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

[clairecloutier]

Looks like Smart/Diaz have been selected for Worlds:

Twitter

 

[Miloune]

Looks like Smart/Diaz have been selected for Worlds:

Twitter

 

[MsZem]

Hurtado's reaction:

Sara Hurtado Martín on Twitter

“Mi querido Montreal, parece que nuestro reencuentro va a tener que esperar 💁🏻‍♀️ Toda la fuerza para el equipo español! ⛸🇪🇸 https://t.co/VS1AE1IxeO”

twitter.com

 

[muffinplus]

Damn too bad. I really wanted to see H/K FD

 

[VGThuy]

Hurtado's reaction:

Sara Hurtado Martín on Twitter

“Mi querido Montreal, parece que nuestro reencuentro va a tener que esperar 💁🏻‍♀️ Toda la fuerza para el equipo español! ⛸🇪🇸 https://t.co/VS1AE1IxeO”

twitter.com

That’s a very classy response. I wonder if the Spanish Fed wasn’t convinced by the machinations of Euros judging.

 

[MsZem]

Damn too bad. I really wanted to see H/K FD

Likewise

That’s a very classy response. I wonder if the Spanish Fed wasn’t convinced by the machinations of Euros judging.

As I posted before, a case could have been made for either team, but my impression is that the federation has generally preferred S/D. Even when H/K got the Olympic assignment, S/D were sent to Worlds (I feel like H/K might have been able to pick up that second spot at the time, but we'll never know...)

 

[heartyxo]

I think S&D going is fair. They're pretty evenly matched teams, but they did have the better season. I think they'd both place similarly no matter who went.

 

[Colonel Green]

To the extent that the federation takes judging panel composition, etc. into account, sending Smart/Diaz probably makes sense since Worlds is in their neck of the woods and they're probably likely to get more favourable treatment; if Worlds was in Moscow, the reverse would be true.

Honestly, if one of the teams is going to breach the top ten before the Olympics, this is as good a chance as they're going to get, particularly with Fournier Beaudry/Sorensen a question mark to compete (and their performance level if they do compete also unclear). All they need is to get in the top ten once, then after that finishing twelfth is enough to keep two as long as they both make the free dance (which, absent disaster, they would).

 

[MsZem]

I think S&D going is fair. They're pretty evenly matched teams, but they did have the better season. I think they'd both place similarly no matter who went.

They didn't, though, other than winning Nationals. The GP placements are a wash, and H/K finished ahead at Euros and also have higher SBs. I think this came down to Nationals and consistency. Zhulin really needs to drill his skaters on twizzles.

 

[Ka3sha]

Honestly, if one of the teams is going to breach the top ten before the Olympics, this is as good a chance as they're going to get, particularly with Fournier Beaudry/Sorensen a question mark to compete (and their performance level if they do compete also unclear). All they need is to get in the top ten once, then after that finishing twelfth is enough to keep two as long as they both make the free dance (which, absent disaster, they would).

It’s time for Zhulin and Gadbois to join their politicking efforts in that particular case

 

[her grace]

Tell those same people that S&K being on the level to take advantage of P&C's mistakes means that the 4 other teams that defeated S&K at the GPF are also in range to take advantage of P&C's mistakes, and I suspect a few fans might change their minds.

I’m okay with that. Some of those teams took advantage of S/K’s mistakes at the GPF.

All the GPF teams are very good. P/C are pretty great when they’re on, but when they’re making mistakes, other good teams may pass them. C’est la vie.

 

[Colonel Green]

They didn't, though, other than winning Nationals. The GP placements are a wash, and H/K finished ahead at Euros and also have higher SBs.

If you look below the topline numbers, they definitely did. H/K only won a Grand Prix medal because they skated in an event where the dance field was extremely weak beyond the top two. S/D performed more strongly in stronger fields.

 

[MsZem]

If you look below the topline numbers, they definitely did. H/K only won a Grand Prix medal because they skated in an event where the dance field was extremely weak beyond the top two. S/D performed more strongly in stronger fields.

Yes, I'm aware of who skated at the various GPs. But the differences in scores aren't huge, and may be attributable to different panels.

What the results show this season are two teams at a comparable level. The federation could have gone either way, and went with the team that they have generally shown a preference for. Either pick is defensible. And I'd still rather see H/K's FD again than either of S/D's programs.

 

[casken]

Hopefully, H&K take this time to figure out what changes they need to make in order to finally begin to deliver on what was initially a promising start to their partnership. They should be beating S&D easily, but it's just not happening. That's why I'm not so bummed about them not going to worlds despite being a fan.

Now it's up to S&D to hit the RD out of the park, and then hold on enough in the FD to squeak out a top ten finish at worlds.

 

[mjb52]

I think if there is one thing ice dance fans from all across the spectrum in terms of who they want at the top of the podium can agree on, it's that the vast majority of us would really love for Spain to get that second spot.

