2018 Olympic Season: Ice Dance

[jersey1302]

My gut reaction from the GPF:

- P/C have just outpaced V/M. The Moonlight Sonata was a work of art, and they now have the advantage on the SD too. They're solidly co-favourites to win OGM, not just contenders. It's no longer a coronation of V/M for the second gold. That FD had Bolero- / Mahler's Fifth-style levels of landmark all over it. It's a mesmerizing, iconic piece, their best ever.

- V/M were great as usual, but the program just loses life in the last minute. They need to re-configure the music and at this point there's very little time, given that nationals are a month away and the holidays are in between. I think they'll still skate it well, like they did with The Seasons, they just need to tighten it up a bit and make the ending more memorable. Right now it's just so quiet and not cohesive. Scott in particular looks laboured next to the French, but Tessa seems to have found her groove as a performer, she's glorious. Still love them though and am not counting them out for OGM (at least if they get the team gold then I'll be sated).

- Shibs have gone to the well on Coldplay as a motif one time too many. Anyone else noticed they were ranked 6th in the FD? Even the Italians did better than they did. That was an uncharacteristically "meh" skate from them. They look good for 3rd at OG but it's not a lock by any means, they had that SD lead to prop them up. Competition is tight because this was like a mini-nationals for US with their teammates breathing down their necks.

- H/D: This is a wonderful team, but they are still learning how to channel their energy and compete. Still, they have now inched ahead of C/B as a more likely #2 nationally. I'd like to see them progress, because that FD is HOT.

- C/B: I'm still baffled by the music choice. They skated well today, no major mistakes, but they've become a bit of an afterthought. Shibs are considered the leaders in the US while H/D are the hot young up-and-comers. C/B are starting to get lost in the shuffle. The FD doesn't give them a chance to shine like their American in Paris or Rach 2, which allowed them to brilliantly showcase Chock in particular. Team medal, maybe?

- C/L: I love this program. They may not have the technical difficulty as the other top teams, but I found that I'd much rather watch this beautiful, fluid piece any day over C/B's tepid "Imagine", W/P re-heating "Je Suis Malade", or B/S and their latest avant-garde-art-think piece. The Italians are lovely and polished but they will need more innovation rather than just being pretty to stay in the conversation. They may not have their Olympic moment unless all the Americans, WeaPo AND B/S have a bad day. They'll have their moment with this piece at worlds on home ice in Milan and I can't think of a better way for them to say goodbye to their careers. Life is indeed beautiful.

Takeaway: We appear to have settled into a battle for the gold between two sets of training mates, sounds familiar? Except has there been an established #1 and #2, the way it was with D/W vs. V/M? They won't go head-to-head again until OG, so we won't have a rematch before then. The battle is third but although the Shibs are looking good, the other two US teams are nipping on their heels. It's a shame the lovely Italians, always crowd pleasers, seem to have gotten lost in the shuffle a bit. The top 2 teams appear to have a stranglehold on the first two podium places, the question is who will end up third? Again: sound familiar? Remember at Sochi it was P/B, B/S, W/P and C/L, but I/K broke through (and then subsequently broke up). Is this the year that no Russian dance team ends up on the Olympic podium (which would make Ilya Averbukh apoplectic)?

Wow I can't dis agree with you anymore than I do right now. I'm completely opposite opinion to you in the v/m p/c debate. I think Tessa and scott are faster, stronger, they characters are MUCH more prevelant than the french in both programs, they skate closer together, they skate from beginning to end with incredible pace and precision. I think both Tessa and Scott are better skaters than Gabriella and Guillaume. I feel the french are a tad more stiff and forced where as Tessa and Scott look like effortless and completley indulged into their characters which they do amazingly well. I'm personally shocked that P/C are eclipsing V/M with WR scores. Its actually mind boggling to me.

 

[Astrid56]

My gut reaction from the GPF:

- C/B: I'm still baffled by the music choice. They skated well today, no major mistakes, but they've become a bit of an afterthought. Shibs are considered the leaders in the US while H/D are the hot young up-and-comers. C/B are starting to get lost in the shuffle. The FD doesn't give them a chance to shine like their American in Paris or Rach 2, which allowed them to brilliantly showcase Chock in particular. Team medal, maybe?

I, too, am very surprised with their music choices but that's neither here nor there at this point. The Nationals will determine the top 3 - it's not a lock for the Shibs yet. C/B is advancing steadily despite the music choices based on this GPF results. The Ice Dance competitions will be fierce. I think, C/B kinda skated cautiously in GPF for good reason as they came in with the lowest final scores and the memory of the last GPF, still lingered. After competing side by side with the other US teams, C/B now have real reference for what they have to do and how to prepare, etc. Also, this is just their 3rd competition ... they're still improving ... polishing their performances.

