2015-16 Russian Test skates

[Sweet Dream]

I totally agree. Plus I don't think Fedichkina is that great as many think. Her young lady looking (vs. a girl) flirty smile may have won her favors.

Oh, your harsh words on Alisa just break my heart, for I am one of her big fans who are enchanted by her beautiful skating .

 

[Sugarpova]

Very common in Bollywood movies I've seen for the man to be in white e.g. First clip that came up in Google for me to illustrate-
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dishe-dDo8Q

I know I know + the man's outfit is usually plainer but with Max being so expressive having him in white against white ice background feels like a disservice

Loved their LP as well. Can't wait to have them back!

 

[Li'Kitsu]

Yes! If waving to the judges got her great marks, she is going to break the world record with this.

All of these posts just convinced me to like the ending too. You go girl!

 

[karne]

No, reason to be coy about dying, is there? "I am loath to impose on your good nature by mentioning this, but, I think I may be, possibly, perchance, dead... "

 

[OS]

Do you like the program? I mean the choreography. The fight we leave it for competition.

I am a little disappointed and worried about Julia. The choreography is not ready... thought her movement was at least a bar ahead of the music most of the first half so it didn't sync as it should, some of her movements were also too rushed when it should slow down. The interpretation not as clear and well thought out as the SP but it is early season and it is a much more challenge piece of music to deliver. Audience's unfamiliarity therefore zero emotional investment will be a hurdle she need to overcome, this is something Schindler's list or other skater's program don't have a problem with.

Her SP seem to have received a lot of dislikes by those from the TSL FB, but I happen to think it is creative, interesting and great for her and Skate America. It is good to venture out of her comfort zone to develop herself as a performer. Wish more skaters brave to do that even at the expense of failing. It is a more natural progress than doing the next biggest pretentious famous music you can possibly find with built in credibility and emotions rather than rely on your own hard working efforts to really try and improve. These are long term thinking programs that can make her a better skater / performer.

I still think this FS music has potential, and can show maturer intricate skating if she can deliver. Perhaps she need better creative direction and really think about what she is trying to say and express.

 

[tulosai]

I am a little disappointing and a little worried about Julia at this point. The choreography is not ready... thought her movement was at least a bar ahead of the music most of the first half so it didn't sync as it should, some of her movements were also too rushed when it should slow down. The interpretation not as clear and well thought out as the SP but it is early season and it is a much more challenge piece of music to deliver. Audience's unfamiliarity therefore zero emotional investment will be a hurdle she need to overcome, this is something Schindler's list or other skater's program don't have a problem with.

Her SP seem to have received a lot of dislikes by those from the TSL FB, but I happen to think it is creative, interesting and great for her and Skate America. It is good to venture out of her comfort zone to develop herself as a performer. Wish more skaters brave to do that even at the expense of failing. It is a more natural progress than doing the next biggest pretentious famous music you can possibly find with built in credibility and emotions rather than rely on your own hard working efforts to really try and improve. These are long term thinking programs that can make her a better skater / performer.

I still think this FS music has potential, and can show maturer intricate skating if she can deliver. Perhaps she need better creative direction and really think about what she is trying to say and express.

Very well put. I also think she needs to cool it with the super-super-super-frequent random arm movements in the FS. I do think she can since she seems to have eliminated this issue from the short.

 

[sokolowa]

These Open Skates didn't empress me so much. I expected the real bomp, everybody have just the GREAT potential.

Liza: I'm her fun. She captivate me last year, not only because of jumps. SP is very good, the music chose is everything. Her arms movements are interesting. Her program has a lot of unusual details. Maybe her style just suits me. But I agree, FP isn't great. I expect much move fantastic one. I want more...There are movements which are great, but the beginning is rather boring end empty. I can't call FP loosing, but she can do better. Her artistry potential is one of the greatest in the team.

Pogo: She impress me. FP can really shine if she cope with all her jumps. While she's skating, I just afraid that she'll fall. Not much confidence.
Can't wait for the powerful skating.

Adelina: I'm not the big fun of her artistry. She isn't dramatic for me. But I don't see a lot of problems in jumps. As you can see, a lot of people made mistakes in jumps.

Julia: Expect a lot from her. But her programs are so boring. They are not captivating. Her SP may be OK, but FP killed me.

Not the big fun of over girls, so, I just don't commit them.

