- Joined
- Mar 25, 2008
I assume with D/W this is in reference to POTO vs. their tango FD, although it may be more appropriate to compare their breakthrough 2009 season with the year after. In either case, I don't know that they took as big a risk as did V/M with Umbrellas vs. Pink Floyd.I think part of the reason is that, well, their success was immediate. If we’re talking about them as potential for the future, then yes – people would say “I like them, look forward to more when they grow up.” But they’re also world bronze medalists. Virtue/Moir followed their first medal with a complete departure, program wise. So did Davis/White. So if their success is immediate, I see no reason to somehow exclude them from the expectations that occur when you have your medal-winning breakthrough.
The Shibutanis are lovely and talented, but they are in dire need of some originality in their programs. I don't buy that their problem is that they're a sibling team; not all ice dance programs have to be romantic, and the Kerrs certainly didn't stick to a narrow range in their career. The Zars weren't as original, but their Schindler's List FD is another example of something that a sibling team can do successfully. I think Maia and Alex's problem is that they are a sibling team coached and choreographed by Zoueva and Shpilband, who don't really know what to do with teams that can't do passionate/romantic. They still haven't really figured out how to make Meryl and Charlie relate to each other on the ice, and I suspect that Samuelson/Bates may have found themselves with rather limited options artistically as well. I realize that the Canton teams have a winning formula, but some outside choreographers could do the Shibs a world of good.
Yes and no. Pechalat and Bourzat are a good example of a team that has found success with lighter material rather than more serious concepts.As a rule, heavy programs seem to be preferred, regardless of discipline. I think last year we saw a notable example with the pairs – Savchenko/Szolkowy vs Volosozhar/Trankov. S/S were more artistic – the program was a better match to the music, it was more complex choreographically, and they performed it absolutely sensationally. But V/T were more traditionally moving, and a surprising number of people thought they should’ve won.
People seriously think that V/T should have won? Their programs together have been so blah. I'll take the "lyrical snot" Maxim so hated over Morozov's vision any day.
I admire V/M rather than love them, and have varying degrees of enthusiasm for the others, but I agree with the sentiment. I really don't like how so many elite teams are now concentrated in the two Detroit-area clubs, and I especially don't like the Canton formula that allows teams to take shortcuts to success. This is not to say that we need to go back to the 6.0, wait your turn days; but you can tell when a team has been together for a while, like V/M or P/B, vs. new teams that are kind of going through the COP motions and hitting the technical requirements but don't have the same connection....the one thing that does bother me is that I’m not convinced that one school of ice dancing dominating the way the Canton team does now is in fact a good thing for the sport. If I’m honest, I’m gonna say I only truly love one Canton team (V/M) and have a lot of respect/like/enthusiasm for the others. I’m not convinced I think an all Canton podium is where I want the sport to head, the same way an all Nichol-podium for mens/ladies skating would be underwhelming, regardless of actual merit
In addition, wait your turn might not have been a good way to motivate ice dancers, but the expectation for quick results must be an insane pressure cooker for teams that might require more time to develop and come up with interesting ideas. P/B partnered near the end of their junior days (2000), didn't win a GP medal until 2006 and didn't win an ISU championship medal until 2011 Euros (!!!). If I'm not mistaken, they will be the oldest ice dancers competing this season (Fabian turns 31 in December; Nathalie will be 28). The Kerrs followed a similar path, though they reached the top ten level and got their first Euros medal sooner while taking a bit longer on the GP circuit. How many young teams would have the patience to go through the process Nathalie and Fabian and the Kerrs did? How many good programs would we have missed out on if they'd given up, or split? There were some really unfortunate splits and changes this past off-season, and I suspect they are due at least in part to the pressure ice dance teams are under to succeed quickly. When the Kerrs finished 10th at their first Euros, it was considered amazing. Now I/K are seventh at their first Worlds, with both technically still junior-aged and only three years together under their belts, and it's a disappointment. That's really sad.
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