 

[Amantide]

Random comment about dance. I was watching V&M Carmen from 2013. I often do watch that one. It was a masterpiece. I thought the same thing back then, and still think the same today. Fantastic!

 

[Amantide]

And I'd still rather see H/K's FD again than either of S/D's programs.

This! Besides, I'm biased because I always loved Hurtado.

 

[Immortelle]

That’s a very classy response. I wonder if the Spanish Fed wasn’t convinced by the machinations of Euros judging.

I wonder if Olivia would have been as classy if the shoe was on the other foot???

 

[PRlady]

You have two almost evenly-matched teams, and Worlds is being held in the city where one of them trains and where their training center pretty much owns figure skating. The judge pool favors that team as well, and North American audiences like Grease. This one was a no-brainer for me although I strongly prefer H/K's FD.

 

[muffinplus]

Maybe Smart/Diaz can skate RD and Hurtado/Khaliavin the FD?

Otherwise S/D FD is gonna be my fridge break again

 

[Immortelle]

Maybe Smart/Diaz can skate RD and Hurtado/Khaliavin the FD?

Otherwise S/D FD is gonna be my fridge break again

Well, we all need a fridge break/loo break!!! Mine recently has been the Poles’ FD.

 

[wickedwitch]

As I posted before, a case could have been made for either team, but my impression is that the federation has generally preferred S/D. Even when H/K got the Olympic assignment, S/D were sent to Worlds (I feel like H/K might have been able to pick up that second spot at the time, but we'll never know...)

Which was nothing compared to the year before when H/K earned the spot based on the Spanish fed's criteria, but they still sent S/D.

 

[Dobre]

I think if there is one thing ice dance fans from all across the spectrum in terms of who they want at the top of the podium can agree on, it's that the vast majority of us would really love for Spain to get that second spot.

I'd be happy to see Spain send two teams to Worlds, but I only want to see a Spanish team in the top ten if they skate well enough to deserve to finish in the top ten. I like the Grease program. I love the Charlie Chaplin. I really like the Bandstand number. I enjoy the Saturday Night Fever & H&B's flamenco. I like Z&G's Survivor. May the best performances do well. I really think there could be some interesting movement in this fight for the top 10.

 

[bbkenn]

This raises a question -- a couple questions, really -- I've been wanting to ask. It's pretty common around here for the male half of any given dance team to be rated far more highly than the female. Apart from Elena I. and maybe Maddie H., I can't think of another female ice dancer who's widely considered the MVP of her team or even equal to her partner. I am still pretty much in no teknik with dance, but is it really true that the world is full of male dance stars dragging their subpar partners around the ice? And if so, why are most of the guys so much better?

Tessa Virtue was also considered to be stronger artistically than Scott although equal in skating skills I believe.

 

[dancing_on_ice]

I think it will come down to the levels by the tech caller. Especially in the Rd. Remember china. Chock and bates have still not gotten levels called internationally.

So I think that 4CC is going to tell us a lot. I thought that C/B looked sharper with levels (except for her one slip in the finnstep) than they did earlier in the season. If they're getting those levels in the rhythm dance and get a huge score, they would be favorites for the podium, and quite possibly outpace SinKats for the silver. However, if they still struggle with levels in the rhythm dance, bronze is probably the best they can hope for.

 

[VGThuy]

I don’t know, we’ve seen some results from 4CC not translate to Worlds, including calls. Wasn’t it this past Worlds were teams all of a sudden were hitting their tango patterns when they all struggled in nearly every competition prior? And we’ve seen the opposite happen too.

 

[bcash]

Why does NBC insist on this step-child treatment of US Ice Dance, the discipline with the deepest field internationally, junior and senior? A week after competition only C/B’s performance is available on YT.

 

[mollymgr]

This raises a question -- a couple questions, really -- I've been wanting to ask. It's pretty common around here for the male half of any given dance team to be rated far more highly than the female. Apart from Elena I. and maybe Maddie H., I can't think of another female ice dancer who's widely considered the MVP of her team or even equal to her partner. I am still pretty much in no teknik with dance, but is it really true that the world is full of male dance stars dragging their subpar partners around the ice? And if so, why are most of the guys so much better?

Why do we have the PSOTY? Does that answer your question? Can couch critics be trusted with teknik when we can't even trust the judges?!? It is all subjective. And sometimes the perception carries through for an entire career and after retirement. Seriously, how can skating skills be so bad if they spent 15 years just doing that. There has to be even a little bit of improvement from point A(early career) to point B (end of career).

 

[thvu]

Seriously, how can skating skills be so bad if they spent 15 years just doing that. There has to be even a little bit of improvement from point A(early career) to point B (end of career).

You would think so, but then there’s Ruslan Goncharov.

 

[MarieM]

Not that Grushina was better. She was worse, he was the one putting her on edges.