Original Dance Report

Once again, rather generic.

Carron/Jost, Maria de Buenos Aires

twizzles with hands behind back, and overall nice SBS steps, RoLi, she changes the position, CoSp, she is in upturned camel, and a sort of sideways b2h, SlLi, she stands on his hip, DiSt, not much of the flow.

Quite "tanguish", they had really improved leaps and bounds from last year. Mureil is just

Nagy/Elek, Assassin's Tango

Horrible, bordel style costume for her complete with scarlet garter for her. They are still bad, I think it's the first time that I saw an ice dancer who cannot even move his upperbody and hands properly. Usually, the "bad" dancers have problems with skating skills, but not with dancing part. But he does. She is trying to sell the program, but she could only do that much alone.

Huang/Zheng,

Completely non-tango, but lovely, with a nice flow. RoLi on 1 hand, but rather ugly exit, SlLi, she balances on his hip while he does spreadeagle. Lovely.

Hann-McCurdy/Coreno, Tango Por Una Cabeza

DiSt, RoLi, 1 hand, SBS steps, lost of unison on Tw, CuLi, she changes position, Sp, she in upturned camel.

Nice choreography, but in some places they are visibly pushing each other to gain the speed.

Pechalat/Bourzat, Mi Buenos Aires Querido, Escualo

Sp, she in upturned camel,well done, SBS steps, I think she was 1 rotation short on Tw, SlLi,she leans forward, while he sits, DiSt, RoLi, she changes position, the first one, there is "clings" to him really suits the music.

Too many unaccuracies throughout, and the middle part does not sound like tango, more like some Latin dance.

Virtue/Moir, Association Tango

CoSp, they nearly fell out of it and it travelled, SBS steps, Ok, SlLi, she is changing position, first one was quite in character, DiSt, major stumble and he fell, RoLi, she changes the position.

The dance made much better impression on TV. They were rather untidy hear and lack the power of the strongest teams.

Cappellini/LaNotte, Tango Oblivion, Violentango

SBS steps, Ok, SlLi, she hangs upside down on his shoulder, while he is on 1 foot, Spin, upturned camel, DiSt, Ok, RoLi, 1 hand.

Very nice, sharp and precise movements, not much power, though and in places their expression was rather Latin than tango.

Grebenkina/Azroyan, El Sol Sueno, Libertango

SlLi, she layback, he sits, Spin, good Bielmann, not so good b2h, SBS steps with loss of unison on Tw, DiSt, ok, RoLi, she does split on his shoulder.

Rather untidy. I wonder if it's the lack of training time (she was doing one TV show, their coach, Zhulin, was (and still is) doing another). They were just better before, but OTOH, I think it's the first time he has any expression during dance.

Fabulous reports Anna, thank you.

Poor V/M. Sounds like they had a terrible skate. No doubt valuable experience. Hope they can regroup in the long.

Delobel/Schoenfelder, Tango Volver

SBS steps, Ok, Spin, b2h to B, SlLi, she leans back while he sits, DiSt, look very complex in a good way, with lots of changes of holds and positions, CuLi, rather acrobatic entry, really on the border of being "hands over head".

Very serious and concentrated throughout (but that was an intended, "intense" character). Good program for them, while they do not really have a good chemistry, they succesfully substitute with complex choreographic interactions. Smart.

Hoffman/Elek

SBS good flow, very soft, mirror twizzles, out of unison, CoSp, upturned camel in both directions, RoLi, she does a "ring" of his shoulder, DiSt, too busy for them, looked really laboured, CuLi, she lay back

I do not like this dance. Technically it was messy, and while they try to have good expression, I think it fell short overall.

Faiella/Scali, Tanguera

DiSt, do not like, too little close holds in it, SlLi, CoSp, upturned camel and b2h, RoLi, she is wrapped around him, SBS steps, Ok.

Very precise, with good attack, power and expression, but I doubt the wisdsom of putting SBS last, because it's probably their weakest element. One of the best dances character-wise, but they still have to get comfortable with it.

Denkova/Staviisky, Libertango

SBS steps, very much in character, SlLi, "kissing" lift, Sp, Ok, DiSt, good flow, RoLi....

Now, I think they should drop that RoLi pronto. Not only it has nothing to with the character of this dance (what's up with her hanging to him for the dear life?), but they cannot really do it properly, it looks like slow motion. And it mars the impression of this overall perfect dance. But so far it is THE tango of the season. Just brilliant, IMHO

Thanks for your impressions Anna, great to read, and very interesting thoughts on the pros and cons of each routine. :agree: