2015-16 Grand Prix Final Free Dance

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Ok, so no complaining about results ever, and the Judges are right. I hope the people who have said this due to liking the result keep that in mind for every competition and every discipline.

 

[skylark]

C/B made tons of changes to their free, and overall I love the changes, especially the new ending. New lift positions are an improvement, too, I think. Thank goodness I have the British Eurosport guys to listen to about the quality of C/B and why they are a top team because if I only read here I'd think they were the worst team ever, and that twizzles & crowd reaction are the only or even a thing judges judge on lol.

^^^ this, times a thousand!

One would think, from all the technical speak about figure skating that goes on here, that there would be a little more balance to the opinions expressed.

I'm glad, too, that the British Eurosport guys talk about Chock and Bates' excellent skating qualities. I know why I like them so much, but I'm glad to hear about their techniques from a source that is way more unbiased than around here. What I love about them is that they celebrate what's good about each skater or team.

 

[Cleo]

Wow, I can't believe Alex skated that well after suffering food poisoning! I was in tears watching it - such a beautiful emotional program - not knowing he was sick. Ch/Bates and Shibs FS scores were basically tied; I think Nationals is going to be very close.

On a personal note, my hubby also suffered food poisoning in Barcelona when we were there on vacation last year. He could barely get out of bed after being sick all night; I can't imagine how Alex was able to skate so well. [We spent almost two weeks traveling around northern Spain with no problems and very much enjoyed the food, the people, and the sites, with Barcelona our last stop. Great country!]

 

[oat]

In a way the result here kind of reminds me of the 6.0 era when the results would remain exactly the same through each phase regardless of how everyone skated. After the first round if you were fourth you were finishing fourth unless there was a big disaster from the top three and there was nothing you can do about it. I don't think that's a good thing

That's why I think it's almost a miracle that P/C who were only 15th in the world championships in 2014 could win in 2015 and after being at 4th after the SD !!!

 

[msmelissa]

My only conclusion after the FD is that I wouldn't like to be in Chock/Bates' shoes at Nationals (even if they win), skating after the ShibSibs and their beautiful FD.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Oh please, no need to be so dramatic over C/B. I see that in this forum every single season people like to, for lack of better words, gang up on teams, and it comes in waves - a team may be the forum darling one year and the next year BAM, the hate starts flooding in. You may not like C/B or the fact that the Shibs or another team lost to them, but there is no need to basically say that their skating is terrible. Referring to the mistake on the twizzles, TAT said that Madison did not let go of her foot, that's why they kept at least the level 3, and both she and B.ESP guys agreed that she recovered from that very well. They are good, very good skaters, and the fact that people (for whatever reason) seem to dislike them this year won't make that fact disappear. C/B is not my favourite team, but this is ridiculous. E.g. I'm not the biggest fan of W/P's dance this season, but there's no denying that they are very good and deserved the win.

Yes, judging in Ice Dance (and other disciplines) will never be completely fair, but if your team lost there is no need to go the other way and bash other teams. And, sometimes, there is also no need to bash the judges just because your team lost.

Rant over.

Thank you. Though yes I saw the FD that the ShibSibs via YouTube and I was blown away, I'm not going to complain. Do I wish they medaled? Yes. Do I think there is evil judging and going to say that so-and-so didn't deserve to medal? No. I'm not. What happened happened. We can't do anything about it now. We should be proud regardless. Besides, we still have the World Championships, 4CC/Euros, and Nationals to go.

 

[apgold]

Kudos to Alex for performing while sick. I can't imagine spinning on the ice without feeling queasy on a normal day, let alone when sick. Maybe that's why Maia was crying right after b/c she was relieved that it went well despite Alex feeling sick and concern for his health. She usually doesn't get that emotional so it was a bit surprising. I am disappointed that they were 4th here (I had them in #2 in my predictions) but what can we do?

