2013 4cc Free Dance

[Ice Diva]

LOL! The armchair "experts" have their knives out & sharpened before they even know what caused V/M to stop in their program. The last thing elite ice dancers want is to stop the flow of their program & it would be something extreme for V/M to do so. My parents, both of whom are figure skating coaches & judges, say the program interruption was handled completely correctly & adhered to the ISU Rules. Even with the interruption, V/m's program IMO was by far the most dynamic & exciting of the competition: their expression of modern dance just amazing, their connection, body lines, unison and edges surpass everyone.

[TontoK]

I do think both teams will be ready for the Olympics. Marina has probably planned both of their programs a year or two in advance.

I recall and interview or commentator blurb from a year or so ago. Even then, Marina had selected the FD music for all her teams.

At the time, I speculated that D/W would have something very ballroom, but after reviewing the Finnstep I've had to revise. Marina won't put out two look-alike programs for her teams.

[icebeauty]

Was that the competition were they were setting up a lift (she leaned over, he put his arm over her waist - although he was suppose to place it under), then they aborted? As I recall, they were also permitted to restart from the lift.

nope you're think of COR from this season...(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lci9qn6tJs)
i was referring to this skate, where you could CLEARLY tell Alex was struggling in the second half/sounding like he was coughing up a lung afterwards...(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEbslHn0-js)

[Skater Boy]

V and M, I feel for them but D and W have a plan, they know who they ae and they stay in that realm. there is no advantage for V and M really to push their envelope. They are trying something different with Carmen. It is like Pink Floyd. Part of me wants Davis and White to win Oly gold because they were second the last time and the other wants V and M. Justice is all in one's mind. Some could say yes D and W are great give them gold. But as we know life isn't always fair. And in some cases karma and in others bad luck and well it all depends on your view or bias or perspective or... I always felt sorry Brian Orser didn't win gold and same with Kwan, Browning and heck Liz Manley. Usova and Zhulin different rules may have allowed them to win, different skating orders (rules because they changed over the years and would have undoubtedly affected the results). I always thought but is is just my opinon Usova and Zhulin deserved an Oly gold and krylova and oksianikov but life isn't fair.. I do feel that V and m have to regain their skating skills they are getting killed by D and W - you would think they would fight harder. Ditto for Shibs - nice team but they really have to fight to regain no. 2 in the US from world bronze to national bronze is not great.

[sky_fly20]

Congrats to Meryl and Charlie
Chock/Bates solidified as U.S. No. 2

by next Season 3rd place will be between Hubell/Donohue and Aldrige/Eaton
the Shibutanis will probably be 5th in US ranking by next Season. I think its time for them to separate and try luck with another partner

[rvi5]

I know that Tessa has a lot of problems with her shins and that she had few surgeries in the past and I am sure this is the reason for their "break" during the program, but in the same time it is OK to ask ourselves why didn`t they withdraw from competition like in 2011.

Maybe they needed the judges feedback on some of the changes they had made to the program. 4CC would be their last chance before Worlds.

[TontoK]

Skater Boy, I have to agree with your assessment of the Shibs. I'm not sure what is going on there. Perhaps growth and development is just taking a while.

Their first year out, I loved their SD, really liked their FD, and was thrilled to see them on the podium at Worlds. Since then, they've just left me kind of feeling flat when I watch them, and I don't have the first idea why.

[icebeauty]

Different opinions then. A lot of fans love V/M's Carmen (from what I've seen) & there are some that dislike Notre Dame. It depends on the fans & his/her preference.

i agree that we all have our preferences, and clearly D/W and V/M are very different in style so it's difficult to compare them head to head. but i just don't think V/M and Marina went in the right direction with the Carmen program. like every time i watch it i'm impressed, but it seems empty probably b/c Carmen is just one of those musical selection you should avoid regardless of how great you are b/c it's just overused and we've already seen every interpretation of it...it just seems like there hasn't been development/improvement even with the changes.

[Mao88]

FREE DANCE - RESULT & VIDEOS (Updated)

1. Meryl DAVIS & Charlie WHITE (USA) - 187.36 Free Dance, 2nd Copy, Interview
2. Tessa VIRTUE & Scott MOIR (CAN) - 184.32 Free Dance, 2nd Copy
3. Madison CHOCK & Evan BATES (USA) - 160.42 Free Dance
4. Maia SHIBUTANI & Alex SHIBUTANI (USA) - 159.97 Free Dance
5. Piper GILLES & Paul POIRIER (CAN) - 157.83 Free Dance
6. Nicole ORFORD & Thomas WILLIAMS (CAN) - 139.10 Free Dance
7. Cathy REED & Chris REED (JPN) - 131.04 Free Dance
8. Danielle OBRIEN & Gregory MERRIMAN (AUS) - 123.88 Free Dance
9. Xiaoyang YU & Chen WANG (CHN) - 108.82
10. Anna NAGORNYUK & Viktor KOVALENKO (UZB) - 107.02
11. Emi HIRAI & Marien DE LA ASUNCION (JPN) - 105.56 Free Dance
12. Bryna OI & Taiyo MIZUTANI (JPN) - 89.80 Free Dance
13. Pilar MAEKAWA & Leonardo MAEKAWA (MEX) - 85.02

Complete Final Warm-Up Group

Medal Ceremony: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

[icebeauty]

Skater Boy, I have to agree with your assessment of the Shibs. I'm not sure what is going on there. Perhaps growth and development is just taking a while.

