The Shibutanis Thread 6: Paradise Found

From the V/M thread, I’d completely dismissed the possibility of ever seeing them compete again after they sat out 2014/15, and yet here we are. They’ll succeed in whatever they do next.

If this is it, I’m incredibly grateful for what they’ve brought to the sport. I was in the stands in 2011 and was completely taken by their grace and precision. I spent a good twenty minutes at dinner rambling about Maia’s posture :D
 
^ Maia’s posture is indeed impeccable!

I’ll miss them next season, especially in the short dance. Or rhythm dance or whatever, lol. They almost always had my favorite short dance this past quad! Selfishly I’m holding out hope to maybeeee see them on the full season of DWTS in the fall. That would be so fun if we had regular ice dance and ice dancers on DWTS to watch at the same time!
 
Fizz said:
From the V/M thread, I’d completely dismissed the possibility of ever seeing them compete again after they sat out 2014/15, and yet here we are. They’ll succeed in whatever they do next.

If this is it, I’m incredibly grateful for what they’ve brought to the sport. I was in the stands in 2011 (...)
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:respec:

Because they're still young and look so young and fresh-faced, I sometimes forget that they got their first World medal seven whole years ago. Time really flies!

And after all these years competing at the highest level (never missing a GP etc.), it totally makes sense for them to take a year off at this point, see where they're at, and then decide whether they want to go for another Olympics. Good for them!
 
I will miss the Shibs next year and I hope they do come back. But I look forward to seeing new programs from them and wish them the best in their new opportunities. They have certainly earned them.
 
Last night, I decided to re-watch the 2011 U.S. Championships, both the SD and FD. I was curious about this competition because outside of D/W, it seemed like it was a wide open competition for silver as Sameulson/Bates were out due to injury. I saw that both the Shibs and Chock/Zuerlein were coming off of two bronze medals at their GP events whereas Hubbell/Hubbell placed 6th at their GP event and withdrew from their second, but they had a respectable fourth place finish at Finlandia where they were close to winning bronze there. I also saw that Lynn and Logan were actually fourth after the SD in front of Hubbell/Hubbell due to the latter team having an issue on their twizzles.

I think what I took away the most from this competition was that Maia and Alex received an incredibly loud ovation from the fans and I don't know how many of them knew who they were at the time yet (I know the nationals audiences tend to have long-time fans who follow teams from novices up and become fans that way). I also think their level of polish and refinement and cleanliness was really a breath of fresh air in that field and it was noticeable. I think that foundation really carried them through even during the hard times where they could have been passed over domestically numerous times and even were in danger of not making Worlds teams (2014 Nationals was VERY close between them and Hubbell/Donohue) and that despite having such competition domestically, they were able to maintain top ten finishes at Worlds during their lull and people, even if they didn't want to admit it, knew they had the skills to play spoiler for teams that were ranked higher than them internationally if only they got their stuff together and found the right material.

I highly recommend everyone watch their senior debut season and watch it in context with their competition to understand why Maia and Alex were able make such a splash and how that splash and their qualities really carried them over to where they are now.
 
VIETgrlTerifa said:
Last night, I decided to re-watch the 2011 U.S. Championships, both the SD and FD. I was curious about this competition because outside of D/W, it seemed like it was a wide open competition for silver as Sameulson/Bates were out due to injury. I saw that both the Shibs and Chock/Zuerlein were coming off of two bronze medals at their GP events whereas Hubbell/Hubbell placed 6th at their GP event and withdrew from their second, but they had a respectable fourth place finish at Finlandia where they were close to winning bronze there. I also saw that Lynn and Logan were actually fourth after the SD in front of Hubbell/Hubbell due to the latter team having an issue on their twizzles.

I think what I took away the most from this competition was that Maia and Alex received an incredibly loud ovation from the fans and I don't know how many of them knew who they were at the time yet (I know the nationals audiences tend to have long-time fans who follow teams from novices up and become fans that way). I also think their level of polish and refinement and cleanliness was really a breath of fresh air in that field and it was noticeable. I think that foundation really carried them through even during the hard times where they could have been passed over domestically numerous times and even were in danger of not making Worlds teams (2014 Nationals was VERY close between them and Hubbell/Donohue) and that despite having such competition domestically, they were able to maintain top ten finishes at Worlds during their lull and people, even if they didn't want to admit it, knew they had the skills to play spoiler for teams that were ranked higher than them internationally if only they got their stuff together and found the right material.

I highly recommend everyone watch their senior debut season and watch it in context with their competition to understand why Maia and Alex were able make such a splash and how that splash and their qualities really carried them over to where they are now.
Click to expand...

yes, I can´t help compare them with the current top junior teams who are actually several years older than Maia and Alex in 2011 and I am so surprised how the Shibs looked a lot more polished IMO.
 
VIETgrlTerifa said:
Was feeling nostalgic and I forgot how legit this SD was:

https://youtu.be/TG84bdr2PwM
Click to expand...

I love that SD! People talk about That’s Life and Perez Prado a lot and for good reason, because they’re both brilliant, but I feel the Coppelia SD is underrated by comparison. They capture the character of the music so well and Maia’s acting as the doll come to life is just perfectly believable. You don’t even need to know the story to be able to pick that up from the choreography. She even keeps acting after the skate is over during her bows by pretending to fall over at the waist and Alex has to pick her up again :lol:
 
I also love Coppelia! (and even better seeing it live at Worlds).

