All Things Ice Dance: Canadian | Page 3 | Golden Skate

All Things Ice Dance: Canadian

Dragonlady

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
I don’t think that the issue was that W&P were allowed to “grow on their own” but rather that they debuted at Canadians in 2007, won the bronze medal then and went off to Jr. Worlds where they finished third and then to Sr. Worlds where they barely made it out of qualifying and finished 20th overall. They moved up to senior the next season, having been together for only a few months and it took them time to come together as a team. They finished well back in the pack at their GP events and 17th overall at Worlds in 2008. W&P skated on the GP circuit for two full seasons before finally winning a bronze medal in 2009 at Skate Canada and I strongly believe it was the boost of skating in Kitchener that did it for them because I’d never seen them skate that well.

I don’t think it’s reasonable to compare Skate Canada’s development plan for a team that’s been together for 10 years and has succeeded at every level they’ve competed at with one which has only been together for a few months with very mixed results.

I fell in love with Andrew Poje when he just up from Novice and skating NAC’s with his former partner. I remember sitting at Canadians in 2006 watching Andrew drag poor Alice Graham around the ice and one of our group said “If we take up a collection, could we buy Andrew Poje a better partner?”. It just made us sad to see a boy who was that good, trying to skate with someone who was incapable of keeping up with him. Everyone was thrilled when he teamed up with Kaitlyn, but I think that bronze medal at Jr. Worlds raised expectations for this team going into seniors that they were in no way ready to fulfill.

I’m very happy that G&P can’t go anywhere until next fall. I really think that they need this time for work out the “new”, build trust and confidence in one another, and to put the miles in to allow this team to gel. Piper seems to be working very hard to raise the level of her skating.

I do agree that there has been a lot of hype around this team which is never a good thing, unless of course, they come out next season and get the kind of scores internationally that they’ve been getting at home, or at least something close to it.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Bear in mind that when Weaver / Poje won the bronze medal at JW 2007, it was partly because Samuelson / Bates (who were in second behind Bobrova / Soloviev after the CD and OD) had a fall that resulted in Emily Samuelson's badly cut hand, and they were forced to withdraw.
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Tweet today from @PiperGilles (emphasis added):

"First SD run through of the new season! Wait what!? It's only April. Gotta love new programs and we actually have time to train this year!!"
 

PatC

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 28, 2003
Interesting thoughts by everyone about W/P, P/I and G/P. Weaver and Poje didn't have the polish the first years they were in seniors. This year, they got the music and the choreo and worked their butts off. I'm happy for them. I hope they continue with Camerlengo/Krylova and Bourne. They work well together.

I agree Paul and Islam are indeed V/M lite. Different music, different choreo, a different look (their own). Maybe it would help. Last year at Cdn Nats someone said they thought that P/I would be on the podium at worlds over the Shibs. I said pigs would fly first. ;) We all know how that turned out.

I saw Gilles and Poirier at the challenge. I really liked their sd, so so on the fd. One thing I have to say is if Piper doesn't match Paul in speed by this fall I will be very surprised. She certainly gave it her all at the Challenge, and they hadn't been together very long. I think their biggest downfall is that they'll look exactly like a couple of other teams in NA. I can think of all the things that identify a lot of teams. There isn't anything that sets G/P apart *yet*. I too was a big C&P fan, and was quite prepared to dislike G/P. I don't dislike them, but I don't feel anything about them other than a wait and see what they can do. I wish them luck tho.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
A lot of other teams have had years and years longer to build an image, and part of that image is in our minds, as well in what they do, so I'm giving G&P a lot of time to develop

W&P didn't come out of the box with a definitive style and identity either, but look how well they have developed!.
 

slipslidin

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Let's concede that Canada has two world-class couples in senior dance. It doesn't make much sense at this point to compare Weaver and Poje to Paul and Islam or Gilles and Poirier.

In my view Paul and Islam looked very promising three years ago, but have so far, failed to deliver. I know there are excuses, but I can't help wondering whether the best decisions are being made for them regarding costumes, choreography, and competing injured.

On the other hand Gilles and Poirier get a big question mark in my book, partly because of their big questionable marks. Let's see what they can do.

Ralph and Hill don't get the credit they deserve, in my opinion. Their tango program was a delight, and I believe a standing O at worlds will get you noticed. I hope they can start building a fan base.
 

romanoff81

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2004
Canadian Judges love Paul Poirier no matter what he puts on the ice they overscore it, Weaver and Poje are now one of the best teams in the world i hope skate canada gives them a big push next year to get that world medal in london they deserve it. Paul and Islam have stagnated they lack speed and power.
 

