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

[Colonel Green]

Given the density of the US dance field and the relative immovability of the top two teams through to Beijing, on some level it feels like it was inevitable that somebody in the second tier would drop out.

 

[Wyliefan]

I liked them too, even though I didn't uber them. There was something very distinctive about them. Hope Lorraine can find a good partner and keep going.

 

[Spiralgraph]

I didn't expect that news. Good luck to both of them with their future.

 

[dancing_on_ice]

Given the density of the US dance field and the relative immovability of the top two teams through to Beijing, on some level it feels like it was inevitable that somebody in the second tier would drop out.

I agree with that, especially since M/C had a really tough season this year. They were coming back from injury, and they were immediately surpassed by G/P, a new team, which generally doesn't happen. I'm wondering where Lorraine can get a new partner. I can't think of any US ice dance men at her level who are currently partner-searching. Still, M/C had the advantage of both having citizenship. Even if CPom were beating them nationally, they can't go to the Olympics, so they were really competing with H/B and G/P for the last Olympic spot.

I think G/P are going to be the team that ends up going to the Olympics if CPom can't get their citizenship sorted. I just can't see H/B getting there with their stagnating results.

Of course, maybe H/D or C/B retire before 2022, but I can't see it happening. Both teams are older, thus more injury-prone, but they're both too competitive to stop before another shot at the Olympics. C/B have already skated through injury once in 2018, I have no doubt that they'd do the same in 2022 if, god-forbid, an injury happened again. Same goes for H/D.

 

[SidelineSkater]

Regarding Quinn's retirement - I think I was one of the few people this year who liked their original free dance to Rescue You/No Boundaries. Mostly because I liked the music and its message - Lauren Daigle has an Adele-like sound. It seems like M/C could never really breakthrough on the Senior ranks. I wonder if staying junior that extra season set them back. Although it's difficult to make that dance transition up to Senior and with such a deep US field, things get crowded at the top and the middle.

Best of luck to him and to Lorraine!

 

[heartyxo]

I think they could have been #3 this year if it wasn't for injuries
They moved forward last year but they couldn’t continue on that trajectory.

 

[Dobre]

Quinn Carpenter has announced his retirement on Facebook :

 

[shan]

I know.... So sad....

 

[nimi]

Quinn Carpenter has announced his retirement on Facebook :

Lorraine and Quinn

Lorraine and Quinn. 384 likes. Official Fan Page for Ice Dancers Lorraine McNamara and Quinn Carpenter

www.facebook.com

Lorraine plans to continue skating.

The IG post has a comment thats says: "The next generation of skaters are already reaping the benefits of Quinn’s expertise at Maryland Figure Skating Academy. We’re privileged to have a top-level ice dancer on the coaching staff."

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[skatingguy]

The IG post has a comment thats says: "The next generation of skaters are already reaping the benefits of Quinn’s expertise at Maryland Figure Skating Academy. We’re privileged to have a top-level ice dancer on the coaching staff."

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Whose @chevychaser2020?

 

[VGThuy]

Did you guys see Natalia Linichuk’s reply to that IG post? She’s a fan!

 

[casken]

After what happened last season, I can understand just wanting to quit. It's a shame.

 

[Debbie S]

Chock and Bates together on the ice, at home together during pandemic

ETA: In case link doesn't work: https://tinyurl.com/y7raoxdc

The programs they do next season – if there is a next season – will depend in part on when they can get back on the ice. The International Skating Union has decided to let ice dancers keep the same rhythm dance theme and rhythm as last season. Chock and Bates still would like to show their snake dance free at a Worlds, but they also are thinking about other possibilities.

In addition to the Open Ice benefit tomorrow, they will do an IG live at 1:30 on Sunday, in advance of the NBC season highlights show at 2.

Given that the fall season is looking more and more unlikely, I hope they keep their snake FD for Nats, 4CC and Worlds (assuming those comps take place). With less time to prepare for the season and fewer comps anyway, I'd rather they focus on the Oly season. And yes, they should have a chance to skate the snake FD at a Worlds.

