2017 Ondrej Nepela Trophy Ice Dance FD

[Ice Dance]

Does anyone else feel like Igor's teams are suddenly going the "Dubreil & Lauzon" route in that the programs are rather similar. Slow flowy music. More dramatic and building in general than Marie-France's style. But Abachkina & Thauron, Mansour & Ceska, Carreira & Ponomarenko, Min & Gamelin, Lewis & Bye (and Chock & Bates have Imagine). Where are Igor's traditional stock of bollywood, tango, folk dance, variety programs? On the one hand, I don't miss any of those revamped routines & I'm glad a few of these teams have gotten some less-overdone music for the Olympic season. On the other hand, I like when teams' stand out as different from one another & prefer when they reflect the teams own unique strengths.

In any case, thank goodness for Nazarova & Nikitin's Pirates program. It really is standing out among the Shpilband routines this year. But I have a feeling Bourzat or someone else may be doing their choreography.

Edit: I forgot about Pogrebinsky & Benoit's I Put a Spell On You. Not original, but not the Shpilband trend this season.

 

[TMC]

Really looking forward to the Parsons now! Just watched their SD again and it's definitely my favourite SD of the season so far

 

[Barb]

Watching the comments in the live chat it seems that there are many russian fans

 

[coldblueeyes]

Does anyone else feel like Igor's teams are suddenly going the "Dubreil & Lauzon" route in that the programs are rather similar. Slow flowy music. More dramatic and building in general than Marie-France's style. But Abachkina & Thauron, Mansour & Ceska, Carreira & Ponomarenko, Min & Gamelin, Lewis & Bye (and Chock & Bates have Imagine). Where are Igor's traditional stock of bollywood, tango, folk dance, variety programs? On the one hand, I don't miss any of those revamped routines & I'm glad a few of these teams have gotten some less-overdone music for the Olympic season. On the other hand, I like when teams stand out as different from one another & prefer when they reflect the teams own unique strengths.

In any case, thank goodness for Nazarova & Nikitin's Piratesprogram. It really is standing out among the Shpilband routines this year. But I have a feeling Bourzat or someone else may be doing their choreography.

The problem lies in the fact that there's a slight correlation between the teams being awarded for their good skating, and having programs with a particular brand of style. Not saying the teams from Montreal can't skate good, but the judges seem to like that kind of packaging. No surprise that more teams are rebranding themselves a bit.

 

[peepsquick]

What Happened to Abachkina and Tauron?

I thought they had the potential to be something from last year but this program is so generic P/C

There is nothing "generic" about P/C's programs ! I think their trainer(s) didn't bother to come up with something worth while. I feel sorry for them because they have a lot to offer. On the bright side, it is their first season as seniors, so they have time for improvement, In spite of the lackluster choreography, they shine.

 

[Ice Dance]

The problem lies in the fact that there's a slight correlation between the teams being awarded for their good skating, and having programs with a particular brand of style. Not saying the teams from Montreal can't skate good, but the judges seem to like that kind of packaging. No surprise that more teams are rebranding themselves a bit.

Last season, though, I felt like Shpilband's was one of the last holdouts not going that direction. And now, when most of the world--including D&L--has moved on & realized that too much is too much, Igor's camp seems to have gone there. Maybe because Carreira & Ponomarenko had so much success with the Exogenesis? Oh, well, we are still getting much better variety this year among the larger field than last season. And I am truly grateful.

 

[Andrea82]

New costumes compared to those they wore at the South Korean internal competition last month.

 

[TontoK]

There is nothing "generic" about P/C's programs ! I think their trainer(s) didn't bother to come up with something worth while. I feel sorry for them because they have a lot to offer. On the bright side, it is their first season as seniors, so they have time for improvement, In spite of the lackluster choreography, they shine.

I agree with the first bold sentence.

As for the closing, we have to remember that choreographers have some obligation to craft programs that skaters are capable of performing, within both their technical and emotional ranges.

Sometimes I'll grumble about bad programs for up-and-comers. But, the reality may be that they just need time and experience to become better skaters.

 

[TMC]

That was so sweet! I hope they get to perform this at the Olympics

 

[coldblueeyes]

Last season, though, I felt like Shpilband's was one of the last holdouts not going that direction. And now, when most of the world--including D&L--has moved on & realized that too much is too much, Igor's camp seems to have gone there. Maybe because Carreira & Ponomarenko had so much success with the Exogenesis? Oh, well, we are still getting much better variety this year among the larger field than last season. And I am truly grateful.

Yeah, it was past time to move on.

 

[LadyB]

Oy Bratislava, is it really so difficult to play some music while showing the slow-mo?

 

[Barb]

Last season, though, I felt like Shpilband's was one of the last holdouts not going that direction. And now, when most of the world--including D&L--has moved on & realized that too much is too much, Igor's camp seems to have gone there. Maybe because Carreira & Ponomarenko had so much success with the Exogenesis? Oh, well, we are still getting much better variety this year among the larger field than last season. And I am truly grateful.

P/C continue in the same route, and add B/S and S/K.

 

[Andrea82]

Min/Gamelin

85.12

141.78

First place

 

[WeakAnkles]

The Germans took a longgggggggg time to recover from that botched lift. Killed the ending completely.

 

[TontoK]

The Germans took a longgggggggg time to recover from that botched lift. Killed the ending completely.

That was not good. It looked like a farm boy carrying a sack of livestock feed on his shoulder.

 

[Ice Dance]

I missed the beginning of Min & Gamelin's FD here, but from what I've seen, they are looking good for Nebelhorn. Really hope they perform well there. I think this FD could be a very special moment for them in Korea.

 

[Princessroja]

Are they wearing headband crowns?

 

[coldblueeyes]

Yeah, I really don't know what else they lost in there because there was just a lot of nothing going on.

 

[madison]

P/C continue in the same route, and add B/S and S/K.

Noo, I don't find that these 3 teams have the same style at all:
B/S are on the same route, but on their route as last year, story-telling, abstract programs.
S/K are on a dramatic, very traditional Russian style
and P/C I didn't see them but if they'll continue their traditional route would be minimalist, emotional skating with a focus on flow and easiness of the movements.
So, three different routes.

 

[WeakAnkles]

I missed the beginning of Min & Gamelin's FD here, but from what I've seen, they are looking good for Nebelhorn. Really hope they perform well there. I think this FD could be a very special moment for them in Korea.

With Ararang? The Korean audience will eat it up.

I just wish they hadn't chosen such a bombastic version of it.