U.S. Ice Dance 2016/17 season - news & updates

^^ Oh, I thought Aldridge/ Blackmer gave it one hell of a try and their future prospects did not look that bad. But maybe Matt wasn't as comfortable as he initially felt in making the switch from pairs to ice dance?
 
Re-posting this reply to @Jun Y by @azcalder here:
azcalder said:
Alina Efimova & Alexander Petrov are training in NC with Nathan Truesdell. Lydia Erdman & Alexey Shchepetov are training in Ardmore, PA. Both teams competed in Dance Chicago over this past weekend.
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For those without access to the Kiss & Cry section, results AND protocols for Dance Chicago last weekend: http://www.dancechicagochampionships.com/index1.html

Erdman/Shchepetov are still competing together (same Philadelphia club) and the 4 new Junior teams that competed in Chicago were:
Alina Efimova, Peninsula SC / Alexander Petrov, Hershey FSC
Elizabeth Addas, All Year FSC / Michael Valdez, All Year FSC
Diana Avaz, Individual Member of USFS / Val Katsman, Broadmoor SC
Cassidy Klopstock, Los Angeles FSC / Jacob Schedl, University of Delaware FSC

ETA:

Howard Zhao (Detroit SC) competed in Intermediate with Katarina Wolfkostin (Peninsula SC) but Sara Zhao (Detroit SC) withdrew from the Novice event -- her partner was listed as Palmer Middlekauff (All Year FSC) -- and her profile is back up on IPS.
 
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Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko won the second JGP silver medal of their career in St. Gervais, France today, setting new ISU personal bests in total score (148.38) & FD (87.94):
Short Dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8dLrypsAlM
Free Dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MvEijgZ0s8
Their ISU bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00014977.htm

Eliana Gropman/Ian Somerville placed 9th overall (113.66), a new ISU PB for them as well as in the FD (69.35).
SD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqxzpp7pjB8
FD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlznESZrIDE
Their ISU bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00014943.htm

Carreira is the designated Team USA blogger in France: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2016...eira-blogs-from-mountaintops-of-saint-gervais
Her photos: http://web.icenetwork.com/photos/197590466

---

ISU Challenger assignments, cont. - U.S. Classic in Salt Lake City: Hubbell/Donohue, Karina Manta/Joseph Johnson, Danielle Thomas/Daniel Eaton

Nebelhorn Trophy: Chock/Bates, Pogrebinsky/Benoit (listed substitutes: Cannuscio/McManus, Hubbell/Donohue, Shibutanis)
 
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I was so inspired by @Dobre 's amazing post in the 2016-17 music and program thread about McNamara and Carpenter's short dance, I decided to continue the discussion here.

I like both of their programs from Ostrava so much and have watched them...several times.

Dobre covered the short dance more than adequately, but I will add that they are bound to be criticized that they have no business attempting hip hop and that a lot of it is awkward as hell, and those critics aren't necessarily wrong. Quinn and Lorraine threw themselves into it in spite of that, though, which was brave.

Here's my own list of things about this team that are making me happy this weekend:
  • They have different twizzle passes for their SD and FD. In the SD they do the jump feature and then only do two sets, while keeping the hip hop character. (Some might say awkwardly, I would counter the level of commitment is both commendable and rather charming.) They do three passes in the free dance with so much attack that Quinn completely over-shot his blade on the third. It's a work in progress.
  • Did I mention attack? Holy wow, do they attack these programs. They throw themselves into every element. Should they back off a hair? Probably, but what a dynamic way to start.
  • Their dance spin in the free is unique, challenging, and interesting to watch.
  • In their rotational lift in the free dance she sits on his shoulder for a beat and towers over him while both show strength and power.
  • I haven't decided what the story they're portraying in the free dance is, but they obviously have.
  • They favor each other, so that you almost think they might be a sibling team, and then they chose Carmen last year and showed more passion in the program than the team that attempted the Fifty Shades thing. (Betina was amazing; partner: meh.)
  • They continually show respect and support for each other in their working partnership. You get the feeling that they genuinely like each other.
  • Quinn has this slight air of completely unaffected androgyny, and instead of playing against it, he is costumed in tunics this season that could easily be described as frocks. He looks perfect in both programs and so very much himself.
  • And to continue on that note, this team knows exactly who they are and what their strengths are, and it is clear in every movement.
  • Which leads me to believe that their decision to stay in juniors this year was well-reasoned, and I trust it was the right one for them.
They might get passed by the Parsons (whom I also adore) or by Loboda and Drozd, and that's the risk they took. I will still be in my little corner waving my Lorraine and Quinn flag.
 
