2020-21 U.S. Ice Dance | Page 12 | Golden Skate

2020-21 U.S. Ice Dance

BlissfulSynergy

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 1, 2020
Country
Olympics
They also beat both of them at 2019 worlds before they had as much clout as they do now.
LOL. So what. For SinKats to get in front of a bunch of other ice dance teams in 2019 took some doing by Rusfed and Zhulin. Like I said, they have more to work with than they did with B/S who often had no business being in front of some teams. But that's fairly old hat seeing as the Russians and complicit judging 'stole' the 1970 Worlds win from a U.S. ice dance team.

It is what it is in this sport. Enjoy the skaters you love. Get high on who you think is "better" than other teams. Zhulin is just sooooo happy the ShibSibs retired. :LOL: Welcome to the ongoing attempt to put Rusiya teams back on top in ice dance. It will be nice when we see a Russian ice dance team who actually deserves a top podium placement. SinKats ain't it, but we all love who we love.

For you guys who don't care for U.S. ice dance teams and their programs, why are you in this thread?
 

readernick

Medalist
Joined
Dec 5, 2015
Agree to disagree then. I think they are better then both American teams. They also beat both of them at 2019 worlds before they had as much clout as they do now.
How are they better? Honestly, I am not a huge fan of either the US teams or the Russian teams but technically and in terms of programs I think the US teams are decidedly better this year. SS wise H/ D and S/ K are obviously the better teams, but Katsalapov is really messy at times and Viktoria ,who I am a huge fan of, still occasionally skates on flats. And, their programs this year ( especially the LP ) are pretty terrible . H/ B have the same speed without the messy edges and while their programs the last few years were definitely misses this year their programs are better.

C/B and S/B are both more reliant on performance and lifts. However, C/B are a bit better SS wise and anyone who has seen S/B live will, I am sure, agree that they don't have any power plus her knees don't bend. It feels flat in person.

To me P/C are just a class above everyone else, but I definitely prefer the US teams to the Russian teams.
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Unrelated to COVID, Wolfkostin/Chen today announced their withdrawal from Nats. :(

ETA (on Jan 18):

HAPPY UPDATE: Wolfkostin/Chen will compete at Nats after all. See post #228 below.​

Jeffrey recently tore his ACL.


(USFS entry list has not been updated yet.)



BTW: Speaking of Team Novi ... Tanith mentioned on NBC last night that Christina/Anthony successfully petitioned USFS to be considered for the World team.



ETA:

I forgot to mention that at the end of the Nats FD presser, Madi Hubbell gave a shout-out to Christina/Anthony. Very sweet.

""We want to send our love to Christina & Anthony. It's a shame they weren't able to participate [at #ToyotaUSChamps21], but their energy was missed, and so we are hoping that they're well and hope to see them soon."

https://twitter.com/edges_of_glory/status/1350719132262559744 (Jan 17)​
 
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dancelion21

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 14, 2019
Do you guys know where the find the broadcasts of the press conferences? They've been posted to USFS' YouTube channel in previous years, but they weren't there this time.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
The UsA has such strong dance teams. I honestly was prepared to say farewell to HB and I am a little tired of he theme in ice dance - there is always an it coach and then it changes. BUt with C and P not competitingthey really hav the third sot. One day Montreal will no longer be the hub. I do prefer different coaching . It is as clear as mud who is USA no. 1. And I have no idea what the judges will do with them especially compared to the Russians. As I previously mentoined one or two teams are going to get shafted with the battle so tough for silver and bronze after the French. Two Russians, Two Americans, A canadian maybe even two canadians and an Italian team. yes it is a poential medallist or top five team could end up out of th etop ten.
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
New article today re Oona and Gage Brown, by Christie Sausa:


Good luck to the Browns at Nats this week ... and to all the other junior dancers!
 

labgoat

I have no words
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Country
United-States
How are they better? Honestly, I am not a huge fan of either the US teams or the Russian teams but technically and in terms of programs I think the US teams are decidedly better this year. SS wise H/ D and S/ K are obviously the better teams, but Katsalapov is really messy at times and Viktoria ,who I am a huge fan of, still occasionally skates on flats. And, their programs this year ( especially the LP ) are pretty terrible . H/ B have the same speed without the messy edges and while their programs the last few years were definitely misses this year their programs are better.

C/B and S/B are both more reliant on performance and lifts. However, C/B are a bit better SS wise and anyone who has seen S/B live will, I am sure, agree that they don't have any power plus her knees don't bend. It feels flat in person.

To me P/C are just a class above everyone else, but I definitely prefer the US teams to the Russian teams.
I agree with your observations and am thrilled that you included H/B in this conversation.
 

BlissfulSynergy

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 1, 2020
Country
Olympics
They also beat both of them at 2019 worlds before they had as much clout as they do now.
It's not Sinkats who wield the clout, btw. And they were no better in 2019 when they were force-pushed to the top than they are now. Especially not in terms of 'being better' than teams they are being placed in front of.

As I said: To each their own. All is not fair in figure skating, especially not in the deeply political impacts of ice dance judging. For a time, the age-old, stuck in the mud ice dance placements were highly political. Then for awhile, a bit of fairness based on talent allowed for unpredictable results, new opportunities and fresh excitement in the discipline. It will be sad to see it all revert back to Rusfed political dominance, just because 'Russian' and 'ice dance' (like 'white on rice') is supposed to be the unbeatable norm, which Zhulin and Co unsubtly must force us to return to whether it's completely fair or not.
 

Colonel Green

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2018
Country
Canada
Marina? She's in Florida now, isn't she? Of course, I could wait until they make an announcment... but I'm interested in this move on their part.
The list of places in the US that would represent even a lateral move from Igor isn't particularly long right now.

Speaking of which, this has been a rough season for Igor, between Nguyen/Kolesnik breaking up and Carreira/Ponomarenko leaving; what looked like a strong stable of up-and-comers is now looking a little threadbare.
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Country
United-States
I'm glad @TontoK asked because my first thought was also another mad dash for Gadbois. And I am also having a difficult time coming up with coaching that would be considered the equal of Igor.

and if Christina had not spent so much time trying to get US citizenship, I would start a simple wild eyed rumor based on nothing that they could always skate for Canada;)
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
I am curious to see whether Colorado Springs becomes more of a notable option for ice dancers??

In the first year of their partnership, Flores/Tsarevski of CS won the junior pewter medal at 2021 Nats, with an overall score less than a point behind the top Wheaton couple (the experienced Somerville and his partner of two years).
Also in the first year of a partnership, Neset/Markelov of CS placed sixth in junior dance at 2021 Nats.

Coached by Elena Dostatni (among others), the CS dancers seem to be making significant strides forward at a good pace?
At 2020 Nats, Flores and her previous partner placed thirteenth in junior dance.
At 2019 Nats, then-partners Neset/Tsarevski placed second in intermediate dance.

Christopher Dean, Ben Agosto, Ilona Melnichenko are among the resources in CS, which also has the Olympic/Paralympic Training Center.

Obviously, Christina/Anthony are senior dancers (ETA: some of the best senior dancers in the U.S.), with different goals/needs from juniors. But as seniors, they have worked with C Dean.
Wherever Christina/Anthony go, I wish them well. (My personal hope for their sake is that they do not end up with Marina. JMO.)
 
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