2013 Skate America Free Dance

QUOTE=blackswanphoto;775243]Woah!.. just noticed the ice dance field at D/W next event is loaded! So many top teams and interesting scenarios. Almost every team there will be interesting to watch except the Reeds.[/QUOTE]
I disagree slightly, the Reeds have improved nicely. They may not podium but they're now very lovely to watch, IMHO

Orange Cat said:

To be fair to D/W they didn't peak 'too soon' with Die Flaudermaus; that was amazing from its first outing, and stayed amazing throughout. I'm just thrilled they turned in a fantastic performance, especially considering how many family and friends they had in the stands ... If I say any more about the program I probably will lose coherence haha. I loved it!

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But they had their best performance of Die Flaudermaus at the grand prix events.. It was not good at 4 continents and not as good at Worlds (They lost both competitions). They had set the bar way too high at meaningless events. Even with the Notre Dame routine the best performance was at NHK and 4 Continents. So this is the problem now. Putting all the cards on the table too soon.

If Tessa and Scott are not perfect or the technical panel at skate canada are harsh, it wont be great news for them. 112points?? The max score a team can score in the Free Dance is 119.50! The judges need to give meryl and charlie some room to build their score or a similar situation like what happened in the 2011-12 season will happen when the scores began shrinking because they were getting too high.

None the less, a superior program from Meryl and Charlie.

aftertherain said:

Can someone who is in Detroit in the stadium during the events tell that lady who thinks she can reach the whistle register to stop screaming?

Please?

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Someone needs to open a can of whupazz on her!

Seriously, she was upstaging the skaters themselves.

I heard her during some of the other groups as well. The videos were much better after I muted the sound. Seriously, someone "official" at the rink needs to politely tell her to put a sock in it or escort her out of the building. I have the feeling she is one of those people who craves attention, but can't get it for anything else, so she makes an azz out of herself. Just like a five-year-old, "bad attention is still attention".

Davis/White are athletic, tehy ahve speed, flow and control
get over it, same old whining, I can say the same with V/M limited range with same we are in love theme

D/W are ahead in both Technical and program component aspects !

blackswanphoto said:

Just goes to show D/W can skate with blindfolds on and still be so much better than all the other teams. When will your fave?

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With the judges on their side, they don't need guide dogs for sure.

sky_fly20 said:

Davis/White are athletic, tehy ahve speed, flow and control
get over it, same old whining, I can say the same with V/M limited range with same we are in love theme

D/W are ahead in both Technical and program component aspects !

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Do they really show speed last night? Oh my, the one trick pony has to be put down now.

TontoK said:

Cut SourApple some slack. She's watched this, and she believes her favorites cannot possibly match it.

As for me, I hope they can; it will be such an exciting season. We'll see very soon.

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Chill it, Old Dinosaur. Save it for next week. Someone will put on a show, and I'm not talking about the judges, hehe

sweetskates1 said:

Good one TontoK, however, it is annoying how vicious some fans can be sometimes. I have always found D/W superior and only hope they achieve what they deserve in the upcoming Olympics which is what they should have been awarded in 2010 - gold.

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Wow, talk about irony...

apple123 said:

Chill it, Old Dinosaur. Save it for next week. Someone will put on a show, and I'm not talking about the judges, hehe

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apple123 said:

Do they really show speed last night? Oh my, the one trick pony has to be put down now.

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apple123 said:

With the judges on their side, they don't need guide dogs for sure.

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Well, I guess we've all been put in our places by this stunning display of incisive wit. Or not.

If there is one thing D/W have never had is the 'judges in their pocket' and I will refrain from saying anything more.

D/W gave the performance of a lifetime and it will get greater and better each time - I am thrilled and proud of them in every sense!! No one has worked harder, and evolved this much imo. Their greatness is reflected by the fact that I cannot see any Ice Dance pair before or after them can replace them; the qualities that we are so enamored with - their speed/athleticism/strength/airy steps/personal and artistic charm are unique to them - unparalleled/irreplaceable.

apple123 said:

With the judges on their side, they don't need guide dogs for sure.

