U.S. Ice Dance 2019-20 season news & updates

AYS

🌻
Messages
24,660
Let the teams-in-waiting earn their turn by raising their games and beating the teams above them. Failing that, we can all just watch H/D, C/B and the Shibs go after Drobiazko/Vanagas's record of most Olympic appearances for a figure skater (five). :p
Tied with Aljona Savchenko, but they have the record by themselves for most appearances representing the same country and/or with same partner.
 

ccpompom

Active Member
Messages
73
G/P don't have a shot for bronze lmao?? You guys are so not in touch with reality. Like did you forget we're talking about ice dance? This is a highly political discipline. No way you can climb you way up so fast. Go watch singles or pairs then. And yes, I do love Anthony and Christina.
 

Dobre

Well-Known Member
Messages
16,954
I think H/D & C/B are chasing an Olympic medal. (Though they may take a crack at a World title post-Olympics). The U.S. teams have both had world silver. It's that Olympic medal I would guess is driving them.

Without H/D and C/B this season, the U.S. could be down to one dance berth at Worlds anyway (two being more likely). The younger teams need to develop, and they are fully capable of doing this. There's a lot of talent there, and they would gain more experience if they all went to 4CCs. But three World ice dance berths do not grow on trees. They most often come with experience and someone doing the heavy lifting.
 
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Sylvia

TBD
Messages
79,979
Local news feature on Wolfkostin/Chen (with Igor Shpilband taking about them) filmed right before they left for the Youth Olympics:
Congratulations to Katarina & Jeffrey on pulling up from 5th (and the penultimate group) to place 3rd in the FD and win the BRONZE medal at the Youth Olympic Games! :cheer:
 

her grace

Team Guignard/Fabbri
Messages
6,492
I noticed that Lavrova/Gart aren't on the junior dance entry list for nationals. Anyone have an update on them? I hope she is recovered from that terrible fall during their JGP.
 

Debbie S

Well-Known Member
Messages
15,483
I noticed that Lavrova/Gart aren't on the junior dance entry list for nationals. Anyone have an update on them? I hope she is recovered from that terrible fall during their JGP.
That's right, I remember they didn't compete at Sectionals. I hope she's recovered and that they continue to compete. I thought they looked good for only a short time together.
 

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
79,979
TeamUSA.org article: Katarina Wolfkostin And Jeffrey Chen Skate To Bronze For Team USA’s First Medal At Youth Olympic Games
“It went really well,” Wolfkostin said after competing. “There are always things to improve on, but overall it was really great and a good experience.”
...
“I stayed on my feet the whole time so that was a good start,” Chen joked. “It was pretty solid. There is still room for improvement - there were a few small mistakes - but overall it was good.”
...
“Our families both came to watch and were in the crowd cheering for us,” Wolfkostin said. “They’ve always been super supportive and it’s just really cool to perform for them.”
ETA a tweeted photo of them (on left) during the ice dance medal ceremony:
 
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icebergAshley

New Member
Messages
7
I was able to catch Katarina and Jeffrey's Free Dance on TV earlier today, and I must say they are simply magnificent! Such fantastic program! So young and so talented! From what I read about them, they have climbed so fast to nearly the top of Junior US domestic rankings.. just wow!
 

Theatregirl1122

Needs a nap
Messages
30,012
Without H/D and C/B this season, the U.S. could be down to one dance berth at Worlds anyway (two being more likely).

Oh honestly. To get ONE dance birth, Kaitlyn and Jean Luc would have to fall from 9th last year to below 12th this year, despite the fact that in your scenario, two teams ahead of them would have been removed. And then the next two teams would have to get 16th or below.
 

Dobre

Well-Known Member
Messages
16,954
Oh honestly. To get ONE dance birth, Kaitlyn and Jean Luc would have to fall from 9th last year to below 12th this year, despite the fact that in your scenario, two teams ahead of them would have been removed. And then the next two teams would have to get 16th or below.

Hence, two would be more likely.
 

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
79,979
USFS has moved their International Assignments page to the Fan Zone - new link: https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...20-international-assignments-and-results.aspx

Currently listed for the Egna Dance Trophy, Feb. 7-9, 2020, in Egna, Italy are the 2 Junior teams of Cesanek/Yehorov & DelCamp/Somerville, plus Elliana & Ethan Peal in Adv. Novice (they finished 6th last week at Mentor Torun Cup in Poland, pulling up with their 6th place FD to Aladdin).
 

bcash

Well-Known Member
Messages
493
Well sorry not sorry but it is what it is. The system is not fair unfortunately and I don't think it'll be ever. We all want this sport to be all about who has the best skates/programs/ss but that's not the way it works. Once judges drop you that's it there's no way for you to climb your way up unless you bring something exceptional to the table next season. I can appreciate hb's skating and I admire their hard work and determination but y'all have to know they will 100% beaten by s/d at worlds. Usfs has the deepest field in ice dance in the world currently. They should know a team like h/b will never be on a world podium beacuse it's ice dance and you get points for being pretty and tall. And like aren't we tired of seeing a gadbois swept at every competition?? Please let the other schools rise and I'm not talking about Igor's only.

