Okay, Chock/Bates = mismatched and dull. Two stunning lifts highlight a fairly dreary program set to mediocre music.
Shibutanis = good, but it won't stop their detractors.
Shibutanis = good, but it won't stop their detractors.
They couldn't pull of the tango and they couldn't pull off the Latin. They have a style, and they do it well, but it's boring. They've yet to show that they can do something else. JMO.
Chock and Bates... I think they are just not the right partners for each other. Evan looked so much better with Emily, and Madison should have picked Kieffer Hubbell, they could've been gorgeous together, but oh well... I liked Hubbell/Donohue much more and hope they will get 3rd spot for Worlds this season
The ttack of the smile monsters wil continue unabated this season! Pick another facial expression Shibutani's! It's so creepy. It's so plastered on you think the inside of their mouths are wired?
re: the Shibs
I first saw the Shibs at World Juniors 2009. It was clear that they, with "Cinema Paradisio" were something special. I was a little disappointed at their setback during the final junior season, but starting at NHK last year, I was really very impressed. They have such light and joy when they dance. But by worlds, I was a little non-plussed. I do think they deserved the bronze even if they were a tad overscored, but I totally saw myself getting bored with the box they were in. The announcement of the music did nothing to ease my concerns. Part of me really rues that they won bronze because that, beyond anything, triggered comments like gmyers' above
But here's the thing: I didn't love that dance. It was good, it was light, it was enjoyable, it was effervescent. It was like really good cotton candy. I don't think it's fair to dismiss the program because it's lighter, but after a certain point, you want a little more substance. I wanna see greater depth of feeling, more subtlety, more in general. The worst is that I suspect that I could replace the music with their music from last season, and it would have the exact same effect.
KKonas said it was more cohesive than V/M's dance and while that might be true, that's like arguing The Hungry Hungry Caterpiller is more cohesive than Slaughterhouse-Five - technically true, but the range of feeling portrayed and evoked by V/M is far worthier than what the Shibs do here, imo. Everything from the lightly-noirish tint to that jazz section, to the depth of feeling in "S'Wonderful" (sorry doris, love love love that part), to the oldfashioned charm.... everything was spot on. Watching the Finnish feed (starts at 16:45 for those curious) and you get a masterclass of interpreting music. Can't wait for this to improve like I think it can.
So skating to Swing and cheerful, feel good Big Band music, you should look like you are bored, unhappy or in pain or agony? Nonsense.