2023 GPF Ice Dance: Thoughts?

[gsk8]

Chock and Bates snatch elusive gold at Grand Prix Final

2023-24 Grand Prix Final: Ice Dance USA’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates snatched an elusive gold in ice dance at the 2023 Grand Prix Final in Beijing, China, on Saturday. […]

www.goldenskate.com

No shockers here, I suspect, but I loved seeing the improvements from all the teams!

Which programs were your favorites? Who do you feel has improved the most? Of the top three teams, which FD was your favorite?

 

[ladyjane]

Happy for Madison and Evan. They finally did it. All the skaters were good though. I'm happy not to be an ID judge. So difficult, such good couples. All of them!

 

[skylark]

My favorite dance is Chock and Bates' free. I enjoy that their theme is the possibility of enjoying each moment as it happens in the present, rather than looking to past mistakes or future aspirations. Also, I am mesmerized by Madison's dress, inspired by Salvador Dali's famous distorted clock painting.

Madison's costume looks flexible, not distorted, which is a wonderful difference. I like how the flexibility suggests Einstein's theory of relativity -- where time stretches out to seem like an eternal moment, when one or more people are engaged in an experience of flow, or are so divinely focused on Being Together that the purpose of the universe is revealed to be something other than what happens in our usual perception of time.

What's really amazing is that Madison and Evan's skating also reflects these qualities of flexibility, being present in the moment, divine flow, and a partnership that is so fluid and seamless that their movements melt into one another, like Dali's melting clock.

 

[kolyadafan2002]

In hindsight, losing NHK was really good for Guignard/Fabbri. Because they came back and skated like they never did before. They took themselves to a whole new level, and seemingly gained so many more fans.

I'm a little sad there were so many RD twizzle errors. I wonder if it was mental due to other couples making mistakes. Although Fear/Gibson had absolutely brutal competition scheduling (3 back to back competitions), so I think that played a part as they're usually very consistent. FB/S made twizzle errors earlier in season, and La/La as well (although La/La have phenomenal twizzles when on).

I do have a feeling piper and Paul are going to take it to a new level for world championships, but just got to wait and see.

 

[labgoat]

• Chock & Bates looked the sharpest they've been all season here. I had wondered if earlier if there were boot issues or lingering injuries from a bad fall at SKAM practice as their rotational lift spun out of control and they both fell with Madison hitting her head and laying on the ice. They seemed to have gotten rid of the moments of unsteadiness that plagued them earlier and made some changes in the choreo steps of the FD. The free in particular seemed to have fixed a few sort of empty spots and the composition was much sharper.
• Guignard & Fabbri looked much sharper, their changes from NHK had a bit more time to get polished. As always their energy and attack was great and they got a very nice reception from the crowd.
• Gilles & Poirier also looked to have made some changes since their last GP - the RD changes looked like they needed a bit more time and they had some really small errors. It seemed a bit low in energy for the 80s theme compared to the other top teams. Their free really looked much improved from the earlier version which was already stunning. I could see more energy and complexity in transitions and combinations that upped their difficulty. The drama was still incredible especially as a panicked stricken Piper clawed at the invisible window guarding the judges in her cry for help. I felt there was a new positive energy since her illness and that they were fully back mentally, The FD is one that I will rewatch a few more times to enjoy the upgrades.
• Fear & Gibson bit off more than they could chew with regards to competing/traveling and it showed, but their commitment to their energy and performance held strong. This is only a temporary setback for them.
• Laurance & Nik are struggling a bit with errors. Nik looks a bit unsure at times, perhaps an injury, boot problems or just the tightness of the competition getting to them and a lot of the skaters. It has been said the ice dance world moves like a glacier...that's a lot of years for these teams. I hope they can find some positive energy and rest as they prep for their next events. This late, I think they need to tweak both dances a bit as the RD seems more frantic because of the many music changes, also maybe not do the twizzles in the danger zone as someone suggested ( bad mental karma there). The FD storyline seems a bit muddled and needs focus to clarify their story with the music. I believe they can pull this off, but it will take some extra thought and work to fight off Lajoie/Lagha.
• Lajoie/Lagha showed they belong in this group and no doubt gained valuable experience here. Both of their dances have been more tightly focused and look better for it. The RD is very enjoyable although the pattern dance breaks the Thriller mood for me as the video steps are so iconic. The FD is a lovely tone program of a piece. As one of the smaller teams, they will have to move it across the ice and sell it to the rafters to give it a larger presence.

 

[TontoK]

I stumbled upon this fancam video of Chock/Bates FD, and it's from the opposite side of the judges/cameras.

It's still beautiful from this different perspective.

GPF 2023 | FD | Madison CHOCK / Evan BATES

www.youtube.com

 

[labgoat]

I stumbled upon this fancam video of Chock/Bates FD, and it's from the opposite side of the judges/cameras.

It's still beautiful from this different perspective.

GPF 2023 | FD | Madison CHOCK / Evan BATES

www.youtube.com

That is a great view, no close ups. You can really see the patterns and shapes of the footwork and the ice coverage. That same poster has all the other senior dance teams also from the same angle. I watched every single one of them, it was that interesting. I also loved hearing the Japanese fans in that section react.

 

[MiraiFan]

I do have a feeling piper and Paul are going to take it to a new level for world championships, but just got to wait and see.

Here's hoping they also get the scores they deserve.