Free Dance 8:05 AM Eastern Time Saturday

[Medusa]

Where are the delightful and charming Belbin and Agosto who used to dazzle with their footwork, dancy-ness and on ice personality?

Politics aside, this whole dramatic over the top silliness in their Ave Maria freedance is not suited to these all-Americans, coupled with a points total that has them five points behind the Grand Prix leaders means they are taking a risk.

from here
I really admire her knowledge of figure skating a lot - and that she kind of wrote the same I did, makes me fell better somehow, especially because of all the gratitious applauding of B/A's freedance from other sides. Means I am not totally delusional.

[Dyan]

Thanks!
Am I the only one who thinks that Fede & Massi were robbed? Haven't seen the CDs but IMO they were clearly better than Jana & Sergei in both the OD and the FD. What happened to them btw? Russian folk for the OD and the FD? They used to be so much better than this! Both programs were empty and uninteresting, I didn't even want to watchtheir FD until the end...
Faeilla & Scali however They were fast, dramatic, smooth-a pleasure to watch, costumes were great and the OD was really original. definitely deserved the silver here!
Tanith & Ben, they were in a class of their own!

......And the FD I'm speechless... beautiful costumes, everything was perfectly timed to the music, so much flow and ease, nothing looked laboured, outstanding lifts... I love them so much!
OK, enough gushing...
But still

No you aren't the only one questioning Fede's and Massi's marks.

They did finish second in the FD but it wasn't enough to put them into second overall. Personally I would have had F&S second in the OD as well. I keep watching F&S's OD and FD trying to figure it out; I'm sure there is probably a reason why K&N were able to remain ahead in the OD and perhaps I'll figure it out as soon as I can think with my head rather than my emotions. Well, that and I would have to compare F&S's programs to those of K&N which means I'll have to force myself to sit through K&N's programs again.

What Linichuk has done for B&A, Krylova/Camerlengo has done for F&S. ITA Audrey with your B&A comments and I feel there is still room to improve.

IMHO, the only dramatic thing about B&A's FD is the music. Perhaps that is leaving the impression that the FD is more dramatic and OTT than it is. IMO except for the music B&A's FD seems for subtle. Their movements are certainly not OTT (more like soft and elegant) and the choreography perfectly suits the highlights of the music. to Linichuk and Karponosov for the "package" they've put together for B&A this season.

I'm happy to see people finally appreciating this team once again; some for the first time. I see nothing "gratitious" in the praise Tanith and Ben are receiving. Of course once again subjectivity comes into play as I find the applause well deserved. As for the marks; IMO while V&M and D&W were the clear winners of their GP events I think their marks could have been a bit lower while still keeping them in first. I spotted a few mistakes in those performances as well.

I admit to being a bit disappointed with B&A's FD score in China as I knew some people would jump on that as proof that D&W and V&M are now seen as the top NA teams. In hindsight, I'm glad that B&A received the score(s) they did. First it's what they deserved for the performance which was admittedly shaky in more than a few places. I fully expect the program to look better and the marks to come up at Skate America. Whether or not my opinion is correct remains to be seen. Also one B&A have competed at Skate America, I have no doubt that they and Linichuk/Karponosov will make any changes needed to being Tanith and Ben's levels up.

Also PJ Kwong is writing a blog for a Canadian site. I tend to think those opinions were biased at least a tad by the fact that V&M are one of the teams in contention for the gold medal. I would call the comments on B&A overly dramatic, harsh and OTT. Clearly Kwong and myself watched two different programs this past weekend. Susie Wynne has always been honest (she can be quite blunt at times) when it comes to B&A. If they were really that bad and the program wasn't appropriate she would have said as much. But again just another opinion.

Count me as another who prefers W&P to C&P and will be sorry to not see them in Vancouver. Artistically, I have always preferred W&P's skating style and programs this season (though I did really like C&P OD last season).

W&P's version of POTO is such a stunning program and is what I was expecting from D&W when they first announced their music. Especially after last years "Samson & Delilah" program.