CassAgain said:
I was so inspired by @Dobre 's amazing post in the 2016-17 music and program thread about McNamara and Carpenter's short dance, I decided to continue the discussion here. <snip>
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Thanks, and here is Dobre's post on the Short Dance of Lorraine and Quinn in Ostrava:
Dobre said:
-Music and costumes that will make all the ladies on my Mother’s favorite skating tour gripe and complain through the entire program.
-Skating hip to hip through the blues and closer than all the other junior teams throughout the footwork sequences.
-Classic M&C choosing a theme and going 100% in the extreme direction.
-Sharp, angular choreo that will not at all meld with the current trend and adoration of soft & flowy skating the world over.
-Neither warhorse music nor a rehashed rendition of one of the previous hip-hop pieces used by senior teams.
-A complete and total dearth of North American perkiness.
-Classic M&C high-speed rotational lift w/techno strobe-like tweakage.
-Maintaining the choreo & style of the program throughout the twizzles and footwork sequences.
-Lorraine’s kick ass, biker chick attitude in the latter half of the program.
-The cheeky “get-off-my-back” ending choreo. (With about four positions crammed into a few notes of music).
-Annoying techno repetition of the lyrics, but surprisingly versatile changes within the music and choreo that picks out those changes, the strong beats, and also pauses between those strong beats.
-Hitting said strong beats and pauses between them in the music.

I have nothing against safe. I love swing, and I didn’t love this program when I first saw it on the feed during Lake Placid. It aims neither for sexy, sensual blues nor emotional, storytelling hip-hop (my favorite interpretations). But once McNamara & Carpenter choose a theme, they go for broke. They sell it 100%.

And I’m all in for that.
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Lorraine McNamara/Quinn Carpenter won the gold medal in Ostrava (159.30) and set a new ISU personal best score in the SD:
Short Dance (66.60): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36QzcHWjvWc
Free Dance (92.70): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VicwK9Wyp5k
Interview with Ted Barton after the competition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEa1wvS7o5s
Their ISU bio with program music: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00013356.htm
SD:
Hip Hop: Vanguaridan by Steed Lord
Blues: The Power by District 78 feat. Cheesa
Hip Hop: Gaia by Claude Challe and Jean-Marc Challe
FD:
"Thunder Struck", "Nothing Else Matters" & "Rock Prelude" - all performed by David Garrett

Chloe Lewis/Logan Bye placed 5th in the FD, 6th overall (126.18) in Ostrava:
SD (49.82): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdrkN6-3U9A
FD (76.36): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-9pYmf120aI
Their ISU bio with program music: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00014508.htm
SD:
Blues: Save My Soul by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Swing: Jumpin' Jack by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
FD:
Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin
Gershwin's "Embraceable You" & "I've Got Rhythm" performed by Judy Garland
 
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I really like McNamara & Carpenter as a team and the energy they bring to their performances, but IMO that SD is a huge mess and I don't think anything about the program works.

The music is a really bad knock-off of the original, the costumes are overcompensating for a weaker piece of music/theme, and they're wayyyyyy too stiff and unfinished in their movements. (Especially in the upperbody)

They'll win the junior portion quite easily, but I wish they'd scrap this SD and completely start over. It's a complete miss artistically IMO.
 
Karpenko said:
I really like McNamara & Carpenter as a team and the energy they bring to their performances, but IMO that SD is a huge mess and I don't think anything about the program works.

The music is a really bad knock-off of the original, the costumes are overcompensating for a weaker piece of music/theme, and they're wayyyyyy too stiff and unfinished in their movements. (Especially in the upperbody)

They'll win the junior portion quite easily, but I wish they'd scrap this SD and completely start over. It's a complete miss artistically IMO.
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I disagree almost completely. I can see what you mean about stiffness etc., but, in my opinion, sometimes stiffness works with the style of dance they are trying, and this is one of those cases. The music and theme works for me. This kind of dance does not need a special/deep story. Probably the music works for me because I have not heard the originals, I don't know. But I also like the overall choreography. I like their speed and attack, even agression here. So not a miss for me at all (and I see that quite many other people think like me).

I like their FD much less. Dislike the versions of music, although not to the point where I would not be able to tolerate it. But I also don't like much about the choreography. This program actually feels a bit old fashioned to me, and not in the best way. But I suspect this is one of those programs where the impression might change when it becomes more polished during the season, the elements get better and they gain more speed and power in it.
 
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lauravvv said:
I disagree almost completely. I can see what you mean about stiffness etc., but, in my opinion, sometimes stiffness works with the style of dance they are trying, and this is one of those cases. The music and theme works for me. This kind of dance does not need a special/deep story. Probably the music works for me because I have not heard the originals, I don't know. But I also like the overall choreography. I like their speed and attack, even agression here. So not a miss for me at all (and I see that quite many other people think like me).
.
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That doesn't change my view of it. I see a lot of sloppy, unfinished shapes/positions and bad posture. A lot of "forcing" it to happen and not a lot of natural rhythm IMO. It doesn't need a deep story to move better with the music/rhythm and look cleaner overall. :p I never really alluded to that..

This is the original music that they should've gone with instead (maybe just use the female vocals):
https://youtu.be/t30E6QR6qtU

There's a lot more to work with in this version IMO (and it doesn't sound like elevator hip-hop).
 
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I don't get why they wouldn't go with the original Snap. It's got power and drive that IMO is lacking from their version, they're intentionally depriving themselves of that?
 
lauravvv said:
I like their FD much less. Dislike the versions of music, although not to the point where I would not be able to tolerate it. But I also don't like much about the choreography. This program actually feels a bit old fashioned to me, and not in the best way. But I suspect this is one of those programs where the impression might change when it becomes more polished during the season, the elements get better and they gain more speed and power in it.
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Yes, exactly. I don't really like their SD and kind of agree with Karpenko about the unnecessary stiffness and unfinished moves, also the original music is much better why change ??? But their FD is so bland and old fashioned. At least, I do remember their SD (maybe not for the right reason but it is striking), the FD, on the other hand, didn't even leave one image in my mind. Both are kind of a miss at the moment. Let see as the season progresses.
 
It's some sort of statement of the taste of ice dance fans and judges when something so tame in terms of theme and costumes is considered "not safe" when it comes to ice dance. I do think the way they're doing some of those elements are risky and not safe though, such as the Twizzles and the way they're really adding to their lifts.
 
I don't get either of M/C's programs. It's less that I don't like it, but that I don't get it. They always look like cartoon figures or androids.
 
Jun Y said:
If one has any doubt about it, the extremely wide gap in people's opinions about McNamara & Carpenter's short dance proves @Dobre 's point that it's not a "safe" program. Enough said.
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Not safe doesn't = good, and it's a very safe music choice when you consider how much stronger the original is IMO. It's also more authentic hip-hop compared to the version they're using. No disrespect to my fellow gymnast @Dobre but it needs a lot of work everywhere.
 
VIETgrlTerifa said:
It's some sort of statement of the taste of ice dance fans and judges when something so tame in terms of theme and costumes is considered "not safe" when it comes to ice dance.
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Be that as it may, doing something unlike the majority of others are doing is by definition not safe in this highly subjective judged sport. I'm not telling anyone to like it or dislike it, just that it's not safe or common. I think that at least is evident.

