2024 4CC: Ice Dance thoughts?

[gsk8]

Gilles and Poirier add Four Continents gold to collection

2024 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships: Ice Dance Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada secured their first Four Continents title in Shanghai, China, on Sunday. This is their fourth […]

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They pretty much landed where I thought they would but, wow, Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik! They are really making a statement! I can't wait to see what they come up with next season!!

Personally, I loved the FD by Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac the most. Their beginning choreo spin and rotational-stationary lift draws me in from the start!

What are your thoughts on the Ice Dance event?

 

[rain]

I thought this was an excellent competition. Piper and Paul were in fine form and looked amazing. The American teams were good here and entertaining (I like all three) in spite of the VERY short turnaround from nationals. Lauriault/Le Gac were awesome — best of their season and I love the Corpse Bride FD. The Koreans were lovely and started the upper level teams off with a bang.

Clearly, however anyone may feel about what's happening off the ice, the judges have not dumped Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen and I fully expect to see them at worlds.

 

[noskates]

So happy for Paul and Piper. Both of their programs were outstanding and happy to see them on an international podium. Lauriault and Legac were beautiful - probably because I just love that music and they interpreted perfectly. The 4th place Americans were, I think, the biggest surprise to me. A team to look forward to.

 

[sadya]

I was especially looking forward to the FD of Gilles/Poirier. That's one of my favorite free dances of this season.

 

[slider11]

Love, love Gilles/Poirier. Their FD just keeps getting stronger and more expressive. The World's gold medal contention, for sure! I am not as keen on F-B/S performance. Laurence is a beautiful skater and they make a powerful team but at times it seems a little forced and Nic is trying to keep up. Carreira/Ponamorenko had a strong showing - their FD seems to evolving although not my favorite. Obviously, Chock/Bates should have a say with the Worlds podium along with the Italians. I think the others we saw at 4CC are lining up for next year.

 

[Skater Boy]

Love, love Gilles/Poirier. Their FD just keeps getting stronger and more expressive. The World's gold medal contention, for sure! I am not as keen on F-B/S performance. Laurence is a beautiful skater and they make a powerful team but at times it seems a little forced and Nic is trying to keep up. Carreira/Ponamorenko had a strong showing - their FD seems to evolving although not my favorite. Obviously, Chock/Bates should have a say with the Worlds podium along with the Italians. I think the others we saw at 4CC are lining up for next year.

Honestly watching the scores and trajectory of Gilles and Poirier they can't compete with Chock and Bates and probably the Italians though worlds is in Canada so they might get some extra adreniline from the Canadian fans. Nic really needs to work on skating skills but I do like them. I do find them more sophisticated and somewhat more refined that Fear and Gibson but I think the Brits will beat them. The best they can hope for is fifth come worlds. I am impressed with the Americans fighting for the second and third sports on the US team in the absence of HB. Ditto for the Canadians whose battle for third and closing gap onf the Danadians that looks like an interesting battle. I wonder if it weren't for the RD lift issue if LaLe could have won 3rd at 4ccs? kind of think watching Green and Parsons here that they are kind of in a rut and risk getting pushed out by their compatriots. They need to find their own groove.

 

[ladyjane]

I enjoyed the Free Dance so much. Admittedly, I did miss Chock and Bates but we certainly got a lot of good dances even if those two were not there. Loved Piper and Paul, Laurence and Nicolay but so many others besides. And to see real climbers in the ranks which in ID is always a surprise. Fun evening for me. I don't care I just watched and wasn't able to not live. Congrats to all!

 

[viennaskater]

Piper and Paul are my favourites and I would SO love them to win at Worlds. They deserve it the most, I don't care if anyone disagrees!

Laurence and Nicolai have done several good FDs in the past but this one just sags in the middle, the slow 'Ave Maria' bit goes on too long.

Carreira and Pono - I have never liked them but this FD is GOOD. They express 'Perfume' superbly.

Zingas and partner - wow! When I saw them at Nepela Memorial I thought this dance was 'meh' but here they absolutely presented it to the max and it totally drew me in. Good for them!

'Corpse Bride' was so clever and fun to watch - but then I've personally always found Laurialt/Le Gac capable of producing imaginative and very well-executed programmes.

Green/Parsons - lovely, and they should stick to modern-style pieces, it suits them. The Rhapsody in Blue FD last year was so bland.

From the couples in the two lower groups, I was pleasantly surprised at the Chinese and Japanese couples' FDs, which were more interesting than I expected.

 

[bramweld]

Fell in love with Car/Pon all over again. Congrats to them and all the best to them at worlds.