2024-25 GPF: Ice Dance Thoughts?

[gsk8]

Chock and Bates defend Grand Prix Final title in France

2024-25 Grand Prix Final | Ice Dance USA's Madison Chock and Evan Bates convincingly defended their title in Ice Dance at the 2024-25 Grand Prix Final in

www.goldenskate.com

I think I prefer the more dramatic, story-telling style on Chock and Bates. Not a huge "Take Five" fan, but like the others, it will probably grow on me eventually.

What do you think of the new costumes for Guignard and Fabbri? Do you think the first ones detracted from their performance too much? I actually liked them!

Would like to see more color for Fear and Gibson other than the brown in the rhythm dance. I really like this program!

I'm also becoming a Lopareva and Brissaud fan. I love their crisp movements and style.

What about you? What are your thoughts on the Ice Dance event in Grenoble?

 

[ladyjane]

I enjoyed most of it, although I did not like to see Paul Poirier having that fall in the RD. The couple bounced back in the FD, but obviously in ID at that level, it's difficult if not impossible to score enough in total to get in medal distance after such a mishap. However, I liked all the Dances, was happy with the costumes of the Italians- not so much that I didn't like the former ones but I thought they won't helpful in doing certain elements (which of course in an exhibition is not an issue). Madison and Evan were the best, but that doen't mean I didn't enjoy the other couples' dances. Marjorie and Zachary definitely are on the rise, just as the French. I am less a fan of Lilah and Lewis because they tend to do the same thing every time (even if it's engaging, don't get me wrong). Let's hope for no more mishaps like falls and missteps the rest of the season!

 

[lariko]

I thought it was pretty good, enjoying the event save for G/P fall. Just wish levels were there for La/La and Lo/B to place higher than other teams, but obviously it doesn't happen just like that.

 

[TallyT]

I have to say the RD this year and last has made me very much doubt that most of our ice dancers have much sense of music... the shortcomings of the theme exposed the shortcomings in quite a few elite performers (or maybe their total lack of interest) rather more than at all desirable.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

Chock and Bates clearly a cut above here. I think that they were the only team who had their best performances of the season so far at this event. All the others (even the Italians) have been better elsewhere.

I did really enjoy watching it.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I'm a bit surprised that the Italian team are continuing to use that straght line lift in the free- it's looked wobbly/dangerous at every competition and is likely costing crucial GOE. Especally when you consider that they changed the lift in the rhythm dance.

 

[museksk8r]

Honestly, the ice dance event was the most anticlimactic of all the events and ice dance is usually my favorite discipline. When Paul fell and G/P plummeted in the RD standings, the competition was over and a clear path was paved for Chock and Bates to claim another gold. I keep telling myself that no dance team should want to have the best performance of the season at the Grand Prix Final and it is only one event with more important championships to come. I’m so disappointed we didn’t get to witness how close G/P and C/B could have been in the standings. Piper and Paul were really skating big and covering a lot of ice in the pattern dance prior to the fall. It’s clear they are trying their best to reduce the distance between them and Chock/Bates. I can only hope the mishaps they suffered early this season will make Gilles and Poirier hungrier than ever to deliver their best performances when it matters the most.

What I thought was most telling in terms of potential movement in the standings is how close Fear/Gibson have come to Guignard/Fabri. There is huge potential for Lilah and Lewis to ascend to the world podium over Charlene and Marco this season. The European Championships will be extremely revealing into a possible shakeup in the standings between these two teams.

 

[lariko]

The Brits rising would disappoint me, technical stuff non withstanding. My hope was that the new teams will climb over them and G/F, because there is so many newer teams with energy that is so, so awesome... I'm fine with C/B and G/P being the top tier but the Brits and to a lesser extent G/F (as well as the old new team with Smart) are the ones I am really tired of.

 

[4everchan]

Lala and LB will rise above the Brits over the next quad if not before

 

[DancingCactus]

I honestly don't get the love for LaLa. Don't kill me. But I think the French are superior to the Brits AND have way better programs this year, especially their free.

I still love Piper and Paul. T_T

 

[Karoltyna]

I honestly don't get the love for LaLa. Don't kill me. But I think the French are superior to the Brits AND have way better programs this year, especially their free.

I still love Piper and Paul. T_T

Agreed about LaLa. But I don't know a thing about ice dance
L/B are giving me a little bit of Anisina/Peizerat vibe but not enough to love them.
I love Brits. Sorry. But see above about my knowledge about ice dance.

 

[TontoK]

Just from the look of the programs, and acknowledging that my technical knowledge about ice dance is incomplete, Chock and Bates seemed to be clear winners to me.

But I have to say I'm not a jazz fan, and so I think I don't appreciate that free dance as much as I should. But the elements are *chef's kiss* especially the choreo slide sequence near the beginning.

 

[Lamente Ariane]

This may be an unpopular opinion (or not ) but I think most of the field this year is poorly packaged and that lessened my excitement to watch this event. Out of the Grand Prix Finalists there is only one program I truly love, and that’s Chock/Bates After Midnight. I like Lopareva/Brissaud’s programs better than some of the others here but I don’t like them quite as much as some other teams who weren’t at this event. The RD theme is a mess but some teams (and their choreographers) have managed to make hay with it anyway: Yoshida/Morita, Carriera/Ponomarenko, Reed/Ambrulevičius, Olivia Smart/Tim Dieck and Yuka Orihara/Juho Piranen come to mind.

