2018 Canadian Nationals Senior Free Dance

[TCAngel18]

Ok, calm down Tracy Wilson haha. They are one of the greatest ever, but I do think they have competition for that top spot LOL.

Davis/White, Torvill/Dean, Klimova/Ponomarenko and Grishuk/Platov would like to say hi.

That being said, that FS was definitely in the top 5 free dances I’ve ever seen, taking into account the technical PRECISION, combined with their storytelling capability and Bravura.

 

[Anyasnake]

Just as it happened with T&D. They will be mighty fine whatever the outcome because they are just a classy pair.

For a lot of people, greatest ever = should win all the time (not for me so that's okay haha).

 

[reneerose]

Woohoo great FD from Piper and Paul. Too bad for the twizzles. Much better program too! Paul is still amazing, but I don't quite understand their costume. I don't see a Bond or a James Bond girl on what they're wearing.

Those costumes went with the Perry Mason noirish theme....I don't think they wanted to spend more $ on adjustments or a brand new costume? The black still goes with the Bond at least in my personal opinion. Piper was off in the twizzle. Hopefully they will get better scores at the Olympics. I hate seeing them being held down scorewise all the time. Their choreography is so innovative.

Just rewatched it, he really seems to be in shock

It's an alright program, I guess but I hoped for something more special for the Olympics. Still, it got the job done today.

Yeah poor shocked Paul. Glad they got the Silver!

 

[Macassar88]

I don't see the program changes as better or worse -- it's a difference in stylistic choice, not a straight upgrade. If they believe it is a more impactful second half, then I trust their judgement. The retooled Carmen convinced me at Worlds. I will miss the forehead touch, such a sweet, tender moment in the original choreo. Even more impactful than the new ending (imo) is that gorgeous ina bauer / spiral combo that they placed where the curved lift used to be... Real goosebumps moment!

Superficially speaking, Scott's new costume is a million times better than the grey mid-stomach turtleneck and I love the way it matches Tessa's dress (by the way, if Tessa ditches this dress at the Olympics I will throw a fit... the colour, the way it frames her back -- ugh, just gorgeous).

The spiral they do near the end gave me such nostalgia for Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze.

LOVE the new costume as well

 

[MelDee]

I think Pink Floyd and Carmen might be deemed avante garde. But to each to their own. And I saw an exhibition which I can't remember and I was quite impressed because it was very different.

No, a rock programme and a warhorse don't qualify as avant garde.

 

[icetigger]

I think Pink Floyd and Carmen might be deemed avante garde. But to each to their own. And I saw an exhibition which I can't remember and I was quite impressed because it was very different.

I think that with avant-garde there has to be a sense of art for art's sake and a sense that there is an absence of concern about the work or programme being liked; I don't think that has ever applied to Virtue and Moir. I get that Carmen isn't completely a typical Carmen interpretation and also that The Great Gig in the Sky is also not completely mainstream, but I don't think they truly crossover in to avant-garde territory. But I don't think one gets truly avant-garde performances in ice dance: the nearest is probably the Duchesnays with that programme they ditched after euros in 1991. Also the conventions of holds and changes of hold in ice dance for sustained parts of the programme would not help one create anything truly avant grade.

 

[rain]

No, a rock programme and a warhorse don't qualify as avant garde.

The modern dance choreography does, though.

 

[rain]

I think that with avant-garde there has to be a sense of art for art's sake and a sense that there is an absence of concern about the work or programme being liked; I don't think that has ever applied to Virtue and Moir. I get that Carmen isn't completely a typical Carmen interpretation and also that The Great Gig in the Sky is also not completely mainstream, but I don't think they truly crossover in to avant-garde territory. But I don't think one gets truly avant-garde performances in ice dance: the nearest is probably the Duchesnays with that programme they ditched after euros in 1991.

I think one of the most avant garde programs I've ever seen was probably Jeff Buttle's sublime LP to Philip Glass.

I would count Tessa and Scott's forays into modern dance, though.

 

[MelDee]

The modern dance choreography does, though.

Not necessarily - not every piece of contemporary choreography is nontraditional enough to be described as avant garde.

I think that with avant-garde there has to be a sense of art for art's sake and a sense that there is an absence of concern about the work or programme being liked; I don't think that has ever applied to Virtue and Moir. I get that Carmen isn't completely a typical Carmen interpretation and also that The Great Gig in the Sky is also not completely mainstream, but I don't think they truly crossover in to avant-garde territory. But I don't think one gets truly avant-garde performances in ice dance: the nearest is probably the Duchesnays with that programme they ditched after euros in 1991. Also the conventions of holds and changes of hold in ice dance for sustained parts of the programme would not help one create anything truly avant grade.

Agreed - the Duchesnays FD is what I had in mind as well.

 

[icetigger]

I think one of the most avant garde programs I've ever seen was probably Jeff Buttle's sublime LP to Philip Glass.

I would count Tessa and Scott's forays into modern dance, though.

