U.S. Ice Dance 2017/18 season news & updates

[jiejie]

It is my understanding that N/K have enlisted the help of Linichuk for these teams as they transition to Senior.

Linichuk? Oh my...not sure if that sort of help is going to work out so well. We will see....

 

[OrioleBeagle]

I would love to see McNamara/Carpenter go to Montreal to train with Marie France and Patrice!

 

[legjumper]

Linichuk? Oh my...not sure if that sort of help is going to work out so well. We will see....

For improving basic skating skills and partnering, Linichuk is one of the very best. She did so much for Belbin/Agosto technically in just two seasons, and she also helped Denkova/Staviyski work out technical issues that detracted from their presentation. As long as she's not choreographing programs, I think Linichuk is an excellent consultant to have on the team.

 

[jiejie]

For improving basic skating skills and partnering, Linichuk is one of the very best. She did so much for Belbin/Agosto technically in just two seasons, and she also helped Denkova/Staviyski work out technical issues that detracted from their presentation. As long as she's not choreographing programs, I think Linichuk is an excellent consultant to have on the team.

I thought it was primarily Gennady Karponosov that worked with Belbin/Agosto and deserved most of that credit. IIRC, Linichuk spent most of her time with Domnina/Shabalin who moved to their stable just after B/A did. Maybe I'm misremembering. But Karponosov went back to Russia.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I would love to see McNamara/Carpenter go to Montreal to train with Marie France and Patrice!

Noooo, please no more MFD teams. There's enough of that style on the scene.

 

[thvu]

I would love to see McNamara/Carpenter go to Montreal to train with Marie France and Patrice!

Uh... the Parsons would be a much better fit.

 

[Dobre]

It is my understanding that N/K have enlisted the help of Linichuk for these teams as they transition to Senior.

It sure looked like her at the boards with Novak & Kiliakov at Lake Placid, though the camera footage was blurry the first day and there was only one up close shot on the second day. She isn't listed as a coach or a specialist on the Wheaton Academy website. Personally, I think if you are a successful coaching team looking for more hands on deck to expand into seniors, then she is not at all a bad person to ask.

 

[RoseRed]

Noooo, please no more MFD teams. There's enough of that style on the scene.

It's not so much all the same style this season. Just look at the music choices:
V/M - El Tango de Roxanne, Come What May (tango, drama, character-driven, romance)
P/C - Moonlight Sonata (classical, piano, worked with a contemporary ballet guy)
H/D - Across the Sky by Rag'n'Bone Man, Caught Out in the Rain by Beth Hart (bluesy)
Soucisse/Firus - I Won't Dance, Cheek to Cheek (jazzy)
The Danes - Spanish Caravan, Hush, Asturias (Flamenco program)
Smart/Diaz - Natural Woman, It's a Man's Man's Man's World (soul, R&B)
Lauriault/Le Gac - You Take My Breath Away, Another One Bites the Dust (British rock)
Robledo/Fenero - Credito, Por El Amor De Amar, Poeta En El Mar (Spanish style)
Fukase/Tateno - Hello Dolly (film/musical)

 

[skatingguy]

IFS Magazine‏ @ifsmagazine 13h13 hours ago
Congratulations to Charlie White and Tanith (Belbin) White who announced today they are expecting a baby.
https://twitter.com/ifsmagazine/status/918217629155946497

 

[RoseRed]

Congrats to Charlie and Tanith. It's funny, just the day before it was a announced, I happened to be thinking about them and wondering if they'd be having kids soon.

There are three things I'm really watching in US dance this season:

1. Who's the number one team? We can see how the GP goes, but it'll really be the H2H at GPF if more than one makes it and Nationals.
2. How are the lower four teams stacking up? Three of the Parsons, M/C, H/B and P/B can go to 4CC, so that'll be a good battle to keep watching. The current Challenger Series scores are:

• Parsons/Parsons — 163.14
• McNamara/Carpenter — 154.50, 141.78
• Hawayek/Baker — 153.55
• Pogrebinksy/Benoit — 150.42

3. For the juniors, which teams go to Junior Worlds with Carreira/Ponomarenko? Probably the Greens, and either Gropman/Somerville or Lewis/Bye. The current JGP scores are:

• Green/Green - 3rd, 3rd, 124.58, 131.23
• Gropman/Somerville - 4th, 4th, 127.60, 127.54
• Lewis/Bye - 5th, 124.40

 

[DDNatalia]

Congratulations on the "formal" announcement. Photos posted from the US Diving championships where Tanith was providing commentary left little doubt that she was pregnant.

 

[Jayar]

Are people assuming that the three teams going to the Olympics are the three teams that went to Worlds last season? Probably shouldn't assume that.

