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- Aug 12, 2014
So did I. Did you see their clip done by Jordan of On Ice Perspectives? It's really beautiful. It's the first time I've liked The Blower's Daughter. They skated (at least the part in the clip) with speed and joy, not wistfulness.
2021-22 U.S. Pairs Figure Skating
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So did I. Did you see their clip done by Jordan of On Ice Perspectives? It's really beautiful. It's the first time I've liked The Blower's Daughter. They skated (at least the part in the clip) with speed and joy, not wistfulness.
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Yep, I'm very disappointed that Katie/Nate pulled out! I like them together as a pair. It felt anti-climactic and like something was missing when they weren't there. The OIP clip of their The Blower's Daughter fp was wonderful. Maybe they decided to wait and do more preparation before debuting their new fp?
Anyway, I'm still mad about the feed going bonkers just when Chelsea & Danny started their opening move!!!
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Mishina and Galliamov have a spectacular one in last year's (and this year's) SP to Esmerelda. In fact, I'll go one further and reveal that their lift has been, up till now, the only one like that that doesn't make me feel queasy. What's wonderful in M/G's version is the entrance to it, and then the head-to-head position is so smooth and looks almost natural, which doesn't make sense but there you go.
Isn't it crazy, I must have blanked out during that move in Chelsea & Danny's skate; I don't recall it. But I really enjoyed the other two lifts, especially the one with the variation where her legs are twined around Danny's neck. And I noticed the arms behind his back too. I don't always like a repetition of the same lift in a SP and FS, but I really like this one for some reason. It's surprising, maybe partly because the musical moods are so different but the lift works with both.
Something more pairs are doing that I like is the choreographic lifts in parts of the program where they fit. For me, it's one of the ways that pairs can create something a little surprising and not the same moves (like the pairs spin) that pretty much look alike in everyone's programs. Danny and Chelsea are including some of those incidental lifts. As are Katie and Nate, in the Blower's Daughter clip. I always feel like going to the kitchen for a snack during pairs spins, they seem to last so long and be the same moves I've seen so many times! (Not side by side spins, though, I like those.)
I really enjoyed the clip of Kate and Matt from On Ice Perspectives also. In those close-ups, I got a better sense of Matt's power. I still like his sense that I get of comfort on the ice. It allows me to relax into the enjoyment of the program. Kate is also looking wonderful.
ETA: yes, I agree with you that Chelsea's long legs are being utilized to lovely effect. When she and Danny were just skating or standing together on the ice, it seemed to me that Chelsea is taller than Tarah. I noticed, because I'd looked up her height, which Wiki says is 5'2", same as Tarah. But Chelsea might have grown.
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We been discussing this ever since the OIP clip of their sp to Lover. Fans have been watching that clip multiple times. And did you see the comments to that clip on YouTube?
There's lots of buzz in the skating community about this team, just as there was when Alexa/Brandon clicked so well and so fast last season. TeamTodd&Jenni in Irvine, CA are on a roll! First, magic happens when two individuals who had trained with Meno/Sand at the same rink for years (Jess & Brian) decide to try out with each other when they split with their former partners (Chelsea Liu was Brian J's former partner, by the way). And the funny thing is that Jessica had skated with Danny in novice pairs). The switcheroos in pairs over expanses of years are just so fascinating.Then, in late 2018, the Knierims end up in California with Meno/Sand after their not-so excellent adventure in Germany with Savchenko. Meno/Sand proceed to help Alexa/Chris regain their confidence and climb back to U.S. champions, at the same time that the magical Jess/Brian are on the rise. These teams end up 1 and 2 at 2020 U.S. Nationals. Then the pandemic hits the world and the skating community. But it doesn't stop the burgeoning rise of U.S. pairs and the excitement at the Irvine rink with a number of new teams forming. A number of skaters make their way to California, including McBeath/Bartholomay; Wessenberg/Eisenach (how are they progressing I wonder?); Finster/Silecky; and several new junior teams.
Then Danny and Tarah split and it's uncertain whether either will continue skating. It would be interesting to find out the story behind Danny ending up paired with Chelsea. I would guess that a number of people in the skating community encouraged Danny to continue skating pairs and not retire. Maybe he thought for a hot second about coaching. In any case, Chelsea Liu had made her way back to the U.S. after skating for China as Jiaxi Liu with Xie Zhong. She returned to her former coaches, Meno/Sand. Danny was hanging out at the rink (coaching? doing tryouts?), and I guess they tried out together and the rest is history. I've been overindulging in discussing their partnership and the phenomenon of magic happening unexpectedly in pairs partnerships. It's uncanny and unpredictable.
