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

[chantilly]

If they were going for Elvis and a jazzy feel at the same time, 'Fever' seems a more appropriate choice. With 'Tender' it would have been a different, more lyrical feeling, and they also would have been accused for "blending in" with Gadbois even more.

Perhaps I haven't been a figure skating fan long enough to remember all those 'Fever' programs (was watching already in the 80s as a child, but then stopped for quite a long time, and started watching again only in 2005). But in recent memory I think there have not been that many 'Fever' programs at a high level.

Agreed it would have been a different feel and programme and you have a valid point about the blending etc.

Maybe I’m remembering it wrong but I do seem to remember a lot of programs to Fever over the years, but I think you’re right, it hasn’t been high level teams.
Fever for me is the better section. But all I can say is my reaction when I first heard the music was “really!” and then after, I thought “well they’re doing a pretty good job with it, but still s meh choice.
And then the jazzy section started and they did the stop dance moves which I always hate in ice dance if it seems to go on too long.

It’s just my opinion but I think this feels like a junior team music selection.

 

[mollymgr]

It doesn't really matter if anyone has skated to Fever at a high level. It is what one can do to add their own stamp to it to make it great. In skating, you are doomed if you use overused music and doomed if you don't. Someone can skate to pots and pans and still create an amazing program. IMO, after rewatching it, I like the Fever part of this program. It flows nicely with portraying the sensuality. It is the second section that needs a little more "something"or maybe a different music cut to make this amazing.

ETA: This was their first outing this season and it is already great in its current form.

 

[Dobre]

It’s just my opinion but I think this feels like a junior team music selection.

Nonsense. The other program making a run at the gold with Elvis this year at Nationals is in novices:

https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/watch/?Archive=294&type=Archive
At the 39:51 mark. (For anyone not familiar with U.S. Fan Zone, you have to click on the black bar of space below the video and watch the time stamp in the right hand corner to find the right spot in the video. Also, sigh, you might get stuck watching an Ashley Wagner "ad" first).

 

[chantilly]

For the record I like Elvis programs. Loved Nic Nadeau’s and was a huge fan of Belbin and Agosto’s.
It’s not necessarily Elvis, just this particular piece and the choreography especially in the second half.

 

[chantilly]

I’d watch it again but it’s been taken down.?

 

[mollymgr]

I’d watch it again but it’s been taken down.?

Are you talking about C/B's program?
Here is the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDFpEwg6Vno

 

[PRlady]

I watched it again. This is the first time ever that I’ve preferred a C/B FD to the competing H/D FD. I’m shocked at myself, just shocked.

 

[starrynight]

Just an interesting tweet. Someone has broken down the one foot step sequences of Hawayek/Baker, Papadakis/Cizeron and Chock/Bates.

P/C and H/B have the exact same one foot step sequence.

The user posts that C/B have the same sequence aside from doing Right Forward Outside Edge - Bracket instead of Right Forward Inside Edge - Bracket.

There’s an interesting video of each team doing their sequence one after the other.

https://twitter.com/yang_bo_dudnik/status/1084223664579440642?s=21

This is a great resource for learning those dance abbreviations:

http://iceskatingresources.org/DanceAbbrevations.pdf

 

[nuge]

C/B look great so nice to have them back. nice to see Madison's removed those awful hearts off her boots
Loving both programmes. Really like the dress with her hair up in the competition dress best.

 

[her grace]

Just an interesting tweet. Someone has broken down the one foot step sequences of Hawayek/Baker, Papadakis/Cizeron and Chock/Bates.

P/C and H/B have the exact same one foot step sequence.

The user posts that C/B have the same sequence aside from doing Right Forward Outside Edge - Bracket instead of Right Forward Inside Edge - Bracket.

Who says compulsories are dead?

Reminds me of the time Morozov copied Belbin/Agosto’s step sequence for Gregory/Petukhov and complained that B/A got higher levels for theirs.

 

[Debbie S]

I agree that multiple teams from the same camp having the same choreo is a bit . But, as a (low level adult) skater, it doesn't surprise me that most skaters are choosing to do the 1-foot sequence on the right foot, as that is usually the better/dominant foot for most skaters who are right-handed (which is the majority, as it is in the rest of the population). And for most skaters, CCW is their preferred turning direction. Generally, turns done CW are better on the right foot than the left. And there are certain types of turns (specific edge/direction) that many skaters find easier/stronger than others, although there are plenty of exceptions.

