Free Dance | Page 6 | Golden Skate

Free Dance

dancefan77

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
I will admit I had my suspicions about D/W's FD when it was first announced. Not because I don't like the music of Phantom of the Opera, just that I was hoping their FD would be a different style of music. However, watching the Nebelhorn video and now this competition, I really love this program. I know Susie Wynn made the comment that she is now seeing them as more than just technical skaters, but I really believe their transformation started with the Eleanor Rigby FD. That performance at US Nationals that year was unbelievable. They have been steadily improving and building since then.

Congrats to C/L and R/S for medalling. I really like R/S and I prefer them over D/S and K/N just because they have such charm about them that really makes me like them.

C/P have talent and they will be a top team in the future, but I just can't get into their programs other than the CDs. For some reasons, I really like their performances in the CDs. I really enjoyed their Tango. I jus haven't really liked any of their ODs or FDs so far.
 

Tigger

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
D/W - I agree with the poster that said this program seems somewhat of a step back for them after last year's FD which was one of the best in the field.

I didn't want to say anything until I saw it for myself. Since I haven't been feeling too terrific the last week and I slept most of yesterday away, I had to wait until last night and the CBC re broadcast on Bold. Good thing I was already sitting on the floor, otherwise...

I'm stunned. Really and truly stunned. It's like they haven't taken one step backwards, but five or six!! Marina really and truly has done them a disservice giving them this program for the Olympic year. Still can't quite believe it.

OTOH...I simply adored Vanessa and Paul's FD. Gave me the chills and considering Paul was so sick...Kudos to him for going out there at all!! Love, love, love this thing and looking forward to seeing it progress over the Season.
 

nevergonnadance

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Where's the disservice part? Their great scores? Their improved basic skating? Their improved presentation and conviction? Their improved polish and finish? Their improved speed and transitions?

I'm confused.

Unless we're about to wade into another conversation about how ice dancing programs need to be pressed into canvas, stapled to a frame and hung on a wall in an art museum or they're worth nothing. Or maybe it's more accurate to imagine them housed by Frank Guery or set up as an art installation somewhere downtown NYC. Then Marina would have done a proper job.
 
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~tapdancer

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 18, 2008
While there are definitely D/W critics, your comment about them, Tigger, is definitely in the minority. Even Tracy Wilson and Kurt Browning while fully supporting V/M, comment on the outstanding quality and improvement of D/W and they thoroughly liked their FD. As do many, many fans. And judges. And commentators.

I know I am a long time fan of D/W and am biased...you are entitled to your opinion but I am sorry that you see it that way.
 

amateur

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 5, 2006
As already stated, I'm in that seeming minority that does not like D/W's Free Dance. Biggest problem is the music cuts! Really trite A-B-A pattern, not really building to anything, it's like the slow section was just inserted in because there is supposed to be a slow section, like simply because 4 minutes of the main theme would be too boring (2+ minutes is boring enough as it is). They skate more or less on beat, and yet still somehow "through" the music, no shading to bring out something different in the slow section or between sections, for example. No sense of story being told - I know some will say ice dance need not be about storytelling, and I agree; but this is a dramatic piece they've chosen, not real dance music... I get no chemistry between them in this piece, just efficient partnering - I think it is Meryl in particular that is the problem here, something too stiff or too concentrated about her, though her extension/positions are generally good. Fast and efficient are the words this program brings up for me, rather than interesting, compelling, beautiful, thrilling....
The choreography is not interesting.

I'll give them some benefit of the doubt, this being the early season. They're maybe thinking through things a lot at this point, trying to get comfortable doing everything faster and crisper, as it is ultimitely the technical and skating skill improvements which will move them up the ladder... perhaps the interpretaiion will come along as the season progresses...
But I hate the music! Not a particularly interesting program idea.

I ony care to critique them this much because I found last year's Free Dance to be quite good from them, and right from the first performance of it.
 
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Big Deal

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
About the skating:

Don't you think Davis/White had the best programs since some years last year?
I think so. That was a worthy program to breaktrough, winning and going to the Olympic as a gold-contender.
This program seems to be as good as the one from last year, only the "sensation" is over, because that was happened last year without a real result...
The only problem was : Linichuk and her "background". ( I tried to use some nice words for that).

So, doesn't matter who is skating how., the OGM is for the Russians. They will not show up until the Euro (if they go there). They will try to use their World Champ. title from last year as their strongest wheapon.
If they make very visible mistakes the Other Linichuk team Belbin/Agosto has the chance, doesn't matter how boring and arteficial is their skating.