I will say I think Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson had probably the best RD here in concept if not 100% in execution. That RD is doing a lot for them in a season with lackluster performances and a lackluster FD—I hope the other teams will step up their material next season, as they are all capable of better. Also Lajoie/Lagha’s choice of FD music… I can’t, you guys, I just can’t. I’ve been muting them and putting on other 4 minute pieces of music and that’s been enjoyable

 

[Seven Sisters]

This may be an unpopular opinion (or not ) but I think most of the field this year is poorly packaged and that lessened my excitement to watch this event. Out of the Grand Prix Finalists there is only one program I truly love, and that’s Chock/Bates After Midnight. I like Lopareva/Brissaud’s programs better than some of the others here but I don’t like them quite as much as some other teams who weren’t at this event. The RD theme is a mess but some teams (and their choreographers) have managed to make hay with it anyway: Yoshida/Morita, Carriera/Ponomarenko, Reed/Ambrulevičius, Olivia Smart/Tim Dieck and Yuka Orihara/Juho Piranen come to mind.

Not an unpopular opinion at all—which is to say, I agree This year’s programs, at the GPF and elsewhere, have seemed unusually uninspired. Both RDs and FDs.

Of the ones you list, I do like Smart/Dieck’s and Orihara/Pirinen’s, and really only a handful of others.

 

[Sloopy]

Chock and Bates clearly a cut above here. I think that they were the only team who had their best performances of the season so far at this event. All the others (even the Italians) have been better elsewhere.

I did really enjoy watching it.

I have never been a Chock and Bates fan. I still don't consider myself a fan, but this year is the very first time I can say that I thoroughly enjoy watching their programs. The programs seem less pretentious to me and not so over-the-top with the fake expression. I'm getting the impression that they really enjoy performing them. I know that I liked them enough to go back and rewatch at least twice.

 

[Weathergal]

Chock and Bates defend Grand Prix Final title in France

2024-25 Grand Prix Final | Ice Dance USA's Madison Chock and Evan Bates convincingly defended their title in Ice Dance at the 2024-25 Grand Prix Final in

www.goldenskate.com

I think I prefer the more dramatic, story-telling style on Chock and Bates. Not a huge "Take Five" fan, but like the others, it will probably grow on me eventually.

What do you think of the new costumes for Guignard and Fabbri? Do you think the first ones detracted from their performance too much? I actually liked them!

Would like to see more color for Fear and Gibson other than the brown in the rhythm dance. I really like this program!

I'm also becoming a Lopareva and Brissaud fan. I love their crisp movements and style.

What about you? What are your thoughts on the Ice Dance event in Grenoble?

I was a bit unsure about Chock / Bates FD the first time I saw it - and it was a bit rough in that outing so I'm sure that was part of it. But by the time I saw the second performance, I liked it. I like jazzy stuff, and I appreciate that it is a bit different from their character driven programs and / or some of the ones that were a bit "edgier," for lack of a better word. I liked those programs a lot; I just am glad to see them try something different. I think they perform it very well, and I think they were the class of the field here. I also think their RD benefitted by its "song trimming." I think it's more enjoyable to watch - you actually get to enjoy a few moments of whatever dance they're doing.

Gilles / Poirier are amazing skaters, and I enjoy their RD and all its costumes. But I just can't get into the FD. I'm sorry I know people love it, but I'm just struggling with it. And I'm still confused by Paul's backless jacket. I enjoy "edgy Piper and Paul" like their Hitchcock program or their Saudade program (I really liked that one!) or "storytelling Piper and Paul" like Evita or Wuthering Heights more than what feels like one of their more "generically lovely" programs. Props to them though for their huge FD score after a tough RD.

As far as Guignard / Fabbri, I don't think their original costumes flattered them, but I think a lot of it is just that the program itself doesn't really work for them. I'm all about the quirky in ice dance when it works - and sometimes those kooky costumes can be so much fun. But this just falls flat for me. I appreciate their technical prowess, but if they want to do something different, their dark, edgy program from two seasons ago was way more successful to me. They have to be looking over their shoulder at this point at Gilles / Poirier, Fear / Gibson, and Lajoie / Lagha.

I completely agree about Fear / Gibson's costumes in the RD. The costumes themselves are good, but I don't get the brown at all. I think Lilah, in particular, would look better in a different, brighter color. Their FD is fun but not really different from what they've offered in the past.

Also a fan of Lopraeva / Brissaud. I also love their precision, as well as their quirkiness. I hope they continue to climb the standings.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I have never been a Chock and Bates fan. I still don't consider myself a fan, but this year is the very first time I can say that I thoroughly enjoy watching their programs. The programs seem less pretentious to me and not so over-the-top with the fake expression. I'm getting the impression that they really enjoy performing them. I know that I liked them enough to go back and rewatch at least twice.

Of late their free dances seem to be more about what suits her. But this jazz style really suits him.

 

[Rebecca Moose]

The exquisite mediocrity of the medalists paled in comparison to the free dances of Marjorie/Zach, Piper/Paul, and Evgenia/Gregory.

 

[aroundtheworld778]

Also Lajoie/Lagha’s choice of FD music… I can’t, you guys, I just can’t. I’ve been muting them and putting on other 4 minute pieces of music and that’s been enjoyable

lol I can't watch that program again, even though I love a good remix, just as a casual fan I don't get this costume and dance with this choice of music.