The Dance Hall 9: Bring the Bling or No Beijing 2021-2022

[Dobre]

I prefer Stepanova & Bukin's RD.

I like Smart & Diaz's RD also and always have. I would like to see Fournier-Beaudry & Sorensen include something more memorable in theirs, a choreographic highlight or original element or something.

 

[Bigbird]

I prefer Stepanova & Bukin's RD.

I like Smart & Diaz's RD also and always have. I would like to see Fournier-Beaudry & Sorensen include something more memorable in theirs, a choreographic highlight or original element or something.

I hear ya. But IMHO,I see nothing innovative or interesting about S/B. S is a beautiful girl, very even. But beautiful skating skills coupled with cohesive and orginal programs IMHO, should score higher. I am literally looking at them now and realizing that after all these years they've not really improved in the leaps and bounds that these other pairs have. But maybe it's because I've never seen them live. Maybe one of these fine days.

 

[litenkyckling]

I hear ya. But IMHO,I see nothing innovative or interesting about S/B. S is a beautiful girl, very even. But beautiful skating skills coupled with cohesive and orginal programs IMHO, should score higher. I am literally looking at them now and realizing that after all these years they've not really improved in the leaps and bounds that these other pairs have. But maybe it's because I've never seen them live. Maybe one of these fine days.

I would say they improved a lot going into the 2018/19 season but since then her back injury has been a huge problem for them and her skating (which was getting better before that). I would also argue that S/D don't exactly have the best skating skills around.

 

[Bigbird]

I would say they improved a lot going into the 2018/19 season but since then her back injury has been a huge problem for them and her skating (which was getting better before that). I would also argue that S/D don't exactly have the best skating skills around.

I find them better than S/B. The scores for S/Ds FD given the performances, should be even with S/B. The latters FD was so absolutely flat in Italy with no highlights whatsoever with music that goes nowhere. I just think their vehicles will not take them far this year. Their team miscalculated. Do they plan to continue after Beijing though? That could be the plan.

 

[aka_gerbil]

Genuine question: in what world is the RD of S/B scored higher than FB/S or S/D? What is it that I'm not seeing? Why is this still happening? Is this the Russian #2 bonus?

Different panels at different events. I think there has been a lot of variation in terms of leniency and generosity at the different gp events this season.

That said, as someone else pointed out, S/D don’t have exactly great skating skills, so I can see s/b beating them in front of the same panel.

 

[Bigbird]

Different panels at different events. I think there has been a lot of variation in terms of leniency and generosity at the different gp events this season.

That said, as someone else pointed out, S/D don’t have exactly great skating skills, so I can see s/b beating them in front of the same panel.

I think they've really improved on that this year. I don't think S/B is that great in the skating skills category. Their trump card was youthful exuberance, but these programs look juniorish.

 

[angi]

I find them better than S/B. The scores for S/Ds FD given the performances, should be even with S/B. The latters FD was so absolutely flat in Italy with no highlights whatsoever with music that goes nowhere. I just think their vehicles will not take them far this year. Their team miscalculated. Do they plan to continue after Beijing though? That could be the plan.

To be fair at Skate Canada Smart/Diaz scored 116 for their FD but lost 3 BV points for their combination lift which is kind of a fluke. Without it, their score would have been 119 which is very close to Stepanova/Bukin.

 

[Andrea82]

Gordon-Poltorak is the TC again this week in the GP Series. She is at NHK with Julia Rey (seen at JGP Russia) and Nakako Tsuzuki.
Elek is at the Cup f Austria with Christian Baumann and Thomas Kika. Baumann and Kika were together in the generous Mezzaluna Cup panel. Kika was also at JGP Russia.

So every GP stage has had a member of the ISU Technical Committee in the technical panel: Reststatt and Elek at Skate America, Selby at Skate Canata, Goldon Poltorak at GP Italia and NHK.

 

[Bigbird]

To be fair at Skate Canada Smart/Diaz scored 116 for their FD but lost 3 BV points for their combination lift which is kind of a fluke. Without it, their score would have been 119 which is very close to Stepanova/Bukin.

Ah. Now that's more like it!

 

[Bigbird]

Ah. Now that's more like it!

Well Drozd and Abashkina are no longer a pair. Does that mean that Lena Ilinykh can now have a partner for shows? Pretty please? A girl can dream.

 

[irenemulindwairen]

I find them better than S/B. The scores for S/Ds FD given the performances, should be even with S/B. The latters FD was so absolutely flat in Italy with no highlights whatsoever with music that goes nowhere. I just think their vehicles will not take them far this year. Their team miscalculated. Do they plan to continue after Beijing though? That could be the plan.

