The Dance Hall 12: Boston Tea Dance Party

[Marta24]

Well, this was quiet the event. I got what I wanted and Czechia has secured 2 spots. There is some interesting movement regarding the 2023 junior dance grad class. Bekker/Hernandez are much more consistent than in their debut season. Lim/Quan have lost a little bit of momentum it seems. They lost against the Baby Brits and were nearly 10 points behind Mrazkovi. Mrazkovi seem to have reinforced their standing as one of the up-coming teams for the next quad to keep an eye on.

 

[Twilight1]

Fear and Gibson and Gillies Poirier are amazing and them on the podium is a dream.

I am likely in the minority but I am NOT a fan of the skating of Chock & Bates... though totally ship them as a couple. I am all about C&P...

i am kind of over this cycle and ready for the next one and hope Fear and Gibson stay on for a couple cycles and win them.

 

[hlp728]

90s RD suggestions:
T/V - The Sundays, Duncan Sheik, or any upbeat coffeehouse music
Smart/Dieck - Clueless soundtrack, Garbage, or Jeff Buckley

 

[olympic]

I watched G/P and C/B skate back to back today. I get C/B's victories though; they skate 'bigger' and are clean and effortless in their delivery. I will say I'm not crazy about cool, jazzy music for them, and I hope they choose an FD program that has a lot more tension for the Olympic season (likely), perhaps something akin to the snake-charmer routine.

BTW, I found Italians kinda muted today, and I prefer the Madonna and Lady Gaga routines for F/G. I suppose the results were fair. Neither pair had a profound effect on me. Also, sad to see Lala get dumped like that

 

[Ikari]

But, man alive, I hope FearGib have better programs next season. I will be ALL THERE and ALL IN if they do go the obvious route with a Spice Girls RD. They're, honestly, the only team that I want to see even go that route because I know they'd do it justice.

I feel Fear/Gibson FD program was sort of exposed at the Euros - there were so many more interesting programs around them. It felt hollow. And now they actually seemed to perform it worse, yet managed to get the bronze. It feels weird.
On the other hand, I can't say that great misjustice was done. Italians were underperforming too, and the robots are...acquired taste. Lets put it that way. Other top teams who maybe could have beaten them either had problems too, or didn't perform well enough at the RD to catch up.

 

[Twilight1]

Charlene and Marco's FD was not good and that is me being very diplomatic. I did like their RD but much like their coach was before them 2 decades ago... they are over rated but will likely medal next year because of the location for their Olympics.

I just want to see the next generation. I want to see Lala and CarPon and what they can do when their coaches focus on them more... not so much with CarPon because they have Scott and Madison focusing on them.

 

[princeton123]

Pretty dire event honestly

Cizeron could not have hoped for a weaker field to be returning

 

[PRlady]

It was painful to watch dumpage of both French teams. DH, who never remembers teams from one viewing to the next, liked them both and found them more interesting than many. When I explained Cizeron and lack of French Fed support, he stared at me, I think he is only used to politics re: the Middle East.

Piper and Paul skated well but that FD was still nonsensical jn person. D/S outrageously overmarked: three points higher than GRE/Par’s lovely program? GMAFB. Both Czech teams need more memorable programs. Glad to see Olivia and Tim do so well.

DH also said that Cho/Bat were clearly the best, and in this we agreed. I also hope they return to a character program next season and G/F finally get something memorable. The look on Charlene’s face in leaders chair was awe-inspiring.

LaLa are better skaters than CarPon, period. I hope to see them triumph next year. But Car/Pon are engaging in old fashioned storytelling dances like Perfume and Carmen and are a decent US #2.

