The Shibutanis Thread 6: Paradise Found

[chapis]

Maia and Alex are scheduled to skate on the Today Show this morning.

ETA: They skated the 32nd half of their FD. Next up: Live with Kelly and Ryan on ABC.

I hope someone record them!, I watched on twitter they did their rotational lift.

 

[chapis]

They are in the entries for Worlds http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03108713.htm

I think is a sure thing because Adam, Patrick are not in the entries

Eta 2. Though their name is highlighted, same Kana/Chris, P/P, P/C

----------------

Interview with Kelly & Ryan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i09YEb5aKM

 

[VGThuy]

Maia and Alex on Kelly & Ryan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i09YEb5aKM

Watch it while it's still up!

 

[Dobre]

Eta 2. Though their name is highlighted, same Kana/Chris, P/P, P/C

I'm not sure what you mean by highlighted. The names change color if you have clicked on the link to their ISU bio page in the past. Otherwise, I don't see any highlighting on the page?

It is pretty common to get a number of athletes withdrawing late from the Worlds after the Olympics so we'll see. Good sign though.

 

[chapis]

I'm not sure what you mean by highlighted. The names change color if you have clicked on the link to their ISU bio page in the past. Otherwise, I don't see any highlighting on the page?

It is pretty common to get a number of athletes withdrawing late from the Worlds after the Olympics so we'll see. Good sign though.

So we still will have to wait for confirmation .

In that interview with Kelly/Ryan they look so fresh and relaxed, I don´t know how they do it. That girl Kelly was really nice too.

 

[AYS]

They are in the entries for Worlds http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03108713.htm

I think is a sure thing because Adam, Patrick are not in the entries

Eta 2. Though their name is highlighted, same Kana/Chris, P/P, P/C

----------------

Interview with Kelly & Ryan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i09YEb5aKM

It's being reported in GSD that Bobrova/Soloviev are out but they're still on the list. I think as long as there is a substitute listed, teams can pull out anytime up until the start (although certainly if there's any chance they might pull out, they'll be keeping alternates and coaches aware of that). I imagine Shibs intend to go at this point but what happens in these cases is they have so many opportunities following their Olympic performance, it will depend if things start impinging on training or if they simply get exhausted.

 

[Vash01]

After the 2014 Olympics there was a discussion on this board about whether Alex should look for another partner - LOL.

How far they have come! They can go further, on to 2022.

 

[chapis]

The Shibutanis admit they do get sick of each other sometimes:
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/02/the-shibutanis-admit-they-do-get-sick-of-each-other-sometimes

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? ARE YOU PLANNING ON COMPETING AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN MID-MARCH?
M: We’ll make a decision in the next few days with worlds. It’s been very exciting to see the amount of enthusiasm and excitement based on the Olympic success. It will really just depend on the timing and the opportunities we have.

ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT 2022 YET?
A: Only because everyone’s been asking us! It was one of the first or second questions we got in the mixed zone after winning an Olympic medal. We were asked in 2014, and we said, “We don’t know what the future holds!” and that somehow turned into the headline that the Shibutanis may retire.

I remember how sad I was with that comment and thinking they for sure would retire .

------------------
5 inspirational Olympic moments to share with your kids:
https://www.deseretnews.com/article...-olympic-moments-to-share-with-your-kids.html
4. Siblings can get along (and win medals!)

As a mother, this is mind-blowing. My kids can’t even make a peanut butter sandwich together without fighting. But the Shibutani siblings, Maia and Alex, have been skating together since they were kids and won the bronze, becoming the first U.S. siblings to win an Olympic ice dance medal.
------------------

The 2018 Olympics were all about ice dancing and sexual tension:
http://www.dbknews.com/2018/02/28/2018-olympics-ice-dancing-virtue-moir-sex-relationship/

Slate's Rose Eveleth wanted to know if ice dancing duos got better scores if they're sex partners. When comparing average free dance scores between romantic and platonic couples, she didn't find much of a difference. However, when taking away the more unclear pairs, the numbers told a different story.

"I left out those couples who were in a nebulous in-between state—anybody who dated before or after they competed but were not a couple during their competition," she wrote. "The average free dance score for those odd ducks is higher than that for any other group: 98.86. Perhaps lost love, or latent desire, does actually come across on the ice in these specific scenarios."

 

[Dobre]

"I left out those couples who were in a nebulous in-between state—anybody who dated before or after they competed but were not a couple during their competition," she wrote. "The average free dance score for those odd ducks is higher than that for any other group: 98.86. Perhaps lost love, or latent desire, does actually come across on the ice in these specific scenarios."

Perhaps staying with your partner so long that you have at some point dated is a sign that you have stayed together long enough to earn high scores.

 

[VGThuy]

Shibs' interview with Charles Lam from NBCAsianAmerica:

https://www.facebook.com/nbcasianamerica/videos/2024315994252295/

 

[Kuurisu]

I already noticed in this Olympics that we had particularly ecstatic bronze medalists in all 4 events and less-than-ecstatic silver medalists (except maybe Uno). It's often that way but especially so this time. So Shibs are not alone in their joy at winning the bronze medal. It was always going to be a huge fight to do it, many said they wouldn't do it, so it is truly as good as gold in their situation.

weren't they the only few americans who earned awards or something like that as well?

