2024 Skate America Free Dance

[rain]

If I were a judge, I would have Smart and Dieck first in the free and immediately be banned from ever judging again.

You and me both.

 

[rain]

this year's dances are a huge disappointment.

To my surprise I did enjoy Smart/Dieck's Dune program. But I'm really hoping Piper and Paul and Lajoie/Lagha come up with some material I can get behind.

 

[amanda b]

I saw Olivia and Tim at this event last year. They have improved so much and well deserved this bronze.

I really enjoyed this outing of the Dune dance - it works much better with the new costume, though I though the Nebelhorn dress was stunning!

 

[amanda b]

I'm a Brit - good to see F/G on top (C/B are not shoo-ins) but the programme - Meh. They didn't seem to be that committed either. Is this really all they can skate to? And that spin/lift thing when Lilah puts her legs round Lewis's neck was just messy - too many changes of position can be interpreted as trying not to drop her!!

 

[jcmerman]

I find Fear/Gibson perpetually overscored, and this was no different. Besides being bland and forgettable, it was messy.

This, This, and always This!

 

[DancingCactus]

I managed to watch C/B and F/G today. Madison just has the best dresses, period. The problem is I can't stand jazz and while there were some very nice lifts at the beginning and end, the middle part was kinda blah.

Lilah and Lewis....I actually liked the first half of the program becuase it showed that they actually can do softer music well. I also think Lilah improved again. But then the second part was just more ass shaking and I'm over it.

The Dune program was fabulous and whatever Olivia Smart was supposed to be (the worm? Chani? Jessica?), I think she would make a great Lady Jessica. Fierce.

 

[museksk8r]

Watching the replay of the Free Dance now and I just witnessed the magic of both Neset/Markelov and Mrazkova/Mrazek back to back and this is a potential rivalry that I am going to absolutely love watch develop into the future. They basically scored identically in the final standings of this event and they are both so young and evenly matched in the coupling. I particularly love the drama and passion that Katerina and Daniel (my favorites in this event) exude; they are a truly special team that are clearly being told by the judges to wait their turn. This team has the powerful warrior mentality and I really appreciate the attack and speed they bring to the ice in all of their elements. Leah and Artem are the more lyrical, softer team with nice body lines and they also exhibit innovative lifts, spins and slides. I really loved watching both of them!

 

[museksk8r]

Ted continually pronounces Tim’s last name as Dick as opposed to Deek. I would think the announcer is pronouncing it correctly, but Ted has called him Dick every single time. Bless!

 

[museksk8r]

Olivia Smart just exudes this attitude of “you will not take your eyes off of me”, and she’s right, I won’t. What a diva (in all the right ways)! What a breakthrough performance for this team in the free dance! Tim has improved a great deal. Congratulations on the bronze!

 

[museksk8r]

I like this free dance on Davis and Smolkin. They had a really cool, difficult entry into their twizzles from the one foot step sequence. I can’t help but feel a stiffness from her though and her facial expression doesn’t change through the program, so she is not conveying the emotion of the music shifts. I think he’s terrific though! I would have scored N/M and M/M higher than them.

 

[museksk8r]

Yikes, my first impressions of Chock and Bates: their costumes are hideous and I don’t like the color combination. Really nice choreo spin! Cool dance spin! I am not digging the choreography and it looks rather pedestrian. Great choreo character step sequence! Love the stationary lift! This is a beatable program. It will be very interesting to see if another team can rise to the challenge at Worlds.

 

[museksk8r]

The biggest difference between Fear and Gibson and Chock and Bates that stands out to me is that Chock and Bates maintain a more controlled composure whereas Fear and Gibson let loose more, and I appreciate that approach more. I can’t take my eyes off Lewis; he is wonderful. I love how they reacted so ho hum to the final standings like they knew that was going to happen (I knew it would happen too - 6 points is a huge lead in dance). That’s the attitude they need to bring to every event if they want to move onto the World podium.

 

[TallyT]

whatever Olivia Smart was supposed to be (the worm? Chani? Jessica?),

I suspect it is 'generic old-style vaguely sf-lit film' by someone who hasn't read the book but maybe seen a few bits of media adaptation. Still rather wonderful.

 

[zebobes]

The Dune program was fabulous and whatever Olivia Smart was supposed to be (the worm? Chani? Jessica?), I think she would make a great Lady Jessica. Fierce.

She definitely looks just like Lady Jessica... but then it becomes a problematic dance between a mother and son. Of course, Tim does look a little bit like Duke Leto, but the costume is clearly going for Paul.

 

[DancingCactus]

Well, I mean, the whole story of the book is very centered on Jessica and Paul and she has a much stronger presence there than in the movies (they did her dirty in Dune PArt 2)....so...well...

 

[throw_triple_flip]

Compared to their Challenger event, the Spanish team's free flowed better here and seemed all round, cohesive. The only issue I have- she was mesmerising but i didn't really notice if he was good or bad as he was just in the background. I didn't think there was much chemistry.

Chock and Bates had a nice free but the lifts didn't seem as spectacular as what you'd expect from them. Maybe they fitted the theme/music better though. Not sure.

Fear and Gibson- i think they were trying to show a different side to themselves in the first half and did what they were best at in the second half. They seemed to get more of a reaction from the crowd than the home favourites which was interesting.

Not sure if the Georgians suit Kashmir. I think if I saw a really powerful team of skaters (say, a Hubbell and Donohue)use it, it would be electric.

Unfortunately i didn't get to see the Czech team's performance as there was a copyright strike.

I wonder what was up with Lauriault and LeGac.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I like this free dance on Davis and Smolkin.

I'm not sure they have the power in their skating to pull off the music.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

The Dune program was fabulous and whatever Olivia Smart was supposed to be

The desert itself?

 

[museksk8r]

I'm not sure they have the power in their skating to pull off the music.

I agree. I think Gleb can pull it off, but he is a far better dancer and performer than she is. She really needs to address her stiffness, both in face and body awareness. Eteri may have been known as a political power, but she can’t blind the judges to all of Diana’s weaknesses.