It is sad.
 

herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
Congrats to C/L and R/S for medalling. I really like R/S and I prefer them over D/S and K/N just because they have such charm about them that really makes me like them.

C/P have talent and they will be a top team in the future, but I just can't get into their programs other than the CDs. For some reasons, I really like their performances in the CDs. I really enjoyed their Tango. I jus haven't really liked any of their ODs or FDs so far.


I also like R/S and think they have the best chances to be nr 3 russians at the Oly's. About Crone / Poirier, their musical choice is awesome, great potential there, but the program needs a lot of improvement. And of course Paul to be healthy
 

cornell08

Final Flight
Joined
May 10, 2009
Was it just me or did D/W's flip over-back lift seem a lot shakier/ held shorter than at Nebelhorn? They're gonna need to work on that because as of now its got nothing on V/M's no-hands spread eagle (though I suspect D/W's is harder)
 

npa

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 17, 2006
While there are definitely D/W critics, your comment about them, Tigger, is definitely in the minority. Even Tracy Wilson and Kurt Browning while fully supporting V/M, comment on the outstanding quality and improvement of D/W and they thoroughly liked their FD. As do many, many fans. And judges. And commentators.

I know I am a long time fan of D/W and am biased...you are entitled to your opinion but I am sorry that you see it that way.

Sometime i have feeling, that Tracy Wilson rare support canadian skaters at all.
I think judges show there support to D-W too. It will be interesting to see marks for B-A in China
 

herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
I loved C&L last year and love them even more this year. So happy for them.


I like them too, because they are "cute", but if you are looking carefully at their marks in the FD, they really got hammered for their technical content by the caller, getting level 1 for their diagonal seq. and level 2 for their circular as well as twizzles. if they won't correct these things, they will slip in the rankings
 

Tigger

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
My Good God...All I said was what I saw and thought and even though I'm in a minority, I'm not the only one. That's not the thing that's bugging me the most though. It's the way my post has been reacted to.

I didn't finance a hit on Meryl and Charlie or bodily attack them for crying out loud. I just posted an opinon of their FD on an online figure skating forum. I'm a huge fan of theirs actually and was hoping to see them keep progressing the way they've been for the last few years. The OD is in that track, but not the FD.

This is just supposed to be a fun thing after all, but the last few years I'm starting to wonder. When you feel the need to verbally go after someone so viciously just because you don't like what that person says about your favourite skater/team, is rather sad. This is all just a sport after all. It's not life or death.
 

herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
The only copy I could find of Crone / Poirier Fd is mute. Anybody knows Msfreeskate if we could let her know her copy is not good, or is there another copy perhaps i cannot find?
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
I wasn't really all that into POTO, either. Actually V/M and D/W have never been couples I've been overly excited about, I don't know if that's because I'm a devoted fan of B/A (and G/P when they were competing) or what... but I was never quick to jump on that bandwagon so to speak...

I did like D/W's FD last year, though, and I thought this year's program didn't show how much they'd grown last season... this is just run of the mill dramatic dance program... it didn't take me anywhere...
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Crone Poirier's FD is muted because:

This video contains an audio track that has not been authorized by WMG. The audio has been disabled. More about copyright
 

herios

Medalist
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
Crone Poirier's FD is muted because:


Thanks, I haven't observed the note. I thought they post the warnings at the top, where they usually do when they take down the videos for copyright issues, but I haven't come across videos with disabled sound before.
 

Binthere

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2008
Dance lift creativity is something I really enjoy.

Technical level has really stepped up in ice dance with the younger teams that have grown up with code of points. Older teams have much to admire with their maturity and I do not want to diminish the value of differences in strengths, but especially with lifts, it seems not since Dubreil/Lauzon has there been such creativity and technical wizardry coming out each season with the lifts the dancers are doing.

Davis/White - that combination lift they do is incredible. Had me in shock. Can't imagine any teams other than maybe Virtue/Moir, Pechalt/Bourzat, Shibutani's doing such acrobatics with such ease.
 

Enthusiast

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 21, 2009
Dance lift creativity is something I really enjoy.

Technical level has really stepped up in ice dance with the younger teams that have grown up with code of points. Older teams have much to admire with their maturity and I do not want to diminish the value of differences in strengths, but especially with lifts, it seems not since Dubreil/Lauzon has there been such creativity and technical wizardry coming out each season with the lifts the dancers are doing.

Davis/White - that combination lift they do is incredible. Had me in shock. Can't imagine any teams other than maybe Virtue/Moir, Pechalt/Bourzat, Shibutani's doing such acrobatics with such ease.

V/M did creative lifts last season and D/W's no hands lift is merely a variation of V/M's...something V/M started
 
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