Sorry sisinka, but I couldn't disagree with your evaluation of the American dance teams more. I loved H/D's programs last year, but I think you overrate them and underrate all the other American teams.
And I cannot disagree more about M/K. I don't know what it is about them but after watching them once my immediate reaction could only be characterized as "Irrational dislike"--Monko in particular. But it's early days, so maybe my opinion will change. I couldn't stand Carolina Kostner when she started out, and she turned out to be one of my favorite female-solo skaters.
It is OK, we are all free to have our own opinions. My overrating and underrating US couples… Even with new judging rules a description of this cathegory looks to be quite strict – deep edges, beautiful gliding, expression to different sort of music, musicality, all things described in components etc. While some people believe that Ice Dance is about doing all required elements clean and thanks to it even components will rise – I know it happens, but I don’t agree, this is like giving Timothy Goebel 10 for Interpretation and Skating Skills because he landed three quads in a free skate. As well as I don’t agree that quads define skater like an artist, I think that acrobatic lifts and spin don’t define great dancer. And new judging rules agrees with me - Ice Dance has great expression and dance quality described in rules!
US Dance teams – C&B, S&S, H&D and H&B – even not one team meets all requirements which would make a great dancers from them right now.
Skating skills are good for H&D and H&B, while Shibs are in trouble and Bates is not good technician at all.
Speed goes to C&B and maybe H&B, while S&S are rather slower team and H&D are very slow team.
Good presentation even in time when music doesn’t help much goes to H&D, while H&B are juniorish and in their Amelie FD I found their presentation quite pale in some parts – but they are very young. Shibs are not very expressive. Chock & Bates uses big gestures and hoops to music beats which is effective, yes. While at least this year Shibs tried another style, while H&D jumped from Joe Cocker to Flamenco to Bohemian Rhapsody in their FD‘s….C&B choose the same style again and again – Chock already skated to Phantom of the Opera with precious partner, now Doctor Zhivago – love story, Les Miserables – love story, even their Chopin FD was so much full of loving gestures and hugs with each other – so another love story…no variety. I appreciate C&B for great lifts, they are one of the best teams having such acrobatic lifts and they perform them greatly, but this is not dancing or great skating skills.
I have big problem with choreography of couples – hoops and jumps and plenty of cross-overs and simple or no transitions and open holds – it all makes a program more easy…and it is defined in judging system that a program should have transitions, holds etc. Chock & Bates’s choreo and partly Shib’s choreo didn’t respect it. Of course that you are faster when you have simple transitions in open holds. H&D don’t have technique like V&M or some Russians, so they are slow while doing transitions with edges, transitions in holds. But I more appreciate couples who try to improve and push themselves to do better and more demanding programs than those couples who hide their lower quality with choreography. Of course this is coaches and choreographers problem, they are responsible for what their students are performing on the ice.
The sport is about being better then others, it is not about covering disadvantages and showing more easy programs. Program is not about required elements only, it is about the rest of it as well. Dance is about expressing all variety of dances, not about persistent repetition of one style. The best Ice Dancers should be great in technique and great in dancing and presenting all kind of dances.
Monko can irritate you (maybe not good body posture?) but the couple has great technique and despite their young age they already presented enought different kind of dances, different styles – Blues, Frida, Tango, love story, clowns in FD and they were good in it. Those are their qualities…but it surely doesn’t mean that some people can’t get such negative reaction watching them.
, I don't really think they can challenge C/B or the Shibs or H/D... 4th place is absolutely within their reach, though! :yes:
