Anyone else worried that there are TOO MANY great ice dance teams?

At this point it's getting crazy. You have an elite group right now that includes Del/Schoe, Dom/Shab, B/A, K/N, V/M, and D/W - the latter two are obviously still incredibly young but, outside of the classy veterans Del/Schoe, are the very best in the world (IMHO). B/A are fine, but lacking that energy and originality. Dom/Shab just are not great skaters, performers, or innovators - they are bland carbon copy Russians. K/N have crazy lifts and highlight moves but lack the skating skills and dancing flow.

But now there are new youngsters like S/B and C/P. With more young, fresh blood on the horizon, including the much-hyped Shibutanis.

It's ridiculous how much the level of skating in ice dance has improved since the very recent, disastrously bad '06 Torino Games. I mean, N/K's gold (and their gold at '05 Worlds in Moscow)???! G/G's bronze?????!!! Even B/A's silver medal performance? They all look horrendous, especially compared to what skaters can produce now. Steps, footwork, twizzles, lifts - everything is getting faster, stronger, more technically sound.

And while this means competitions will be consistently good and full of wonderful skaters, I can't help but wonder how judges are going to separate all these amazing programs. I'm worried.

Yup. I always get upset when there are too many wonderful performances to watch :chorus:

Definitely, though, the state of ice dance has improved since 2006, IMO. And you missed a lot of great junior teams - Riazanova and Guerreiro of Russia are very, very good too. And if they can ever learn to compete without falling Mysliveckova & Novak of Czech Republic. And I actually like the current Canadian Junior champions Ralph & Hill much better than Crone & Poirier, whose skating leaves me cold.

And you forgot Pechalat and Bourzat and Capellini & Lanotte and the so fabulous Kerrs.

Seriously, I expect B&A, DomShabs and DelSchoes to retire after the Olympics. Things will be a little bit less crowded then. B&A and DomShabs are having just too many injury issues. DelSchoes will probably retire if they get a gold medal at the Olympics.

And the ISU has already shown what they do when it gets hard to separate the top teams:

1. Make it harder to get levels. The new rules this year make it a lot harder to get level 4s, precisely because last year too many teams were able to achieve all level 4s..
2. Introduce harder CD's (unfortunately this is probably going by the wayside soon, but the finnstep was great for separating the teams, for example.)

I love when there are so many great skaters. It makes every competition exciting knowing that it is anybody's game. and they all push eachother to be even better.

Not at all, Jasper, not at all.

This comes from one who used to enjoy singles the most, pairs second, and dance a distant last place (except wherein my favs were included, e.g. A&P). Lol, that has completely changed over the past 2 years, dance is my discipline of choice! That's really all I watch nowadays except when it comes to US Nationals, that's the only time I will watch all the disciplines (no, have to admit I skipped the men's entirely this year). Other than Nationals (& maybe Worlds, definitely the Olympics), I will only watch dance.

Dance, to me, has changed so much since the 80's & 90's. It's just so compelling, for a variety of reasons, be it music, personalities, costumes, rules, ever changing hierarchy, etc. etc. etc. Whatever amalgamation it is, I'm unbelieveably grateful, and that's the truth.

A part of each day I try to make time to go to IN & just sit back, relax, and watch dance again & again & again. Not just the recent competitions, but the archives, exhibitions, galas, et al. I don't care which couple it is, they can quickly become a fav just because I enjoy their routine (e.g. Maxwell & Traxler's OD last year was my favorite; I didn't care where they placed, I loved their program!; on a purely aesthetic note, I'm sorry to see that Charlotte cut her gorgeous hair this year).

I'm so looking forward to Worlds ~ can't wait to see everybody's programs!

Tanith and Ben have already stated that 2010 is their last olympics and competitive year. It sounds that they aren't even looking to tour/do a lot of shows together as Tanith is talking of moving west... and I assume Ben is moving back home?

They'll be missed, but, unlike what the ladies have been dealing with, there are so many great teams that are already overtaking them that we don't have to sit and wonder when we'll have another pair like them again...

And I think the same can be said for many of the national teams.

Well it's nice that one of the categories has got better instead of worse.
If only the other categories could be the same!

Doris - I kind of think whoever wins the Olys will retire whether it is the top 3 or not. Like any other sport, dance takes a lot of hard practice. There is minimal glory in getting consecutive Oly golds. It doesn't go outside the FS circle. No movie contracts; no sponsors, etc.

If one team of the top 3 does not win Olys, I am sure either V/M and D/W will retire if one of them does win. Maybe K/N.

I can't see where is the problem. Good for us

I think the pace at which "next generation" teams have moved up is very positive for the sport. I actually see teams like Virtue/Moir and White/Davis as being the real contenders for the top of the Vancouver podiums. I would then be kind of surprised if they stayed "in" for another full Olympic cycle. The depth coming up behind them, which they themselves seem to be inspiring, will be breathing down their necks with just as much impatience as they had.

In terms of the next "next" generation teams that I see so far as having the most of what I think it may take to clearly differentiate themselves from the pack in the future - meaning performance ability, musicality, originality, my bets go with: the Shibutanis (yes, hyped, but if you've ever seen them live and watched their progress over just the past 3 years, I think their special chemistry and exceptional "quality" factor has them earning the buzz or hype), the Hubbells - already with trademark moves and a true "power couple" team where the female is an interesting equal to the male that is much more an attractive feature than I think it was in ice dance before. Finally, Ralph/Hill who are so very musical and such steady competitors. Each team has the potential to have global fan appeal, and the versatility to help keep fans interested as they grow with the sport, IMO.

I will surely admit that am probably short-changing some very talented Russian skaters because of less familiarity, as well as teams that are probably in the mix/match stage within the dance machine that has produced so much. I am really looking forward to the future in the ice dance discipline, probably more than any of the others.

I am really enjoying ice dance nowadays. It's so hard for me to root for just one ore two teams anymore. I'm sure that at these years Worlds, i would probably award 2 golds, 2 silvers, and like 5 bronze medals. Lucky for everyone, I have no say in who wins!

For the fans, its great that there are so many good ice dance teams. But for the actual competitors, it must be frustrating, especially for teams who are new to the senior ranks. With so many teams, its hard to get good placements on the international stage. It gets even more complicated on the national stage because it is even more difficult to actually get an international assignment. Even if both D/S's and B/A retire, I dont think that it will relieve the congestion at all.

Anyway it gives me great competitions to watch

We need the great ice dance teams. It makes us skating fans still stay on despite the torture that the other disciplines can put us through sometimes. Ladies have simply become painful to watch. But we can always depend on ice dance to be beautiful!

You've got to be Joking, Right? The sport can use ALL the great skating it can handle...an overload of great skaters, singles, pairs and dance would be a Joy to behold.

And you're worried about too many great Ice Dance teams! I don't think I want to know everything on your worry list!