2026 European Championships Free Dance

[discodisco]

He doesn't need or want a partner who is "selling it", he needs a partner who is willing to mold to his style and isn't vibing a diva, but there won't be a big skill gap that will destroy the impression of the program he wants to create (I'm not falling for this vibe, but I imagine many love this style). I'm not familiar with her and her previous partnership because I was far away from figure skating when they competed, but I have the impression that most women in the circut, even in much lower level teams, have more presence on ice than she has - or their partners are letting them shine more. Probably this is the biggest problem I have with this partnership (thing outside skating aside) that there is no real partnership.

Interesting take. I can confirm that for several years, experts in the ice dance Community have been saying that she was probably one of, if not the most skilled female ice dancer in the world. Her basic skating skills are just outstanding. I wouldn't say she's not expressive, just that it isn't an over the top flashy tired type of expression, and I believe that fits the vibe that guillem typically tends to skate to in his style approach to skating. That said, I have always thought cheese last day did it extremely well.

 

[Vicky458]

This FD really should be the best thi

I noticed the first set of twizzles was out of sync and annoyed at the judges who just automatically gave them 4’s. But other than that this deserves all the points.

I can see why some will find this to be a snooze with the music but it’s just a masterful performance, feels authentic to them, and nobody else could do what they’re doing.

Also not a G/F fan but they served up their best today and deservedly beat F/G (who were lucky to not marked down worse with the twizzle error - I mean seriously a judge gave them a 2 and a 1 and a 0 in spite of so obviously a failed element… I do wonder if the crowd affected them because I can’t imagine anyone being able to hear their music or stay focused with that crowd!).

I have to agree with you..I am a bit upset that other teams have been putting in years of work having to” work there way up the Ice Dance ranks..then comes a former Olympic Champion (granted he is marvelous)with a new partner who never has achieved this success with her former partners..and suddenly they are crowned champions above all the others who have put in their dues! Sorry but I think this is a travesty.

 

[slider11]

I find Laurence and Guillaume to portray a more blended performance-man and woman moving as one with intregal moves that showcases the music and overall mood. Madison and Evan portray a series of elements where she is generally the highlight and plays it beautifully with her stunning smile. I prefer watching the first.

 

[msteach3]

I find Laurence and Guillaume to portray a more blended performance-man and woman moving as one with intregal moves that showcases the music and overall mood. Madison and Evan portray a series of elements where she is generally the highlight and plays it beautifully with her stunning smile. I prefer watching the first.

Well said. I agree with your assessment and also find Laurence and Guillaume's program to be my favorite style for a free dance. They do it beautifully, and the fact that they've been together less than a year is mind boggling. Both are superior skaters and dancers.

 

[4everchan]

I have to agree with you..I am a bit upset that other teams have been putting in years of work having to” work there way up the Ice Dance ranks..then comes a former Olympic Champion (granted he is marvelous)with a new partner who never has achieved this success with her former partners..and suddenly they are crowned champions above all the others who have put in their dues! Sorry but I think this is a travesty.

It's not like Laurence was a completely unknown skater with her previous partner... He was seen as much weaker than her (mistakes on twizzles did happen) but nevertheless, they were top 5 at worlds and made GPF twice before the incidents. She was a two time 4CC silver medalist as well and earned a top ten finish at the Olympics. To be fair, she was putting the work and waiting for her turn...in a tough federation where their national progress came from other teams retiring most of the time. So sure, fair enough, it may look at bit unfair to some of the team who skated 3-4 years and thought they had a chance at the podium, let alone the gold medal, but she was putting the work all these years and well Guillaume is Guillaume.

I think their FD is the best this year, though a bit one note.
I don't think their RD is the best at all.

I think judges, in the early season, were too generous with them. However, at this point in time, I am not so sure about that.. Some GOES and PCS scores look a bit much but then, you look at some much weaker teams and they do get high scores too, so it's hard to really be mad at the judges if they are too generous with other, weaker teams.

I am still hopeful Piper and Paul will be on the podium. They do not have an olympic medal and they've been around forever and have shown resilience like nobody else with Piper's illness and the simple fact that they are just not the "chosen ones" They deserved the gold in Montreal. They really did.

 

[IceDancingQueen]

If I don't have a huge investment in terms of which pair wins gold olympics, but it's very hard for me to see Guillaume and Evan in the same universe when it comes to basic skating skill.

Whatever people think about Guillaume, and whether his programs and moves are repetitive or not, he never hits a bad position, has stunning posture, and together they so much speed.

Obviously Laurence is one of the strongest females skaters out there - she always has been. I personally think they had to do one of those introverted type dances this year, because she really doesn't/can't sell things the way Chock does...

Laurence was much more extroverted in her old partnership as she was covering up her partner’s weaker skating skills. I understand why they went with the lyrical route this year since Gui hasn’t competed since 2022, so it was a safer bet for him and I think Laurence is a much more versatile skater so she could quickly adapt to his lyrical comfort zone.

I really hope next year Gui stretches himself into a different type of FD and that Laurence can let her dynamism come through cause she is a sensational ice dancer. Otherwise it will just be be P/C 2.0 for another quad which will be so boring. I was already bored with P/C after 2016 cause IMO they never really stretched themselves in the FD.

 

[Demandred]

I have to agree with you..I am a bit upset that other teams have been putting in years of work having to” work there way up the Ice Dance ranks..then comes a former Olympic Champion (granted he is marvelous)with a new partner who never has achieved this success with her former partners..and suddenly they are crowned champions above all the others who have put in their dues! Sorry but I think this is a travesty.

