Elena Ilinykh & Ruslan Zhiganshin

[Alba]

While I love Lena's dress, if your going to change hers, I'd change both of their outfits.

Fine. I'm just saying I don't have a problem with his shirt. She can put some colors which fits his shirt, like orange for example.

TBH, I would do one of two things, give Ruslan a white dress shirt with suspenders or simply make his current top close fitting.

Both ugly, for me.

You sure have a point, I just don't think IZ will be able to beat both W/P and C/L right now. One of them, possibly, but not both unless something crazy happens to the other two couples and Ruslena hit the life out of their programs.

and get the PCS they truly deserve, maybe? I'll not complain if some overscoring happens too, since others are getting GoE's and PCS like cookies. :handw:

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying though. If Ruslena hit the life out of their programs you still do not believe they can, unless other couples makes mistakes?

 

[LisaM]

I think that if they really hit their programs, but the other couples do as well, they might still be held back bc of politics (PCS). If they make a mistake, they for sure won't overtake the other two couples. So I think they both need to hit AND the other teams would have to make mistakes. But yes, if there is some homescoring involved, I sure won't mind.

 

[Alba]

I think that if they really hit their programs, but the other couples do as well, they might still be held back bc of politics (PCS).

Well, let's start with hiting both programs and let the chips fall where they may. 51 in PCS with this skate makes me think they can hit +55 with a clean and great skate. No mistakes though, especially minor and stupid ones, and this is not only for CoR. They need to be consistent in order to build their reputation.

 

[bramweld]

Well, let's start with hiting both programs and let the chips fall where they may. 51 in PCS with this skate makes me think they can hit +55 with a clean and great skate. No mistakes though, especially minor and stupid ones, and this is not only for CoR. They need to be consistent in order to build their reputation.

Yup, looking at this performance and what we've seen them do, that would not be a problem.

 

[Alba]

Yup, looking at this performance and what we've seen them do, that would not be a problem.

I think a performance like in Saransk would've made them hit the 100, and I was expecting a better performance than Saransk here. I hope they bring the A game in Russia. A part from those two minor mistakes there was something really off from the emotional point of view here, which effected their performance. They looked contrived and I agree with you about Ruslan here. He was "missing". That was very unusual for them.

 

[elif]

I agree with some of your point but I totally disagree with this one. Twizzles there works soooooo well. There is no need to add them in the WWRY part. There are already a lot of steps there and it's the end. No need to add more risk, be tired and makes mistakes.

I thought rules says all team should do waltz first but Chock/Bates does sequence first so I think they can do it as well. They can begin with We Will Rock You. First I hear they will skate WWRY I imagine music as first WWRY (steps-twizzles-lift) then STL (pattern) Waltz pattern is very easy, performing last would have been smart.

 

[Alba]

I thought rules says all team should do waltz first but Chock/Bates does sequence first so I think they can do it as well. They can begin with We Will Rock You. First I hear they will skate WWRY I imagine music as first WWRY (steps-twizzles-lift) then STL (pattern) Waltz pattern is very easy, performing last would have been smart.

Ah, you mean to change the order of the RW with the March. That would work too but I guess their idea is to close on a higher note.

They must've gotten more feedback from this competition. Let's see what this brings out. Although judging by the protocols they are getting mixed signals from the judges and that's a bit confusing.

 

[daphenaxa]

I really really loved their FD. Such subtle emotion and choreography I was really touched by it.

 

[tvuckic16]

I think a performance like in Saransk would've made them hit the 100, and I was expecting a better performance than Saransk here. I hope they bring the A game in Russia. A part from those two minor mistakes there was something really off from the emotional point of view here, which effected their performance. They looked contrived and I agree with you about Ruslan here. He was "missing". That was very unusual for them.

Everyone has off days. They happened to have one today. To be fair, 95 is great!! 3rd place!!! On an off day!!! but I know they wanted more, so there is some disappointment.

Some of you know that I wasn't crazy about the music choice of Frida initially. I thought it was not 'danceable', since much of the track is traditionally sung with not many instrumentals. But, when I saw the FD at test skates, I thought great job team!! And Najarro's choreo was great! But, you have to be 'on' to carry it off. The music is such that you can't count on it carrying you through a slightly off day and engaging the audience. You have to carry the performance entirely, which is hard if it is not your day.

I must gives kudos to IZ for choosing something so challenging and going with it and making it work.

Looking forward to CoR.