I don't have any credentials to claim, but it seems to me that judges really do not care all that much whether a program's music or choreography is conventional or original. It's a sport and the results are almost entirely determined by the physical skills of the athletes. In ice dance, the ranking is dominated by skating skills. That's my impression anyway.
 
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I must say, the FD of M/C, I like it less than their SD for sure. It'll probably grow on me more as the season goes on. It already started to after Lake Placid. Also from their protocol, they lost a few levels in their spin at the JGP Ostrava. I absolutely LOVE the SD. It's very different than the SDs I've seen so far for juniors and it just catches my attention immediately. At one point, I was wondering if the camera was malfunctioning because they were going so fast that I thought it couldn't be THEM going that fast. I'm glad Lorraine pulled her hair back more because when I saw the video of their SD from Lake Placid, I got nervous due to that I thought her hair was going to cover her eyes and cause an accident. The lifts did look a tad sloppy for the FD, I agree. Hopefully they will be able to polish it up by their next JGP.

One thing we can agree on (Hopefully) is that they and the Parsons stand out from the other junior teams competing internationally.
 
Oh, I loved the FD from the beginning. And I LOVE the power into the twizzles. They did them at Lake Placid. Quinn just missed the last set in Ostrava. But I wouldn't dial back. Just go for it! I would like them to get rid of the stop in the middle. Continue the flow and movement throughout. (I feel like the programs dies there--during the move where she is hanging on his waist & then they stop altogether--before the fast music picks up again). But they have smoothed out the transitions since Lake Placid. Expressing the music better. (Though I missed the "tano" twizzle from Quinn, which they seem to have removed). The power in the beginning & the end! If they skate up to it, they will be VERY hard to stop. I think their FD score in Ostrava will be passed, likely by others and themselves. But they are pushing themselves into senior territory with these programs. I agree with CassAgain. They're taking the risk. Of course, it's possible they could lose to a cleaner performance(s) by another team. But M&C are pushing themselves. And they ARE very much themselves.

That makes me very happy.
 
Also:

Novice: Katarina DelCamp and Maxwell Gart (Int 2)

Intermediate: Oona Brown and Gage Brown.

Both teams did Lake Placid.

Sylvia said:
The first major club competition of the new season in U.S. ice dance is the Chesapeake Open, Thursday & Friday, June 23-24, 2016, hosted by the Baltimore FSC at the Gardens Ice House in Laurel, Maryland. Link to the competition thread in Kiss & Cry (includes the U.S. & international teams and the event schedule): http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/index.php?threads/2016-chesapeake-open-june-22-25-incl-dance.98733/
(Note: The Kiss & Cry section is open to all until July 1st; after that a FSU season pass or subscription will be required.)

Here are all the U.S. dance team entries [2016 Nationals placements added]:

SENIOR
Charlotte Maxwell / Ryan Devereaux [S8 at 2016 U.S. Nationals]
Kseniya Ponomaryova / Oleg Altukhov [S11]
Elicia Reynolds / Stephen Reynolds [S13]

JUNIOR (* = currently listed in ISP & eligible for JGP selection)
*Christina Carreira / Anthony Ponomarenko [J4]
*Chloe Lewis / Logan Bye [J6]
*Eliana Gropman / Ian Somerville [J7]
Caroline Green / Gordon Green [N1]
Emma Gunter / Caleb Wein [N2]
Elizabeth Addas [J11] / Michael Valdez (NEW)
Alina Efimova [J9] / Sasha Petrov (NEW)

NOVICE
Sophia Elder / Christopher Elder [N3]
Gianna Buckley / J.T. Michel [N4]
Allie Rose / Spencer Emerson [N8]
Leah Krauskopf / Caleb Niva [N9]
Claire Purnell / Luke Purnell [N11]
Cherri Chen / YuanShi Jin [N12]
Elizabeth Tkachenko / Alexei Kiliakov [Int1]
Isabella Amoia / Cory Fraiman [Int3]
Jordan Lin / Morgan Sletten [Int4]
Isabel Blahunka / Will Shawver [Int5]
Byrdee Darling / Ryan O'Donnell
Molly Cesanek [N5] / Nikolay Usanov [N7] (NEW)
Caroline Liu / John Carlson [Int8] (NEW)

