Here's the Finnstep

[dorispulaski]

Zoueva.."too easy" ....that's one way to put it.

My guess is that she thinks at least one of her 3 teams will have trouble with it

It's certainly harder than the rhumba.

It was hard enought that B&A declined to learn it in 2009.

And as we saw with both Blues in juniors, and Rhumba, and Yankee Polka in seniors, you can pick the key points so that some very good teams will have troubles getting them, at least at first.

The choctaw into the twizzle turn is quite tricky. The Golden Waltz is, IMO, harder, but they've had a Golden SD already.

[gkelly]

Hahaha, just took a good look at the pattern linked in the first post -- I hadn't really seen it before. The markings for the toepick steps/hops are new symbols and make sense. But what really amuses me is the stop sign to mark the stationary hoppy steps. :D

[eyria]

This looks like a really fun dance!! Definitely fast-paced, with lots of steps. I like it.

At first glance, I think this CD gives a definite advantage to Davis/White over V/M and other teams. No one does "joyous, light, and quick" better than Meryl & Charlie. Their 2009 CD version was quite good. And they've improved so much since then, I can only imagine how much better their interpretation will be next year. The dance may be good for the Shibutanis too, as it's light and doesn't call for sexiness or sensuality (unlike the rhumba). It may be tough for taller, more dramatic teams like Bobrova/Soloviev and Hubbell/Donohue. And, yeah, I wouldn't see it being a standout number for I/K either.

It was hard enough that B&A declined to learn it in 2009.

As to B&A, didn't they need it to compete at Worlds in 2009?

[Buttercup]

At first glance, I think this CD gives a definite advantage to Davis/White over V/M and other teams. No one does "joyous, light, and quick" better than Meryl & Charlie. Their 2009 CD version was quite good. And they've improved so much since then, I can only imagine how much better their interpretation will be next year. The dance may be good for the Shibutanis too, as it's light and doesn't call for sexiness or sensuality (unlike the rhumba). It may be tough for taller, more dramatic teams like Bobrova/Soloviev and Hubbell/Donohue. And, yeah, I wouldn't see it being a standout number for I/K either.

I disagree. For me, D/W are at their best with more dramatic/powerful material. I don't think a light touch is their forte at all. Leaving aside the technical side of it, in terms of character I think that Cappellini and Lanotte would well suited to the Finnstep. It could work for the Shibs, assuming they aren't dropped even more in the standings next season.

As to B&A, didn't they need it to compete at Worlds in 2009?

The CD for 2009 Worlds was the Paso Doble, and I think that was either known or a foregone conclusion as soon as the Finnstep was picked for the continental championships.

[dorispulaski]

I haven't seen any evidence that D&W have a hard time with quick footwork or showing a happy happy joy joy mood.

D&W's YP Giselle SD for this year is certainly light, quick & joyous.

So was their Charleston Happy Feet OD, but they had problems with it, but with the tech content, not the character. It was a bit over their heads back then, but they had the character of the dance spot on, as they did with the Finnstep-they weren't accurate enough back then, but they had the character.

For that matter, Bollywood was a light, happy flirty thing, and so was last year's FD, Die Fledermaus, and many people think those are 2 of their best programs ever.

So I don't agree at all that they have any particular problem doing a happy, joyous dance.

[golden411]

Anstasia Cannuscio twweted this, with the comment "I'm scared!"

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BCRsK-_CYAA3X69.jpg:large

Update from Anastasia Cannuscio ‏@StasiaRose :

Dreamt about the Finnstep last night... Apparently, I can't even get the timing right in my dreams. #DancerProbs #Day3
5:42 AM - 7 Feb 13

For the ice dancers whose season ended at Nationals, I guess the good news is that they are getting a head start on next season's SD ...

[Buttercup]

I haven't seen any evidence that D&W have a hard time with quick footwork or showing a happy happy joy joy mood.

D&W's YP Giselle SD for this year is certainly light, quick & joyous.

So was their Charleston Happy Feet OD, but they had problems with it, but with the tech content, not the character. It was a bit over their heads back then, but they had the character of the dance spot on, as they did with the Finnstep-they weren't accurate enough back then, but they had the character.

For that matter, Bollywood was a light, happy flirty thing, and so was last year's FD, Die Fledermaus, and many people think those are 2 of their best programs ever.

So I don't agree at all that they have any particular problem doing a happy, joyous dance.

I've heard that so many of D/W's programs are their "best ever" that I suspect this is an individual thing. For me, the lighter programs are not their best, and the expression, to me, seems more forced. However - I did not suggest they would have a problem; only that "joyous, light and quick" is not something that I believe that D/W excel at above and beyond the rest of the ice dance field. Being able to skate fast does not necessarily carry over into the feeling that the Finnstep should have, and there are teams that I feel are better suited to the character of the Finnstep (I am not trying to predict who will be the best team technically).

