2014 NHK Trophy Free Dance 11/29 | Page 11 | Golden Skate

2014 NHK Trophy Free Dance 11/29

Monko/Khaliavin's technique is not that good. OK nice edges but where is easy flow and acceleration? Hawayek/Baker sometimes doesn't have good edges, they don't have ice coverage yet but their skating has flow. It is important to have deep edges+effortless glide+control+power+speed+accelaration+ice coverage+one foot skating+knee action all together.
They have flaws. Everyone has.
And still they are one of the best teams technically. They got highest levels out of all teams here too.
 
They have flaws. Everyone has.
And still they are one of the best teams technically. They got highest levels out of all teams here too.

Overwrought and boring.

And this wasn't exactly a gathering of the best technical teams.

Frankly, the only FD that impressed me this competition was H/B's. And there's something I find interesting--it doesn't have any fake drama and it's all rather low key. But that four plus minutes was totally engrossing and flew by. I wanted to see "what's next...what's next...what's next..." -- even when they hit their final position.
 
Overwrought and boring.

And this wasn't exactly a gathering of the best technical teams.

Frankly, the only FD that impressed me this competition was H/B's. And there's something I find interesting--it doesn't have any fake drama and it's all rather low key. But that four plus minutes was totally engrossing and flew by. I wanted to see "what's next...what's next...what's next..." -- even when they hit their final position.

Matter of taste. I liked their dance too. It was kinda plain and nothing special, but still good.
And you're being over-dramatic yourself in your post about 'eurotrash' and 'criminal' with all these big fat 'NO's :drama: :biggrin:
 
Last edited:
The problem with M/K is they don't project, they are faceless, a bit like B/S are sometimes. They might think they're not being given high PCS for this and that reason but the problem is they don't have the IT factor, which is no problem not everybody does and they still can do well.
The sad story about S/K they don't have it either.And they wanted too much too fast. They are the two weak links from their former teams, everyone knew this, and sometimes we didn't dare say it, but it shows. And his character during competition is unpredictable, his reactions, he has done that way too many times.
H/B are a great team with potential, they feel the music, everybody has flaws but at least they don't give you the impression they are heavy, they try to much, they pretend to be divas.Which is good.
I want to see how S/K will regroup, Nikita is not a patient man, he needs to consult a sport psychologist, he just lacks patience and perseverance. Sometimes I find it amazing that now everyone can see he was to blame for I/K not delivering most of the times, he's a bit of a headcase, but still a good skater that needs guidance.

I don't think the judges don't like W/P.I think the style they chose for the FD doesn't really suit them, for me it doesn't play up to their strengths, they are more passionate skaters than this. So they will have a problem with P/C at the GPF, but maybe the whole thing will have changed by Worlds.
I don't know where the Russian teams will end up after all. I/Z are a new team, they may progress slow, or rather fast, they are a question mark. And it depends on which will be the teams for Russia as well.Will B/S even compete?
 
Matter of taste. I liked their dance too. It was kinda plain and nothing special, but still good.
And you're being over-dramatic yourself in your post about 'eurotrash' and 'criminal' with all these big fat 'NO's :drama: :biggrin:

My critiquing style is based on uhm... it derives from errr.... is based on late Van Gogh paintings. That's it. Yeah. ;)

Eurotrash disco is a term that's been around NY gay dance circles for ages and ages. And what they did to a beautiful and stately piece of music IS criminal. I calls 'em as I sees (and hears) 'em. You're more than welcome to the same. ;) It's probably why I like The Skating Lesson so much--we have similar styles. :biggrin:
 
My critiquing style is based on uhm... it derives from errr.... is based on late Van Gogh paintings. That's it. Yeah. ;)

Eurotrash disco is a term that's been around NY gay dance circles for ages and ages. And what they did to a beautiful and stately piece of music IS criminal. I calls 'em as I sees (and hears) 'em. You're more than welcome to the same. ;) It's probably why I like The Skating Lesson so much--we have similar styles. :biggrin:

:laugh2:
 
I would really like to understand what happened with the Vik/Nikita lifts. You could see her struggle at the top of the first lift, pushing her leg over his head. But what caused the fall? And is the leg pushing because he doesn't lift her high enough or is it that she is not strong enough to support herself? And why abort the next lift? She was ready and Nikita just decided he couldn't stand another embarrassment? Marina was cool and smiley, Oleg looked grim. What's up?
 
