2014-2015 Program Report, What worked, What didn't, How to improve

[Ice Dance]

Hi Doris,

I'm going to agree with you. Ross was far from at his best, but the program worked in Boston. Everyone I was sitting with was moved. People will be hard pressed to find a more powerful presentation at Worlds.

 

[Blades of Passion]

BoP, I think you are a little mistaken. I'm very sure that holding a position for 8 revolutions is still counted as a feature and contributes towards the level.

It only counts for a Camel, Layback, "difficult" sit position, or difficult upright. A sit spin with a straight back and straight extended free leg, which requires much strength and control to do properly and many skaters are not able to do, is considered only a "regular" position and gives you no level credit at all. For some reason the ISU continues to ignore the classic spins that are difficult to do, and very pleasing to look at, and does not change the rules.

 

[Layback11]

Okay, getting back on the correct tangent before a fight breaks out...

One of my favorite programs this season and, I think, the finest demonstration of how lyrics can make a program great, is Ksenia and Fedor's free skate. Not only do I love the music (Notre-Dame De Paris will forever remind me of D/W's 2013 free dance, one of my favorite programs ever), but it was one of the few programs where I felt like lyrics really took it to the next level. Unfortunately, they were never really able to skate it clean, but it had RIDICULOUS amounts of potential if they could. I hope they keep it next season! I'm probably going to get really bashed for this, but I actually thought Adelina's Je Suis Malade was a great program and use of lyrics (what is it with me and dramatic opera-esque lyrics in French? ), except for that really strange ending where she slides down the glass and "dies." I get that the title is, literally, "I Am Sick," but that interpretation was far too literal for my taste . If she keeps the programs next season, I'm excited to see how that turns out on a bigger stage than the Russian Test Skate thing she did!