None of them will be as good at it as R/K anyway.

[dorispulaski]

ITA that none of them will be as good at it as R&K

The point I was making is that I don't think D&W will be particularly deficient & behind compared to the rest of the teams at light and joyous, not that they would necessarily be miles ahead of them either.

IMO, the worst choice for D&W would have been Tango Romantica, which would be the best choice for I&K and V&M, not the Finnstep.

[TontoK]

IMO, the worst choice for D&W would have been Tango Romantica, which would be the best choice for I&K and V&M, not the Finnstep.

Interesting... I recall reading that Marina lobbied for the Tango Romantica... on the justification that it was more difficult. In any event, I think it will be more uplifting and entertaining to watch than the tango, and I don't expect any of the upper tier teams to have any real problem with it.

I'm much more interested in the remainder of the dance they'll all be doing... how will they incorporte "light-hearted" twizzles, lifts, spins, and footwork? Who'll do something completely out of the box... like dancing the polka to ballet? I can't wait to see the inventiveness!

[dorispulaski]

I can't either

I loved the original of the Finnstep, and I liked the CD in 2009. I'm looking forward to it!

[vera01]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdZ50UL82oI

It seems like no one has mentioned Domnina/Shabalin's CD at 2009 Euros. Although Shabalin has a fall on the last part of it, I like their version of Finnstep CD.

I'm looking forward to Finnstep SD next season

[dorispulaski]

Shabalin having a fall tells you that the dance is not all that easy, for sure.

[CassAgain]

Maybe if he didn't drink that champagne in the beginning, he could have avoided the fall.

[dorispulaski]

BTW, a lot of the Europeans 2009 Finnsteps are on youtube.

Here's the order of finish for the top 10 in the CD at Euros:

1 Jana KHOKHLOVA / Sergei NOVITSKI RUS 37.43 19.08 18.35 7.30 7.25 7.40 7.45 0.00 #23
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcX4_0pI1jM

2 Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI ITA 36.03 18.08 17.95 7.15 6.95 7.30 7.45 0.00 #28
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eldpyTYHtpM

3 Sinead KERR / John KERR GBR 34.89 17.32 17.57 7.05 6.80 7.10 7.25 0.00 #22
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEd-Bp13N4M

4 Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT FRA 34.38 17.32 17.06 6.90 6.60 6.90 6.95 0.00 #21
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br7DzHQAK7k

5 Oksana DOMNINA / Maxim SHABALIN RUS 33.53 16.28 18.25 7.40 7.05 7.25 7.55 1.00 #20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdZ50UL82oI

6 Pernelle CARRON / Matthieu JOST FRA 33.21 16.74 16.47 6.60 6.45 6.60 6.75 0.00 #25
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iEh4iznghQ

7 Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE ITA 32.58 16.66 15.92 6.35 6.10 6.50 6.65 0.00 #27
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuoq5iajoGk

8 Nora HOFFMANN / Maxim ZAVOZIN HUN 31.13 16.22 14.91 6.10 5.60 6.00 6.25 0.00 #8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj9x0-2nZxE

9 Anna ZADOROZHNIUK / Sergei VERBILLO UKR 30.45 15.68 14.77 6.05 5.60 5.90 6.15 0.00 #19
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeKRc6oQSlA

10 Alexandra ZARETSKI / Roman ZARETSKI ISR 30.16 15.62 14.54 6.00 5.55 5.85 5.90 0.00 #24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHhLkW77g2U


And the Four Continents Top 5 Finnsteppers (all that I could find on youtube)

1 VIRTUE Tessa / MOIR Scott CAN 36.40 18.42 17.98 7.30 7.00 7.10 7.40 0.00 #11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWHgSYl7pvk

2 DAVIS Meryl / WHITE Charlie USA 35.23 18.28 16.95 6.95 6.50 6.85 6.85 0.00 #7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypFuIG1Bb48

3 CRONE Vanessa / POIRIER Paul CAN 32.43 16.98 15.45 6.35 6.15 6.10 6.05 0.00 #10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2L2xNHhC8A

4 SAMUELSON Emily / BATES Evan USA 31.41 16.22 15.19 6.40 5.75 6.05 6.10 0.00 #12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-OCfkm_gWo

5 WEAVER Kaitlyn / POJE Andrew CAN 30.62 16.08 14.54 5.90 5.55 5.80 6.10 0.00 #8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woTGpVmLLww

[FSGMT]

Thank you doris, that's really interesting! It looks really a funny dance, I think that both D/W and V/M will be able to create wonderful programs!
The one that always comes to my mind when I think about quickstep on ice is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igCIRj--Ktg it's still my favourite OD ever!