Thanks, I'll look that up! (the Jeff Buttle programme)

I agree that there are strong modern dance elements to the two virtue and moir programmes; but I wouldn't place them in the realm of the disconcerting or the shocking or that there is a real boundary pushing with them.

 

[rain]

Not necessarily - not every piece of contemporary choreography is nontraditional enough to be described as avant garde.



Agreed - the Duchesnays FD is what I had in mind as well.

Oh, I completely agree that not all modern dance is avant garde. I think P/C are actually a good example of this. I do regard, especially V/M's Carmen, as pushing the boundaries enough to move into avant garde.

And I agree about the Duchesnays as well.

It was a bit before my time, but I believe Bestmianova and Bukin did some stuff that was considered pretty avant garde for their time as well.

 

[GGFan]

Hold up! V/M got a perfect score and I missed it live?!? Love Canada :dev2:

I like the audience appealing changes they made. I think they're twizzling better than they have in quite a while (and I mean the twizzles throughout the program). I really enjoy that the program is more Scott centric for one half and more Tessa in the second.

Cannot wait to see what they do between now and the Olympics.

 

[Anyasnake]

I do regard, especially V/M's Carmen, as pushing the boundaries enough to move into avant garde.

Oh no. It felt like a product that was not ended. I think it was originally created to be avant-garde, well at least modern, because avant-garde comes more naturally, you don't do things to actually BE avant-garde (you can't force it).

I wish they had been 100% the 2012-2013 season. It started well but the middle fell a bit odd. It was certainly unconventional and I wished they stayed more unconventional. The desire to win + the IJS can be a bit restrictive for really pushing the boundaries, especially since I think : 1)D/W were a bit more the "classical" program type, 2)Since D/W were winning, V/M got something WAY too classical in Sochi.

 

[Leppis]

Hold up! V/M got a perfect score and I missed it live?!? Love Canada :dev2:

I like the audience appealing changes they made. I think they're twizzling better than they have in quite a while (and I mean the twizzles throughout the program). I really enjoy that the program is more Scott centric for one hand and more Tessa in the second.

Cannot wait to see what they do between now and the Olympics.

Agreed, their twizzels have improved a lot compared to GPs.

 

[Axel Rose]

I do believe there’s a case for Virtue and Moir being greatest of all time when you look at body of work and influence on their peers, which is what I think Tracy was referring to. (Btw, can we nominate Tracy Wilson for best sitting posture?) But I do think Rod was pushing her to make the T&D comparison. It didn’t come from her.

I do think V&M are a legendary team who deserve a perfect score. They’re also the type of legendary team that deserves two Olympic gold medals. Personally, Moulin Rouge is not what I wanted from them as their last FD, but when I look at what they do in this program, there are no faults. They perform their material artistically and technically at the highest level.

 

[Anyasnake]

Agreed, their twizzels have improved a lot compared to GPs.

Well we did say to Andrew, Evan and Scott to practice twizzle only for weeks after the GP. Guess only one listened :dev2:

 

[GGFan]

Oh no. It felt like a product that was not ended. I think it was originally created to be avant-garde, well at least modern, because avant-garde comes more naturally, you don't do things to actually BE avant-garde (you can't force it).

I wish they had been 100% the 2012-2013 season. It started well but the middle fell a bit odd. It was certainly unconventionnal and I wished they stayed more unconvential. The desire to win + the IJS can be a bit restrictive for really pushing the boundaries, especially since I think : 1)D/W were a bit more the "classical" program type, 2)Since D/W were winning, V/M got something WAY too classical in Sochi.

The first third was so classic. There was so much potential. I wish someone other than Marina would deliver on the potential of it . . .

 

[Anyasnake]

The first third was so classic. There was so much potential. I wish someone other than Marina would deliver on the potential of it . . .

But even with that, it felt different and skating fans were really digging that side of them. Much more than the typical Tessa&Scott love story. And I know they had the desire to win big, but I just thought : they got ALL the titles (well barring GPF at that time ), just go for your creativity, you already have the technical. Stop worrying about getting a 2nd OGM in Sochi. In any case, they might not have gotten it, but they would have done something amazing.

 

[Leppis]

I also wonder what Scott said to Tessa when they were hugging after the program and he covered his mouth so the TV cameras couldn't catch what he said....Oh how I wish they were together.

 

[Anyasnake]

I do believe there’s a case for Virtue and Moir being greatest of all time when you look at body of work and influence on their peers, which is what I think Tracy was referring to. (Btw, can we nominate Tracy Wilson for best sitting posture?) But I do think Rod was pushing her to make the T&D comparison. It didn’t come from her.

I do think V&M are a legendary team who deserve a perfect score. They’re also the type of legendary team that deserves two Olympic gold medals. Personally, Moulin Rouge is not what I wanted from them as their last FD, but when I look at what they do in this program, there are no faults. They perform their material artistically and technically at the highest level.

Again, about that YES. And add longevity and technical abilities as well. But there is a whole creativity part missing where T&D really got the GOAT thing, that's why.