Kaitlin Hawayek & Jean-Luc Baker
- Thread starter snowflakebeautiful
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Too bad for HB this year 
! But honestly, I don't think they were in top shape this year. I loved their FD, but their SD did not highlight their strengths.
Hope for the best next year! They are still my favorite team! Sorry I won't see them in Boston.
! But honestly, I don't think they were in top shape this year. I loved their FD, but their SD did not highlight their strengths. Hope for the best next year! They are still my favorite team! Sorry I won't see them in Boston.
I will miss them at Worlds too 
I miss their old costume for the FP, but I guess the darker colors are supposed to give a more "mature" feel to their overall image? I still really enjoy this team and hope they are not too disappointed with themselves and come back strong next season!
Tbh, I've been a bit concerned about them all season. The SD wasn't a good fit from the start. At Skate America you had the rather direct comparison of Sinitsina/Katsalapov doing Swan Lake and H/B doing Nutcracker. S/K's SD fits them, it plays to what they do well, to Nikita's command and authority, to Viktoria's softness, to their good speed and flow and their nice upper body movements. While H/B's SD kinda worked against them...it emphasized that they're on the short side, that balletic movements aren't really their strongest point, that they could use more projection outwards etc. etc. IMO this is a coaching mistake, giving them different material (for example more classical ballroom) that emphasized what they do well would have been a better idea.
And then IMO there's the general problem that they still look like a junior pair skating amongst the seniors. This is their second year now, they shouldn't look like that anymore. I don't know what the solution is here. Coaching changes aren't always the answer to problems like that and Krylova/Camerlengo are great at their job. Whatever they decide, I hope it works out for them. They're so talented and have so much potential.
And then IMO there's the general problem that they still look like a junior pair skating amongst the seniors. This is their second year now, they shouldn't look like that anymore. I don't know what the solution is here. Coaching changes aren't always the answer to problems like that and Krylova/Camerlengo are great at their job. Whatever they decide, I hope it works out for them. They're so talented and have so much potential.
Although I am thrilled for the Shibs winning, Kaitlin and Jean-Luc's 5th place finish at US Nationals was disappointing. I think they need to regroup for next year. Their lifts seem to be a challenge and maybe a lift specialist is in order to help them perform their lifts with better fluidity and speed. They can't change their small difference in height but maybe some additional core/strength training for both is in order. Kaitlin should not look to lose weight but to get stronger in the execution. Also, they need two dances that play to their strengths rather than try to develop a style (SD ballet) that is not apparent. I love the Theory of Everything FD and really feel like it was never seen properly by the judges. I know it's risky but maybe they should hang on to that and work to refine and find a SD that will put them in a better stance. But I really did NOT like the change to the blue sparkly costumes for the FD. It totally missed the mark for the mood and message of the dance. Jean-Luc's former outfit was fine but maybe Kaitlin needed to lose the lacy, bow dress and find something plain and sophisticated. But not blue sparkles Vegas!
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2011
I liked her new FD costume a lot (in fact IMO it's the best costume she's ever worn) but I agree it missed the mark in terms of the themes and tone of this dance- she should have saved it for something different. I think the SD was intended to challenge them this year but I agree this was an error probably a coaching one- they have to worry about looking less juniorish and breaking through on the senior level now, and that should be their ONLY goal and concern. Once they've done that they can challenge themselves.
I do hope they'll get things sorted out. I still think they have absolutely enormous potential and all kinds of good qualities.
I do hope they'll get things sorted out. I still think they have absolutely enormous potential and all kinds of good qualities.
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2014
I'm with you! I too would love to see their FD again in a more refined iteration. Honestly, it's one of my favorites of the season overall. I feel like they seemed rather juniorish in their SD and more senior in their free- maybe next year's pattern will suit them better? That said, I really do believe they could rise in the ranks despite the depth of U.S. dance- given time, they could be another dominant American team on the world stage.
Well, now that the season is over I wanted to talk about my bb faves! There's not really any room for them at the top. Hubbell/Donohue have reversed their backward slide and finished sixth in the World, and the Shibs and Chock/Bates didn't get any more vulnerable either what with their podium finish (yay US ice dance!). Next season their attention will need to be behind them, as they try to prevent C/M from passing them internationally as they did at Nationals and fend off challenges from Daniel Eaton and his new partner as well as a slew of extremely talented US juniors like the Parsons and new JWC McNamara/Carpenter (assuming they go senior, which I do).
So what is the best course of action for them? What sorts of programs do you think they should do? What should their strategy be? What sorts of goals should they set? What do they most need to work on immediately improving?