I/Z: Aggr! So great Frida dance! It's the real art... The program has some new air, it's not classic... Very interesting. Music so good, did you see that twizzles?
B/S: I like them! They are really in the good shape, especially Ekaterina. They have their own style these season: it's the classic one. Hope they will be in the team.
Y/M: I need time to understand them.

I'm not the big fun of over girls. Just don't commit them.

 

[Mathman]

Welcome, Sokolowa! Thanks for posting.

 

[ericpkh98]

After seeing ladies...

Lip: artistically most prepared among Russian ladies. both of her programs almost impressed me and she certainly succeeded to take off this weird Russian-mood that a lot of Russian ladies have. If she nails her jumps in competitions, she will certainly thrive. Hoping a redemption for her.
Medvedeva: technically most prepared among Russian ladies. Artistically, her programs do not impress me at all, same as last season With her edge call problem of Lutz, this season might be a tough one for her. But if she keeps nailing her jumps competition after competition, she can certainly be a wild-card.
Elena: overall, she is the most prepared skater among Russian ladies. Her sp performed in Russian test skate was pretty good. I don't know why she decided to prepare four different musics... just a waste for her... she should just focus on one music and learn to interpret the music properly. Her fs was also pretty good, but I was not 100% satisfied with the program. In my opinion, despite excellent choreography, Elena is not recognizing the dynamics of the music properly and therefore not executing the program properly. If she does recognize some artistic points of music&choreography, she will be a world champion.
Tuk: technically, she looked pretty consistent but not fully prepared(but I'm not worried with Tuk, really). Her sp was good. It really suited to her style and personality. However, her fs was mundane for me. Don't really understand singing in the soundtrack of the program
Anna: Anna Anna Anna. The only way she can get her way to gp final and worlds is perfection of jumps. I'm just afraid that Anna will end her season too early. She has chances, though.
Sotnikova: just a mess. I'm betting that this season will be a retiring season for her. The last pose of fs looked like she was begging score to judges lack of speed and too many over exaggeration

V/T also impressed me a lot in pairs. Their new attempt of Indian music&Dracula music is just fantastic. Their programs were not perfect, but it was enough to show the potentials. I hope they rock and become world champion again.

 

[WeakAnkles]

V/T's short program just made me appreciate how good and authentic Marlie's Bollywood OD really was.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Agree about Y/M.

Who do you think will be top 2?

Good question. I think the top 3 will be B/S, I/Z, and Y/M. But in what order is anyone's guess at this point. Each of their FDs has problems. I'd say I/Z's FD has the most potential at this point for a Wow! moment. I hate the opening arm flinging. I suppose it is supposed to the artistes painting, but neither Kahlo nor Rivera were Jackson Pollack! B/S's FD is such a throwback! Stuck in that early 90s style rut. And that music is a snoozefest. The entire last third of Y/M's is a mess. So there's work to do. I do think M/K are going to be a non-threat. S/B look so sloooooooooooooooooooow.

I still think all of the teams will have a real fight to get on the podium come Worlds.

And your preseason thoughts?

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

V/T's short program just made me appreciate how good and authentic Marlie's Bollywood OD really was.

I was thinking the same thing the whole time. Although Tatiana does a decent job of interpreting the music, Maxim just looks awkward. Kudos to them for trying something new though. But yeah, D/W's Bollywood OD is incomparable and felt way more authentic than appropriation.

 

[Snow63]

And your preseason thoughts?

Top 2 teams is obvious for me, Bobrova/Soloviev and Ilinykh/Zhiganshin. Technically, presentation-wise and programms-wise they are better than other teams. All they need is to skate relatively clean, and stay healthy. I'm sure it will be enough to make a team for Worlds.
I would say Yanovskaya/Mozgov will be in top 3 at Nationals, but I don't see the federation allowing them to be ahead of Stepanova/Bukin this season. Sadly. Y/M only chance is if international judges will appreciate them at their GP events more than Stepanova/Bukin. Monko/Khaliavin's both dances are a miss for me this time.
And it seems like everyone keep forgetting about Sinitsina/Katsalapov. As much as I dislike Zoueva I'm sure she's not stupid, and she can teach a thing or two about nice choreography. I expect them to actually prepare for the season this time. They already had very high PCS marks last season, and with a clean skate from technical point of view I can definitely see them on a level of Stepanova/Bukin at least. So Nationals promise to be pretty interesting.

