Lanaghan/Razgulajevs: The choice of programs for this team always baffles me. It's always a miss (though I did like their RD a lot more than the judges). Lord of the Dance just seems dated.
Janse van Rensburg/Steffan: I like the second half of this tango quite a bit, and loved the two lifts in the second half.
Fabri/Ayer: It was a lovely program, but not a standout program. They need a standout program if they hope to move up in Canadian ice dance.
Pate/Bye: Love the first part of the curve lift. Why this music for this pair? They don't seem to have any connection to it and I don't get why this would be the choice. They are performing choreography, and performing it pretty well, but there's no investment. Who is this team? I cannot tell from this dance.
Zingas/Kolesnik: This team has "it". Great amplitude. Excellent final lift. This is a great program for them. Some twizzle issues. I think the other teams in the U.S. need to take note of this team.
Brown/Brown: They are a good team, but they don't have the zing that Z/K have. They just don't reach out like Zingas/Kolesnik do. That straight-line lift was a little scary as he had to drag his free foot. Surprised they finished ahead. Not the choice I would have made. Good speed and flow over the ice.
Reed/Ambrulevicius: Conceptually sort of interesting (ripped from Keone and Mari on World of Dance, ahem), but the choreography wasn't nearly quirky or modern enough to match the music. It was just kinda there. I liked the choreo spin. The choreo step at the end was the best part. I didn't think this should have beaten either of the previous American teams, honestly.
Fear/Gibson: I had not previously seen this much-debated Rocky program. Like the final lift. Hated the awkward roll over his shoulders into the rotational lift. Don't think this is what they need to get them on the worlds podium. I didn't mind the skipping. Hated the push-ups. Not my favourite, but I'm not offended. I don't think this challenges the top teams. Overmarked.
And I already gushed about how much I love Piper and Paul, so I'll leave it at that.
Janse van Rensburg/Steffan: I like the second half of this tango quite a bit, and loved the two lifts in the second half.
Fabri/Ayer: It was a lovely program, but not a standout program. They need a standout program if they hope to move up in Canadian ice dance.
Pate/Bye: Love the first part of the curve lift. Why this music for this pair? They don't seem to have any connection to it and I don't get why this would be the choice. They are performing choreography, and performing it pretty well, but there's no investment. Who is this team? I cannot tell from this dance.
Zingas/Kolesnik: This team has "it". Great amplitude. Excellent final lift. This is a great program for them. Some twizzle issues. I think the other teams in the U.S. need to take note of this team.
Brown/Brown: They are a good team, but they don't have the zing that Z/K have. They just don't reach out like Zingas/Kolesnik do. That straight-line lift was a little scary as he had to drag his free foot. Surprised they finished ahead. Not the choice I would have made. Good speed and flow over the ice.
Reed/Ambrulevicius: Conceptually sort of interesting (ripped from Keone and Mari on World of Dance, ahem), but the choreography wasn't nearly quirky or modern enough to match the music. It was just kinda there. I liked the choreo spin. The choreo step at the end was the best part. I didn't think this should have beaten either of the previous American teams, honestly.
Fear/Gibson: I had not previously seen this much-debated Rocky program. Like the final lift. Hated the awkward roll over his shoulders into the rotational lift. Don't think this is what they need to get them on the worlds podium. I didn't mind the skipping. Hated the push-ups. Not my favourite, but I'm not offended. I don't think this challenges the top teams. Overmarked.
And I already gushed about how much I love Piper and Paul, so I'll leave it at that.
