Originally Posted by Mathman
Good one!
Good one!
Check SeriousBusiness's avatar.
Madison has a few good drama-faces of her own
Heyhey, couldn't agree with you more. It is so overtly a marketing campaign - a deft one I will grant but one designed to show how everything is so quickly so incredibly wonderful. It is not at all surprising that we would be seeing campaigning and "PR" from the Shpilband camp - arguably (and this is of course a matter of opinion) one which had more uncertainties surrounding it because of the need for a new location, etc. amongst other things. So, good for them for all of the progress. I would bet it is safe to assume there is plenty of exciting progress occurring in Canton as well. We simply have not had the same PR effort.
However, it seems completely premature to draw conclusions about the relative merits of one "camp" versus another after only getting the PR update from one, unless one routinely draws conclusions based on very incomplete information. I would never underestimate either Shpilband or Zueva's ability to bring in exciting new perspectives to strengthen their businesses. Both have been successful strategists for many years. It seems that we are simply hearing more, for now, about one than the other.
Overall, I think it is a good thing that Shpilband has landed on his feet. I honestly never questioned whether he would. Glad to see it as I think it will ultimately raise the level of every "school's" game, and this will ultimately be (hopefully) good for the sport.
Heh heh...good one, Mathman! Now *that* was a night to remember!
I think that stare was learned from the soap operas. Susan Lucci eat your heart out.
Go Igor! This is good for ice dance, where some more rivalries between rinks push the great teams. Given that Sochi gold and silver might already be with V/M and D/W, The 2018 olympics will be likely dominated by igor's dancers. Whoever sacked Igor may have done all a huge favor. We'll see.
Was just looking back at Novi Ice Arena's Facebook and Twitter pages.
Turns out that on Aug 31 and Sep 7, it had held free ice dancing exhibitions (an hour each) to which the public was invited.
One of the Facebook announcements:
This Friday, August 31st from 4:00-5:00pm, Novi Ice Arena is having a FREE Ice Dancing exhibition, showcasing eight teams from six countries, including Olympian and Ann Arbor native Evan Bates! The dancers have been training at our rink for several months under coach Igor Shpilband and would love to have a big crowd![The announcement had a photo of a dance team on the ice -- I think Tobias/Stagniunas, but I'm not sure.]
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...6433273&type=1
And the announcement for Sep 7 had a photo of Chock/Bates.
Although these two exhibitions are water under the bridge, I wonder whether locals will have the opportunity to attend more as the season progresses.
[Novi also had a figure skating exhibition earlier in the summer as part of a larger rink event.]
Kind of amusing to see that almost all of the arena's social media messages pertain to hockey activities, but mentions of ice dance pop up once in while.
For example, Novi's "Fun Fact" for Sep 14:
While similar in many ways, ice dance differs from pairs skating by having different requirements for lifts, requiring spins to be performed as a team in a dance hold, and by disallowing throws and jumps.
golden411, thanks for the info...even though belated.
You know, there may be a VERY valid reason he was sacked but reputations are being preserved. Just sayin'...
There is a translation by quiqui of a recent interview with Tarasova on FSU:
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...78&postcount=1
She discusses the break up of the Shpilband - Zoueva school and predicts it will be bad for their students, and hence good for everyone else.
There's a lot more there, all interesting.EV: You know them both very well, you visited Zueva and Shpilband in the U.S. Did you try to somehow prevent split of such a unique tandem?
TAT: I do not give advice when people don't ask me. It's such a pity that Marina and Igor do not work together anymore. I respect them both, but ... It really is a pity.
I do not think we have the right to discuss and criticize their split. We can only wait and see what happens next. By the way, it is not entirely unlikely that all this will lead to one result: the gap between the leaders and everyone else in ice dance will be significantly reduced.
EV: Why do you think so?
TAT: Just because Marina and Igor has already worked alone. And their athlethes' results were not as impressive as the ones they reached together. It's complicated — something like that happened in my coaching life too. Working together is not easy for two strong coaches: it is a rivalry, and it's everyday. But let's see. From my point of view, this whole situation has given an absolutely real chance to the rest of dancers to get closer to the leaders. The only question is, will they be able to take advantage of it.
Interesting interview, thanks for sharing Doris.
A bit off topic, but I found this quote interesting:
"EV: Mao Asada came to you this summer as well?
TAT: Yes. I choreographed her free program. Then Mao came again because in summer, the ISU Technical Committee had once again changed the rules, and the program had to be changed to fit in with the new requirements. For some reason, technical committee does not consider the fact that most programs is being set in May...
I even wrote a letter to Ottavio Cinquanta about it (ISU president- EV). Including the fact that I think it is not quite right to make any changes to the rules a year before the Olympics. Incidentally, we discussed this with Irina Viner, and she told me that in rhythmic gymnastics all the changes in the rules are terminated two years before the Games. I think it is much more right.
As far as I know, the changes were proposed by a Canadian coach whose students I will not name you - just because I do not know any. I must say that I was struck by the statement explaining the need for change: "To make judging easier." If judges have so much trouble telling choreographic sequence from technical, let them stay home."
It does seem that the timing of ISU meetings and rule changes comes at a bad time for skating program prep; and I like Tat's point that changing rules in the year before an Olympics seems like a bad idea. Just wondering if others agree.
But back on topic, she also mentioned that she sent 10 lifts to Igor's camp so he could choose....Because I am still very new to dance, can someone explain why dancers are expected to change their lifts so frequently. I think I have enjoyed this, but just wondering what an insider things of all this. Also, Tat didn't mention Marina...so does that mean the latter is on her own for new lifts?
There are two issues:
1. The rules change every year. Last year's level 4 lift might be level 2 this year. Igor is the COP expert, and TAT is relying on him.
2. The kids might have trouble with the lifts TAT designed--having extra gives you a back up.
3. Dance has an unofficial requirement that to not show something new every year is bad. The choreographers, dancers & coaches all want to be "most original". You almost never will see a team recycling a program/music, unless it was one they used in Novices or something. The easiest place to show something new is in the lifts. (Since the requirement for level 4 steps is one of everything, they all kind of look the same, by and large for example. There is some originality shown in twizzles & spins, but many teams recycle these every year. Consequently, to show "originality" you have to change up your lifts.
TaT is awesome. It's not the first time I've come across the sentiment that judges are on the one hand being given to much to do and on the other hand, not trusted to correctly assess what they are seeing, and I tend to agree.
Or keep the same lifts for more than one season, but make sure they're ones that nobody else is doing (e.g. The Goose, P/B's upside down thing, H/D's reverse lift). That clearly shows that you're original and doing something difficult!
Cross-posting from Skate America thread:
Lynn Rutherford @LynnRutherford
Ice dancers IsabellaTobias & Deividas Stagniunas (LTU) withdrew from SKAM due to injury. No replacement will be added, 2 close to event.
3:22 PM - 11 Oct 12
Oh no! They were my favorites! (I have met them
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