Are Belbin and Agosto better than...

[Fredegunda]

Punsalan & Swallow, I prefer not to watch them at all because they were the ice dance pair that prevented Roca & Sur from competing at Olympics, didn´t they?

If I recall correctly (a big if), I think that they petitioned against Gorsha Sur getting his citizenship early or something like that, but it ended up being a moot point because he got injured before the Olympics and couldn't go. Still, not a really sportsmanlike thing to do.

What I initially liked about Belbin and Agosto was their energy, youth, and the pure joy that they seem to have in skating. Now after a few seasons the "let's have fun" attitude is getting old to me and I wonder if they can skate with more emotional depth. On the other hand, they are still so young that maybe it is unfair to ask this of them. I can't say whether I like them "better" than L&T or P&S etc. because I never watched those teams.

[JonnyCoop]

If their coach was not Igor Shpilband, would they still be the top of international ice dance scene? I don't think so. They're not the best US ice team there has been, but unlike some others they came at the right time (with no great team dominating the scene).

I'm not sure how much Shpilband has to do with it; he's been coaching many top US dance teams for many years (including P & S at one point), but B & A is his first international "breakthrough" in that department. The record would not indicate Shpilband having the same influence with the judges as say, a Tarasova or a Moskvina.

[Pixie Cut]

If I recall correctly (a big if), I think that they petitioned against Gorsha Sur getting his citizenship early or something like that, but it ended up being a moot point because he got injured before the Olympics and couldn't go. Still, not a really sportsmanlike thing to do.

They didn't petition. They wrote a letter to their Congressman and Senators urging that Gorsha Sur not be given his citizenship early. It was kind of tacky, but hardly awful. The fact is, Congress virtually never grants citizenship ahead of schedule (there was a unique twist to Tanith Belbin's case), so Punsalan and Swallow probably could have stayed out of the situation and the result would have been the same.

It was Renee Roca, not Gorsha Sur, who got injured at 1994 Nationals. She sustained a broken wrist in practice due to an on-ice collision with Galit Chait and her partner.

[Tonichelle]

Grishuk and Platov - Were they the ones who tried to do a jitterbug? hmmm; not unlike that couple in 2003 who tried to do an Elvis impersonation. Very similar attempts.

Tanith and Ben rocked it OUT with Elvis... so I'm not sure if you're saying that G/P (or who ever) did a great job with teh jitterbug or not? LOL

My dad is a huge Elvis fan and he just LOVED that program... it was pretty fun to watch for me too lol

[CzarinaAnya]

Gorsha & Renee are balletic ice dancers. Belbin & Agosto have a young but strong modern style. Lang and Tchernyshev, had a romantic style, but they did have their weak points. They're all good, different ,and do well in their own ways.

[JonnyCoop]

Tanith and Ben rocked it OUT with Elvis... so I'm not sure if you're saying that G/P (or who ever) did a great job with teh jitterbug or not? LOL

My dad is a huge Elvis fan and he just LOVED that program... it was pretty fun to watch for me too lol

I seem to recall a moment in that program that I had to rewind about 6 or 7 times to figure out HOW exactly they did a particular move -- and never did figure it out. And their speed was incredible.

And actually that comment right there could also explain, at least in part, B & A's success. They do have incredible speed (almost too much so, IMHO, because I personally find "speed" to be an overrated commodity in dance and most of the time in skating in general) and have come up with some really well-done tricky maneuvers. Both of which do impress judges -- the speed, especially. They really do like to see couples racing around at 90mph out there. (Which is fine, unless the music happens to be going about 40mph......:sheesh: )

[soogar]

Better than? I don't even think that B&A are as good as the other teams mentioned. Belbin is so unbelieveably unpolished and sloppy. Ben is good, but I cannot stand to watch Tanith. She has all the elegence of a freaking CHICKEN. Never got the hype, never will.

ITA on Belbin. She is the sloppiest silver medalist ice dancer I have ever seen. However Ben is an excellent skater and I think in their case, the reason why they are doing well is because Ben is so strong. Many of the top couples are mismatched and a strong male is somewhat of an anomaly in this day and age of ice dancing. This isn't the K&P and U&Z era...

[Fredegunda]

They didn't petition. They wrote a letter to their Congressman and Senators urging that Gorsha Sur not be given his citizenship early. It was kind of tacky, but hardly awful. The fact is, Congress virtually never grants citizenship ahead of schedule (there was a unique twist to Tanith Belbin's case), so Punsalan and Swallow probably could have stayed out of the situation and the result would have been the same.

It was Renee Roca, not Gorsha Sur, who got injured at 1994 Nationals. She sustained a broken wrist in practice due to an on-ice collision with Galit Chait and her partner.

Thanks, I knew that I was misremembering somewhere. This past year, didn't Loren Galler-Rabinowitz's parents also write to their congressment and senators asking that Tanith not be given her citizenship early?

[Pixie Cut]

Thanks, I knew that I was misremembering somewhere. This past year, didn't Loren Galler-Rabinowitz's parents also write to their congressment and senators asking that Tanith not be given her citizenship early?

I guess you excel at misremembering. It was David Mitchell's mother. Big diff -- it wasn't David Mitchell. It was Punsalan and Swallow themselves who signed letters.

[IcyBallerina]

Their last year's Flamingo FD didn't capture the essence of Flamingo dance at all.

HAHAHAHA Best typo type thing ever! The essence of flamingo dancing! I'll never be able to say "flamenco" again without cracking up!

[gk_891]

IMO, Belbin & Agosto are much more capable of handling difficulty (in terms of footwork) than the other two couples. But I think that Punsullan & Swallow have better chemistry and can interpret dramatic rhythms better. I also think that Tanith is very sloppy but she seems to be improving (not by much though). Personally, my biggest problem with B&A is that at times, it seems like they're frantically chasing the music. I thought that Punsullan & Swallow used their music a bit better and played with its nuances.

[Fredegunda]

I guess you excel at misremembering. It was David Mitchell's mother. Big diff -- it wasn't David Mitchell. It was Punsalan and Swallow themselves who signed letters.

Hehe, little did I know when I started replying this thread that it would provide a painful showcase for my lack of ice dance knowledge. Glad to have you here to set me straight.

[Mathman]

HAHAHAHA Best typo type thing ever! The essence of flamingo dancing! I'll never be able to say "flamenco" again without cracking up!

Isn't "flamenco" just the Spanish word for "flamingo?"

http://www.flamingodance.net

[Joesitz]

Tanith and Ben rocked it OUT with Elvis... so I'm not sure if you're saying that G/P (or who ever) did a great job with teh jitterbug or not? LOL

My dad is a huge Elvis fan and he just LOVED that program... it was pretty fun to watch for me too lol

It was Aurvback and his partner who did Elvis in a competitive routine right after B&A did theirs as an exhibition.

There was more to Elvis than his hip swinging, imo.

I was not at all impressed with the G/P jitterbug. I much preferred the other Russian couple and I adored Tovahl and Dean's Fox Trot.

Joe

[Joesitz]

Isn't "flamenco" just the Spanish word for "flamingo?"

http://www.flamingodance.net

I know my Spanish is rusty but doesn't flamenco mean Flemish as in Belgium?

Joe