 

[missing]

Are people assuming that the three teams going to the Olympics are the three teams that went to Worlds last season? Probably shouldn't assume that.

I have been assuming that.

Who do you think is the weak link and who do you think might move into that team's place?

 

[Debbie S]

Based on USFS's "body of work" criteria, I can't think of any other teams that one could argue deserve a place in the Olys more than the current top 3 teams.

 

[VGThuy]

Not to mention there is also the body of work thing going on. All three of the top U.S. teams have highly impressive international records with all three making the GPF in the last two seasons, two of them medaling in 2 of the 3 past Worlds, posting high scores, etc. I mean a lot can happen during the GP series and I know the body of work critieria is more specific than what I noted, but I think the top 3 are a safe bet barring disaster.

 

[Spiralgraph]

I agree, barring a disaster or illness/injury the top three US dance teams are going to the Olympics. No other current American dance team can come close to their achievements.

 

[Moustaffask8r]

Congrats to Charlie and Tanith. It's funny, just the day before it was a announced, I happened to be thinking about them and wondering if they'd be having kids soon.

There are three things I'm really watching in US dance this season:

1. Who's the number one team? We can see how the GP goes, but it'll really be the H2H at GPF if more than one makes it and Nationals.
2. How are the lower four teams stacking up? Three of the Parsons, M/C, H/B and P/B can go to 4CC, so that'll be a good battle to keep watching. The current Challenger Series scores are:

• Parsons/Parsons — 163.14
• McNamara/Carpenter — 154.50, 141.78
• Hawayek/Baker — 153.55
• Pogrebinksy/Benoit — 150.42

3. For the juniors, which teams go to Junior Worlds with Carreira/Ponomarenko? Probably the Greens, and either Gropman/Somerville or Lewis/Bye. The current JGP scores are:

• Green/Green - 3rd, 3rd, 124.58, 131.23
• Gropman/Somerville - 4th, 4th, 127.60, 127.54
• Lewis/Bye - 5th, 124.40

I would send young N/V or G/S with C/P and G/G
Sorry for L/B they've been junior for 5 seasons now. Not consistent enough, only one more year of junior eligibility!

 

[topaz]

Is Platov still coaching?

 

[RoseRed]

I would send young N/V or G/S with C/P and G/G
Sorry for L/B they've been junior for 5 seasons now. Not consistent enough, only one more year of junior eligibility!

I was mostly looking at the JGP scores for which team was sort of in which tier, so I just mentioned the teams that had scored 120+, but with young teams they can improve quickly so who knows. I think they should just go with whoever places highest at Nationals. But I do agree that L/B's seeming lack of improvement (at least in terms of scores, I hasn't followed their skating that much) is concerning. They've been passed by the Greens and Gropman/Somerville as of now and their PB is still from the 2015 JGP season. Their Brisbane score was the lowest they'd got on the JGP since 2014. But I'll wait and see what their score ends up being today. And if they look stronger and deliver at Nats, then sure send them to JW.

Right now I would bet on Gropman/Somerville for the last spot though.

ETA: with the score N/K just got (125+) they are absolutely right in the mix for that 3rd JW spot

 

[chameleonster]

Nguyen/Kolesnik broke 50 in the SD at both outings, and just scored a 125.30 overall in Italy, so I'd say they're in the mix.

 

[LilJen]

IFS Magazine‏ @ifsmagazine 13h13 hours ago
Congratulations to Charlie White and Tanith (Belbin) White who announced today they are expecting a baby.
https://twitter.com/ifsmagazine/status/918217629155946497

Hee, she's been pregnant for a while and I think she might be due soon? Wishing them all the best for baby's arrival!

 

[Sylvia]

Teams with 2 JGPs this season with their ISU Season Best scores & videos:

Christina CARREIRA / Anthony PONOMARENKO (150.05 total in Minsk, 1st)
Minsk SD (63.77): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRT6BhLG27M
Salzburg FD (87.57): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuMEO4NrLq0
Qualified for their 2nd consecutive JGP Final in 1st place with their 2 golds.

Caroline GREEN / Gordon GREEN (131.23 in Gdansk, 3rd)
Gdansk SD (55.43): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPNAEh_HYaI
Gdansk FD (75.80): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmA68oXgMlE
3rd alternates to JGP Final with their 2 bronzes.

