Carreira and Ponomarenko eye 2018 JW podium

Note: They just finished their first JGP in Salzburg, placing first in the SD/FD and overall. Congrats!!

In their third year together as a team, USA’s Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko placed second in the junior division at the 2017 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Two months later, they took the bronze in their Junior World debut in Taipei City, Taipei.

“They are a very special team,” said Shpilband. “Every single time I come to the lessons, you can be assured they are bringing a 100 percent. Emotionally, they are together and there to work. They are very positive which is very, very important. It’s really a pleasure to work with skaters like this. I’m really enjoying it every day, seeing the skaters bring so much dedication.”

Click to expand...

More

What are your thoughts on the FD?

StaLi4
STw4
CiSt3
CoSp4
SlLi4
ChLi1
ChSp1

First of all: CONGRATULATIONS! :agree:

I'm not too much into ice dance but they were just mesmerising! It all looked so fluid and smooth and effortless. Every move matched the music perfectly
And lifts! I could rewatch them over and over again. I will definitely follow them

I have been following Anthony's progress since he skated with Sarah Feng to Cats.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...enko&simid=608018335446666858&selectedIndex=1

Thank you for the great article!
I did not know that Rohene Ward collaborated with Igor Shpilband on their programs.

My thoughts on the FD: I watched it a few weeks ago for the LPID, and I was simply entranced and enthralled.

Christina and Anthony are one of those rare teams who make you feel something when they skate. I really hope they maintain this quality and don't get swallowed up in the technical requirements of Ice Dance.

They have what are for me the two Essential Es: strong Emotion and incredible Expression. What they're doing, at such a young age and as a comparitively new team, is extraordinary. Then there's a third E: Elongation. Somehow they give me the impression of very long limbs and lines. It may be the choreography, but they hold their positions just a second or two longer, so it gives the impression of longer lines.

Side note: I've been reading Christina's blogs for two years now; she's a good writer and she really gives a sense of the places they've competed in.

They don't even have to do well to win SD. annointed North American team will replace c/b and then just be wining world medals after 2018 Olympics.

Much better than the short dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuMEO4NrLq0
Is it his acting or Anthony was really exhausted? he looks like he is about to die, as making a superhuman effort

These two have potential but Christina is still significantly weaker than Anthony and the choreography Igor gives them is so dull.

Their long program Friday was really something. After a while I stopped worrying if they were going to make a mistake (because I worry a lot for my favorites ) and just enjoying their skating. It even brought a tear or two to my eyes.

skylark said:

My thoughts on the FD: I watched it a few weeks ago for the LPID, and I was simply entranced and enthralled.

Christina and Anthony are one of those rare teams who make you feel something when they skate. I really hope they maintain this quality and don't get swallowed up in the technical requirements of Ice Dance.

They have what are for me the two Essential Es: strong Emotion and incredible Expression. What they're doing, at such a young age and as a comparitively new team, is extraordinary. Then there's a third E: Elongation. Somehow they give me the impression of very long limbs and lines. It may be the choreography, but they hold their positions just a second or two longer, so it gives the impression of longer lines.

Side note: I've been reading Christina's blogs for two years now; she's a good writer and she really gives a sense of the places they've competed in.

Click to expand...

Wait with "entranced," "enthralled," and "extraordinary," isn't that the "6 Es"? Just joking - I enjoyed your post and agree with you about them. I've only followed juniors sporadically, but that's increased more and more (not that I have time but I just love skating so...), and they really caught my eye at Junior Worlds last year. I found their emotional connection with each other and the audience really drew me in - added to their great skating, of course!

I haven't read her blog, but I'll have to check it out.

The great thing about this team is they won't be staying on the JGP any longer then they need to be unlike the Parsons or M/C who both stayed on the JGP for 5-6 seasons. I wonder if they run the table like the Parsons did last year or M/C the year before if they will move up for 2019. It will be the first year after the Olympics which is a good time to move up and establish yourselves for the next Olympic cycle. I don't see Igor keeping them Junior any longer then need be.

I watched them skate this morning (on you tube JP Salzburg) and was very impressed. They are a good looking pair and they have great speed.

