2018 Skate America: Ice Dance Pregame chat and predictions

[GS Forum Staff]

Pre-game chat and predictions for 2018 Skate America for the Pairs

Entries as of 10/5/18

Katharina MÜLLER / Tim DIECK	GER
Lilah FEAR / Lewis GIBSON	GBR
Robynne TWEEDALE / Joseph BUCKLAND	GBR
Charlene GUIGNARD / Marco FABBRI	ITA
Natalia KALISZEK / Maksym SPODYRIEV	POL
Tiffani ZAGORSKI / Jonathan GUERREIRO	RUS
Alexandra NAZAROVA / Maxim NIKITIN	UKR
Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE	USA
Karina MANTA / Joseph JOHNSON	USA
Lorraine MCNAMARA / Quinn CARPENTER	USA

 

[LaArdilla]

I have just realised that H/D are the only team that has won a GP medal. So two of the teams above will medal for the very first time at this event

 

[CoyoteChris]

I have just realised that H/D are the only team that has won a GP medal. So two of the teams above will medal for the very first time at this event

There are quite a few teams and skaters at the events that while are not maybe household words, will be fun to watch for the first time on ice live and in living color. Still others we have seen at nats coming up. Go M/C!

 

[cheerknithanson]

Ooooooo! McNamara/Carpenter have a chance of getting a GP medal!

 

[WeakAnkles]

Ooooooo! McNamara/Carpenter have a chance of getting a GP medal!

Yes they do.

It's really a four team race for the podium: H/D (who I would suspect may have radically reworked at least their FD since their last outing; and if they haven't they should); G/F (who won't have an Italian judge throwing 5pt GOEs at them like it's New Year's Eve confetti); Z/G (who really haven't tested the international waters yet); and M/C.

I actually liked what I saw of K/S's FD, perhaps more than they do themselves. Nice to see them stretch into an entirely new type of program. I'm curious as to what has inspired such a lack of judgelove for them and N/N.

Germany's M/D may have the single most depressing FD I have ever seen in ID. Which is an achievement of sorts, I guess.

Here's hoping F/G inject a bit more fun and campy zestiness into their disco program.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Maddie and Zach for the win, Alexandra for making my knees weak....
Lots of people here I dont think I have seen in person...should be a fun comp.

 

[elbkup]

Fingers crossed for M/C... both programs are so beautiful this year

Edit: And, please please skating gods let Ben Agosto provide commentary..

 

[AlexRus]

Dance in order of Season Best of this season (got at Challenger Series)
1 Madison HUBBELL / Zachary DONOHUE USA 197.42
2 Charlene GUIGNARD / Marco FABBRI ITA 193.28
3 Lorraine MCNAMARA / Quinn CARPENTER USA 178.64
4 Lilah FEAR / Lewis GIBSON GBR 160.61
5 Robynne TWEEDALE / Joseph BUCKLAND GBR 153.59
6 Katharina MÜLLER / Tim DIECK GER 147.15
7 Natalia KALISZEK / Maksym SPODYRIEV POL 141.63
8 Karina MANTA / Joseph JOHNSON USA 134.09
9 Alexandra NAZAROVA / Maxim NIKITIN UKR 127.59

Tiffani ZAGORSKI / Jonathan GUERREIRO RUS have not SB yet.

 

[Ice Dance]

So looking forward to the dance event at Skate America! Hoping H&D look better. Really looking forward to both of Guignard & Fabbri's programs. Get to see Zagorski & Guerreiro live for the first time. (Watching live is always the best way to appreciate a dance team). I <3 Nazarova & Nikitin--am also worried about them as I think their move back to Ukraine has clearly mucked with their training this summer. Enjoy K&S and hope they are better prepared than for Nebelhorn. Looking forward to seeing Muller & Dieck live for the first time. Also I enjoy Fear & Gibson's FD this season. And most of all I am looking forward to seeing Quinn & Lorraine.

I am glad people think McNamara & Carpenter have a shot at a medal. I like to think so too. (I am totally biased as they are my favorite young team). To be fair, their most likely finish based on results thus far would be fourth. Guignard & Fabbri have loads of experience and scored well above the young dance teams on the CS Series this fall. (I feel like that gap between the top established teams and the younger upcoming ones will likely close somewhat as the season goes on, though how that plays out will be very interesting to watch). Zagorski & Guerreiro have been delayed in their debut this season due to an injury, and it is impossible to know how well they will be prepared heading into SA; but they finished surprisingly high last season--based on their earlier season results--ahead of Guignard & Fabbri and Hawayek & Baker at Worlds. So we can certainly expect Z&G to put up a fight for a medal. But that doesn't mean McNamara & Carpenter can't put up one of their own. They tied Z&G on base value in the SD and defeated them in it & the technical mark in the FD at Cup of China last season. And M&C earned the highest base value of any FD by any team on the Challenger Series this season. So mostly, I hope they skate well. (Let's nail that pattern). But I like to think they have a shot if they do their job.

 

[dorispulaski]

Z&G are both very tall and present a striking appearance on the ice.

 

[Ice Dance]

Z&G are both very tall and present a striking appearance on the ice.

Yes, I know they are tall. And I figure they are fast, because most teams that are tall and/or get high PCS relative to their TES are fast. Their body movement wasn't very in sync last season though. (Blues for Klook will probably help with this as the beat is very strong & clear). And I feel like they are still working on finding a style as performers. Last year, their major technical advantage was earning level 4 in the rhumba (also one of M&C's major advantages last season). I'm curious how Z&G will do with the tango this season. It has been kicking most everyone in the rear. Only two teams have level 4s in the first portion (Wang & Liu and Carreira & Ponomarenko, both of whom struggled more with it the first time around). And no one has a level 4 in the second portion yet. Weaver & Poje, Hubbell & Donohue, and Gilles & Poirier all had at least one 2 on the pattern. Sinitsina & Katsalapov had a 1. I figure we'll get there eventually, but it may be a rocky ride.

 

[NoNameFace]

I find this post-Olympic GP season very interesting as so many relatively unknown, new teams are being assigned to events and we have a chance to see them more in detail. After being live at Nepela this year, I've definitely become a fan of Lilah and Lewis - this RD with random 'Volare' as a second rhythm never fails to crack me up and their FD is really on of the very best in my opinion this season: such classy, enjoyable and sleek Disco rendition; they really improved their presentation, flow, speed and programs are showcasing that - I do hope for top 5 finish

I agree that Germans' FD is one hell of depressing program - from muddy costumes to creepy voiceovers it just weirds me out. I am not a fan of Poles' programs either, to my big despair - RD seems quite stiff and dated in first appearance, 'heavy' in choreography and FD is too much of concept prevailing over substance: Maksym at least looks believable in this kind of aesthetic/movement, Natalia looks stiff, forced, laboured...I do hope for a good outing, at least better than Nebelhorn. Ukrainians also had even more trouble than Poles - their tech scores were quite bad, hope that they'll go better from there!

There are definitely 4 teams in a race for a podium. Hubbell/Donohue will probably win with quite a margin, but I do hope that the win will be fully justified based on what they will put on ice - with such field I think that artificial propelling them up just for points'/reputation sake will do them more harm than profit. I do expect to see most of RD kinks worked out and maybe better costuming, FD however...I am not a fan of this concept in general for them, I wrote my lengthy opinions in Senior B thread they participated and I stand by them. Even the best technically-wise execution of that program won't probably erase my opinion unless there were a) changes in music/music cuts, b) changes in choreo to mask emptiness and meaningless of some parts and c) change in attitude, because it was bland and colourless presentation, neither R&J story rendition nor novelty in interpretation. I am curious of Tiffani and Jonathan - I can only hope that injury/health problems they had did not stop them much in preparations to this new season, they are a bit wild card in terms of prediction game. I am definitely biased when it comes to Lorraine/Quinn programs - in love from the first time I saw them and feeling confirmed after seeing them live in Bratislava, both programs are totally 'senior' in appearance, but still have that youthfulness about them, lightness. I think that Italians have solid material, Marco looked so in his element at Lombardia in both programs, definitely on of the most versatile partners and performers; to be honest, I expected more 'craziness' and quick tempo in their 'La la land' FD, but we'll see how it will grow.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Z&G are both very tall and present a striking appearance on the ice.

True. He is as tall as Zach (and I) and if she still has Red hair they are one of the "striking" couples on the ice. In my "Birding" guide to SkateAmerica I didnt have to include a big pic of them...a small one does just fine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBcWSq6EbA8

 

[likevelvet]

I'm really excited to see Karina and Joe as well as Lorraine and Quinn. I love both these teams' skating through the 'tube and am so jazzed to see it live.

 

[likevelvet]

True. He is as tall as Zach (and I) and if she still has Red hair they are one of the "striking" couples on the ice. In my "Birding" guide to SkateAmerica I didnt have to include a big pic of them...a small one does just fine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBcWSq6EbA8

I remember a commentator on I think British Eurosport commenting about how they're such a tall team and really use it to their advantage getting into the ice. In any case, I am very excited to see them skate. They're both gorgeous, especially with Tiffany's stunning dresses that really make her stand out even more They've got the letting the lady shine thing down pat.

 

[Ice Dance]

So the technical panel . . .

Canada (Bowness)--Caller
Russia (Shekhovtsova)--Controller
Dostatni--Assistant Caller

Oy.

 

[cheerknithanson]

So the technical panel . . .

Canada (Bowness)--Caller
Russia (Shekhovtsova)--Controller
Dostatni--Assistant Caller

Oy.

Why oy?

 

[TontoK]

This is the event I'm looking forward to the most. I've been a big supporter of H/D, but I was very underwhelmed by their earlier event.

I'm really hoping to see something that get's my motor running.

 

[NoNameFace]

Why oy?

Probably to not so US-friendly tech panel from nationality appearance, but we will see.

 

[chuckm]

So the technical panel . . .

Canada (Bowness)--Caller
Russia (Shekhovtsova)--Controller
Dostatni--Assistant Caller

Oy.

My opinion exactly. DOUBLE OY!! And Yuriy BALKOV on the judging panel.

Little chance for a McNAMARA / CARPENTER podium.