Congrats to W/P. I am warming up to their FD and I thought they skated beautifully! They really
did not have any competition, they were the class of the field.

Impressed by the young Americans Hawayek/Baker. Their Bronze medal win was handed to them by Nick's fall,
tough break for Penny and Nick.

Well now that I have seen all the ice dance teams it is looking like Chock/Bates and W/P will go head to head
at GPF for Gold. I'd give Chock/Bates a slight edge cuz ice is slippery.
 
Last edited:
The problem with M/K is they don't project, they are faceless, a bit like B/S are sometimes. They might think they're not being given high PCS for this and that reason but the problem is they don't have the IT factor, which is no problem not everybody does and they still can do well.
The sad story about S/K they don't have it either.And they wanted too much too fast. They are the two weak links from their former teams, everyone knew this, and sometimes we didn't dare say it, but it shows. And his character during competition is unpredictable, his reactions, he has done that way too many times.
H/B are a great team with potential, they feel the music, everybody has flaws but at least they don't give you the impression they are heavy, they try to much, they pretend to be divas.Which is good.
I want to see how S/K will regroup, Nikita is not a patient man, he needs to consult a sport psychologist, he just lacks patience and perseverance. Sometimes I find it amazing that now everyone can see he was to blame for I/K not delivering most of the times, he's a bit of a headcase, but still a good skater that needs guidance.

I don't think the judges don't like W/P.I think the style they chose for the FD doesn't really suit them, for me it doesn't play up to their strengths, they are more passionate skaters than this. So they will have a problem with P/C at the GPF, but maybe the whole thing will have changed by Worlds.
I don't know where the Russian teams will end up after all. I/Z are a new team, they may progress slow, or rather fast, they are a question mark. And it depends on which will be the teams for Russia as well.Will B/S even compete?

Last word we have from them a couple months ago is that they're gonna skate at Nationals. Nothing new since then.
 
I would really like to understand what happened with the Vik/Nikita lifts. You could see her struggle at the top of the first lift, pushing her leg over his head. But what caused the fall? And is the leg pushing because he doesn't lift her high enough or is it that she is not strong enough to support herself? And why abort the next lift? She was ready and Nikita just decided he couldn't stand another embarrassment? Marina was cool and smiley, Oleg looked grim. What's up?

I am also wondering about this.
 
I would really like to understand what happened with the Vik/Nikita lifts. You could see her struggle at the top of the first lift, pushing her leg over his head. But what caused the fall? And is the leg pushing because he doesn't lift her high enough or is it that she is not strong enough to support herself? And why abort the next lift? She was ready and Nikita just decided he couldn't stand another embarrassment? Marina was cool and smiley, Oleg looked grim. What's up?

I have no idea what happened and I'd like to know. I guess male skaters wear some protective pads that allow the skate to sit without the normal pressure for such a small print. Is it possible that something could have happened during the fall. Could those pads move and become unusable...Am I fantasizing? When Vka tried to do that mount he did not allow. I am sure he had a strong reason.
 
I have no idea what happened and I'd like to know. I guess male skaters wear some protective pads that allow the skate to sit without the normal pressure for such a small print. Is it possible that something could have happened during the fall. Could those pads move and become unusable...Am I fantasizing? When Vka tried to do that mount he did not allow. I am sure he had a strong reason.

I think he lost trust in himself. He did not want to drop her again.
 
I would really like to understand what happened with the Vik/Nikita lifts. You could see her struggle at the top of the first lift, pushing her leg over his head. But what caused the fall? And is the leg pushing because he doesn't lift her high enough or is it that she is not strong enough to support herself? And why abort the next lift? She was ready and Nikita just decided he couldn't stand another embarrassment? Marina was cool and smiley, Oleg looked grim. What's up?

First lift probably just a usual Nikita mistake. He didn't perform any spread eagle lifts after 2011 because his position is not stabile (look his edges) It still is, even in Rostelecom Cup (look his edges)

Second lift they tried brand new entry. Entry they performed in Rostelecom Cup didn't get level 4. He did Lunge entry. Probably didn't count because he lifted himself out of lunge to get one foot position. (You have to sustained that pose or change into another difficult pose without any intermediate position.) (Also could be because his thighs are not parallel to ice) So for level4 this time, they tried one foot entry on that lift! :eek: It is very hard to lift Victoria on one foot for any male ice dancers, let alone Nikita. (His one foot positions are not stabile too) All summer they probably performed wrong lunge entry, they didn't have much time for one foot entry. I don't know why they tried.
 