PatC

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 28, 2003
Paul is an amazing skater. He has great edges, speed and flow. His partner has to catch him which is going to take time.

Alexandra Paul has had some unfortunate injuries and they've lost a lot of training time. Really disheartening for them.

Weaver and Poje have momentum, but next year will be really key for them. They've had their breakout program this year. Now to up the ante. They can't afford poor choreography/music choices.
 

wallylutz

Medalist
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Bear in mind that when Weaver / Poje won the bronze medal at JW 2007, it was partly because Samuelson / Bates (who were in second behind Bobrova / Soloviev after the CD and OD) had a fall that resulted in Emily Samuelson's badly cut hand, and they were forced to withdraw.

And using your logic, one can say the Shibs' Bronze at the 2011 Worlds was entirely due to Pechalat/Bourzat's freak fall, therefore, the medal should be noted with an *?
 

slipslidin

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
It's much of a muchness , then, as Samuelson/Bates and Bobrova/Soloviev also skated fot other countries.
 

slipslidin

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
FYI. Tumblr poster dancerfromthedance said that R/H "are a team who, while imperfect, have put out some tremendously creative programs." They are "a team willing to challenge themselves rather than taking the safest route." glitterandsubjectivity noticed them in their first senior year with their technical interpretation of their blues program. Their "long, deep edges and knee bends, and general grasp of the piece's rhythm, are fabulous." dethspiralz provided a youtube link of R/H's program of last year with this comment: "Nebelhorn just reminded me of how much I liked this last year."

But then again, FSUniverse poster TAK would rather see Hill with Crone. Another poster, SpunSilver thinks Hill is a star, while Ralph is just average.

In my opinion Ralph/Hill were very much improved this year, and had a very good free dance at worlds, so I find it very odd that the name of Paul Poirier is mentioned almost every day on the boards (often without mentioning his current partner) even though they have no international experience, and Ralph/Hill not so much. Some even mention them to say they should split.
 

Ravensque

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 31, 2009
Well, I'd like to see Vanessa Crone with a new partner but not Hill. I, too, think they have improved and were unfarily treated at Nats. Let's hope they have a kick a$$ program for the coming year. I can't wait to see what W/P and V/M come up with. If any teams can make a polka look sexy, it's those two teams :laugh:
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
But then it wouldn't be a polka. However, both of those teams will put out a fun polka, without doubt. It will be interesting to see how G/P and R/H do with the YP, since the dance will be new to them.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Well, I'd like to see Vanessa Crone with a new partner but not Hill. I, too, think they have improved and were unfarily treated at Nats. Let's hope they have a kick a$$ program for the coming year. I can't wait to see what W/P and V/M come up with. If any teams can make a polka look sexy, it's those two teams :laugh:

Why is it necessary for everything to be sexy? IMO, polka should be fun and exuberant, not sexy.
 

colleen o'neill

Medalist
Joined
Nov 3, 2006
:laugh: I'm all for keeping it perky in the polka department. Break out the saurkraut and sausage and beer ! I want to see them apple-cheeked and out of breath. That's polka to me.

As for what happens when the kegs run dry and the accordions have been packed away ...that part is best kept off the ice.;)
 
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Dragonlady

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
I worry about Weaver & Poje and the Yankee Polka. The OSP dance was choreographed for a very short team and is notoriously difficult for tall people with longer limbs. It was the CD in their senior debut year of 2007/08 and they did not do well with it. My only hope that Krylova can whip them into shape. Asked why the Carmelengo/Krylova teams both achieved their levels in the rhumba this season, both W&P and P&B credited Krylova, making it clear that she was the mistress of all things rhumba.

I think that W&P may successfully feed off the same dynamic with P&B that have pushed Virtue & Moir and Davis & White to the top: they're training with their closest competition. Both V&M and D&W have said that they know how hard they have to work since they see what the other is doing every day. I don't think either team would be as good as they are without having been pushed by the other. Both W&P and P&B showed tremendous improvement in their technical skills this season.

It will be interesting to see which, if any teams can close the gap with V&M and D&W this season, or whether V&M can pull away from the pack again now that Tessa is healthy and training flat out.
 

romanoff81

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2004
They will do the polka well, weaver and poje will have the best programs next year i predict.
 
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