Their first year out, I loved their SD, really liked their FD, and was thrilled to see them on the podium at Worlds. Since then, they've just left me kind of feeling flat when I watch them, and I don't have the first idea why.

I adore the Shibs, and it's frustrating to see them a little all over the leaderboard for the past two seasons, but i don't i could ever see them skating with anyone else. I think we forget that they are young, and being Asian, they don't look their age and will look like "kids" compared to their competitors (I'm speaking from experience, I look like I could be in high school, but have been out of college for 2 years now...I was born here in the states, but am asian by ethnicity). Obviously adding in the element that they are siblings, I think it's hard for them to have programs that keep them competitive all the time, certain styles work better for them, the classic-look/straight dance method is their go to. This year with Memoirs of a Geisha, the program is BEAUTIFUL in my opinion, but it's almost too nuanced that unless you you're really studying the program you miss a lot. Also, as someone who has studied Japanese history and culture for school, I personally know that I appreciate the program from an interpretation standpoint than the regular skating fan/audience b/c I know more about Japanese dance and Geisha culture, which is extremely nuanced and delicate, than most people.
I hope that they aren't running out of ideas for programs b/c i do enjoy watching them skate (their flow, skating quality, quiet blades, beautiful lines, etc) even if they aren't exciting to watch

[blackswanphoto]

Congrats to Meryl and Charlie
Chock/Bates solidified as U.S. No. 2

by next Season 3rd place will be between Hubell/Donohue and Aldrige/Eaton
the Shibutanis will probably be 5th in US ranking by next Season. I think its time for them to separate and try luck with another partner

I totally agree... and now that I think about it, the USFSA was smart as hell to send them to World's this year over Hubbell (Although I would prefer Hubbell to go). The USFSA know that the Shibs are more than likely going to finish between 8-10 at Worlds. With D/W finishing second that would guarantee 3 spots for worlds/olympics next season. C/B are an unknown factor at worlds so they cannot predict where they will finish. Hubbell would have also been a slight risk to send this year. Now next year all bets are off and the Shibs should be knocked out by the Hubbells or someone else.

[icefan1005]

LOL! The armchair "experts" have their knives out & sharpened before they even know what caused V/M to stop in their program. The last thing elite ice dancers want is to stop the flow of their program & it would be something extreme for V/M to do so. My parents, both of whom are figure skating coaches & judges, say the program interruption was handled completely correctly & adhered to the ISU Rules. Even with the interruption, V/m's program IMO was by far the most dynamic & exciting of the competition: their expression of modern dance just amazing, their connection, body lines, unison and edges surpass everyone.

Well, that's good to hear (your parents' opinion). I also agree with you completely.

[sky_fly20]

I totally agree... and now that I think about it, the USFSA was smart as hell to send them to World's this year over Hubbell (Although I would prefer Hubbell to go). The USFSA know that the Shibs are more than likely going to finish between 8-10 at Worlds. With D/W finishing second that would guarantee 3 spots for worlds/olympics next season. C/B are an unknown factor at worlds so they cannot predict where they will finish. Hubbell would have also been a slight risk to send this year. Now next year all bets are off and the Shibs should be knocked out by the Hubbells or someone else.

at Nationals I was even surprised that H/D did not knock out the Shibs for the national bronze
but by next Season H/D should have no problem being US No.3 while A/E will probably compete with the Shibs for No. 4

[blackswanphoto]

at Nationals I was even surprised that H/D did not knock out the Shibs for the national bronze
but by next Season H/D should have no problem being US No.3 while A/E will probably compete with the Shibs for No. 4

The other thing that annoys me about the Shibs (besides the fact that they are a refrigerator break) is that they refuse to address the issue or change coaches. They have gotten the short end of the stick the past 2 seasons and still just sitting there doing nothing about it. Their strategy of waiting for V/M and D/W to retire in order to get Marina's attention may backfire.

[sky_fly20]

The other thing that annoys me about the Shibs (besides the fact that they are a refrigerator break) is that they refuse to address the issue or change coaches. They have gotten the short end of the stick the past 2 seasons and still just sitting there doing nothing about it. Their strategy of waiting for V/M and D/W to retire in order to get Marina's attention may backfire.

they sealed their fate with Zueva , they would have been back had they went to Shipilband last summer now its too late at least until past 2014