2026 U.S. Nationals Practice Reports

[labgoat]

Ilia Malinin marking his elements while getting his feet under him for later.

 

[labgoat]

Okay onto dinner and then the main events...

 

[labgoat]

Here for dance practice

Yay we get Commentary with Jean-Luc Baker this morning

 

[labgoat]

Anyone else here with me?

 

[labgoat]

Okay I'll just watch then...

 

[dorispulaski]

I'm here -

 

[ramurphy2005]

Okay I'll just watch then...

I just woke up this a little while ago. It took me a minute to get the stream loaded because I forgot to bookmark it, and I didn't remember the streaming schedule off the top of my head, lol.

 

[ramurphy2005]

Love JLB praising Japanese audiences.

 

[museksk8r]

JLB stated that he doesn’t think there are underrated teams in US ice dance. There may not be any underrated ones, but there are certainly overrated ones. Chock and Bates should not be getting +4s for their twizzle sequences nationally or internationally, but they have a propaganda machine around them that works overtime propping them up. +2 would be more accurate for how they normally perform that element and I have seen occasions where they deserved 0 and -1 during the fall this season. That element for them is slow, has small pattern and little ice coverage, and doesn’t display power. I think any logical viewer sees the way they perform that element and realizes that they are being grossly scored simply based on reputation and politics.

 

[museksk8r]

Unfortunately, the Shibutanis’ skating embodies a bygone era in ice dance. Ice dance used to value speed, precision, extended body line, and crisply performed elements. Now they value IAM skaters who perform with lack of speed and power, small ice coverage and poorly executed tricks. The Shibutanis appear to have tried to adapt to this new model and it has taken away what used to make them great and special.

 

[museksk8r]

I so enjoy the FD of the Browns; this may be THE free dance of this Olympic season.

 

[museksk8r]

Madi and Evan still have the all black costumes and while black is one of my favorite colors, I do think their costumes need a flourish of red and gold considering his character is intended to be a bull and she is a matador.

 

[museksk8r]

A clean Ian Somerville is probably the best ice dancer the US currently has.

 

[museksk8r]

I would like to see Caroline and Michael display more finesse and flow on the exits of their lifts; it’s not good to give the judges a clunky impression.

 

[museksk8r]

Anthony and Christina really made a wise choice to return to Perfume. Their Notre Dame de Paris did not highlight their strength as a team and they were never quite able to embody the emotion and character of that piece.

 

[dorispulaski]

JLB says all the teams in the last dance group have comparable speed.

 

[museksk8r]

Zingas and Kolesnik really embody large presence on the ice with great attack and ice coverage.

 

[ManyCairns]

JLB says all the teams in the last dance group have comparable speed.

I'm pondering that. Even live and especially looking at the ice coverage, I perceive differences. I mean, I adore C/B, but they often don't cover a lot of ice for whole sections of their programs. But who am I to question JLB?

 

[museksk8r]

Great dramatic character step to end the program. Emilea does have great extension and serves face for sure.

 

[museksk8r]

I'm pondering that. Even live and especially looking at the ice coverage, I perceive differences. I mean, I adore C/B, but they often don't cover a lot of ice for whole sections of their programs. But who am I to question JLB?

Right, JLB is paid to do a job here and he does represent IAM.