Free Dance - Notes & Results

These results are disgusting. There is no way W&L should have even been in the top 6 in the Free Dance. They should have been 8th. Their Free Dance is devoid of comparable difficulty, choreography, or transitions. It's absolutely horrible.

for justice.

oh good, I thougt it was just me!

what is going on there???

I haven't seen it, obviously, but homefield advantage always helps. Also, being in the game for what 10 years?

Personally, I'm thrilled! This wouldn't be the first time a dance team was given a gift.

maybe it isn't a conspiracy theory, STL, maybe there just really scared of being mobbed in their hotels

Oh well; I just hope Lambiel kicks major booty all next year so that he'll make the podium...or that Worlds is held in Switzerland again sometime soon LOL--though next year's in Moscow, if Yevgeny wins, one can hardly blame it on hometown favoritism, given his caliber...WAIT! That reminds me; I just finished downloading his free skate and get to see every bit of his intensity up close and personal...bye everyone!

Sarah

Maybe Kati & Rene didn't deserve it (I guess we'll all debate that once we see the dance telecast), but they'd hardly be the first dance couple to get on the podium that didn't deserve to be there. Even Scott Hamilton admits (and condones) that skaters who have been around a while get "lifetime acheivement" scores, and even if that's what was going on here, I can think of few dance couples at the moment who deserve those more than Kati & Rene. Regardless, I am THRILLED with the result for so many different reasons.

For those who are less than enthralled by the results, just bear in mind that it's their final Worlds so you won't have them to kick around anymore.....

For the first time, I wasn't able to get connected from the arena after the last flight started (it wasn't a problem with the board, it was a problem gettng on the net at all)

Here's the final flight. . . did Kati & Rene deserve it ???? I don't really know or care. . . Dance judging has always been a problem for me. I think Den-Stav should have been in first, but what do I know???? Kati & Rene actually got a 1st over Den/Sta

Group # 5

Elena Grushina / Ruslan Goncharov UKR Start # 20
Ordinals 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
Currently FD 1 Overall 1
Music Hanging Escape by Golshtain herin white with bit of grey at hem him in shades of grey
Start separated with him in crouch – she goes over as if to wake him / lift that goes into rot lift / spin that has some nice pos / lift with her upside down and he’s in shoot duck / O ftwrk is ok / rot lift with her parallel to ice wrapped around his waist / set of twizzles match j- turns are slow / another lift with him in shoot duck / set of twizzles turns matched but legs didn’t / dance spin very similar to first one / music is very heavy and feels much like carmina burana / another rot lift very similar to previous ones / midline steps seem slow to me / lift into their ending pose – it was a heavy program and think it was intended to be dramatic but I didn’t get that feel from it -- it could be partially because I’m getting tired  /

Tanith Belbin / Benjamin Agosto USA Start # 21
Ordinals 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3
Currently FD 2 Overall 2
West Side Story – Bernstein her in red him in light blue with grey pants
Start out kneeling together on ice / nice rot lift to start / they’re flying across the ice / into lift with him lifting her by her leg / music changes into midline steps and part way through changes to America which gets the crowd going a bit – steps were very good I think / into another lift and set of twizzles / can’t keep up with music changes so I’m going to stop mentioning them – at least I think I will / change of edge lift with him starting spread eagles / twizzles match perfectly / lift with her in stag and he goes into shoot duck / dance spin with him in low sit pos / pause in music and now we’re into the ‘fight’ I think or maybe the party - O ftwrk and the crowd is clapping / another rot lift and dance spin and we’re done with them in a similar pose to the opening

Albena Denkova / Maxim Staviski BUL Start # 22
Ordinals 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
Currently FD 1 Overall 1
Suite # 4 IN de-MINOR BY Handel shades of mauve & blue
Start out facing right in front of judges / rotational lift that starts one dir then changes / O ftwrk – you wouldn’t think crowd could clap to this but they are – they’re really into it / dance spin / music changes and they’re moving to it / twizzles in perfect sync / lift with her upside down leaning on his knees while he’s in crouch spread eagle – she then changes pos / fast dance spin with him in sit and change of pos sit / music changes and crowd is clapping again / set of twizzles going away from judges not sure if I saw something go wrong on one / diag ftwrk another lift and they’re done – that went by SO FAST -- that has just primed the crowd for Kati & Rene who are now on the ice