 

[Ophelia]

^It's a test skate...nothing to be hair pulling over.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

What with the plethora of sloppy skates and very small amount of landed, fully rotated triples here, I'm a bit concerned. Even jump queen Liza had some falls and singled jumps, and I think Elena was the only one to land a clean 3-3 (her and possibly Evgenia). Yulia doubled a ton, Anna had a large number of falls, Liza singled some things, and so did Adelina (as well as falling a lot). I'm honestly scared.

And a lot of the programs (Liza's short, Anna's free, Elena's short and both of Adelina's were alright) were either slightly unsatisfactory or just plain bad. .

Mao couldn't have picked a better year to come back than this. And Adelina is a very lucky girl...her improved artistry and polish from her DWTS season might be her saving grace in this field.

These are just test skates. But I agree with the lack of choreo.

I think Adelina's musicality has improved wonderfully but I don't think she can be ever as technically good as she was at 2014 Euros/Olympics, but we'll see. The end of her FS is just ridiculous... there's pandering to the judges and then there's literally reaching over the boards towards them.

The only one who effectively went right at the judges was Kurt Browning in his clown routine.

 

[Layback11]

These are just test skates. But I agree with the lack of choreo.

I think Adelina's musicality has improved wonderfully but I don't think she can be ever as technically good as she was at 2014 Euros/Olympics, but we'll see. The end of her FS is just ridiculous... there's pandering to the judges and then there's literally reaching over the boards towards them.

The only one who effectively went right at the judges was Kurt Browning in his clown routine.

Hey, she IS sick...

JSM literally translates to "I am sick," FYI.

 

[Layback11]

Another interesting thing to consider: how does this compare to, say, Glacier Falls, Skate Detroit, one of the Canadian club comps, or Dreams On Ice/The Ice, where many top American, Canadian and Japanese ladies debuted their programs? Is the quality, both technically and artistically, any better or worse?

 

[tvuckic16]

Top 2 teams is obvious for me, Bobrova/Soloviev and Ilinykh/Zhiganshin. Technically, presentation-wise and programms-wise they are better than other teams. All they need is to skate relatively clean, and stay healthy. I'm sure it will be enough to make a team for Worlds.
I would say Yanovskaya/Mozgov will be in top 3 at Nationals, but I don't see the federation allowing them to be ahead of Stepanova/Bukin this season. Sadly. Y/M only chance is if international judges will appreciate them at their GP events more than Stepanova/Bukin. Monko/Khaliavin's both dances are a miss for me this time.
And it seems like everyone keep forgetting about Sinitsina/Katsalapov. As much as I dislike Zoueva I'm sure she's not stupid, and she can teach a thing or two about nice choreography. I expect them to actually prepare for the season this time. They already had very high PCS marks last season, and with a clean skate from technical point of view I can definitely see them on a level of Stepanova/Bukin at least. So Nationals promise to be pretty interesting.

I agree with Snow63 and WeakAnkles, I think the top 3 teams will be BS, IZ (not sure which order) and then who knows, probably SB. I think YM, but I agree that YM have an uphill battle to get into 3rd place for the reasons mentioned by Snow63. I also agree with the assessments of the FDs.

For me, BS FD is kind of a snooze but probably technically sound, a couple of rough edges to smooth over, their SD is good.

IZ FD seemed the best to me with some rough edges that can be easily fixed, but I don't like their SD.

YM have a nice SD, but the FD, especially the last part needs some help, quick.

SB and MK, not impressed with either, for either dance. SB are also way too slow.

SK, who the hell knows, they are a bit of an unknown... if he is injured and they skip their first GP event they won't be on the team, so might not be discussing them at all.

It will be interesting to see some of the upcoming Senior B skates of the other top international teams... The first competitions are coming up in just a couple of weeks.

 

[Ophelia]

The Japanese ladies, IMO, have way better musicality. The Russians tend to overemote to the point of giving audience second-hand-embarrassment, and have subpar choreo.

 

[Layback11]

The Japanese ladies, IMO, have way better musicality. The Russians tend to overemote to the point of giving audience second-hand-embarrassment, and have subpar choreo.

With Mao and Satoko, they're now the indisbutably strongest artistic team and good technically too (especially Mao). So they're going to be looking to beat these girls-and I think they can.