State of U.S. Dance 2015-2016

[tulosai]

Just curious:

When/where did Emily say that she is going to become a doctor??
I do look at her tweets once in a while, and I don't remember anything like that.
Is it possible that you have confused her with Lynn Kriengkrairut?

That said, what I do remember is that Emily's life beyond skating sounded happy and fulfilling.
She completed her undergrad degree at U Mich (and sat with Lynn K at their commencement), and was headed to grad school -- to study international relations, or something similar. I remember some of us on GS remarked (half-jokingly/half-seriously) that perhaps Emily would end up working alongside Michelle Kwan at the State Department. (At the time, MK had not yet left for HRC's campaign.)
In 2014, Emily spoke to IN about her engagement, with the wedding expected in 2015.

Wishing Emily all the best.

ETA:

If(?) her LinkedIn profile is up to date, she is working for Merrill Lynch.​

Honestly it's possible that either my news is very old or that I have her mixed up with someone else. If I am thinking of her, I probably got the info around when she split from Gillies so my news would be 4 years old and to be honest, that's too far back for me to really care if I am mistaken or if she changed her mind or what is going on I am glad either way that the main 'thrust' of my point is correct though and that she has moved on to success in other things

 

[Ice Dance]

I'm glad Lewis and Bye will have another opportunity to skate this season. Of all the the junior ice dancers at US nationals, Chloe was the one who most surprised me. She looked like a different skater from even the JGP competitions last fall. And different in a good way. She was much more elegant and engaging to watch.

I think the tango was a good stretch for them. It set them back early in the JGP in that it didn't score as well as their waltz, but it has come a LONG way--not just for Chloe, but for Logan as well--and ultimately I think they are a better team now for making the attempt. Way outside their comfort zone, I think, early in the season, and now their zone as performers has expanded. Which really should be the ultimate goal of every dance team, IMO.

 

[Layback11]

Thanks for the blog, golden! She does, indeed, seem to be having a great time. I hope they can medal!

 

[ice coverage]

Thanks for the blog, golden! She does, indeed, seem to be having a great time. I hope they can medal!

I now have realized that all of Chloe's YOG blogs are being collected at the umbrella link below. She has added installments #3 and #4 since my previous post:

http://www.ice-dance.com/site/category/events/competitor-blogs/2016-youth-olympics/​

Go, Chloe and Logan :yay:.

 

[WeakAnkles]

I think the tango was a good stretch for them. It set them back early in the JGP in that it didn't score as well as their waltz, but it has come a LONG way--not just for Chloe, but for Logan as well--and ultimately I think they are a better team now for making the attempt. Way outside their comfort zone, I think, early in the season, and now their zone as performers has expanded. Which really should be the ultimate goal of every dance team, IMO.

Just like Marlie's tango. Yes, they won Worlds with it, but let's #keepitreal: Charlie was never going to perform a really convincing tango. Still, it brought Meryl out of her shell to a startling degree and it made them much better performers.

 

[katha]

What it also did for D/W, I thought, or for Charlie in particular, is that it made him much more precise and controlled. You can see the progression from first to last performance of that tango FD, he's really struggling at the beginning of the season and has it under control by Worlds. Charlie had a tendency of letting wildness and enthusiasm overcome him in performance from time to time IMO, which made things look rushed and ragged here and there, this was mostly cut out after that FD. Really good strategic decision by Igor (I heard he was mostly responsible for concept and choreo, and tbh it looks like a Shpilband program...in a good way). I also really like it as a program, once they went away from trying to portray romance and passion and made it about attack and coldness, it was awesome.

 

[WeakAnkles]

What it also did for D/W, I thought, or for Charlie in particular, is that it made him much more precise and controlled. You can see the progression from first to last performance of that tango FD, he's really struggling at the beginning of the season and has it under control by Worlds. Charlie had a tendency of letting wildness and enthusiasm overcome him in performance from time to time IMO, which made things look rushed and ragged here and there, this was mostly cut out after that FD. Really good strategic decision by Igor (I heard he was mostly responsible for concept and choreo, and tbh it looks like a Shpilband program...in a good way). I also really like it as a program, once they went away from trying to portray romance and passion and made it about attack and coldness, it was awesome.

:agree:

 

[Heleng]

This past weekend, I attended the WISA sendoff fundraiser for Jr. worlds and Bavarian open (at the main rink where my son played hockey for years, so it was kind of nostalgic being back there ). The arena was packed, standing room only. It was great to see such support for the WISA teams. Hard to believe that during all the time I spent for hockey practice and games at the Wheaton MD arena I had no idea that a world class Ice Dance program was developing there (though, truth be told, I wasn't as into ice dance back then). It was wonderful seeing McNamara/Carpenter, the Parsons, etc. And the Greens really stood out to me as a team for the future. They even did their twizzle sequence before their final bow! There were a number of other younger teams who performed too, so WISA seems to be developing quite a bit of depth. Seems it could rival Michigan for ice dance in a few years!

 

[cheerknithanson]

This past weekend, I attended the WISA sendoff fundraiser for Jr. worlds and YOG (at the main rink where my son played hockey for years, so it was kind of nostalgic being back there ). The arena was packed, standing room only. It was great to see such support for the WISA teams. Hard to believe that during all the time I spent for hockey practice and games at the Wheaton MD arena I had no idea that a world class Ice Dance program was developing there (though, truth be told, I wasn't as into ice dance back then). It was wonderful seeing McNamara/Carpenter, the Parsons, etc. And the Greens really stood out to me as a team for the future. They even did their twizzle sequence before their final bow! There were a number of other younger teams who performed too, so WISA seems to be developing quite a bit of depth. Seems it could rival Michigan for ice dance in a few years!

See that's what I'm saying! Michigan, while I respect the depth it has there for ice dance, isn't the only place where top North American teams HAVE to train!

 

[ice coverage]

Christopher Dean tweeted a photo of himself with U.S. juvenile champions Layla Karnes and Jeffrey Chen (Karen's brother):

@torvillanddean

Just finished working with Jeffrey and Layla ��
6:46 AM - 18 Mar 2016
https://twitter.com/torvillanddean/status/710824598737059840​

 

[ice coverage]

(1) @icenetwork

The Broadmoor World Arena announces that @Ben_Agosto will join its coaching staff in June.
7:41 AM - 27 Apr 2016
https://twitter.com/icenetwork/status/725334171569115136​

Ben recently had said something (I'm paraphrasing) about enjoying his time in Scottsdale, but that he soon would be leaving for (and announcing) a great opportunity elsewhere. So now we know where.​

---

(2) Wheaton Academy next dance mecca of the U.S.?

McNamara and Carpenter, Parsons driven by friendly intra-rink rivalry​

Posted 4/27/16
by Vladislav Luchianov, special to icenetwork
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2016/04/27/174853260​

 

[Snow63]

(2) Wheaton Academy next dance mecca of the U.S.?

McNamara and Carpenter, Parsons driven by friendly intra-rink rivalry​

Posted 4/27/16
by Vladislav Luchianov, special to icenetwork
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2016/04/27/174853260​

Thanks. Did they hinted in this interview that they both are going seniors next season? My English is not good enough to understand if this was just a general Q/A or a statement.

 

[dorispulaski]

McNamara and Carpenter: The transition from junior to senior is the biggest move there is between competitive levels. Senior is extremely competitive, especially on the international scene. We will have to apply absolutely everything we've learned over the course of our career if we want to be successful in senior when we do decide to move up.

I think this answer implies that MacNamara and Carpenter have not yet made their decision.

 

[ice coverage]

Thanks. Did they hinted in this interview that they both are going seniors next season? My English is not good enough to understand if this was just a general Q/A or a statement.

My two cents:

I agree with Doris that Lorraine and Quinn sound undecided.
I noticed also that when they were asked about next season, part of their answer was:

... Showing that we are on top of the competition is always our goal ...​

If anything, I think this quote would be a hint that they are leaning toward staying on top of the junior field??

The quotes from the Parsons in the article are unclear as to when they plan to move to senior, IMO.
And it is impossible to know whether or not the reporter left out something that they said that would have made their meaning more clear.
The Parsons quotes say only:

We see some really intense competition in senior. It was a very fun season to watch and to see our future competition, as well as our role models. We are always inspired by watching the senior teams.​

The reference to "future competition" is ambiguous. Not necessarily a reference to the immediate future (next season).​

 

[StitchMonkey]

(1) @icenetwork

The Broadmoor World Arena announces that @Ben_Agosto will join its coaching staff in June.
7:41 AM - 27 Apr 2016
https://twitter.com/icenetwork/status/725334171569115136​

Ben recently had said something (I'm paraphrasing) about enjoying his time in Scottsdale, but that he soon would be leaving for (and announcing) a great opportunity elsewhere. So now we know where.​

Im interested to find out what he will be doing. I wonder if they are trying to turn Co Springs into anther Ice Dance hub. It does seem a little did that so much of USFSA is down there but not much in the way of Ice Dancing.

 

[cheerknithanson]

My two cents:

I agree with Doris that Lorraine and Quinn sound undecided.
I noticed also that when they were asked about next season, part of their answer was:

... Showing that we are on top of the competition is always our goal ...​

If anything, I think this quote would be a hint that they are leaning toward staying on top of the junior field??

The quotes from the Parsons in the article are unclear as to when they plan to move to senior, IMO.
And it is impossible to know whether or not the reporter left out something that they said that would have made their meaning more clear.
The Parsons quotes say only:

We see some really intense competition in senior. It was a very fun season to watch and to see our future competition, as well as our role models. We are always inspired by watching the senior teams.​

The reference to "future competition" is ambiguous. Not necessarily a reference to the immediate future (next season).​

I can't wait to see what the answer will be. I hope they do move up to seniors. But then again, it'll be their choice.

 

[KKonas]

Im interested to find out what he will be doing. I wonder if they are trying to turn Co Springs into anther Ice Dance hub. It does seem a little did that so much of USFSA is down there but not much in the way of Ice Dancing.

Colorado Springs was never an ice dancing hub but in the '80's Roca & Adair, and Punsalan & Swallow did train there under Sandra Hess for a time. Wynne & Druar also trained under Sandra Hess in Colorado Springs when they won the US ice dancing title in 1989. Choreographer Philip Mills was also based there during that period of time and worked with many of the skaters there including ice dancers. Think Ben Agosto going there will be great to hopefully build another ice dancing center. Chris Dean spends time there as his children w/ex-wife Jill Trenary still live in Colorado Springs.

 

[dorispulaski]

Ice dancing contined in Colorado Springs, but has not had senior champions from there for quite a while.

Patti Gottwein has been in the Springs for a long time, but a lot of her skaters moved when they got older. The Shibutanis, Todd Gilles & Trina Pratt, and Piper Gilles were coached by Gottwein when they were younger, for example. The head of the ice dance school is Elena Khalyavina Dostatni, wife of frequent elite Tech Panel member Andrejz Dostatni.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elena_Khalyavina

She was Maxim Shabalin's partner before Oksana Domina.

 

[Mrs. P]

Karina Manta/Joe Johnson (7th at U.S. Nationals) are based there, coached by Gottwein. Also, I didn't realize that Logan Giulietti-Schmitt is also on their coaching team! (http://web.icenetwork.com/skaters/team/manta_johnson)

I'd love to see more Tom Dickson choreographed Ice Dance!

 

[dorispulaski]

Doesn't Chris Dean do quite a bit of the choreo for that school?

Yes, there are often teams from Colorado at Senior and Junior Nationals, but they have not been winners.

I think, in recent years, the most successful were Pratt & Gilles?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trina_Pratt