The Dance Hall 6: We're All Off Our Rockers 2018-2019

[Wyliefan]

That they were kicked out of Canton because Nikita was supposedly abusive towards Viktoria.

I don't know how these rumors get started...Not commenting on whether it's true or not. I personally don't care if Nikita is an ass in real life or what he did or did not do. I am just there for his skating.

An ass I can deal with. An abusive ass is where I draw the line. (Always with the caveat that the story has been difficult to confirm for certain.)

 

[Dobre]

I'm enjoying this discussion. I have so much to say, but there is this absolute treasure of a bookstore here in Vancouver, and I must go to it today! Before the gala. So I promise I'll add some thoughts but they will be delayed.

I wonder which team got this choreography first?

My guess would be Hawayek & Baker. They were there before July.

 

[chantilly]

I'm enjoying this discussion. I have so much to say, but there is this absolute treasure of a bookstore here in Vancouver, and I must go to it today! Before the gala. So I promise I'll add some thoughts but they will be delayed.



My guess would be Hawayek & Baker. They were there before July.

What bookstore?

 

[starrynight]

My guess would be Hawayek & Baker. They were there before July.

Next season the teams have to create their own pattern dances for the rhythm dance. I wonder if we will see more of this from Gadbois? 18 or so pattern dances are a lot to come up with.

Although it’s bold recycling P/C / H/B choreography in the same season - especially as there could have been the possibility of the two teams skating back to back. Although it’s probably been done before and I just haven’t noticed

 

[Peepsquick]

Next season the teams have to create their own pattern dances for the rhythm dance. I wonder if we will see more of this from Gadbois? 18 or so pattern dances are a lot to come up with.

Although it’s bold recycling P/C / H/B choreography in the same season - especially as there could have been the possibility of the two teams skating back to back. Although it’s probably been done before and I just haven’t noticed

But looking at the respective videos, the end result is not cookie cutters ... funny that!

 

[NAOTMAA]

That they were kicked out of Canton because Nikita was supposedly abusive towards Viktoria.

I don't know how these rumors get started...Not commenting on whether it's true or not. I personally don't care if Nikita is an ass in real life or what he did or did not do. I am just there for his skating.

Bitter Elena fans who wanted to see S/K fall flat on their face Everything apparently was his fault, the most evilest of evils and she was a poor victim and innocent angel. It's all complicated and nobody knows any actual facts but never stopped people from immediately jumping on any crumb to demonize and trash one side over the other to the extreme.

If you want a comparison, on a lesser level, online fans are pretty much doing the same thing to Eteri and her team now since Med's defection to Orser.

 

[Dobre]

What bookstore?

Kidsbooks on Broadway. Pure heaven for a fan of YA fiction. (Especially one from the U.S. who doesn't normally have access to some of these publishers). Took me three separate trips to go through the YA section!

 

[Dobre]

Thoughts from the GPF:

Hubbell & Donohue--Their speed is up from Skate America, and I do prefer the dramatic opening. Unfortunately, by moving the choreo footwork to the front of the program, they lose the impact of it at the end of the program. This still feels like a work in progress. I mean, I like the more powerful beginning, but I still feel like they need a more powerful ending too. (The softness would work in the middle, demonstrating the dynamics within their skating abilities and the dynamics of the story). But when all is said & done, I really wish they had spent five more minutes thinking about their music before selecting this. It's never going to sing the way James & Cipres's FS sings. Of course, you're not going to hit it out of the park every year; but you do have to know who you are, and I just don't think soft romance or R&J makes H&D stand out from the crowd. I respect the work they've done since SC though.

Sinitsina & Katsalapov--Mostly, with them, I am just impressed that they have skated solidly thus far this season. I really appreciate their RD, and would have had no problem with their winning the rhythm dance here had they hit their levels. But I don't care for this FD any more live than I did before watching it on screen. I still prefer the FDs that finished 3rd & 4th. S&K are still a hair faster than Stepanova & Bukin when just skating around the rink for warm-ups. I'm not sure they are actually any faster now when performing the elements though. S&K looked happy here. It was nice to see that their confidence is back. I do find it fascinating that they ended their program facing the audience (the back side with more people sitting on it) rather than the judges. How rare is that!