Chloe LEWIS / Logan BYE (130.48 in Egna, 5th)
Egna SD (53.72): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuym5N6Shvc
Egna FD (76.76): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wddcAZTXm7o

Eliana GROPMAN / Ian SOMERVILLE (127.60 in Brisbane, 4th)
Brisbane SD (52.40): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEK6aN64mHY
Zagreb FD (75.38): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE-a1pAUF88

Avonley NGUYEN / Vadym KOLESNIK (125.30 in Egna, 6th)
Egna SD (52.84): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Fik7ETBAc
Egna FD (72.46): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB2s5PwKjc4

Emma GUNTER / Caleb WEIN (113.08 in Riga, 7th)
Riga SD (46.96): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQZTa3suMZk
Gdansk FD (66.42): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrhArjG9ycM

1 JGP:

Isabella AMOIA / Luca BECKER (105.45 in Salzburg, 8th)
SD (45.93): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3BosUXYwsc
FD (59.52): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLutR4A07Ug

Sophia ELDER / Christopher ELDER (94.70 in Zagreb, 12th)
SD (37.17): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPyDXjTa92o
FD (57.53): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eds97IyLVlo

 

[wickedwitch]

Their Brisbane score was the lowest they'd got on the JGP since 2014.

That's partially because the rules this season have one less step sequence in the FD.

Lewis/Bye are still the favorites for that spot. Their score is several points better than G/S's best score this season and comparable with the Green's best score.

 

[RoseRed]

That's partially because the rules this season have one less step sequence in the FD.

Lewis/Bye are still the favorites for that spot. Their score is several points better than G/S's best score this season and comparable with the Green's best score.

It is, though I had posted that before their score today, which is why I said I wanted to see how today went. I don't think they're enough ahead at this point that the others aren't in the mix for it though.

 

[levineismine]

I can't find the general gofundme thread anymore (should we start a new one?),
but Hubbell/Donohue just updated their gofundme page
https://www.gofundme.com/gwne485g

Madison also opened an etsy shop with her mom to fund their skating
https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/AndAllThruTheHouse?ref=shop_sugg

 

[Lara111]

Congrats to Charlie and Tanith. It's funny, just the day before it was a announced, I happened to be thinking about them and wondering if they'd be having kids soon.

There are three things I'm really watching in US dance this season:

1. Who's the number one team? We can see how the GP goes, but it'll really be the H2H at GPF if more than one makes it and Nationals.
2. How are the lower four teams stacking up? Three of the Parsons, M/C, H/B and P/B can go to 4CC, so that'll be a good battle to keep watching. The current Challenger Series scores are:

• Parsons/Parsons — 163.14
• McNamara/Carpenter — 154.50, 141.78
• Hawayek/Baker — 153.55
• Pogrebinksy/Benoit — 150.42

3. For the juniors, which teams go to Junior Worlds with Carreira/Ponomarenko? Probably the Greens, and either Gropman/Somerville or Lewis/Bye. The current JGP scores are:

• Green/Green - 3rd, 3rd, 124.58, 131.23
• Gropman/Somerville - 4th, 4th, 127.60, 127.54
• Lewis/Bye - 5th, 124.40

It should be C/P, G/G and G/S based on current JGP ratings

 

[RoseRed]

It should be C/P, G/G and G/S based on current JGP ratings

Well actually Lewis/Bye and Gropman/Somerville are very close. G/S had two 4th's vs two 5th's for L/B, but the scores are in the same range:

• Gropman/Somerville - JGP: 4th, 4th, 127.60, 127.54
• Lewis/Bye - JGP: 5th, 5th, 124.40, 130.48

So really, whoever delivers at Nationals.

 

[Jammers]

I looks to me that the future of US Juniors is younger teams like the Greens along with G/S and perhaps N/K too. The older US Junior teams don't seem to be competitive with the top Russian teams and are already getting passed by or pushed by teams like the Greens and G/S and N/K re rapidly improving too. Not surprising that the US is rebuilding a bit in Ice dance after losing the last two Junior World champions the Parsons and M/C.

 

[Dobre]

I was mostly looking at the JGP scores for which team was sort of in which tier, so I just mentioned the teams that had scored 120+, but with young teams they can improve quickly so who knows. I think they should just go with whoever places highest at Nationals. But I do agree that L/B's seeming lack of improvement (at least in terms of scores, I hasn't followed their skating that much) is concerning.

Lewis & Bye's FD today was gorgeous. They really skated free.

The scores today. I don't know. Their performance was mature. Originality within the elements. Beautiful extension. That opening lift is as stunning as I have ever seen it done by any team. And the control on the exit. They performed throughout. They should be very proud of how they skated today. Work like crazy on the pattern in the SD and the off side of Chloe's twizzles, but this free skate. They were wonderful today.

Also, kudos to Nguyen & Kolesnik for demonstrating why they deserved a second event. And for 4/5 level fours in the SD.

 

[Lara111]

Nguyen/Kolesnik broke 50 in the SD at both outings, and just scored a 125.30 overall in Italy, so I'd say they're in the mix.

And both of their events were with US controllers.