2017-2018 State of Russian Ice Dance

[Marta25]

Another JGP over and another 2 medals for Russian Ice Dance. The juniors are doing a great job this season!
With their first JGP title Skoptcova/Aleshin qualified for the JGPF, so there are 2 spots left to fight for in the next and last JGP in Italy.

Are there any new info about Shpilevaya/Smirnov? I saw on her instagram that she posted a picture of her and Grigory, so hopefully everythink is ok with them and we will soon see them back on ice.

 

[Artemisa]

Oh, the drama in this thread Why don't we talk about Stepanova and Bukin's debut at Finlandia? I though they did well! Performance was great, skating was clean, and most importantly of all, it was a Latin program. 70.27 debut score!

It was a very good program ... they did latina ... I didn´t like de music of the french pair ... I don't see their program like latina ... :noshake:

 

[coldblueeyes]

I don't know about Sia having anything to do with latin - it sounds like it, but you know, not latin at all. Most of the program does have a latin feel, more international samba than anything else, but it's better than no latin at all, I guess.

 

[madison]

Another JGP over and another 2 medals for Russian Ice Dance. The juniors are doing a great job this season!
With their first JGP title Skoptcova/Aleshin qualified for the JGPF, so there are 2 spots left to fight for in the next and last JGP in Italy.

Are there any new info about Shpilevaya/Smirnov? I saw on her instagram that she posted a picture of her and Grigory, so hopefully everythink is ok with them and we will soon see them back on ice.

It's interesting that nobody said anything, officially I mean, about these 2. why they didn't get a second assignment. I wonder what's happening...

 

[gmyers]

Another JGP over and another 2 medals for Russian Ice Dance. The juniors are doing a great job this season!
With their first JGP title Skoptcova/Aleshin qualified for the JGPF, so there are 2 spots left to fight for in the next and last JGP in Italy.

Are there any new info about Shpilevaya/Smirnov? I saw on her instagram that she posted a picture of her and Grigory, so hopefully everythink is ok with them and we will soon see them back on ice.

Juniors always do great. Then they become senior and rather than move to dubreil or zueva or krylova like most of the other european teams fall behind as they stay in Russia.

 

[Barb]

It was a very good program ... they did latina ... I didn´t like de music of the french pair ... I don't see their program like latina ... :noshake:

probably because it is not, but the short dance of S/B does not look latin either.

 

[bramweld]

probably because it is not, but the short dance of S/B does not look latin either.

The short dance is more about jokeying for position to deliver a great FD. H/D, C/Buckland, B/S and now S/B have all scored around the same points in their first event. Therefore going forwards it will be those who hit their levels and simultaneously bring great packaging that break into the top 5, the top 10 is pretty crowded.

 

[gmyers]

But it is unacceptable and extreme bad coaching for s/b to get level one and all nos on their pattern. A total disgrace and shows they should switch to dubreil.

 

[hanca]

But it is unacceptable and extreme bad coaching for s/b to get level one and all nos on their pattern. A total disgrace and shows they should switch to dubreil.

It was not the coaches who made mistakes that cost s/b the levels. It was s/b on the ice, so you can’t blame the coaches for that. Russias have test skates where every element is inspected by a group of technical specialists to ensute that they have the levels. The problem is, if the skaters don’t do the elements well, the levels go down. The same way as singles skates can have a spin L 4, but the same spin can be in the next competition level1 if the skater doesn’t do all the features.

 

[bramweld]

It was not the coaches who made mistakes that cost s/b the levels. It was s/b on the ice, so you can’t blame the coaches for that. Russias have test skates where every element is inspected by a group of technical specialists to ensute that they have the levels. The problem is, if the skaters don’t do the elements well, the levels go down. The same way as singles skates can have a spin L 4, but the same spin can be in the next competition level1 if the skater doesn’t do all the features.

But hey even if they didn't hit a single key point they still got 70 points! While a team like FB/S only got 65? That's why they're called Senior B competitions.

 

[gmyers]

It was not the coaches who made mistakes that cost s/b the levels. It was s/b on the ice, so you can’t blame the coaches for that. Russias have test skates where every element is inspected by a group of technical specialists to ensute that they have the levels. The problem is, if the skaters don’t do the elements well, the levels go down. The same way as singles skates can have a spin L 4, but the same spin can be in the next competition level1 if the skater doesn’t do all the features.