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It's not a complete repetition because the beginning of the lift I don't think is the same, plus Danny doesn't place his arms behind his back in the sp dismount. At least he didn't in yesterday's sp. It's not uncommon for skaters to repeat similar lifts in both programs though.
You should be able to re-watch L/O's fp while the livestream is still up. Just move back in the video.
Free program scores for senior pairs:
2021 Los Angeles Open Championships
Event Results for 2021 Los Angeles Open Championships
ijs.usfigureskating.org
McBeath/Bartholomay WD from fp, just as Baram/Tioumentsev WD in juniors It's not unusual for skaters to not skate both programs in early season local competitions in any case. It could have been planned for both teams.
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Clearly, it's not just fans. There's a lot of buzz and excitement surrounding Liu/O'Shea. Jordan Cowan was beaming figuratively and literally when he posted that OIP clip. How and when did Adam Rippon decide to do the choreo for the sp? It's fabulous. I'm thinking that the fp may have been choreographed by Cindy Stuart. I hope we get the details soon regarding the fp. I can't place the music, as I mentioned earlier.
L/O's total free skate score is 125+ which is an excellent score for a new pairing. It would have been much higher had they not made the errors. But a small, local competition is the place to work out the kinks. You don't need to be perfect at competitions like this. It's important to build over the course of the season. They are an experienced pair, but safe to say there's a magic here that neither have experienced with any of their former partners. And it's too good to be true that magic exists for Alexa/Chris and Jess/Brian too. My gosh already. There's also the looking good top U.S. pair, Cain-Gribble/LeDuc, honing their skills in Finland this summer with Mozer and crew.
And not to forget Lu/Mitrofanov and Chan/Howe in Boston; Serafini/Tran of New York; Berton/Brubaker building young teams in Chicago; Peterson/Evora creating a pairs center in the Detroit area; and now Drew Meekins putting together a new pairs program at the Colorado Springs Olympic training center, with Sasha F/ Danny N as his star pupils.Gosh darn, U.S. pairs really need and deserve that third spot at Worlds and Olympics!!!
As I posted earlier, where's the skinny on Nica Digerness now partnered with Mark Sadusky? What happened to Ian Meyh? With their light and dark contrast, Digerness/Sadusky should be an interesting pair to choreograph for. I hope they go with doing something bold and unexpected with choreo and music selection, or edgy and different, and not just run-of-the-mill safe.
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- Aug 12, 2014
You're right, in fact the whole lift is completely different. (Yes, I re-watched!) In the FS, it's an axel lift, in the SP it's a group 4 lift ... it's only the exit that's the same. I watched the program twice through, and it's just wonderful how easy they make everything look! And also the first lift, which I think is the Reverse axel. When he has her at the top of the lift, she's in a head-down angle reminiscent of James/Cipres. Well, this last time viewing I noticed two things that help give them such a polished pair look, who seem like they've been skating together much longer than they have. 1) they look at each other a lot; that eye contact is seemingly a small thing but it does a lot. 2) their smiles are natural and happen at random places. Not just when they've done an element they're happy with. To me, that makes a difference in quality. It's true expressiveness.
Thank you! I'd already exited the site, but it was still going on, and I re-wound to watch the warm-ups and got to see Kate & Matt's skate as well, which I'd missed the first time.
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I feel like this must have happened. From skating skills and strength to presentation, he's so talented and accomplished. People just did not want to lose his presence in the pairs discipline.
For me, it's part of what makes pairs skating so irresistible. Like Ashley and Timothy immediately showing their beautiful matching lines and extension.
