Free Dance 8:05 AM Eastern Time Saturday

[life684]

i love the program so much more than last year's...she has so much more sureness of movement this year, i think light years ahead of D/W, imho...i think its a race between V/M and B/A for gold in Vancouver, with both D/S's and D/W for bronze...i know D/W scored higher, but for overall programs, i think they're 3rd...

I think race for gold is between DomShab and V/M. the fact that DomShab managed to win last year proved there is big push for them. V/M are the home favorites and much loved among the judges that should help.

This race can get even more interesting if DeoSho(FRA) are in good shape for the games. If not battle for Bronze will be between B/A and D/W, with edge going to B/A.

Best chance for KhoNov (RUS) is at worlds, they may end with bronze with two north American pairs from V/M, B/A and D/W getting the two medals.

[herios]

I think race for gold is between DomShab and V/M. the fact that DomShab managed to win last year proved there is big push for them. V/M are the home favorites and much loved among the judges that should help.

This race can get even more interesting if DeoSho(FRA) are in good shape for the games. If not battle for Bronze will be between B/A and D/W, with edge going to B/A.

Best chance for KhoNov (RUS) is at worlds, they may end with bronze with two north American pairs from V/M, B/A and D/W getting the two medals.

Koh/Nov marks were not impressive, they are very close to Pec / Bou and Fai/ Sca. Anything can happen among those 3 teams.

[Wicked]

who was 99 red balloons by, btw?...that would be a great FD idea lol

Nena. And it would be a great FD.

[Narumi1997]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb45sZoq5vw
Belbin/Agosto FD

[life684]

Koh/Nov marks were not impressive, they are very close to Pec / Bou and Fai/ Sca. Anything can happen among those 3 teams.

I agree these teams are very close at olympics fai/sca may very well beat Koh/nov and if Deo/Sho are not fit for the Olympics Pec/Bou will surely beat them (if d/d shows up that is unlikely).

Worlds is different issue, Dom/Shab will retire after Olympics (unlikely to stay on even if they don't get the gold) and Koh/Nov will be russian No.1, they will surely get the boost there starting CD.the inflation in the score will be enough to keep french and italians at bay even if they make mistakes at FS

[herios]

I agree these teams are very close at olympics fai/sca may very well beat Koh/nov and if Deo/Sho are not fit for the Olympics Pec/Bou will surely beat them (if d/d shows up that is unlikely).

Worlds is different issue, Dom/Shab will retire after Olympics (unlikely to stay on even if they don't get the gold) and Koh/Nov will be russian No.1, they will surely get the boost there starting CD.the inflation in the score will be enough to keep french and italians at bay even if they make mistakes at FS

,
I know that history speaks in favor of your theory, but I cannot see the russians supremacy to keep it going in the next Olympic cycle, simply because Koh / Nov are not good dancers. I am sorry to rain on the russian fans parade, they are just OK, except their lifts and that is not dacning!


And by the way, there was interuption in their string between Krylova and Lobacheva, so it won't be an inconceivable thing, and those teams were alot better than Jana and Serghei ever will

[missysays]

I haven't finished watching all of the FD's yet but wanted to comment on Faiella and Scali.

I am so impressed with their OD and FD this year. They really thought about the themes they wanted to portray and came up with 2 pieces that are deeply personal and build on each other to almost portray a complete story.

OD- a dance centered on the old world life in Italy
FD- a dance about the immigrant experience in the new world

And really great costuming for both numbers to boot- spare, elegant yet with the right theatrical touches to portray the character of the music. (I love Federica's FD dress- the collar in the front evokes the period of the 1900s without breaking her line with the fussy sleeves of the period. And the pleats in the back of the skirt enhances the flow of her movement.) Plus Massimo- what expression there is never any doubt that they feel their music in their bones. The expression in his face and body in that back spiral life towards the end of the FD- just gorgeous. I'm so pleased that they placed second in the FD.

[Medusa]

I watched some ice-dance I know nothing about ice-dance, but I still want to give my five cents!

I think the new coaches made Belbin a better skater. This new program is miles better than last year's Tosca, which I loathed with passion.