I also feel their Paso Doble SD is also underrated. :) Honestly, I get annoyed with all the "All they did during the quad was Coldplay!" Besides that not being true (hello Evolution!), the fact is they had to pull off FOUR very different styles of dance in the SD and they hit it out of the park each time!
 
Someone in the comments points out that Tom Holland walks by Maia at around 1:53 and OMG it’s true. Missed opportunity for Marvel’s biggest fan :lol:
 
Ok, I know I promised a more detailed review yesterday, but I simply haven't had the time to write my report yet. I will try to post one tonight after work. I just wanted to say that seeing Alex and Maia was a simply breathtaking experience. Their control, ability to know where the other is, and their skating skills, posture, line, and polish is simply a step above. I do wish they played more with asynchronicity a bit and did less side-by-side synchronization, but I think that's just their style and they love showing it off. There were never parts where it looked like they were crashing into each other. I wish I hadn't seen some version of their programs a thousand things because I think their programs would have had more of an impact if I didn't know what was going to come next.

Alex loves to perform and it's evident with the way he moves and plays to the audience. He has a controlled and yet easy and fluid way of moving that I think should be taught. He could use more flexibility in his legs (work on some splits!) during the high kicks of the final group number and all, but I've been complaining about that for a while only because I know he can do better and it'll improve the team's shapes and looks in their routines.

Maia is simply not of this world. She gave me the same experience I had when I saw Audrey Hepburn on the screen for the first time. I simply could not take my eyes off of her, especially in the group numbers. She doesn't move with the same fluidity as Alex and I can see why people think she's stiff, but I don't see it as stiff. I see it as controlled, regal, majestic, enchanting, and goddess-like. She has this aura of confidence of knowing who she is, what kind of dancer she is, what kind of skater she is, and screw you if you don't get it. When she was doing that number with Hubbell/Donohue, I couldn't help but notice just how queenly she was in the way she moved with them. When Zach carried her, it was like she was saying that's right, look at me being a Queen.

I also have to say on a shallow note that Maia and Alex are simply absolutely gorgeous people. They have a look that is just scream class (and I want to live in a world without classes...sort of). I hate that they are not going to compete next season, but at the same time, just looking at them, and knowing how they are off-the-ice in public, it makes so much sense and I want them to have all the success off-the-ice as well. They are made to be bigger than they are right now and they are pretty big considering that they are non-OGM winning American brother-sister ice dancers.
 
A (little) more detail on Alex and Maia's plans for the next year: https://www.teamusa.org/News/2018/A...eturn-To-Competition-Isnt-Out-Of-The-Question

It's nice to know that we might see them back in competition and that their commitment to excellence was a driving factor in taking the year off. It sounds like they're going to do shows and explore possibilities, so if (hoping when, obv) they return, they'll be ready!
 
Hope Alex enjoyed his birthday in rainy New York today. ;)

It looks like Maia and Alex attended a gala hosted by Apex for Youth tonight. Apex for Youth is a non-profit dedicated to connecting volunteers with underserved Asian and immigrant youth. Just another thing to love about the Shibs.
 
The Athletic.com article on NHL hockey player Zdeno Chara on how he asked Maia and Alex for pointers with his skating and how he truly admires figure skaters and states that they are the most technically advanced ice skating athletes.

https://theathletic.com/333229/2018...ts-have-allowed-him-to-thrive-in-new-age-nhl/

Zdeno Chara was jealous.

For all of his strength, endurance, and experience, Chara is simply not equipped with the skills that the world’s best figure skaters have practiced for their entire lives.

“They are the most technically advanced ice skating athletes,” Chara said. “They know everything about balance, about pushoffs. If you think about their performance, over three minutes long, they do all these jumps, spins. The edgework, the footwork is beyond … So they’ve got to be so technically developed and advanced. I know it’s a different sport from hockey. But they have it pretty much broken down into everything, every little detail.”

So in Chara’s mind, it is not unbelievable that he asked Alex and Maia Shibutani for their skating insight. It would have been unbelievable if he did not.

“Because it’s there,” Chara said. “It’s there. It’s available.”

Chara has met with the 2018 Olympic bronze medalist siblings. They have given the behemoth direction on how to apply the techniques they have seemingly mastered, albeit in sparklier uniforms. The Shibutanis’ guidance may be one reason Chara’s ceaseless pursuit of improvement helped the Bruins squeeze past the Maple Leafs in Round 1 to set up a second-round showdown against Tampa Bay.
Click to expand...
 
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Today's Burn It All Down podcast newsletter is celebrating its first year anniversary, and the first .gif is the Shibs with their party hats and blowouts.
 
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Q&A via phone before the Detroit SOI show: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/s...hib-sibs-set-triumphant-return-home/34311503/

#RedefineAtoZ: Maia and Alex Shibutani, Olympic medalists, dazzle on ice and through social media (May 1): https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/a...c-medalists-dazzle-ice-through-social-n866496 (includes an embedded 2-minute video that was filmed when they performed at the Rockefeller Center ice rink)
NBC Asian America Presents: A to Z aims to celebrate the emerging voices and breakout stars of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. These individuals aren’t just reading the dictionary of what it means to be Asian American and Pacific Islander in America; they’re writing new definitions every day.
 
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