2023 Lake Placid Ice Dance International | Jul 31 - Aug 2

[Seven Sisters]

I couldn't get any music on the Instagram post, so I don't know if they're supposed to be Romeo and Juliet or Swan Lake or what. If it's R&J, I do have to say that his sleeves were in style in Quattrocento Italy, so possibly accurate, if not attractive today. But the tutu confused the issue. (I hope it wasn't as stiff as in ballet. The men tend to get cut across the chest when their ballerina partners in short tutus do pirouettes in close proximity. On ice, if he flinches she's in trouble.)

But two Really Ugly Lifts in one program? And at least one Really Ugly Move -- that spread-eagle death spiral thingy? Pure Freddie Trinkler. Gack.

Swan Lake. B/B did Romeo & Juliet, though, with Peter in a rather twee-looking doublet (her dress was fine) — so we did have both choices represented in the free.

 

[4everchan]

Swan Lake. B/B did Romeo & Juliet, though, with Peter in a rather twee-looking doublet (her dress was fine) — so we did have both choices represented in the free.

Peter can be my Romeo anytime. though i am not sure i want to watch them until they change costumes

 

[moonvine]

Yall! Look how cute!

 

[yesterday]

B/B:
hmm I'm not sure I buy this program/music from them so far.
The scratchy violin doesn't help.

I kind of miss the story that R&J could offer when done by a couple. I've seen lots of single skaters do this and some brought more story to it then these two here. Maybe it's early season problems.

I mean a kiss and lots of lifting is just not "telling it". What is that opening pose apart from being super difficult (and somehow brought up again at the end)?

But hey, last season I really liked their Red Violin FD when I saw it for the first time and liked it somehow less and less the more I saw it. Could be the other way round this season

 

[Diana Delafield]

Yall! Look how cute!

Reminds me of the first time I saw the Shibutanis when they were that young and cute. IIRC, that was the program where she had piano notes running the length of her costume and he was supposed to be playing their music.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Swan Lake. B/B did Romeo & Juliet, though, with Peter in a rather twee-looking doublet

You wonder how often the skaters, the men especially, actually *like* their costumes. I couldn't find a video of whatever year it was, although I remember seeing it, but Peter Oppegard was quoted as saying he could never bear to watch their performances from a year when he was forced to wear a pale pink jumpsuit with frothy cream trim. He said he looked like a slice of birthday cake.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Isabella Flores' mother has posted a closer-up video of F/D's FD! Yay!

Isabella Flores and Ivan Desyatov Lake Placid Senior combined FD 2023

youtu.be

 

[Diana Delafield]

Isabella Flores' mother has posted a closer-up video of F/D's FD! Yay!

Isabella Flores and Ivan Desyatov Lake Placid Senior combined FD 2023

youtu.be

OK, I'm a sucker for WSS, and I really like that they stuck to the happy songs and didn't try to tell the whole story with a downer ending.

 

[ZeldaJo21]

Isabella Flores' mother has posted a closer-up video of F/D's FD! Yay!

Isabella Flores and Ivan Desyatov Lake Placid Senior combined FD 2023

youtu.be

Love them……..this is what dancing is all about

 

[icewhite]

You wonder how often the skaters, the men especially, actually *like* their costumes. I couldn't find a video of whatever year it was, although I remember seeing it, but Peter Oppegard was quoted as saying he could never bear to watch their performances from a year when he was forced to wear a pale pink jumpsuit with frothy cream trim. He said he looked like a slice of birthday cake.

That's actually a pity. Nobody should be forced to wear something they don't like in fs.

 

[el henry]

To my knowledge, no skater today is “forced” to wear a costume they do not like. Or at least in the American system, where a skater pays for their own costumes,

Not ice dance, but Jason Brown has called himself a “diva” when it comes to costumes. He reviews many options and oversees the process. This from the ultimate “nice guy“ in skating. His people pleasing does not extend to costumes,

He has said he does that because psychologically he needs to feel good in his costume to perform his best. It makes sense, and I would think that would be true for any skater.

 

[moonvine]

To my knowledge, no skater today is “forced” to wear a costume they do not like. Or at least in the American system, where a skater pays for their own costumes,

Not ice dance, but Jason Brown has called himself a “diva” when it comes to costumes. He reviews many options and oversees the process. This from the ultimate “nice guy“ in skating. His people pleasing does not extend to costumes,

He has said he does that because psychologically he needs to feel good in his costume to perform his best. It makes sense, and I would think that would be true for any skater.

I wish more men would do that. All the all-black men's costumes are so boring. I get excited when I see a man wearing a colored shirt. Especially in Men's Singles.

 

[Diana Delafield]

To my knowledge, no skater today is “forced” to wear a costume they do not like. Or at least in the American system, where a skater pays for their own costumes,

The operative word there being "today". In Peter Oppegard's case, he was competing in the 1980s (US champion three times between 1985-88, World bronze 1987, Olympic bronze 1988). He was just outvoted as to the costume by his partner, coach, and whoever else got involved. They all loved the look, he hated it but went along with the decision to avoid friction.

One evening in 1990, I dropped into the coach's room at my summer rink to pay my own coach and Rod Garossino (Canadian champion 1989), who had just retired and started coaching, was sounding off about things he'd had to do against his will during his competitive career. The worst, he said, was having to do an embarrassing Romeo and Juliet program with his sister because she loved the music and the costumes (semi-tights for him) and the theme. Their coach was dating his sister, and their mother loved the idea, so, like Peter in the USA at the same time, he was outvoted. But he said he cringed every moment on the ice when he thought how many people were watching what he was calling That Incest Program.

Maybe it happens more often in pairs and dance because more people are involved in the decision. That's probably why I knew of quite a few cases of one or other partner eye-rolling because they had to wear something they loathed but everyone else on their team loved. I once tried on a new costume that was supposed to be Mary, Queen of Scots, but looked more like Bawdy Tavern Wench. I refused to wear it until the neckline was raised several inches and covered over. But I may have been, um, somewhat more assertive than others .

 

[el henry]

The operative word there being "today". .....

That's why I used that word. The "my way or the highway" system of coaching here appears to have fallen out of favor, and I can't say I'm sorry to see that go. The benefits did not outweigh the downsides, IMHO.

Which is not to say that some skaters are not persuaded into unfortunate costumes, particularly as juniors (Jason had a heavy ruffly Prince costume his last year in juniors. Accurate, but not flattering). But particularly if I were a skating parent, footing the skating bill, and saw a hideously out of place costume that my child despised, I would be like, hmmm, other coaches and costume designers will take my money. See ya later alligator.

 

[moonvine]

That's why I used that word. The "my way or the highway" system of coaching here appears to have fallen out of favor, and I can't say I'm sorry to see that go. The benefits did not outweigh the downsides, IMHO.

Which is not to say that some skaters are not persuaded into unfortunate costumes, particularly as juniors (Jason had a heavy ruffly Prince costume his last year in juniors. Accurate, but not flattering). But particularly if I were a skating parent, footing the skating bill, and saw a hideously out of place costume that my child despised, I would be like, hmmm, other coaches and costume designers will take my money. See ya later alligator.

I would imagine, there being only so many top tier coaches, that one would wear what one was given, at least in early going. Sure, once you're a star and have the cred of a Nathan, a Jason, an Ilia...then you can have a bigger say or even all the say. But if you're Jane Doe trying to crack the upper echelon of US women's skating I wonder if that's so much the case.

Hopefully I'm wrong, surely the coaches/choreographers of the US Junior men surely do not pick out all that emo music and all black. But men are in shorter supply in the skating world.

 

[el henry]

I would imagine, there being only so many top tier coaches, that one would wear what one was given, at least in early going. Sure, once you're a star and have the cred of a Nathan, a Jason, an Ilia...then you can have a bigger say or even all the say. But if you're Jane Doe trying to crack the upper echelon of US women's skating I wonder if that's so much the case.

Hopefully I'm wrong, surely the coaches/choreographers of the US Junior men surely do not pick out all that emo music and all black. But men are in shorter supply in the skating world.

I think just starting out, a skater is a minor. So minors are more swayed by their coaches' opinions, more likely to want to stay for a "name", and all that good stuff. But like anything else, once you grow up and mature, you can decide your own tastes.

I surely surely surely hope the junior men emo craze is gone, dead, buried and hit in the head with a shovel. All that black. (spangly black is good, but not what they were doing). But I will take black over the "Ross Dress for Less, what's in my closet before I head out to the rink" look every day and twice on Sundays.

 

[Diana Delafield]

That's why I used that word. The "my way or the highway" system of coaching here appears to have fallen out of favor, and I can't say I'm sorry to see that go. The benefits did not outweigh the downsides, IMHO.

Which is not to say that some skaters are not persuaded into unfortunate costumes, particularly as juniors (Jason had a heavy ruffly Prince costume his last year in juniors. Accurate, but not flattering). But particularly if I were a skating parent, footing the skating bill, and saw a hideously out of place costume that my child despised, I would be like, hmmm, other coaches and costume designers will take my money. See ya later alligator.

I realized that was what you meant . I think today there's more moving around, geographically and to different coaches, than there used to be, which probably gives the skater more ammunition than in my day. But if your mother thinks you look "just wonderful in that, darling" and you're a teen in, as you say, juniors, not footing your own bills, you're kind of stuck.