Guignard & Fabbri--Clearly the delight of this dance competition for me. It's always so wonderful to see someone exceed their own expectations after a lot of hard work. Also, my Fusar-Poli & Margaglio fandom comes out seeing Barbara so happy. G&F just skated beautifully here. He flubbed the twizzles during the warm-up right before the FD, and I was really glad to see them step up & deliver during both programs. I'm not one of the people who thinks G&F have been underscored in the past. Their speed is still not comparable to the other top teams here. But they've put in the work on the pattern, their programs are both strong, they're skating both with polish and attention to the audience. I just think they've worked really hard this season and that paid off here.

Stepanova & Bukin--Fight, guys. Mostly what strikes me about S&B is how much stronger they are than the last time I saw them skate live, which was 2016. Their speed is up. If they are a hair slower that Sinitsina & Katsalapov, it's negligible and maybe non-existent during the actual elements. The performance ability between S&B is well balanced. The programs were fun, and the audience around me really responded to them. Stepanova & Bukin were very on the music during the opening of their RD. I liked the program even better than on screen. I hope they work their butts off to get the pattern and arrive at Nationals on fire.

Note 1: I liked that several of these teams have taken all four sides of the rink into account while planning their choreographic steps.

Note 2: The McNamara & Carpenter uber matrix part of me would like to say that A. Hawayek & Baker did a solid job competing at their first GPF, which they could and should be proud of. And B. by their losing to Zagorski & Guerreiro here, there is now not a single international dance team currently ranked between H&B, McNamara & Carpenter, and the Parsons via head-to-head competition this season--heading into U.S. Nationals.

(Fournier-Beaudry & Sorensen have not competed against any of the U.S. teams yet this season, of course).

 

[muffinplus]

The choreo step sequence from H/D should NEVER have been moved from where it was... I know I'm harping on the changes made to this FD, but I feel like it became less cohesive than it was.

 

[RoseRed]

Thought people might find this interesting.

It's been noticed that Papadakis/Cizeron and Hawayek/Baker have the same identical one foot step sequence in their free dances.

Video comparison here: https://www.tumblr.com/video/illyria-and-her-pet/180943690743/500/

Credit to this blog

I wonder which team got this choreography first?

H/B almost certainly did their programs first, though of course changes to the steps could have been made later. P/C weren't back at Gadbois until July. It's especially weird though since Lambiel did P/C's FD. I guess Marie-France and team worked on the steps though, since he's not an ice dancer.

 

[Miloune]

H/B almost certainly did their programs first, though of course changes to the steps could have been made later. P/C weren't back at Gadbois until July. It's especially weird though since Lambiel did P/C's FD. I guess Marie-France and team worked on the steps though, since he's not an ice dancer.

Lambiel worked on elements, but MF put it together.

 

[nuge]

It's funny but Eurosport guys raved about H/Baker and liked G/F FD but thought it was very old fashioned and said they were playing it safe and not taking any risks.

 

[Bigbird]

It's funny but Eurosport guys raved about H/Baker and liked G/F FD but thought it was very old fashioned and said they were playing it safe and not taking any risks.

Honestly, I've been watching H/B almost non-stop. That FD as well as S/B were the highlights for me.

 

[Bigbird]

Bitter Elena fans who wanted to see S/K fall flat on their face Everything apparently was his fault, the most evilest of evils and she was a poor victim and innocent angel. It's all complicated and nobody knows any actual facts but never stopped people from immediately jumping on any crumb to demonize and trash one side over the other to the extreme.

If you want a comparison, on a lesser level, online fans are pretty much doing the same thing to Eteri and her team now since Med's defection to Orser.

Funnily enough even on Elena's instagram when these crazies try to bash SinKats, she defends them and has actually stated that they make a great couple. Lunatics will always be just that, lunatics, regardless of the context.

 

[kittysk8ts]

Charlene was so happy in the KnC I wanted to cry with her!! Awww!

This was the highlight of the competition for me

 

[taz'smum]

This was the highlight of the competition for me

Me too, there have never been 2 more deserving medallists!

