PAIRS
T&M - love the music.......sounds like the music from "Somewhere in Time" starring Christopher Reeve & Jane Seymour........one of my all-time favorite time travel movies btw. And T&M's interpretation of this classic piece was very good IMHO. However, though they have the best posture/toepoint/line/et al out of all the pairs, I'm not feeling any soul (aka "all the lights are on but nobody's home"). JMHO.
D&S - OMG, didn't recognize her at all........don't mean to be mean but she looks like she has aged 20 yrs. IMHO........still can't believe that this is the same young woman whom used to wear her long blonde hair in a ponytail a few yrs. ago & always reminded me of a fairy on the ice. Not anymore. That said, I thought their program was okay, and their lifts were superb as ever. Good job. Btw, I especially enjoy the fact that they seem so close off the ice, though unfortunately it doesn't transfer onto the ice. JMHO.
S&Z - aahh, just the ones I have been waiting for.........too bad this particular SP has never done anything for me.........but that didn't prevent my enjoying the connection these two have together. Can't wait till their LP! ^)
L&A - wow, this is the first time I have had the pleasure of seeing this pair. And they didn't disappoint. In fact, if truth be known, I enjoyed their program more than all the other pairs put together (no lie). Love the music, costumes, choreography, everything. She reminds me of Tiffany Steigler when it comes to personality, vivaciousness, etc. And looks a little bit like her as well. Am looking forward to seeing more of this pair in future.
MEN
Jeffery Buttle - first time seeing this guy.......reminds me of a California surfer in looks (aka blonde hair & tan skin)........but out on the ice he reminded me of an effeminate spider for some reason (probably due to his odd long spidery movements). Love the smile. And the program wasn't bad either.
Takeshi Honda - to me, he had the most passion out on the ice in terms of body movements & conviction.......enjoyed this program more than the others.......including the jumps, presentation & music. Still, I'm a creature of aesthetics, and would enjoy him even more if he fixed up a little - not talking about the costume - talking about him always reminding me of someone who has just crawled out of bed & hasn't had time to wash his face & comb his hair. JMHO.
Ryan Janke - nice man, nice program, nothing much else to say - nothing really stood out to me.
Evgeni Plushenko - have always preferred him over Alexei Yagudin in the past & that includes today's crop of competitors as well. That said, I wish he would hire a choreographer that could make use of his long line, passion, self-confidence and fire out on the ice. I just know that there is a Baryshnikov hiding inside there somewhere. He already has all the goods, now he just needs a program made for him. ***Note: his tiny segment to "Bolero" in COI's all-star cast a few yrs. past was the closest he has ever come.*** JMHO.
Emanuel Sandhu - what's to say........like T&M, he has the best posture/toepoint/line/et al.........but unlike them, he does have the personality (even if I don't particularly care for it). Alas, he doesn't have the jumps. And without them, he might as well become an ice dancer or ballet dancer. JMHO.
WOMEN
Sasha Cohen - nothing much to say/add.......she's definitely the creme of the crop of all the GP participants.......and until they can match her in terms of presentation, spins, & spirals (or outjump her by a mile; aka 3axel, quad, two 3/3 combos.), they don't have a chance unless Sasha messes up. JMHO.
Shizuka Arakawa - hmm, her SP is rather boring in my honest opinion..........prefer her LP by far.........but what she does, she does very very well ~ smooth gliding edges, long line, graceful arms, flexible back, elegant presence, nice musicality, very good jumps, etc.
Elena Sokolova - what to say, nothing really.........just hope she is in fighting form by the time Worlds comes round (if she makes it there).........wish her the best (no lie). ***Note: disappointed that the network didn't show Julia Sebestian; would have rather seen her instead of Elena; JMHO.***
Yukina Ota - nice program, pleasant music, cute skater.......was expecting something a little more b/c of the hype per the internet.........but even though that didn't materialize, I still enjoyed her & her program. And I must say she does have the prettiest arms/hands & a pleasant musicality about her. But in comparison to Sasha Cohen, there's no competition whatsoever. JMHO.
