Relections on Skate America | Golden Skate

Relections on Skate America

Joined
Jul 11, 2003
THE DANCE

There were two styles of Dance shown in Hartford. If we take The Tango as an example, we saw skating anger throughout. Why do skaters get so angry when doing The Tango? I believe The Tango is a dance of seduction. It's not about a quarrel. The object of The Tango is Amour!! not Anger. Those of us who watched from up front were laughing at the facial expressions.

The other style of dancing for most of the contestants seemed to have the theme: "The Struggle of Life." The heartbreaking performances would bring tears to the most stoic viewer.

Two couples dared to be different: Novarro/Bommentre had the audacity to display pleasure in dancing. What a concept!

The Kerrs, unfortunately, danced with fear of the American Calvary coming to take their land away. What a waste for this talented couple.

Then there was Denkova and Staviski. enough said, nothing short of stunning.

THE MEN

I must begin with It wasn't a splatfest. The Short Program, once again, showed how exceptional Nobari Oda is in thrilling the audience with the requirement elements. However, as in the past, does not carry over into his Long Program. The elements for the LP are there but somehow he loses the audience thrill.

Evan, the comeback kid, showed solid skating in his LP but it was not there in his SP and I thought he was held up in the SP.

Alban Preaubert carries on the french tradition of non conformity. He has an edgy (not ice edgy) style which shows little technique yet he completes all his elements. One does sit on the edge of one's seat when he is skating.

It was a good Men's event for all the skaters and it should give them confidence for the future.

THE PAIRS

There was nothing exceptional about Pairs. Nan/Leftheris are still in the 'potential' stage. Little booboos kept them from rising to the top. Rena and John have seen better nights. The Siudeks were faulty. Vise and Trent have the mirror image against them. One Russian team Efaieva/Menshikov have normal body heights which I like and they move well.

THE LADIES

Amercia's new sweetheart should change her SP music, Just plain drab and it caused a non support from the audience. However, she too, is a comeback kid, and her LP was quite thrilling. Mao is beatible, at least I think that at this moment in time. Miss Ando was very very clever to put a series of high level jumps at the end of her routine. Morozov to be praised for that, although it took away from a beautiful program because they looked just tacked on. Katy Taylor better get with it if she expects to be US Nats bronze medalist (sans Sasha). Emily was no great shakes either. It is the first of the big ones and there is time to work and tweak so let it be.

The big surprise was Sara Meier who lost the bronze by tenths of a point. Poor Mao.

The hotel fire was a hoot as was the entire Russian contingent from Simsburry in the bar at night. Kulic, Platov, Urmanov, Morosov, and many more.

Joe
 
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JonnyCoop

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2003
ITA agree about Kimmie's SP music; TEDIOUS TEDIOUS TEDIOUS. And something more lively would be more appropriate to her style.

I think Sarah Meier got a bit ripped off; I think she should have outscored Meissner in the short, which would have given her the medal.
 

emma

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
THE DANCE

The hotel fire was a hoot as was the entire Russian contingent from Simsburry in the bar at night. Kulic, Platov, Urmanov, Morosov, and many more.

Joe

Thanks for the sum up -report...and wow :love: wow about the hotel fire!!! Sounds like a blast!

ps - I think if Oda can improve his footwork and develop just a little more - is it stamina, or strength - for the LP, he'll be hard (to impossible) to beat.

and, I do hope Nam and Leftheris improve and do well, but mainly because I still remember that 'little 13' year old who was just stunning before her injury.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I could do a whole page on individual skaters but in the long run, it's just one night.

Sara Meier did well, but she is a very tentative skater. There is little flow in her programs. She should be the one dark horse in all her events, so the others should not miss their technical.

I think it's stamina for Oda. Maybe he should train to build up stamina. His LP is all right but he looks so tired doing it. It doesn't have that crispiness his SP has.

We must watch closely by the end of the season to see if Nam/Leftheris are going to be the next big thing in the future. At this point in time,imo, it doesn't look it.

Yes, that hotel fire was a blast and everyone had to descend to the streets which at the time was pouring rain. Luckily I was only on the 11th floor and they did get the elevators working for going back. But going down those stairs some felt very scared.

The Bar was packed with fans and lots of Russians. You name one and he/she was there. We had a great time.

Suggestion: If you go to a competition and you can afford to stay in the host hotel, do it.