 

[lauravvv]

Lambiel worked on elements, but MF put it together.

Lambiel did not work on P/C's elements - he showed them different moves/ways of moving, and they used some of that for their FD. The same as with Jeffrey Cirio (a ballet dancer and choreographer) last season.

 

[Miloune]

Lambiel did not work on P/C's elements - he showed them different moves/ways of moving, and they used some of that for their FD. The same as with Jeffrey Cirio (a ballet dancer and choreographer) last season.

Yes I meant elements as in parts of it, not the technical elements specifically as we know he's no ice dancer.
My first meaning was that he didn't do the choreography itself.

 

[Dobre]

Shevchenko & Eremenko did themselves a solid at the JGPF this weekend. Onto the Top 24 SB list they go, currently in 21st place. And above Popova & Mozgov, Evdokimova & Bazin, and Shpilevaya & Smirnov. No Challengers left. Short of a very surprising qualification for Euros/Worlds, those teams are all done. S&E are now the 6th Russian team on the list. Plus there's a decent chance that Ushakova & Nekrasov--who are above S&E--may decide to remain in juniors. Shevchenko & Eremenko age-up into seniors next season. This score at the JGPF is the kind that could get them onto the GP.

 

[dramagrrl]

Kidsbooks on Broadway. Pure heaven for a fan of YA fiction. (Especially one from the U.S. who doesn't normally have access to some of these publishers). Took me three separate trips to go through the YA section!

(I know this is off topic, but...) How have I been to Vancouver three times and never knew about this place?! I am the type of bookworm that researches bookstores in the area any time I travel, and children's lit/YA are my favourite genres. Definitely have to check it out next time!

 

[levineismine]

I don't know whether this has been posted already but the polish team Plutowska/Flemin posted a nice video explaining the RD keypoints: YouTube link
They have other videos on their channel about daily life and training.

 

[Bigbird]

They might as well just get rid of all these key points and levels and just let it fly in terms of technical merit and artistic integrity, just let it all hang out people. Who's with me? Haha...

 

[Dobre]

New additions in bold. (All of the below happened in international competition).

Teams that have earned a YY on the rocker portion of the pattern:

Guignard & Fabbri at Skate America, Lombardia, the Helsinki GP, and the GPF.
The Parsons at the Asian Open, Lake Placid International, NHK, and Internationaux de France.
McNamara & Carpenter at Skate America, Nepela, Lake Placid International, and the Helsinki GP.
Turkkila & Versluis at Nepela and Minsk-Arena Ice Star.
Tessari & Fioretti at Nepela and Minsk-Arena Ice Star.
Muller & Dieck at Nepela.
Wang & Liu at Autumn Classic and NHK.
Carreira & Ponomarenko at Nebelhorn and Tallinn.
Gilles & Poirier at Nebelhorn.
Kaliszek & Spodyriev at Skate America and Tallinn.
Koch & Nuchtern at the International Halloween Cup and Golden Spin.
Moscheni & Fabbri at the Volvo Open.
Stepanova & Bukin at the Helsinki GP.
Zagorski & Guerreiro at NHK.
Skoptcova & Aleshin at NHK and Tallinn.
Evdokimova & Bazin at Rostelecom.
Kerry & Dodds at the Warsaw Cup.
Sinitsina & Katsalapov at the GPF.
Yanovskaya & Lukacs at Golden Spin.

Teams that have earned a Level 4 (YYYY) on the pattern:
McNamara & Carpenter (On both parts at Skate America. Also on the second part at Inge Solar).
Zagorski & Guerreiro (On both parts, the second part at Skate America, Warsaw Cup, and the GPF, the first part at NHK)
Kaliszek & Spodyriev (On both parts, the first part at Tallinn, the second part at the Warsaw Cup).
Koch & Nuchtern (On both parts at Golden Spin). Also on the first part at the Halloween Cup.
Yanovskaya & Lukacs (On both parts at Golden Spin).
Wang & Liu (On the first part at the Autumn Classic).
Carreira & Ponomarenko (On the first part at Nebelhorn).
Guignard & Fabbri (On the first part at the Helsinki GP and the GPF).
Turkkila & Versluis (On the first part at Minsk-Arena Ice Star).
Tessari & Fioretti (On the first part at Minsk-Arena Ice Star).
Papadakis & Cizeron (On the second part at Internationaux de France).
Skoptcova & Aleshin (On the second part at Tallinn).
Sinitsina & Katsalapov (On the first part at the GPF).
Popova & Mozgov (On the second part at Golden Spin).
Tweedale & Buckland (On the second part at Golden Spin).
Muller & Dieck (On the second part at Golden Spin).

