The Dance Hall 7: Tripping the Light Fantastic 2019-2020

[starrynight]

Also, Scott Moir fell in the FD at 2017 worlds and still won overall, so...

Rightfully, that resulted in a rule change about falls and getting 10s in PCS. I remember thinking at the time that it was controversial.

And in respect of the 1998 Olympics - was it accurate in respect of what happened on the ice that the entire field stayed static and no placements changed between the OD and the FD? That seems pretty improbable really.

 

[Holy Headband]

Ice dance has been an Olympic sport since 1976. It has been contested at Worlds level since the 1950s. The idea that it needs twizzles and ungainly lift positions to maintain its place is a notion that has no basis in reality.

This doesn't really make sense to me... The IOC wouldn't hesitate to boot out a sport if its scoring criteria became too vague for the casual viewer to take seriously and TV ratings declined as a result. That's why rhythmic gymnastics is constantly under threat/doesn't have apparatus finals in the Olympics, for example.

In any case, I'm guessing ice dancers themselves don't want to move away from twizzles and lifts because they're a source of pride to them. In my experience, in a lot of competitive activities that straddle the line between sport and something else, it is the competitors who insist on being taken seriously as sportspeople, even if some fans dislike the sportification of their favourite activity.

 

[starrynight]

That's why rhythmic gymnastics is constantly under threat/doesn't have apparatus finals in the Olympics, for example.

Sorry to send this a bit off topic, but what is the situation with rhythmic gymnastics?

 

[bbkenn]

I always feel badly for Krylova & Ovsiannikov, Masquerade Waltz is one of the all time greats for me but doesn't always feel like it gets its due because their time at the top was so brief and it ended on such a sour note. That's part of why it has been so nice to see her having such success as a coach for awhile and I hope she can do well now that she is back in Russia. I like Popova & Mozgov a lot, but I don't know if they can crack a tight field, and especially I don't know how much international judges are going to go for their style - we'll see how it goes for them this season! This is just their second season together I think?

I LOVED their Masquerade Waltz!

 

[manhn]

In defence of 2020-2014, the teams were just figuring out the SD format. I hate the SD, but the rules have expanded since to make the programs more enjoyable, well, by diminishing the CD component further.

 

[bbkenn]

[/QUOTE] V&M are absolutely one of the greatest teams of all time, but the only FD they did that did justice to their talent level was the Carmen one, and even that one didn't go as far as it could choreographically.
[/QUOTE]

I agree. The nonsense of the "sketchiness" or "inappropriateness" or whatever people called it made it impossible for them to fully develop that dance. I think it had the capacity to be one of the greatest programs of all time. Still makes me sad.

 

[VGThuy]

I don't know. Some of my fave SDs came from the 2015-2016 season when the full Ravensburger Waltz pattern was used. I think it helped that they got rid of one of the side-by-side step or the partial step to get the full one in. I also think V/M's Finn step from 2013-2014 was one of the best SDs we've seen.

 

[Andora]

I often wonder if G&P's Memorial Requiem FD would have been more personally enjoyable had "Pasha" received better styling that year. For music that can be monotonous, that program has never dragged-- not even watching it over 20+ years later. Still, A&P had the only great FD that year.

I understand the nostalgia for old dance eras. I've always held 1994-1998 in high esteem because that's when I discovered Ice Dance, but it really was generally awful save for 1997. Just garbage choreography - not even Rahkamo & Kokko could save 1995 worlds.

The explosion of Igor/Marina and then their separation really illustrated both Igor's and Marina's own limitations. They really were stronger together.

Thiiiiiis. Really, by the 2011/2012 season, the choreography seemed spent. Looking back, cracks had to have been forming, leading to the travesty of free dances in 2014 across the board for the Detroit teams effected by the split. And I include my own favourites in that list. That said, it's also true the athleticism took massive leaps forward. I'd like to think we've been seeing a better balance ever since.

 

[Dobre]

Ice Dance Fan Pet Peeve:

-People who come to the slow realization that their favorite man/lady/pairs skater is never going to master blank jump & is therefore unlikely to make the national podium; then immediately proclaim that said man/lady/pairs skater should go into ice dance.

Never mind that this athlete's country is absolutely stacked in ice dance with medal-winning ice dancers that have been competing in dance since they were about 8-10 years old.


Thank you for listening to my rant. This felt like the appropriate place to share it.

