Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron

[Pika]

My wish : they skate upon sound of silence by disturbed.
I liked so much vanessa and james on it and I'm sure that PC can do something fantastic with it with in the middle a real silence.

God, no. With the success of Vanessa and Morgan FS this year, any skater willing to skate to Sound of Silence next year should give up on it immediately. I'm not saying Gaby and Guillaume would not be able to bring the intensity of their mates, because they are totally able to do so, but they need something out of the box. Nevertheless, I'd like to see them come back with something wild like the Woodkid routine or the Pink Floyd from their junior years.

 

[cocotaffy]

I'm gonna ask yet again for your help, gracious P/C fans (or others actually). I was watching their FD at Worlds commented by the lovely spanish ladies whose names escape me at the moment and even if I can grab some of it, it sounds like they talk about cultural background at one point but I'm not sure what they're saying exactly. Could someone translate their commentaries ? Thanks a lot. And if anyone need to a translation from French in exchange just ask
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qZ6SkJcRZw

 

[Perfume]

I hope they will have a strong SD next season, SD has been their weakness.

 

[Pika]

I'm gonna ask yet again for your help, gracious P/C fans (or others actually). I was watching their FD at Worlds commented by the lovely spanish ladies whose names escape me at the moment and even if I can grab some of it, it sounds like they talk about cultural background at one point but I'm not sure what they're saying exactly. Could someone translate their commentaries ? Thanks a lot. And if anyone need to a translation from French in exchange just ask
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qZ6SkJcRZw

I'll try to translate this tonight if you want

 

[cocotaffy]

I'll try to translate this tonight if you want

That would be great, thank you so much :agree:

I hope they will have a strong SD next season, SD has been their weakness.

But they are actually not as bad as people make them out to be tbh (and I don't mean you per say I understood you just mean weaknesses and not that they are bad ). For sure, they need to improve and V/M's come back in that respect will be the biggest booster ever for them to make up for some technical shortcomings. However, they still finished 2nd at worlds and 1st last last year in SD. For what they are able to put out there in the FD I guess we expect a lot from them but they are by no means so far behind. Without V/M's return they would have finished 1st like last year.
Anyway, from their interviews they clearly got the message.

 

[MelDee]

But they are actually not as bad as people make them out to be tbh (and I don't mean you per say I understood you just mean weaknesses and not that they are bad ). For sure, they need to improve and V/M's come back in that respect will be the biggest booster ever for them to make up for some technical shortcomings. However, they still finished 2nd at worlds and 1st last last year in SD. For what they are able to put out there in the FD I guess we expect a lot from them but they are by no means so far behind. Without V/M's return they would have finished 1st like last year.
Anyway, from their interviews they clearly got the message.

I also think that all this "SDs are P/C's weakness" talk is nonsense. People seem to completely forget about their Waltz SD which was simply wondeful and they were strong technically there as well. Their Paso Doble SD was brilliant too, I thought their interpretation of the dance was the best, although they lost a level here and there. When it comes to their Blues/Swing SD, I still can't wrap my head around the amount of criticism it provoked tbh. Yes, they didn't always execute it cleanly, but I thought the overall choreo and packaging of the SD was exceptional, and I even disagree with the claims that it didn't suit them - I think it was perfect for them, Gaby really shone in this dance, and their swing was authentic to the swing danced on floor. For some reason, people on forums and even some TV commentators (I'm looking at you Carol Lane) seem to turn it into "P/C are not SD dancers" and they make it into a bigger deal than it actually is. It's not really that Gaby and Guillaume have bad material on their hands with their SDs, it's imo just that this season they were under huge pressure and left some points on the table due to minor flaws in the technical execution. And then there's the fact that some of their elements in the SD (esp. the step sequences) got sometimes this season unjustly downgraded... but that's subject to an entirely different discussion

I agree, it seems like they got the hint and will work hard on the SD for next season.