 

[kittysk8ts]

Delete. (apologies)

 

[Dobre]

Just a reminder that Spanish Nationals is this week (14-16th). Fortunately both dance teams can go to Europeans now, but it will be the first time Hurtado & Khaliavin and Smart & Diaz have competed against each other this year. Thoughts?

 

[wickedwitch]

Just a reminder that Spanish Nationals is this week (14-16th). Fortunately both dance teams can go to Europeans now, but it will be the first time Hurtado & Khaliavin and Smart & Diaz have competed against each other this year. Thoughts?

H/K have one my favorite FDs of the year; S/D... do not.

Also, while I like the mood S/D set with their RD, I think the choreography highlights how much weaker she is as a skater than he is,

 

[Dobre]

Also, while I like the mood S/D set with their RD, I think the choreography highlights how much weaker she is as a skater than he is,

I'd say the evidence from the protocols this season is that Smart & Diaz are fairly well matched. He's gotten more level 3s on the one-foot footwork, but she has gotten more keypoints than him. Both have dropped levels on the twizzles. He's the one who splatted in France, and I doubt the mucked up lift at Finlandia was all her fault either. Anyway, the protocol sheets look quite balanced for them overall, even if you ignore those two big issues.

 

[wickedwitch]

I'd say the evidence from the protocols this season is that Smart & Diaz are fairly well matched. He's gotten more level 3s on the one-foot footwork, but she has gotten more keypoints than him. Both have dropped levels on the twizzles. He's the one who splatted in France, and I doubt the mucked up lift at Finlandia was all her fault either. Anyway, the protocol sheets look quite balanced for them overall, even if you ignore those two big issues.

There's more to quality skating than being on the correct edge. His skating is much smoother, for example.

 

[aftershocks]

^^ I would agree that while Smart/Diaz are okay together, he seems a bit better overall in terms of skills. She has a nice presence on the ice, but I'm not as interested in them as a team as I am in Hurtado/Khaliavin, for example.

Cross-posting from Canadian pairs thread, because this discussion was off-topic there:

It's also interesting that in ice dance all of a sudden this quad Sinitsina/Katsalapov are being lauded as the next big Russian thing when he spent the whole last quad being lashed for allegedly ruining Russian ice dance for splitting with Ilinykh.

That's a big 'put-up job'/ Russian fed politics helping to inch their marks up. Yes S/K have improved but not to the degree of the scores they've been receiving so far this season. And if I'm not mistaken, aren't they with Zhulin whose apparent clout had the ice dance world stuck swallowing overly high scores for B/S for years.

It will definitely be interesting to see what's going to happen at Russian Nats in ice dance division especially. SinKats and StepBuk are neck-and-neck and initially I thought it had been StepBuk ahead of SinKats. Both are improved, but both are receiving overly high scores too.

 

[Ka3sha]

Just a reminder that Spanish Nationals is this week (14-16th). Fortunately both dance teams can go to Europeans now, but it will be the first time Hurtado & Khaliavin and Smart & Diaz have competed against each other this year. Thoughts?

I will be rooting for Sara/Kirill, but I think that S/D have better chances to win the event. For some reason I just can't warm-up to Olivia's skating, and I usually find them really overscored in GOEs.
Honestly, even after 3 years am watching mostly Sara and Adria in their new teams, and still miss them as a team

SinKats and StepBuk are neck-and-neck and initially I thought it had been StepBuk ahead of SinKats. Both are improved, but both are receiving overly high scores too.

I think that Stepanova/Bukin will win this time, if both teams are clean. Never underestimate the power of politics and Bestimianova/TAT
But Euros and Worlds should be interesting!