Peace & Love, Nadine
P.S. As regards Dance, I enjoyed the song about Sunshine. ^)
"I think of myself as an intelligent, sensitive human being with the soul of a clown, which always forces me to blow it at the most important moments" - Jim Morrison
T&M - love the music.......sounds like the music from "Somewhere in Time" starring Christopher Reeve & Jane Seymour........one of my all-time favorite time travel movies btw. And T&M's interpretation of this classic piece was very good IMHO. However, though they have the best posture/toepoint/line/et al out of all the pairs, I'm not feeling any soul (aka "all the lights are on but nobody's home"). JMHO.
D&S - OMG, didn't recognize her at all........don't mean to be mean but she looks like she has aged 20 yrs. IMHO........still can't believe that this is the same young woman whom used to wear her long blonde hair in a ponytail a few yrs. ago & always reminded me of a fairy on the ice. Not anymore. That said, I thought their program was okay, and their lifts were superb as ever. Good job. Btw, I especially enjoy the fact that they seem so close off the ice, though unfortunately it doesn't transfer onto the ice. JMHO.
S&Z - aahh, just the ones I have been waiting for.........too bad this particular SP has never done anything for me.........but that didn't prevent my enjoying the connection these two have together. Can't wait till their LP! ^)
L&A - wow, this is the first time I have had the pleasure of seeing this pair. And they didn't disappoint. In fact, if truth be known, I enjoyed their program more than all the other pairs put together (no lie). Love the music, costumes, choreography, everything. She reminds me of Tiffany Steigler when it comes to personality, vivaciousness, etc. And looks a little bit like her as well. Am looking forward to seeing more of this pair in future.
MEN
Jeffery Buttle - first time seeing this guy.......reminds me of a California surfer in looks (aka blonde hair & tan skin)........but out on the ice he reminded me of an effeminate spider for some reason (probably due to his odd long spidery movements). Love the smile. And the program wasn't bad either.
Takeshi Honda - to me, he had the most passion out on the ice in terms of body movements & conviction.......enjoyed this program more than the others.......including the jumps, presentation & music. Still, I'm a creature of aesthetics, and would enjoy him even more if he fixed up a little - not talking about the costume - talking about him always reminding me of someone who has just crawled out of bed & hasn't had time to wash his face & comb his hair. JMHO.
Ryan Janke - nice man, nice program, nothing much else to say - nothing really stood out to me.
Evgeni Plushenko - have always preferred him over Alexei Yagudin in the past & that includes today's crop of competitors as well. That said, I wish he would hire a choreographer that could make use of his long line, passion, self-confidence and fire out on the ice. I just know that there is a Baryshnikov hiding inside there somewhere. He already has all the goods, now he just needs a program made for him. ***Note: his tiny segment to "Bolero" in COI's all-star cast a few yrs. past was the closest he has ever come.*** JMHO.
Emanuel Sandhu - what's to say........like T&M, he has the best posture/toepoint/line/et al.........but unlike them, he does have the personality (even if I don't particularly care for it). Alas, he doesn't have the jumps. And without them, he might as well become an ice dancer or ballet dancer. JMHO.
WOMEN
Sasha Cohen - nothing much to say/add.......she's definitely the creme of the crop of all the GP participants.......and until they can match her in terms of presentation, spins, & spirals (or outjump her by a mile; aka 3axel, quad, two 3/3 combos.), they don't have a chance unless Sasha messes up. JMHO.
Shizuka Arakawa - hmm, her SP is rather boring in my honest opinion..........prefer her LP by far.........but what she does, she does very very well ~ smooth gliding edges, long line, graceful arms, flexible back, elegant presence, nice musicality, very good jumps, etc.
Elena Sokolova - what to say, nothing really.........just hope she is in fighting form by the time Worlds comes round (if she makes it there).........wish her the best (no lie). ***Note: disappointed that the network didn't show Julia Sebestian; would have rather seen her instead of Elena; JMHO.***
Yukina Ota - nice program, pleasant music, cute skater.......was expecting something a little more b/c of the hype per the internet.........but even though that didn't materialize, I still enjoyed her & her program. And I must say she does have the prettiest arms/hands & a pleasant musicality about her. But in comparison to Sasha Cohen, there's no competition whatsoever. JMHO.
Peace & Love, Nadine
P.S. As regards Dance, I enjoyed the song about Sunshine. ^)
"I think of myself as an intelligent, sensitive human being with the soul of a clown, which always forces me to blow it at the most important moments" - Jim Morrison