Interesting to read in Wikipedia that Peter Oppegard himself apparently turned into a bully as a coach. Along the lines of some abused children turning into abusers themselves as adults, I guess.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

OK, I'm a sucker for WSS, and I really like that they stuck to the happy songs and didn't try to tell the whole story with a downer ending.

Thanks to the inspired vision and creativity of Kaitlyn Weaver, plus skill, beauty and emotion of F/D, and training from their coaches! I love their costumes for both RD and FD too. I think Bella switched to Barbie deep pink for her RD top and accessories, after wearing a purple top at Dallas Classic. The pink really pops better with their black outfits. This is already a fun season. Some of the costumes for RD are truly inspired. I think it's Kiliakov Jr and his partner, Tkachenko, who wear colorful costumes with yellow theme. Their RD appears to be an homage to racing car choreo, first done by Punsalan/ Swallow in late 80s/ early 90s.

Anyway, here are icedance.com photos from Lake Placid events. Bella & Ivan don't take a bad picture. Only one from the RD isn't the best angle/ composition. Otherwise, Bella/ Ivan are truly rocking their programs.

Senior | 2023 Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships | 2023-2024 Season | Ice-Dance.com's Photography Section

ETA:

Oh, the above is link to Senior Combined RD and FD. Here's the main link to all event photos at Lake Placid:

2023 Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships | 2023-2024 Season | Ice-Dance.com's Photography Section

July 31-August 2; Lake Placid, NY; Photos by Daphne Backman & Robin Ritoss

photos2.ice-dance.com

 

[labgoat]

Sorry for asking what has probably been said already, but does anyone have videos of the seniors' FD?

2023 International Ice dance Championships Highlights

2023 Senior Rhythm Dance Highlights from the International Ice Dancing Championships Lake Placid, NY. #icedance #icedancing #icedancer

youtu.be

Many of the IAM teams are here

https://www.youtube.com/@czisn/videos

Free Dance 2023 Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin

Lake Placid Ice Dance International

www.youtube.com

Rhythm Dance 2023 Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin

Lake Placid Ice Dance International

www.youtube.com

Elliana And Ethan Peal Rhythm Dance | Janet Jackson | 2023 Lake Placid International!

We perform our 2023 rhythm dance to a Janet Jackson melody/tribute at the lake placid ice dance international. Representing Team USA!

www.youtube.com

Lord of The Rings Freedance | Elliana And Ethan Peal | Lake Placid Ice Dance International

Enjoy our Lord of the Rings Freedance. Can't wait to see how this program develops over the season. Stay tuned for some Junior Grand Prix season content comi...

www.youtube.com

and more here

https://www.youtube.com/@IceDanceVideos-oj9by/videos

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

One evening in 1990, I dropped into the coach's room at my summer rink to pay my own coach and Rod Garossino (Canadian champion 1989), who had just retired and started coaching, was sounding off about things he'd had to do against his will during his competitive career. The worst, he said, was having to do an embarrassing Romeo and Juliet program with his sister because she loved the music and the costumes (semi-tights for him) and the theme. Their coach was dating his sister, and their mother loved the idea, so, like Peter in the USA at the same time, he was outvoted. But he said he cringed every moment on the ice when he thought how many people were watching what he was calling That Incest Program.

You got me curious, so I went looking and found a video of it:

Karyn Garossino / Rodney Garossino - 1986 Canadian Championships Free Dance

By the way, who are the commentators? One of the male commentators sounds like Scott Hamilton to me, but he wasn't long retired from competitive skating. I don't know when Scott started commentating, but 2 years seems too soon in my mind. Especially at a time when he was starting off on a professional career.

At one stage, he addresses the female commentator by her first name. So, given that it is the Canadian Championships, I am guessing that she is Debbi Wilkes.

Anyway, I had to laugh when she was at pains to stress at the start that it was not an actual adaptation of the story. If she had quit there, it would have been alright. But she talked on. And by the time she finished, she had made it sound like the programme was definitely about incest.

It didn't look too bad to me. I've seen other attempts at romantic programmes by siblings that are more questionable than this one.

The operative word there being "today". In Peter Oppegard's case, he was competing in the 1980s (US champion three times between 1985-88, World bronze 1987, Olympic bronze 1988). He was just outvoted as to the costume by his partner, coach, and whoever else got involved. They all loved the look, he hated it but went along with the decision to avoid friction.

Maybe it happens more often in pairs and dance because more people are involved in the decision. That's probably why I knew of quite a few cases of one or other partner eye-rolling because they had to wear something they loathed but everyone else on their team loved.

Yeah, I can imagine that situation being common.

I once tried on a new costume that was supposed to be Mary, Queen of Scots, but looked more like Bawdy Tavern Wench. I refused to wear it until the neckline was raised several inches and covered over. But I may have been, um, somewhat more assertive than others .

CaroLiza_fan