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

[twinklestar]

And please, don't tell me team Gadbois had no idea.

Gadbois is a poor innocent victim. If something bad happens, it's never their fault, it's always the skater's fault or "nobody's" fault, it's probably the Destiny.
Of course, the coaches lie about P/C "revolutionary FD". They have too much work with all the people there and the French fed doesn't want to pay the extra money they ask for. So P/C do more or less their own choreography, the coaches are not bothered. That's why the FD is always the same. It's marketing, trying to sell an old used kettle like a bright shining new one.

 

[Peepsquick]

Wow ... so much dislike for Gadbois ...

 

[twinklestar]

Wow ... so much dislike for Gadbois ...

Making fun of someone in private and in front of other people because that person can't and refuses to give you what you want is abuse. It's not dignified. Never seen their colleagues being so disrespectful with a country's official.

 

[millyskate]

One cannot blame the Gadbois PR spin on the skaters any more than all French skaters can be held responsible for Didier’s nonsense IMO.

Gabriella and Guillaume have never been hyperbolic about their own work that I can remember.

 

[Bigbird]

I am waiting for TAT to say her part for sure, but for altogether different reasons than what you are imagining. It seems there's no bigger P/C fan than Tarasova. She has been waxing poetic about them and practically gasping throughout in excitеment each time when she's been commentating them.

That's why you have to love her, the gasping for air part. I can't imagine what she'll do on air for S/B.

 

[Bigbird]

Yes, one cannot blame the Gadbois PR spin on the skaters any more than all French skaters can be held responsible for Didier’s nonsense IMO.

Gabriella and Guillaume have never been hyperbolic about their own work that I can remember.

If I may any hyperbole MF has said about P/C this season has been on point. Can you imagine how raw these programs are and what they managed to do in just a few weeks? Count me impressed and unalarmed by her comments. Laterz.

 

[Ka3sha]

I am waiting for TAT to say her part for sure, but for altogether different reasons than what you are imagining. It seems there's no bigger P/C fan than Tarasova. She has been waxing poetic about them and practically gasping throughout in excitеment each time when she's been commentating them.

I don't think she is just a fan of P/C, she is a big fan of figure skating as a whole. At times she can be undeniably and inexcusably rude and has her own preferences (especially when it comes to Russian skaters), but for sure she can appreciate talent and hard work.

 

[lauravvv]

That's why you have to love her, the gasping for air part. I can't imagine what she'll do on air for S/B.

No, strange as it is, even Tarasova's love for S/B can't be compared to her reaction to P/C . I think her admiration for foreign skaters who have little to do with Russia is the most genuine - you have to give her at least that.

I don't think she is just a fan of P/C, she is a big fan of figure skating as a whole. At times she can be undeniably and inexcusably rude and had her own preferences, but she for sure she can appreciate talent and hard work.

I agree with that. Figure skating is her whole life, so would be strange if it was different.

 

[Bigbird]

No, strange as it is, even Tarasova's love for S/B can't be compared to her reaction to P/C . I think her admiration for foreign skaters who have little to do with Russia is the most genuine - you have to give her at least that.

Well of course, she is entertainment at it's near best.

 

[Ka3sha]

Re P/C FD: I actually love it! And I also loved their last year free dance - probably two of my favorite free dances of theirs (the third one is 'To build a home' ).

But in some way it makes me laugh at times, especially when I remember that actually Morozov and I/K were the first ones to bring those monologues to competitive ice dance and how almost everyone laughed at it (including myself).
I know that quality of both skating and choreography matters a lot and two dances are incomparable , but just a thought of it makes me

 

[laviemn]

Wow ... so much dislike for Gadbois ...

Success breeds resentment.

Re P/C FD: I actually love it! And I also loved their last year free dance - probably two of my favorite free dances of theirs (the third one is 'To build a home' ).

But in some way it makes me laugh at times, especially when I remember that actually Morozov and I/K were the first ones to bring those monologues to competitive ice dance and how almost everyone laughed at it (including myself).
I know that quality of both skating and choreography matters a lot and two dances are incomparable , but just a thought of it makes me

When all these voiceovers appeared, I wondered if someone at Gadbois rewatched I/K's Ghost and decided it was a work of staggering genius. Perhaps they watched the British Eurosport broadcast, those commentators actually did think it was brilliant believe it or not.

 

[chantilly]

Oh God I didn’t need to be reminded of Ghost. That was a crap movie and a horrendous program.

 

[Orm Irian]

Oh God I didn’t need to be reminded of Ghost. That was a crap movie and a horrendous program.

If you think the movie was bad, I advise you never to go and see the musical based on it. Even people who like the movie were stunned by just how bad that one was. I'm very glad nobody decided to use it for their RD this year...

