Original Dance Jan. 21st, 13:00 Tallinn time

[bigsisjiejie]

For whoever hasn't seen this yet:

Domnina & Shabalin OD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vczTPSwF9do

Thanks for the link. My live feed was freezing during this part of the competition, so I didn't get the full effect the first time around. Thoughts:

This dance just simply isn't that technically difficult, and is definitely constructed to hide Maxim's knee issues. I thought multiple other couples had more technical content yet D/S are #3 in TES. My biggest gripe is their PCS--I wouldn't have given them much in the component scores above 7.00. There's no "meat" to this program, once you get pass the obnoxious music and costume packaging. I come away from this dance from the current "World Champions" feeling...well...scammed.

Big Picture, their lead in the CD of 5 points is maintained after the OD, when in my estimation it should have been whittled to zilch, or even had them out of first place. Ugh, the whole thing smells of a predetermined set-up.

[jcoates]

Taking the CD and OD scores from this event into accountn including the improvements in CD scores from the GP for most teams, I am actually a bit encouraged that the other top OGM contenders (N. American and DelSchoes) will quite possibly be judged fairly in Vancouver compared to DomShabs. There may be some WC bonus for them relative to other teams, but I'm not seeing it so far compared to their chief rivals. Interesting.

[katia]

thank you for link to D/S.
I liked their CD.
On the other hand looking at their OD I did not like their costumes and I did not like their dance. It was simple technically, the music was awful and the costumes where terrible.
I am appalled by the high scores they got.
I think that many of us really do have Stockholm Syndrome.

[colleen o'neill]

Oh.My.God.

This is ludicrous.

[ankka]

Oh dear, I KNOW everyone will hate me for saying this but pleasee do so if you must. Domnina and Shabalin are not my favourite couple by no means but I do think they weren't overscored. And, I surprised myself as well, I did like their OD. I've heard so many bad things about it but as I watched I really had no idea why it's been hated so widely. Sure, it's not safe or traditional but I think many people have accused them of playing it safe before. That is certainly not the case this year. Also it's clear they've really studied their dance, everything looks appropriate and the music and the skating form a very well rounded package, and I also think they performed it very well. And the twizzles were nicely done (which I think is the first time this year for them). To be honest I found all the following programs a tiny bit boring in comparison.

But I still think Faiella Scali did deserve their first place, they had more speed.

And I still think Domnina and Shabalin won't do well in FD.

[3T3T]

Just seen highlights on British Eurosport. The guys were very complimentary to Dom/Shabs saying they have taken a risk by doing something different as opposed to coming up with a standard folk dance. They did say it wasn't perfect but they will have improved it come Vancouver. I enjoyed, not near as bad as I was expecting.

The Italians deserved there win, really enjoyable even if I did find her facial expressions a bit OTT. K/N seemed a bit lost with the music, I think the use of Russian vocals doesn't help, still looking forward to Firebird.

The variety of dances was really impressive, aborignal, breton, ukrainian, hungarian, irish, russian, jewish, country & western. My favourite was Carron and Jones and their Irish dance

[bigsisjiejie]

Somebody clue me in on the rules: I thought if during the performance, you lost part of your costume on the ice, there was a required -1.00 deduction. Some of D/S "leaves" came off during that performance,yet I didn't see any deduction given.

[mycelticblessing]

^Did they? I watched their OD, but didn't notice any leaves on the floor. Then again, I was watching a really poor quality video on Youtube, so I could have missed it.

Oh dear, I KNOW everyone will hate me for saying this but pleasee do so if you must. Domnina and Shabalin are not my favourite couple by no means but I do think they weren't overscored. And, I surprised myself as well, I did like their OD. I've heard so many bad things about it but as I watched I really had no idea why it's been hated so widely. Sure, it's not safe or traditional but I think many people have accused them of playing it safe before. That is certainly not the case this year. Also it's clear they've really studied their dance, everything looks appropriate and the music and the skating form a very well rounded package, and I also think they performed it very well. And the twizzles were nicely done (which I think is the first time this year for them). To be honest I found all the following programs a tiny bit boring in comparison.

But I still think Faiella Scali did deserve their first place, they had more speed.
.

I don't hate you! I have to agree. Compared to the train wreck they performed at Russian Nationals, I was pleasantly surprised to see their twizzles had really good unison! I think in some cases, people's personal dislike of D/S makes them jump on the 'anti D/S OD' bandwagon.

I haven't seen F/S OD yet, but I'm glad they are in first, I really like this team and how they've progressed in the previous seasons. Their Italian dances are so enjoyable to watch!

[bigsisjiejie]

^Did they? I watched their OD, but didn't notice any leaves on the floor. Then again, I was watching a really poor quality video on Youtube, so I could have missed it.

After watching a better quality video in its entirety, I retract my previous statement at #37. I looked at their costume leaves before they started and after they finished, as well as throughout the dance. They didn't lose any parts. The leaves I saw were part of a flower bouquet or something thrown on the ice by a fan at the finish.

[herios]

^Did they? I watched their OD, but didn't notice any leaves on the floor. Then again, I was watching a really poor quality video on Youtube, so I could have missed it.



I don't hate you! I have to agree. Compared to the train wreck they performed at Russian Nationals, I was pleasantly surprised to see their twizzles had really good unison! I think in some cases, people's personal dislike of D/S makes them jump on the 'anti D/S OD' bandwagon.

I haven't seen F/S OD yet, but I'm glad they are in first, I really like this team and how they've progressed in the previous seasons. Their Italian dances are so enjoyable to watch!

Here is Faiella /Scali's OD:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6t7M_-I7SI

What I critique about D/S's skate today in their OD, although improved, is still slow and there is a lot of skate hand in hand far apart. That makes it much easier, decreases the difficulty.

[mycelticblessing]

Here is Faiella /Scali's OD:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6t7M_-I7SI

What I critique about D/S's skate today in their OD, although improved, is still slow and there is a lot of skate hand in hand far apart. That makes it much easier, decreases the difficulty.

Thanks for the link, I'm thinking F/S could win Europeans this year. They have very good programs. I can't wait to see their FD. I really like what I saw when they skated at CoC.

I think 2nd place here was okay for D/S. They have never been at a competition this season with any of the North American teams, but I think their OD placing will suffer at the Olympics because of the stiff competition.

[futureidol]

I think D/S were fantastic. They are so much improved in speed from Russian Nationals and their twizzles were great. I know the Aboriginal theme is a hard sell, but they really put their all into their Euro performance with incredible intricacies and difficult connections. Their choreography and steps were extremely difficult. They really sold that program.

The Italians were good, but I did not enjoy their performance as much as the Russians. Their facial expressions were a little over the top, and while the start and end had a lot of energy to it, the middle was a little boring. Also I don't find them very fresh and original. I prefer original and unique programs like D/W's Indian OD.

I can't stand that Dolly music the French team uses. I love the Kerrs, but Sinead royally screwed up on the twizzles. As for the other Russians, they are all lifts and no dance.

[bigdeal]

I have no problem with the outcome of the FD.

I DO have problems to get scores like 8,80 !!!! for THAT kind of performance.
The bad feeling is: they w ant to surprise us with the very high points more here at the Euro to make us used to it in the Olympic.

Even with that they cannot avoid the scandal, if the judges will do what they expect to do in Vancouver....