Thanks. That's more than anyone posted on the Korean thread on GS when someone asked for an update. Maybe they will sign up for Lake Placid as Min & Gamelin did a few years ago? (Will need minimum scores if they are together). Or for Skate Detroit as most of Novi did last season if they don't want to chase scores?
The Dance Hall 7: Tripping the Light Fantastic 2019-2020
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Thanks. That's more than anyone posted on the Korean thread on GS when someone asked for an update. Maybe they will sign up for Lake Placid as Min & Gamelin did a few years ago? (Will need minimum scores if they are together). Or for Skate Detroit as most of Novi did last season if they don't want to chase scores?
I've been trying to think what to post here about the GP Announcement all day. And I've decided to go with a Cheer Post. Here are all the things I want to 
about the announcement today.
-The top 7 teams are well distributed. Gilles & Poirier and Sinitsina & Katsalapov get the easier route on paper, but I guess that's karma for getting stuck with the same two events last season. Plus, everybody has a shot, and the Stepanova & Bukin vs. Guignard & Fabbri and Chock & Bates vs. Guignard & Fabbri battles are scheduled for neutral territory so that's good.
-McNamara & Carpenter got two non-host spots! They are hella difficult, but wheee! what great battles and what a lot of experience they will get.
-Stepanova & Bukin are coming to Skate America! (Of course, I won't be there because I am going to SC
, but I can be happy they are coming anyway. Also Kelowna is lovely so no real complaints except that W&P are not going to be there
). But this is a cheer post so I will go back to cheering . . .
-Fournier-Beaudry & Sorenson vs. Hawayek & Baker battle at Cup of China.
-SC has lots of non Gadbois teams! (I am both surprised and happy because Marie-France & I do not have the same taste in music).
-Also, I get to see 4 teams live at SC that I've never seen live before (Hurtado & Khaliavin, Popova & Mozgov, Green & Parsons, and Evdokimova & Bazin). Which is pretty good because I was very spoiled last season on the West Coast. And I've been wanting to see H&K together live for a while so I could gauge their speed against other teams).
Random "I-am-excited-to-see thoughts":
SA: Zagorski & Guerreiro vs. Fournier-Beaudry & Sorenson vs. Carreira & Ponomarenko vs. Lauriault & Le Gac.
SC: Hurtado & Khaliavin
IDF: The whole field. Holy schmoly it's just one battle after the other all the way down the line.
COC: The forementioned H&B vs. F-B&S battle. (This event is a bit on the weak side this year, I think; but that head-to-head will help).
COR: Well, it will be interesting to see how the last two Junior World Champions do against each other.
NHK: Go M&C! Plus, final GPF spots on the line! And Stepanova & Bukin vs. Guignard & Fabbri battle.
about the announcement today.-The top 7 teams are well distributed. Gilles & Poirier and Sinitsina & Katsalapov get the easier route on paper, but I guess that's karma for getting stuck with the same two events last season. Plus, everybody has a shot, and the Stepanova & Bukin vs. Guignard & Fabbri and Chock & Bates vs. Guignard & Fabbri battles are scheduled for neutral territory so that's good.
-McNamara & Carpenter got two non-host spots! They are hella difficult, but wheee! what great battles and what a lot of experience they will get.
-Stepanova & Bukin are coming to Skate America! (Of course, I won't be there because I am going to SC
, but I can be happy they are coming anyway. Also Kelowna is lovely so no real complaints except that W&P are not going to be there). But this is a cheer post so I will go back to cheering . . .-Fournier-Beaudry & Sorenson vs. Hawayek & Baker battle at Cup of China.
-SC has lots of non Gadbois teams! (I am both surprised and happy because Marie-France & I do not have the same taste in music).
-Also, I get to see 4 teams live at SC that I've never seen live before (Hurtado & Khaliavin, Popova & Mozgov, Green & Parsons, and Evdokimova & Bazin). Which is pretty good because I was very spoiled last season on the West Coast. And I've been wanting to see H&K together live for a while so I could gauge their speed against other teams).
Random "I-am-excited-to-see thoughts":
SA: Zagorski & Guerreiro vs. Fournier-Beaudry & Sorenson vs. Carreira & Ponomarenko vs. Lauriault & Le Gac.
SC: Hurtado & Khaliavin
IDF: The whole field. Holy schmoly it's just one battle after the other all the way down the line.
COC: The forementioned H&B vs. F-B&S battle. (This event is a bit on the weak side this year, I think; but that head-to-head will help).
COR: Well, it will be interesting to see how the last two Junior World Champions do against each other.