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Here's a more detailed sheet of judges' scoring for Chelsea/Danny and Kate/Matt
2021 Los Angeles Open Championships
Event Results for 2021 Los Angeles Open Championships
ijs.usfigureskating.org
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This clip sure does show off their compatibility, power and possibilities. I began thinking about costumes and program music ideas for Finster/Silecky. In general, Kate needs to find a costume designer who can give her something that enhances her physical attributes, which does not mean regular skating dresses. She has a long torso and short legs which could be camouflaged with the right cut, design and color. I don't think the dress she wore at LA Open with the short skirt and over-decoration on the bodice and torso does much for her. She looks really good in the OIP clip wearing practice pants, so she she look into doing something more interesting with one-piece cat suits. Speaking of which, here are some music ideas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI9Or8rE_Dc (I love this film title credit sequence) Walk on the Wild Side
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27mB8verLK8 Pirates of the Caribbean
I know this concept has been used many times in skating, but I've never seen a pair team use it. Speaking of which, they really could get creative with costumes. Here are some ideas:
https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/12....jpeg?odnWidth=612&odnHeight=612&odnBg=ffffff (Without the jacket and hat, and with modifications to the boots)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T5s2uGkpj...SU+Grand+Prix+Figure+Skating+iwqE02cJrHjl.jpg (remember this costume and performance?)
https://www.yandy.com/Black-Pearl-P...OWk2wq0yzI7uaOSC7pkGawwo6pHKztJYaAsR1EALw_wcB (This would require a lot of streamlining to avoid anything cumbersome, but it's possible)
Also, what about doing an upbeat program from Chicago? Yes, that's been done before in figure skating, but they could bring their own interpretation to it by choosing something different from the soundtrack.
Fame soundtrack
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What about Cat on a Hot Tin Roof soundtrack?
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First Knight soundtrack
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From the Brave soundtrack:
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By the way,
The Skating Lesson already uploaded Liu/O'Shea's fp from LA Open. I don't know whether they posted the sp from yesterday.
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Ideas for Liu/O'Shea in the future: maybe Madame Butterfly, but with an updated twist in interpretation, choreo and costumes?
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A modern Madam Butterfly reinterpretation:
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I also came across this combined cultures reinterpretation of The Last of the Mohicans. Wow! A mix of Chinese, Japanese and Native American music cultures. Fantastic:
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Eye-popping 
must-see photo of Chelsea/Danny lift from their SP at Los Angeles Open is on the official photography vendor's Facebook page:
Chelsea's complex position is absolutely stunning, with Danny's lifting arm as part of the overall geometric look.
(Icing on the cake is Danny's smile during this difficult element.)
Loved seeing on Katie's Instastory that after their SP, Nate and she went to have sushi ... at the Nagasu family's restaurant.
must-see photo of Chelsea/Danny lift from their SP at Los Angeles Open is on the official photography vendor's Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/CynthiaSlawterPhotography/photos/a.705351949482656/6121815144502949/ (Jul 10)
Chelsea's complex position is absolutely stunning, with Danny's lifting arm as part of the overall geometric look.
(Icing on the cake is Danny's smile during this difficult element.)
Loved seeing on Katie's Instastory that after their SP, Nate and she went to have sushi ... at the Nagasu family's restaurant.
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In case this got missed in my previous long post onslaught. LOL:
ETA:
Chelsea/Danny's fp was choreographed by Sinead & John Kerr; the music selection is: Becoming Human from Score: A Film Documentary, composer: Ryan Taubert
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Here's a video of Chelsea with her former Chinese partner, Xie Zhong. The opening choreo moves are clearly inspired by James/Cipres vibes from their Earned It sp:
By the way,
The Skating Lesson already uploaded Liu/O'Shea's fp from LA Open. I don't know whether they posted the sp from yesterday.
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ETA:
Chelsea/Danny's fp was choreographed by Sinead & John Kerr; the music selection is: Becoming Human from Score: A Film Documentary, composer: Ryan Taubert
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Here's a video of Chelsea with her former Chinese partner, Xie Zhong. The opening choreo moves are clearly inspired by James/Cipres vibes from their Earned It sp:
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L/O are a perfect example of a new team who no one had a clue would ever come together and have something special right off the bat that they never had with their former partners. Sometimes no matter how good both skaters are it just doesn't happen but when it does it happens immediately and everyone can see it. Now C/J need to get back in the game and the US will have more top teams with potential then in the last 20 years.
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Boy do I feel for her. I have the same body type and I can’t think of a sport that it isn’t a detriment to. I swim and it is the exact wrong body type for swimming, in which you want the longest arms and legs possible. She must be incredibly talented. Of course they all are, but I’d think one would need something extra special to overcome the limitations of that body type.
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Oh dear, I had the perfect body for swimming (according to my coach when I was 40 years younger), and stopped swimming competitively altogether- except recreatively - because I didn't want such a body - my examples were the East German women at the time and that body type wasn't the type I aimed for. Not that it made much difference, I still have that body type. I do like the relatively long legs though. And as for Kate...go for the right leggings to show off the great things of your body.
