Warm Up Group 2
Zadorozhniuk/Verbillo (Ukrainian Folk) 49.01
They both have on red Ukrainian dancing boots. She has the traditional floral headdress with the multi colored ribbons in streamers. She has a very color clashy outfit -a chartreuse embroidered vest over a white blouse, and a dark purple, bright red, and hot pink skirt with the colors in single wide horizontal stripes . He has the huge, wide wide legged, traditional red pants with a chartreuse (and beige? gold?) long sash, and white embroidered peasant blouse. They open with twizzles with one hand behind the head (very traditional) and then the second set with hands behind the back. They do a rotational lift with her hanging on to one of his arms. When the music speeds up, they don't quite keep pace.
Bobrova/Soloviev (Yablochko; Russian Sailor Dance) 47.51
They are both in Russian sailor outfits with the white Donald Duck hat with the black headband and black streamers. They have black pants and blue tops with white sailor collars. Starts with heel and toe work and arms akimbo. Mostly the actually skating is from the stock book of steps with little character at first. The twizzles don't get enough rotations for level 4, maybe not enough for level 3 on the 2nd set, and they are stumbly and out of sync, and she can't hold on to her foot. Rotational lift with her saluting thoughout. They end with her taking off her hat to reveal she is really a woman.
Crone/Poirier (Flamenco) 50.87
He's wearing Patrick Swayze's Dirty Dancing outfit, but in black-V neck top, black pants. She has on the same huge polka dotted number she had on at CoR. This is a much better look for them. And their skating is a lot smoother than at CoR. Good deep edges on the first step sequence. Twizzles slightly out of unison. They still don't look to quite get the arrogance + sex attitude of the flamenco. Perhaps the dance is a little too old for so young a couple. They are one of the few to do an optional dance spin.
Kerr/Kerr (American Country; I've Been Everywhere) 56.53
The audience gives them a great ovation. Obviously, they have lots of fans here in Japan! This was a lot crisper and tidier than in France. She picks him up hitch hiking, and in the final pose, he is driving the truckand puts on the brakes. I like his floppy straw hat! There is a short two step section, but most of this was line dancish. He does a great, high side kick in the footwork.
Davis/White (Indian Folk Dance; Devdas 63.09
And their PCS scores are drifting into almost Navka-esque regions. 8.70 for choreography, 8.50 for interpretation.
They're having a great time dancing this dance, and their speed is a notch up from the others.
You've got to appreciate the fact that they have added Indian folk dance elements to every move in this program. Nothing is 100% recycled from their stock list of past tricks. Their arm motions are mostly in sync throughout, and are in character. Her head movements are particularly nice and snappy side to side, as they should be. They are trying very hard to get the edges deeper to get level four on the step sequences. I wonder whether they got them. I like that she hits a pose at the top of their complex left. They drift apart on the twizzles. I like the in character hand motions they are trying to do here. Well done.