NHK: Go M&C! Plus, final GPF spots on the line! And Stepanova & Bukin vs. Guignard & Fabbri battle.
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barbarafan
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Thank-you so much.. do you know which country Orihara and Pirinen are skating for?
Colonel Green
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Finland.
Colonel Green
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Weaver/Poje’s now-likely departure opens up a spot in the top ten at Worlds, but the impending arrival of Russia’s #3 (hopefully a back-on-track Zahorski/Guerreiro) complicates that math for all the small European fed teams clustered just outside the top ten.
Game on to see who can overcome at least one of Z/G, H/B and F-B/S, if any.
Game on to see who can overcome at least one of Z/G, H/B and F-B/S, if any.
Sylvia
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Trivia: Roy & Zhang previously were partnered together and placed 10th in Junior at 2018 Canadians: https://www.ice-dance.com/site/profile-katrine-roy-oliver-zhang/
Rikako Fukase/Oliver Zhang are listed as representing Japan on the Quebec Summer Championships entry list as of today.
Copying over from the Finnish news thread in GSD:
Cecilia's May 24th IG post in Finnish & English: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx2CUNgHXx4/
clairecloutier
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A nice interview with Cathy Reed of Japan from ice dance.com:
www.ice-dance.com
Catching up with Cathy Reed – Ice-dance.com
www.ice-dance.com
New interview with Ruslan Zhiganshin - he talks about his own career, what he and his sister are doing nowadays and his first steps as a coach
MatchTV interview with Ruslan Zhiganshin
Ðн каÑалÑÑ Ñ Ð¡Ð¸Ð½Ð¸Ñиной и ÐлÑинÑÑ. Ð ÑейÑÐ°Ñ Ð¼ÐµÑÑÐ°ÐµÑ Ð¾Ð± еÑе одной Ðлимпиаде и беÑÐµÑ Ð¿ÑÐ¸Ð¼ÐµÑ Ñ Ð¦Ð¸ÑкаÑидзе
ÐнÑеÑвÑÑ Â«ÐаÑÑ Ð¢Ð» Ñ Ð ÑÑланом ÐиганÑинÑм.matchtv.ru
- It’s been two years since you retired - what have you been doing all this time?
- I started working from the first day. I didn’t take a week off just to rest or do something I couldn’t afford myself doing for many years because of the sports regime. Moreover, my decision was deliberate and thought out. I stayed on the ice, but in a new role: I work with children, choreograph programs.
- Have you considered any alternatives other than coaching? Participation in ice shows, commentary, business.
- At first I thought to try myself in skating show. Of course, this is an interesting experience for a skater -you have more creativity and freedom. But I still wanted to skate in lead roles, and not to be in the crowd. This requires a constant show partner and I did not have one. The second reason - you have to work at nights and go on endless trips. Almost all the repetitions for the performances are scheduled at night, and I didn’t want to live separately from my family and return home only in the morning, when my family are already leaving for work. So shows didn’t work out for me.
As for the business or any new profession, this is an entirely new area of life and you have to get to know everything, dip into it, study all the processes. Is it possible to start a business project on the go, without proper preparation? I decided that figure skating is the best I can do at this time and that I have to follow my path. I started coaching at the age of 15. My mom is a teacher and and she taught me an approach to the children.
- How did your relatives react to your decision to retire?
- At first, my parents were worried. all, After all, so much energy and soul were put into this sport so my sister and I could do figure skating and compete. Mom even tried to find me a new partner. But over time they resigned.
- What are your sister Nelli and her partner doing nowadays?
- Nelli finally settled in Oberstdorf, she is coaching children together with German figure skater Florian Yust. Sometimes she comes to visit us.
After retiring from figure skating in 2015, Nelli and Alexander Gazsi skated in shows for a while. The audience loved them for their unique programs. I remember that when they went on the ice, got up in the starting position, and the audience had been already laughing and applauding. Now Gazhi lives in Switzerland, took part in the German equivalent of "Stars on Ice". The guys sometimes see each other, skate together in shows and in general, all is good.
***
- How many children do you have in your group and how old are they?
- I used to constantly work in the same group, but since this February I began to cooperate with the Iceberg sport club. Now I work with different students. There is a youth category (children from 5 to 9 years old), there are older guys, teenagers. By quantity - from 8 to 20 students on the ice. I work in different cities, and groups are different everywhere.
While I was watching you working with children, I noticed characteristic graceful movements and twizzles among young skaters. One feels that their coach is an ice dancer.
- Thank you, it’s nice to hear. I teach them how to glide, how to move with amplitude, how to push, etc. These children are mostly single skaters. They can learn how to jump and spin under the guidance of other coaches. And I work with them on the PCS .
