2024 U.S. Nationals Senior Free Dance

[purplecat]

That was one of the craziest free dance events ever and not in a good way! I'm so sad Madi and Evan were ill - they definitely should w/d from 4CC. I'm just glad they got through this one in one piece! They mentioned they changed a few things in the free - I noticed the assisted jumps were different - in an improved way... wish I could have seen the whole thing full out but of course they weren't 100%. Still congrats on another title -deserved to win overall and C&P deserved to win the FD.

Congrats to Christina and Anthony! Funny they in the past were the ones making errors and today they were the ones to avoid them... keep it up guys!

Huge surprise congrats to Emily and Ian - did not see them podiuming here... another one who avoided errors - kudos.

So very gutted for Green and Parsons, and for Zingas & Kolesnik and for the Browns! Tough tough day for them all - hoping for greener pastures in the future.

Thrilled though for Flores and Desyatov who became my faves last year. They just make me happy to watch them skate. They go full out and it may be a bit unrefined or less controlled but it never fails to grab me in and this audience loved them too and it was nice to finally see the judges give them credit as well!

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I really recognize how complicated and intricate the choreography that Chock and Bates have is, but I just don't really resonate with them. I don't understand why.

It's like a series of impresive tricks, rather than a cohesive whole.

I'm also not struck on the smiley/smouldering presentation style, when you consider the story behind that album.

 

[16Olympics]

So glad C/B made it through their FD safely. It wasn't their best but considering that they were both ill...it was amazing that they could do it. I was amazed that two of Charlie White's teams skated to, IMO, such dismal music: Wolfkostin/Tsareski (Tanquera & Invierno) and Green/Parsons (Denmark by Portland Cello Project), since Davis & White always came to competitions with creative, lively, beautiful and audience-pleasing programs. Re: Carriere/Ponomarenko...do his parents attend these competitions? They're always mentioned (as 1992 Olympic Gold Medalists).

I read a while ago that Anthony's mother gets too nervous to come to the competitions and I don't know that this has changed. I saw both of C/B's parents and Vadim's mother in the audience-they showed them in the audience.

 

[Skater Boy]

OMG Carrerira and Ponomarenko beat Chock and Bates in the free dance.

Thsoe ordinals are pretty crazy for ice dance (though Europeans were a bit like that too.. can we hope that there's a bit of a change in ice dance occuring at the moment?)

I still think Chock and Bates should not be applauded for their win or competing. With covid and a very strong respiratory illness in North America they have a gold but at what cost. What if due to illness and thus physical weakness Evan dropped Maddie or because of the weakness caused by the flu they got injured. And what if they do s pread it. They got gold but at this point and the competition being what it is the gold was still theirs even when really sick which says there is not much competition in the US for them. But they got a gold no matter how it looked. GOing to 4CC's seems risky - travelling. Look at what happened to GP last year. They were doing so well and then missed nationals and 4ccs and they slid down. Granted to be fair they really had a major illness - cancer - we often read about these near fatal illness injuries but I do wonder how serious they are when they come back a month later but Gilles fight with cancer is truly remarkable they managed to come back and win gold. they never have been a favoured team in particular. Chock and Bates will be fine if they don't compete at 4cc's. I don't think it will affect worlds standings because their scores are so high compared to GP

 

[reader3]

So pleased with Bella's and Ivan's skate and glad they they beat out Kat and Dimi. So disappointed for the Browns.

Glad to see Chock and Bates held up. They should certainly not go to 4CC though.

 

[TontoK]

I understand the criticism of Chock and Bates regarding their decision to skate.

I also understand that they would have been criticized for not attempting to skate and disappointing all the fans who came to see them perform in person, perhaps the only chance they'll ever have.

I don't know what the competitive culture in high level skating is, but it would not surprise me to learn that it's a gut-it-out, the-show-must-go-on mindset. I know from my own experiences as a not-high-level amateur athlete, if you "called in sick" you better be on your deathbed. And honestly, Evan looked like he was. I was concerned he might pass out in the middle of that.

 

[Diana Delafield]

I understand the criticism of Chock and Bates regarding their decision to skate.

