Compulsory Dance (merged threads)
- Thread starter MissIzzy
- Start date
Boring?!?
Please tell us why you think it's boring.
by boring i meant ...missing those tiny details that B/A and D/S did
i'm not saying boring slow, lackluster (skating wise) etc...
they look very fierce...but more character would've seal my approval of POSSIBLY overtaking del/sch
understand?
i know that in the beginning, before they skate they say "watch us, because we are going to tell our story"
i wish i can understand the tiny hand gestures they do within the program
but in using context clues....it obviously has something to do with "love" hand over chest....etc
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- Joined
- Jun 3, 2007
I wish I knew what they were saying as well. I just love their free dance, they work the sign language in so seamlessly.
I thought V&M performed with a lot of style. It was a different look from both DelSchoe and B&A, but I thought there was a lot of character there.
What I liked from all three was the different looks each couple brought. Of the three, I though DelSchoe had the most "authentic" tango, in that it highlighted the opposition between the man and the woman -- the anger, the "I'm better/more powerful than you" look. B&A had a very formal, stylized tango, which I also liked. V&M made me believe they'd be booking a hotel room after the performance, which certainly kept me entertained.
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- Joined
- Mar 28, 2004
You do realize that the ending isn't judged, don't you?
sure
but it for me, at least, it killed the great dance. not really killed, that's too strong but...it would have been better if it wasn't so sloppy...maybe it was camera angle.
still the ending ties the program together....judged or not.
I'm going to do a ladies' costume commentary- because isn't that just as important as the skating? 
B/A- One of my favorite costumes of the day- why couldn't she have worn that for the tango last year- loved, loved, loved the feathery hair ornament- she looked so sophisticated.
D/S- I really liked this dress last year on Isabelle- really thought the back was cool and dramatic- with the jeweled strap running vertically down the back. Simple yet with a touch of unusual.
V/M- Nice red dress- nothing too out of the ordinary though. Showed Tessa's figure off really well. (Scott had the best expression and performance quality of all of the male dancers today.)
F/S- Strong dancing but dress was only so-so. Basic black with some sparkly edges.
P/B- Nice flowy romantic tango dress with dots- this dress looked like she could have worn it out on the street. Natalie has some of the most elegant costuming in the ice dance ranks and nice long lines to show them off.
K/N- Red velvety dress- I love the choice of material reminded me a bit of Anjelika Krylova's to-die-for red velvet tango dress.
D/W- I liked the super cool black sheer sleeves and gloves all in one. She looked very sophisticated. (Oh and no one better get on Charlie White's bad side- hilarious smouldering expression on his face as he was trying to figure out where their marks were going to place them.)
B/A- One of my favorite costumes of the day- why couldn't she have worn that for the tango last year- loved, loved, loved the feathery hair ornament- she looked so sophisticated.
D/S- I really liked this dress last year on Isabelle- really thought the back was cool and dramatic- with the jeweled strap running vertically down the back. Simple yet with a touch of unusual.
V/M- Nice red dress- nothing too out of the ordinary though. Showed Tessa's figure off really well. (Scott had the best expression and performance quality of all of the male dancers today.)
F/S- Strong dancing but dress was only so-so. Basic black with some sparkly edges.
P/B- Nice flowy romantic tango dress with dots- this dress looked like she could have worn it out on the street. Natalie has some of the most elegant costuming in the ice dance ranks and nice long lines to show them off.
K/N- Red velvety dress- I love the choice of material reminded me a bit of Anjelika Krylova's to-die-for red velvet tango dress.
D/W- I liked the super cool black sheer sleeves and gloves all in one. She looked very sophisticated. (Oh and no one better get on Charlie White's bad side- hilarious smouldering expression on his face as he was trying to figure out where their marks were going to place them.)
Nathalie (and Fabian) work with a designer team that really gets what should flow or not on the ice, adding the modernity Nathalie wants for her program. This kid really is brilliant in that regard.
I re-watched the top 8 (I refuse to watch Fraser the horse and her partner or the ukrainians being in front of the number two italians which is IMO a big farce).