No one should trust even one technical specialist in Russia. All levels should be inspected by ijs experts from North America or Italy. That’s where the vast majority of teams train and where the best are. But of course you are right that maybe Stepanova or Bukin or both just totally lost all their concentration and botched the whole thing! But if there is a technical error you can 100% believe the people who once sent them out with level one twizzles sent them out with level one no points hit pattern.

 

[bramweld]

So did S/B just come to Finlandia to show why they should not be given one of the two Olympic spots? Why be monitored and go to test skates if this is going to be the ultimate program? I JUST CAN'T RIGHT NOW.

 

[starla16]

The ultimate insult, Popova / Mozgov with a higher TES than Stepanova / Bukin.... gmyers will have a field day !

 

[Marta25]

I didn`t like Stepanova/Bukin`s Free Dance. Too sugary-sweet for my taste and the vocals are awful. If Sinitsina/Katsalapov manage to avoid any major disasters during the GP season, I see them grabbing that second Olympic spot.

 

[Snow63]

Honestly, Popova/Mozgov were seriously underscored in the SD and FD. I find Betina no worse skater than Alexandra. Too bad they're new. IMO, they should have medal there.

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I didn`t like Stepanova/Bukin`s Free Dance. Too sugary-sweet for my taste and the vocals are awful. If Sinitsina/Katsalapov manage to avoid any major disasters during the GP season, I see them grabbing that second Olympic spot.

Yes. I agree. Two disappointing dances for Stepanova/Bukin in the Olympic season. Where was Tarasova looking?

 

[bramweld]

Honestly, Popova/Mozgov were seriously underscored in the SD and FD. I find Betina no worse skater than Alexandra. Too bad they're new. IMO, they should have medal there.

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Yes. I agree. Two disappointing dances for Stepanova/Bukin in the Olympic season. Where was Tarasova looking?

Empty barrels make the most noise, right? Since we know that Zhulin is a hit or misss most times and Russian style is currently not on trend why don't they send their teams to established choreographers?

S/B really only have three issues mind you, but I was expecting more based on their last years FD.

1. Their lifts range from too simplistic to rather unbecoming,
2. The music is somewhat jarring
3. Maybe it's me but for the majority of the dance, Bukin has Stepanova in some mini lift or something? Right now the
choreography feels a bit messy, as though they haven't really finished working on the dance.

But to their credit in comparison to B/S and S/K, they do have a palpable, moving chemistry. And Stepanova's basic skating has gotten smoother. Their team looks to have worked on that. They should be pleased with that.

 

[gmyers]

So did S/B just come to Finlandia to show why they should not be given one of the two Olympic spots? Why be monitored and go to test skates if this is going to be the ultimate program? I JUST CAN'T RIGHT NOW.

They are monitored and do test skates in Russia which has a clueless and collapsing ice dance program! Either import North Americans who know ijs or send Russians to be taught by people like dubreil or krylova or Fusar poli or send the skaters to be coached by them.

The ultimate insult, Popova / Mozgov with a higher TES than Stepanova / Bukin.... gmyers will have a field day !

the worst ice dance coaches are in Russia and all the skaters must leave them immediately and go anywhere in North America or Italy.

Honestly, Popova/Mozgov were seriously underscored in the SD and FD. I find Betina no worse skater than Alexandra. Too bad they're new. IMO, they should have medal there.

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Yes. I agree. Two disappointing dances for Stepanova/Bukin in the Olympic season. Where was Tarasova looking?

Tarasova is now completely incompetent and a totally destructive force who must be banned from all figure skating involvement by Russian federation.

 

[starla16]

the worst ice dance coaches are in Russia and all the skaters must leave them immediately and go anywhere in North America or Italy.

I actually like Popova / Mozgov partnership, they have spunk and chemsitry, but they suffer the same issues with other russian ice dancers they lose levels especially in step sequences.

 

[bramweld]

I actually like Popova / Mozgov partnership, they have spunk and chemsitry, but they suffer the same issues with other russian ice dancers they lose levels especially in step sequences.

I honestly think part of the problem lies with the skaters themselves. Quite frankly with few exceptions they don't really have the depth of talent right now and quite honestly, I don't think they have a clue as to the time and effort it takes to become the best. I suggest they take some lessons from the Shibs on this. You ask me why I say this? If their school created K/P, U/Z, G/P there must be some talented coaches or specialists. Either there isn't enough work, talent or both.

 

[hanca]

I like Stepanova/Bukin. More than Bobrova/Soloviev. Bobrova/Soloviev may be better dancers, but Stepaniva/Bukin’s skating is making me feel something, whereas I can’t say that about Bobrova/Soloviev’s skating.