 

[Alba]

Everyone has off days. They happened to have one today. To be fair, 95 is great!! 3rd place!!! On an off day!!! but I know they wanted more, so there is some disappointment.

Yes, I know. It's just that last season even when they had mistakes and that crap they gave it all from a performance point of view. Anyway, not a big deal. That is something which is nothing to be worried about and right now what they need most from their fans it's full support and encouragement. 3rd place is very good indeed, given the strong competition they faced, but yeah they and us were expecting more. I was hoping more on terms of points rather than placement. It is funny though that they see it as a bit of disappointment (we do as well). After all, it's their second season together and they have difficult programs, but it means they are not satisfied and it will only help them to do much better in the next competition.

But, you have to be 'on' to carry it off. The music is such that you can't count on it carrying you through a slightly off day and engaging the audience. You have to carry the performance entirely, which is hard if it is not your day.

I agree.

 

[Marta25]

Everyone has off days. They happened to have one today. To be fair, 95 is great!! 3rd place!!! On an off day!!! but I know they wanted more, so there is some disappointment.

I think people just feel that their Frida has the potential to score really well, so a 95 seems to be disappointing, although if we aren`t counting MO, it`s pretty close to their PB, which was around 96 last season.

I`m actually more worried about the PCS of their SD. I`m not sure if they will ever get high PCS with that program, because it`s so different from any other Waltz programme. I hope they got some feedback from the judges on the SD as well, because the PCS were all over the place.

 

[uhh]

I thought you were proposing them to do the lift they had last season, which as you mentioned had the same problem. Although they had a deduction in the first 2 GP's only. The rest of the season went fine, if I'm not mistaken? However, maybe their strategy is to go for difficulties so with time they get to perfection in their execution and the reward will be greater? Just speculating here because as you said there are other options and they are working with good specialists. So I don't think there is a lack of knowledge from their team.

It's more that if they wanted to do that kind of curve lift with Elena up so high, they maybe should have stuck with the lift that they were already comfortable with. It took them until Euros to get it so it got level 4 without a timing deduction, (they had deduction at GPF and level 2 at Nats) & even then there was work to do on Ruslan's free leg. And the version of the old lift they did at test skates looked so beautiful and secure.

This season they've gone for an even harder way of doing it - Elena facing out and leaning away, Ruslan less able to use knee bend on his skating leg to lower the centre of gravity. I'm sure they will get it eventually, but unfortunately in ice dance the judges do get into a mindset of ranking teams and so you don't really have the luxury of working your tech side out with a few wobbly competitions the way you do in singles or pairs. Sometimes, they could make life a little easier for themselves

Anyway, they are skating in the 1st half of the gala tomorrow if anyone is planning to get up early to watch & find out what the new program is!

 

[LisaM]

Anyway, they are skating in the 1st half of the gala tomorrow if anyone is planning to get up early to watch & find out what the new program is!

Do you have a link to the gala skating order?

 

[paravolar]

Do you have a link to the gala skating order?

https://pp.vk.me/c625428/v625428615/5595e/EH8NFcNNRvQ.jpg

 

[LisaM]

Thank you! I really hope they have a nice one.

 

[uhh]

From my favorite commentator Nathalie: I/Z's dance is difficult, it's very ambitious. You can tell they are still working to be comfortable, but it's a real dance [meaning not just a collection of elements]. She was really pleased with them.

 

[Marta25]

From my favorite commentator Nathalie: I/Z's dance is difficult, it's very ambitious. You can tell they are still working to be comfortable, but it's a real dance [meaning not just a collection of elements]. She was really pleased with them.

Wow, that`s a huge compliment I know, that she used to be very critical about the way ice dance developed after the introduction of IJS.

 

[bramweld]

From my favorite commentator Nathalie: I/Z's dance is difficult, it's very ambitious. You can tell they are still working to be comfortable, but it's a real dance [meaning not just a collection of elements]. She was really pleased with them.

Do we have a link to the dance with her commentary?

 

[Tex]

I love face of one of the flower girls when Elena and Ruslan do their first lift in the FD. She's got this open mouth stunned and impressed look. It's too cute. She was my muse for this collage of Elena and Ruslan.

 

[Marta25]

I love face of one of the flower girls when Elena and Ruslan do their first lift in the FD. She's got this open mouth stunned and impressed look. It's too cute. She was my muse for this collage of Elena and Ruslan.

That`s beautiful.