Joe
 

Jhar55

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
HOTEL FIRE!! Hope nothing serious.
Remember in Pittsburg the fire department came twice, but no one sounded the alarm only reason I knew was on my way down and the elevators wouldn't work.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
There was a fire alarm in Atlanta (US Nats 03) but it was a false alarm. Everyone in a big hotel descending down to the frigid weather of Atlanta. Whooa. We didn't know it was a false alarm and talking to Parker Pennington he mentioned his father was still sleeping in the hotel room. He was justifiably worried.
Joe
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Looking from a ballroom/partnered dance perspective--Tango can be very dark and angry. If you want romantic seduction, get a rhumba. (Argentine is its whole own subcategory, and while it's seductive, I wouldn't call it pleasurably romantic, necessarily.) Tango can be violent. You don't smile while tangoing. (Is that a verb? It is now...)

And I don't think it matters what dance they're doing. Ice dancers have hysterically funny facial expressions. I'm not even a fan of still photos of T&D's routines, because some of looks are just downright silly when they're not moving to distract you.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
From my perspective, I have always seen the Tango as the male partner keeping the female in tact for a rendevous later. I suppose he could get angry if she doesn't get it.

The rhumba is a very sophisticated dance of love in the elite community of Havana. I know, I lived with Cubans. Conga, Mambo, have their origins in the provice of Oriente.

Joe
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
From my perspective, I have always seen the Tango as the male partner keeping the female in tact for a rendevous later. I suppose he could get angry if she doesn't get it.

You have such a image invoking way of speaking sometimes.:laugh:
I thought, Thought that the Tango was the man trying to seduce the woman into "acceptance" but she is resisting until the end. ??? Is that the same diff?

BTW, for someone who lived in Cuba, I can't believe you settle for canned Cuban food. Must be a really good "brand." What was that again?
 

icesk8erdude4e

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
My Reflections on Skate America

Well the Ladies event was definately filled with Drama with that reporter and Kimmie Meisner, I think that was definately uncalled for on the reporters part.

I just wish that Kimmie Meisner would get that triple axel back under her and the two triple triples so that she can continue to beat Mao Asada and if you ask me, I think that Miki Ando will be one to emerge this season even more so than she did at the '04 words when she came in fourth and was ahead of Michelle Kwan through most of the event.

Its awesome that Inoe and Baldwin won the paris gold, because its been a while for a US team to win a Gold Medal in any ISU Grand Prix event, and now they win Silver in Skate Canada, hopefully they'll win a good medal at the Grand Prix of Paris.
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
One description of tango: "drama, stealth, stark confrontation leading to an invitation that cannot be resisted." (From Walter Laird's book on the subject.) My impression is the man is very much in the driver's seat in tango (and you aren't even looking at each other as you dance!) Rhumba is much more balanced in who's luring whom. Tango even has a more...I want to say rigid but that's not right...closed hold. It's a very strong frame. (I can't wait to learn tango, myself, but with one lesson so far, I learned the basic box step, rocker step, simple turn, and he tried to get me to do a rhumba rythym and hip action. Ice dancing may be ballroom on ice, but from the waist down, two totally different animals!)
 

lanadd

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 23, 2006
From my perspective, I have always seen the Tango as the male partner keeping the female in tact for a rendevous later. I suppose he could get angry if she doesn't get it.

The rhumba is a very sophisticated dance of love in the elite community of Havana. I know, I lived with Cubans. Conga, Mambo, have their origins in the provice of Oriente.

Joe

Well i am very sorry, but have you ever watch a tango performed by elit dansers? Reading your descriptions i believe you haven't. In the tango in general there is passion, there is anger, there is seduction, but not a big romance, love,ect.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Well i am very sorry, but have you ever watch a tango performed by elit dansers? Reading your descriptions i believe you haven't. In the tango in general there is passion, there is anger, there is seduction, but not a big romance, love,ect.
I was not aluding to love but to the bedroom. Read it again. What makes that so angry? except a refusal. I've been to Buenos Aires and have seen the real thing.in the seediest cafes on the waterfront. I don't need Hollywood dancers to jazz it up,.
 

lanadd

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 23, 2006
I was not aluding to love but to the bedroom. Read it again. What makes that so angry? except a refusal. I've been to Buenos Aires and have seen the real thing.in the seediest cafes on the waterfront. I don't need Hollywood dancers to jazz it up,.[/QUOTE

I am not angry.That's your definition of tango ok. And i didn't mean a dancers from hollywood. if you mean seduction-yes imo there is seduction in the tango, and i have seen it in the OD of the dance teams.
 
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