They are in the entries for Worlds http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03108713.htm

I think is a sure thing because Adam, Patrick are not in the entries

Eta 2. Though their name is highlighted, same Kana/Chris, P/P, P/C

yes! going right back to work i see. they really have no vacations lmao

After the 2014 Olympics there was a discussion on this board about whether Alex should look for another partner - LOL.

How far they have come! They can go further, on to 2022.

LOL why???? in fact he's underexperienced when you compare him with maia.

The Shibutanis admit they do get sick of each other sometimes:
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/02/the-shibutanis-admit-they-do-get-sick-of-each-other-sometimes

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? ARE YOU PLANNING ON COMPETING AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN MID-MARCH?
M: We’ll make a decision in the next few days with worlds. It’s been very exciting to see the amount of enthusiasm and excitement based on the Olympic success. It will really just depend on the timing and the opportunities we have.

ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT 2022 YET?
A: Only because everyone’s been asking us! It was one of the first or second questions we got in the mixed zone after winning an Olympic medal. We were asked in 2014, and we said, “We don’t know what the future holds!” and that somehow turned into the headline that the Shibutanis may retire.

I remember how sad I was with that comment and thinking they for sure would retire .

HAHA, this is SO relatable for me and my family! as i said before my family were loners and we were stuck in the house almost all our lives together. there was this one summer when everyone was pissed with each other. it was just because we spent so much time together, and it was summer AND we were cranky af. we snapped at each other and my brother complained that the family is Soup, meaning if anyone does anything we are all involved. i was so sick of everyone, i wanted my own space but that was impossible. funny story now but we were legitimately so sick of each other, i was angry at everyone for simply living.

 

[chapis]

[QUOTE="Kuurisu, post: 5318367, member: 74684"
LOL why???? in fact he's underexperienced when you compare him with maia.

[/QUOTE]

Maia has improved a lot in the last years. But really Alex was the favorite Shib for many people some years ago, people did not complain about her skating skills but I think they criticized her because she was not very expressive, and Alex was. And they had some not so good programs so, in general, people thought their sib relationship was the problem.

 

[Spun Silver]

Maia and Alex on Kelly & Ryan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i09YEb5aKM

Watch it while it's still up!

That was great. Alex is so in his element making repartee. They are such excellent ambassadors for ice dance, figure skating in general and the US.

 

[Kuurisu]

Maia has improved a lot in the last years. But really Alex was the favorite Shib for many people some years ago, people did not complain about her skating skills but I think they criticized her because she was not very expressive, and Alex was. And they had some not so good programs so, in general, people thought their sib relationship was the problem.

i see. the US is extroverted and so they rely more on external reactions than internal. both are pretty mature for their years but maia really is mature, and you can see in interviews as far back as 2007 alex heavily relied on maia's responses. they both look pretty expressive to me but if you are nitpicking like the haters i guess someone could see how maia "isn't expressive".

 

[Dobre]

People complain that ice dancers are "too expressive" and they complain that ice dancers are "not expressive."

People just complain.

The truth is that the top ten ice dance teams could probably wipe all but six or so singles & pairs skaters off the ice with regards to expression.

 

[VGThuy]

I think also before this Olympic cycle, some thought Maia wasn't on Alex's level because she did seem a bit underpowered compared to him. I think they worked really hard on that and Maia has come a long way in her athleticism, IMO, to match Alex's energy in the actual skating.

 

[Kuurisu]

idk about '14 but i remember looking at old '06-09 vids and the commentators would note how short maia was to alex which they thought was a little problematic for him, so maybe they thought about new partners for him because of that? even if alex left maia just for the sake of imagination there's no guarantee that he would connect as well with his partner. as alex said before they have an advantage because they've known each other all of maia's life, while most skaters have to get over their awkwardness stages and be comfortable with each other. that takes years for sure and alex and maia had all those years under their belts by the time she was 4.

 

[chapis]

idk about '14 but i remember looking at old '06-09 vids and the commentators would note how short maia was to alex which they thought was a little problematic for him, so maybe they thought about new partners for him because of that? even if alex left maia just for the sake of imagination there's no guarantee that he would connect as well with his partner. as alex said before they have an advantage because they've known each other all of maia's life, while most skaters have to get over their awkwardness stages and be comfortable with each other. that takes years for sure and alex and maia had all those years under their belts by the time she was 4.

She was indeed short for her age, but I think Maia now is the same height as her mom or maybe slightly taller, considering the height of their parents it was obvious that Maia would continue growing.

 

[AYS]

Yeah, there was a lot of talk around here during their junior years of how they weren't going to get over the height difference and then over the course of just a few months, it seemed she grew to a height that looked perfect with Alex.

All this talk made me go back and watch one of my all time favorite performances of their younger years:

Cinema Paradiso at jr worlds.

