Athletes are not sloppy because of their height. They are sloppy if they have sloppy movement. (Personally, I find Konkina's arm positions to be very angular & somewhat sloppy. More so than any of the other junior Russian ice dance ladies). I suppose it may be easier to note the sloppiness of movement within an athlete with longer limbs than within a shorter athlete with sloppy movement. But dancers are around a long time. If you have a weakness, people will spot it, whether you are tall or short. The key, IMO, is to make your strengths outshine your weaknesses. Give us something special to remember you by. Popova definitely does that. I was not aware that she was tall. Though she does remind me of Krylova--another tall world champion ice dancer.
2017-2018 State of Russian Ice Dance
- Thread starter gmyers
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Athletes are not sloppy because of their height. They are sloppy if they have sloppy movement. (Personally, I find Konkina's arm positions to be very angular & somewhat sloppy. More so than any of the other junior Russian ice dance ladies). I suppose it may be easier to note the sloppiness of movement within an athlete with longer limbs than within a shorter athlete with sloppy movement. But dancers are around a long time. If you have a weakness, people will spot it, whether you are tall or short. The key, IMO, is to make your strengths outshine your weaknesses. Give us something special to remember you by. Popova definitely does that. I was not aware that she was tall. Though she does remind me of Krylova--another tall world champion ice dancer.
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- Apr 9, 2016
I don't think so, just the SD. We'll have to wait till the open test skates.Is there video yet of Nikita and Viki free dance? I adore them.
Lots of secrecy and hype for stepanova and bukin. I hope they show their programs at test skates next week (next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
The Junior Grand Prix started two weeks ago and it`s been rather successful for the Russian teams with 3 medals. I have to say that Konkina/Yakushev surprised me a lot this weekend. Before the season started I thought that the World Junior team would be pretty much locked with Shpilevaya/Smirnov, Skoptsova/Aleshin and Polishchuk/Vakhnov, but now I wonder if Konkina/Yakushev could snag one of the spots.
Up to this point the Russian Fed has already distributed 10 of their 14 slots on the JGP. I assume that both P/V and S/A will get a second assignment, which means that the Fed only has 2 spots left. I really hope that K/Y can get another assignment because it looks like they have a good chance to qualify for the JGPF.
I know that people keep saying that there is no talent in Russian ice dance, but watching the JGP and some videos from the local competition in Moscow this weekend makes me actually hopeful for Russian ice dance.
It has been many seasons of successful Jr ice dance teams. No successful transition to seniors for any. No euro titles no gpf medals no world medals. They enter Jr competions "complete" and never grow. Many go with good skating skills, speed, high levels and seem to be well packaged. But not for seniors. Many American teams go really rough but grow As they learn. Russian teams tend to enter with a style even if it's the Russian style. Better Russian style than no style! But Not one of the Russian teams ever moved to North America to train for a whole season under dubreil or zueva or krylova or moved to Italy to train under Fusar poli. But even this success is fading as United States won 2 medals at Jr worlds and not Russia. They are not growing as seniors.
It's hard to grow when you split up.
But Stepanova & Bukin are growing. Give them two years, as I said before. We'll see where they are after the transition. (Though I wouldn't put it past the judges at Rostelecom to put them on the podium this season).
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- Dec 22, 2010
Of course they will be on the podium, mark my words both of the top 2 Russian teams will be on the podium and Ilinkyh if she gets the 3rd spot will be propped up too.
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- Feb 17, 2010
ITA. I also think that this is one of the main reasons why Russian ice dance struggles so much. In the last 10 years, 6 different Russian teams won the World Junior title and there are exactly 2 teams left still skating together: Bobrova/Soloviev and Stepanova/Bukin and they will probably be the one who will go to the Olympics in February.
The current top Russian Junior teams have been skating for a while together, Skoptsova/Aleshin are entering their 5th, Shipilevaya/Smirnov their 6th and Polishchuk/Vakhnov their 9th season together. I hope that they can stay and grow together instead of all that breaking up and reteaming we saw in the last few years.
Did you watch to SHPILEVAYA/SMIRNOV in Riga? they were fabulous in the SD!! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2eLVD2oQUs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2eLVD2oQUsDid you watch to SHPILEVAYA/SMIRNOV in Riga? they were fabulous in the SD!!
Really? I thought they were sort of blah. Maybe their skating skills are fine but the program sort of goes nowhere.
But hey, because they're so cute I'll watch it again . I really hope S/B's material is MUCH better. Or the hype will be anti-climatic for them.
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- Oct 1, 2016
Did you watch to SHPILEVAYA/SMIRNOV in Riga? they were fabulous in the SD!!
They were superb :thumbsup:
Maybe my standards are too high. Hmmm....
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- Jul 26, 2003
I think their skating itself was impressive for a junior team and they and the second place Russians looked most at-ease with the elements with the Greens following. Their dancing is only ok but it's not embarrassing or bad which is what I ask for in young juniors. Now if someone were to be an Elena Ilinykh circa Juniors 2010 then that would be amazing.
Precisely. You hit the nail on the head. TBH, I am looking forward to six S/D's; V/M, P/C, H/D, C/B, C/L, Shib Sibs, and in that order. The rest, fluff. Albeit, nice, eye candy sort of fluff
I seriously wonder if B/S will change their S/D a la 2014, Sochi?
I actually liked the short dance of Sofia and Igor more. Although the second piece of music was totally unecessary, I thought their program, as a whole, was more classy than Anastasia and Grigory's. Technically, A and G are really strong, but I'm not a fan of the rock and roll twist they incorporated... On the side note, I can't deal with another all black Latin number from the Russians... Like the trend has got to stop...
Apparently, Elena and Anton are doing a Spartacus FD choreographed by Averbukh! Off-the-charts excited to see the debut of this team!
SOURCE: https://ulpressa.ru/2017/09/08/ilya-averbuh-vzryiva-ne-sluchitsya/
SOURCE: https://ulpressa.ru/2017/09/08/ilya-averbuh-vzryiva-ne-sluchitsya/
The splitting up is hugely influenced by lack of success in seniors. that's because they aren't doing North American style and ijs programs. the teams think they aren't working but in fact they can't work. If kustarov zhulin tarasova and most Russian ice dance coaches were banned from working in ice dance and all the teams were coached by Russian dubreil or some kind of Russian version of Fusar poli or all the Russian teams weee sent to North America maybe there could be great success in Senior ice dance for Russians again! But number one priory must be banning people like tarasova zhulin and kustariva from having anything to do with ice dance teams. Zhulin is the worst coach of all time for Russian ice dance. He hates all ijs and all of what judges like.
He helped them with some polishing of the program but he didn't choreograph it. They have not said anything about their programs. Maybe we'll learn more after test skates.
The bigger question though, is S/B there? We haven't seen even a glimpse of them.
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- Dec 22, 2010
S/B are there as they are on the start list for the public demo today.
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- Dec 22, 2010
I can't wait either, as having seen them in the photos with Tarasova they are a gorgeous looking couple.
No offense to Ruslan, but Shibnev is way easier on the eye.
Sinitsina/Katsalapov, SD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_tHFtz4sA4
okay, Zhulin managed to control his twizzles
, but they had other problems 
hwell:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_tHFtz4sA4
okay, Zhulin managed to control his twizzles
, but they had other problems hwell:Sinitsina/Katsalapov, SD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_tHFtz4sA4
okay, Zhulin managed to control his twizzles
No hope for them... #SorryNotSorry
Elena and Anton, on the other hand,
! They have potential!- Status
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