- How can you understand that a child is more suitable for dancing? And where are you looking for partners?
I think the coach can see the perspectives of his student based on his body size, leg length. It happens that a skater jumps badly, he just loses his coordination. But his body is flexible, his lines are beautiful, the steps are more like dance steps. Then this child should try ice dancing. It's great if a partner can be found immediately within the group. More often than not, the guys have to put their with profiles on the forums, or the coaches have to call their colleagues and look for young athletes.
- When did you yourself understand that you should try ice dance?
- I was 9 years old. I think I myself understood little about my own abilities at that time. Coaches put me in a pair with one girl from the group. We did some elements, and it went well. And the age of 11 I got into Irina Lobacheva’s group, where I met Vika Sinitsina.
***
-Can you name the happiest moment in your career?
Definitely the Olympics. We went there as Rus#3 and didn’t have any pressure on our shoulders. Our coaches said: "Just skate and have fun." I remember that the locker rooms were located under the rink. When the athletes came out, the stands roared, the ice really shook with delight. We sat in the locker room and felt this vibration.
- Favorite program?
It is difficult for me to name only one, so I’ll name a few: finnstep (short dance in the Olympic season), Carmen, The Phantom of the Opera, cowboy dance.
- Your Carmen was awesome. Of all the skaters who skated to this music, you and Ilinykh surprised everyone also because you chose it for the short dance.
That season we had to do pasodouble , so we decided to work it out for the famous “Carmen”. Famous Spanish choreographer and ballet star Antonio Naharro helped us to choreograph the program. The training sessions with him were fantastic: Naharro taught us the spirit of Spanish dancing, the atmosphere of that culture.
***
- What do you think - why Russian ice dances lost its positions over the past decade?
- One of the reasons is a limited approach. Skaters rarely work with invited experts and professionals, rarely go on internships. I was impressed by the North American training system: top skaters are engaged both in the choreographing process, they do both modern dance classes and the classical ones, take lessons from actors, memes. That is diverse comprehensive preparation. And we, as a rule, have one choreographer in a group, who considers himself multifaceted and can choreograph all the programs himself.
Cooperation with the Antonio Naharro helped me to understand the essence of Spanish dance. During our internship in Shpilband’s group I learned a lot about twizzles. Therefore, I support the knowledge and experience exchange between the coaches. Also in America, Canada and Europe, athletes value their time on the ice much more, as they have to pay for training themselves.
- In one interview, your sister said that modern ice dance does not have enough freedom. This is the only type of figure skating, where a short dance is limited to one theme, there are also some strict criteria for costumes.
- I agree. All teams have to dance rumba, pasodouble, tango, etc. Probably, for the audience it‘s hard to watch all those dances. But when I was competing, I loved compulsory dances much more then some of the free dances.
- Why, in your opinion, Papadakis/Cizeron became untouchable just in one season? What is their secret?
They are unique, they have a very ‘light’ gliding. Very smooth movements, no static positions, as it was in the case with some Soviet athletes. In juniors, Vika and I competed with the French team, sometimes we were ahead of them. Even then it was clear that this is a very promising couple and that they will succeed. They are unique, and notice how Papadakis/Cizeron set new fashion in figure skating with their own dancing style.
- For whom did you root at the Olympics - for the French or for the Canadians?
For no one, I like both couples. And in general, after retirement I don’t like to root for just one team or skater. It is interesting to simply notice some elements in the programs, look for some finds, artistry. As in football, people are watching the process of the game, and I am watching a spectacle on the ice.
- And yet: can you single out any current skaters?
- In ice dance, perhaps, Sinitsina/ Katsalapov. They move in the same direction with the French and are able to compete with them. In men's skating, I like Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno. I will not speak about the girls, it’s a hot topic. I don’t have any specific preferences in pairs. In general, I am paying attention to the programs, not individual athletes. For example, I was struck by one of Stolbova/Klimov programs- to the music from a Chinese film (their short program from 2014-15 season). Ksenia had amazing skating skills for a Pairs girl.
- And who inspired you in your childhood?
- Averbukh - he was very remarkable skater. But in general, my idol in ice dancing was Maxim Stavisky. His and Albena’s white-suited program from 2007 Worlds is awesome. So many original elements, it gave me goosebumps.
- You practically trained with one coaching team through out your entire career (Alexeeva and Kustarova). This is a big rarity in sports. Do you still have good relationships with them?
- Yes, I left the coaches without any fights. I chose to leave the sport, not just them. I love all my former coaches and thank them for everything. Sometimes we see each other, I recently brought my student them.
