Overall Thoughts on Skate America | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Overall Thoughts on Skate America

Cezar

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
OK, three photos I took during the competition. I hope the server will allow this (fingers crossed):
#1
20101114_193335.jpg


#2. I love them so much!
20101114_182442.jpg


#3.
20101114_182447.jpg
 
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samba

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 23, 2008
Cezar, your thought was exactly same as mine. D/W did not seem to care about anything. Their exhibition was the worst last night when compared with other skaters. They slapped the audience faces by just stroking around with few boring elements. There was no choreography, no costume, no preparation or what soever. They did not care that these people bought the tickets to watch the gala and cheering on their athletes. They are typical "big head" athletes, IMO. The audience appreciated so much when S/S. Murakami, Armin Mahbanoozadeh and Adam Rippon skated. The judges also were slapped on their faces when they gave them boring programs with several falls and mistakes, and still recieved high PCS and TES.
 

Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Holy Cow, Cezar, your photos are absolutely drop dead gorgeous!!!!!:clap: Are you a professional photographer? Or do you have one of those fancy very expensive cameras like the guy sitting next to me had?

I can't wait to see more of your pics ~ simply exquisite!
 

Cezar

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
Or do you have one of those fancy very expensive cameras like the guy sitting next to me had?

Thank you! :) Maybe it was me? :) I was sitting in the A11 section.

Here are three more from the medal ceremonies:

#4
20101114_160608.jpg


#5
20101114_160654.jpg


#6
20101114_161748.jpg
 

Cezar

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
D/W did not seem to care about anything. Their exhibition was the worst last night when compared with other skaters.

During the autograph signing I was chatting with them. Both with D/W and S/S. Maia and Alex are beyond adorable!
Anyway, I wanted to ask Meryl and Charlie if they would consider dancing to Dark Waltz. But then I didn't ask - I just didn't have the courage. Later I regretted I didn't ask, but at the end of the competition - I didn't regret.
I think I changed my mind. I want Maia and Alex to dance Dark Waltz. Sang by Jackie Evancho or Hayley Westenra, and danced by Maia and Alex. It's going to be the most beautiful piece of art ever!
 

jnoble82

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
Cezar, those first three photos were amazing! Wow! What kind of camera do you have? I love taking photos when I go to concerts and such (and I'm planning on attending Nationals in 2012) so I'd love to have a great camera.

And I agree about D/W. I watched part of NHK and well, I don't know. I didn't feel like they connected. Then again it was my FIRST time watching Ice Dancing so I don't know. I do know the two young (Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein) who got bronze (I think) at Skate Canada seemed to connect more with each other than D/W did. Again, I'm not an expert just what I felt watching them.
 

Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
No, I just checked my tickets, and we weren't sitting next to you, lol. :) We were in the very first row, of course, but not your section. :)^)

Btw, how did Rachael do in the gala event afterwards?, which was scheduled to start at 5PM. Did she skate to her hearbreakingly beautiful number "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"? by the Beatles, but sung by a guy from the t.v. series Glee.

And Caroline Zhang, what did she skate to? Thanks for your answers in advance. :)

I wanted to get home before dark, which is why I didn't buy tix for the gala event. Now it gets dark at 4:30PM. Also, of course, I've been very sick with the flu (though feeling better today, just a little phlegm).

It's been a joy viewing your pics, Cezar, because right now there is a huge windstorm going on in Seattle, my lights are flickering, and the News said that it's going to be like this tomorrow as well except with possible SNOW! (8^O I just knew it was going to come early, which is why I bought my tickets to SA very very late, the day before. Even in Portland it was fleezing cold with rain & fog (similar to Seattle), and the afternoon we arrived at our hotel it honestly looked like rain mixed with snow. I'm just glad we got back safely to Seattle at 6PM the other night. :)
 

Cezar

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
What kind of camera do you have? I love taking photos when I go to concerts and such (and I'm planning on attending Nationals in 2012) so I'd love to have a great camera.

It is Nikon D700 + 70-200/2.8 VR. It's kind of risky to bring this equipment to events where it's unclear if they are allowed. This is why I din't bring it with me on Saturday, because I thought they would not let me in.
But then I saw people with their DSLRs and big lenses everywhere, so I brought mine on Sunday.
Here is the link to the entire gallery. Hopefully the server will let me post it. Feel free to comment in the boxes under the pictures. I am a passionate hobbyist and comments of others are my biggest reward! :)
http://www.pbase.com/pulkownik_swiatlo/skate_america_2010
 

chloepoco

Medalist
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Wow, Cezar, your pictures are really amazing! I especially love the three photos of the medal ceremony! Rachael, Kanako and Carolina all look so beautiful!!
 