Belbin and Agosto had for once the meaning of the dance. that's a big progress for them. The outfits were nice and the expression for once was spot on. But she looked somewhat unsure of her edges on the second pattern, which could explain how she fell. Timing was anyway great. I understand why the judges didn't take more points off : the first pattern was really well done.
I'd have them fourth.
Del/Schoen were just miles ahead the others in term of interpretation and technical delivery of the pattern. I am unsure about the timing at some points but it's supposed to be where they put their own stuff in the thing. The second pattern was not as good as the first, Isabelle skated the second one on shallow edges I thougt.
Khoklova / Novistky were perfect, but they lack the power and the ice coverage yet. I would have nonetheless had them in second because they understand the dance and more over their posture and legs are perfect. That's the russian's touch.
Virtue and Moir are not good compulsories dancers and it shows a lot when the CD is that easy. First their posture is just awfull. She tends to skate like a speed skater at points and looks like an old lady of sorts. The same applies to Davis and White BTW. Way way overmarked. When they'll find a choreographer, I'd adviise them to go to Dubova to learn the CDs properly.
I'd have them in fifth or sixth place.
The italians were supposed to be weak in the CDs. But not in that dance. Federica was just fantastic : on edge and her expression is spot on.
I still have problems with their second sequence, since I think she was probably on her flats on some turns. The posture, timing were excellent.
I'd have them third which is a big surprise for me.
The Kerrs were not ditched for once. They just didn't really deliver the goods. Her posture is nearly as bad as Tessa or Meryl. and their timing was the worst of the top eight. Arg. I'd love them to skate a lot better than that !
P&B were good. A bit wobby in places, a bit slow too. Timing and expression are spot on although they were tense and Fabian is a bit unsure. The lack of power alone justifies why they are not above B&A alone. Fifth or sixth agrees with me.
Davis and White. I won't add to what I said about thir hideous posture. They still lack the meaning of the dance thus their expression wasn't really there yet. I have high hopes for these two. More than what I first thought of B&A who have constantly deceived me with stupid programs and zero choreograhy over the year. GET THEM A CHOREOGRAPHER and get them to work with Dubova or Linitchuk for the CDs.
Cappellini and Lanotte were ditched. They lack the power and finesse of the top 8, but they are so much better than either the armenians or the isralians (sorry, I always call them ukrainians, don't ask me why they remind meof GrushGons) that it makes me angry to see them in 11th. Being a second team in a small country like France or Italy is never a good thing.
I re-watched the top 8 (I refuse to watch Fraser the horse and her partner or the ukrainians being in front of the number two italians which is IMO a big farce).
Belbin and Agosto had for once the meaning of the dance. that's a big progress for them. The outfits were nice and the expression for once was spot on. But she looked somewhat unsure of her edges on the second pattern, which could explain how she fell. Timing was anyway great. I understand why the judges didn't take more points off : the first pattern was really well done.
I'd have them fourth.
Del/Schoen were just miles ahead the others in term of interpretation and technical delivery of the pattern. I am unsure about the timing at some points but it's supposed to be where they put their own stuff in the thing. The second pattern was not as good as the first, Isabelle skated the second one on shallow edges I thougt.
Khoklova / Novistky were perfect, but they lack the power and the ice coverage yet. I would have nonetheless had them in second because they understand the dance and more over their posture and legs are perfect. That's the russian's touch.
Virtue and Moir are not good compulsories dancers and it shows a lot when the CD is that easy. First their posture is just awfull. She tends to skate like a speed skater at points and looks like an old lady of sorts. The same applies to Davis and White BTW. Way way overmarked. When they'll find a choreographer, I'd adviise them to go to Dubova to learn the CDs properly.
I'd have them in fifth or sixth place.
The italians were supposed to be weak in the CDs. But not in that dance. Federica was just fantastic : on edge and her expression is spot on.
I still have problems with their second sequence, since I think she was probably on her flats on some turns. The posture, timing were excellent.