Judges aren't going to give extra points for doing a harder vs easier turn (b/c that can vary from skater to skater and how would the judges determine that), and the point of choreo is to show the judges their best, so it makes sense that skaters would choose to do their strongest turns. Which means that we see similar step sequences, particularly with the 1-foot, since it only fills half (?) the rink length anyway so there is a limited amount of total steps we'll see.

 

[VGThuy]

I mean honestly, how many variations of the one-foot sequence that only goes half-way across the rink and that are choreographed to hit level 4 did we expect to see? They all sort of look the same to me, except P/C's which I thought looked a bit distinct and of course I think because it looks a bit different that we notice it when H/B and C/B (a bit) have similar ones.

 

[muffinplus]

I like both P/C's and H/B's one foot sequences... they might be the same but both well executed.

 

[casken]

Like "her grace" said above, this is not new. It was the same way for the footwork sequences when they first debuted. Once a teams started getting level 4, everyone started doing the same sequence. Shpilband and Zueva recycled footwork sequences and lifts between their own teams for years.

 

[Dobre]

I like the one-foot step sequences. The best ones flow so quickly. They feel like they are over in a heartbeat. And when you muck them up, it's pretty apparent. They are short so I can see that we aren't going to have nearly as much variety as we might with something longer and two feet; but I like them. I like anything that encourages new movement. I wouldn't mind combination one-foot step sequences, where athletes are compelled to switch feet but remain on one foot, etc. Anyway, I think there's room for the rules to change & evolve.

Shpilband and Zueva recycled footwork sequences and lifts between their own teams for years.

And I'm sure people griped about those too.

 

[starrynight]

I mean honestly, how many variations of the one-foot sequence that only goes half-way across the rink and that are choreographed to hit level 4 did we expect to see? They all sort of look the same to me, except P/C's which I thought looked a bit distinct and of course I think because it looks a bit different that we notice it when H/B and C/B (a bit) have similar ones.

Interesting concept to ponder who *owns* this step sequence. Who debuted it first? I think Hawayek/Baker showed it a couple of weeks before P/C showed theirs.

I suppose it’s not really fair to say P/C have the only distinct step sequence when they technically copied Hawayek/Bakers exactly to the step.

Then I guess Chock/Bates copies H/B who were copied by P/C - but C/B changed one turn.

I think Hubbell/Donohue were the lucky team that got their own one foot step sequence all to themselves.

Again I am very interested to see what happens next season when Gadbois has to invent 18 different pattern type step sequences for the rhythm dance.

 

[Icetigger]

Basically, everyone is more likely to do their one foot step sequence on the right foot. They are all likely to do a double twizzle on the end. Exactly how many variations are there left for everything else that needs to be done........ Mathematically, I suspect it's more likely that two teams from Gadbois would have the same one foot sequence than not. None of this really effects GOE, except for the double feature of creative and innovative, but that feature is unlikely to be given based on the technical requirements of an element anyway. It's more important that the element is performed musically and with great upper body expression, deep and clean edges, and with a great entrance and exit.

In short, I don't care......

 

[marbri]

Maybe the more interesting exercise, for those inclined, would be to compare all the dance teams to see how much variation there really is. Or isn't. Not just a few teams from one club.

 

[Ka3sha]

Decided to take a closer look on one foot step sequences and made some gifs (youtube videos might be geoblocked)

Part 1.
SinKats (GPF): Victoria does it on her left foot, Nikita - on the right
https://media.giphy.com/media/kigTUGehnM97nRgE0W/giphy.gif

Stepanova/Bukin (Nationals): both on their right feet
https://media.giphy.com/media/LqfkFoxnaejS8pTseo/giphy.gif
(gif starts little earlier, but that long entry surprised me)

Hubbell/Donohue: on their right feet
- 1st version (Skate Canada)
https://media.giphy.com/media/21Rtp8lJBJr5ZlZ2Uy/giphy.gif
- 2nd version (GPF)
https://media.giphy.com/media/vgx912AptIZ0TvEXJ1/giphy.gif

Guinard/Fabbri (Skate America): both on their left feet
https://media.giphy.com/media/9V3HUIMxO8LGOdhuFg/giphy.gif

Zahorski/Guerreiro (GPF): both on their right feet
https://media.giphy.com/media/4K1LQQxLXo4DclHyqJ/giphy.gif

 

[muffinplus]

Carol Lane noted that SinKats had an interesting step sequence (or at least more interesting) because theirs is done in opposition

 

[chameleonster]

I might be mixing something up here, but I thought everyone had to use the same five turns anyway. And if you take into account that pretty much everyone ends theirs with the twizzle, that means there are only about twenty four unique orders of steps that are being used, none of which are going to be that different anyway.