The gushing commentary is well deserved.

 

[Spun Silver]

Yeah, there was a lot of talk around here during their junior years of how they weren't going to get over the height difference and then over the course of just a few months, it seemed she grew to a height that looked perfect with Alex.

All this talk made me go back and watch one of my all time favorite performances of their younger years:

Cinema Paradiso at jr worlds.

The gushing commentary is well deserved.

Exquisite! They should bring back the lifts in that program!

 

[AYS]

Exquisite! They should bring back the lifts in that program!

I've always adored the rotational lift on one foot from that program. They still use it for the end of rotational lifts now but not ever for the whole lift, IIRC.

 

[Vash01]

weren't they the only few americans who earned awards or something like that as well?


yes! going right back to work i see. they really have no vacations lmao


LOL why???? in fact he's underexperienced when you compare him with maia.


HAHA, this is SO relatable for me and my family! as i said before my family were loners and we were stuck in the house almost all our lives together. there was this one summer when everyone was pissed with each other. it was just because we spent so much time together, and it was summer AND we were cranky af. we snapped at each other and my brother complained that the family is Soup, meaning if anyone does anything we are all involved. i was so sick of everyone, i wanted my own space but that was impossible. funny story now but we were legitimately so sick of each other, i was angry at everyone for simply living.

LOL because that suggestion was ridiculous even back then, and now they have proven that.

 

[chapis]

Exquisite! They should bring back the lifts in that program!

Yes, they had some impressive lifts, I guess it would not so easy today, Maia weighed like 30-35kg at that time.

 

[Mrs. P]

I think the Shibs came a LONG way on lifts, IMO. When Alex had back issues, they were very limited to the Garden variety lifts for a season or two and it looked especially pedestrian since they had to compete with Chock/Bates wow lifts.

 

[VGThuy]

If you swipe to the left of this IG post from Live with Kelly and Ryan:

https://instagram.com/p/BfvrQB8BFMx/

You’ll see a sweet video of Dad Shib having fun with his kids and their famous hosts and the Shibs “twizzle” with them.

 

[chapis]

If you swipe to the left of this IG post from Live with Kelly and Ryan:

https://instagram.com/p/BfvrQB8BFMx/

You’ll see a sweet video of Dad Shib having fun with his kids and their famous hosts and the Shibs “twizzle” with them.

Their dad is as their official and personal photographer, and as in Skate America, they pose happily for him!!

 

[Kuurisu]

Yeah, there was a lot of talk around here during their junior years of how they weren't going to get over the height difference and then over the course of just a few months, it seemed she grew to a height that looked perfect with Alex.

All this talk made me go back and watch one of my all time favorite performances of their younger years:

Cinema Paradiso at jr worlds.

The gushing commentary is well deserved.

i watched this three more times when i first saw it. it's still my most favourite program next to their fly on one. those are 100% perfect, i don't care what anyone else says.

 

[VGThuy]

When I first saw that performance many years ago (I was so young and different then), it really blew me away. I hadn't been keeping up with skating post-Torino too often though I still semi-followed Daisuke, Buttle, Delobel/Schoenfelder (didn't even remember Virtue/Moir in real time), so I had no idea what was really going on in ice dance after 2008 Worlds. However, I visited FSU and I heard about the Shibs (maybe it was in Vash's thread) and so I decided to look them up and I think I now realize why I was so taken with them.

In their way, they changed my whole outlook and idea of what ice dancing could be. I grew up with ice dance from the late 90s to mid 2000s and it was just drama drama drama with Euro club beats to classical music at times. I wasn't prepared to see something so classic looking that was all about clean lines and posture, authentic music interpretation, and simply seeing the actual skaters rather than some character they were trying to portray or some heavy theme or concept. Like I said, I missed the whole V/M thing during that specific period and I didn't get into D/L (was more of a DenStavs fan) so the Shibs were the first team that did that for me.

One thing I didn't realize until these recent Olympic Games was that so many were taken with Alex and Maia's approach to ice dance in a similar way I was taken with them back in 2009 because many expressed what they saw were couples trying to sell the idea that they were in love with each other or wanted to do each other right then and there while the Shibs looked like they opened themselves up to the audience and shared their love of skating. If you think about it, that really is a different approach to ice dance.

 

[MRani]

Their dad is as their official and personal photographer, and as in Skate America, they pose happily for him!!

I just laughed to myself because I remembered your hilarious post about how the Shibs letting their dad take pictures made you look bad in front of your mom

 

[VGThuy]

20 minute interview with the Shibs with US Weekly:

https://youtu.be/LuGeKjpO19w?t=56

Also, it looks like they're doing a photo shoot with Sports Illustrated :

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfwc8mthyAs/?hl=en&taken-by=sifullframe

and it looks like Maia worked out a bit a Dogpound with Kirk Myers (and Alissandra Aronow!) in preparation for their Today Show performance:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfuaws7FJ8e/?hl=en&taken-by=kirkmyersfitness

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfvu0uxFXYq/?hl=en&taken-by=dogpound