Last edited:
I would really like to understand what happened with the Vik/Nikita lifts. You could see her struggle at the top of the first lift, pushing her leg over his head. But what caused the fall? And is the leg pushing because he doesn't lift her high enough or is it that she is not strong enough to support herself? And why abort the next lift? She was ready and Nikita just decided he couldn't stand another embarrassment? Marina was cool and smiley, Oleg looked grim. What's up?

Watch his feet. He totally lost the edge and the side of his foot is on the ice and he was unsteady before that. He should have aborted that lift instead of risking the safety of his partner. I remember an interview that Charlie White gave where he said his partner's safety in lifts was his job. Nikita needs to learn that lesson.
 
Guys, what is the extra element by verif deduction S/K got? I actually think S/K went a lot faster than at CoR, which probably resulted in their problems. I think Vika looks better today.

I prefer Weaver/Poje's FD than Chock/Bates, though SD is the other way around. The problem is W/P is just really bad at twizzles. That's not something excusable.
 
Im so sad for the british team. A ticket to the GPF was there right infront of them and they unfortunately stumbled. Its time for them to regroup and battle on to Europeans

I thought they had made great strives coupled, to be honest, with the Russian "demise" - injury, split, new teams and juniors adjusting to seniors. But I am afraid time is not on their side. THey have Americans, Canadians and you can tell some Russians looking to pass them. For a while there it looked like they might pass the Shituanis and now top ten would be good at world's P and C, Chock and Bates, Weaver and Poje, Shibutani's and America NO. 3, Gilles and Poirier have a chance of beating them too, the Italians and now it looks like one of the Russians will beat them too maybe even two if they keep improving.
 
Wow low score for W/P - they really are getting pushed to the back of the medal contenders. Like someone mentioned that is even behind the French team who had deductions. So far the judges love Chock/Bates for WGM! And I just don't get it. Looks like W/P could finish 4th or 5th at worlds again. I expect the RUS to jump in score come the GPF!

Most of the point spread was in TES. C/B scored more points there. So did P/C. It has nothing to do with "loving" but hitting levels. W/P can be hit or miss with then early in the season.

In other news, totally surprised by the results! And thrilled to see Hawayek and Baker get a medal! That means the US had a medal at every GP yay! And the most teams to get one. Double yay!

Teams to medal (overall count)
US - 4 (7)
Russia - 3 (3)
Canada - 2 (4)
France - 1 (2)
Italy - 1 (1)
Great Britain - 1 (1)
 
In other news, totally surprised by the results! And thrilled to see Hawayek and Baker get a medal! That means the US had a medal at every GP yay! And the most teams to get one. Double yay!

I was so excited when I realized that! Is this the first time the US has swept the GP series in ice dance with podium finishes? Halfway through the season, and ice dance continues to be the US's best discipline. :cheer::points:

(Not that many are noticing and are celebrating. *cough*NBC*cough*)
 
Guys, what is the extra element by verif deduction S/K got? I actually think S/K went a lot faster than at CoR, which probably resulted in their problems. I think Vika looks better today.

The lift they fell on and the aborted lift both ended up being counted as a straight line lift - the first was supposed to be a curve, at least it was at CoR. However Nikita's blades were so all over the place on the first lift that I couldn't tell if they'd switched it or there was just no curve because he had no control. Anyway, repeating the same type of lift counts as an extra element and gets a -1 deduction.

ETA: I see from the planned content on the first page that 1st lift was still supposed to be a curve lift. Given that he's never been steady holding that position (I thought he would drop Elena every time they did it in Don Quixote), it's a risky strategy. They could do the 2nd lift perfectly and still have it invalidated if he doesn't get the curve on the 1st lift. Maybe it would be better to find another lifting postion for him.

I think Nikita looked faster than CoR, but Victoria was struggling to keep up. But it's his responsibility to skate at a manageable level for them both. He was pushing and pulling her so much that you could see it forcing her into little mistakes, and that is no way to build a partnership.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top