2015-16 State of Russian Ice Dance

[Snow63]

Kustarova: 'Elena and Ruslan 'live' through their programm every time when they're stepping on the ice'

http://fsrussia.ru/intervyu/1549-el...na-i-ruslan-prozhivayut-programmu-zanovo.html

Now we need only Zhuline to tell us how great and amazing Bobrova/Soloviev are! Media war at its finest.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Kustarova: 'Elena and Ruslan 'live' through their programm every time when they're stepping on the ice'

http://fsrussia.ru/intervyu/1549-el...na-i-ruslan-prozhivayut-programmu-zanovo.html

Now we need only Zhuline to tell us how great and amazing Bobrova/Soloviev are! Media war at its finest.

Well I suppose it is better than the alternative...

Some fluff is just TOO HARD TO SWALLOW. And people criticize TSL. Oy veh.

 

[WeakAnkles]

The one think I like about Stepanova/Bukin is their consistency. I never worried about them when they're skating. Despite last season twizzles disaster, which was so interestingly explained by Tarasova, they were good back up team last season. I don't get these talks about how 'young' and 'perspective' they are, honestly, because both Ilinykh/Zhiganshin and Sinitsina/Katsalapov are not much older, but much more experiencive teams, they're lacking 'big amplitude' in their skating, and for me, they don't have 'it' in them. And the thing that I didn't like a single programm from them (even when they were in Juniors) is not helping too.
But I actually CAN see them as one of the top teams in the future, but they need bettern programms, that's for sure.

Actually I think HE has the "It" factor and she doesn't. And their programs are indeed always, I'll be kind here, lackluster. Tarasova can crow like a rooster with insomnia about them, but until they get better programs and become more balanced as a team, I don't see them as any more than second tier. And that's not for lack of talent.

YMMV of course.

 

[Ice Dance]

Actually I think HE has the "It" factor and she doesn't. And their programs are indeed always, I'll be kind here, lackluster. Tarasova can crow like a rooster with insomnia about them, but until they get better programs and become more balanced as a team.

I agree with this. But the use of the term "balanced" with regard to the Russian dance teams right now . . .

LOL. S&B are, IMO, at least as balanced as two of the other teams in the top four.

 

[WeakAnkles]

LOL. You have a point! Wouldn't it be fun to play LET'S SHUFFLE THE CONFIGURATION OF THE RUSSIAN ID TEAMS?

:hap36:

 

[Mattieu]

LOL. You have a point! Wouldn't it be fun to play LET'S SHUFFLE THE CONFIGURATION OF THE RUSSIAN ID TEAMS?

:hap36:

Oh yes please!
I'd like to see Bukin with Elena

 

[Snow63]

LOL. You have a point! Wouldn't it be fun to play LET'S SHUFFLE THE CONFIGURATION OF THE RUSSIAN ID TEAMS?

:hap36:

I still remember that speculation about Bobrova and Khaliavin when Dmitry was injured. Still cringing...

Can we also include juniors in here? How about Popova with Katsalapov? My dream team.

 

[adelia]

Oh yes please!
I'd like to see Bukin with Elena

They've already tried that, it didn't work out.

 

[WeakAnkles]

They've already tried that, it didn't work out.

Details! We demand all the dirt!

 

[Snow63]

Details! We demand all the dirt!

It was million years ago, before Katsalapov

 

[adelia]

I still remember that speculation about Bobrova and Khaliavin when Dmitry was injured. Still cringing...

Can we also include juniors in here? How about Popova with Katsalapov? My dream team.

Sorry but she has appalling posture, especially noticeably in that SD dress of hers last season.

 

[Snow63]

Sorry but she has appalling posture, especially noticeably in that SD dress of hers last season.

Yeah, you're right. But imagine the FIRE between them.

And I'm not serious course. But it would be very interesting, at least for me.

 

[WeakAnkles]

It was million years ago, before Katsalapov

I miss the days of Pasha and faces in bowls of soup. Now that's dirty dirt. Le sigh.