I also understand that they would have been criticized for not attempting to skate and disappointing all the fans who came to see them perform in person, perhaps the only chance they'll ever have.

I don't know what the competitive culture in high level skating is, but it would not surprise me to learn that it's a gut-it-out, the-show-must-go-on mindset. I know from my own experiences as a not-high-level amateur athlete, if you "called in sick" you better be on your deathbed. And honestly, Evan looked like he was. I was concerned he might pass out in the middle of that.

Wing and Lowe did a Canadian national championships with Aaron suffering (obviously very much so) from either food poisoning or a stomach virus. By the end of the free dance Megan was more or less holding him up. As they left the ice, she headed for the K&C but he hurriedly disappeared behind the curtains with a grey face and his eyes shut, and never reappeared. I'd known them since they were kids and he was in those years, frankly, a loud and obnoxious teenager, but I felt so sorry for him that evening.

Robin Cousins also wrote about a similar fate befalling him the night before a World's free skate that he spent sitting on the floor in his hotel bathroom, but still got up and skated the next day. Yes, it's part of the culture.

 

[skatesofgold]

I understand the criticism of Chock and Bates regarding their decision to skate.

I also understand that they would have been criticized for not attempting to skate and disappointing all the fans who came to see them perform in person, perhaps the only chance they'll ever have.

I don't know what the competitive culture in high level skating is, but it would not surprise me to learn that it's a gut-it-out, the-show-must-go-on mindset. I know from my own experiences as a not-high-level amateur athlete, if you "called in sick" you better be on your deathbed. And honestly, Evan looked like he was. I was concerned he might pass out in the middle of that.

I was only a high school gymnast and I never backed out of a meet due to illness, granted the most I ever had were colds, although my colds always sounded worse than they felt. Getting sick saps my energy now so much more than when I was a teen.

 

[slider11]

Wondering which US skaters will actually go to 4CCs. Amber Glenn has withdrawn. If Chock and Bates are as sick as they/he looked, I can't imagine a 12 hour flight and a major competition in the next 5 days. Why are the US Nationals so late? I know in Olympic years they move it up a week or so but it just seems odd to have it so late and back right into an important competition.

 

[SkatersWaltz]

Wondering which US skaters will actually go to 4CCs. Amber Glenn has withdrawn. If Chock and Bates are as sick as they/he looked, I can't imagine a 12 hour flight and a major competition in the next 5 days. Why are the US Nationals so late? I know in Olympic years they move it up a week or so but it just seems odd to have it so late and back right into an important competition.

Elyse is the first Alternate for the Women and Zingas and Kolesnik the first alternate for dance so presumably, it will be them.

 

[rain]

Well, I'd be happy to see Zingas/Kolesnik get the chance to end their season on a better note...

 

[TontoK]

Jackie is reporting that the World's Team will be:

Emily Bratti/Ian Somerville, Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko, Madison Chock/Evan Bates

I'm mildly surprised that Green and Parsons didn't get that third spot... even though I wouldn't have given it to them either.

 

[ramurphy2005]

Jackie is reporting that the World's Team will be:

Emily Bratti/Ian Somerville, Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko, Madison Chock/Evan Bates

I'm mildly surprised that Green and Parsons didn't get that third spot... even though I wouldn't have given it to them either.

There's a press release, too.

U.S. Figure Skating Names Women's and Ice Dance World Team Roster | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

 

[sworddance21]

I only saw the last group earlier. Just watched the replay on Peacock because I wanted to see Flores and Desyatov. They were gorgeous! WSS suits them wonderfully.

I watched Wolf-Tsar right after. I thought they skated well, too.

I was REALLY bothered by Johnny's comments about Dimitri ghosting Isabella. "That was Olympic level ghosting"? We don't really know what happened - and certainly don't know his side. I admit to a leaning toward Isabella but I don't know the whole story so I'm going to do my best to just watch them both skate and hope they are happy.

For Johnny to say "you hope the ghoster doesn't beat the ghostee" was horrible.

 

[meem]

I only saw the last group earlier. Just watched the replay on Peacock because I wanted to see Flores and Desyatov. They were gorgeous! WSS suits them wonderfully.

I watched Wolf-Tsar right after. I thought they skated well, too.

