1. No one scored a level four on the Yankee Polka. I think we need to consider that this might have been a tough panel
2. They have two weeks until their next competition. I think ten points is too much to expect. I'll be happy if they crack 70, and even that is a high expectation.
3. I like this program quite a bit (works better than their Latin SD last season).
4. Last season, after the disappointment that was the GPF SD, they just attacked the FD more than they had all season and came up with their PB. I hope we can expect the same, but I wonder if they'll be more focused on hitting the levels.
Unbiased? Nope. But I think C/L have better unison and skating skills. Their lift flowed better. I think H/D are also hurt by the fact that their strongest asset here was choreography, and that isn't a huge plus in the SD (only interpretation translates into straight factoring). H/D had timing issues in the second set of the Yankee Polka too. They were underscored, but not by a lot.
It comes down to quality. In the TES, H/D had some issues in the Yankee Polka, which really kills the points. C/L are just smoother and cleaner with the elements. And they had a ton of speed to go with that. They won on levels and GOE as compared to H/D. In the PCS, C/L are very smooth, skate really close together as if they are almost 1 person, and have good edges. It's not the quality of V/M, but it definitely is better than any of the other teams at Skate Canada International.
Ya know, I know that I'm not as expert as someone like Tanith Belbin in watching and understanding ice dance, and being able to explain the finer points as well as she does. It's not because Zach and Madison are Americans that I ask. It is after watching them and enjoying their performance and not seeing exactly what were the differences between them and C/L (I suppose there were differences in technical difficulty), but certainly Zach and Madison had an exciting performance with great audience appeal.
I certainly do not call "wuzrobbed" for every U.S. skater. That would be silly. I enjoy many wonderful skaters who are not from the U.S. Imagine that. I think Madison and Zach have improved a great deal since they partnered. They are not among my favorite ice dancers, but I am enjoying seeing their growth. I also would like to see Gilles/ Poirier sd at SC, because I enjoy watching them and they are among my favorite ice dancers. Having favorites goes beyond borders these days.
Last edited by Art&Sport; 10-27-2012 at 12:43 AM.
no, we don't have Universal Sports... they want us to pay another 13 bucks a month to get the package it's part of (DirecTV) and we already have all of the other channels that is bundled... but we can't *just* add in US... and they won't discount it. The woman actually told us we'd be paying for the other channels twice, and that was the only way to do it.
Dish just has better service in AK than DirecTV... but I hear it's the opposite in the states so I dunno.
Thanks for your detailed response to my question. Now that you point it out, I can see where C/L were a bit faster, smoother and skated closer together. I thought it must have something to do with technical difficulty because I thought the performance levels between C/L and H/D were similar.
This program is perfect for H/D because it addresses the aspects where they need to grow. It's challenging them in the right way. I do love the choreography. It's very pure, flows like a single breath from beginning to end. I wonder if this was all Massimo or a collaboration with Pasquale.
Another big difference between the two couples is time together. Madison and Zack have only been together for, what, a year and a half/two years now? Anna and Luca have been together for about seven or eight years now IIRC.
Time and experience skating together makes a huge difference when it comes to timing and knowing where the other is w/out having to look for them. Not to mention Anna and Luca know each other's strengths and weaknesses inside and out. Madison and Zack are still working on that, but from what I can see, they've w/out a doubt got the potential to go far in Ice Dancing.
I also loved their SD from tonight and can't wait to see it grow even more as the season goes on.
As for the rest of the evening...I just can't keep ye old eyelids open any longer. I did love Tessa and Scott's SD and I'm not at all worried about them. After seeing what Scott said about almost knocking Tessa out right at the beginning of the program...That would shake up anyone and throw them off. I expect a far stronger SD outing, but w/out the lift, at their next event.
And w/that...Hello bed... *PLOP*
I missed a lot of the fallout over the spring and summer when Team Canton split. Does anyone know if Johnny Johns is still the lifting coach for D/W and V/M? Much of the credit for their spectacular lifts the last few year goes to him. He was a national champion in both pairs and dance for the US in the 70s after all. I hope they sstill have him and that he can make any needed corrections.
Yes, he is.
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