But - I don't think it's the right choice for an Olympic year. They look good, the skating is fluid, I love their lifts so much more than D/W's and V/M's. It's just that in a non-Olympic year, this would have been a good program for them, branching out, going dramatic. But I think they should have done something more upbeat this year, something that suits their personalities better.

We already got one top ice-dance team that does fluid, lyrical and weepy skating to dramatic-lyrical music best - Virtue/Moir. I don't know, they should have done something voidy, something like e.g. the Circus program P/B had last year. She is so beautiful, in a bright happy way, he looks like a guy everyone would like to hang out with and have fun. Maybe their coaches got the couples mixed up. Those two are a perky Canadian lass with her hot Latino partner, not some uber-dramatic Russian lion and his temperamental lady. Sigh.

[Tonichelle]

Tosca was horrible... I much prefer the more back to Tanith and Ben we all know and love programs they have this year...

they went dramatic two years ago and I loved that program... this is a great program full of potential. whether or not it works in their favor I don't know.


ETA - Ben's hair scares me.

[missysays]

Tanith and Ben's new FD- so far I think it's my favorite FD of the season- with reservations.

The music is lovelier than I thought it would be- the first piece with the gorgeous cascading notes that follow them into that first major lift sequence that keeps changing into these gorgeous positions (too bad that Tanith slips on the last ending position). The lift seems to go on in this never ending flow- but in a good way. Better intricate position changes that really fit the music than I think the lifts that Marina Zoueva devised for either V/M or D/W's programs this year. (Their never ending lift changes seem acrobatic and mechanical and don't really enhance the music.)

The one major caveat that I have that broke the mood of the program for me was Tanith. (And I'm not normally a Tanith-basher.) There are moments when she is still trying too hard. When she feels the need to "try and work hard" she stiffens and hardens up in her movement and gets this "I'm determined" look in her eyes that takes me out of the powerful yet enlightened quality of this music. For me, Ben is able to portray the deep, soulful yet light touch that this music calls for. She is detracting from it. She needs to concentrate on keeping her movements soft- which she does for parts of the dance very nicely- and really blending her body better with Ben and letting him carry the expression of the piece.

One additional note of critique ;-): I find her costuming a little out of place. Ben's costume is a very nice execution of the theme of the music- a modern version of a classical/baroque-ish, spiritual piece. And his hair- curly and riotous- is as another poster put it- beatific. Her dress is like a modern day wedding dress- nice but out of place with this high-classic theme. They need to change her costuming- though they could keep the white color. And her hair while on the right track with the low plain pony tail needs to straighten out. If her hair were straightened and not so bouncy curly (again like a prom or wedding style) it would help streamline her look a little better and let her not detract from Ben's presence so much. (This is only of course if they recognize that to really pull this piece off they need to emphasize Ben's emotional presence.)

But overall, I liked this dance a lot. The music and choreography are classical, spiritual, and soulful in a way that's hard to achieve. A gentler successor if you will to Denkova/Staviski's Seven Deadly Sins FD from 2006-2007 season. There's a clean-ness to it that I find appealing. Virtue and Moir's FD this year while "beautiful" comes across a little too sweet for me.

[L'amour]

Tonichelle is rigth, the program works for them and it have a great potential, And like Missysays said, in some parts Tanith demontrated that she is really truig hard and some move are a bit withouth flow, but is just the first time that they skate so is looking fine.

Her dress is beatifull but I wouldn't mind if she changes

[Audrey19]

So who got the silver F/S or K/N?

[demarinis5]

So who got the silver F/S or K/N?

K/N got Silver and F/S Bronze. F/S came in 2nd in the FD but 3rd overall.

[wushuang122]

I think BA's programme is the most succeesful piece since 2004-2005 season. It really works for them and I do like every movement of their dance. The music choice is Olympic routine as well. So much better than Tosca and their coaching change is really work. And I think Linlichuk really discover BA's potential. Well done!

[fairly4]

i haven't seen d/b skate and france d/s skate--so i don't know,
but as of now i see d/w and v/m fight out for gold with b/a in a fight for bronze.
hopefully they will work out glitches (b/a). i see improvement in emotion and artistry from b/a.

d/w are doing great. vm/ has to skate clean and no dumb mistakes.as of now

gp title between all three.