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^^ So nice hearing from you @moonvine and @ladyjane regarding your personal experiences and body type travails. We all have critical feelings about our bodies. It's a human condition for sure to not like something or other about your body that others think is great. I have long legs and arms, a long neck and a small head, but a medium to long torso. I love ballet, and I so enjoyed it when I took ballet classes regularly in my early twenties. Supposedly, the perfect body type for ballet is short torso with long arms and legs. And of course deep arches. I don't have good arches at all. My arches are rather flat, so I had to work harder, as do many dancers with trying to get a better arch. Meanwhile, I have a niece with gorgeous, deep arches, but she's not a dancer. LOL
What I'm trying to say is that there are great dancers who don't fit the 'perfect body' mold, but they succeed at a high level because they have worked very hard to make it. And sometimes, people with perfect everything do not make it. We see that in the sport of figure skating as well, with very talented skaters like Christopher Bowman, who didn't necessarily like to practice, and he would improvise and come up with great performances in competition. But that is not the best way to build a successful career. Bowman's lack of work ethic coupled with his huge talent and his irresistible charm gave his coach, Frank Carroll, headaches. One of my favorite programs to re-watch is Bowman's exhibition to Maria from West Side Story:
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Sigh, what could have been eh. But we have to accept and appreciate what was, and what Bowman gave to us that's so rare and beautiful. I wish he could have been helped to be saved from his personal demons.
Back to pairs. Yes, I remember Kate Finster when she was a tiny little girl in novice pairs with huge talent. She was highly touted (similar to Tiffany Stiegler as a young pairs skater). But it takes so much more than budding talent at the intermediate, novice, and junior levels. There are so many ups-and-downs in skating, and it is such a difficult sport in so many ways. I'm happy for Kate finding a new partner in Silecky, and I hope things work out for both of them. The most fun is just learning and growing together, and finding music and choreo that is fitting to them and moving to audiences. I like thinking about costumes and music for skaters, though they probably don't always go with ideas suggested by fans. Still, surely there's a costume designer somewhere who recognizes that Kate's body type requires making something for her that enhances her attributes rather than taking away. Anyone can look great in what they wear when they understand what works for their body. I learned that by reading a book by a beauty expert/ fashion designer.
Seeing the wonderful OIP clip of Kate & Silecky, is what inspired me to think of costuming ideas for Kate and program ideas for them. BTW, the OIP clip surely was filmed of their performance by Jordan Cowan, directly after he filmed Chelsea & Danny skating to the final section of their Lover sp.
ETA:
Kate F has a compact, powerful, yet graceful body. She's beautiful and she seems to be a hard worker. If she (like most skaters) could eliminate self-doubts and flaunt her assets, believe in herself, and reveal more of her personality on the ice, it would help her soar, I think. That's easier said than done, of course.
Another example, is Chelsea Liu having such long legs and arms, which makes it more difficult for her on sbs jumps and throw landings. She has to work hard in getting around on those rotations and landing on one foot and getting the other leg out of the way, particularly on throws. Chelsea also needs to strengthen her core muscles. What I like about L/O's sp, is how well John & Sinead utilized Chelsea's long legs as a feature, instead of ignoring that aspect of her body when it is so noticeable. They embraced what is so noticeable and created many lovely and exciting moments. As I recall, Sinead herself also has long legs and arms, and she's practically as tall as her brother which made them work to find interesting ways of presenting themselves on the ice during their ice dance career.
What I'm trying to say is that there are great dancers who don't fit the 'perfect body' mold, but they succeed at a high level because they have worked very hard to make it. And sometimes, people with perfect everything do not make it. We see that in the sport of figure skating as well, with very talented skaters like Christopher Bowman, who didn't necessarily like to practice, and he would improvise and come up with great performances in competition. But that is not the best way to build a successful career. Bowman's lack of work ethic coupled with his huge talent and his irresistible charm gave his coach, Frank Carroll, headaches. One of my favorite programs to re-watch is Bowman's exhibition to Maria from West Side Story:
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Sigh, what could have been eh. But we have to accept and appreciate what was, and what Bowman gave to us that's so rare and beautiful. I wish he could have been helped to be saved from his personal demons.
