Original Dance - (Round 2)

OK!! Now we got a RUMBLE!!

Too bad about Dubreil/Lauzon, tho. BUT -- as we've seen, this is SO FAR from over.... Wow!! Excitement in Olympic Dance!! When was the last time a CD winner placed 10th in the OD??? There's a first! Men's and Pairs haven't even been this much of a roller coaster.....

That was the most increadable OD I have ever seen! what 7 couples fell?? OW to the canadians! Hope she is ok.
The highlight of this was surly the Italians! F-P/M i thoght for Sure she was going to *****-slap him!!! Not very nice since she was off axis for the lift,, after all she cant expect poor Maurizio to do magic!!!
By far the most exciting event of the comp!!! Lord, what will the free bring tonight!!???
Fauve

You KNOW this is big news if it is the front page attraction on the www.Drudgereport.com !!!!!

Fauve

Just wanna say and to N/K and B/A for delivering quite good skates after seeing so many disastrous falls. It must have been nerve wrecking for them ...

The only thing that disagreed about was that B/A won that part of the competition and shouldn't have been 2nd to the Rusians. Even if it was only .01 higher than the Russians, they deserved it because of the energy they produced and the strong technique. Although they aren't that far behind the leaders at all and If they have a fantastic last part of the competition, they could spoil the russian sweep.

B/A are in 2nd b/c of others misfortune. If everyone skated clean, they wouldn't be where they are now. Probably 4th at the most. Maybe it's good that several of the top skaters fell in the OD to give them a wake up call, so that it doesn't happen again in the FD. So whose turn is it to fall tomorrow? Maybe B/A? Here's hoping Del/Sho switch places with B/A in the final standings. I just don't wanna see that fake Barbie doll up on the podium with that fake smile. Del/Sho have the best FD this year, so innovative, unlike the Americans who have another Latin dance in the FD, as if we didn't see enough Latin dances in the OD!

Maybe it's good that B/A are in 2nd right now, so that they can be bumped out of the podium and create some movement in ice dance. Yeah, I hope that's the plan. And if Del/Sho have a perfect skate, they can easily overtake B/A.

OOOOOHHHHHHMG!!! Marie France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon were skating so brilliantly and then BAM! Marie France fell like a rock on her hip on their final spin. Who says ice dancing isn't as dangerous as the other skating disciplines?

Plus it came right after my favorite moment so far in any figure skating discipline--and it had nothing to do with skating. It was when Marie France slipped her hands through the chiffon halter of her costume and opened her arms to pull each side away from covering her chest, making you think for a moment she was going to do a "Moulin Rouge" show, hubba hubba. Instead she revealed a gold beaded and sequined halter underneath. Marvelous effect and perfect for the latin style. Janet Jackson revisited--NOT! This was the tasteful way to flash. My guy started applauding when Marie France did that, saying "Oh, yeah! She is really talented!"

Oh, but poor D/L when they fell right at the end. Shades of Bourne & Kraatz in '02. But this was such a crash from about 3-4 feet in the air right onto the ice onto the side of her hip, where there is the least muscle to cushion the fall, the most bone to hurt, and no hands or legs to help break the fall. The last shot of Marie France was of her being wheeled out on a stretcher, although she did smile for the camera. I SO hope they can skate in the final. Besides feeling bad for them, I've liked them more every year they've skated, which has been many.

Hope you're not hurt, Marie France, and that we see you and Patrice in the Free Dance. Best Wishes!!!

BTW, as we all saw or heard, the OD was a splatfest. In the past, "ice dance" and "splatfest" were two words that never went together. It seems to be the difficulty prompted by the COP, although in Fusar-Poli and Margaglio's case, I think it was due to their coming out of retirement so recently after not skating together for so long. Gags (I love being able to write Babs & Gags again, lol) looks like he just isn't in shape. He was never a great skater in his prime and I think as a couple, they just weren't ready for the difficulty demanded by the NJS. The compulsaries are one thing; they haven't changed. But the OD and FD--compared to '02, they're like the difference between driving a '68 Volkswagon Beetle and an '06 Porsche when all you've done is drive the '68 Bug.

I also really loved Denkova & Staviski. They were so hot and really skating on the edge of control, which they can do like nobody's business, and then, dang! They missed a lift! No fall, thankfully, but bummer all the same for one of my favorite teams.