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rallycairn said:

Well, I guess we've all been put in our places by this stunning display of incisive wit. Or not.

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Thank you for your quote. I wouldn't mind share the truth with more people. While we are displaying quotes, let's see what I have to respond to, shall we?

blackswanphoto said:

Just goes to show D/W can skate with blindfolds on and still be so much better than all the other teams. When will your fave?

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TontoK said:

Cut SourApple some slack. She's watched this, and she believes her favorites cannot possibly match it.

As for me, I hope they can; it will be such an exciting season. We'll see very soon.

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sweetskates1 said:

Good one TontoK, however, it is annoying how vicious some fans can be sometimes. I have always found D/W superior and only hope they achieve what they deserve in the upcoming Olympics which is what they should have been awarded in 2010 - gold.

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sweetskates1 said:

If there is one thing D/W have never had is the 'judges in their pocket' and I will refrain from saying anything more.

D/W gave the performance of a lifetime and it will get greater and better each time - I am thrilled and proud of them in every sense!! No one has worked harder, and evolved this much imo. Their greatness is reflected by the fact that I cannot see any Ice Dance pair before or after them can replace them; the qualities that we are so enamored with - their speed/athleticism/strength/airy steps/personal and artistic charm are unique to them - unparalleled/irreplaceable.

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Now I see where the blindfold is. And I firmly believe all athletes have to work their *** off to get to this stage. Work harder than others? Really? How on earth do you find out? Imagine it in head?

But everyone is awfully quiet about C/L. What did you guys think or still undecided?

bramweld said:

But everyone is awfully quiet about C/L. What did you guys think or still undecided?

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It's not as well choreographed as the short dance. I liked the entrance into the dance spin very much--though apparently the spins themselves had problems (perhaps a tech expert can explain why - hint, hint!). It's certainly a nice program--if I were P/B or B/S, I would be very worried indeed, as they threw down a real challenge for the bronze. They certainly have improved technically in ways that are clearly noticeable. But it did rather seem to be a rehash of Carmen in some ways. And again, it's a nice program. I'm just not sure it's going to be a particularly memorable one. YMMV of course.

bramweld said:

But everyone is awfully quiet about C/L. What did you guys think or still undecided?

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D/W No.2, a few key words: edges, two-foot skating and ice coverage. On the plus side though, the male partner is much more expressive than the original, and the female does look like a girl.

Some thoughts about fd’s:


Ok, so H&D first – I have to say that I always connect them with strong music, like flamenco last year, so when I discovered that they will use for fd Schwartz’s Nocturne I was little confused and surprised. But now, after watching them I think it’s a good piece for them. In 2010 Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier used this music for fd so it was hard not to remind them during watching H&D. For me, they really developed, especially in presentation side. There weren’t any “empty” moments in that dance – transitions were smooth and well incorporate in music. Also their lines between elements for me where good, I don’t like that “little jumps” meanwhile in dance, for me they are distracting and ruin the fluidity of whole dance somehow...All elements were perfect connected with music, it was a complex performance. They told me maybe not a story, but about their feeling in that moment, so they showed me personality and that is visible in their PCS score. Although they have to master step sequences, especially first one and spin, lifts and twizzles are good. This program shows also their musicality, last year’s their flamenco was an artistic oblivion for me, so I have fingers crossed for them and I hope they can make Olympic team.

C&L – since 2010 I think they’ve changed the most form all ice dancers. They stopped pushing themselves in music or program they didn’t feel at all. Maybe choosing Carmen or La strada for them is too predictable for spectators, but this is the kind of music that suits them and they obviously feel great while they’re dancing to it. Barber is a strong piece, not so overused and can show their characters, but I feel that choreographer didn’t use a full potential of that music. For me some technical element are not well sync with the music, especially spin and twizzles. I like step sequences – good musicality in them, but again I have problem with their lifts – there is something “all over the place” feeling while I’m watching them, maybe the fluidity and accuracy will come in time. But overall, they are great performers and strong technicians now, program suits them, their interpretation story in Barber is funny and vital and I like it.

