2018-2019 US Ice Dance

[Colonel Green]

It's also been noted that the Greens aren't on the International Selection Pool listing published by the USFSA for the upcoming season. Could be for any number of reasons, I suppose, but in light of the above some skating fans are wondering if the coaches at Wheaton haven't got a partnership reshuffling in the works.

 

[Ross74]

Gropman/Somerville have broken up, and decidedly not on good terms. Very poor form on Ian's part.

And also some coaches. How would she look with Michael Parson?

 

[believed]

Gropman/Somerville have broken up, and decidedly not on good terms. Very poor form on Ian's part.

The way he did this makes me so furious.

 

[Colonel Green]

And also some coaches. How would she look with Michael Parson?

I was thinking the same thing there. Eliana said in her Instagram post that she was taking a step back to reevaluate things (one can understand why, after getting blindsided), but unless Michael has already found a partner somewhere I'd expect him to be giving her a call. As far as current unattached female dancers go, she's about as good as he'd likely find.

Eliana's about two inches shorter than Rachel (at least assuming her ISU bio stats are up to date), which wouldn't hurt, either, as far as physical compatibility goes.

The aforesaid coaches could conceivably be an issue there, though, depending on what role they played in this. If anybody at Wheaton was helping Ian go behind her back (speculative at this point, admittedly), I can't imagine she'd want to stay there.

 

[ice coverage]

[ETA (on Apr 22): First sentence deleted.]

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It's also been noted that the Greens aren't on the International Selection Pool listing published by the USFSA for the upcoming season. Could be for any number of reasons, I suppose, but in light of the above some skating fans are wondering if the coaches at Wheaton haven't got a partnership reshuffling in the works.

FWIW, I can think of non-Wheaton couples with international experience who split after 2018-19 as juniors.

IMO, it is within the realm of possibility that Ian's new partner is not from Wheaton.

 

[Colonel Green]

FWIW, I can think of non-Wheaton couples with international experience who split after 2018-19 as juniors.

IMO, it is within the realm of possibility that Ian's new partner is not from Wheaton.

Oh, certainly. I was just noting the possibility.

 

[ice coverage]

A different possibility re the Greens comes just as easily to my mind.

(A possibility that has nothing to do with Ian.)

 

[LaArdilla]

This is just horrible, poor Eliana! What is it with those ice dance/pairs couples, I have heard of divorces being managed more amicably!

 

[Princessroja]

Wow, yikes. Poor Eliana. It reminds me of the Yavnovskaya/Mozgov split a few years back, which was very much the similar pattern. If the coaches are complicit in this then that is... very not good.

 

[oly2018]

To be honest, I think it's directly related to the fact that guys who stay in ice dance/pairs/figure skating in general, are treated like they are the more important half of a duo, simply because there are less guys in the pool. They can afford to be more callous with a split because no matter what, 5 other people are scrambling to partner with them. It's a sad truth, but the guy in a partnership is just valued more.

Now, it will be interesting to hear if the WISA coaching staff was involved in this because if they were, they are really putting their reputation on the line. They were starting to emerge as one of the big coaching camps, but now they are down two of their star teams and not under great circumstances.

 

[La Rhumba]

Now, it will be interesting to hear if the WISA coaching staff was involved in this because if they were, they are really putting their reputation on the line. They were starting to emerge as one of the big coaching camps, but now they are down two of their star teams and not under great circumstances.

Within America, certainly, but do they have any International couples in their camp?

 

[litenkyckling]

It's also been noted that the Greens aren't on the International Selection Pool listing published by the USFSA for the upcoming season. Could be for any number of reasons, I suppose, but in light of the above some skating fans are wondering if the coaches at Wheaton haven't got a partnership reshuffling in the works.

I initially thought this might be what was happening, but I did some Instagram sleuthing and on the post Caroline Green has commented saying "So much love for you" - obviously just speculating here, but I would imagine that if you'd been part of the reason why your friend's partnership had ended that you wouldn't feel comfortable posting that on their social media??

 

[Colonel Green]

I initially thought this might be what was happening, but I did some Instagram sleuthing and on the post Caroline Green has commented saying "So much love for you" - obviously just speculating here, but I would imagine that if you'd been part of the reason why your friend's partnership had ended that you wouldn't feel comfortable posting that on their social media??

Yeah, I'd say that's likely.

Caroline's health was a problem for much of this past season, so if they're not competing, I hope it's nothing serious.

 

[chuckm]

I think it's unlikely Caroline is partnering with Ian Somerville. Gordon is pretty tall, and Caroline had grown to be nearly as tall as he, so I'd think Ian would be too short for her, and she probably isn't done growing yet.

 

[ice coverage]

Yeah, I'd say that's likely.

Caroline's health was a problem for much of this past season, so if they're not competing, I hope it's nothing serious.

Another big "if," I believe? I mean the "if" that anything health-related is a factor right now in the status of the Green partnership.

The little that we know is that the Greens are not on the ISP list.

The reason(s) that they are not competing together could be unrelated to health and/or health history -- without being related to Ian either.

 

[Ice Dance]

For perspective, there have been a lot of splits in U.S. ice dance across the board at the junior age level. Not a few. Definitely not limited to Wheaton Academy. A LOT. As in, there were about 21 U.S. junior dance teams that competed this past summer. That number dropped to 13 by sectionals. And now, at best, there are six. (Six is probably optimistic).

Anyway, a lot of those athletes will probably move on as their skills aren't competitive with those at the top. And a few top junior athletes have announced that they are done. But that's maybe 30 athletes who split, yet started out this season in junior dance. And that doesn't count a few standout younger athletes that also split and hope to compete in juniors this season. Much less any international recruits. Trying to predict who will emerge with whom prior to next season? Not exactly a small task.

 

[Noxchild]

Ooh, I'm gonna need Avonley & Vadym to stick together as long as possible. They're my Beijing '22 champs (them or the Shibs ) and '26 champs!!

 

[Ice Dance]

Ooh, I'm gonna need Avonley & Vadym to stick together as long as possible. They're my Beijing '22 champs (them or the Shibs ) and '26 champs!!

Vadym can't even apply for U.S. citizenship quite yet, and it's likely to take a while if they elect to go that route. I would set my sights on '26.

 

[Skater Boy]

I probably missed this but is there news about the Shib sibs? ARe they finished? Returning and when?

 

[MiraiFan]

Within America, certainly, but do they have any International couples in their camp?

Not at the moment, I think... The Eliana/Ian thing was badly handled all around and it's the coaches' job to make sure changes are communicated to all concerned clearly and in a professional manner. After years of working together, an in-person meeting should be the minimum requirement. My take on the whole mess is that this is housekeeping ahead of the coaches' kids reaching junior level soon and wanting to clear the decks...