G&F meh... It is not their style really. One needs to have a body and lines for this style.
The Dance Hall 11: Movin' On Up 2023-2024
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K&R dance has potential. They look beautiful on ice. He needs to cut his hair it is distracting.
Spikefan
Rooting for that middle-aged team
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Loved Guignard/Fabbri, looking very sharp and ready for the season. Top 4 were excellent and I am excited to see both CZE teams at SkAm. I like the programs for Green/Parsons, just need to get mileage and do some tweaks. They definitely did not look as ready as the top 4, which may also make SkAm interesting.
I really liked Green/Parsons RD and FD. I am not sure why they were marked so low in both portions of the event. They (Michael) did have that fall during the twizzles in the FD but they recovered really quickly and the program looked so organic and seamless. I am not sure why the judges did not appreciate it as much as I did.
The Taschlers are really fast and powerful, but are also rough around the edges. I could be nitpicking but she skates a lot lower in her knees than her brother does and it creates a mis-match in their lines (which look like they are fighting each other rather than harmonious). I would like to see both partners skate low in the knee (like Bourne/Kraatz did). Then, they will match better. Also, their FD music did absolutely nothing for them. They skate much too big and powerful for such small and irrelevant music. The FD music holds them back. I would rather they skated to pure silence. At least then the music would not be fighting them.
Guinard/Fabri are growing on me. I too was confused by the cover they used in their RD but the actual dancing was good. I see growth in this team in their FD. They created some beautiful pictures and moments in their FD and for once, I was not so bothered that she makes him look like a shrimp.
I enjoyed Bratti/Somerville's FD (I did not see their RD). I love their music choice but there is still such a huge gap in ability between him and her. It's so glaring and hard to overlook. She needs extensive work on her own to come up to his level. I would start by addressing her posture (she needs a lot of off ice work with a ballet master).
The Taschlers are really fast and powerful, but are also rough around the edges. I could be nitpicking but she skates a lot lower in her knees than her brother does and it creates a mis-match in their lines (which look like they are fighting each other rather than harmonious). I would like to see both partners skate low in the knee (like Bourne/Kraatz did). Then, they will match better. Also, their FD music did absolutely nothing for them. They skate much too big and powerful for such small and irrelevant music. The FD music holds them back. I would rather they skated to pure silence. At least then the music would not be fighting them.
Guinard/Fabri are growing on me. I too was confused by the cover they used in their RD but the actual dancing was good. I see growth in this team in their FD. They created some beautiful pictures and moments in their FD and for once, I was not so bothered that she makes him look like a shrimp.
I enjoyed Bratti/Somerville's FD (I did not see their RD). I love their music choice but there is still such a huge gap in ability between him and her. It's so glaring and hard to overlook. She needs extensive work on her own to come up to his level. I would start by addressing her posture (she needs a lot of off ice work with a ballet master).
One tweak I would like to see from the Green and Parson's team is to use long axis (allowed this year) for the choreographed steps and keep the dance moving (no stopping for just arm movements). They have power and glide and need to take advantage of it.
Bigbird
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I found the FDs mostly meh...still waiting for something interesting.
It looks like the bronze medal winners are working on the technique and polish at the expense of their usual flair and emotion and acting for this season...but I found both their programs flat...especially the FD. I expected so much more. My gold standard for that piece of music is still I/K as junior ice dance champions. How ironic that the younger CZE team M/M would also be drawing inspiration from I/K with their black swan FD. But the last minute of the dance is somewhat anti climatic due to the music edits. I am still waiting for a beginning, climax and end..., if only Diana Davis had half the polish of Katerina using the same music...but Gleb skates well enough for two I guess.
With all the music thats out there why are dancers still using tired retreads? Well what's up next?
It looks like the bronze medal winners are working on the technique and polish at the expense of their usual flair and emotion and acting for this season...but I found both their programs flat...especially the FD. I expected so much more. My gold standard for that piece of music is still I/K as junior ice dance champions. How ironic that the younger CZE team M/M would also be drawing inspiration from I/K with their black swan FD. But the last minute of the dance is somewhat anti climatic due to the music edits. I am still waiting for a beginning, climax and end..., if only Diana Davis had half the polish of Katerina using the same music...but Gleb skates well enough for two I guess.