Seniority shouldn't matter at all when it comes to judging. I don't care if a team has skated together for 2 months or 20 years, if they skate the best, they should win. And wasn't this exactly what fans of ice dance has complained for decades - that newer teams can't beat older ones even if they clearly outskate them and should "wait their turn"?

Besides, Laurence Fournier Beaudry is the opposite of a newcomer, she is 33 and has competed at the top level of the sport for a very long time. She was held back by a weaker partner and lack of fed support, but she has been recognised as one of the most skilled ice dancers for a long time.

FB/C are far from my favourites, I am personally rooting for Charlene and Marco and really want them to get a medal, preferably gold, at their home Olympics, but if FB/C outperform them and win at the Olympics, I'd congratulate them for their deserved win.

 

[FlossieH]

Seniority shouldn't matter at all when it comes to judging. I don't care if a team has skated together for 2 months or 20 years, if they skate the best, they should win. And wasn't this exactly what fans of ice dance has complained for decades - that newer teams can't beat older ones even if they clearly outskate them and should "wait their turn"?

Besides, Laurence Fournier Beaudry is the opposite of a newcomer, she is 33 and has competed at the top level of the sport for a very long time. She was held back by a weaker partner and lack of fed support, but she has been recognised as one of the most skilled ice dancers for a long time.

FB/C are far from my favourites, I am personally rooting for Charlene and Marco and really want them to get a medal, preferably gold, at their home Olympics, but if FB/C outperform them and win at the Olympics, I'd congratulate them for their deserved win.

I don't think Vicky458 was talking about seniority. I think she was raising the issue of skaters repeatedly returning in the Olympic year and taking spots which other skaters have secured for the country, without competing in the previous years.

 

[flakyy]

Thing is that in this special case it's not just about coming back after a hiatus like V/M or splitting/retiring and looking for a new partner. FB and C were left without a partner and of course entitled to look for a new one - and the best solution was very close. The new partnership would not have come to life without that accusation, the testimony and the inquiry into it - so the line between public and private is blurred and the whole thing is overshadowed as a result of it. It's up to the viewer if FB/C are watchable or not - for me, they are not; the presentation of the new pair, comments about the matter at hand and the ongoing real life situation added up, that should have been dealt with in a very different way, leading sportspersons are in the public eye and should stand for something positive (don't get me started on politicians). At the very least they should handle a problematic situation carefully ... i mean, a lot of Russian musicians live in Russia, play concerts there AND play concerts in the West as well - so even they can get on without kissing the ring of a certain someone. Which is way more difficult than forming a new partnership and being tactful. It is one thing to openly defend someone and running around with him during a competition and quite another to invite someone without wiping the invitation into everyone's eyes.
About the skating: I don't appreciate skaters who repeat the same style over and over again ... in other words: who skate themselves and don't seek new horizons. In the end it can't be decided which year exactly it is and gets boring, no matter how well it is done. I think it's ok in an Olympic year to recycle/reinvent an old program because some skaters try so hard to avoid making a mistake with the program or try rto come up with something sensational that they make a serious mistake and loose a lot of precious time - but it should not be done in general. Cizeron is the most striking example of "sameness" ... and it's not only the FD, but also the RD. There he is forced to change ... or should be. He clearly prefers to bring his style and make the given theme to follow him (this season's one does not look good at all, way out of his comfort zone). Same with lifts - he is not fond of the spectacular looking ones ... and comes up with "interrupts interpretation" and so on ... (there are a lot of very spectacular lifts which do not interrupt at all but are an important part of the dance) ... instead of looking for an opportunity and present one and putting this "problem" to rest. So there is always the impression that he is excellent - but leaves some stones unturned. there is no need to turn them, especially if you are so superior AND judges throw +4 and +5 at you no matter what you do in the end - but a negative vibe goes along with it. I prefer C/B who come up with new, although not risky (the Italians last year ...) concepts, usually care about hitting the RD theme and work on getting the programs ready in a way their weaknesses are easily forgotten.

 

[msteach3]

The new partnership would not have come to life without that accusation, the testimony and the inquiry into it - so the line between public and private is blurred and the whole thing is overshadowed as a result of it. It's up to the viewer if FB/C are watchable or not - for me, they are not ...

Cizeron is the most striking example of "sameness" ... and it's not only the FD, but also the RD. There he is forced to change ... or should be. He clearly prefers to bring his style and make the given theme to follow him (this season's one does not look good at all, way out of his comfort zone). Same with lifts - he is not fond of the spectacular looking ones ... and comes up with "interrupts interpretation" and so on ... ...

especially if you are so superior AND judges throw +4 and +5 at you no matter what you do in the end - but a negative vibe goes along with it.

I couldn't disagree more. Why would the actions of a former partner (whether founded or not) cause a new partnership to be unwatchable? I can't understand this kind of thinking at all. I also strongly disagree with Cizeron being always the same and struggling with the RD this season. I almost wonder if we're watching the same thing? The judges are judging what they see on the ice for any given competition. The scores of +4 and +5 and not just being thrown around. They are very much deserved in the case of FB/C as I think most people agree.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I have to agree with you..I am a bit upset that other teams have been putting in years of work having to” work there way up the Ice Dance ranks..then comes a former Olympic Champion (granted he is marvelous)with a new partner who never has achieved this success with her former partners..and suddenly they are crowned champions above all the others who have put in their dues! Sorry but I think this is a travesty.

It's a competition.