2021 Finlandia Trophy: Free Dance

[moonvine]

i know they're perfect and everything and there's no one like them etc. but...they're not my cup of tea...i think they nerver will be

I’m with you.

 

[anonymoose_au]

NGL, I'm confused and bemused by all the accusations thrown around that P/C were gonna be low balled here. They won by nearly 10 points over Maddi/Evan and by nearly 30 points over the Zhulin trained team of Sara/Kirill (who the tech panel were accused of being in cahoots with)

Did these people honestly expect international scoring on par with a national event (French Masters)?

I'll be the first to admit to having weird theories myself, but that one takes the cake.

 

[msteach3]

P/C were amazing as always. Their speed, fluidity and emotion is bar none. That being said, this is not my favorite program of theirs. I was secretly hoping they'd bring back "Find Me." That program moved me to tears.

C/B's dance will evolve this season, I think. It definitely has potential to grow. Madison's dress is lovely, but the color seems off and doesn't mesh well with Evan's.

Everyone else was ok, but as others have stated, I found it hard to stay engaged throughout the full programs. I love F/G, but the Lion King does absolutely nothing for me. Why have a young team skate to this? I don't think it's a great choice.

 

[rain]

P/C were amazing as always. Their speed, fluidity and emotion is bar none. That being said, this is not my favorite program of theirs. I was secretly hoping they'd bring back "Find Me." That program moved me to tears.

C/B's dance will evolve this season, I think. It definitely has potential to grow. Madison's dress is lovely, but the color seems off and doesn't mesh well with Evan's.

I got the sense when I watched P/C that this program is still in progress — they haven't completely found/mastered the mood(s) of it yet and I expect it to evolve as the season goes. I think they took a risk here with largely unknown music (to the audience) that does not immediately invite spectators to leap to their feet. On the other hand, I think there is a lot to work with here and I only expect it to get better. Their skill and body movement is something special and is unmatched in the field today.

In terms of Chock and Bates, I thought the choreography was at this point more modern than their movements, if that makes sense. They haven't quite captured the modern dance sensibility of it — I thought this was especially visible is some of Madison's arm movements, and some of the movements that are supposed to flow through the whole body. The lifts, of course, are a highlight.

 

[brigit66]

A few weeks ago I tried to watch a couple of RDs from Lombardia and Nebelhorn, but in each case had to stop after less than a minute into it because they were somehow so awful. Realized that street dance styles and ice dance really are not a match made in heaven but rather in the deepest and most horrible circles of Dante's inferno. I basically decided not to watch ice dance this season.

Today, I headed out to Espoo and tried to time my arrival so that the free dance would be over, but must have read the timetable wrong coz I arrived at the rink with the last group in full swing. Sighed, went over to my usual seat and decided to take whatever they would throw at me. Saw the last moments of Fear/Gibson's Lion King and thought that they really should do something about her upper body and arms, which were plain ugly and sloppy. Also wondered why is Lion King such a popular choice this season.

Like the Led Zeppelin songs for Hurtado/Khaliavin, but they did not them any favors in the program. The first part was just way too slow and made them also look slow. The end was just too quick for them and just made them look slow and sluggish again. Sara's stumbles also did no good for the overall impression. She does try to sell the program!

Chock/Bates shocked me my starting their Daft Punk medley with Contact which has been one of my fave songs this summer. Luckily, the way it was used did not mutilate or completely destroy it, but the choreo was just not up to what I would like to see done to that piece of music. The rest consisted of less memorable Daft Punk songs and I rather forget that I ever saw that performance.

I have a lot of FS friends who almost unanimously love Papadakis/Cizeron. I liked them a lot when they first burst into the scene with the lovely Mozart program, but have since gotten somewhat disillusioned. They are great, there is no doubt about that, but they just do the same thing over and over again. The storyline and the characters are always the same, even the style remains mostly the same, despite the interesting play with tango and modern dance vocabulary at times in this free. The first step sequence I kind of liked.

I think this experience was exactly what I needed to continue this season happily without ice dance.

E

VM made mostly only love stories

 

[dorispulaski]

One of Chock & Bates great strengths, (apart from their lifts, and her costumes), is their willingness to try things they have not done before.

 

[eppen]

VM made mostly only love stories

Oh yes, they did, but they were all different in styles and characters, they had evolving storylines. Pap/Ciz have that one storyline and one way of putting it out.

E

 

[readernick]

One of Chock & Bates great strengths, (apart from their lifts, and her costumes), is their willingness to try things they have not done before.

Yes, that is why I'm excited about this program. I love Daft Punk. I also like they way that they continue to tell stories through their dance when storytelling has gone out of fashion. When you are doing something that others aren't, it is interesting even if it harkens back to a previous style.

Oh yes, they did, but they were all different in styles and characters, they had evolving storylines. Pap/Ciz have that one storyline and one way of putting it out.

E

Yes, but the way they put it out is incredible and their program this year is innovative because they have reimagined a tango. It is new in ice dance even if I don't find it particularly interesting personally. They aren't my favorite team and frankly I am getting tired of the Montreal style but their quality is so much better than the other ice dancers that I would feel quite upset if they don't win the Olympics even though they , personally, aren't near to being my favorites.