I also think this partnership is about youth and beauty. I watched their FD on You Tube and all the comments I read was about how beautiful .S. is and HOT B is. Yes. Have the looks but that is not alone. As an ice dance fan, it would nice to see good flow, soft knees and deep edges. It seem their coaches have forgotten these details on dance. Russia must stop this idea of aiming at tall, thin, long limbed athletes and focus more on talent. Although there have been tall athletes who I greatly admired (Weaver/Poje) who were great.

 

[love_skate2011]

meanwhile Katsalapov at least got rid of that hideous viscose shirt and upgraded now wearing Versace ?

 

[Bigbird]

meanwhile Katsalapov at least got rid of that hideous viscose shirt and upgraded now wearing Versace ?

Pity the programme is still hideous.

 

[litenkyckling]

meanwhile Katsalapov at least got rid of that hideous viscose shirt and upgraded now wearing Versace ?

I also think that the new look is hideous

 

[angi]

In general, I think the packaging of the Russian teams this season in terms of costumes (for the FD too but especially for the RD) is atrocious (90% of which is some all-black ensemble that looks really cheap). And when they are going up against teams from I.AM who have some of the best costumes I've ever seen it really lessens the effect of their program. And it's not only I.AM of course, Muramoto/Takahashi's costumes for the RD are absolutely stunning.

 

[irenemulindwairen]

In general, I think the packaging of the Russian teams this season in terms of costumes (for the FD too but especially for the RD) is atrocious (90% of which is some all-black ensemble that looks really cheap). And when they are going up against teams from I.AM who have some of the best costumes I've ever seen it really lessens the effect of their program. And it's not only I.AM of course, Muramoto/Takahashi's costumes for the RD are absolutely stunning.

Yeah, settling for less, fugly because they want to promote their own. Very narrow minded I dare say.

 

[deegee]

I also think this partnership is about youth and beauty. I watched their FD on You Tube and all the comments I read was about how beautiful .S. is and HOT B is. Yes. Have the looks but that is not alone. As an ice dance fan, it would nice to see good flow, soft knees and deep edges. It seem their coaches have forgotten these details on dance. Russia must stop this idea of aiming at tall, thin, long limbed athletes and focus more on talent. Although there have been tall athletes who I greatly admired (Weaver/Poje) who were great.

hey now, what's good for navka is good for the gander

 

[VGThuy]

hey now, what's good for navka is good for the gander

Sinitsina and Stepanova made me wish for a Navka.

 

[deegee]

Sinitsina and Stepanova made me wish for a Navka.

i'm still sore that navkos won in torino with that carmen program

 

[VGThuy]

i'm still sore that navkos won in torino with that carmen program

I agree. Worst FD to win gold ever, but half of it was due to that code of points. Who else was there that the judges were actually willing to reward? Belbin/Agosto’s flavorless and danceless flamenco? The Grushon’s TFB tassels atrocity?

Marie-France and Patrice took themselves out of the running in the OD.

The judges acted like giving DelSchoes or DenStavs a medal much less gold when Navka was in the competition was worse than getting their teeth pulled. Once Navka was gone, they remembered that they liked DenStavs at least.

 

[irenemulindwairen]

Ah. Now that's more like it!

Actually they should rank higher than S/B especially for this season. If S/B are NOT careful, they'll end up being dumped in favour of the up and coming younger teams (Green and Parsons), Fear and Gibson.

 

[litenkyckling]

Actually they should rank higher than S/B especially for this season. If S/B are NOT careful, they'll end up being dumped in favour of the up and coming younger teams (Green and Parsons), Fear and Gibson.

I mean F/G aren't exactly in the upper echelons of skating skills themselves? I'm more interested to see how S/B look later in the season when they've had more than a week and a half of full training.

 

[sap5]

The true crime is how F/G are currently beating L/L.

 

[muffinplus]

The true crime is how F/G are currently beating L/L.

I don't get how L/L are the 3rd ranked Canadian team

 

[skatingguy]

I don't get how L/L are the 3rd ranked Canadian team

I think it's speed & power, but I haven't seen them skate in person since they were juniors.

 

[muffinplus]

I think it's speed & power, but I haven't seen them skate in person since they were juniors.

I don't think they are lacking in speed. ( I've seen them in person ). I also don't think G/P are suddenly an 80s scoring team in RD (the score differential between them and G/F at Skate Canada was just ridiculous) but what the heck do i know

 

[Wyliefan]

You think L/L are better than G/P?

 

[allezfred]

I don't get how L/L are the 3rd ranked Canadian team

Because there are two better Canadian teams innit.

 

[angi]

The Olympics Twitter account posted that they are debuting a series (not sure how long) about six I.AM teams (P/C, H/D, C/B, FB/S, S/D, F/G) and their four main coaches (Marie France, Patrice, Romain, Scott) that will show the preparation of the teams for the Olympics. Sounds intriguing.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1459465060070432768

 

[irenemulindwairen]

The true crime is how F/G are currently beating L/L.

Sorry, I had not included L/L. In full agreement with you there.