I also watched C/B's FD and liked it (didn't love it and want to watch it on repeat like the Shibs) but they had a lot of difficulty and aside from Madison's bobble on the twizzle (which she recovered from quickly), the routine was flawless. Kind of sick of Rach 2 at this point and would love them to do something less war-horsey.

 

[Astrid56]

My only conclusion after the FD is that I wouldn't like to be in Chock/Bates' shoes at Nationals (even if they win), skating after the ShibSibs and their beautiful FD.

Interesting! Frankly, you can't really compare the two skates. One_ the Shibs is what you would describe as 'a feel good skate' _ beautiful but kind of one-note. It's like having your comfort food. C/B's in a different league _ more depth and substance - the music is definitely challenging, the choreography _ more complex and nuanced. Coldplay vs Rachmaninoff: I love this Coldplay music _ a piece that one can choreograph to easily (just watch SYTYCD _ you've seen one too many); Rachmaninoff _ a different story - more complex and challenging - was used a few times in Singles and Pairs, but competitively, never in Ice-dance and have not seen a modern dance set to it.

I'd like Ice-dancers to challenge themselves _ musically and technically. Dance is poetry in motion _ not just about beautiful movements, it's about story-telling, a telling expression of a journey, a commentary of sort ... of life, etc. If Madison didn't have that glaring twizzle mistake, the result would be probably different. I should also add that considering this was practically a new version, it was delivered superbly _ a testament to their superb skating skills.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Regarding inter-American rivarly, this is getting ridiculous more and more. I am no expert, but for my tastebuds Chock/Bates FD is just without any flavour. She's overacting, he's kinda muted in expression, some of transitions/lifts look plain ugly for me (sorry) and during the whole dance I had a constant, strong feeling that they force themselves into someone else's skin. It is not a challenge to take classical music, piece from Rachmaninoff and make program - it is a challenge to find a classical piece which would fit you like a glove, your abilities, character and movement. I simply cannot accept them getting higher Composition/Choreography than Shibutanis, and Skating Skills 9.25 to Shibutanis' 8.75?! I can't even...

I agree with this. C/B, to me, are the epitome of a Spilband team even more so than Belbin/Agosto and Davis/White. They are pure athleticism over art. They have the athleticism and power to do really flashy things. I just think they use the same vanilla expressions they had for An American in Paris and Les Miserables (two easily accessible pieces of music) and a lot of their choreography for Evan is repeatedly raising his arm to selective crescendos of music. I find the choreography to be very cookie cutter as well but the choreography is just a template of presenting elements in the best way possible for the judges under COP. Choreography itself is just there to supplement the element showcase. That said, Madison's flashy style over substance and athletic ways of going in and out of lifts is very impressive, like the second to last lift. I applauded that move.

 

[Tallorder]

Texted a friend with the US team at the event. Alex apparently had very severe food poisoning. Everyone is blown away that Alex even attempted to skate, much less delivered a performance that "brought the house down."

It was a lot of uncertainty and responsibility for Maia supporting her big brother which explains the tweet about how strong Maia was through all of it. I'm going to interpret those uncharacteristic tears from her the moment the program was over, as being big time relief and big time sisterly love.

Kudos to the Shibs. As a coach, I would be proud to have them on my team. It's a shame that US Figure Skating does not support them. Like Sugarpova suggests the Shibs should skate for a federation that maybe values reliable athletes with crowd pleasing skills and admirable characters.

 

[Barb]

Thanks for the information Tallorder. Poor Alex, this is like 4cc 2012, they never give up. And I agree about the federation, I always whished they would to switch nationalities to skate for Japan but very difficult if they don´t even speak japanese.

 

[rain]

I find the choreography to be very cookie cutter as well but the choreography is just a template of presenting elements in the best way possible for the judges under COP. Choreography itself is just there to supplement the element showcase. That said, Madison's flashy style over substance and athletic ways of going in and out of lifts is very impressive, like the second to last lift. I applauded that move.