And M&C – I watched them last, after H&D and C&L. There’s no doubt that all technical elements were great, maybe a little hesitation in spin is a thing to eliminate, but overall no complaints. Placing the elements in music is also very good, Scheherezade cuts in that dance are in general well-made (the tension is built until end come, there is also a lyrical part to express some sensibility besides strength and passion). For sure, it is a program which could bring them to the top at Olys. But despite that I have also some mixed feelings. This is my personal opinion, I know that D&W fans might contest it, but everyone has its own perception and we could not agreeing with it, but we should respect the fact that every person has its own opinion. Ad rem, while watching H&D I hardly paid attention where is the technical element or if it is well-executed – it was fluid, complex performance full of their emotions. There was no empty moment, no unnecessary or fake move. While watching D&W I have feeling that it is great composed program with big elements and…no more unfortunately. Their costumes and some gestures help in interpretation and presentation, but there is a lot of empty, death moments in that dance with no meaning and connection to the music. Especially two moments are significant for me – one between spin and twizzles and the second right before second step sequence. That parts of the dance are too “jumped” and it cause lack of fluidity. I know that it is a fast music and they have to be right at the point on the technical elements, but when rest of the dance become just a break between required elements it is no good. They have amazing skills and I can’t see them in that moments. Also I have a problem with their “chemistry” and their relation to that piece – I see that they try to tell some story, create characters, but there is no personal element for me. Some of users wrote after their premier performance of this fd at SLC that it could be some kind of melancholic, reflective interpretation of Scheherezade and when I read that I thought that it could work in that case, because it could be something fresh. But now the dance isn’t like this, for me it expresses their strength and try create some passionate atmosphere, but I don’t feel it. I think the dance should be based on variety of emotions, from passion to lyrical sadness. Cuts are showing that range, but their dance not at all.

I’ve only watched already D&W, C&L and H&D – three different styles, three different types of ice dancers, partnering, interpretations of music etc. I must say first of all that each of them got music that suits them well this year and it’s visible that they are “not in pain” while they’re skating. I have to say that I always search in ice dancing some complexity and fluidity both in music-story relation and elements-music relation. I pay attention especially (maybe for You it will be strange) for moments between required elements, I often called them “empty moments” or “death moments”, why? – It’s because there is only few ice dancers who can make that moments important for dance and use music at that moments for creating whole atmosphere and presentation. The second factor, I have always analyse it is placing elements accurate to the music – after watching each dance I try to imagine if some element could be placed better in the other moment of music, in some cases I have that feeling even during watching dance for the first time. Third important thing in dance for me is “chemistry” between dancers and their presentation of music. I often call it “an artistic flexibility” – some just move to the music without deeper feelings and without thinking about music, but some are very sensible to it and can transform each year to show some other sides of their personalities. I call they artist, even when they use some warehouse like Swan Lake or Carmen (in my opinion it is risky and dangerous move to dance to pieces of music like that because they describe a story themselves and it is easy to wear costume and imitate swan or phantom – more difficult is to take overused or popular music and try to make new sense, a personal sense of it). So what I really appreciate dancers who search new music and use it, not from well-known ballets or operas. I think that using some new pieces challenge dancers and it can be a real test for them in PCS.

I’m sorry for that enormous, big first post, I watch this GS forum since awhile and always wanted to be active part of it. I hope my English is not too bad (sorry for all errors). I love figure skating, especially ice dance, I’m not a tech expert, but from reading this forum I everyday learn something new from all of You. Thanks for that.

Welcome, nonameface. Thanks for the great post!

That's a wonderful post, NoNameFace. Thanks for giving me a lot to look for when I see their programs. I like your idea of looking at the spaces between the moves. You're right; a great skater can make even a tried-and-true piece of music look fresh and new, just as a great orchestra can give us goosebumps for that music.