With all the music thats out there why are dancers still using tired retreads? Well what's up next?
Belsornia
I bite because I like it
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Japanese federation being stingy with the assignments again? Yamashita/Nagata didn't get a JGP and they were really quite good at the Quebec summer competition.
Noooo, his hair is great. Now Parkman has moved to California and got a trim I am relying on Revia for my big-haired Georgian.
I loved Ilynikh/Katsalapov too but among their many dubious programme choices their Schlinder's List was easily the worst and most tasteless version.
Karen-W
YMCA is such a catchy tune!
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Yeah, don't get me started on the JSF not sending Yamashita/Nagata to even just one JGP (helloooo, 3 host spots in Osaka).
But, ACI is in Montreal, so what's the reason for no Team KoKo? The JSF would have to pay the entry fee and that is it. It's not like there would be any travel costs for Misato & Tim. It's very odd.
barbarafan
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I was just thinking about that... Their original goose lift had a sortof jump out of it and it was competed several times without a problem. They were warned before a large competition that they were going to get dinged and modified the dismount.
Andora
Skating season ends as baseball season begins
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Interesting they had lift issues with different results in 2010 and 2018. Though I'm sure I'm in the minority, as I didn't love the Moulin Rouge original lift and wish they'd done the alternative version the whole way through.
Weird that that this seems like an obvious misunderstanding/misapplication of the rule for G&F, but I can't think they and their team are truly stupid. Surely they worked with someone at the ISU when developing the music. (The costumes and actual program are a whole other enchilada)
Dave Lease was talking about short guys in ice dance and how it can contribute to issues with full-out extension and posture in their partner. (Among other things...) I found that to be very true with Green & Parsons the last two seasons, but not this year. Kudos to them! The FD looks so interesting, but the music is... such a miss.
Agreed that posture is definitely an issue for G/F.
But I also have issues with their lines.
And like I said above about their RD, the FD also has a LOT of hand to hand choreography and what is in closer hold is far apart IMO.
Early in the season but we will see.
I guess for me, I acknowledge that G/F are good skaters but I think they miss the mark as dancers.
They have just never done it for me.
Can’t quite put my finger on it, despite my comments above.
This FD is ok. A bit safe and meh.
Not for me anyway interesting, compelling or fresh.
I MUCH prefer Gr/Par despite how rough they look at this time.
But I also have issues with their lines.
And like I said above about their RD, the FD also has a LOT of hand to hand choreography and what is in closer hold is far apart IMO.
Early in the season but we will see.
I guess for me, I acknowledge that G/F are good skaters but I think they miss the mark as dancers.
They have just never done it for me.
Can’t quite put my finger on it, despite my comments above.
This FD is ok. A bit safe and meh.
Not for me anyway interesting, compelling or fresh.
I MUCH prefer Gr/Par despite how rough they look at this time.
AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)
Get it Amber 😝
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oh same with me …. I don’t think you’ve done the assignment when you choose a song that’s not the original sure it’s from the 80s but then done by someone else in modern day and is modernized.
I greatly prefer the free dance
I doubt it. For the teams without scores that meet Japan's criteria, yes. But that should not be the case with Komatsubara & Koleto. Something is up there, but I don't think we know what it is.
barbarafan
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first time I saw them...He is so.....good. She keeps up ok.
She needs more, IMO. To extend more. To finish the movements more thoroughly. To express the music more. More depth and drama for this particular piece. The music can handle it.
It's an incredible bar to ask anyone to express that music like Kostner, but if not, there needs to be something new and special about the interpretation.
This was a debut skate and a lot of times athletes concentrate more than perform, which isn't the feeling I get from Bratti, but it does signify that there's a long way to go in the season and the performance aspect may grow.
His fluidity suits the piece well, I think.
It's an incredible bar to ask anyone to express that music like Kostner, but if not, there needs to be something new and special about the interpretation.
This was a debut skate and a lot of times athletes concentrate more than perform, which isn't the feeling I get from Bratti, but it does signify that there's a long way to go in the season and the performance aspect may grow.