Back to pairs. Yes, I remember Kate Finster when she was a tiny little girl in novice pairs with huge talent. She was highly touted (similar to Tiffany Stiegler as a young pairs skater). But it takes so much more than budding talent at the intermediate, novice, and junior levels. There are so many ups-and-downs in skating, and it is such a difficult sport in so many ways. I'm happy for Kate finding a new partner in Silecky, and I hope things work out for both of them. The most fun is just learning and growing together, and finding music and choreo that is fitting to them and moving to audiences. I like thinking about costumes and music for skaters, though they probably don't always go with ideas suggested by fans. Still, surely there's a costume designer somewhere who recognizes that Kate's body type requires making something for her that enhances her attributes rather than taking away. Anyone can look great in what they wear when they understand what works for their body. I learned that by reading a book by a beauty expert/ fashion designer.
Seeing the wonderful OIP clip of Kate & Silecky, is what inspired me to think of costuming ideas for Kate and program ideas for them. BTW, the OIP clip surely was filmed of their performance by Jordan Cowan, directly after he filmed Chelsea & Danny skating to the final section of their Lover sp.
ETA:
Kate F has a compact, powerful, yet graceful body. She's beautiful and she seems to be a hard worker. If she (like most skaters) could eliminate self-doubts and flaunt her assets, believe in herself, and reveal more of her personality on the ice, it would help her soar, I think. That's easier said than done, of course.
Another example, is Chelsea Liu having such long legs and arms, which makes it more difficult for her on sbs jumps and throw landings. She has to work hard in getting around on those rotations and landing on one foot and getting the other leg out of the way, particularly on throws. Chelsea also needs to strengthen her core muscles. What I like about L/O's sp, is how well John & Sinead utilized Chelsea's long legs as a feature, instead of ignoring that aspect of her body when it is so noticeable. They embraced what is so noticeable and created many lovely and exciting moments. As I recall, Sinead herself also has long legs and arms, and she's practically as tall as her brother which made them work to find interesting ways of presenting themselves on the ice during their ice dance career.
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- Mar 14, 2007
I’m literally the slowest person in the pool. But what saves me is that butterfly is my best and fastest stroke and not that many Senior Olympians do butterfly
I hope Kate finds a wonderful costume designer.
Oh, yes and if one has a successful career they still admit they could have had more success. Like Alexander Zhulin who once said in an interview that if he were less stubborn and had done everything the coach wanted him to do, he might have been an olympic champion instead of a silver medalist. And now he teaches his students that the talent is only 10 per cent of the result and the rest 90 is work ethic.
I remember Valentina Marchei saying that she has wanted to do pairs much earlier than she began and the coaches said she had too long limbs for that. But her dream came true at last, after long and successful career in singles.
Sorry for hijacking American pairs thread. I hope our hostess @skylark and her assistant @BlissfulSynergy bring it back to normal soon.
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Mission accepted, below!
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Gorgeous! And the spin at 2:10 - he's spinning to the music to beautiful effect, including the gorgeous exit to the music. Ah, those were the days. There are still skaters who go to this extra effort for beauty and musical synchronicity. I remember one of the BEsp commentators pointing out a spin to the music in one of Ashley Wagner's programs in her last year or two.
You know, I feel the same already about Chelsea and Danny.
As you said, it's early and we may very well find that they'll improve the landings on their jumps and throws by Nationals. And yet, even now ... I'd much rather watch and re-watch them than other pairs who may have great elements or jumps but don't have L/O's fluidity and grace.I realized, re-watching this morning, that beauty and movement are linked for me. And that's separate from the way some pairs teams go through their paces and execute their elements. Movement itself can be part of artistry.
It's astonishing how good L/O's unison is, this early. I watched the LP in slow-motion, and every possible still shot shows them not just in unison, but (as it seems to me) in harmony, in purpose and style. I have to give Jonathan Beyer a rare shout-out: he said something similar about preferring already to watch Chelsea and Danny, while Dave was reserving his praise for whether they can get the jumps down or not.
I've read speculation that other skaters, such as Jason Brown, may have more trouble with jumps because of their incredible flexibility. If that's true -- and I don't know whether it's true or not -- it might be true of Chelsea.
In many of their lifts, both element lifts and choreographic lifts, Chelsea is holding a leg behind her with her opposite hand. And she twists her body even when she's not grabbing her foot. This flexibility is one of the things that makes their innovative lifts so interesting and graceful.
Your remark reminds me of Frank Carroll saying how impressive it was that Evan Lysacek could get his jumps around at all -- what with having to keep those Ichabod-Crane limbs in control.
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