Senior OD

[amateur]

Having caught V/M's OD a few times now on replays... I do give it a BIG thumbs up! Very well done, right character, lots of variety of expression. Their biggest competitive challenge will be getting comfortable and injecting ease of expression into the step sequences (their expression dropped very noticibly here) ; Tessa said the SBS is hardest for her at this point, b/c of the edge work (and perhaps having to keep up with a more fit partner?). And getting the speed up on the spin, which was another main weak point - Scott noted this is something that suffers with lack of practise. But I do think this program can be a winner if they manage to get all the necessary work in.

 

[skatingfan04]

My thoughts...

Weaver/Poje- They looked a little tight, but they kept it together, and I really liked their character. It was great to see them move up, and finally get the levels they deserve for those step sequences.

Crone/Poirier- They were adorable, as usual. I absolutely love this program, and I have all season. It was kind of funny how her mistake on the twizzles that came out of the shoot the duck looked like a replay from Skate Canada. Even the boards looked the same.

Virtue/Moir- I loved this program. The character was awesome, and will probably get better with time, the lifts were amazing, and the whole dance was a light and intricate as a ballroom chaleston. I know they were rough, but I think this program has amazing potential. I adored the last lift, even though they sort of messed it up. It lookes exactly like the 20's Lindy Hop style lifts that ballroom dancers do on the floor, and I've always hoped that a team would translate that style to and ice dance lift (just without the acutal release, obviously).

Ralph/Hill- Good for them , being 4th in the OD. I've seen their OD this season, and I LOVE it. It's so mature and authentic looking as a foxtrot, and the music rocks. For anyone who wants to see it, there is a yputube vid of their OD from the JGP final.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi0bZ2PdQS0

 

[siberia82]

Virtue, Moir widen ice dance lead: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/figureskating/story/2009/01/16/nationals-ice-dance.html

 

[cassieandcheetah]

For those of you who have seen V/M's Charleston....how does it compare to D/W's Charleston? I'm so curious to know!

 

[herios]

Virtue/Moir - that last lift - is that legal?!? I

Starting this year, the second lift is mandatory, if it is chosen, then is not marked as a lift it is part of the choreography and will be marked in the PCS scores.

 

[herios]

For those of you who have seen V/M's Charleston....how does it compare to D/W's Charleston? I'm so curious to know!

I wish i would remember Davis and White's, I saw it only once at SC...is it anywhere on youtube?

 

[dorispulaski]

Crone and Ponier were great. They had that French thing going on! But is Scott Joplin 1930s-40s music?

:

No, ragtime isn't 1920's, 1930's or 1940's.
http://www.scottjoplin.org/biography.htm

In fact, Scott Joplin died in 1917. His big ragtime successes were 1910ish and before.

I have no idea why the ISU gives these OD assignments and then doesn't penalize for not following them, but they don't. C&P aren't the only ones skating to ragtime.

At least C&P's costumes are a nice 1920's look. And the twizzle from shoot the duck is very cool, but maybe not worth the scoring risk, because it's darn hard.

So far, I've watched V&M, C&P, W&P and HM/C. If V&M's last lift were something other than a transition lift for PCS it would be illegal. I have no idea if there is anything illegal in these new extra lifts.

BTW, I enjoyed HM/C's OD this time. It's improved a lot since the GP, but it looks like they left it too late in the year.. I felt they were underscored. They captured the 1940's look very well, and the last lift was spot on in character for swing/boogie woogie. Weaver and Poje's effort left me cold-they were too nervous to really get into it.

I did find a copy of V&M's Viennese Waltz CD which was very lovely indeed, although they can do it a bit better when they have practiced more. Really, really nice, IMO.

Their Charleston had some good moments, particularly the first 30 secondx and the lift that counted was very good, but the F/W was kind of boring. I'm sure it will be all spiffed up and much better by worlds. The last lift looked illegal and didn't say Charleston to me, and the spin was not up to the high standard they set for themselves last year. They have work to do, but it's amazing how far they've come considering she couldn't walk a couple months ago.

 

[herios]

No, ragtime isn't 1920's, 1930's or 1940's.
http://www.scottjoplin.org/biography.htm

In fact, Scott Joplin died in 1917. His big ragtime successes were 1910ish and before.

I have no idea why the ISU gives these OD assignments and then doesn't penalize for not following them, but they don't. C&P aren't the only ones skating to ragtime.

At least C&P's costumes are a nice 1920's look. And the twizzle from shoot the duck is very cool, but maybe not worth the scoring risk, because it's darn hard.

So far, I've watched V&M, C&P, W&P and HM/C. If V&M's last lift were something other than a transition lift for PCS it would be illegal. I have no idea if there is anything illegal in these new extra lifts.

BTW, I enjoyed HM/C's OD this time. It's improved a lot since the GP, but it looks like they left it too late in the year.. I felt they were underscored. They captured the 1940's look very well, and the last lift was spot on in character for swing/boogie woogie. Weaver and Poje's effort left me cold-they were too nervous to really get into it.

I did find a copy of V&M's Viennese Waltz CD which was very lovely indeed, although they can do it a bit better when they have practiced more. Really, really nice, IMO.

Their Charleston had some good moments, particularly the first 30 secondx and the lift that counted was very good, but the F/W was kind of boring. I'm sure it will be all spiffed up and much better by worlds. The last lift looked illegal and didn't say Charleston to me, and the spin was not up to the high standard they set for themselves last year. They have work to do, but it's amazing how far they've come considering she couldn't walk a couple months ago.

I agree with almost everything, V/M need more mileage, but I was afraid they would look worse, it's pretty good considering, C ?P yes, could simplify that entry to the twizzle section, I have never seen anybody doing such a hard transition into it, way too rsky, saw it 3 times, they missed it twice, that is about 33% ratio of success.

