- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
How convenient.
2018 Skate America Free Dance
- Thread starter GS Forum Staff
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How convenient.
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2014
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I was like "Grrrrrrrrrrr."
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
My hands needed a break but here goes:
Tiffani ZAGORSKI / Jonathan GUERREIRO
Country: Russia
Music: Blues for Klook by Eddie Louis
Choreography by: Mikhail Kolegov, Christopher Dean
Costumes: Lovely black dress with minimal but pretty embroidery for her (it's downright Striking and Tasteful); basic black for him
Program Layout:
Lots of sultury blues-esque posing and in place steps to Establish The Mood
Choreo Spin 1.87g
SL Lift (cartwheel entrance to step up to thigh for her) -->
Rotational Lift. Level 4. 2.35g. It's not smooth yet so I thought the GOE was generous. Then right into
Twizzles. which were slow slow slow (in tempo, I think, but they looked slow) and they lost sync.
This flowed directly into the
NT St Seq. Now here they were in perfect sync but the steps are a bit unpolished and not sharp. Level 2 for both/ 2.04g
Dance Spin with good speed, Again, a bit rough moving thru the positions. Level 4/ .98goe
SL lift to one foot for him. Level 4 with .58goe. I thought this was lovely and should be higher.
Cir Step Seq - Level 3/2.26g. Same issues as with the NTSSeq. It's not polished yet or sharp.
Chor Char Step Seq - right atchya judges. Which is what the CCSS should do. They don't call it a CHARACTER StSe for nothing you know.
Chor Lift 1.49
to bluesy ending pose.
Look, I think the blues is a good fit for them. They're growing on me. But the transitions are bumpy and as draqq said earlier, this is more the sketch for a program than a complete dance. Give it some more time and it will really shine. But I thought the scoring was very generous. On the other hand, they're finally showing why there was such buzz about them when they first came on the scene. Russian nats is going to be VERY interesting dance-wise this year.
Score: 108.08
Tiffani ZAGORSKI / Jonathan GUERREIRO
Country: Russia
Music: Blues for Klook by Eddie Louis
Choreography by: Mikhail Kolegov, Christopher Dean
Costumes: Lovely black dress with minimal but pretty embroidery for her (it's downright Striking and Tasteful); basic black for him
Program Layout:
Lots of sultury blues-esque posing and in place steps to Establish The Mood
Choreo Spin 1.87g
SL Lift (cartwheel entrance to step up to thigh for her) -->
Rotational Lift. Level 4. 2.35g. It's not smooth yet so I thought the GOE was generous. Then right into
Twizzles. which were slow slow slow (in tempo, I think, but they looked slow) and they lost sync.
This flowed directly into the
NT St Seq. Now here they were in perfect sync but the steps are a bit unpolished and not sharp. Level 2 for both/ 2.04g
Dance Spin with good speed, Again, a bit rough moving thru the positions. Level 4/ .98goe
SL lift to one foot for him. Level 4 with .58goe. I thought this was lovely and should be higher.
Cir Step Seq - Level 3/2.26g. Same issues as with the NTSSeq. It's not polished yet or sharp.
Chor Char Step Seq - right atchya judges. Which is what the CCSS should do. They don't call it a CHARACTER StSe for nothing you know.
Chor Lift 1.49
to bluesy ending pose.
Look, I think the blues is a good fit for them. They're growing on me. But the transitions are bumpy and as draqq said earlier, this is more the sketch for a program than a complete dance. Give it some more time and it will really shine. But I thought the scoring was very generous. On the other hand, they're finally showing why there was such buzz about them when they first came on the scene. Russian nats is going to be VERY interesting dance-wise this year.
Score: 108.08
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2014
Yes, it's really sad. I mean not that I don't think H/D are a good team, but they have really not clearly demonstrated that they are a cut above all the other teams, and I think it takes the joy out of an unpredictable post-Olympic season to just give people this kind of a boost.
After seeing the scores for S/B at Finlandia I doubt G/P have a shot at the podium.
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
Pfft. it could be about Marge and Jerry from Hokoken without that voiceover and the Sudden Death Pose. I agree with you the beginning is much better than the generic ending. It needs clarification. The grey dress isn't helping. Costumes do matter.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2012
I watched final group in a bus going home from brilliant 'Orpheus and Euridice' ballet 
and my mom called to tell me that once in a blue moon Polish tv showed FIGURE SKATING LIVE - so she watched too!
We stan good, groovy Disco program and Disco Babes going for it
, I love everything about it: styling, energy, dance references, vibrant, flirty, joyful expression, characterial flair of the era, but being current and fresh in appearance, how they have fun with the music and choreo. This program is smartly put, neat and tasty in reception - what I love the most is this notion of moving this music and energy into present time, it was never to be a replica or going full on vintage, but adding modern touch to it, translating it into ID standards.