Kati Winkler / René Lohse GER Start # 23
Ordinals 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 4
Currently FD 2 Overall 2
Day & Night Her in dark blue with light and a moon on her chest him in yellow & orange
Female singing in german?? A couple of really nice lifts and the crowd cheers / lovely dance spin with him in sit / music gets really fast & crowd is clapping so loud you can hardly hear it / they’re flying across the ice and into a fast rot lift with her in splits / fast set of tizzles – 1st matched perfectly not sure about 2nd / O ftwrk is matched perfectly with music / music quietens and a nice lift / a lift I can’t describe – she goes up in a kind of sumersalt / set of twizzles / spin with him in sit pos / music changes & speeds up and diag steps fair bit hand in hand but both seem to be ‘working ‘ another rot lift with her upside down. The building is going crazy and they’re happy. Just showed Katarina on the screen standing up and clapping. The building is going nuts and so are they --- they’ve got the bronze!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tatiana Navka / Roman Kostomarov RUS Start # 24
Ordinals 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
Currently FD 1 Overall 1
Pink Panther; Austin Power soundtracks her in hot pink him in black
Crowd took a second to settle down after their music started but they’re not into it and clapping / lift where he swings her around his back and they across his legs and he’s in crouch spread eagle / another similar lift / dance spin with her in camel / superfast music ‘circus’ and O ftwrk is fast & goes with it great / fun dancing at centre ice / music changes and we’re into the ‘slinky’ part and she plays it well / another dance spin with her in same pos as before / lift with her handstanding on his skate and him in high shoot duck / thena lift with her on her back leaning on his leg bent at the knee / austin powers and they’re playing it big time / diag step have very little in dance hold but have lots of turns / rot lift with her horizontal to ice / now what are the judges going to do ??????????? This was a fun dance, but I believe that Denkova/Stavisky’s was more difficult and a better dance.

JonnyCoop said:

For those who are less than enthralled by the results, just bear in mind that it's their final Worlds so you won't have them to kick around anymore.....

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You're missing the point They have the easiest program of the top 8, by far. Their program consists of stroke, element, stroke, element with almost nothing in between. We're not kicking them around, I'm angry that they got a 6.0, placed 3rd in the FD (when they probably should have been 8th), and one judge even placed them above Denkova and Staviski. The result is horrifying.

TV

1 Tatiana NAVKA / Roman KOSTOMAROV RUS 1.0 5.7 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 #24
5.8 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0

2 Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVISKI BUL 2.0 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.9 #22
5.7 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 6.0 6.0

3 Kati WINKLER / Rene LOHSE GER 3.0 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.8 5.8 #23
5.7 5.7 5.7 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.9 5.9 6.0

4 Elena GRUSHINA / Ruslan GONCHAROV UKR 4.0 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.8 #20
5.7 5.7 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9

5 Tanith BELBIN / Benjamin AGOSTO USA 5.0 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.8 5.8 #21
5.6 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9

6 Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER FRA 6.0 5.2 5.2 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.7 #18
5.4 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.8

7 Galit CHAIT / Sergei SAKHNOVSKI ISR 7.0 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.6 #16
5.4 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.8 5.8 5.8

8 Marie-France DUBREUIL / Patrice LAUZON CAN 8.0 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.5 #15
5.4 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.7

9 Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI ITA 9.0 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.4 5.4 #19
5.3 5.3 5.3 5.4 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.8

10 Oksana DOMNINA / Maxim SHABALIN RUS 10.0 4.9 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.4 #17
5.1 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.5

11 Megan WING / Aaron LOWE CAN 11.0 4.7 4.8 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.3 #14
5.1 5.1 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.4

12 Melissa GREGORY / Denis PETUKHOV USA 12.0 4.5 4.6 4.8 4.8 4.9 4.9 4.9 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.1 5.1 5.2 5.2 #11
4.7 5.0 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.4