I don't know, it doesn't really bother me that much? From an entertainment standpoint I think I would prefer longer step sequences with more visual differentiation, but the current incarnation is an interesting display of skill. And for all we know this element could be going into the bin after this season, never to be seen or again. Or perhaps it'll become a staple and people will think of ways to make it more creative and unusual anyway, like S/K's mirrored steps.

 

[Ka3sha]

Part 2.

Gilles/Poirier (France)
https://media.giphy.com/media/byzfN77Q9woqwcv6cv/giphy.gif

Weaver/Poje (Autumn Classic)
https://media.giphy.com/media/uj83h1g8KOuHolgnEE/giphy.gif

Smart/Diaz (Nationals)
https://media.giphy.com/media/Bq69tVlCg90sh0DPvU/giphy.gif

Hurtado/Khaliavin (Rostelecom)
they don't end their stsq with twizzles, yay
but pretty risky considering Sara's usual twizzle problems
https://media.giphy.com/media/2ZYLsaqhGZQLW7xFgQ/giphy.gif

Fear/Gibson (Nationals)
https://media.giphy.com/media/dZCEh5VdPxeyehKVR6/giphy.gif

 

[Icetigger]

That German team with the cancer themed programme had an interesting one foot from what I remember.

EDIT: https://youtu.be/cXkbMCy66Ho?t=30 It did however get changed by at least skate america.

 

[Dobre]

From an entertainment standpoint I think I would prefer longer step sequences with more visual differentiation, but the current incarnation is an interesting display of skill.

After my last post, I was also thinking that maybe the shorter required footwork sequence allows more time for the choreographic steps; and I've really been enjoying the way those can add to the entertainment value and musical interpretation of the programs.

 

[millyskate]

https://www.facebook.com/gabriellap...3925584374761/445394252664661/?type=2&theater
For those of you who speak French, it's really worth watching. Some good training sequences with Gabriella and Guillaume, and great interviews - both of them, as well as Romain, are incredibly articulate with their artistic intentions.

 

[starrynight]

I might be mixing something up here, but I thought everyone had to use the same five turns anyway. And if you take into account that pretty much everyone ends theirs with the twizzle, that means there are only about twenty four unique orders of steps that are being used, none of which are going to be that different anyway.

I wonder if this is how they are going to manage the pattern dance for next season i.e. have strictly devised set steps? Because I've been wondering how they are going to get a sense of comparability between the teams if they are able to make their own pattern dance type step sequence.

 

[thvu]

I might be mixing something up here, but I thought everyone had to use the same five turns anyway. And if you take into account that pretty much everyone ends theirs with the twizzle, that means there are only about twenty four unique orders of steps that are being used, none of which are going to be that different anyway.

There’s no limit on the max # of turns for the one-foot steps, so there’s more combinations than we’re thinking. Of course, a team gets no credit for steps beyond the 5 required for level 4, and actually, it adds risk in that any unclean turn would preclude a skater from earning a level 4, so extra turns are just more chances to make a mistake.

 

[yurokis40]

Finally get to see Weapo competing this week for the first time since December, Chock and bates looked great too especially the fd the rd needs more work Evan needs to find his inner poje here, I believe they are more than wild cards especially Kaitlyn and Andrew who still have a great shot at world medal lets hope poje has his twizzles in order.

 

[Icetigger]

Kaitlyn and Andrew who still have a great shot

I would say a shot. But at the moment likely a P/C, S/K and H/D podium.

 

[starrynight]

It’s always tempting to presume that the Grand Prix Final podium will be the Worlds podium - but one thing I find is that once Euros and 4CC start the previous December seems ages away.