Personally I cannot help, but feel that Lorraine and Quinn were underscored again, this levels on the lifts downgrade thing did the trick, but also PCS is the factor that disappoints me - and don't get me wrong, I do not think that they are now Masters of blades and edgework, but for me they have better constructed FD and better performed/executed more smoothly FD than Tiff and Jonhatan, at least for today, who were sloppy in many places, slower, more cautious in partnerings, sometimes behind the music. Their FD needs a lot of polish, looks like a good vehicle conceptually for them, but lacks yet certain interpretional flavour and is not very in synch with the music (which is not an easy music to work with) - especially the beginning is quite labored, detached in movement from the music, too much of literacy and static frame, to have some perspective I re-watched Daisuke's FS from 2012 and he made that guitar entrace sing in motion, with fluidity and insane coordination of his whole body. Overall, with all due respect to Tiff and Jonhatan who are solid team, today I would give it to McNamara/Carpenter performance-wise.
Marco really is one of those skaters who can smell an ice to Eskimo, with style
, his partnering, performance ability are just great to witness. And I love how he always make sure that Charlene is shown off. I expect way more dynamic LLL program from them, but actually 'Audition' part is growing in me, mainly because I sense a good, intentional match between them and that aesthetic. I can be as simple and straightforward as it gets with musical type, but they pull it off believable: there is a nice cohesive feel between their attitude, choreo, costuming, energy, music and movement, all element make up a compelling, effective picture which may not be the most original, risque or revolutionary, but keeps on giving 100% of the substance without being a headcase.
Speaking of one... Smiley Madison on the final choreo lift transitioning in 3 secs into dead Juliette with frantic Zach kinda sums it up for me at this point. Whole giving out respect to the execution quality, I find the program, creation, concept of it extremely underwhelming - there is no cohesion, expressive consistently to build up the performance in my opinion, with no consistent movement design to the music (Radiohead overvoice being still an afterthought, beginning still looking awkward with voiceover dialogue putting it with rest of the dance). And for me, there is still no clear idea of direction that program should develop, build up, aside probably from being executed well and looking pleasant - it is not a storytelling, nor original interpretation that sources from the story but creates a novelty and depth; 'Kissing You' piece is treated quite literally with first part feeling bland and too rushed through all motion, it creates for me an uneven feel and no, all these choreo lifts/moves crammed up at the end of the program do not make a good climax/finale: this sudden, a bit unfinished death end combined with smiles before it adds to the dissonance and confusion. I mean, putting this into perspective with Junhwan's R&J program, call me weirdo, but I really appreciate originality (even the weirdest one) of it and having some idea how to treat this music, theme differently.
and my mom called to tell me that once in a blue moon Polish tv showed FIGURE SKATING LIVE - so she watched too!We stan good, groovy Disco program and Disco Babes going for it
, I love everything about it: styling, energy, dance references, vibrant, flirty, joyful expression, characterial flair of the era, but being current and fresh in appearance, how they have fun with the music and choreo. This program is smartly put, neat and tasty in reception - what I love the most is this notion of moving this music and energy into present time, it was never to be a replica or going full on vintage, but adding modern touch to it, translating it into ID standards.Personally I cannot help, but feel that Lorraine and Quinn were underscored again, this levels on the lifts downgrade thing did the trick, but also PCS is the factor that disappoints me - and don't get me wrong, I do not think that they are now Masters of blades and edgework, but for me they have better constructed FD and better performed/executed more smoothly FD than Tiff and Jonhatan, at least for today, who were sloppy in many places, slower, more cautious in partnerings, sometimes behind the music. Their FD needs a lot of polish, looks like a good vehicle conceptually for them, but lacks yet certain interpretional flavour and is not very in synch with the music (which is not an easy music to work with) - especially the beginning is quite labored, detached in movement from the music, too much of literacy and static frame, to have some perspective I re-watched Daisuke's FS from 2012 and he made that guitar entrace sing in motion, with fluidity and insane coordination of his whole body. Overall, with all due respect to Tiff and Jonhatan who are solid team, today I would give it to McNamara/Carpenter performance-wise.
Marco really is one of those skaters who can smell an ice to Eskimo, with style
, his partnering, performance ability are just great to witness. And I love how he always make sure that Charlene is shown off. I expect way more dynamic LLL program from them, but actually 'Audition' part is growing in me, mainly because I sense a good, intentional match between them and that aesthetic. I can be as simple and straightforward as it gets with musical type, but they pull it off believable: there is a nice cohesive feel between their attitude, choreo, costuming, energy, music and movement, all element make up a compelling, effective picture which may not be the most original, risque or revolutionary, but keeps on giving 100% of the substance without being a headcase.Speaking of one... Smiley Madison on the final choreo lift transitioning in 3 secs into dead Juliette with frantic Zach kinda sums it up for me at this point. Whole giving out respect to the execution quality, I find the program, creation, concept of it extremely underwhelming - there is no cohesion, expressive consistently to build up the performance in my opinion, with no consistent movement design to the music (Radiohead overvoice being still an afterthought, beginning still looking awkward with voiceover dialogue putting it with rest of the dance). And for me, there is still no clear idea of direction that program should develop, build up, aside probably from being executed well and looking pleasant - it is not a storytelling, nor original interpretation that sources from the story but creates a novelty and depth; 'Kissing You' piece is treated quite literally with first part feeling bland and too rushed through all motion, it creates for me an uneven feel and no, all these choreo lifts/moves crammed up at the end of the program do not make a good climax/finale: this sudden, a bit unfinished death end combined with smiles before it adds to the dissonance and confusion. I mean, putting this into perspective with Junhwan's R&J program, call me weirdo, but I really appreciate originality (even the weirdest one) of it and having some idea how to treat this music, theme differently.