I was REALLY bothered by Johnny's comments about Dimitri ghosting Isabella. "That was Olympic level ghosting"? We don't really know what happened - and certainly don't know his side. I admit to a leaning toward Isabella but I don't know the whole story so I'm going to do my best to just watch them both skate and hope they are happy.

For Johnny to say "you hope the ghoster doesn't beat the ghostee" was horrible.

 

[Skater Boy]

Wondering which US skaters will actually go to 4CCs. Amber Glenn has withdrawn. If Chock and Bates are as sick as they/he looked, I can't imagine a 12 hour flight and a major competition in the next 5 days. Why are the US Nationals so late? I know in Olympic years they move it up a week or so but it just seems odd to have it so late and back right into an important competition.

The issue is not so much US Nationals is so late but that 4ccs was or is so early this year.

 

[Skater Boy]

So glad C/B made it through their FD safely. It wasn't their best but considering that they were both ill...it was amazing that they could do it. I was amazed that two of Charlie White's teams skated to, IMO, such dismal music: Wolfkostin/Tsareski (Tanquera & Invierno) and Green/Parsons (Denmark by Portland Cello Project), since Davis & White always came to competitions with creative, lively, beautiful and audience-pleasing programs. Re: Carriere/Ponomarenko...do his parents attend these competitions? They're always mentioned (as 1992 Olympic Gold Medalists).

CB showed they are champions while even so sick. STill I saw them on the podium and I am no doctor but they were with all the medallists within inches Yikes. Anthony's parents are not only the 1992 Olympic Gold medallists in dance but legends. Winning a bronze and silver medal at the Olympics in dance. They truly were beautiful dancers. Such wonderful lines and great technique.

 

[meem]

I only saw the last group earlier. Just watched the replay on Peacock because I wanted to see Flores and Desyatov. They were gorgeous! WSS suits them wonderfully.

I watched Wolf-Tsar right after. I thought they skated well, too.

I was REALLY bothered by Johnny's comments about Dimitri ghosting Isabella. "That was Olympic level ghosting"? We don't really know what happened - and certainly don't know his side. I admit to a leaning toward Isabella but I don't know the whole story so I'm going to do my best to just watch them both skate and hope they are happy.

For Johnny to say "you hope the ghoster doesn't beat the ghostee" was horrible.

Dmitry suddenly disappeared. It concerned Flores so much that she called the police. Then we learned that he was at his parents' home all along and never let her know that he wanted to end their skating partnership. His strange disappearance was all over the news. Johnny was right. That was "Olympic level ghosting".

 

[icewhite]

Dmitry suddenly disappeared. It concerned Flores so much that she called the police. Then we learned that he was at his parents' home all along and never let her know that he wanted to end their skating partnership. His strange disappearance was all over the news. Johnny was right. That was "Olympic level ghosting".

He was 18 though and maybe just not able to deal with a conflict or torn between other people's wishes or whatever, when you don't know the whole story you shouldn't wish somebody to lose because of that.

 

[skylark]

Dmitry suddenly disappeared. It concerned Flores so much that she called the police. Then we learned that he was at his parents' home all along and never let her know that he wanted to end their skating partnership. His strange disappearance was all over the news. Johnny was right. That was "Olympic level ghosting".

This happened just d.a.y.s before the US championships, which were in early January 2022, that being an Olympic year. they'd won silver medals at both their Junior GP events months earlier.

Good for Johnny, calling this "Olympic level ghosting."

I've always wondered why someone always brings up Ian Somerville's breaking up with a previous partner several years ago, but there's usually radio silence on what the h--- happened with Tsarevski.

For me, the highlights of this ID free dance were (1) Isabella Flores and Ivan Desyatov ... such passion, such speed and power, such musical interpretation and connection with each other. Gorgeous. I've already re-watched a few times and gotten up in the middle of the night to re-watch again! They both have been stellar in focusing on what they can control ... their skating, and what they need to do to continue it.

And (2) Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville. This year's FD is their best since their first: Elton John medley in 2021-22. And seeing them win the bronze medal here was as exciting as their winning 5th at nationals their first season together. I think the choreographers did a superb job of bringing out their strengths and blending them together.