All Things Ice Dance: Russian

[colleen o'neill]

Well, I'm willing to start this off, if no-one has already ( If someone has , just add this in, thanks,Mods.)

I've been very excited to see the results of some of the changes that have been taking place in Russian ice dance.

Bobrova / Soloviev ( for example ), whom I've always found much to like in , but whose programs and costumes lately have been a huge disappointment. Not to mention that the posture problems so often remarked on seem to have been accentuated rather than addressed... so I'm really anticipating a marked improvement from them.

I was very excited about Riazanova / Tkachenko's plans ( I freely admit they're perhaps my favourites ) , but now with the upheaval in Canton I worry about what will happen for them.

I see the potential in Ilinikh / Katsalapov but I've been disappointed in them so far. To me , they have no character , as a couple , on the ice..the early promises have not been delivered on..for me .


There's no doubt that there's just a scad of talent emerging in Russia..but I'm far from an expert on the subject. I'd love to know more than I do , so I hope those more in the know will chime in here. ( Diana Selene , where are you ?)

[dorispulaski]

There are some really wonderful Russian dancers in juniors and just starting seniors.

I'm really quite fond of this couple:

Zenkova & Sinitsin RUS 2011 JGP Brisbane Gayaneh by Aram Khatchaturian FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcmww...yer_detailpage

And everyone seems to like this couple. The boy is the son of Andrei Bukin OGM with his partner Natalia Bestemianova in 1988

Stepanova & Bukin 2012 world jrs Live & Let Die
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWS2B...yer_detailpage

And this couple is no slouch.

Yanovskaia & Mozgov RUS jr worlds FD Mala Luna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZxn5...yer_detailpage

They won the Jr Olympics or whatever it was called this year-Jr Worlds was perhaps a little close to it.

I believe all of the above are staying Juniors.

Monko & Khaliavin< world Jr Champions in 2011, will be recovered from illness & injury & will be competing again on the Senior GP this season.

And Sinitsina & Zhiganshin, this year's World Jr Champions, will also be making their senior debut on the GP.

So there are a wealth of kids for 2018, for sure.

One should not overlook Pushkash & Guerreiro who train with Linichuk. They were fourth in Seniors at Russian Nationals this year, their first year in seniors. I did not particularly care for the choreo that Linichuk did for them this year, but their technical skills have improved a lot with her.

[gmyers]

Inconsistency mars all the top senior teams right now. I/K, B/S and R/T are all near hopeless for success in Sochi. So the focus is Pyeongcheng. When the senior teams now are all gone and retired being the bottom of Russian ice dance history hopefully these newer teams will want to be better and restore some luster to a nearly dead program.

[Skater Boy]

there is still time for B and S or I and K or even R and T to make a move on the podium for Sochi. That bronze is open. I really think the French must be scared to death that they are being chased down by Weaver and Poje and the Italians then the Three Russians. There is something about that bronze medal - the winner of it is often vulnerable to following down the ladder in the next year.

[Macassar88]

I think the best chances for success would go to Bobrova and Soloviev and Riazanova and Tkachenko. Bobrova and Soloviev made a change which will hopefully help them get levels as well as better PCS. Riazanova and Tkachenko are getting choreography from Zoueva and technique from Shpilband, so that may be the boost they need. Also, since they've already spent some time with both before the fallout, they may not be as affected by the split.
As for Ilinykh and Katsalapov, they made a change to Morozov and have less creative programs but are getting higher program components. However, their GOE's have gone down and they still aren't getting the highest of levels. Also, I really question their dedication and work ethic. If the russian fed wants Ilinykh and Katsalapov to do well, it has to treat them like little kids. Take away their phones; take away their internet; take away their social lives. I feel like Linichuk could do that for them, but they'd need outside choreography. And I'm almost positive that they aren't going to make a change because they moved to Morozov and got a jump in rankings.

[Macassar88]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net...79674649_n.jpg

And here's a nice picture of Bobrova and Soloviev with their new coaches.

[dorispulaski]

That is a nice picture!

[slipslidin]

They are a very attractive and well-matched couple. There's a world of potential there, and I hope their move will help them show it.

[Mattieu]

According to a Russian forum there is a rumor that PUSHKASH/GUERREIRO have moved to Morozov
http://forum.fsonline.ru/index.php?s...st=60&start=60

[colleen o'neill]

Urk!

[Dragonlady]

Bobrova / Soloviev ( for example ), whom I've always found much to like in , but whose programs and costumes lately have been a huge disappointment. Not to mention that the posture problems so often remarked on seem to have been accentuated rather than addressed... so I'm really anticipating a marked improvement from them.

I was very excited about Riazanova / Tkachenko's plans ( I freely admit they're perhaps my favourites ) , but now with the upheaval in Canton I worry about what will happen for them.

I see the potential in Ilinikh / Katsalapov but I've been disappointed in them so far. To me , they have no character , as a couple , on the ice..the early promises have not been delivered on..for me .

Don't faint Colleen but this would be my assessment of these teams as well. To which I would add:

Sources in Russia have posted that B&S were being told by their team members that they weren't getting the levels because of politiks rather than their technical was sloppy and too reliant on above the waist emoting. I think it does teams a great disservice to mislead them like this. How can they improve when is they are being told there is nothing to improve? Their technical is below the levels of C&L, P&B and W&P and have not improved as much as those teams in recent years.

If they can clean up their messy feet and get more flattering material, they could make the podium, but they won't do it without GoE and good levels which are a given for the teams above them.

For I&K, get them away from Morosov. He's done them no favours in terms of choreography, giving them material which plays up their weaknesses rather than their strengths, and he has too many other skaters. This might be a good team to give to Shpilband since nobody has come close to realizing their potential yet.

R&T need speed and better knees. They are painfully slow which is rare in a Russian ice-dance team. They really need to get right down into their knees. Again, not usually an issue with a Russian team. I liked their SD at Skate Canada but the lack of speed, especially with V&M, W&P and C&L on the ice, was very noticeable. Too often they seemed to be ticking off elements rather than dancing.

I'll wait until they make their senior debuts to comment up the just up from junior skaters for this season.

[gmyers]

According to a Russian forum there is a rumor that PUSHKASH/GUERREIRO have moved to Morozov
http://forum.fsonline.ru/index.php?s...st=60&start=60

Good because they were a disaster last season. They went to a GP event and got level 1 and 2 on lifts! And they had the dumbest program of the season!!

[dorispulaski]

I think the dumbest program of the season was Carron & Jones's SD, but the red glove while playing the violin of P&G was not a great effect.

P&G were in better shape at Russian Nationals though. I wonder who they will be with in Moscow; whether they are going to Svinin & Zhuk, where Guerreiro was before?

[Mattieu]

P&G were in better shape at Russian Nationals though. I wonder who they will be with in Moscow; whether they are going to Svinin & Zhuk, where Guerreiro was before?

I heard they were going to Morozov, not Moscow. Who said they are going to Moscow?

[slipslidin]

I think the dumbest program of the season was Carron & Jones's SD, but the red glove while playing the violin of P&G was not a great effect.

P&G were in better shape at Russian Nationals though. I wonder who they will be with in Moscow; whether they are going to Svinin & Zhuk, where Guerreiro was before?

Oh, I thought that program was the tragic story of two nice russian kids, fighting over a sock puppet.