a notoriously awful franchise to take music from? Today I saw a team of 8-year-olds (?) skating to Havana and another skating to an '80s medley (cute, but funnier for an adult team). At Porter as well there were a lot of strange choices - one Adult (masters?) team did a cougar themed program, and an Adult team at Anaheim did Tarzan. I did think Notre Dame's choice of Praying by Kesha was both clever and kinda funny given they are a famously Catholic school. California Gold's FS is also a funny/strange choice - but more for drama reasons than the music.

Are the Juvenile teams having another one of those "let's pretend we're 6 when we're actually 12-13" years? It seems those happen every five years or so. I get playing up the cute aspect and not doing the sexy Beyonce routine (I loved it and the skate was great, but for kids 13 and under?), but sometimes it goes way too far.
 

just tuned in

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wtf I feel like a lot of the music choices this year from teams of all levels are just bizarre and out of left field.
Like I can respect MIU for trying to do a different style with Transformers, but of all action movies - and all action movies about robots/aliens - they chose a notoriously awful franchise to take music from? Today I saw a team of 8-year-olds (?) skating to Havana and another skating to an '80s medley (cute, but funnier for an adult team). At Porter as well there were a lot of strange choices - one Adult (masters?) team did a cougar themed program, and an Adult team at Anaheim did Tarzan. I did think Notre Dame's choice of Praying by Kesha was both clever and kinda funny given they are a famously Catholic school. California Gold's FS is also a funny/strange choice - but more for drama reasons than the music.

Are the Juvenile teams having another one of those "let's pretend we're 6 when we're actually 12-13" years? It seems those happen every five years or so. I get playing up the cute aspect and not doing the sexy Beyonce routine (I loved it and the skate was great, but for kids 13 and under?), but sometimes it goes way too far.

Now I wish I had taken better notes. Team Excel juv did "Supermodel (You Better Work") and that made me cringe, as did some of the in-between music selections which were slightly off-color (as much of today's popular music is).
 

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