Of course I was a huge fan of Anthony's mom and dad back in the day and am still irked when I think about that horrible B/B FD that won them the gold in Calgary (boo-hiss).

I wish them the best in the wars to come.

I think Carreira/Ponomarenko are looking really good and have a lot of potential and I can foresee them being in the mix with McNamara/Carpenter and the Parsons as the next American generation of senior ice dance world contenders (fighting with whichever of the current top 3, if not all 3, is still competing after Pyeongchang). I've been following Anthony Ponomarenko (how could I not when his parents are my favorite ice dance team of all time) since his days with Sarah Feng, so I'm happy he's making such a big splash now.

Just two criticisms of Anthony because I think their pairing and programs would be more effective if he worked on these. In the FD, Igor (or whomever) choreographed a lot of moves where Anthony extends is back free leg into arabesque positions but he's not close to having the stretch, line, or flexibility to make it really work. The fact that there were so many of them made them so noticeable (especially compared to someone like Michael Parsons). Second critique is that his expression was very one-note in the FD for now. I think the interpretation would be more effective if it was more nuanced so his angsty, hurt expression would actually portray something other than looking out-of-breath for four minutes. Someone told me that they think Anthony is just naturally a very happy and peppy person so he'll get there but it may need some work. I do agree with that. I know he has it in him. It's in his genes . I just hope Igor teaches them well. I know he will get them their levels and teach them how to be great competitors, but I also hope he'll be open to outside dance instructors and choreographers as well. Maybe with C/B working with so many outsiders will usher in a new teaching method for Igor's school.

Christine Carreira does have things to work on, but she has a lot of time to work on them. I also like that there isn't too much of a height difference between them even though that may be bad for ice dancers just because if they keep succeeding, then they'll bring a new aesthetic to ice dance and show other schools (and their own school who has to work around it) how to make a pairing like this work. The Parsons are similar in that regard.

Weathergal said:

Wait with "entranced," "enthralled," and "extraordinary," isn't that the "6 Es"? Just joking - I enjoyed your post and agree with you about them. I've only followed juniors sporadically, but that's increased more and more (not that I have time but I just love skating so...), and they really caught my eye at Junior Worlds last year. I found their emotional connection with each other and the audience really drew me in - added to their great skating, of course!

I haven't read her blog, but I'll have to check it out.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I guess "E" was my letter for the day, wasn't it. I actually hardly follow juniors at all. I read Christina's blog first, and then looked up their programs, last year. She's very appreciative of the opportunity for travel, seeing different countries and meeting their people.

I was also a fan of Klimova/ Ponomorenko. Often when Anthony looks up, I see Marina's face. Kinda neat.

VIETgrlTerifa said:

Christine Carreira does have things to work on, but she has a lot of time to work on them. I also like that there isn't too much of a height difference between them even though that may be bad for ice dancers just because if they keep succeeding, then they'll bring a new aesthetic to ice dance and show other schools (and their own school who has to work around it) how to make a pairing like this work. The Parsons are similar in that regard.

Click to expand...

Igor should have an idea how to deal with it anyways, since, unless their ISU bios are out of date, they have almost the exact same height difference (163 cm / 179 cm) that Tessa and Scott have (165 cm / 180 cm).

Wow, Anthony looks so much like Marina Klimova. It is so uncanny. Maybe it is in the genes that he become a great ice dancer? His mother and father won OGM, OSM and OBM.

I follow very few junior skaters, but this team makes the cut.

I think they're going to be amazing in a few years.

Only a podium finish? That would be too a low ambition for them. I expect them to win the title.

Crossover said:

Only a podium finish? That would be too a low ambition for them. I expect them to win the title.

Click to expand...

Same. It's theirs to lose, imo. I think the Parsons and M/C better watch out, because when these two go senior, they might go straight to the top.

Congratulations to this team for being the top qualifiers for the JGP Final!

I wonder if they sweep everything this season like the Parsons and M/C did the last couple of season if they will then move up. I have a feeling having Igor as a coach they won't stay Junior any longer then they need to unlike the those other teams.