 

[cocotaffy]

I could understand if critics would mention them having to improve on the technical aspects of the dance esp. this year where as you said they were under a lot of pressure and could never deliver flawlessly their SD. Critics mismatch technical issues with capturing the spirit of the dance. They always deliver very nuanced interpretation which are never in your face so of course compared with Hip Hop which is all about being in your face, theirs might have been a tad too understated this year. That is where the coaches and mainly Romain made a judgment error underestimating the impact of V/M's showmanship ( a bit weird though as Romain is coaching them too and V/M are famous for it). Their Paso was also looking more subtle than other teams with a more classic approach. Only their waltz was more impactful and dramatic so they might want to recapture that but with latin it can't really be dramatic however they can surely go for sensual and hot. They shouldn't try to beat V/M at their own game with the entertaining/fun routine however they can definitely sizzle. Basically they'll never be a "jazz hands" type of team with an outwards "I wink to the judges" style but that's why I love them. So all this somehow got translated in this "they can't do a proper SD for the life of them" motto which was repeated ad nauseum.
Anyway like Tanith said "so yes of course the SD style didn't suit them nearly as well as something like this (FD at Worlds) does, but I would happy to rewatch something like this any day, over and over, year after year, it's unmatched, it's just so beautiful ..." I would just add, I love rewatching over and over their SDs as well esp. the waltz but that's where I'm clearly an uber

 

[yuna13]

something else worries me, skating fans and commentators are saying that they do the same style of FD .
they are crticize not only for their sd but for their fd as well.
dance is subtle, there is a lot of nuances. i can't understand people saying that mozart = build a home or mozart= happiness does not wait...
they can't change the way their bodies moves unless they do a robot dance.
so many have said that they can't do latin dances even before seeing it.

 

[maya1985]

something else worries me, skating fans and commentators are saying that they do the same style of FD .
they are crticize not only for their sd but for their fd as well.

It makes me laugh ... it's their style, it's them ...

The major problem with their short dance (which I love) is the levels that have fluctuated (sometimes with a few questions).

I also read everywhere that they are going to have difficulties with the latin theme, I do not see why they would be unable to dance on it.
One idea (they were very young 16/17 years old):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND4aooK4pg8

 

[MelDee]

I could understand if critics would mention them having to improve on the technical aspects of the dance esp. this year where as you said they were under a lot of pressure and could never deliver flawlessly their SD. Critics mismatch technical issues with capturing the spirit of the dance. They always deliver very nuanced interpretation which are never in your face so of course compared with Hip Hop which is all about being in your face, theirs might have been a tad too understated this year. That is where the coaches and mainly Romain made a judgment error underestimating the impact of V/M's showmanship ( a bit weird though as Romain is coaching them too and V/M are famous for it). Their Paso was also looking more subtle than other teams with a more classic approach. Only their waltz was more impactful and dramatic so they might want to recapture that but with latin it can't really be dramatic however they can surely go for sensual and hot. They shouldn't try to beat V/M at their own game with the entertaining/fun routine however they can definitely sizzle. Basically they'll never be a "jazz hands" type of team with an outwards "I wink to the judges" style but that's why I love them. So all this somehow got translated in this "they can't do a proper SD for the life of them" motto which was repeated ad nauseum.
Anyway like Tanith said "so yes of course the SD style didn't suit them nearly as well as something like this (FD at Worlds) does, but I would happy to rewatch something like this any day, over and over, year after year, it's unmatched, it's just so beautiful ..." I would just add, I love rewatching over and over their SDs as well esp. the waltz but that's where I'm clearly an uber

Yup, I think it was indeed a clash between V/M's outward v. Gaby and Guillaume's subdued inward performance style (although the swing brought lots of fun!). But both teams should stick to their own styles, trying to imitate what the other team does would not work, it would feel forced. G/G's style is much more intimate, a moment only between them that they allow the audience to see, and that's what makes them so rare and special - they should definitely capitalize on that. I could see them do a sensual rhumba or bachata, I bet they would kill those dances. Their Paso Doble had a couple of steamy moments already, I thought. :dev3:
I'm glad I'm not alone in liking all of their SDs! My favourite are both the Waltz (for its drama and sublime quality) and Paso (well they... brought the sex there!)

EDIT: This thought just struck me - even though V/M were outward and G/G more inward... their PCS marks were always more or less the same, meaning that the judges don't favor one performance approach over the other. I suppose they wouldn't hesitate to put G/G over V/M had they hit all the levels. Gaby and Guillaume are no fools, they are definitely aware of that, which means that next season shall be interesting

something else worries me, skating fans and commentators are saying that they do the same style of FD .
they are crticize not only for their sd but for their fd as well.
dance is subtle, there is a lot of nuances. i can't understand people saying that mozart = build a home or mozart= happiness does not wait...
they can't change the way their bodies moves unless they do a robot dance.
so many have said that they can't do latin dances even before seeing it.

I'm honestly just annoyed by that. Yes, these people can think that, but they don't have to say this aloud. Imagine someone who sees e.g. Odduadua FD for the first time, is amazed by it, but suddenly learns that they "do the same thing over and over again". That's just not fair - it's just like stating that V/M's both Olympic FDs are identical (not meaning to offend anyone, just my opinion) or pointing out that this year they were... to say it gently, VERY influenced by G/G's style. But I'm not worried, because it seems that Gaby and Guillaume will stick to THEIR vision, and they don't care about this kind of criticism. I'd rather see them do what feels natural for them, than to see them suffer with some Egyptian program, as they themselves say

After all, if those people who think their FDs are "all the same" can't tell the difference between the angst-ridden romance in Mozart, contemporary Build a Home with G/G's story as the driving force there, and the abstract Odduadua FD full of contrasts, experimentation with choreo and rhythm, and story of anxiety when you are ultimately the only person who can help yourself.... to me, there's not an issue with their FDs, but rather with the recipients, it might be too complex and innovative for them, beyond their understanding. But it's okay, not all artists are always understood. Still, I think there's more people who are in awe with what Gaby and Guillaume do than those negative ones.

As for their future latin SD... if their Chacha SD they did as Juniors is anything to go by, I think they're just fine. After watching the 2011-12 SDs at Worlds, I thought many teams honestly ended up just looking ridiculous. It was not the case with Gaby and Guillaume who, most likely thanks to their subdued approach, didn't look unnatural or out of place at all. I actually thought theirs was one of the best latin SDs I've seen from that year, even though they were just Juniors! But yeah, just like cocotaffy, it also might be me being a huge fan of anything they do :hap85:

Apologies for such a lengthy post, I just... happen to have A LOT of feelings when it comes to Gaby and Guillaume

 

[cocotaffy]

Apologies for such a lengthy post, I just... happen to have A LOT of feelings when it comes to Gaby and Guillaume

No need to apologize ( it reminds me of a song ...) I'm the same, I think I could write many posts about them but I refrain by fear of boring everyone They do inspire lyrical analysis of their performances. Like today, I was listening to some classical French composers, post-romantic ones like Debussy, Ravel, Faure or Satie who have all composed extremely evocative music conjuring up images and strong emotions just through very simply yet enthralling melodies which stays with you. This is especially true of Satie. I thought listening to it, Gaby and Guillaume have that same quality but through their movements. Satie tends to suspend time with his simple ethereal melodies like Gaby and Guillaume who are becoming known for creating moments suspended in time. They might just carry a French tradition.
I promise this is my last post for a while

 

[MelDee]

No need to apologize ( it reminds me of a song ...) I'm the same, I think I could write many posts about them but I refrain by fear of boring everyone They do inspire lyrical analysis of their performances. Like today, I was listening to some classical French composers, post-romantic ones like Debussy, Ravel, Faure or Satie who have all composed extremely evocative music conjuring up images and strong emotions just through very simply yet enthralling melodies which stays with you. This is especially true of Satie. I thought listening to it, Gaby and Guillaume have that same quality but through their movements. Satie tends to suspend time with his simple ethereal melodies like Gaby and Guillaume who are becoming known for creating moments suspended in time. They might just carry a French tradition.
I promise this is my last post for a while

Oh no please do share all of your thoughts with us! Since the off-season will be very quiet while Gaby and Guillaume are cooking up the magic of their new programs, we have to keep ourselves entertained, and this is a place for all of us Gaby and Guillaume ubers to share our craziness and appreciation of their work.

I'm not familiar with Faure or Satie, but I'll definitely listen to their music now that you've said they evoke the same feeling as Gaby and Guillaume

 

[SnowWhite]

Perspective of a V/M fan who also really likes Gaby and Guillaume:
Personally, I think that saying that the SD is their weakness is fair, but saying they're bad at them isn't. Because the FD is clearly their strength, so the SD is automatically their weaker part, but they are one of the best teams in the world, so it obviously is still going to be really good. And IIRC MF said something about them struggling (not sure if that's the right world) a bit with the SD because it has more restrictions than the FD and they do best with more freedom, which sounded right to me. And while I didn't hear see what the patterns were going to be and go, oh that'll be great for them the way I did for teams like V/M and W/P, but I also didn't think, oh that'll be bad for them. Especially Guillaume. Gaby's great too, she has a ton of personality on the ice, but imo Guillaume and Tessa are the two best dancers in ice dance (Scott is one of the top ones too, but those two are a step above everyone) and that makes a big difference. I know a lot of people are predicting a lot of couples will be kind of stiff and awkward (featuring lots of white boy hips) and Guillaume certainly won't have that problem. He and Tessa are both such good dancers that they can really manage any style - you can really see that in that video of them doing hip hop together.

And on the whole FD style thing, obviously their past three FDs aren't the same, but they certainly have a distinctive style, which doesn't bother me. One of my favourite things about V/M is that they excel at so many different styles (Mahler, Pink Floyd and Carmen are three of my faves of theirs) and I think it's fair to say that they are more versatile than P/C (not saying P/C can't be versatile, just that V/M are super strong in that, feel free to disagree), but I also really enjoy watching a team do really well at what they are best at, like P/C do with the FD.

Only their waltz was more impactful and dramatic so they might want to recapture that but with latin it can't really be dramatic however they can surely go for sensual and hot. They shouldn't try to beat V/M at their own game with the entertaining/fun routine however they can definitely sizzle.

I'm pretty sure V/M's game also involves sensual and hot Looking forward to seeing Guillaume move his hips though

ETA: Hope nobody minds my comments here, I really do like what P/C bring even though V/M are my faves

 

[cocotaffy]

Oh no please do share all of your thoughts with us! Since the off-season will be very quiet while Gaby and Guillaume are cooking up the magic of their new programs, we have to keep ourselves entertained, and this is a place for all of us Gaby and Guillaume ubers to share our craziness and appreciation of their work.

I'm not familiar with Faure or Satie, but I'll definitely listen to their music now that you've said they evoke the same feeling as Gaby and Guillaume

Yes, anyway I always think I'll shut up but somehow I can't manage to hold long enough
You can listen to those piano pieces from Satie, those are the ones I was thinking of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtLHiou7anE&t

And this is the beautiful Pavane from Faure
Version with choir
Instrumental version

 

[cocotaffy]

Perspective of a V/M fan who also really likes Gaby and Guillaume:
Personally, I think that saying that the SD is their weakness is fair, but saying they're bad at them isn't. Because the FD is clearly their strength, so the SD is automatically their weaker part, but they are one of the best teams in the world, so it obviously is still going to be really good. And IIRC MF said something about them struggling (not sure if that's the right world) a bit with the SD because it has more restrictions than the FD and they do best with more freedom, which sounded right to me. And while I didn't hear see what the patterns were going to be and go, oh that'll be great for them the way I did for teams like V/M and W/P, but I also didn't think, oh that'll be bad for them. Especially Guillaume. Gaby's great too, she has a ton of personality on the ice, but imo Guillaume and Tessa are the two best dancers in ice dance (Scott is one of the top ones too, but those two are a step above everyone) and that makes a big difference. I know a lot of people are predicting a lot of couples will be kind of stiff and awkward (featuring lots of white boy hips) and Guillaume certainly won't have that problem. He and Tessa are both such good dancers that they can really manage any style - you can really see that in that video of them doing hip hop together.

And on the whole FD style thing, obviously their past three FDs aren't the same, but they certainly have a distinctive style, which doesn't bother me. One of my favourite things about V/M is that they excel at so many different styles (Mahler, Pink Floyd and Carmen are three of my faves of theirs) and I think it's fair to say that they are more versatile than P/C (not saying P/C can't be versatile, just that V/M are super strong in that, feel free to disagree), but I also really enjoy watching a team do really well at what they are best at, like P/C do with the FD.


I'm pretty sure V/M's game also involves sensual and hot Looking forward to seeing Guillaume move his hips though

ETA: Hope nobody minds my comments here, I really do like what P/C bring even though V/M are my faves

And after saying I would stop writing I double post, it's getting better and better

Very nice post, thanks. I particularly agree with the highlighted part. I've been saying exactly the same. People keep harping on about how P/C lack versatility but at the same time, insist they love when there is diversity in Ice dance. So then why do you want P/C to absolutely fit in the more traditional approach of "each year a new style". It would just make them look like many other teams. As you said, we need teams like V/M who are by nature versatile, truly enjoy it and are great at it while having teams deepening their interpretation in whatever floats their boat like the Italians or G/P, the quirky ones.
I also believe most skaters (singles included) are in search of that elusive style which would only be their own. It's the trademark of an artist. It's like hearing a voice and know from the first notes who's singing. Well if you wouldn't see their faces, you would immediately know Gaby and Guillaume are skating just because their gliding and movements are so personal. For V/M, they have a chameleon style. It fits their personality and I don't think it's better or worse, it's just different. They have a much more dynamic way of skating, more down in the ice which helps in the SD I believe.
Obviously, I more receptive to P/C's style as in ballet for instance I love ballerinas or dancers who have a distinct style instead of totally disappearing in the role but rather imprint part of their own personality onto it. But I recognize this is a matter of taste. What rubs me the wrong way is that I feel a lot of P/C fans (except for some crazies of course) acknowledge V/M are great skaters among the best with so many qualities whereas many V/M fans tend to dismiss a lot of what makes P/C special as if they are so far from V/M's level. They're obviously younger and can't have the experience of V/M so they still have room for improvements but for such a young age, I'd say they show great maturity.

 

[MelDee]

Yes, anyway I always think I'll shut up but somehow I can't manage to hold long enough
You can listen to those piano pieces from Satie, those are the ones I was thinking of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtLHiou7anE&t

And this is the beautiful Pavane from Faure
Version with choir
Instrumental version

Thank you for the links! I recognise some of Satie's piano pieces, I must have heard them before... truly enchanting!

People keep harping on about how P/C lack versatility but at the same time, insist they love when there is diversity in Ice dance. So then why do you want P/C to absolutely fit in the more traditional approach of "each year a new style". It would just make them look like many other teams. As you said, we need teams like V/M who are by nature versatile, truly enjoy it and are great at it while having teams deepening their interpretation in whatever floats their boat like the Italians or G/P, the quirky ones.
I also believe most skaters (singles included) are in search of that elusive style which would only be their own. It's the trademark of an artist. It's like hearing a voice and know from the first notes who's singing. Well if you wouldn't see their faces, you would immediately know Gaby and Guillaume are skating just because their gliding and movements are so personal. For V/M, they have a chameleon style. It fits their personality and I don't think it's better or worse, it's just different. They have a much more dynamic way of skating, more down in the ice which helps in the SD I believe.
Obviously, I more receptive to P/C's style as in ballet for instance I love ballerinas or dancers who have a distinct style instead of totally disappearing in the role but rather imprint part of their own personality onto it. But I recognize this is a matter of taste. What rubs me the wrong way is that I feel a lot of P/C fans (except for some crazies of course) acknowledge V/M are great skaters among the best with so many qualities whereas many V/M fans tend to dismiss a lot of what makes P/C special as if they are so far from V/M's level. They're obviously younger and can't have the experience of V/M so they still have room for improvements but for such a young age, I'd say they show great maturity.

Agreed on everything. The part about the fans of both teams is very true... Sure, there are exceptions for both - P/C do have some crazy trolls and V/M do have fans who acknowledge P/C as a great team. However, it is mostly like you said - the vast majority of V/M fans (from what I've seen...) trash P/C and put them down, while P/C fans recognise Tessa and Scott's qualities. It is a shame really, because both teams have a lot of respect for one another and are friendly, so why can't their fans do the same?

 

[cocotaffy]

P/C do have some crazy trolls

And I bet by now every ice dance fan know couple of infamous names from reading Youtube comments. Those couple of people, because frankly there are not that many, maybe 5, are doing so much bad press for all the lovely P/C fans out there and may I say for French people really. The arrogant French cliche will survive long thanks to those trolls.

As for why a lot of V/M fans are frankly tough on P/C, I don't know. Maybe they thought their team would stay unrivaled and unparalleled for much longer than a year after Sotchi and bam, P/C took the world of ice dance by storm like V/M did when they started out but reaching the top of the World even faster.

 

[NoNameFace]

as an equal admirer of both Tessa/Scott and Gabriella/Guillaume (yes, it is possible indeed and is actually very easy to 'achieve'), I agree with SnowWhite and cocotaffy on their great posts above (thank a lot for lots of valuable points and insight provided).

here my few cents about these whole 'SD weakness' and 'repetitive FDs' points raised in concerns and my general take how I view Gabriella/Guillaume and how I receive their skating...

for me, there is nothing like 'SD is a weak point of this team' - this could be only classified as a concept made by viewers judging by results, then 'blown up' to the false generalization and being flawed logically. The only thing we could say about G/G SDs is that their scores - not dances themselves - proved to happen to be lower than their FD scores in terms of execution/hitting levels. It means for me that according to judges/panel the execution was not perfect, not that the dance was bad, but nowadays it seems to be a tendency to take results, made some kind of 'pattern' from them and impose the lack/flaw onto team in general (which is plain ignorant and personally presumptuous). If the SDs were supposed to be a 'weakness' of any particular team, the whole unity, material would score low, especially in PCS area as not very well received by judges, which is totally not the case regarding G/G. For me, regarding SD segment which has pattern/rhythm imposed by rules, the only difficulty (god forbid weakness!) could be the level of 'comfort' of particular team inside those factors imposed, inside this particular rhythm 'aesthetic' - every team is different and has different level of exuberance, expression and different style in general and they supposed to interpret this standard rhythm imposed in their own individual way, to accommodate the rules with being comfortable and confident at the same time. And thank god for diversity and different takes presented in SD segment (with substantial G/G share in that) - the performance could not be always cleanly executed or dance could not suit us, viewers, but it doesn't mean that automatically it should be then classified as team's 'weakness'.

level of execution and judges' scores for it should never be a general point to make on the whole segment in relation to the team. If some people don't get the concept/style/way the team (G/G/ in that case) accommodated aesthetic imposed by SD rules, that's not the end of the world or teams' career. It's quite funny how personal patterns/convictions could modify the picture of the team in others' minds...The key is to think by yourself and feel by yourself, exactly how G/G are doing regarding their skating.

regarding 'being repetitive in FDs in terms of style presented' argument...well, my opinion is that Gabriella and Guillaume should not be blamed for people's tastes, personal preferences and opinions, they are supposed to be themselves and 'do their job', not to satisfy/please everyone as it is impossible for any other team too. It's just a fantasy, utopia concept of some people who would want certain things from the team which would make them look better, only in those people's minds. Another case of heavy personal projecting which is often taken as critic. I think that there's a lesson of understanding for both sides on that particular issue - there is no way G/G will change their 'style' of FDs performed just because some viewers have an issue with it, yet it should be understood by G/G fans that those personal opinions are expected and allowed, as everyone is different and have diverse scale of taste/preferences towards styles/aesthetics presented; those different opinions, not so enthusiastic on 'similarity of styles' presented by G/G should not be taken as a critic of them, at least not always (it all depends of a context of particular opinion) - the diversity of opinions, particularly on style represented by ID teams, should be respected and valued, as long as there are no personal attacks on G/G, them being ridiculed or belittled due to the direction presented by their programs. Myself, I could be sceptical/reserved towards particular material, style represented by certain team, but I could be wowed by the execution of it, the energy emitted, whole 'entourage'. Usually, it's all the matter of understanding and respecting differences and diversity inside both ID world and viewers' opinions.

the most striking thing for me in Gabriella/Guillaume is that individuality presented in their every dance, being a point of complain and this 'SD weakness' arguments especially - all their programs (SDs in particular) are very 'custom made', to highlight their style of movement, qualities and expression scale. What should be valued and definitely not overlooked is how their programs truly resemble them personally, even with mistakes, lost levels, imposed aesthetics or roles/characters played - they managed to already develop a very strong and prominent signature present in both their skating and way of expression. It is obvious for me that they always come determined, poised and focused on competition, but apart of that - they come always with a vision, individual approach towards every program.

it is of course a matter of personal taste and preference towards ID, but when I see those 'complaints' over them being repetitive in their FDs, I pose myself a question: would they be this kind of unique and brilliant if forced into some pattern, presumed for them by others as better one? I don't think so. I'm an enthusiast of a concept to allow teams be themselves in what they do and explore their own kind of 'versatility'/develop in their own tempo. What resonates within me the most watching G/G is this desire to capture the moment and show it to the people in the most beautiful way possible, a truly artistic passion and hunger taken from being inspired by various kind of art for me. Saying this, I do not think that this 'impression of beauty' lingering in our minds would be possible if they'd be forced into something else, not coming from them personally - yes, the picture created would be probably beautiful (looking at their skills and qualities), but would it convey the particular emotion they want to evoke in people seeing the beauty of the picture - probably not, as their image created by their bodies on ice is inseparably associated with thought put in it, the expression 'explaining' the picture - maybe in not very loud, exuberant way, but finding its target nonetheless.

I wish there would be less direct comparisons made between Gabriella/Guillaume and Tessa/Scott - inevitable they are regarding both teams competing with each other - as both teams deserve to be celebrated due their own strengths and qualities, even being refrained in one opinion. What is not acceptable for me is to belittle/ridicule one team for another's sake, solely based on someone's personal conviction over one team being superior to another in all areas possible. What about seeing bigger picture comprising from other teams, their programs, styles and appreciate all the good instead seeing critic everywhere regarding your favourite team? For me, it's much more easier and beneficiary approach, especially facing diversity of opinions there.

 

[MelDee]

the most striking thing for me in Gabriella/Guillaume is that individuality presented in their every dance, being a point of complain and this 'SD weakness' arguments especially - all their programs (SDs in particular) are very 'custom made', to highlight their style of movement, qualities and expression scale. What should be valued and definitely not overlooked is how their programs truly resemble them personally, even with mistakes, lost levels, imposed aesthetics or roles/characters played - they managed to already develop a very strong and prominent signature present in both their skating and way of expression. It is obvious for me that they always come determined, poised and focused on competition, but apart of that - they come always with a vision, individual approach towards every program.

it is of course a matter of personal taste and preference towards ID, but when I see those 'complaints' over them being repetitive in their FDs, I pose myself a question: would they be this kind of unique and brilliant if forced into some pattern, presumed for them by others as better one? I don't think so. I'm an enthusiast of a concept to allow teams be themselves in what they do and explore their own kind of 'versatility'/develop in their own tempo. What resonates within me the most watching G/G is this desire to capture the moment and show it to the people in the most beautiful way possible, a truly artistic passion and hunger taken from being inspired by various kind of art for me. Saying this, I do not think that this 'impression of beauty' lingering in our minds would be possible if they'd be forced into something else, not coming from them personally - yes, the picture created would be probably beautiful (looking at their skills and qualities), but would it convey the particular emotion they want to evoke in people seeing the beauty of the picture - probably not, as their image created by their bodies on ice is inseparably associated with thought put in it, the expression 'explaining' the picture - maybe in not very loud, exuberant way, but finding its target nonetheless.

I wish there would be less direct comparisons made between Gabriella/Guillaume and Tessa/Scott - inevitable they are regarding both teams competing with each other - as both teams deserve to be celebrated due their own strengths and qualities, even being refrained in one opinion. What is not acceptable for me is to belittle/ridicule one team for another's sake, solely based on someone's personal conviction over one team being superior to another in all areas possible. What about seeing bigger picture comprising from other teams, their programs, styles and appreciate all the good instead seeing critic everywhere regarding your favourite team? For me, it's much more easier and beneficiary approach, especially facing diversity of opinions there.

Beautifully written, thanks for this lovely text

 

[Rossig]

it is mostly like you said - the vast majority of V/M fans (from what I've seen...) trash P/C and put them down, while P/C fans recognise Tessa and Scott's qualities. It is a shame really, because both teams have a lot of respect for one another and are friendly, so why can't their fans do the same? [/QUOTE

It is because P&C threaten V&M. It was the same case when V&M competed against D&W. It's incredible how much hate D&W received from V&M fans. Lots of V&M fans believe that even with mistakes and falls, they should always win, because they are so ahead of others.

Of course, not every V&M fan is like this, maybe even the group of such fans is small. But probably those fans are the loudest, that's why they are noticed.