13 Svetlana KULIKOVA / Vitali NOVIKOV RUS 13.0 4.4 4.5 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.9 4.9 4.9 5.0 5.0 5.1 5.1 #13
4.8 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.3 5.3 5.4 5.4 5.4

14 Sinead KERR / John KERR GBR 14.0 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.9 4.9 5.0 5.1 5.1 #10
4.7 4.8 4.9 4.9 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.1 5.1 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.4

15 Natalia GUDINA / Alexei BELETSKI ISR 15.0 4.1 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.8 4.9 4.9 4.9 5.0 5.2 #12
4.8 4.9 4.9 4.9 4.9 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.1 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.3

16 Nozomi WATANABE / Akiyuki KIDO JPN 16.0 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.7 #6
4.2 4.3 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.8 4.9 4.9 5.0

17 Kristin FRASER / Igor LUKANIN AZE 17.0 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.4 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.7 #7
4.2 4.4 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.9 5.0

18 Nora HOFFMANN / Attila ELEK HUN 18.0 3.2 3.8 3.9 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.4 #9
4.1 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.8 4.8 4.9 4.9

19 Anastasia GREBENKINA / Vazgen AZROJAN ARM 19.0 3.9 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.2 4.2 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.5 #5
4.1 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.4 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7

20 Nathalie PECHALAT / Fabian BOURZAT FRA 20.0 3.8 3.8 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.0 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.5 4.6 #8
4.2 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.8 4.9 4.9

21 Julia GOLOVINA / Oleg VOIKO UKR 21.0 3.4 3.5 3.8 3.8 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.0 4.0 4.3 4.3 4.3 #4
3.6 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.4 4.4 4.4 4.6 4.7

22 Josee PICHE / Pascal DENIS CAN 22.0 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.9 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.4 #3
3.6 3.7 3.9 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.3 4.4 4.4 4.5

23 Fang YANG / Chongbo GAO CHN 23.0 3.4 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.9 #1
3.7 3.8 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.1 4.2 4.2

24 Alexandra KAUC / Michal ZYCH POL 24.0 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.9 4.0 4.2 4.3 #2
3.7 3.8 3.8 3.9 3.9 3.9 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.3 4.5 4.6

As mush as I really like Kati & Rene I do think they were 'gifted' in this competition. I found their dance slow and easy compared with the four or five couples below them. I firmly believe that G&G should have had the bronze medal.

As regards the top two, I feel Albena & Maxim had the superior dance in terms of content and difficulty but Tatiana & Roman had what I call a 'feel good' program that draws the audience in regardless of whether you are a fan or not - and I am not Although Albena&Maxim did have wonderful presentation I can see why N&K wone the gold on the night. I may not think it is the correct decision but I can see how it came about.

I am getting sick and tired of all the 5.9 and 6.0's that are being handed out by the judges. Of course the skaters themselves must be delighted to get them but when the dust settles and the competition finishes can they really look back and say 'yes I can be sure I hit a perfect performance that night and deserved those 6.0's'

Ptichka said:

And Navka & Kostomarov are the new World Champions! 9 6.0's for pres (not that it says much in this competition)

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Yuck, yuck, yuck It's just so wrong.
D&S wus robbed

Okay, Navka & Kostamarov are now the third World champs I've bumped into at SOI a few weeks before they won their first Worlds. I was actually looking at Tatiana and Sasha Zhulin's son, who is a breathtaking child, and then noticed Zhulin. I didn't even recognize Tatiana, but fortunately I figured it had to be her--especially with their son there. Without make-up, skates, and her amazing ice dancing, Tatiana looks like any other pretty, petite 30ish woman. What a difference all the rest of it makes.

Bummer about Tan and Ben not making the podium, but I think they'll get there.

I'm happy about Kati and Renee. They've been around and on the bubble for YEARS and it's great to see them finally make the podium. I love 'em. I find them to be very warm, technically excellent, and in the past have mostly been held back by injuries and some funky programs.

I'm a little surprised about Delobel & Schoenfelder, but IMO, they've been held up in the past. But having not seen it, can't say.

