2012 Skate America Ice Dance FD

[CAS]

I agree. The program was over, the judges were bent over their score sheets. Were we supposed to believe that Charlie and Meryl were become so overcome with the intensity of their feelings that they couldn't keep their hands off each other?

Apparently.
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

"In our programs this season, particularly the free dance, you'll see that connection, that kind of chemistry you can cut with a knife," Davis said. "We've been working on it for years, and I think we've finally found it."

I won't hide that I think V&M are the superior team BUT I've always respected the talent and abilities of D&W and I may disagree with a result but I can see why someone might go for one over the other. But I felt that whole post-choreography was contrived and frankly embarrassing.

[blue_idealist]

My thoughts: I really enjoyed both Davis/White and Weaver/Poje. I thought Bobrova/Soloviev's FD was technically well skated, but pretty weird. Zhiganshina/Gaszi's FD was weird too, but in a better way, and that's par for the course for them anyway. I just find B/S fixated on death themes a lot..
Anyway, I also enjoyed K/G-S, the Italians and Cannuscio and McManus!

[Art&Sport]

Ah, so what re D/W's extended staring into each other's eyes. They were staying in the character of the program.

Plus I guess there will always be something that those who don't really love them will nitpick about. At least they work hard on trying to improve areas they are criticized about. Working on that "connection" may seem contrived and overdone, but they are challenging themselves to try a different approach to their skating.

I like D/W's SD better than their FD, but I thought they were really good in both, and that both programs need mileage over the course of the season to perfect. In particular, there are a lot of refinements they can make to the FD. Still D/W are superior to most other teams, and on a par with V/M. I thought D/W should have won Worlds in Nice.

[chuckm]

D/W actually haven't had this FD that long. They started off with an FD of Sinatra songs, then tossed it and started over with the current FD. Of course they need mileage on it!

[colleen o'neill]

Art&Sport ..but I do really like them. I think the extended "staying in character" is cheesy. I wouldn't like it on other couples either. I don't think they need to resort to that.

[wallylutz]

I have made a decision. If someone with magical powers said that I could look like any skater in the world, I'd choose Meryl Davis. It's not that she's the most beautiful...there are so many beautiful ice dancers that I could never rank them. She just looks like someone out of a story.

What does everyone think of their new program? There are some amazing lifts in there, aren't there?

I really liked their SD this year, which I thought really suited their playful characters. Some people say that feels too "Disney" but I see nothing wrong with that because Disney actually some pretty elaborate choreographies in their shows. This is definitely the best SD I have seen so far, among those couples who have competed this season.

As for their new FD, quite frankly, they need to scartch this ASAP. The chemistry comes across as a little forced and not natural as they were in the SD. I was more caught up with the lyrics and its meaning than I was with what they were doing on ice. In other words, the music cuts were distracting. It felt as though they skated completely besides the music, not with the music - that is you could play another song and their choreography would still fit because it just seems so generic. Barring a melt down on the part of V/M, there is no chance this FD stands a chance of defeating their Canadian training mates at Worlds unless they go back to the drawing board and come up with a new FD, which they still have time.

[noskates]

Wow. I'm quite surprised at the criticism of Charlie and Meryl. To my eye it's unfounded but some are taking it to such a finite level for the team's first time out this season. I like this music MUCH better than last year's free dance because it isn't hackneyed and overused and I didn't really expect them to be perfect.................yet! But scratch it? Sheesh. I think that's a little harsh. I see chemistry. I see beautiful lifts and tight footwork. I see grace and flow. I see them giving any team in the world a run for their money. If they scratch anything it should be the theatrics after the program is over. I do agree with folks that think it's superfluous.

.

[gioccia]

I've never been a fan of BS. But this year they are growing on me. Though I can say that I liked their SD much more than the FD, they are more refined in the SD. What's for the FD: I didn't like both DW and WP FD at all. They need to do something coz in comparison with the last year it's a step back. Althought there may be something that we don't know...like Zueva giving this year's gold to the Canadians and Krylova giving the bronze to the French.)))