So to sum it up you hope they drop off the podium because IYO they are short, unpretty, and train at Gadbois?

What’s the problem with a Gadbois team sweep if they skate great? That your weird personal grudge will have to endure? How laughable. And H/B still has superior skating skills that likes of C/P will spend years trying to match.
 

AngieNikodinovLove

Frangi & Piazza & Paul & Hektor & Theo. Oh My! 😝
Messages
12,673
Only 9 senior teams competing at Nationals?

This is the lowest entries since when??

What happened? Not enough teams make minimum requirements?
 

Dustyrose

New Member
Messages
1
Not enough senior teams period. Requirements were set to improve the level of teams for national competitions. At the same time there is minimal support of junior teams transitioning to seniors. Kids and parents prefer to invest in college education or just move on with their lives, spending already a fortune and years of their lives in competitive skating. Recruiting of foreign skaters hits the roadblock of visa restrictions... Why wonder about the lack of high level competitive teams 😕
 
C

casken

Guest
Well if anything, I learned from watching tonight's broadcast of the RD at US nationals is that the US is just as ridiculous and political with their judging and calling as any other country, and Tanith Belbin isn't so much an impartial commentator as she's a paid spokesperson for US ice dance just reading off talking points.

I knew M&C were done when she opened with a criticism of their closeness, followed by her ignoring Ponoramenko fumbling the end of the Finstep. I thought she was going to start hyperventilating trying to pe-justify C&P getting a bronze (Yes Tanith, all the grabbing onto each other is super innovative choreography :rolleyes: ). She even had to throw in a bit of a snipe at H&B about their transitions (???) to undermine them after getting such a great response to their performance.

Congrats to Chock and Bates, becuase this thing is a done deal.
 

heartyxo

Well-Known Member
Messages
161
Interesting calls aside, I think the order was pretty much right- didn't hear Tanith's commentary though

Finnstep near-wipeout or not, I think the small errors Hubbell and Donohue made rightly put them below Chock and Bates. C/B managed to save their pattern and nail everything else while H/D had wobbles on multiple things. I do think both were overscored but that's nationals.
I'm very happy for Hawayek and Baker- they are going for that bronze like I knew they could!
 

Bosha

Active Member
Messages
578
Well if anything, I learned from watching tonight's broadcast of the RD at US nationals is that the US is just as ridiculous and political with their judging and calling as any other country, and Tanith Belbin isn't so much an impartial commentator as she's a paid spokesperson for US ice dance just reading off talking points.

I knew M&C were done when she opened with a criticism of their closeness, followed by her ignoring Ponoramenko fumbling the end of the Finstep. I thought she was going to start hyperventilating trying to pe-justify C&P getting a bronze (Yes Tanith, all the grabbing onto each other is super innovative choreography :rolleyes: ). She even had to throw in a bit of a snipe at H&B about their transitions (???) to undermine them after getting such a great response to their performance.

Congrats to Chock and Bates, becuase this thing is a done deal.

Her husband Charlie was very even-handed over on NBC Sports Gold Stream. It was a good choice to subscribe and avoid the hype over on regular NBC Sports.
 

Wyliefan

Ubering juniors against my will
Messages
43,981
Well if anything, I learned from watching tonight's broadcast of the RD at US nationals is that the US is just as ridiculous and political with their judging and calling as any other country, and Tanith Belbin isn't so much an impartial commentator as she's a paid spokesperson for US ice dance just reading off talking points.

I knew M&C were done when she opened with a criticism of their closeness

She didn't open with a criticism of their closeness. She opened with praise for their speed. And then after the criticism of their closeness, she went on to praise their confidence, their twizzles, and their attack, and to say she was "impressed." Clearly she really hates them.
 

georgiana08

Active Member
Messages
96
Her husband Charlie was very even-handed over on NBC Sports Gold Stream. It was a good choice to subscribe and avoid the hype over on regular NBC Sports.
Charlie has quickly become my favorite commentator. I watched half of the event on Gold and the other half on NBCSN, and I definitely preferred his insights.

And speaking of commentary, I wish I had a dollar for every time they mention who Anthony's parents are. Same goes for Ivan Bukin.
 

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