Weaver / Poje looked tight. They lack confidence enough to really perform. The performance quality suffers in their case

 

[mycelticblessing]

I love love love V/M's OD! The transition lift was so fast and so great, and their twizzles are so great too. Some small synchronisation errors at some parts, but it's going to be fantastic at World's! And I've never seen anyone do an overhead lift as a transition move before.

 

[cassieandcheetah]

I wish i would remember Davis and White's, I saw it only once at SC...is it anywhere on youtube?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnZ80uiaQ04

 

[victoria90]

I wish i would remember Davis and White's, I saw it only once at SC...is it anywhere on youtube?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnZ80uiaQ04 that's the link to Davis & White's Charleston


and cassieandcheetah was faster than me hahah.

 

[cassieandcheetah]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnZ80uiaQ04 that's the link to Davis & White's Charleston


and cassieandcheetah was faster than me hahah.

haha, that's alright! What did you think of V/M vs. D/W? usually, I think V/M are better at expression, but here I feel like it's D/W that captured the feel of the charleston much better.

 

[victoria90]

haha, that's alright! What did you think of V/M vs. D/W? usually, I think V/M are better at expression, but here I feel like it's D/W that captured the feel of the charleston much better.

I think V/M's OD has more funny details add to the choreo, and I really like it. But I still prefer D/W's one, I feel like they've captured the feel much better, too. And in my opinion their style fits better the Charleston, it's like it comes natural from them and that's why I enjoy so much their OD
But of course, it could be because they've been practicing it a lot more than V/M. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[just wondering]

This D/W program just makes me happy! They exude the essence of the Charleston in a way that makes nearly everyone smile. JW

 

[skatingfan04]

I did find a copy of V&M's Viennese Waltz CD which was very lovely indeed, although they can do it a bit better when they have practiced more. Really, really nice, IMO.

Do you have link for the CD?? I havn't been able to find it anywhere.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I really enjoyed Tessa and Scott's Charleston, they really looked like they were having fun. That first lift was out of this world, but the second one, at the end (was that legal)? I thought that the girl had to be higher than the man's head?

 

[lmarie086]

I enjoyed Tessa and Scott's Charleston as well, they really looked like they were enjoying themselves out there. The spin was a little wonky, but I'm sure that will be smoother with more time.
There were a lot of fun little details in that OD, and I thought they had good expression (Scott especially). It's funny, but I never actually expected them to do the Charleston, I don't know why but I was surprised to hear thats what their OD is. Nevertheless, a really fun program! Can't wait to see it again.

Doris, where did you find their Viennese?

 

[all that]

I think V/M will be able to capture the Charleston expression better with time. Right now, they are still thinking through some of the elements and trying to get them up to speed. Once they have all that down, they can spend more time on just expressing the dance.

 

[dorispulaski]

Does anyone have any idea what the idea is with Asher Hill's costume with the a striped tie as a belt and a pink undershirt?

It certainly doesn't come from the 30's, 40's or either of the 2 Astaire / Rogers musical films that featured "They Can't Take That Away From Me" where Astaire danced or performed in a business suit or white tie & tails. (Shall We Dance (1937) and The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) )

Obviously there is a concept there, but I'm totally missing where it comes from. Also the part about "the way you wear your hat" was about Ginger's hat I sort wish Kharis had a hat. (In "shall we dance", both Fred and Ginger had hats)

I've watched R&H, Chong & Gfeller and Karam and O'Keefe now, as well as W&P, HM/C, V&M and C&P.

I didn't like Chong / Gfeller or Karam O'Keefe at all. Very, very generic, I thought. Ralph and Hill I really like, plus they skated much better than they did at the JGPF. Only negative for me was his costume.

There isn't a lot of base mark difference in the couples. V&M, R&H, C&G, and K&O have a base of 26.8. The other 3 have a base of 26.1 (one less level 4 skill than the others). C/P had the lower base mark and blew the tqizzle. W&P blew the spin. C&G blew both the twizzle & the spin. H M / C had a slight problem with the last lift and K&O had troubles with the diagonal step and the twizzle.

I'd probably have had Crone&Poirier lower. Plus I don't like that ragtime is not 20's 30's or 40's.

Probably V&M, long distance, then Asher/Hill, C&P and HM/C all in a bunch in that order, then a space and W&P, and a space to C/G and O/K.

 

[missysays]

I finally got a chance to watch V/M's OD and I like it [but]...

It was great to see them come out on the ice again and I was reminded of how they really are the most fluid and graceful in their movements of all the dance couples out on the circuit today. Plus, no one does fresh and romantic better than they do. This OD is chock full of difficulty and clever moments with the cantilever spin and dynamic lifts. The charleston character was also there- it feels like a daytime jaunt through the gardens of the mansion in Great Gatsby.

And here comes the "but" I realize that it's still a new program and I have no doubt that they will continue to gain mileage and smooth out the little moments where they had to "think" through the technique but I felt like the program as a choreographic whole didn't seem to sweep me up and carry me away the way that Del/Scho, Kerrs, D/W, F/S and C/L's OD programs do. While they have good expression and energy, there's something about the dynamic range of the music or the choreography that was a little halting. Also, I felt a little like their expression of it doesn't come out quite as well as it does when they're performing waltzes, flowing romantic numbers, or dramatic ones. It's hard to put a finger on what I feel is missing.

After having said all that, this is a tremendous effort that they've put forth after a touch stop and go season. I know that they'll only grow and get better and gain the momentum for the rest of the season and most importantly the Olympic year after this one. Good job.