- Do you communicate with former partners?
- I am not offended by Vika and Nikita, and am pleased with their success. They are great! We do not communicate, as we don’t have any common friends, but if time falls out, I don’t mind meeting them. In the spring, when I spoke with Peter Durnev and congratulated the guys with their silver at Worlds.
- Now there are a lot of talks about new potential team - Ilinykh/Solovyov ...
- No comments.
- Are you satisfied with your life now?
- In general, yes. I do what I love, I can pass my knowledge to children. I already have an experience in creating program for one pair team, the students of Sergei Dobroskokov. I took out my 13-year-old student on the ice this February, at the "Children of Asia" competition on Sakhalin Island.
I am giving master classes often, I travel a lot. In general, I can not imagine myself sitting in the office, working with papers. Not because I despise such lifestyle, it’s just not my field at all. Recently I received an invitation to work in Europe, but it’s still necessary to solve some formal issues, so I won’t make any statements now.
After retirement, I was thinking about sports management. Now I have an agent, Nikita - he is a magical person, who organizes all my trips and negotiations. And I prefer to do my craft: train the kids, find an approach to them and see the result of our work.
***
- Are you planning to grow your own champions and go to the main events as a coach?
- For now I prefer helping others. But in the future, yes, I want. The main thing is to take responsibility.
***
Yes, I dream of going to the Olympics as a coach. I want to bring up an ice dancing couple and get the results I have never achieved myself with them. To justify all spent resources and time. So that everything that happened to me in recent years made sense.
Colonel Green
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Glad to hear that she's working at training some young dancers in Japan.A nice interview with Cathy Reed of Japan from ice dance.com:
Catching up with Cathy Reed – Ice-dance.com
Sylvia
Flight #5342: I Will Remember You
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Cathy's 2 young teams from her IG:A nice interview with Cathy Reed of Japan from ice dance.com:
Catching up with Cathy Reed – Ice-dance.com
Singin' in the Rain competition debut by the twins (photo): https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxg9OqDpRo3/
Stayin' Alive disco exhibition program by "Sumi and Ibu" (2 clips): https://www.instagram.com/p/BwD0et0hvH4/
Sylvia
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Since we don't have a separate GPF poll for Dance 
(copying these posts over from the GPF Men's thread):
(copying these posts over from the GPF Men's thread):Since we don't have a separate GPF poll for Dance
LOL. I just posted that response, and only then realized I wasn't in the Dance Hall.
At which point I mistakenly assumed I must have been responding to a post in the general GPF thread. But I'm sure all the men's fans are feeling very "educated" now.
Katesk8sgr8s
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I don’t think Skate Detroit is hosting anything for ice dance this year .
Bigbird
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I will really, really miss them. I really thought there was more to them than the haplessly patched together FDs that Morozov gave them these last two seasons. Their last couple short dances really impressed me, they were a couple of my favourites as well as their Elvis SD. Really wished we had great FDs these days. The last really good one for me still is Frida. If only Ilinykh had a partner who had a clue about his role, it was well above his head. But I would rather they all explore their options beyond competition, better to leave people wanting than wanting people to give you the heave ho.
C
casken
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It's interesting that so many W&P fans didn't like this year's FD, whereas I thought it was the best thing they've ever done after years of finding them too vanilla for my tastes.
VGThuy
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I honestly don't remember it. I honestly don't remember much of their material since they moved to Morosov, though I really enjoyed their 2017-2018 SD and it honestly might be my favorite that whole season in terms of concept, music edit, and choreography. It felt like a real authentic street Latin dance as opposed to an ice dance interpretation of a ballroom/SYTYCD number.
I think that's pretty common, though. When you step outside your own typical style, different fans appreciate it while the traditional fanbase can be disappointed.
I thought this year's FD was OK, but I didn't think it ever developed as far as I hoped it would go at the beginning of the season--possibly because they did not have a full season.
I love Je Suis Malade & this past year's RD. Their Moulin Rouge program is the first one that got my attention. And I always found This Bitter Earth to have very intriguing choreography. I thought their waltz was classic and much better than I would have anticipated based on their typical style. Those are the programs that really stand out for me. (My mother is a huge fan of the statue program). Also the lift in the Michael Jackson SD was great. They have had a lot of incredible lifts over the years. Her ability to hold her body horizontal with the strength of her balance & abdominal muscles is just incredible.
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barbarafan
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I agree that it was their best programs and I also feel they were undermarked- by a lot on the RD. They have such a wonderful dramatic and emotional connection. It is sad if they have retired from competitive skating but totally understandable.