 

[russianskating4ever]

Wow I can't dis agree with you anymore than I do right now. I'm completely opposite opinion to you in the v/m p/c debate. I think Tessa and scott are faster, stronger, they characters are MUCH more prevelant than the french in both programs, they skate closer together, they skate from beginning to end with incredible pace and precision. I think both Tessa and Scott are better skaters than Gabriella and Guillaume. I feel the french are a tad more stiff and forced where as Tessa and Scott look like effortless and completley indulged into their characters which they do amazingly well. I'm personally shocked that P/C are eclipsing V/M with WR scores. Its actually mind boggling to me.

Totally agree, the French just stick to what they know and you can feel the ‘rigidness’ but V/M are so much more relaxed and ‘unpredictable’. Maybe it’s because of how long they have been together, V/M have skated for so long together.

 

[Astrid56]

Wow I can't dis agree with you anymore than I do right now. I'm completely opposite opinion to you in the v/m p/c debate. I think Tessa and scott are faster, stronger, they characters are MUCH more prevelant than the french in both programs, they skate closer together, they skate from beginning to end with incredible pace and precision. I think both Tessa and Scott are better skaters than Gabriella and Guillaume. I feel the french are a tad more stiff and forced where as Tessa and Scott look like effortless and completley indulged into their characters which they do amazingly well. I'm personally shocked that P/C are eclipsing V/M with WR scores. Its actually mind boggling to me.

It's about the judges' mind-set and preferences. V/M danced with a concrete plot, character and theme and delivered it with great aplomb. P/C however danced to a much beloved classical piece with no definite theme _ it's a dance based on aesthetics much like Balanchine style which focuses more on dance movement and composition in relation to music _ not on character development. I would have chosen V/M (I guess, because of my theatre background) but I can't also deny that P/C's dance is extremely appealing to the senses. V/M's dance is full of angst, drama, and excitement while P/C's more about poetry in motion - just beautiful movements to pleasure the senses.

 

[anyanka]

The Shibs weren’t 6th in the FD because they’re skating to Coldplay for the second time and had a “meh skate.” They were 6th because they made uncharacteristic mistakes and weren’t clean technically. Just a couple of weeks ago they skated that program clean and got 115, which would’ve put them 3rd in the FD here.

Good point, they were great at both COR and SA, I'll give you that.

Their SD though - on fire! Love it.

 

[peepsquick]

Wow I can't dis agree with you anymore than I do right now. I'm completely opposite opinion to you in the v/m p/c debate. I think Tessa and scott are faster, stronger, they characters are MUCH more prevelant than the french in both programs, they skate closer together, they skate from beginning to end with incredible pace and precision. I think both Tessa and Scott are better skaters than Gabriella and Guillaume. I feel the french are a tad more stiff and forced where as Tessa and Scott look like effortless and completley indulged into their characters which they do amazingly well. I'm personally shocked that P/C are eclipsing V/M with WR scores. Its actually mind boggling to me.

:scratch3::noshake: NO

 

[Anyasnake]

Good point, they were great at both COR and SA, I'll give you that.

Their SD though - on fire! Love it.

The Shibs have an excellent SD that really stands out, both in construction and in technical. It does makes the difference even with a mistake. You don't even have to like it, still it's very likeable. It might just make the difference between them and the other US teams I think, because Shibs are getting high levels quite often. H/D have an excellent FD too. I was skeptical about C/B FD but they made it work at GPF, I didn't expect it.

 

[anyanka]

The Shibs have an excellent SD that really stands out, both in construction and in technical. It does makes the difference even with a mistake. You don't even have to like it, still it's very likeable. It might just make the difference between them and the other US teams I think, because Shibs are getting high levels quite often. H/D have an excellent FD too. I was skeptical about C/B FD but they made it work at GPF, I didn't expect it.

Yes, C/B also made it over the Russians, and it did help a bit that WeaPo were injured and didn't fare that well at their second assignment.

US ID is HOT at this time!

 

[Gotlev]

I'm personally shocked that P/C are eclipsing V/M with WR scores. Its actually mind boggling to me.

The future always is mind boggling for those who love the present.

