Should the short dance and original dance alternate each year? | Golden Skate

Should the short dance and original dance alternate each year?

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
The Original Dance was replaced by the short dance after the elimination of the compulsory dance. Both sections scored the program components out of 40.

The elements for the original dance were
- 1 short lift
- 1 Set of twizzles
- 2 step sequences (in hold and no touch)

If all were given level 4 the total base value= 4+6+8+8=26pts
If all level 4 elements then get +3, the highest possible TES=4+(1.5)+6+(1.5)+8+(3)+8+(3)=35pts

The short dance elements are
- 1 short lift
- 1 Set of twizzles
- 1 no touch step sequence
- 2 sequences of a compulsory dance

If all were given level 4 the total base value 2 would = 4+6+8+7+7=32pts
If all level 4 element then get +3, the highest TES= 4+(1.5)+6+(1.5)+8+(3)+7+(1.5)+7+(1.5)=41pts

At the end of the original dance era, the ISU began choosing more conceptual themes for this section which made it entertaining. Wouldn't it be cool if they could alternate between the two dances each year. Maybe to make up for the 6pt deficit between the highest possible TES you can get in the SD and the OD, maybe a choreographed step sequence in the style of the OD worth a fixed base value of 3pts with positive GOE increasing by increments of 1pt (I.e. +1=4pts, +2=5pts and +3 GOE=6pts) and negative GOE decreasing by increments of 0.5 (-1=2.5pts, -2=2.0pts and -3=1.5). This sequence shouldn't have a huge base value as this element is more about the style of the dance, rather than about getting a specific number of moves and steps in.

I miss the original dance a lot. I was really looking forward to their 50s, 60s and 70s theme.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
I miss the OD too! And the CD's!

However, I've got to say that I really liked a lot of this year's polka SD's, particularly Meryl & Charlie's Giselle polka, which has to be my favorite SD ever :love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7etC7yMjE-s

And anyone who says you can't tell a story in an SD hasn't watched what Zhiganshina & Gaszi did with this year's SD, or for that matter, Bobrova & Soloviev's SD.
 

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
I miss the OD too! And the CD's!

However, I've got to say that I really liked a lot of this year's polka SD's, particularly Meryl & Charlie's Giselle polka, which has to be my favorite SD ever :love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7etC7yMjE-s

And anyone who says you can't tell a story in an SD hasn't watched what Zhiganshina & Gaszi did with this year's SD, or for that matter, Bobrova & Soloviev's SD.

You got that right. The best dancers are those who can create magic within the constraints. Anyone have connections to an ISU member. I think that my suggestion above might be good for ice dance.
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
I agree that the idea could be good, but in the OD year, the skater wouldn't compete compulsory dances at all or there would be a separate CD competition?
 

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
I agree that the idea could be good, but in the OD year, the skater wouldn't compete compulsory dances at all or there would be a separate CD competition?

No. Just omit the compulsory portion as a whole. Having specified rhythms and dances are great and all but there is a whole world of dance outside the ballroom and latin world and there only so many compulsory dances out there. When they were tapping conceptual themes such as folk music and were going to do the 50s, 60s and 70s theme, I was really excited for that.

Besides with the ISU implementing 'partial step sequences' after the Olympic season, the compulsory portion of the SD is becoming even less significant. Also, variety is a good thing.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
One of the stated reasons for eliminating the Cd was the problem that the IOC insisted on only 2 phases for each skating competition. So the way to do this is:

Olympics years SD
Olympics + 1 year CD & OD
Olympics + 2 years SD
Olympics + 3 years CD & OD

Now that I would love!

It also avoids the problems that not all that many CD's make a good base for SD's.
IMO, the Golden Waltz, Finnstep, Yankee Polka & Tango Romantica are about it. But that would give you 8 years to repeat on, so very few couples would ever repeat an SD theme.
 

KKonas

Medalist
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Hate to be a downer to this interesting discussion, but IMO the CD part of the SD is going the way of the dodo bird at the senior level. There are only a handful of CD's considered difficult enough to use in top level competitions these days, which is why the idea of a set of specifically designed steps set to a specific rhythm is being tested out after Sochi. Guess we will have to wait and see what develops.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ That's a shame. The compulsory patterns were the prettiest part of the short dance. Plus it gives the audience a chance to understand what it is that the dancers are embellishing in the freer sections.

Sometimes you just want to see a waltz or a polka. :)
 
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CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
I loved the compulsory portion of the SD as well and thought it was a great solution to getting rid of the CD. It's great to note a sequence where a team's fundamentals can really set them apart, but the rest of the dance has elements that allow for originality and creativity. The OD was interesting from a "playing off a theme" standpoint but watching 20 interpretations of a tango, is kinda like watching 20 CD's but with different steps. I loved the idea for 2010 where the OD had a "world theme" (hah, yes, even with D/S's crazy aboriginal dance) and it was perfect for the Olympics. D/W's indian Short Dance was absolutely brilliant ... and really that whole OD segment from the 2010 Olympics is worth watching over and over.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
The everybody- tango- through- the- whole- program was my least favorite ever OD theme. But then, I find tango music very monotonouse in any case.

From the 1999-2000 season until the 2009-2010, OD themes had several rhythms that the dancers could choose from so that they did not become monotonous to watch:

1999-2000 Latin Combination: Meringue, Cha Cha, Samba, Mambo, Rhumba
2000-2001 Charleston, Foxtrot, Quickstep and March
2001-2002 Tango, Flamenco, Paso Doble and Spanish Waltz
2002-2003 Memories of a Grand Ball: Waltz, Polka, March, and Gallop
2003-2004 Swing Combo: Jive, Boogie Woogie, Jitterbug, Rock N' Roll and Blues
2004-2005 Foxtrot, Quickstep, Charleston
2005-2006 Latin Combination: Meringue, Cha Cha, Samba, Mambo, Rhumba
2006-2007 Tango :bang: I don't know why the ISU thought this was a good choice
2007-2008 Folk, Country
2008-2009 Rhythms and Dances of the 1920's, 1930's or 1940's
2009-2010 Folk, Country
 

uncchristine99

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 29, 2012
I always had a love-hate relationship with the OD. It just can get really campy! I have to bring up Dancing With the Stars because I'm reminded of Len, who always always hates creative frou frou stuff. He really tears people up when they don't have enough basic dance steps and just waste time posing or pandering to the crowd. I feel like that about the OD--there's usually just excessive preening and running around depending on the "theme." I was glad to see it go away though I did enjoy the Vancouver OD.

So far, I've liked the SD but I think I'm biased because I've liked every compulsory pattern so far. The only thing that bugs me about the SD is when teams make poor music selection. Ill-fitting music can really downplay the compulsory patterns regardless of how well they're executed. This past season, V/M and the Shibs come to mind. The music and tempo they chose just didn't seem to jive with the steps they were doing and while I was either confused or not totally bought, there were other couples like D/W and C/L with music that suited them AND the steps AND there was no muddiness about their concept.

I don't mind if the OD never comes back but like others have said, I'm not sure if there are enough cool compulsory patterns to go around for a cycle without repeating. I don't know a lot about them though so the list above is encouraging.
 

GF2445

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
There are only so many compulsory dances out there, which is of a good standard for the SD.The ISU should of thought about the SD more before approving it. I still have apprehensions about placing a set pattern dance into an original composition- it can seem jarring at times.
 
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