MarieM
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W&P toped themselves with Maria de Buenos Aires. Never ever went close to THAT program again.
C
casken
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Perfect example of a program W&P's fans loved, but I hated.
In particular didn't like how the second half of that FD was constructed at all.I wanted to love this program becuase I find the Etta James piece achingly beautiful, but I didn't feel like they had the big sweeping edges to match the big, booming vocals of James, nor were they quick or sharp enough to keep up with the Einaudi piece. They were constantly chasing the music for that part all season.
I really liked the Skate America version of this dance, but really didn't like the revamped version later in the season.
The Four Seasons had to many music cuts and, other than the WTT where the were really on, they spent the whole season chasing that music too.
I think that's why this year's FD is so successful for me; they weren't fighting or struggling to keep up with music. They seemed totally in time and one with it. One thing blended effortlessly into the next thing, and the interpretation didn't seem forced. I also like the fact that it was one of the few FD's to have the choreographic sequence blend in so well, rather than the usual, "Hey, here we come, right down the middle of the ice to the judges!"
Most of their ODs/SDs/RDs are kind of forgettable to me, tbh. But yes, this year's tango was good. They did a good job of making it seem distinct from the Tango FD.
That's my second favorite FD from them, but "objectively" it's the probably the best one they've done.
Bigbird
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One of the best programs ever. Good FDs are like rare gold. They should have won that year.
clairecloutier
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I liked most of W/P's programs over the years. The first one that caught my eye was Moulin Rouge, and I still think of their MR as one of the best. But I did like most of their programs. Even things like their Michael Jackson SD, which I originally hated and thought was all wrong for them, I eventually came to enjoy quite a bit. 
Some FDs stood out more than others, but all were pretty watchable in my book. They were beautiful and emotional dancers, Kaitlyn especially--when you have both those qualities, it's hard to go TOO wrong. 
Some FDs stood out more than others, but all were pretty watchable in my book. They were beautiful and emotional dancers, Kaitlyn especially--when you have both those qualities, it's hard to go TOO wrong. 
), but I will surely miss their short dances
VGThuy
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That's my clear favorite program of theirs as well. As more time goes on, the stronger I feel that WeaPo probably should have won bronze at the Sochi Games or at least placed third in the FD. At least they were super close to winning Worlds with it, which I wonder if it hurts more than losing the Olympic bronze by some way.
Pechalat & Bourzat had such wonderful programs that season. (I especially liked their FD and the first version of their RD). Gave too much away at Worlds and were not happy, but I was always glad they at least medaled that season because I thought those programs were good ones, and it drove me nuts that their only previous medal was for the Mummy thing. Cappellini & Lanotte had a great combination of programs for the Olympic season too. I really thought their 42nd Street was better than Weaver & Poje's. But C&L had a few issues with execution in Sochi so I understood why it didn't score as well there as it could have. Ilinykh & Katsalapov's FD was stellar. The SD, though, was not and not skated well in Sochi. I think if they had taken a hit with their scores in the SD, I would have felt a lot better about their winning bronze at the Olympics--if they had managed to pull up based on the strength of their FD instead. Thus is life.
platniumangel
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How are Green/Parsons eligible for non-host pick Grand Prix assignments?
I know! USFS should have at least waited for them to skate decently at Lake Placid or something before handing them Skate Canada.
Katesk8sgr8s
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How does that work, did Canada pick them to participate?
Colonel Green
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The USFSA submitted them for consideration, at which point Skate Canada picked them.
I wouldn't be surprised if Green/Parsons' selection was swapped for Veronik Mallet's SA ladies spot.
Probably they got the spot based on being a split couple and the Parsons earning a guaranteed berth last season. It's not in the rules, but it seems similar to what happened with Li & Xie getting invited onto the GP (one invite of which was at SA) last season. (And, yes, it seems entirely plausible that USFS and SC traded berths as they seem to do so quite a lot. Though by all appearances not in dance over the past couple seasons).
Anyway, USFS didn't offer the berth. Skate Canada did. If they didn't give it to Green & Parsons, it would have gone to a dance team from another country. Technically, USFS is waiting as they haven't named the third team to SA. I don't know who else could possibly get it, considering the teams we saw signed up for the Chesapeake Open; but no one has been named yet.
Green & Parsons aren't in the International Selection Pool yet either. I'm curious whether they will just be added to it directly now that they have a GP (as Gracie was last year) or whether USFS will wait for them to compete. I have a feeling we have an update to the ISP list in dance coming regardless, though, as I'm pretty sure Wolfkostin & Chen's scores are high enough to get them on the list.
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