 

[Andrea82]

The allocation of Olympic spots also led to the composition of 11 out of 13 of the judging panel for Milano.
The 11 ISU members which got an Olympic spot in Boston will all get the right to nominate a judge.
There are 2 judging spots left to be filled. The draw for these 2 spots will be done among countries qualifying spots through the Beijing competition. Obviously, excluding those with already a spot (and so a judge) and countries without an ISU judge. As things currently stand, Russia can't be included in the draw even if they will have a skater in Beijing competition.
If this second draw won't be enough to fill the 2 remaining spot, there will be a final draw among all other countries which participated at 2025 Worlds and have not qualified an Olympic spot. I believe it is unlikely this last step will be needed.

The individual judges will be then nominated by ISU members drawn.

To officiate at Olympics, it is not enough to have the ISU qualification, but the judge also need to have served "at least twice at ISU Championships/Qualifying Competition for the Olympic Games, before the draw"*

Members of ISU technical committee can't serve as judges at Olympics (so Rettstatt, Molina and Wolter. Also Selby but she is aging out anyway)

Unlike at ISU Championships, there is no limit in the number of disciplines a judge can judge in the same Championship. So Salome Chigogidze can theoretically serve in all the Olympic panels if Georgia is drawn also for Women and Men.

* A gem from the ISU regulations writing style: Rule 402 says "...The inclusion of an ISU Member in any Judges draw is subject to such ISU Member having a qualified seminar for the respective discipline, who has served as a Judge or a Referee at least twice at ISU Championships/Qualifying Competition for the Olympic Games, before the draw. "
I think they mean a judge rather than a seminar...

Here we go with the situation on who can be nominated (assuming no judge transfers from one Fed to another this summer).
I crossed out the member of technical committee and those with no service at ISU championship so far (they can't hit the 2 minimum requirement). Those with only 1 service so far are in italics, theoretically they can meet the 2 events requirements if they serve in the Beijing competition. However, it is unlikely for those without an ID entry in the final qualifying competition (there is no Announcement yet, but in previous years, the panels for the qualifying are made up of countries competing there).
I don't know the year of birth of all of them, so some may drop out because of the 70 years old age limit (there is a change this season, judges are retired if they turn 70 before 1 July of the calendar year of the nomination rather than "in the calendar year of the nomination" as it used to be)

Spoiler: Potential judges by country

Canada

Jodi Abbott. Judged ID in Sochi 2014. Judged ID in Vancouver 2010.
Karen Butcher. Judged Pair in Sochi 2014
Leanna Caron. Judged ID in PyeongChang 2018.
Nicole LeBlanc-Richard. Judged ID in Beijing 2022. Judged Women in PyeongChang 2018.
Leslie Keen
Sabrina Wong
André-Marc Allain
Ron Conacher
Patty Klein
Erica Topolski
Limin Jao

Czechia

Miroslav Misurec. Judged Men in Beijing 2022
Richard Kosina. Judged Men in PyeongChang 2018.
Vera Tauchmanova. Judged Men in Vancouver 2010.

Finland

Virpi Kunnas-Helminen
Leo Lenkola

France

Christine Hurth. Judged ID in PyeongChang 2018. Judged in ID in Torino 2006.
Ronald Beau
Jezabel Dabouis
David Molina. Judged ID in Beijing 2022. Judged ID in Sochi 2014.
Clément Perrigouard
Natacha Pontonnier

Georgia

Salome Chigogidze
Yulia Levshunova

Germany

Christian Baumann
Rolf Pipoh. Judged in ID in Torino 2006.
Ingrid-Charlotte Wolter. Referee in ID in PyeongChang 2018. Judged ID in Sochi 2014. Judged ID in Salt Lake City 2002.
Ekaterina Balasuriya Zabolotnaya
Ulla Faig
Kerstin Kimminus. Judged Women in PyeongChang 2018.
Claudia Stahnke. Judged ID in Beijing 2022

Great Britain

Janet Coton. Referee in ID in Torino 2006.
Hilary Selby. Technical controller in PyeongChang 2018. Judged ID in Vancouver 2010.
Stephan Fernandez
Lucy Leonard Visinoni
Nicholas Russell. Judged ID in Beijing 2022

Italy

Rossella Ceccattini. Judged ID in Sochi 2014
Michela Cesaro. Judged ID in Beijing 2022
Isabella Micheli. Judged ID in Vancouver 2010.
Massimo Orlandini. Judged Pair in Sochi 2014
Matteo Bonfa
Valeria Rosa
Francesca Mineo

South Korea

Young An So
Chi-Hee Rhee. Referee in Men in PyeongChang 2018. Judged Women in Vancouver 2010.