[Buttercup]

Ah, so what re D/W's extended staring into each other's eyes. They were staying in the character of the program.

Extended staring only works when done by Barbara Fusar-Poli.

I agree that it was cheesy, and Igor would never have had them do such a thing. I generally dislike choreographed entries (DelSchoes did a lot of them, P/B V/T occasionally), they are usually just silly looking. But at least that's setting up the program. This was more like a wholly unnecessary epilogue - just react however you want to your skate!

[Skater Boy]

Well D and W deserved to win; some of the skating was contrived; some people can do it ie Bestimaniova and Bukin and even to a point more so V and M but it just doesn't work for Davis and white imho but I still have problems with them winning by so much. I don't like B and S free skate - a little to different or avant but it was well done and I give them credit for stretching themselves. I have to say while I do think come Oly D and W will be on top I am disappointed with their fd especially this year so far. But they will improve it; but it just seems so "unorganic". And TES wise B and S came pretty close. I would have had pcs higher for B and S compared to W and P though again I still didn't like their fd it was pretty well done. It seems like P and B might be safe with bronze - unless I and K surprise = not sure if they have the work ethic or talent. Both Russian teams lose levels like Susan Lucci loses Emmy's. Its a common occurrence.

[DobrinFan]

^Have you seen I/K's FD yet?? Morozov went too far. But supposedly that's not the final cut of their music. I hope they remove those ridiculous speaking parts. Don't know how the judges will like it though, they may just love it.

[colleen o'neill]

Augh! have you seen I/K's ridiculous cheese fest of a FD to Ghost ? If you think B/S's program is weird ( and I do) Ghost may well surpass it in that department.

I think D/W's SD is pretty charming, all things considered. But the FD is not really exciting me, with the exception of some standout elements ( for the reasons noted above ).I'm sure I'll like it more than many another program we'll see this year but, as is , it's not what I'd hoped for them.

B/S's SD is also charming (I like their music). But I dislike their FD...OTT concept ( back to sturm und drang ) and the weirdly cut music.They have improved but I don't think to degree that some are proclaiming.

I'm betting on W/P to fight back from this little set back..they know how. I know some people don't like the SD but I think they'll be able to make it work if they skate it lights out. They did pretty well with the polka pattern here . I like their FD and their costumes, and believe they'll know what they have to work on.

[Macassar88]

I came home to the last half of D/W's FD... I'm not impressed, it didn't feel as cohesive as last year's FD at skate america... I haven't seen the SD, but I'm worried that the clean/crispness of the Canton teams came from Igor while the program themes came from Marina... It'll be interesting to see how V/M look...

Well DF was made perfectly for DW in that it played to their strengths. This dance is stretching them more, so it will take time to make amazing.

[Macassar88]

W/p lost so much TES I doubt that will happen again. P/B have very good pcs hat has kept them notches above w/p and b/s for two seasons now. They will be at the first gp event and that could be bad for YP levels but that could be saved by the FD-they are a tier above the rest. B/s shows good tech so far. P/b have better coaches though.

Arguable - I feel like Pechalat and Bourzat were better with Zhulin than they were with Krylova.

[Macassar88]

My thoughts: I really enjoyed both Davis/White and Weaver/Poje. I thought Bobrova/Soloviev's FD was technically well skated, but pretty weird. Zhiganshina/Gaszi's FD was weird too, but in a better way, and that's par for the course for them anyway. I just find B/S fixated on death themes a lot..
Anyway, I also enjoyed K/G-S, the Italians and Cannuscio and McManus!

Was this the first time that you'd seen BS's FD? Because it takes some time to get used to. The first time I saw it, I thought it was the weirdest thing and hated it. On subsequent viewings of it, I've grown to love it. And it's gotten better since they debuted it.