 

[aftershocks]

I love McNamara/Carpenter. I've always enjoyed watching them perform. The season before their injuries was one of their best ever, and it looked like they were going to make great strides. Last season hurt their momentum amongst already deep and competitively tough domestic and international fields. But they have many great moments, accomplishments and memories together to be so proud of. Kudos to them!

2018 LPIDI McNamara Carpenter FD

Lorraine McNamara and Quinn Carpenter's free dance from the 2018 Lake Placid Ice Dance International, 7/27/2018. They earned 111.62 for the segment and 185.1...

www.youtube.com

Good luck to Quinn, as it looks like he may be moving into a coaching career! Best of luck to Lorraine in finding another partner and continuing on to even greater heights! ♥

 

[aftershocks]

I love these dance moves by @chocolate02!

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Exercise tip from Green/Parsons:

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[Brenda_Bottems]

Given that the fall season is looking more and more unlikely, I hope they keep their snake FD for Nats, 4CC and Worlds (assuming those comps take place). With less time to prepare for the season and fewer comps anyway, I'd rather they focus on the Oly season. And yes, they should have a chance to skate the snake FD at a Worlds.

I am part of the silent majority that considers the 'snake' program vulgar, exploitative,and lacking the pedigree and class of the American ice dance tradition.

If they choose not to develop a new dance due to the virus hysteria,I strongly encourage them to reprise their pure 'An American in Paris' dance from a few years back.

-BB

 

[Aerobicidal]

I am part of the silent majority that considers the 'snake' program vulgar, exploitative,and lacking the pedigree and class of American ice dance tradition.

I hole-heartedly agree with this and would add that having a woman portray a phallic symbol goes against every moral, theological, and geometrical standard upon which our culture should be based.

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

I hole-heartedly agree with this and would add that having a woman portray a phallic symbol goes against every moral, theological, and geometrical standard upon which our culture should be based.

Indeed. It is a sad commentary on society today that the millennials find such concepts acceptable,or even appealing.

-BB

 

[vireo]

This is what happens when we have no real skating news to pettifog.

In a normal year, skaters would have begun announcing music choices by now. The forums would be full of outrage, ridicule and predictions of inevitable disastrous programs and shattered careers.

Ah, the good old days.

 

[mjb52]

I was actually just thinking that I wished we had some music announcements!

 

[Japanfan]

I hole-heartedly agree with this and would add that having a woman portray a phallic symbol goes against every moral, theological, and geometrical standard upon which our culture should be based.

I never thought of a snake as a phallic symbol. It doesn't quite make sense to me.

ETA: Too skinny!

 

[Alilou]

I never thought of a snake as a phallic symbol. It doesn't quite make sense to me.

ETA: Too skinny!

@Japanfan you really must stop taking @Aerobicidal seriously
Or @Brenda_Bottems for that matter

 

[aliona22]

Did you guys see Natalia Linichuk’s reply to that IG post? She’s a fan!

I think she works with the senior Wheaton teams.

 

[AxelAnnie]

That was lovely! GREAT ice coverage, no jarring awkwardness or missteps. They have a light, airy, gentle quality to their skating – incredibly smooth. Chemistry is undeniable.

I appreciate their costumes very much. Beautiful clean lines, a pretty, feminine, elegant dress, and basic black – it works. Less is more.

Well done.

That was brilliant. I have watched it several times. It looked a little awkward when she got up on his thigh for a lift. And on the spins, I am sorry, but Uncle Dick is the voice in my head saying: Her foot is just hanging out there.
It was totally wonderful.

 

[aftershocks]

I never thought of a snake as a phallic symbol. It doesn't quite make sense to me.

ETA: Too skinny!