Spain

David Munoz Perez. Judged ID in Beijing 2022
Marta Olozagarre Garces. Judged Pair in Beijing 2022; Judged ID in PyeongChang 2018.

USA

Janis Engel
Shawn Rettstatt. Judged ID in Sochi 2014
Kathaleen Cutone
Hal Marron Jr.
John Millier
John Cole
Richard Dalley
Eric Hampton
Elyse Matsumoto
Danielle Andrea Rey

As for Referee and technical panel, Italian Federation can recommend to ISU one of their own names for Referee or Technical Controller or Technical Specialist in Ice Dance.
At the same time, the ISU Code of Ethics (which ISU often ignore) recommends not to have Referee and Technical Panel from previous Worlds' Top 5. If it is not possible, they should have referee and tech panel all from top 5 countries (like in Boston this week).

 

[her grace]

Something felt missing to me in L/L’s FD all season. It doesn’t showcase their ability to handle technical complexity as well as some of their previous programs and presentation left me cold. Too bad that caught up to them at Worlds. I’d hate to see them be next quad’s G/F: skaters with the best technique, but constantly beaten by teams with better programs.

 

[PRlady]

Something felt missing to me in L/L’s FD all season. It doesn’t showcase their ability to handle technical complexity as well as some of their previous programs and presentation left me cold. Too bad that caught up to them at Worlds. I’d hate to see them be next quad’s G/F: skaters with the best technique, but constantly beaten by teams with better programs.

All they need is another Romeo -type program, that’s what converted me. They should talk to Jean-Luc, I think he would do well by them.

 

[Ka3sha]

I need not a celebratory drink, but a funeral one.
For the sake of ice dance in general, for Piper and Paul, for the Italians, for Davis/Smolkin making into the top-10, for Lilah getting that f***ing bronze, for the helicopter arm movements instead of patterns...

The only good thing at this year's Worlds was Smart/Dieck’s Duna, and there's nothing that can change my mind

 

[On My Own]

Smart/Dick

iM LOLING

 

[Ka3sha]

iM LOLING

 

[Wyliefan]

All they need is another Romeo -type program, that’s what converted me. They should talk to Jean-Luc, I think he would do well by them.

When did L/L skate to R&J?

 

[deegee]

When did L/L skate to R&J?

@Wyliefan is your profile pic new? i loved that moment in their program yesterday.

 

[Wyliefan]

@Wyliefan is your profile pic new? i loved that moment in their program yesterday.

Yes! I loved it too, and I was lucky enough to find this screenshot on Bluesky.

 

[PRlady]

When did L/L skate to R&J?

God I’m out of it. Don Q.

 

[Colonel Green]

So, what should next season's dance thread be called, now that we know the RD theme?

 

[marbri]

So, what should next season's dance thread be called, now that we know the RD theme?

Slice Slice Baby... a nod to pizza (italy), 90's music and cut throat ice dances politics

 

[Karen-W]

So, what should next season's dance thread be called, now that we know the RD theme?

Milano Vanilli - it's all vibes & lip-synching

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

So, what should next season's dance thread be called, now that we know the RD theme?

Boy Bands and Spice Girls?

 

[marbri]

Milano Vanilli

We should combine the two:

Milano Vanilli: Slice Slice Baby !

 

[Karen-W]

We should combine the two:

Milano Vanilli: Slice Slice Baby !

