Thanks much. These videos are a little better quality, in terms of a bit closer views and ability to hear the music slightly clearer. Still very poor audio, though.
I couldn't find Deanna/Max's fp on YouTube, so I'm glad to finally see it. I had expected a bit more drama performance-wise, but I like the red color costume Deanna chose, and I love her sp costume, too. The fp music is familiar and okay, but it still does not seem as exciting as what they need to make an impact vs other top teams. Albeit that the audio is so poor, it's difficult to fairly assess music choices at this venue. D&M's and other teams' jumps are a bit rusty, but I suspect D&M will improve as the season progresses. I think, in general, that music selection for skaters has been affected by complications with music rights requirements.
This was a very good event for McBeath/ Parkman. I enjoyed both of their programs. Overall, they were very close to being the cleanest team performance-wise. I believe Parkman fell on the first jumping pass in the fp due to being slanted in the air because he seemingly was trying to avoid contact with the boards. Again, a result of the small rink size.
The substack reviewer mentioned how the scores were bunched in the sp. There should already have been more distance between M/B and those teams they got bunched with in the sp scoring. I think M/B should have been scored higher in the sp (at least, 66+), and so should Alisa/ Misha (at least, 68+ to 69+). I guess the judges realized they had underrated M/B a bit in the sp, especially once they proved to be nearly as strong in the fp.
Obviously, Deanna/ Max are rated higher in terms of rep status, so that's apparently why they were scored above Alisa/ Misha in the sp. But there should not have been such a huge scoring difference, IMO. Alisa/ Misha have a very good sp that deserves better points. I recognize that Deanna/ Max have the rep status which means starting out with a low to mid 70s score in the judges' minds. I do like D&M's sp, but if they were scored 70, Alisa/ Misha deserved to be closer to that mark. Not much separated the two teams in terms of choreo and performance, though I like A&M's
Cloak & Dagger sp more. Yes, Deanna/ Max have great power and height in the twist, but Alisa/ Misha also have an excellent twist delivered with ease and precision. Alisa's death spirals are more aesthetically pleasing. Plus, both teams have strong lifts, comparable spins, and were similarly error-prone on the jumps in this early season comp. Perhaps D&M's fp music choice is slightly better.
I think Alisa/ Misha need to go back to their last season's fp, which had greater impact. Or else, enlist Katia G to work with them and Renee Roca on a much stronger past G&G program. I can't recall that Katia/ Sergei ever skated to this rendition of the
Love Story theme. But they certainly performed to other memorable music which might be better to use for Alisa/ Misha.
I am not going to rush to sit in judgement. I wish Liv & Luke all the best.
Thus, why use that sad love story music for Alisa/ Misha when there are other music choices skated to by G&G that can express love in a happier and/ or more dramatic and impactful way?
. And is the ceiling in that rink unusually low, or is it just the grid for the lights that makes it appear that way? I used to sometimes practise in a half-size rink that looked like that one, and we never did twists or certain lifts because there wasn't safe room overhead.