 

[Ice Dance]

Can we also include juniors in here? How about Popova with Katsalapov? My dream team.

Popova will get somebody. I don't really have any question about that in my mind.

 

[Sugarpova]

Nah Sasha is the definition of it
Beautiful lines & ponted toes.:luv17::luv17: a true fairy! When I look at them my eyes are always on her not him

 

[Abraxis12345]

Stepanova and Bukin's free dance last year cleverly disguised Stepanova's shortcomings. They will always struggle in the short dance because she can't get clean edges and after almost 10 years, still can't skate close together.

As far as juniors are concerned, I really like Konkina and Reviya. They have great technique and she is a star in the making. My only concern is that Gorshkov does not have a good history with his couples. With the exception of Tkachenko, everyone has left him on bad terms and there are some people who blame him for Shabalin's injury and the end of Nora Hoffman's career

 

[tvuckic16]

Ok. After the GP Final today, I must say BS did very well. Final placements are just what I expected honestly. Perhaps I thought early on BS could beat Shibs, but the Shibs are inspired this year and skated very well.

So, where is Russian ice dance? Barely hanging on to top 5. What was a surprise to me is not so much the placement but that BS are roughly 10 pts away from Shibs, which is a lot. These are after all BS, they are a well known team with a reputation and they are very good.

So, I guess one year was enough to establish a new pecking order and Russia is simply not there. Worlds, we'll see PC coming back too, so... Now we see further ramifications of BS sitting out a year due to injury and IK breaking up.

Considering I do think BS are the best Russian team this year (sorry IZ and SK), this does not bode well for Russian Ice Dance.

Ok, let me rephrase, it's not all doom and gloom but it is not rosy either....

 

[NAOTMAA]

B/S are only the best as of right now because the others are still at the starting stage or were never competitive in the first place.

They remain exactly where they were when they were competing against I/K, placeholders until the more gifted teams step up to the plate. Until S/K and I/Z can gain more overall experience (both teams) and get their acts together (both but I/Z especially) B/S will be dropped. B/S will only remain on top if both teams prove to be failures and its too early for that.

 

[coldblueeyes]

B/S are only the best as of right now because the others are still at the starting stage or were never competitive in the first place.

They remain exactly where they were when they were competing against I/K, placeholders until the more gifted teams step up to the plate. Until S/K and I/Z can gain more overall experience (both teams) and get their acts together (both but I/Z especially) B/S will be dropped. B/S will only remain on top if both teams prove to be failures and its too early for that.

Respectfully disagree. I think the judges were willing to even drop B/S to a sixth place, had H/D not had a mistake. Not being Russia number one and coming back after a year out, being surpassed by all the other teams, I think they are having a little bith of a rough patch to adapt to this new cicle. But I don't think we can say they have zero opportunity to go up. This is actually their second succesful season with Zhulin, because we all know what happened in 13-14, so I would say there's quite a bit of a chance of them getting better marks. Top four in the GPF were a little bit overscored to me, especially because all of them got 3+ points more in PCS, which I think it was a bit too much, but anyway, B/S are slowly on a rise. I think their SD is holding them back a little, but still is the best scoring SD for any russian team, so...

 

[bramweld]

I honestly believe if I/Z didn't fall at COR, the tone of this conversation would be considerably different. Their real handicap this year, unfortunate mishaps aside are their unusual programs, because blade to ice, chemistry and artistry, IMHO, they are the best Russian ice dance pair. I absolutely love their choices this year, but it appears that the judges aren't willing to deviate from same old same old, especially for a team that hasn't got it's act together yet. So they have a major choice to make, stick to the rules written and unwritten and win or deviate and pay the price. If you're going to go the route less traveled, you have to be perfectly spot on. I hope they take something like Nikiya's death scene from La Bayadere in the future as Ilinykh more than has the chops for it. Looking forward to nationals.