2018 Worlds Pairs Free Skate

[corynna]

I was so happy for Aliona and Bruno. This FP is really amazing, my favorite pairs program since I started watching figure skating. And Aliona is really an inspiration, such determination and fighting spirit.
First I loved Aiona and Robin, so when I heard she is coming back with a new partner I was quite disappointed and in their first season together I didn't give them any chance. But then they really started to grow on me and this season I totally loved them and cheered for them to win.
Tarasova/ Morozov are really good and their Rachmaninoff program really suits them. But I am so happy that the season is over and that Candyman will be out of the picture )) They really deserve better than this.
Also extremely happy for Vanessa and Morgan finally being on the World podium. After the fall I was scared that thay will loose focus, but this didn't happen. I so love this program and the music.

 

[LadyB]

I’m not sure it was just lyrics. Yes hearing “make my panties drop” at the olympics was strange...but I could tune out the lyrics as someone said and focus on the beat and the overall story without zeroing in on one specific lyric. My issue was I just don’t think they had the chemistry or cheeky performance needed to pull this piece off. It’s a song about sexual attraction and flirting right? Clearly it was choreographed to be a literal translation of the music with the sort of sex kitten moves they were giving her to do coupled with the “oh la la”...but they just didn’t have that oozing sexual tension/chemistry between them like a Virtue Moir pair. Nor are they a couple that really pulls off the “we don’t take ourselves seriously, this is a tongue in cheek joke” hammy routine like Marchei and Hotarek. At least in my eyes they didn’t have that kind of vibe or chemistry, so I didn’t like it. I think Evgenia got a little more comfortable in the character as the season went on and did give a little more energy, smiled, and tried to be a little cheeky with the audience, but when the man skating with her looks very stern, not feeding into her energy and looks like he’s not having a good time...it still doesn’t work. Even when they were knocking the elements out of the park at Euros he was barely cracking a smile, Vlad your program is supposed to be fun! He looked like a man on a blind date who finds the lady he’s with to be completely obnoxious. They have the right to skate to whatever they please, but different couples have different chemistry and connection and I just don’t think this worked in their favor based on that.

As I said before, I do agree with that assessment. They haven't 'got what it takes' to pull off a dance to music/lyrics like that. However, since I really like them, I'd like to draw our attention for one moment to their gala performance to 'Ordinary People'. I totally loooooooove this programme and playing those characters that fall in love, first very shy, then the first arguments, then he tries to win her back and she loves him after all scenario is absolute wonderfully performed. The tenderness of two young people in love is totally believable. Well, that's what they are.
Volodya always seems to be a quieter type anyway, while Zhenya often comes across as more outgoing and laughs more in general. Less Candyman, more romance for them possibly.

 

[Miriam090]

As I said before, I do agree with that assessment. They haven't 'got what it takes' to pull off a dance to music/lyrics like that. However, since I really like them, I'd like to draw our attention for one moment to their gala performance to 'Ordinary People'. I totally loooooooove this programme and playing those characters that fall in love, first very shy, then the first arguments, then he tries to win her back and she loves him after all scenario is absolute wonderfully performed. The tenderness of two young people in love is totally believable. Well, that's what they are.
Volodya always seems to be a quieter type anyway, while Zhenya often comes across as more outgoing and laughs more in general. Less Candyman, more romance for them possibly.

I totally agree - I would love to see them do a romantic free program. I think that could really suit them, while still being 'modern' (like I assume they were going for with Candyman) I love their 'Ordinary People' performance so much - especially at TDF 2016.

 

[SpiffySpiders]

To be fair, Cold Play was my favorite band when i was a teen, and personaly for me its already boring to hear them in FS programe. With Muse is the same. I would like to see someone skating to Britney Spears because it would be fun and nobody did it. But my point is - choice is a choice and only that, you are free to like someones choice and someones to not. Im free to defend the freedom to choose, and thats it. Cause the truth is - choice of music or style is not something which can make you better or worse skater. If you all really think otherwise, then we will talk again next season when we will be able to see if their 'skating' (and their scores as something which reflect their skating) is gonna be better based on 'better choice of music/style/lyrics'

Of course skaters are free to make terrible music choices. It happens to the best of them. T/M this season (and last season), Virtue and Moire's Beiber exhibition... Criticism doesn't mean they aren't loved and respected. I'm a huge T/M fan. If I wasn't mad about T/M, I'd just be all Eh, skate to whatever, who cares it's not like you're stars. I agonize over their unfortunate choices because I care.

If some skaters love Christina Aguilera then fine, skate to her songs but pick ones that work for them and make sense as skating music. It can be, and has been, done. Like you, I'd love to hear more varied contemporary choices. We seem stuck with the same handful of artists. One team or skater picks a song, say that dreaded Muse one (and I used to like Muse), and does well. Suddenly ten others are skating to another of their songs or, worse, the same damn song.

If T/M wanted to skate to, I don't know, how about current Russian pop music, so long as it wasn't ridiculously mismatched to what makes them a top team, I'd probably love it. Russian dance is fun and Russian rap is a guilty pleasure of mine, which leads into the lyrics issue; when someone likes music sung in a language they don't speak, it's common to look up the lyrics and find out what they mean if only to be able to sing along. Folks who are big into kpop and jpop but not fluent in either language tend to start learning bits of it. It's part of fandom, something a lot of "new generation" kids recognize. If a skater is trying to interpret something, it would help to know what they're interpreting. I have a sense T/M knew exactly what they were skating to. I'd even bet she likes the song, since she at least seemed into it, unlike him. I kept feeling like Vlad was hating that song, he just came across so uncomfortable. lol

 

[Heleng]

I didn’t think it was possible after Olys, but Aliona and Bruno did it again, and their performance here might even have been better if that’s possible. I was absolutely mesmerized and in tears by the end. Their program is a study in perfect construction, with the highs and lows in the music and drama and tension building throughout. I already know this performance/program will be among my all-time favorites ever not only in pairs but in figure skating period. Brilliant, bravo to them.