Navka & Kostomarov were perfection, but I would have liked more sex in their program. The rhumba is the dance of love and I would have liked to have seen spice rather than simply great movement. I still remember Torvill & Dean's rhumba from '94 for just that reason. T/D were understated, but let's just say that as soon as they finished dancing, you wanted to have "some intimate time" with the one you loved. I got a fair amount of that from Denkova/Staviski, but not from N/K. However, N/K do move and look like gods, so, well, it's great to have that going for you, lol.

Happily, Tanith and Ben were great! They looked a bit cautious on the side-by-side FW, but everything else was in high gear. Their dance had the quality of dancing all out at a street party rather than as the prelude to inimacy, and IMO either approach works if choreographed and executed well. B/A definitely had great quality in choreography and execution. Man, Tanth really works it! And Ben's skating skills amaze me more every time I see him. Bravo Tanith and Ben!

And here's something I don't think I've ever said before: Thank you United States Congress for making sure Tanith got her citizenship in time!

Of course I hope they win a medal (gold or silver, please), but no matter where they end up, Belbin & Agosto belong as competitors at these games, as if there was ever any doubt about it. Now if only Congress could do the right thing on every other bill, lol.

So the final group for the FD is (THANK YOU Frau Mueller!):
1 NAVKA Tatiana / KOSTOMAROV Roman RUS 2 38.20 1 61.07 1 99.27
2 BELBIN Tanith / AGOSTO Benjamin USA 6 37.36 2 60.53 2 97.89
3 GRUSHINA Elena / GONCHAROV Ruslan UKR 5 37.39 3 59.29 3 96.68
4 DELOBEL Isabelle / SCHOENFELDER Olivier FRA 7 36.44 4 58.34 4 94.78
5 DENKOVA Albena / STAVISKI Maxim BUL 3 37.65 5 55.85 5 93.50
6 DUBREUIL Marie-France / LAUZON Patrice CAN 4 37.44 7 54.36 6 91.80

My guess for the podium is as follows (and we all know how accurate my predictions are ):
Gold: Navka/Kostomarov
Silver: Belbin/Agosto
Bronze: Denkova/Staviski

I've probably just jinxed them all. Tomorrow they'll all fall in practice and some hours later announce their withdrawal from the games. Okay, I really don't mean it!

Hee-hee, Babs/Gags ain't in the final flight, says b****y Rgirl. I can't help it. Jasper, your post is so hilarious--and so true.

Jasper said:

The Italians at the end of their program after he dropped her in the final spin: "She scowls, obviously blaming him for what happened and almost drives the poor man to tears. What scenes here in Turin! Their on-ice staring fight is doing themselves no favours - they look ridiculous!" (from eurosport)

She's awful.

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Yes indeedy, JohnnyCoop. A RUMBLE it is and you chose the perfect word.

Fauvenik, you comment about Babs/Gags, "I thouught for sure she was going to b****-slap him!!!" had both my honey and me . And both of us are too old to be doing that anymore. But hey, sometimes, when the muse strikes, you just have to live dangerously.

Off-Topic: How cool was it for speed skater Joey Cheek to give the bonuses from both of his medal-winning races to charity? Totally cool. Or should I say, Cold?

Rgirl

Yep, Fauvenik, as is typical the female knows its her fault, but she'll NEVER admit it on the ice.

Remember Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval? She was the most ornery little #@#* - well, never mind, it was always HIS fault when they flubbadubbed - NEVER hers.

Lots of falls, and that makes me sad because the couples were not at their best. The only thing one can come up with is: What If? :scratch:

Now I must return to my earlier prediction after the CD that N&K would win with G&G in second and B&A in third. I still think I am on track. Remember, you heard it here first.

While I am not well versed in Dance, I do think I have the formula for placements.

Joe

Happy to tickle funny bones,, after all if we all loose our heads like Babs,, what would the world be!???:agree:
To be honest, at this point, I really would have Great respect for Maurizio if he just walked away and left her standing there tonight! Told her," your so good and Im so bad, you go out there and skate it yourself, you dont need me! B***H"
That kind of behaviour from Babs is just bad taste,, no class and well for her to blame him,,, PLEASE! Lord I am soo exited to watch Im soo glad that were not in school for these two weeks( I teach english to 4-3rd levels) I can have a nice long dinner with my famille and enjoy the skating :thumbsup:
Let the roller derby begin!!!!
Bizsous!!
Fauve

Rgirl, if D&L skate, they won't be in the final group. There are only five couples per warm-up group in dance. Only singles has six competitors per flight. D&L could end up skating first in the last group, if able to competer. Has anyone posted the FD order yet?