I'd have them third which is a big surprise for me.
The Kerrs were not ditched for once. They just didn't really deliver the goods. Her posture is nearly as bad as Tessa or Meryl. and their timing was the worst of the top eight. Arg. I'd love them to skate a lot better than that !
P&B were good. A bit wobby in places, a bit slow too. Timing and expression are spot on although they were tense and Fabian is a bit unsure. The lack of power alone justifies why they are not above B&A alone. Fifth or sixth agrees with me.
Davis and White. I won't add to what I said about thir hideous posture. They still lack the meaning of the dance thus their expression wasn't really there yet. I have high hopes for these two. More than what I first thought of B&A who have constantly deceived me with stupid programs and zero choreograhy over the year. GET THEM A CHOREOGRAPHER and get them to work with Dubova or Linitchuk for the CDs.
Cappellini and Lanotte were ditched. They lack the power and finesse of the top 8, but they are so much better than either the armenians or the isralians (sorry, I always call them ukrainians, don't ask me why they remind meof GrushGons) that it makes me angry to see them in 11th. Being a second team in a small country like France or Italy is never a good thing.
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- Joined
- Feb 4, 2008
I know at the beginning, before they start dancing, they say something like "We're going to tell you our story". I'll try and find more information on it.
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2007
Thank you, MarieM; for a wonderful analysis. ITA about Virtue and Moir and Davis and White. I usually post on FSU where they talk about both teams like they are perfect and the second coming of Torvil and Dean! 
That would explain it. She has such wonderful taste. Her flamenco dress is spectacular. If you were judging by costume, they should win the OD on the strength of that alone.
Thanks for the wonderful commentary MarieM. I really like your balanced and insightful comments.
As for V/M and D/W needing a good CD coach, instead of uprooting themselves and traveling to Dubova or Linichuk, I wonder if Igor and Marina would mind if they ducked out the back door - so to speak- and drove on over to Ann Arbor and got a few lessons from Yaroslava Netcheva and Iouri Tchesnitchenko, the coaches of Samuelson and Bates. Their teams always seem to have exquisite posture and precise body alignments in their CDs. Their choreography is also unusual and striking.
I would disagree on Samuelson and Bates sorry. She has the same posture problems as Tessa, and their skating isn't on the same tracks as far as I can tell...
All these skaters need is classical dance lessons for a while and video to work on their legs alignement.
That always makes me sad to watch such talented skaters wasted by a stupid team of coach who just think they are still in the 80's as far as Ice dance is concerned.
OK. GrushGons and Navka were a big big step back, but they (the coahc) should go really fast the other way and try to create instead of steal the others ideas.
Watch at nearly all the lifts performed these past 4 years. All of them or most are taken from any of team Muriel Zazoui trains ... Only the italians try to bring in something else as well as Khoklova / Novitski these past two years.
I remember one day hearing a famous ice dancer say that what matters in ice dance isn't the results, it's who is copying who because being the ones stolen from means that you are the one who sets the pace meaning that you are the best even if protocol judging doesn't allow you to... And none of this will ever apply to these skaters if they don't get anyone else to make their choreography.
All these skaters need is classical dance lessons for a while and video to work on their legs alignement.
That always makes me sad to watch such talented skaters wasted by a stupid team of coach who just think they are still in the 80's as far as Ice dance is concerned.
OK. GrushGons and Navka were a big big step back, but they (the coahc) should go really fast the other way and try to create instead of steal the others ideas.
Watch at nearly all the lifts performed these past 4 years. All of them or most are taken from any of team Muriel Zazoui trains ... Only the italians try to bring in something else as well as Khoklova / Novitski these past two years.
I remember one day hearing a famous ice dancer say that what matters in ice dance isn't the results, it's who is copying who because being the ones stolen from means that you are the one who sets the pace meaning that you are the best even if protocol judging doesn't allow you to... And none of this will ever apply to these skaters if they don't get anyone else to make their choreography.