LOVE IT!

 

[Wyliefan]

Can we let @Dobre weigh in before we make it official? I know he or she (sorry, I don't know which it is!) was sad not to have a chance last year.

 

[litenkyckling]

I agree with an above comment (that I've now scrolled way past sorry!) that F/G likely won't be a top team next quad. This medal kind of felt like they were being rewarded for being consistent this season but I think that the talent below them has been improving with scores trending upwards but they've kind of stalled out a bit. Their scores are actually quite down on least season (they had 215 and 209 on the 23/24 GP and 210 at Worlds) whereas here they got 207 and that was about average for them this year.

I hope that G/F take this disappointment and use it to their advantage. I feel for them, they must be devastated to drop like this the year before home Olympics but they can't let this impact them negatively. From interviews this week it felt like Charlene in particular was already defeated before they skated. I get it, its a political sport and they have a combination of not as strong fed/weakest political coaches/not as much finance to spend on the best costumes and choreo, it sucks that that's the way it is, but it is that way. The robots were never a good idea - they should have scrapped them after Lombardia, but alas. They have great skating skills, they can do impressive lifts and given the right material they are a lovely couple to watch. They need to have unbelievable packaging and programmes nest season. I've seen Massimo Scali's name floated - I think he'd be a perfect choreographer for them.

Now the season is (almost) over I'm nervously anticipating what programmes people will choose!! I have a list of RD choices I'd like to see which I posted here. But the only one I'm wedded to is Green/Parsons doing Groove is in the Heart - she in particular would interpret it so fantastically. Oh and for D/LM to do Sabotage by the Beastie Boys ("I can't stand it, I know you planned it [...] Oh my God, it's a mirage, I'm tellin' y'all, it's a sabotage") for obvious reasons.

 

[skategal]

Someone better do an RD to “Rhythm is a Dancer.”

That’s all I’m saying.

 

[deegee]

Oh and for D/LM to do Sabotage by the Beastie Boys ("I can't stand it, I know you planned it [...] Oh my God, it's a mirage, I'm tellin' y'all, it's a sabotage") for obvious reasons.

 

[princeton123]

I actually like Bekker/Hernandez better than Fear/Gibson. They have enormous upside but I doubt they'll ever reach it with their current coaches. They would be a good IAMO team

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

I agree with an above comment (that I've now scrolled way past sorry!) that F/G likely won't be a top team next quad. This medal kind of felt like they were being rewarded for being consistent this season but I think that the talent below them has been improving with scores trending upwards but they've kind of stalled out a bit. Their scores are actually quite down on least season (they had 215 and 209 on the 23/24 GP and 210 at Worlds) whereas here they got 207 and that was about average for them this year.

I hope that G/F take this disappointment and use it to their advantage. I feel for them, they must be devastated to drop like this the year before home Olympics but they can't let this impact them negatively. From interviews this week it felt like Charlene in particular was already defeated before they skated. I get it, its a political sport and they have a combination of not as strong fed/weakest political coaches/not as much finance to spend on the best costumes and choreo, it sucks that that's the way it is, but it is that way. The robots were never a good idea - they should have scrapped them after Lombardia, but alas. They have great skating skills, they can do impressive lifts and given the right material they are a lovely couple to watch. They need to have unbelievable packaging and programmes nest season. I've seen Massimo Scali's name floated - I think he'd be a perfect choreographer for them.

Now the season is (almost) over I'm nervously anticipating what programmes people will choose!! I have a list of RD choices I'd like to see which I posted here. But the only one I'm wedded to is Green/Parsons doing Groove is in the Heart - she in particular would interpret it so fantastically. Oh and for D/LM to do Sabotage by the Beastie Boys ("I can't stand it, I know you planned it [...] Oh my God, it's a mirage, I'm tellin' y'all, it's a sabotage") for obvious reasons.

I LOVE that for Green & Parsons.
From your mouth to God’s ear.