Uh [clears throat] ... I think it probably depends upon the species and size of snake you're thinking of:

https://cdn.domyown.com/images/content/common_types_of_snakes.jpg

https://natgeo.imgix.net/factsheets/thumbnails/01-new-snake-species-m_nigrocinctus-mberroneau03.adapt.1900.1.jpg?

Anyways, there could obviously be lots of allusions read into that program. Remember though that for their dance, it was Evan who was supposed to be the snake charmer, and not Maddie being the 'Eve-like' temptress seduced by the 'Garden of Eden' snake and thus bringing 'Adam' and herself to doom.

The drift this thread has taken proves there's been too much time on our hands, and not enough figure skating to look forward to!

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

The ensuing discussion regarding snakes and male genitalia proves my point that the dance is in poor taste and beneath Cock+Bates' abilities. I'd expect a tacky dance like this from Russians, but not our Americans.

[clears throat] ... I think it probably depends upon the species and size of snake you're thinking of:
https://cdn.domyown.com/images/content/common_types_of_snakes.jpg https://natgeo.imgix.net/factsheets/thumbnails/01-new-snake-species-m_nigrocinctus-mberroneau03.adapt.1900.1.jpg?

I am exceedingly grateful I did not have to report this post for inappropriate content.

-BB

 

[Bellanca]

I was actually just thinking that I wished we had some music announcements!

Hallelujah! You and me both.

As it stands now, we’re left with a thoroughly exhausted dialogue of skater A figuratively flipping off an entire country by skating on their park pond, followed by ott drama of skater B changing coaches (gasp) as if that’s never happened before.

At least with some music announcements, we could start to thoroughly dissect and lament just WTH so-and-so skater was thinking when they reliably picked out some kind of musical (or better yet) vocal selection abomination. You know someone would! Sigh

Eta: and just to be safe... I ain’t naming names!

 

[layman]

Hallelujah! You and me both.

As it stands now, we’re left with a thoroughly exhausted dialogue of skater A figuratively flipping off an entire country by skating on their park pond, followed by ott drama of skater B changing coaches (gasp) as if that’s never happened before.

At least with some music announcements, we could start to thoroughly dissect and lament just WTH so-and-so skater was thinking when they reliably picked out some kind of musical (or better yet) vocal selection abomination. You know someone would! Sigh

Eta: and just to be safe... I ain’t naming names!

There has been discussion that many skaters won't have time for new programs and/or music...that given the short amount of training time available (if the Grand Prix Season starts as per normal in the fall) and the lack of opportunity for in person choreography, many skaters will have to re-use last seasons programs.

 

[Bellanca]

There has been discussion that many skaters won't have time for new programs and/or music...that given the short amount of training time available (if the Grand Prix Season starts as per normal in the fall) and the lack of opportunity for in person choreography, many skaters will have to re-use last seasons programs.

I agree. We were just engaging in some lighthearted banter...

 

[dancing_on_ice]

There has been discussion that many skaters won't have time for new programs and/or music...that given the short amount of training time available (if the Grand Prix Season starts as per normal in the fall) and the lack of opportunity for in person choreography, many skaters will have to re-use last seasons programs.

In an IG Live, Madison Hubbell said that she and Zach already have a new free dance and they're working on getting the music cut right now. Kaitlin Hawayek also hesitantly said that she and Jean-Luc were getting a new free dance. I'm not surprised that H/D are adamant about getting a new program even though it's likely that they won't have a lot of ice time to rehearse it since their free dance was so poorly received this year. H/B are in a similar situation where their free dance never really hit, so it's not surprising that they're changing that. I believe that H/B did confirm that they're keeping their rhythm dance, which makes sense since it's the same pattern and that program was a hit.

It'll be far more interesting to see if C/B keep their free dance. It was very well-received, but you don't want to seem stale for recycling programs. On the other hand, keeping the same program means that they can focus more on getting back fitness. Teams that get new programs won't be as polished as teams that reuse programs since that's a huge extra thing to worry about on top of getting back to old fitness levels.