 

[Barb]

Good luck to Olivia/Adria and Sara/Kirill, this weekend are the Spanish Nationals and finally we will know who is going to Olympics


SD 16th Saturday 18:45-19:21 (Spain time http://www.hora.es/madrid) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgWeIMf4Dx4
FD 17th Sunday 15:13-15:37 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW6-NdLHQg0

 

[joanne129]

Wow I can't dis agree with you anymore than I do right now. I'm completely opposite opinion to you in the v/m p/c debate. I think Tessa and scott are faster, stronger, they characters are MUCH more prevelant than the french in both programs, they skate closer together, they skate from beginning to end with incredible pace and precision. I think both Tessa and Scott are better skaters than Gabriella and Guillaume. I feel the french are a tad more stiff and forced where as Tessa and Scott look like effortless and completley indulged into their characters which they do amazingly well. I'm personally shocked that P/C are eclipsing V/M with WR scores. Its actually mind boggling to me.

i disagree. tessa and scott, especially scott's speed clearly slowed down A LOT near the last part of their programs, e.g. the second step in the free dance. pc are young that they can keep the speed and energy til the end of their programs, there is a clear contrast between these 2 pairs

PC's free dance is more of a piece of art than VM's in my opinion

 

[Anyasnake]

Good luck to Olivia/Adria and Sara/Kirill, this weekend are the Spanish Nationals and finally we will know who is going to Olympics


SD 16th Saturday 18:45-19:21 (Spain time http://www.hora.es/madrid) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgWeIMf4Dx4
FD 17th Sunday 15:13-15:37 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW6-NdLHQg0

It's a 100% sure after nationals ? because last year, they said this, and did the opposite... it was tricky (and weird).
I think based on the previous competition, H/D have the edge for now. That being said, good luck to everyone !

 

[Barb]

It's a 100% sure after nationals ? because last year, they said this, and did the opposite... it was tricky (and weird).
I think based on the previous competition, H/D have the edge for now. That being said, good luck to everyone !

H/D , do you mean S/D? . Yes, apprently it is 100% sure after nationals, I hope the Spanish Federation learned of their mistakes. Anyway, they are taking in account the scores of Golden Spin + Nationals. Right now, Sara and Kirill are with a little of advantage 163.58 vs 159.40 of Olivia/Adria http://www.isuresults.com/events/cat03108257.htm

Golden Spin Zagreb

Sara/Kirill
SD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5uZO-qRHVs&t=22s
FD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVWMnzaqTto

Olivia/Adria
SD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w2jxks1Yiw&t=1s
FD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOSf_FzZmHk

 

[Anyasnake]

I meant H/K I mixed the 2 of them ! Okay good thing then !

 

[Bluediamonds09]

What I can’t quite figure out is which one of the shibsibs messed up in the twizzles at the GPF. Did one not do enough rotations? Or was it the other way around? Also, did only one sibling mess up in both sd and fd?

 

[Barb]

What I can’t quite figure out is which one of the shibsibs messed up in the twizzles at the GPF. Did one not do enough rotations? Or was it the other way around? Also, did only one sibling mess up in both sd and fd?

It was Alex´s fault doing one less rotation in both programs, here is the confession https://twitter.com/AlexShibutani/status/939482297811615744 :hopelessness:. Actually, I do not remember any visible mistake of Maia throughout her career :shocked:

 

[Gotlev]

Unless Christopher Dean is a closet latin expert, I would guess P/C spent a lot of time with a ballroom expert (Jean Marc Genereux, maybe? he is based in Montreal).

From interviews, we learned that Gadbois has a ballroom dancer/judge on the payroll as a coach to help the skaters with ballroom movements.

 

[blancanieves]

It's a 100% sure after nationals ? because last year, they said this, and did the opposite... it was tricky (and weird).
I think based on the previous competition, H/D have the edge for now. That being said, good luck to everyone !

The results at Nationals (added to the results from Golden Spin) should determine the Olympic qualifier. I assume that team will also go to Europeans to earn WS points towards the best starting order possible for the SD. But the federation hasn't announced how they'll decide who goes to Worlds. I think whoever goes to the Olympics will want to go to Worlds as well. But, in any case, I think H/K should go because they were unfairly kept from doing so last season.

 

[purplebabe]

Does anyone know the status of Isabella and Ilya, the ice dance team representing Israel? I know he did not get citizenship and they cannot compete at the Olympics. They have not competed yet this season, withdrew from all Grand Prix events. Does this mean they are retiring or will we still see them at Euros and Worlds?

 

[Barb]

Sara and Kirill qualified for the Olympics!!!!! :hap93::hap57::yes2: