2015-16 Russian Test skates

[Snow63]

That's a smile? Looks like the left side of her mouth is trying, but the right side is refusing to go along.

That was -2 GOE level 1 smile, stop it.

 

[Skater Boy]

I thought Liza or Evgenia might be the current Russian leader. I just didn't like any of their programs actuall not just the ladies dance, pairs and men's. And I do thik K and S in pairs for the US doe have a briliant program but everything else is rather blah. Mind you if skated well who knows. I feel V and T really need something besides regular safe so called artistic music.

 

[Naya]

Bahahaha

Tsareva is like Wednesday Adams: on the day she cracks a smile will be creepy.

 

[silverfoxes]

well we got to give her some credit for trying.

Muscles do atrophy if they aren't used often enough.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

That was -2 GOE level 1 smile, stop it.

Are you accounting for the difficult entry into that smile

 

[RemyRose]

Tsareva is like Wednesday Adams: on the day she cracks a smile will be creepy.

My EXACT thoughts. That scene was PRICELESS and so was this

 

[Meoima]

Are you accounting for the difficult entry into that smile

The quality of that smile is not enough to get +GOE, regardless of the difficult entry.

 

[NoNameFace]

some casual thoughts after watching most of skaters who attended in test skates:

- generally, I'm very unimpressed by every discipline...Especially about musical choices and boring/frenetic choreographies (with few little exceptions), some skaters probably do really think that a reputation and PCS will save them and keep them on the top...

- from ice dance, Elena and Ruslan look quite promising - I'm not over the top with SD especially, but then most of top contenders this season is going to do 'something else' that traditional walz music; FD could be a real gem IF they will gel all transitions AND lifts together (all dismounts looked labored and heavy), but step sequences are really beautifully constructed and emphasise music perfectly (Najarro is my master for step sequences);

- from ladies...really disappointed on Elena who is my fave from Russian ladies - HORRIBLE music choices, generic choreography...She should ditched at least LP and do some gypsy medley or something more lively...Yulia and Adelina are not my cup of tea at all - for me they have to work hard on tech side to sell these programs (without jumps they will be empty), Adelina has some potential in that latin SP, but then: opening and closing positions have to be changed stat, step seq needs to be more paced with the rhythm and more controlled on upper body especially, jumps have to be there...Comparing Adelina's and Ashley's latin SPs, Adelina has better music selection, but Ashley's program is better constructed, more sophisticated, with more controlled and refined movement (that girl REALLY can move and sell programs like that, I have to give it to her);

- as for Elizaveta Tuktamysheva - dear fans don't be offended - she's becoming a one trick pony, same type of music, same movement, same style...I am very uninspired and bored by her programs, she could be the best jumper, blow kisses and wiggle her hips, but he is simply boring with doing the same things again just for different music...

- as for pairs...I feel bad for Yuko and Alexander, hope they will get all stuff together during upcoming season and let them shine as they deserve to; Tarasova nad Morozov looked interesting, not a big fan of programs at first sight, but they elegance and musicality in movement always gets me; Stolbova and Klimov - SP definitely better than FS, but then jumps don't look as solid and effortless as previous seasons, FS looks for me as recycled Addams Family from Olympic season a bit; and finally Volosozhar/Trankov...they really think they'll go straight on the top this season with these medicore programs - and sadly it would be true probably; PCS and GOE all the way and nothing besides of that for me, I cannot see a challenging themselves in their skating, just safety and boredom;

- and lastly - Anna Pogorilaya, please ditch that pink mesh in midriff in your FS costume and shorten that dress!

 

[oriquey]

I've just caught up with most of the videos from the Ice Dance and Ladies. I love I/Z's programmes and agree with most that they need to do some polishing. I've watched the video for their Frida programme more than three times at this point. I can't wait to see how the programme will develop over the season.