 

[Dobre]

I can't wait to see what will happen with S/K scoring on the next two GP, this is the last unknown.

It's a big unknown, but I see so many more unknowns than that. Just a few of them:

-How will S&K score in China? (I feel like we have a pretty good idea of how they will score in Russia if they don't muck up).

-How will Gilles & Poirier score outside of Canada?

-How will teams respond to the feedback they are getting in their early GPs, especially Stepanova & Bukin and Hubbell & Donohue who have only just debuted? (For H&D, we'll have to wait for the GPF as they didn't have time before SC).

-How will the rematch between Fournier-Beaudry & Sorenson and Hawayek & Baker go in China? I feel like F-B&S are benefiting from being a clear #2 this season while H&B are probably taking a hit with Chock & Bates back healthy (and Igor probably pushing C&P really hard); but the RD scores at SA and SC make me think this matchup is still worth watching over a longer period of time throughout the season.

-How close can either of those teams get to Sinitsina & Katsalapov and Chock & Bates, particularly in the RD where a mistake or hit on the levels can cost you more?

-How will the head-to-head go at NHK between Stepanova & Bukin and Guignard & Fabbri? That's nice neutral territory there.

-How far will Hurtado & Khaliavin's scores swing when they get to Russia?

-I'm also very curious what happens with the larger field at NHK, as I feel it is the deepest field left to be skated.

-And when we get to the end of the regular GP, and we've probably got all those nice high scores for teams that skated at home and at the end of the GP; how will all that turn topsy turvy when everybody has to meet at the GPF? (Where, come to think of it G&F would skate at home if they could/can get there).

And I'll stop there because, for me, it's way too early to think about the post season.

 

[shan]

I'm wondering how McNamara/Carpenter are doing. I don't think they have withdrawn from their 2nd GP, unless I missed it?

 

[Dobre]

I'm wondering how McNamara/Carpenter are doing. I don't think they have withdrawn from their 2nd GP, unless I missed it?

I'm feeling optimistic because there are clips of them skating in the news broadcast about the WISA teams helping to raise funds for the young boy with cancer. (In the U.S. Ice Dance thread).

 

[shan]

I'm feeling optimistic because there are clips of them skating in the news broadcast about the WISA teams helping to raise funds for the young boy with cancer. (In the U.S. Ice Dance thread).

Yay!! I'm so glad! I've missed seeing them on the GP so far.

 

[Sylvia]

I'm feeling optimistic because there are clips of them skating in the news broadcast about the WISA teams helping to raise funds for the young boy with cancer. (In the U.S. Ice Dance thread).

Copying over:

Local TV news story featuring Lorraine McNamara speaking on camera and brief clips of the WISA teams performing on the ice: https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/...ancer/65-4059b541-4f0f-40a7-9e0b-f3b05da531c0

 

[shan]

Copying over:

Thanks!!

 

[starrynight]

Everyone needs to watch the Drunk Commentary video to I/Ks Ghost program it’s amazing.

Ghost [Ilinykh & Katsalapov 2013 Worlds FD Commentary]

~spooky~ commentary! Follow Bronwyn on twitter: ►https://twitter.com/inabauers Check out Lutz & Glory: ►https://twitter.com/lutzandglory ►https://www.youtube...

youtu.be

 

[Ka3sha]

-How far will Hurtado & Khaliavin's scores swing when they get to Russia?

That’s quite interesting considering they have two polar evens this year - COR on very friendly territory and Skate Canada on ‘hostile’ one.

I love H/B programs this year but given their scores at Skate Canada and Nebelhorn earlier this year I think that in theory C/P (and McNamara/Carpenter if they didn’t skip beginning of the season ) can come much closer to them or even overtake them as US #3

 

[mjb52]

Whatever, the dialogue is cringeworthy but they (I/K) were so good. I've made my peace with it but damn.

 

[twinklestar]

One cannot blame the Gadbois PR spin on the skaters any more than all French skaters can be held responsible for Didier’s nonsense IMO.

Gabriella and Guillaume have never been hyperbolic about their own work that I can remember.

Gabriella and Guillaume have become completely arrogant and with bad manners. When the head of their Fed tries to talk to them, now they just do as they haven't heard and just ignore him.

 

[Gris]

Gabriella and Guillaume have become completely arrogant and with bad manners. When the head of their Fed tries to talk to them, now they just do as they haven't heard and just ignore him.

Didier, is that you?

 

[Dobre]

I love H/B programs this year but given their scores at Skate Canada and Nebelhorn earlier this year I think that in theory C/P (and McNamara/Carpenter if they didn’t skip beginning of the season ) can come much closer to them or even overtake them as US #3

McNamara & Carpenter and Carreira & Ponomarenko split dances this summer. Both defeated Fear & Gibson in their head-to-heads last year. Carreira & Ponomarenko defeated Fear & Gibson at Nebelhorn this season. Hawayek & Baker defeated Carreira & Ponomarenko and Fear & Gibson at the same event. McNamara & Carpenter defeated Carreira & Ponomarenko in both head-to-heads last season. Fear & Gibson defeated Hawayek & Baker at Skate Canada.

Worth watching.


Note: Just for clarity's sake, McNamara & Carpenter didn't skip the beginning of the season. They competed early--the first week of August--at Lake Placid International and then finished second at Nepela. They've missed Finlandia and then their first GP.

 

[Dobre]

That’s quite interesting considering they have two polar evens this year - COR on very friendly territory and Skate Canada on ‘hostile’ one.

This reminds me that I wanted to share something about my impressions of Hurtado & Khaliavin's FD at Skate Canada. I saw them skate their free dance twice. The first time--during practice--I was quite impressed. I had seen the program twice on a stream, and thought the mature style suited them well and that the arm movement and her expression were great; but watching the program live, I was also surprised to see there is something very moving about the choreography. It does not just feel like a standard flamenco, even a well done one.

I'm really glad that I had the chance to watch the program during that practice because I watched it from the front on the judges' side.

During the actual competition, not surprisingly, I watched from the back. As did the majority of the audience--at least two sections behind the judges being blocked off for officials and due to limited visibility for the seats at the bottom. This wasn't at all the same experience. The program is very heavily choreographed toward the judges. Almost all of Sara's choreography. I felt like I only saw her facial expression once during the entire program. So imagine watching that whole flamenco while watching Khaliavin. Uh huh. Most of the audience did not get the impression that I did from practice because they didn't really see her expression. We had a couple friends who had seats on the corner on the judges' side. They had a similar impression to mine from practice & thought the program was just wonderful.

I wonder if Zhulin might consider doing something about this imbalance a bit. It's such a beautiful program, but the majority of the audience in the arena may not see it. Last year, one of the things that I found surprisingly nice about Sinitsina & Katsalapov's FD at the GPF was that it really had highlights toward both sides of the arena.

 

[Ka3sha]

@Dobre , thanks for your live impressions! Will keep it in mind at Rostelecom

I wonder if the program is heavily choreographed towards the judges because Sara and Kirill worked on it with Antonio Najarro, who usually performs on the stage and choreographs flamenco on the stage. Of course, he is also quite experienced in figure skating choreography, but it may be hard to consider all nuances (like ‘4 sides’ choreo ) when you are working with skaters in the ballroom.

 

[Dobre]

I wonder if the program is heavily choreographed towards the judges because Sara and Kirill worked on it with Antonio Najarro, who usually performs on the stage and choreographs flamenco on the stage.

I don't know. I feel like he has done quite a bit of ice dance choreography recently, but I'm not sure how much I have seen of it from the back actually. I don't remember it being an issue with Chock & Bates' Rachmaninov, which I did not see until the end of its evolution at Worlds. And I sat in the front when I saw Ilinykh & Zhiganshin. (My seats were not there, but there were lots of nice absent Japanese tourists during the dance event I attended).

 

[aftershocks]

I love C/B's programs from last season, which they only skated a few times since they didn't skate the entire season. Maybe they will bring back the FD -- I hope!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8oZncG28wk Tango RD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF8LsASmjgg Sexy noir FD medley
This imaginative FD by Dubreuil for C/B reminds me of Gilles/Poirier's Hitchcock FD, and also G/P's spy-themed FD which they changed to a James Bond FD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsVJwcWjg5I G/P Hitchcock FD -- my fave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a0ZEbz0Tbk G/P spy-themed FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibx3xiKVIa8 G/P James Bond FD

As well, C/B's noir FD medley reminds me of Navarro/ Bommentre's famous FD at 2006 U.S. Nationals -- N/B had only been together for 10 months:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=664k3L1ym3E

ETA: N/B's costumes are even similar coincidentally to C/B's, and they both use a Buble song as one of their music cuts... Hmmm

 

[cocotaffy]

That Australian judge (No7) was having none of that Singing in the Rain at CoC. Those PCS He also completely hosed the Danadians. S/K were very cautious here but it is their 1st GP and most teams have been quite nervous even P/C making some stupid mistakes too. But S/K's pattern looked small and they lacked speed. They'll probably be more at ease in Russia next week. Don't get this nervousness though, the real deal only starts next year with pre Olympic season. As for C/B, they're gonna have to do a level boot camp till GPF cause they are getting hammered.
The Danadians PCS should be higher, they had a very clean pattern level 4 and have a great presentation.