INTERMEDIATE
Layla Grace Karnes / Jeffrey Chen [Juv1]
Maria Soldatova / Faddey Soldatov [Juv2]
Claire Cain / Andrei Davydov [Juv3]
Paulina Brykalova / Daniel Brykalov [Juv5]
Olivia Sebastiani / Dillon Berry [Juv6]
Anna Pettersson / TJ Carey [E-Int6]
Maria Brown / Marius Driscoll [M-Juv5]
Emma Blanchette / Alexander Colucci [M-Juv7]
Dana Vulaj / Volodymyr Patsukevych (NEW)
Cordelia Pride / Benjamin Lawless (NEW)

JUVENILE
Nastia Efimova / Jonathan Zhao [Juv7]
Alice Serbin / Kenan Slevira [Juv9]
Sabrina Foti / Christian Bennett [E-Juv6]
Elliana Peal / Ethan Peal [M-Juv8]
Sarah Dutton / Emmett King [M-Juv9]
Julia Bennett / Jim Wang
Annika Bjorklund / Anthony Haddad
Veronica Chunikhin / Maxim Korotcov
Anna Zakharov / Maximilian Belyantsev
Rebecca Ogorodnikov / Matthew Sperry

The U.S. Figure Skating National Dance Camp takes place here afterwards, June 25-26, 2016: "Teams [in ISP] will receive on ice technical feedback, one on one sport performance sessions and on ice performance sessions."

---

Results (Novice PD, Intermediate PD/FD & Juvenile PD) from the 2016 Edward G. Picken Dance Classic on June 4 are posted in the photos section of IDC's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/icedancecom/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10153697546322939

The Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships and ISU International (for Senior/Junior/Adv. Novice teams) are scheduled for July 27-30, 2016.
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Rachel & Michael Parsons won the gold medal in Yokohama, Japan today (160.42) - videos:
Short Dance (66.76): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhi7fyva9To
Free Dance (93.66): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GWGz-ffqLM
Interview with Ted Barton after the competition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_F64bijbU4
Their ISU bio with program music: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00013500.htm
SD:
Hip Hop: A Little Party Never Killed Nobody by Fergie, Q-Tip, GoonRock
Blues: Born to Die by Lana Del Rey
Hip Hop [no song listed]
FD:
Singing in the Rain by Sophia Sin, edited and arranged by Alexander Goldstein

In their JGP debut, Emma Gunter/Caleb Wein placed 7th overall (112.82):
SD (46.48): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVPgCSxKPNc
FD (66.34): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1guwnbCcNhM
Their ISU bio with program music: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00101013.htm
SD:
Hip Hop: Straight Up by Elliot Wolff
Blues: Rush, Rush by Peter Lord
Hip Hop: Videology by Peter Lord, Sandra St. Victor, V. Jeffrey Smith
FD:
Palladio by Karl Jenkins & Adagio by Rolf Lovland (Secret Garden)
 
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It's so weird to see them skate to "Rush Rush" considering how sexual that song really is.
 
I really like the Parsons. That's two brother/sister ice dance teams I've liked in a short period of time. Don't know how I feel about that.
 
TanithandBenFan said:
The Wheaton coaches seem to be oblivious to the lyrics of their song choices (Gropman/Somerville skating to "Let's Wait Awhile" which is about waiting on having sex :wideeyes:)
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Isn't it actually the Greens who are using "Let's Wait Awhile"? I feel like it was a sibling team, which is even worse...
 
emilieh said:
Isn't it actually the Greens who are using "Let's Wait Awhile"? I feel like it was a sibling team, which is even worse...
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My bad! I was thinking of the Greens because I watched their program from Lake Placid and then typed G/S. :duh:
 
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