Just curious -- do you think Tessa's posture is bad just by looking at the AT, or do you find her posture bad in all their programs? And are you just looking at CDs, or also their ODs and FDs? It's just surprising to me, because I think one of V/M's strengths is their posture -- looking at last year's Golden Waltz and Rhumba CDs, I thought their posture was better than most of the competition. Their good posture is also highlighted in this year's FD, as well as last year's Valse Triste (which was so empty between the elements I thought it was designed to show off nothing but their posture).
There are certainly aspects of V&M's skating and performance worth criticizing, but IMO, posture isn't one of them.
There are certainly aspects of V&M's skating and performance worth criticizing, but IMO, posture isn't one of them.
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I am a crazy fan you see, CDs are, IMO, the most important part in ice dance. Either you can do them, either you can't and thus I judge everything according to that.
V&M usually have a good posture, which is way easy when you can mask this in something you know that will do the trick.
That's something you cannot do in CDs. And that tells me they have a bad postures. And sometimes in their FD of the year, you can spot moment when she should watch her posture and their leg match.
3 years ago, B&A had the same problem then they problably set their effort on it and the year after at least the posture was there. They're still lacking in raw power and regularity, but at least they improved on that very important criteria. Still having them as world champions would still be a big stepback IMO. They still lack the inventivness and the momentum to influence the other skaters. Without a decent choreographer, they'll never have it.
If you want to see really bad posture, Fraser is the worst of them all. she skates like a horse. A bit like Grushina did and got rewarded for anyway so who knows
The best has to go to Domnina / Shabalin.
V&M usually have a good posture, which is way easy when you can mask this in something you know that will do the trick.
That's something you cannot do in CDs. And that tells me they have a bad postures. And sometimes in their FD of the year, you can spot moment when she should watch her posture and their leg match.
3 years ago, B&A had the same problem then they problably set their effort on it and the year after at least the posture was there. They're still lacking in raw power and regularity, but at least they improved on that very important criteria. Still having them as world champions would still be a big stepback IMO. They still lack the inventivness and the momentum to influence the other skaters. Without a decent choreographer, they'll never have it.
If you want to see really bad posture, Fraser is the worst of them all. she skates like a horse. A bit like Grushina did and got rewarded for anyway so who knows
The best has to go to Domnina / Shabalin.
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2007
I'm going to do a ladies' costume commentary- because isn't that just as important as the skating?
B/A- One of my favorite costumes of the day- why couldn't she have worn that for the tango last year- loved, loved, loved the feathery hair ornament- she looked so sophisticated.
D/S- I really liked this dress last year on Isabelle- really thought the back was cool and dramatic- with the jeweled strap running vertically down the back. Simple yet with a touch of unusual.
V/M- Nice red dress- nothing too out of the ordinary though. Showed Tessa's figure off really well. (Scott had the best expression and performance quality of all of the male dancers today.)
F/S- Strong dancing but dress was only so-so. Basic black with some sparkly edges.
P/B- Nice flowy romantic tango dress with dots- this dress looked like she could have worn it out on the street. Natalie has some of the most elegant costuming in the ice dance ranks and nice long lines to show them off.
K/N- Red velvety dress- I love the choice of material reminded me a bit of Anjelika Krylova's to-die-for red velvet tango dress.
D/W- I liked the super cool black sheer sleeves and gloves all in one. She looked very sophisticated. (Oh and no one better get on Charlie White's bad side- hilarious smouldering expression on his face as he was trying to figure out where their marks were going to place them.)
Personally my favorite dress is Isabelle Delobel's (black with a little splash of color in the rhinestones in the back of the dress). I also like Kamila Hajkova and Ekateriina Rubleva's dresses because they used a different shade of red in neon red (and I love bright neon colors). Other dresses I like are Kimberly Navarro's, Ekaterina Bobrova's (black netted sleeves), Joanna Budner's (kind of off beat at the top but has a nice tangoy skirt to complement), Danielle O'Brien's black and neon green dress. Overall I don't think there was one single bad dress worn by any of the women in the CD.
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
??? Was I watching the same program as you? This makes no sense
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