 

[Ladida]

Well, the switch to ice dance seems to work for Shingo . But the Japanese ice dance is "not very crowded" to say it politely.

 

[bcash]

Really love Smart and Diaz's look in this RD. The program itself looks lovely too. Fear Gibson looked a little rough around the edges with the execution.

 

[Lara111]

Really love Smart and Diaz's look in this RD. The program itself looks lovely too. Fear Gibson looked a little rough around the edges with the execution.

F/G did not really deserve this score at this stage.

 

[casken]

I thought both S&D and F&G looked weak. One of the lower ranked Russian teams at the Russian test skates had a better Gease RD.

G&P's RD was...ok. Once again I think the compulsory section is going to be their Achilles heel.

 

[shan]

Smart/Diaz's SD is missing something. Energy from both, maybe. She seems to be giving more than him.

 

[Bigbird]

Smart/Diaz's SD is missing something. Energy from both, maybe. She seems to be giving more than him.

Skating skills.

 

[Dobre]

Finnstep Levels at Autumn Classic:

Gilles & Poirier-Level 1
Soucisse & Firus-Basic
Lauriault & Le Gac-Level 2
Smart & Diaz-Level 1
Fear & Gibson-Level 1
Friend & Badoui-Basic

Bets on whether the ones at Lombardia are better? (Actually, I'm feeling better, having looked up the protocols, because I really didn't think Soucisse & Firus's looked right & then there they were in second place).

 

[Wyliefan]

I don't understand the struggles on the pattern (but then, I am perpetually in no teknik!). Is it just trouble with the timing?

 

[Dobre]

I don't understand the struggles on the pattern (but then, I am perpetually in no teknik!). Is it just trouble with the timing?

No. If it was just timing, they would all have Ts instead of Ns.

 

[Orm Irian]

No. If it was just timing, they would all have Ts instead of Ns.

IIRC Fear/Gibson got a Y, and N and two Ts, and everybody else except Lauriault/Le Gac got either one Y and three Ns or all Ns. This is going to be skaters vs the pattern for the first half of the season again, isn't it?

 

[Lara111]

xxxx

 

[starrynight]

Finnstep Levels at Autumn Classic:

Gilles & Poirier-Level 1
Soucisse & Firus-Basic
Lauriault & Le Gac-Level 2
Smart & Diaz-Level 1
Fear & Gibson-Level 1
Friend & Badoui-Basic

Bets on whether the ones at Lombardia are better? (Actually, I'm feeling better, having looked up the protocols, because I really didn't think Soucisse & Firus's looked right & then there they were in second place).

Interesting. Last season there was so much discussion about how the Tango Romantica was devilishly difficult. I wonder what is the case with the Finnstep this season?

Maybe the skaters should be glad there is only one segment this time!

 

[Wyliefan]

Interesting. Last season there was so much discussion about how the Tango Romantica was devilishly difficult. I wonder what is the case with the Finnstep this season?

That's exactly what I keep wondering! What's the big issue this time?

 

[mollymgr]

#finnstepproblems

Finnstep – Ice-dance.com

www.ice-dance.com

I haven't looked at any of the videos yet. But this article explains the pitfalls well.

 

[Wyliefan]

Something else that @Gris pointed out in the competition thread -- what was up with the Austrian judge? He or she scored the French higher than Piper and Paul.

 

[MarieM]

Not one team took anything from my personnal favorite show Hairspray. Boo. If at least someone had gone with The Rocky Horror Picture Show. No. Not one.
All those RDs so far? BORING me to death. They can't skate the finnstep clean (either wrong edges or timing issues). And all teams have selected outdated musicals. Brrrrrrrrr.
Tiff&Jon weren't that bad after all.

 

[VGThuy]

If this season will be anything like last season, expect all the teams to have high levels on the pattern by Worlds...whether it’s legit or not is up to others.

 

[Orm Irian]

If at least someone had gone with The Rocky Horror Picture Show. No. Not one.

Chantelle Kerry and Andrew Dodds are doing RHPS, actually.

 

[chantilly]

I think timing is likely one of the most difficult things to nail at the beginning of the season.

It’ll be interesting to see the top teams scores.

 

[oleada]

Not one team took anything from my personnal favorite show Hairspray. Boo.

Not in seniors, but Makita/Gunara have a pretty cute Hairspray RD at the junior level.

 

[Dobre]

Wrong thread.