 

[moonvine]

What the frack? NBC shows only 2 hours of pairs free, 30 minutes of that is men's SP rehash and I don't get to see any of the medalists skates because it's cut off? (I DVRed it). And from what I can tell it is the only discipline that isn't being rebroadcast on The Olympic Channel? No wonder skaters don't go into pairs.

 

[MACGoldSeal]

What the frack? NBC shows only 2 hours of pairs free, 30 minutes of that is men's SP rehash and I don't get to see any of the medalists skates because it's cut off? (I DVRed it). And from what I can tell it is the only discipline that isn't being rebroadcast on The Olympic Channel? No wonder skaters don't go into pairs.

The US has no contending pair couple so being so Xenophobic, NBC won't carry it. The Olympic Channel has a shortened version but I purchased IceNetwork's season pass so I am able to see anything that they broadcast.

 

[williewonka]

Aww Bruno, his emotions are love!

 

[williewonka]

I didn’t think it was possible after Olys, but Aliona and Bruno did it again, and their performance here might even have been better if that’s possible.
Brilliant, bravo to them.

Their jumps are more synchronized here than in the Olys, they definitely deserved to get higher scores here!

 

[moonvine]

The US has no contending pair couple so being so Xenophobic, NBC won't carry it. The Olympic Channel has a shortened version but I purchased IceNetwork's season pass so I am able to see anything that they broadcast.

I have it too. But the thing is my DVR cut off halfway into the final group. I'm pretty sure NBC showed the medal winners, so I guess I should have added time to the recording.

 

[Colonel Green]

I belatedly realized that with Aliona and Bruno’s win here, the 2018 Olympic pairs podium now has all three pairs being World Championship titleholders — and not just that, the podium won all four of the Worlds titles within the quad.

The three other Olympic podiums don’t quite manage that. Ice dance came close, in that all four Worlds titles in the quad went to somebody on the podium, but the Shibs didn’t win any of them. Both the men’s and ladies’ podiums featured three World titles spread between two medalists.

 

[NanaPat]

I belatedly realized that with Aliona and Bruno’s win here, the 2018 Olympic pairs podium now has all three pairs being World Championship titleholders — and not just that, the podium won all four of the Worlds titles within the quad.

The three other Olympic podiums don’t quite manage that. Ice dance came close, in that all four Worlds titles in the quad went to somebody on the podium, but the Shibs didn’t win any of them. Both the men’s and ladies’ podiums featured three World titles spread between two medalists.

Your post bring up an interesting point. Does the quad go from season after Olympics through Olympic season, or does it go from competition following Olympics to Olympics? You used the former, and are probably correct, but I tend to use the latter. If you use my reckoning, the pairs are still almost correct: it would include worlds 2014, which was won by Savchenko and Szolkowy instead of Worlds 2018, which was won by Savchenko and Massot.

 

[blue_idealist]

Your post bring up an interesting point. Does the quad go from season after Olympics through Olympic season, or does it go from competition following Olympics to Olympics? You used the former, and are probably correct, but I tend to use the latter. If you use my reckoning, the pairs are still almost correct: it would include worlds 2014, which was won by Savchenko and Szolkowy instead of Worlds 2018, which was won by Savchenko and Massot.

I would say the quad starts with the season after the Olympics. The 2018 Worlds would still be part of the same quad as the 2018 Olympics, for instance, IMO.

 

[Colonel Green]

Your post bring up an interesting point. Does the quad go from season after Olympics through Olympic season, or does it go from competition following Olympics to Olympics? You used the former, and are probably correct, but I tend to use the latter. If you use my reckoning, the pairs are still almost correct: it would include worlds 2014, which was won by Savchenko and Szolkowy instead of Worlds 2018, which was won by Savchenko and Massot.

I think how the post-Olympics Worlds feels changes a lot depending on circumstances. Like, from a Canadian perspective, you could argue that 2018 Worlds feels like the beginning of the new quad, with Chiddy, V/M, and D/R gone. The faces we saw in Milan will be the ones carrying things for the next few years, at least (the men’s roster will be due for significant turnover by the midpoint).

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I would say the quad starts with the season after the Olympics. The 2018 Worlds would still be part of the same quad as the 2018 Olympics, for instance, IMO.

Agreed... after all, it's just a month or two later, with the same programs, and it's usually the same skaters (save for some who opt not to go to Worlds).

 

[4everchan]

Agreed... after all, it's just a month or two later, with the same programs, and it's usually the same skaters (save for some who opt not to go to Worlds).

programs have nothing to do with it... some people use the same program year after year

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

programs have nothing to do with it... some people use the same program year after year

This is true... hopefully with the next Olympic cycle starting, skaters will actually be coming up with some newer material, instead of relying on programs that we've already seen in several past seasons.

 

[blue_idealist]

Agreed... after all, it's just a month or two later, with the same programs, and it's usually the same skaters (save for some who opt not to go to Worlds).

Yeah, theoretically, each new season starts when the programs change, but we've seen there are a few exceptions.