I think C/B are good skaters (though he completely disappears next to her — kinda reminds me of some of the Russian ice dance teams of years past, lol). I find their material this year deadly dull. They have re-choreographed the Rach FD to score better, but it's not now a better program, if you take my meaning. From a watcher's (rather than a judge's) perspective, it still has all the same negatives. That said, I love their second to last lift.

I think the scores here indicate that if the Shibs can find some more points in their SD, it's going to be a really tight battle at U.S. nationals.

I really don't get C/L. I find them to be a kind of mediocre team skating skills wise, and they're material is kinds mediocre as well. I just watched their program and I don't remember a thing about it. The judge's definitely see something in this team that I don't.

Love W/P's material this season and the FD was beautiful. I love some of the changes they've made in some of the lifts etc. since the beginning of the season. More and more subtleties are coming out in the choreography as it gets more miles on it e.g., I loved in the lift where she balances on his thigh how she rolled one shoulder, then the other. A small thing, but it really shows and understanding of the music. The clear winners here today.

 

[salchowx4]

Shibs were amazing. Chock and Bates were... well, Chock and Bates. Barf.

 

[Mathman]

Did anyone else watch the dance event on Universal Sports just now, with Melissa Gregory commenting? (It was wedged in between bobsledding and smack down fighting of some kind.)

For my money, Cappellini and Lanotte were the best. They were livelier than the rest. :yes:

 

[robredo40]

I think the scores for nationals are already fixed C&B will finish ahead of the shibs no matter how they skate or the shibs skate.

 

[robredo40]

I again am in shock - 109 for W/P! WOW!
But so afraid things will turn out the same as last year. Big win at the GPF then less then their best at worlds!

I don`t see that happening their FD this year is on a whole different level than the one they had last year, they weren`t perfect here and their score was higher than last year at GPF once they skate that program perfectly the score will be even higher you cannot continue to deny that team a world title.

 

[BlackPack]

I haven't followed skating much this season, because I didn't feel excited the way I did last year.

After hearing Gabby and Guillaume pulled out, I lost significant interest. My other favorites such as Weaver and Poje had blah programs. Bobrova and Soloviev had a respectable comeback, but again I don't think any of the ice dance teams have had programs that exemplify the best of ice dancing and the best of their abilities. They are competitive programs but not inspiring works of art.

I enjoyed seeing Duhamel and Radford being beaten by Stolbova and Klimov; I think S&K would make great ice dancers too; that was the highlight for me this season.

Even the divine Hanyu couldn't capture my attention much... singles have failed to interest me very much in recent years.

I don't understand how Weaver and Poje's current programs can score higher than their past programs which were often magnificent; I don't think their current content is better. I think their Four Seasons is probably their technically most challenging program, while Maria de Buenos Aires and Je Suis Malade are far more emotional and artistic than their current programs.

The judges want to give W&P a World title now and then hopefully give as many World and Olympic gold medals to maybe Gabby and Guillaume and perhaps Ilinykh and Zhiganshin (if they continue to advance)? The other couples will play musical chairs on the podium.

My mind has never wandered off that much when I watched Weaver and Poje programs than this current Free Dance.

 

[sses1]

At this point I wouldn't want to be the Shibs. They will never be judged fairly as long as C/B's are around. Its sad and makes me want to tune out of ID on a whole.

 

[Scovies]

Like a lot of people here, I'm really, really disappointed in the judging. The Shibs were underscored again relative to their competitors, IMO.

Can someone explain to me how their combination spin, which has been judged at a level 4 all season, was suddenly downgraded to a level 3? I compared it to the one they did at NHK and it was identical, right down to the number of revolutions in each position. They lost a point in base value because of it.

 

[Cleo]

Did anyone else watch the dance event on Universal Sports just now, with Melissa Gregory commenting? (It was wedged in between bobsledding and smack down fighting of some kind.)

For my money, Cappellini and Lanotte were the best. They were livelier than the rest. :yes:

Melissa Gregory was almost as chatty as Tanith. But with a few made-up words and questionable grammar. Sorry to be so picky.