 

[peepsquick]

Oh yes, they did, but they were all different in styles and characters, they had evolving storylines. Pap/Ciz have that one storyline and one way of putting it out.

E

You lost me right there! The storylines are all completely different if you care to pay attention.
What you find repetitive in their FDs is their glide ...

 

[brigit66]

Oh yes, they did, but they were all different in styles and characters, they had evolving storylines. Pap/Ciz have that one storyline and one way of putting it out.

E

Lol, no still they made puppy eyes to each other and sweet faces.. In the end they are still the same characters. What is the diference between their free from 2016/2017 season, their free from 2013/2014 season, their free from 2011/2012 season , free 2009/2010, free 2007/2008 or 2006/2007. Seven programs who are very similar,in moves, style and faces. The other style is more vulgar/ sexy, but still about love - for instance Carmen and MR. They had two faces and that is all.
The "problem" with PC is that they have characteristic body, characteristic flow so if they do hip hip , rhumba or waltz it will be similar. People like you will be still saying that this is the same. VM were stocky, more heavy, their bodies were more neutral not so characteristic so it, looked more universal, you understand?
After all, I think cizeron was the best guy in rhumba year, the best as dancer, he was moving like professional dancer , rhumba dancer not like VM who trying so hard it looked ridicolous , with those hip and butt moves and fans were almost fainting like it was something out of this world. But it was comical.

 

[Lamente Ariane]

I do think regardless of how you feel about them, most people would agree that the Fame RD at least was a departure for P/C.

 

[Skatesocs]

Oh yes, they did, but they were all different in styles and characters, they had evolving storylines. Pap/Ciz have that one storyline and one way of putting it out.

E

I wouldn't say that. The thing I'd say is that for the dance quality that they possess, it is sometimes hard to shake off their aesthetic. Some might try to maintain that aesthetic even out of pride. This might cause a perception of similar style programs. Personally, I think To Build a Home, Oddudua, Moonlight Sonata, and Yamagata were all different in terms of storyline.

I also don't think V/M always did love stories though. It only became really obvious after their comeback that they were really playing to the judges and that the "love story" thing was their selling point - dumbing down their dancing to get that gold.

 

[Skatingcat]

I don't know what Chock/Bates' long program is about. Does anyone?

 

[Skatesocs]

I don't know what Chock/Bates' long program is about. Does anyone?

A computer loving its virus!

 

[Skatingcat]

That's super weird.

 

[Skatesocs]

A computer loving its virus!

Oh, I wasn't being serious! That's my take on what they did.

 

[rain]

VM made mostly only love stories

Not that tired old saw again. And why are people arguing about Virtue and Moir in this thread? They've retired...

I've seen most of the free dances this season now, and there are fewer that grab me out of the gate than in some past seasons. My favourites as of now include Green/Parsons (probably the most fully realized choreography of the season so far), Soucisse/Firus, Papadakis/Cizeron, Gilles/Poirier. I have not yet seen the FDs of the Russians, save the ridiculous Moulin Rouge of Eteri's daughter (who, with her partner, may be the most jaw-droppingly overscored skater in many, many years. The politicking isn't even subtle. At all.).

 

[eppen]

I wouldn't say that. The thing I'd say is that for the dance quality that they possess, it is sometimes hard to shake off their aesthetic. Some might try to maintain that aesthetic even out of pride. This might cause a perception of similar style programs. Personally, I think To Build a Home, Oddudua, Moonlight Sonata, and Yamagata were all different in terms of storyline.

I also don't think V/M always did love stories though. It only became really obvious after their comeback that they were really playing to the judges and that the "love story" thing was their selling point - dumbing down their dancing to get that gold.

Geez, got myself into a deep mess in here especially considering how little I really ever watch ice dance...

So, take these as impressions of a fairly casual viewer. I watched ice dance at Vancouver for the Plympics sake, I think, but had not really watched it much before that. I liked the Mahler program a lot and started to follow them a bit. Liked the programs leading to Sochi, their takes on latin, Carmen and Funny Face were good. Disliked the Olympics program, it was just terrible, they were really handing the gold to the Americans with that. Disliked the first program after their return - their attempt at emulating Pap/Ciz was just not very good. But Moulin Rouge was rather brilliant IMO.

But as I said in the ladies, I know what I like and certain things just make me weak at the knees and get me begging for more and V/M pretty much had them all, P/C not so much.

E

 

[dorispulaski]

I don't know what Chock/Bates' long program is about. Does anyone?

Their podcast:

Episode 1: The Season Begins

Listen to this episode from Unlaced with Chock and Bates on Spotify. Olympic ice dancers Madi and Evan bring you along to Finlandia Trophy where they kick off their season. They reflect on their partnership of over 10 years and announce their music selections for the coming season.See Privacy...

open.spotify.com

Yes. The name of the program is "Contact" as per the first Daft Punk song. Maddy is an alien, and Evan is an astronaut.

 

[Skatesocs]

Geez, got myself into a deep mess in here especially considering how little I really ever watch ice dance...

No don't worry, I limit myself to watching ID only in Olympic seasons (rather tedious to watch). I just know finer details about the top teams because I follow them without following the entire discipline. (ETA: but don't ask me why they score the way they do )

Yes. The name of the program is "Contact" as per the first Daft Punk song. Maddy is an alien, and Evan is an astronaut.

Hehe, so close.