CoyoteChris

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Great pics! I think you folks pretty well summed up SA Portland. I would only add that Rachael was the only skater that deserved an explosive standing ovation. I have no idea how she went out there with pain from her foot to her knee and did that program, after experiencing tendonitis myself. I just hope she heals fast. Tendons can take a long time to heal up.
 

Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
As regards cameras, I was honestly surprised to see that flash photography was allowed. I think this does an injustice to the skaters. It blinded me when I saw it, so I can just imagine what it must do to the skaters, competition can be won or lost by being blinded by a bright flash.

Thank goodness the guy I was sitting next to had a camera that did not have a flash. In fact one of the workers at the event came up to our first row seats, him specifically, and asked if he was using flash photography. She said there had been complaints by fellow attendees whom thought the flash was coming from our section, and we all said emphatically "N-O". It wasn't us. I just had my digitial camera, my niece her cell phone, and the guy next to me his fancy expensive camera without a flash. That's it.
 

Apple Pi

Rinkside
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
D/W are not snubbing the audience on purpose, I'm confused why so many people are taking it as a personal affront that D/W are not pitch-perfect this early. They lost an entire month to SOI, were invited to shows during the summer (and programs to make for those!), had to redo their SD at the end of August, and have probably their most difficult FD they've ever had. They're singlehandedly addressing almost all their weaknesses in this dance - how could you even think it would all perfect this early? Never mind the fatigue of last season! They gave it their all here, why else do you think they had mistakes? And I think there were some nerves at play. There would have been no mistakes if they were playing it safe. Stop and consider it from the skaters' perspective for a freaking second.

Their exhibition they made for one of those cheesy Disson shows - I'm pretty sure they didn't get to pick the music and I personally loved getting to see them in normal clothes. Why would you put them in fancy costumes for a Lonestar song?! D/W always put thought into their exhibitions...so the fact that this one seems like a retread of past elements should tell you they didn't have time to. Unless you wanted them to sacrifice their competitive programs so you could have an interesting exhibition, hmm? I don't know about you, but I'd feel privileged to get to see a bunch of their famous lifts. And I really enjoyed seeing a more casual exhibition piece - it was something I wasn't sure D/W were capable of.

D/W's tango might not have been entertaining for the crowd here, but it's damned difficult and that's what ice dance needs, difficult programs worthy of the sport, not making entertaining faces at the crowd, sorry. Otherwise, it really shouldn't be in the Olympics.
 

Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Great pics! I think you folks pretty well summed up SA Portland. I would only add that Rachael was the only skater that deserved an explosive standing ovation. I have no idea how she went out there with pain from her foot to her knee and did that program, after experiencing tendonitis myself. I just hope she heals fast. Tendons can take a long time to heal up.

Damn right, CoyoteChris, and she's the ONLY one that got one (explosive is an understatement)!!!!! :party:
 

Cezar

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
Btw, how did Rachael do in the gala event afterwards?, which was scheduled to start at 5PM. Did she skate to her hearbreakingly beautiful number "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"? by the Beatles, but sung by a guy from the t.v. series Glee.

And Caroline Zhang, what did she skate to? Thanks for your answers in advance.

OMG, I don't remember now... :)
Yes, Rachel danced to "I want to hold your hand". She was greeted by a very warm applause. The arena was full in 25%, or maybe even less, so every applause was getting quiet way before the skater left the rink. I felt sorry for the skaters to perform to mostly empty seats, but the good part was that you could sit anywhere you wanted.
I don't remember Caroline Zhang on gala. Did I miss her? I misplaced my gala program, I think it's somewhere in the car, and it's too late and too rainy to go look for it now. Anyway, I am confident of my memory, and she wasn't on the gala. The only four girls were Joshi Helgesson, Carolina Costner, Rachel and Kanako.
BTW, I sat next to Joshi's sister Victoria.
Here is the view from my place:

http://www.cezarmart.com/2010/skate_america/20101114_152121.jpg
P.S. Nadine, I din't have a flash either. It doesn't work with big lenses anyway....
 