Rosaleen, once again, we can't thank you enough. You da bomb, baby! (Rgirl bowing) We're not worthy! We're not worthy!
Rgirl

Umm, Rgirl, Tatiana and Sasha have a daughter, not a son.

I prefer D&S, but I can see why N&K won. It was a toss up. I like Kati&Rene, but agree it was a gift. I wish both B&A and D&L had placed higher.

I'm upset over how little CBC showed compared to the other disciplines.

Rgirl said:

I was actually looking at Tatiana and Sasha Zhulin's son, who is a breathtaking child, and then noticed Zhulin. I didn't even recognize Tatiana, but fortunately I figured it had to be her--especially with their son there.

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That breathtaking child is actually a girl.

I don't follow this discipline too closely (mainly because I don't understand it very well), but what a great placement for Ben and Tanith.......5th place, the highest placement I believe for an American dance pair in the last ten years or so.......can't wait to see in on the telly......42

Show - no one understands this discipline very well! I think the Bulgarians should have won. Hard to say about the rest as I only saw Navka, Bulgarians, W&L and Tanith and Ben. Sorry I can't get into WSS! I think it is sooooo boring. Seems like they slowed way down as the dance progressed as well. And their expression just isn't there as far as WSS goes. Just wasn't that impressed with Navka & Roman either! But it seems like they are the preordained ones to be the World & Olympic champions. I DID like W&L! I was happy for them that they won bronze; what a wonderful thing for them! Can't say anything about any other teams as they weren't shown. I would have liked to have seen the French and Dubreil and Lauzon, also would like to have seen the Israelis. Oh well, another year, another Worlds!

I wonder if W&L might decide to stick around for a little longer? They may feel they have a chance at Torino. Glad I got to see B&A on ABC tonight. I'm very happy with their skate. Ben finally nailed those twizzles.

I definitely think that the right team won. I liked the Bulgarians a lot (loved their beautiful costumes) but the Russians were so much sharper and really looked and skated like ballroom dancers.

I have to say, based on the 4 performances shown on ABC, this was one of the best dance competitions I've seen in years; I enjoyed all 4 dances shown very much and that is very unusual for me, especially the last few seasons when I've seen very few dances that have done much for me.

I personally had a serious problem with Maxim Staviyisky's costume; that shirt flew up so high so often he may as well have gone out there shirtless to begin with!! (And I believe I speak for many dance fans on this board when I say that any time he wishes to actually do this, GO RIGHT AHEAD!! ) VERY distracting. It can be difficult at times to concentrate on the execution, beauty, and overall look of the elements when there's fabric flapping around all over the place, and I'm sure at least a couple of judges found it distracting as well and it may have affected their scores.

I really enjoyed Navka & Kostamorov's dance as well and did not expect to. I think if I'd've given a 6 to anything at this Worlds, it would have been that. I usually don't like those type of programs, but they didn't overdo the potential comic elements of the music and it was a lot of fun without being total schlock.

I wish they would have shown Grushina & Goncharov; had ABC not decided to show us practically an entire production of "Stomp" they might have had time to!

I agree with JonnyCoop that this was the best ice dance competition I've seen in a long time.

For the last 10 years, I've been unable to enjoy dance much because I just didn't like any of the teams at the top. I could never get into Grishuk & Platov or Lobacheva & Averbukh; just didn't like their styles. Krylova & Ovsiannakov were talented but too over the top in presentation. Bourne & Kraatz were charismatic but didn't seem that good technically. Fusar-Poli & Margaglo also didn't seem up to snuff technically. And while I liked Anissina & Peizerat quite a bit, they too had technical problems over the years.

But now that all those teams are finally out of the way, dance is becoming much more enjoyable and exciting again. I actually like all the top teams now (except for Chait & Sakhnovsky). And this was a great event; as much as I loved Denkova & Staviyski's free dance, I have to admit that Navka & Kostomarov's dance was very good too! And although Winkler & Lohse's dance was obviously easier, they performed it very, very well. All in all a great event, I really enjoyed it.