Also, given Weaver and Poje's slide in TES at 4CC and Worlds and their difficulty getting Level 4s on step sequences and the pattern compared to other top teams... is anyone else really concerned about DSC's ability to help their teams on the technical side? Kaitlin and Jean-Luc are going to be in such a very crowded field of young US ice dancers who are shut out from the top. It's going to be very competitive. It's absolutely imperative that they improve their levels, IMO.
So what is the best course of action for them? What sorts of programs do you think they should do? What should their strategy be? What sorts of goals should they set? What do they most need to work on immediately improving?
Also, given Weaver and Poje's slide in TES at 4CC and Worlds and their difficulty getting Level 4s on step sequences and the pattern compared to other top teams... is anyone else really concerned about DSC's ability to help their teams on the technical side? Kaitlin and Jean-Luc are going to be in such a very crowded field of young US ice dancers who are shut out from the top. It's going to be very competitive. It's absolutely imperative that they improve their levels, IMO.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2011
I do worry for them a bit next year, but I think their focus simply has to be on creating the best programs they can and trying to rise in the ranks internationally. I'm not sure it is realistic to think they will be able to pass H/D next year at this point but they should be able to start finishing higher in international competitions and hitting their levels consistently. I do think this isn't really the time to try to stretch themselves as they did this year with the super balletic SD and they should try for programs that showcase their strengths.
I agree that Kaitlin and Jean-Luc need to establish their style and reinforce their technique before worrying about stretching into areas for which they are not well suited. A lift coach is needed, too. I do worry that they will battle for 4th place nationally. But the Shibs should provide enormous motivation. Although they had second place in the US for the last couple years they were struggling internationally. Now look at the Shibs - World silver medalists! Ranking can change and momentum can shift. Hang in the Kaitlin and Jean-Luc! Work on your weaknesses and find 2 vehicles that accentuate your many strengths, I'm a BIG fan!
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2011
I agree a lift specialist wouldn't hurt anything but I actually think that given their incredibly small size difference (both in height and honestly also in terms of their build) they generally manage the lifts well. I am not sure it's realistic to expect with such a small size difference that the majority of their lifts are ever going to be able to have that OMG WOW factor some of the top teams lifts do, but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect pretty, smooth lifts that they can execute consistently. I did feel their 'new lifts' last season never really quite gelled 100% but honestly they may be a team who can only incorporate one new lift a season and needs lots and lots of practice on new lifts before they are 100% gelled due to the size difference. Maybe they should basically do what Meryl and Charlie did with their Scheherazade lifts and begin working on new lifts 2 seasons before they actually plan to incorporate the lift into a program and slowly but steadily build the reliability and wow factor of their lifts that way.
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2014
Guignard/Fabbri is another team with even smaller size difference than H/B. She looks so big next to him and I was shocked to discover that she's only 157cm. As much as I'm ambivalent about Hiphop, I think H/B can pull off a good one, judging by Kaitlin's recent hiphop video with Yura Min and Olivia Smart. After watching H/B's Romeo and Juliet, I thought they were polished enough to move up the senior ranks, but the Nutcracker SP laid bare all the weaknesses in them that I hadn't noticed :noshake:. Kaitlin even admitted that Krylova had a more rigorous ballet background than them so some parts of the initial choreography had to be adjusted because she made it too difficult for them. I know zits about dance techniques but I think their biggest mistake last season is to package themselves as a balletic, ethereal team. I believe they can be intense, lyrical, quirky but elegance-wise they're not up there yet.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2011
Yes, I certainly didn't mean to imply a team with a small size difference can't be successful and in fact in some ways I actually think it's an advantage- much easier to have matching lines, similar knee bend, and many (though not all) holds are also easier to execute. I agree with you about the SP issues last year, and I guess we'll just have to wait and see what this year holds.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
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Kaitlyn Hawayek & Jean-Luc Baker gofundme
https://www.gofundme.com/hawayek-baker
Kaitlyn put up a link to the team\'s GoFundMe for 2016-17 on Instagram.
https://www.gofundme.com/hawayek-baker
Kaitlyn put up a link to the team\'s GoFundMe for 2016-17 on Instagram.
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- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
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I added a number of things to Kaitlyn & Jean-Luc's OP. Have a look?
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2014
Yes, this is good! I love the lyrical, classical approach. This is their strength. This might stand out in a good way as I'm noticing that many teams are using a more modern take to both their SD and FD. You need it due to the requirements in the SD but Hawayek/Baker's homage to classical in the FD might be a welcome relief to audiences and judges alike!
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- May 27, 2014
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Beautiful! This is a gorgeous FD for them, I love it!
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