As for the ladies, I feel quite underwhelmed with some of the music choices and choreography

 

[Tutto]

Anyone knows why Maria Artemieva wasn't at test skates? She is on the national team (reserve) same as Alena Leonova. Injured?

 

[Sugarpova]

yep I was ????? at Maria's absence:think:

 

[Tutto]

yep I was ????? at Maria's absence:think:

it is especially baffling as the officials explained the absence of other skaters:

http://tass.ru/sport/2258201

but not a word on Maria ????

 

[Tutto]

At this stage when it is too early in the season and all the programs are pretty much a work in progress I mostly concentrated on music choices & costumes (where present). TBH the first impressions are grim:

Anna proved once again that with her figure & beauty she can look stunning in any rags, well quite literally in this case, as in fact she took that even a step further by recycling the same rags from her Mermaid first to the Firebird last season and dyed same yet again for her SP this season (beautiful colour btw)Why, oh, why such an elegant & stylish girl capable of creating that unforgettable costume for her EX last season does not do same for her competitive programs I do not know – sigh – despair…

Liza – I don’t know what to say really – sigh – despair…? Actually I quite like the lines of her LP dress if only she would bring a touch of colour in it and ditch the gardening gloves I may even like it. But her SP dress killed me altogether, I looked and I looked at a photo and I can’t even describe that – it is like a dozen of worst fashion crime nightmares rolled in one. Everything, the shape of it, the mix of fabric – so heavy on top but so light on skirt leaving on display high cut briefs, accentuated shoulders, white & red sequins, the belt, the gloves (gardening ones again), it is like there is enough there to create two or even three dresses it is just too much of everything but taste & style, sorry Liza! The idea if there was one is obscure but it looks pretty horrible… IMHO

Adelina – a nice surprise here, her participation in DWTS obviously made her pay more attention to her own appearance something she neglected in her previous competitive days. Not great, but a step in a right direction, and finally she ditched those horrible tights and we can see her lovely legs in neat white skates, huraa!

Look forward to seeing Julia’s costumes she normally does not disappoint (except the last version of her R&J dress). Her music left me wondering if her LP music would actually make a better SP, it is very nice and suits her but for a long program there is not enough rise and fall so to speak it becomes a bit boring.

All in all here hoping for an interesting season. And good luck to all the ladies!

 

[ice coverage]

And we all make mistakes. (Tanith Belbin--whose commentary I much admire--recently said the highest debut at Worlds by an American dance team was Davis & White. Totally forgetting that the Shibs medaled at their first Worlds). Memory is an extremely unreliable thing. ...

Yes, we all make mistakes :yes:.

Off topic:

Your observation about Tanith (for whom I have a lot of respect ) is very interesting to me.
Although she has a close friendship with the Shibs, I do wonder whether the instance of her forgetting about the Shibutani bronze at Worlds can be chalked up to an unconscious manifestation of Tanith's understandable pride first and foremost in Charlie.
When Charlie still was an active competitor, I was never comfortable with Tanith's role as commentator on ice dance -- b/c no matter how sincere her intentions to be impartial, she is human, after all. Whenever I expressed this opinion on GS, it was met with extreme derision. But your Shibutani anecdote is an example of what potentially can happen even when one's goal is objectivity.​

 

[plushyfan]

I just saw the girls programs.

Lip: very good SP, but a little bit boring LP

Liza: very good SP, and I like her LP, too

Adelina: very good SP, but I don't like her LP. And she is a lady on ice.

Elena: I like both program

Zhenya: her programs are amazed me. For me she is pure art. Probably she will be faster on ice.

Pogo: I like her programs.

 

[karne]

Hullo folks! If anyone here is able to read Russian, would they kindly be able to translate Artur's instagram post, pretty please?

 

[ice coverage]

Hullo folks! If anyone here is able to read Russian, would they kindly be able to translate Artur's instagram post, pretty please?

Very, very roughly (corrections welcome ):

"I always will remember this date!!!

The 16th means a lot for me!!!

