Original Dance

[n_halifax]

Here is the starting order for the original dance:

Warm-Up Group 1
1 Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN AUS
2 Corenne BRUHNS / Andrew LAVRIK MEX
3 Xueting GUAN / Meng WANG CHN
4 Maria BOROUNOV / Evgeni BOROUNOV AUS

Warm-Up Group 2
5 Jane SUMMERSETT / Todd GILLES USA
6 Allie HANN-MCCURDY / Michael CORENO CAN
7 Kaitlyn WEAVER / Andrew POJE CAN
8 Xiaoyang YU / Chen WANG CHN

Warm-Up Group 3
9 Kharis RALPH / Asher HILL CAN
10 Madison HUBBELL / Keiffer HUBBELL USA
11 Madison CHOCK / Greg ZUERLEIN USA
12 Xintong HUANG / Xun ZHENG CHN

[n_halifax]

This will start in around 3 1/2 hours and I will happily do a PbP if anyone is interested.

[mystichaze]

Yes, please! That would be greatly appreciated!

[n_halifax]

Yes, please! That would be greatly appreciated!

Done and done! Off to make something to eat but will be happy to report what's what when the time comes...

[n_halifax]

For everyone's interest here are the music/themes for the OD entrants for you to refer to:

1. O'Brien/Merriman AUS (Australian Aboriginal Dance)
"Yulara"/"Warrama"/"Kikin Kooka's"
2. Bruhns/Lavrik MEX *unknown*
3. Guan/Wang CHN (Chinese/Mongolian) "Prairie Love"
4. Borounov/Borounov AUS (Traditional Australian Dance) "G'Day G'Day"

5. Summersett/Gilles USA (Peruvian) Music From The Andes
6. Hann-McCurdy/Coreno CAN (Italian Folk Dance) "Tarantella Siciliana - San Paolo"/ "La Spagnola"/"Sciacca"
7. Weaver/Poje CAN (Spanish) Flamenco
8. Yu/Wang CHN (Chinese) "House Of Flying Daggers"

9. Ralph/Hill CAN (African Folk) "Somlandela"/"Hlohonolofatsa"
10. Hubbell/Hubbell USA (Ukrainian Folk) "Bukovinski Dance"/"Dibro Vchanka"
11. Chock/Zuerlein USA (Afro Cuban) "Yema Ya"/"Agua Nile"
12. Huang/Zheng CHN (Greek) "Zorba The Greek"

[lcd]

Ooooh. Australian Aboriginal dance by the Australians! Play by play person please do make sure to provide your candid thoughts on how it compares to D/S' interpretation. (Where is that icon for the smilie munching on popcorn?)

[n_halifax]

Well... there's good news and bad news.

Good news is I will be HAPPY to provide you with my candid thoughts on O'Brien and Merriman's OD... bad news is I thought it started at 9:50 PM Atlantic time not Eastern time so I have another hour and 20 minutes before the fun gets started. It's all good though, I will be able to stay up and do the OD at least... the rest is safely after my 1 AM bedtime. Still gotta work in the morning.

[skatemom1122]

Any links to a stream besides CBC?

[n_halifax]

I'm a WEE bit concerned... the OD is supposed to start in 5 minutes and still no link to view the feed. I'm going to keep refreshing and hope for the best.

[n_halifax]

The feed is now up but I am getting a black video feed of death. :(

6 minutes in, refreshed 3 times and all I get is the Artistry make-up add then a black screen...

UPDATE: at least now I am getting "please standby, this program will begin shortly". Hopefully I haven't missed anything.

[n_halifax]

First group warming up!

[n_halifax]

First to take the ice are Australian Champions Danielle O'Brien and Gregory Merriman, the duo made famous as of late for being the OTHER team who are presenting an OD with an Australian Aboriginal Dance theme. This one (unlike the Russians Domnina/Shabalin) has been choreographed with assistance from Australian Aboriginals themselves, adding authenticity and a level of respect to their presentation. Much simpler costumes, both wearing face paint. Off unison in the beginning of twizzle sequence. Nice edges on 1 foot step sequence. Slow dance spin with interesting separated exit. Nice changes of dance holds in diagonal step sequence, dance lift was very simple/easy. Presentation was ALRIGHT (not a ton of facial expression). A huge contrast to D/S's dance, there was nothing kitchy/oogachagga/over the top about it at all, it was very much a country dance with some interesting changes of hold and arm positions. This, to me, looked like less of a show program and more of a folk/country dance. Nothing at all like D/S' OD... nothing at all. 33.90 in the OD, 55.02 overall, 1st place.

[n_halifax]

Corenne Bruhns and Andrew Lavrik are next, skating to the Mexican Hat Dance and other Mexican selections, her in a loose fitting long red patterned dress and him in a very Mexican looking outfit? Timing seems to quite off, I don't know if that's just me? Skating through the music, not a lot of expression. Curve lift not bad, he stumbled very obviously on the second of the two twizzles. They picked up the pace considerably for the finale of their hat dance but seemed to have a great deal of trouble in the closing footwork sequence keeping up to their music. This team does have a good potential for improvement though. 34.33, 52.04,
2nd place.

[n_halifax]

Xueting Guan and Meng Wang, the couple I thought were overscored in the 9th place finish in the CD are third to take the ice in the OD in their debut at 4CCs. Very theatrical and intricate costumes with coloured boots and headbands and dramatic Chinese sounding music. First twizzle was good but no speed on exit from either, she completely botched the second twizzle. Edges are quite good as is ice coverage but this looks more like a FD choreographically than a folk or country dance. That said, speed and energy was good as was their musical interpretation, which was actually really good in parts. An improvement in my eyes on their compulsory dance. 40.53, 62.17, 1st place.

[n_halifax]

In contrast to O'Brien and Merriman, their teammates Maria and Evgeni Borounov, the experienced husband/dance team are doing a traditional Australian dance. Both are wearing what I call "Jerri hats" in honour of Jerri Manthey wearing one on Survivor, bobble on rotational lift and just a disaster on footwork coming out of it, good edges and speed but MISTAKES EVERYWHERE in terms of unison and precision. He's actually a really good twizzler, her not so much. What to say about this program? It was a show program - it wasn't like a show program - it was one. They performed to a very patriotic, cute folk song about "isn't it good to be an Aussie? g'day, g'day, g'day". Catchy tune and they looked like they were having a ball skating a show program from their home country but not a good OD music choice and the errors in precision and timing were just a disaster. They had such fun though! 32.32, 49.54, 4th place. No surprises there.

So far:

1. Guan/Wang CHN
2. O'Brien/Merriman AUS
3. Bruhns/Lavrik MEX
4. Borounov/Borounov AUS

The next group includes Summersett/Gilles, Hann-McCurdy/Coreno, leaders Weaver/Poje and the Chinese team of Yu/Wang, who had a great skate in the CD and are in 6th place.