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2014
Fear/Gibson were fabulous! 
M/C- They need to improve her posture and extend their movements. Very promising though
Z/G- Lots of character but rough program. The have the potential to be up there just need more milage.
H/D- Technically strong especially hers but program doesnt feel authentic. They simply dont have the finesse to pull this type of program.
F/G- Very good strategy going for a simple theme/program that people can easily recognize since they dont have the character to pull complicated programs. Technically strong.
Z/G- Lots of character but rough program. The have the potential to be up there just need more milage.
H/D- Technically strong especially hers but program doesnt feel authentic. They simply dont have the finesse to pull this type of program.
F/G- Very good strategy going for a simple theme/program that people can easily recognize since they dont have the character to pull complicated programs. Technically strong.
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
Thank you for stepping up! I really should learn all those nifty abbreviations. Carpal Tunnel is a bad thing!
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2014
When I first saw this programme at Ondrej Nepela, I was absolutely bowled over. I adored it and still do. However, I had no idea then what the music was or the theme (couldn't even make out all of the voice-overs) I just enjoyed the avant-garde look and feel of it. On that basis, it didn't depress me at all.
I really like it when an ice dance couple does something 'out of the box'. In my opinion, they do this well. I don't take the 'theme' of it into account.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2014
I don't think they are particularly good dancers and this music's been overused.
And why on earth are they skating for Russia? She's English and he's Australian!
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Country
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Why they skate for Russia:
Jonathan's mother is Svetlana Liapina, who competed for Russia in ice dance with Gorsha Sur. He has competed for Russia since he was in Juniors, and has Junior World medals with two different partners, Riazanova and Pushkash.
Tiffany Zahorski is very tall for an ice dancer. There are not many male dancers tall enough for her, and even fewer that skated for a federation able to help her escape from clutches of the French federation, who could not find her a new partner, and would not give her a release. She placed fourth in World Juniors, competing for France, with her previous partner Alexis Miart.
Plus, she had a Russian grandfather, from her Wikipedia entry:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiffany_Zahorski
So that is why they compete for Russia. And they are both good ice dancers, but the team has not yet wholly gelled, and this year, they have had training interruptions due to injury.
Jonathan's mother is Svetlana Liapina, who competed for Russia in ice dance with Gorsha Sur. He has competed for Russia since he was in Juniors, and has Junior World medals with two different partners, Riazanova and Pushkash.
Tiffany Zahorski is very tall for an ice dancer. There are not many male dancers tall enough for her, and even fewer that skated for a federation able to help her escape from clutches of the French federation, who could not find her a new partner, and would not give her a release. She placed fourth in World Juniors, competing for France, with her previous partner Alexis Miart.
Plus, she had a Russian grandfather, from her Wikipedia entry:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiffany_Zahorski
So that is why they compete for Russia. And they are both good ice dancers, but the team has not yet wholly gelled, and this year, they have had training interruptions due to injury.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
Actually if you look at their rhythm dances, you can see genuine dance ability. Their FDs are usually their bete noirs. This is definitely better than last year's ho hummer of a FD. But it's still really rough, a sketch of a program. I do think M/C wuz robbed of a bronze here, but I think that is more evidence that there simply wasn't any home cookin' going on here.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2014
Fair point. I actually missed the Rhythm Dance, might check it out.
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2014
Yeah, it is pretty rough as of now but it really interesting. It's very likely that this dance won't even fulfill it's full potential by the end of the season but I am looking forward to them exploring this direction more in the future (hopefully).
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Country
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If there was home cooking, M/C was not the recipient of it. 
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2013
- Country
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YAAAAAAAASSSSS we did
Whhhyyyyy? Oh Whyyyyyy! WHYYYYYY
(That's another of my least favorite common juvenile contributions).
Nooooooooooooooo
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2016
- Country
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If you have a program that's clearly about cancer (and there are voiceovers here to make the point very clear), she really really really cannot be smiling the whole time. It's massively off. The theme isn't subtle. If you're not going to interpret the theme, don't use it. The choreo has some interesting parts, but overall cancer+smiling = big miss.
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