Okay, I was hoping for a shake up in the top 8 - but not like this!

If you take away the fact that these are humans with emotions etc. then the idea of a splat fest at the Olympics Dance comp. is funny...and the falls are so uh - well, tragic. Not like the pairs or singles where we expect them to fall but in dance they fall onto each other and it’s so undignified. The positions they fall into are such contrasts to the character of dance. So, it was kind of fun to see so many falls.

But, they are humans and we must have empathy. I don’t recall all the falls, but the Canadian pair (Marie-France and someone) were fantastic the entire time until that fall. The lift did look insecure but the commentator says they’ve don’t it often and with success. There are falls then there are FALLS. Her fall was so hard, and so scary that I actually feared that she would not get up. She’ll be lucky if all she has is a monster bruise – but I’m fearful she may have cracked her hip. Aside for the fall, they were beautiful – their costumes, hair, dance everything. She looked like old Hollywood, reminiscent of a dress that Elizabeth Punsulin wore for a Latin dance. I also like the contrast of her dark hair against her pale skin and light dress…and I’m normally not a fan of them.

The Italians…man – Barbara gave him the look of death. I was surprised at how long they stared at each other and wondered if a fight would break out. It was clear she was mad at him. I wonder if they are re-thinking their comeback. I’d love to be a fly on the wall when they had it out over that program.

N/K were good but not great. Tentative and I wish she would get rid of those 80’s headbands. Not flattering. B/A were good but also tentative. I saw more passion in this dance hem then in the Ravensburg. I also like the second US team and was surprised they were as far down as they were.

Well, we’ll have to see what happens tonight….

How aweful for D&L and D&V! Having a splatfest id dance?! I just hope everyone can stay on their feet through FD.

Ice quality?

It is entirely possible that something was not quite right with the quality of the ice at the rink during the OD!!! Ice making is part art--all ice surfaces are not equal.
There should be a way to check such a thing since it is so important.
The number of falls, often on the simplest moves, especially with skaters of the great technical quality of Drobiazko and Vanagas, makes me wonder......

RubyNV - the thought that the ice was the problem did cross my mind but when you look at the replays, which NBC showed several times, you can see that its not the ice, but the skaters either loosing thier grip, thier shoulders rotating before thier legs - causing then to be off balence, the skater not completing a turn complelty so the blade is sideways and the toe-pick catching etc. It happens.

I think we saw a classic example of what happens when a very tight field goes out and pushes their skating to the edge and just past - mistakes. I firmly beleive that this kind of skating is "contagious" in that as much as you try and block out what is happening, a skater is aware of the "ohs" and "ah's" in the rink and that somethign is up - they can also feel the tension in the air.

What keeps a team like N/K and B/A upright verses others is thier focus, training and basic skating skills. Thier mind and bodies are just so trained that they move without much thought. It's when you begin to over-think it problems arise.

Here's to a clean FD by everyone....I so wanted this comp. to be a good one and a fair one. Now, we have teams who would normally be in the hunt for the podium, so far behind, that the results are skewed. On the bright side, at least we know that N/K and B/A are capable of earning thier current spots and its not just a fluke. But still...I'd prefer that everyone skated their best and let the chips fall wher e they may.

Oh, sorry about all the spelling mistakes. I just get so excited and haven't found a way to run a spell check on this....

Darby

RubyNV said:

It is entirely possible that something was not quite right with the quality of the ice at the rink during the OD!!! Ice making is part art--all ice surfaces are not equal.
There should be a way to check such a thing since it is so important.
The number of falls, often on the simplest moves, especially with skaters of the great technical quality of Drobiazko and Vanagas, makes me wonder......

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GOOD point but you know if you saw at the end of the Israelies skate, her dress had soooo many White little fluff things comming off that I did wondered at the time if that would cause a problem! So then after them how many actually fell??? A lot! I do think they should have a ban on dance dresses such as that that you can Not see the fluff, because D/V it looked to me that her fall, as uncharatoristic as it was, her skate just stopped and she went straight to her toepick! could have been that dress before..
But after the ice being made again we cant blame that, however when one fall or two fall then the others tend to follow esp at Olympics since it is such high tense comp.
I am on the edge of my seat for tonight!!!
thinking good thoughts!!
Bizsous
Fauve