It means a half year!!!

She knows what this means, but I know that I will not forget!!!"​

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Adelina – a nice surprise here, her participation in DWTS obviously made her pay more attention to her own appearance something she neglected in her previous competitive days. Not great, but a step in a right direction, and finally she ditched those horrible tights and we can see her lovely legs in neat white skates, huraa!

I agree. I always wished that Adelina would at least wear lipstick, and now she does. The costumes are better too, in particular her SP costume. I did not like either of her Sochi dresses.

 

[Ice Dance]

But your Shibutani anecdote is an example of what potentially can happen even when one's goal is objectivity.[/INDENT]

I think more likely it was an example of what can happen when one is thrown a rarely asked question on television in front of thousands of viewers. Tanith had a slip.

As far as your point about objective commentary, I feel VERY strongly about the quality of ice dance commentary so please know this rant below is not at all directed at you and very much directed toward any television stations who think of ice dance as just an extra and insignificant discipline with pretty costumes.

IMO, NBC should get down on their knees and BEG Tanith Belbin (or Ben--he's not bad either) to do all dance commentary for the next two decades. Her commentary has never destroyed an athlete's reputation or damaged their professional careers the way Tracy Wilson's biased commentary has. Nor does Tanith give patently bad advice the way Kimberly Navarro did last season--claiming that the Waltz was a better fit for the Shibs than their SD. (Did she not WATCH them at all last season? They defeated Papadakis & Cizeron twice and Weaver & Poje once with that SD, not to mention the entire rest of the World except for C&B. If Kim had wanted to be at all helpful, she might have explained whatever it was that the Shibs missed during their Worlds performance of it that caused them to look so not-happy when they stepped off the ice). As for the singles skaters, really. Johnny & Tara know zero about ice dance. Would you rather have a judge with zero knowledge of what he/she is judging or one who understands the sport thoroughly but might have a personal connection to an athlete?

Your point is absolutely a valid one, but the other options are oh-so-much worse. Tanith's commentary is thoughtful, specific, and informative. Her connections within the sport are personal, but they are also varied. She had Russian coaches & training mates, Canadian training mates, American training mates. (Her background, I think, is even more varied than Johnny's and it is one of the best things about his commentary). She does her job well. If that isn't what it's all about, then you might as well just have Terry Gannon up there alone sharing personal trivia AFTER the skating.

I watched the World dance event live last season. I turned on the TV version so I could hear Tanith's commentary. When she wasn't on it, I went and did something else. Eventually I watched it to re-view the programs, but I won't again. Kim's commentary added next to nothing (she may get better, but I would much prefer she practiced on a less significant event). I might as well watch the competition myself without the chatter and analyze it personally. (Something that was next to impossible to do with the crummy camera work, focusing on faces & not the major elements).

And since this rant has nothing to do with Russian test skates, I will just add that all the Russian dance teams this season will receive far fairer & more unbiased commentary this year from Tanith (Please may it be from Tanith) than their predecessors G&P, K&O, and L&A ever had the opportunity to experience on NBC. She is a jewel.

 

[ice coverage]

I think more likely it was an example of what can happen when one is thrown a rarely asked question on television in front of thousands of viewers. Tanith had a slip. ...

Yes, it was just a slip by Tanith. We're each speculating as to the cause of the slip, and I agree to disagree.
I don't know exactly how recent her slip was, but she has been a commentator since 2010. So I don't buy the theory that the primary reason for her slip would have been that she was rattled by thousands of viewers. YMMV.
To me, it is notable that her slip entailed forgetting the only Worlds medal for U.S. ice dancers between Vancouver and Sochi -- other than D/W's medals. YMMV.

[As for the rest of your post (which I know you said was not directed at me ): as long as her husband does not return to competition, and as long as she offers full disclosure on each broadcast of any conflicts of interests from her work as a coach/choreographer, I'll have no reason for concern over her commentary .]