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jnoble82

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 12, 2010
As regards cameras, I was honestly surprised to see that flash photography was allowed. I think this does an injustice to the skaters. It blinded me when I saw it, so I can just imagine what it must do to the skaters, competition can be won or lost by being blinded by a bright flash.


oh definitely will be turning the flash off if I do get a camera and if I do attend any form of skating event. I find that the flash does nothing anyway (the lights tend to mess with the flash and in my experience unless I am in the front row or standing, I get a nice clear shot of the back of someone's head haha) and I would rather have a bunch of blurry photos than have someone get injured because I selfishly want a photo. Maybe for a photo op later when they are expecting it more. I can't believe people don't think of that :-(
 

chloepoco

Medalist
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
It is Nikon D700 + 70-200/2.8 VR. It's kind of risky to bring this equipment to events where it's unclear if they are allowed. This is why I din't bring it with me on Saturday, because I thought they would not let me in.
But then I saw people with their DSLRs and big lenses everywhere, so I brought mine on Sunday.
Here is the link to the entire gallery. Hopefully the server will let me post it. Feel free to comment in the boxes under the pictures. I am a passionate hobbyist and comments of others are my biggest reward! :)
http://www.pbase.com/pulkownik_swiatlo/skate_america_2010

I just looked at your SA gallery, and wow! You are an extremely talented photographer--and this is just a hobby?? You have an incredible gift!!!!
 

Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Wow, that's what I remember! It's exactly how they looked. My baby niece is the one whom noticed them first, and pointed it out to me, and I kept telling her to go get their autographs, talk to them, but she was too shy. Whereas Alexe Gilles was sitting in our section, but way up above us, once again my niece noticed her as we were leaving. :)

Omg, I never noticed Robin Wagner & Elene G., but I do recall my niece saying another skater appeared (think it was the girl from France though).

It was nice to see one Helgesson sister cheering on the other. :)^) Btw, both sisters are FAB, but I think the one in your picture is actually a tad better than her sister. Also, she's smaller, more petite, and she's the one I remember with classic technique & beautiful skating. And her sister wasn't bad either, she shocked me by looking me right in the eye whilst skating, came right to the edge, lol. She's the one that isn't afraid to look the audience in the eye. In fact she seems to love it, lol. :D

And Jenna is one lucky lady indeed, her husband Kevin is gorgeous, and he too shocked me by looking me right in the eye for what seemed like a long time with curiousity & friendliness. :)
 

Cezar

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
Whereas Alexe Gilles was sitting in our section, but way up above us, once again my niece noticed her as we were leaving.

Alexe was above you? Now I know where you were!
Yes, Mae Berenice came for a moment to my section too.
Oh, Denney and Barrett were sitting exactly above me. I even passed Caydee inside the gate and she smiled to me.

But I bet you missed this one! :)
As I am not so familiar with skaters: who is on it next to Adrian Schultheiss?
BTW. Adrian almost cried during his short program because the drama with his coach. I am not fully familiar with what exactly happened, but I heard he had some health problem in the hotel room.

http://www.cezarmart.com/2010/skate_america/20101114_153426.jpg
 
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Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Wow, Adrian Schultheiss looks gorgeous! And next to him is that tall lanky skater whom skated to "The Mask" and really embodied Jim Carrey's character imho. His name is Viktor Pfeifer, and I think Shawn Sawyer is the other guy, but I don't recognize the girl? Hold on, is that Stephen Carriere from the USA? They look alike so it's hard for me to tell?

I too didn't understand all the drama about Adrian's coach. All's I know is that he was in the K&C with a hospital band on, people were whispering about it, that's how I understood he was in the hospital. Hope he's allright!
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
It is Nikon D700 + 70-200/2.8 VR. It's kind of risky to bring this equipment to events where it's unclear if they are allowed. This is why I din't bring it with me on Saturday, because I thought they would not let me in.
But then I saw people with their DSLRs and big lenses everywhere, so I brought mine on Sunday.
Here is the link to the entire gallery. Hopefully the server will let me post it. Feel free to comment in the boxes under the pictures. I am a passionate hobbyist and comments of others are my biggest reward! :)
http://www.pbase.com/pulkownik_swiatlo/skate_america_2010

Err. Neekon fanboy. :disapp: J/K. Love your pics. Thanks for sharing.
 
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