His fluidity suits the piece well, I think.
Bigbird
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He is in another league, I hope she can catch up. She needs basic ballet training to assist with posture, lines and extensions etc..the difference in class is too visible. They need to work on closing that gap.
Kateri
void beast
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Perhaps he needs to get worse?
His ego will prevent that. His first partner could match him.Perhaps he needs to get worse?
Opportunity lost!
Rukia
A Southern, hot-blooded temperamental individual
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i'm crying poor scott moir is probably very confused about how he has gotten some of the most insane conspiracy theories in skating centered around him
He and Virtue have many babies, but his true love is Maxim Trankov.
I thought something similar in the regard to the Taschlers...maybe she can stop skating so low in her knees and give her brother a chance to develop that skill.Perhaps he needs to get worse?
It just looks so odd to me to see one partner down low to the ice and one up high. There is no way their lines can match skating that way. Either he will have to get down in his knees too or she will have to come up to his level.
As anyone who has skated can attest, it's much harder to skate low in the knees and it's exhausting! I admire her fitness.
Andora
Skating season ends as baseball season begins
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What the eff did I just read?
skategal
Bunny mama
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Did they really say that Zhulin is adored in the West? 
Did they mean abhorred?
Did they mean abhorred?
NinjaTurtles
No lamb chop, so don’t you fork my peas
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I finally had a chance to see both the RD and FD from the Georgian team, Kazakova & Revia, who took 3rd at Lombardia and I was impressed! They skate with so much speed and unison and they performed some really interesting and innovative lifts and spins. The lifting was probably assisted by his height relative to hers. He looks a good two feet taller! It's going to be interesting to see what happens with this team later in the season. I think they are much, much, much better dancers than Davis/Smolkin. Kazakova & Revia skate with 10 times more speed (than Davis/Smolkin), much more awareness of their music, they have better foot placement, body-line, precision, connectedness and unison. I also greatly prefer their unique and fresh choices in choreography and music (Davis/Smolkin went with warhorses). I sincerely hope that the politics of dance don't trip up Kazakova & Revia.
I think the other Czech team, Mrazek & Mrazkova, also embarrassed Davis/Smolkin by picking the same Black Swan theme for the free dance and then totally outskating Davis/Smolkin in that material. Mrazek & Mrazkova skated their Black Swan program with 10 times more speed than Davis/Smolkin, much more precision, closer holds, more innovative (and difficult) lifts, and a much greater sense of musical awareness and sensitivity. I can just about guarantee however, that Davis/Smolkin will score higher than them when they go head to head later in the season.
We must remember that before Davis/Smolkin benefited from Nepotism Scoring during the Olympic Season, they had never won a medal (of any color ever) on the Junior level. This reflects the true state of their skating and development, but we can also see they still continue to benefit from Nepotism Scoring now that they have switched to represent Georgia.
I think the other Czech team, Mrazek & Mrazkova, also embarrassed Davis/Smolkin by picking the same Black Swan theme for the free dance and then totally outskating Davis/Smolkin in that material. Mrazek & Mrazkova skated their Black Swan program with 10 times more speed than Davis/Smolkin, much more precision, closer holds, more innovative (and difficult) lifts, and a much greater sense of musical awareness and sensitivity. I can just about guarantee however, that Davis/Smolkin will score higher than them when they go head to head later in the season.
We must remember that before Davis/Smolkin benefited from Nepotism Scoring during the Olympic Season, they had never won a medal (of any color ever) on the Junior level. This reflects the true state of their skating and development, but we can also see they still continue to benefit from Nepotism Scoring now that they have switched to represent Georgia.
I've been a big fan of Maria Kazakova & Georgy Reviya since they first appeared on the Junior scene. However Davis & Smolkin have won three Junior medals: 2018 at the Czech Republic JGP, 2019 at the Russian JGP and the JGP I personally attended in 2019 in Lake Placid.
Holy Headband
Yuna Aoki's Olympic journey starts here
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The scare quotes make it clear they mean his outrageous quotes get a lot of coverage abroad, I think.Did they really say that Zhulin is adored in the West?
Did they mean abhorred?
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