All Things Canadian Ice Dance

[colleen o'neill]

Another thing worthy of note at B.C. sectionals.. Orford / Williams' and Van As /Shindle's senior programs,( they're the only 2 couples) Saturday.. SD at 9:40 AM PT and FD at 3:35 PT . Also Saturday Central Ontario sectionals ..senior dance ( again 2 ,count 'em , 2 couples ) Ralph / Hill and Gilles / Poirier Sat.3:15 ET SD and Sun 4:15 FD.

Skatebuzz is streaming the BC and Quebec sectionals again ( I think they have 5 SR. couples, but I was getting lost on their site ) ... I don't know if there will be any streaming from CO.

 

[dorispulaski]

I hope someone puts G&P's programs on youtube! (OTOH, perhaps it won't be geoblocked?)

 

[Dragonlady]

Colleen, that is a fabulous idea! They would look gorgeous! And have some serious basic skills to start. Spend some time with a good technician coach that isn't overloaded with a ton of students, then get some awesome choreography from someone like Carmelengo, they'd rock the house next season, no matter what country they represent.

Sandhu's basic skating is weak and slow. He never had the speed, power and flow he would need to be a successful ice-dancer. Why does everyone think that older singles skaters can just switch to dance and continue on. It didn't work for Andreev.

 

[colleen o'neill]

Why do you think we're being entirely serious ?

 

[NorthernDancers]

In this particular case, I think Sandhu has great potential as a dancer. He started out as a ballet dancer and I believe was accepted into the National Ballet. He also has done extensive off-ice dance training in other genres. He did very well on SYTYCDC a couple of seasons ago. He impressed me with his change in attitude, and seemed to do very well working with a partner. Working with an ice-dance coach that is known for training outstanding technique, I think he could learn this. He always had beautiful lines, and he moves musically. I think it was Plushenko's coach that used to tape his footwork sequences. His difficulties, I think, were really in his own head, thinking patterns and attitude, which would make skating with a partner difficult. However, if he has matured and has a new attitude, perhaps he could be quite successful. I don't think every "old singles skater" should be a dancer. This particular "old singles skater" is a special case. And I'm of the opinion that ice dancers, like fine wine, improve with age. In the world of ice dance, there is nothing "old" about Sandhu.

 

[Dragonlady]

I hope someone puts G&P's programs on youtube! (OTOH, perhaps it won't be geoblocked?)

I don't think Sectionals are geo-blocked. Some American posters said they were able to watch Thornhill Summer Skate and the Quebec Summer Championships.

The program I'm waiting to see is Gilles & Poirier's LP, choreographed by Christopher Dean. They scored 91+ for it at Oktoberfest. I'm seriously considering making the trek out to Milton this weekend to see it live, provided I can interest anyone else in coming with me. (I don't drive.)

 

[colleen o'neill]

Well said , "Dancers , I completely agree...and we can dream can't we ?

Re : sectionals...They're not usually geoblocked ,but what I saw listed at the skatebuzz site was BC and Quebec ... I'm in BC , maybe there's a difference if you're in Ontario ? So I, too hope someone posts on YouTube , or a link if there is streaming.

 

[herios]

In the world of ice dance, there is nothing "old" about Sandhu.

He is too old to start a new career in ice dance. He is 31. By the time they would find a partner for him and they would become competitive, he would be 33-34. Forget it.

 

[CdnSkateWatcher]

If you're wanting to check re: the Geoblocking, why don't you see if you can access the EOS sectionals from last weekend????? It's still up on ustream, which is the streaming service they use.

 

[CARA]

I live in the States, and the Skatebuzz ustream worked for me.

 

[colleen o'neill]

Here's my question ( and no doubt the question of those curious about G/P's programs ). I can see where skatebuzz will stream BC and Quebec sectionals, but no mention Central Ontario. Does anyone know of any streaming of this event ?

 

[CARA]

^ Are you saying that G/P entered into the Central Ontario sectionals?

 

[colleen o'neill]

Yes, CARA.. Gilles/ Poirier and Ralph / Hill are the only 2 senior couples.

 

[CdnSkateWatcher]

From what is listed, COS Sectionals will not be streamed; however, Challenge will be. Then again, EOS sectionals being streamed only was announced a couple of days before it happened.

 

[skatingfan04]

As per the discussion from earlier in the thread, I think one of the big problems for P/I this year is a lack of experience. They're battling injury, high expectations, and what seems to be a severe lack of confidence, and I just don't think that they have the experience to deal with all of that in the way that the top teams do. They've been together less that 3 years, and had completed a grand total of 4 international competitions (3 junior, 1 senior) before the start of this season. It doesn't help that Paul was injured for part of last season as well. They seemed to cope well with all of this when they were healthy, but now I think that inexperience is showing in things like their inability to recover quickly from falls. They can't fake confidence as well as those who have been doing this longer, and that's hurting them.

I know everyone is going to start going on about how they had experience with former partners, but they really didn't. Other than a JGP or two, I don't think Paul ever made it out of the country before teaming up with Islam, and he spent the better part of two seasons not skating while Joanna Lenko was ill. In fact, I don't think those two ever completed both portions of Junior Worlds, even though they qualified a few times.

I just feel like P/I would be coping much better if something like this had happened to them a few years down the line.

 

[colleen o'neill]

There's only one way to gain experience. Actually , I feel fairly encouraged for P/I. This was nowhere near the struggle they had at SA. So I feel she really is on the road back and they have a couple of months now before Canadians to rebuild their speed , confidence , etc.

 

[CARA]

Does anyone have report re: G/P & Ralph/Hill SD at the Central Ontario sectionals? Someone remarked that G/P received over 60 on their Sd today. I am dying to see their video.

 

[colleen o'neill]

Well this weekend is turning out to be exciting, but not really in the way I had hoped.

First there was the sad news about Alex Paul getting cut in a collision and needing 20 stitches at NHK. Now I just hope they'll be able to build for Canadians ( and I have a secret, selfish hope that they'll now consider her costumes bad luck, and change to something with some colour and a more latin look for the SD..but health first ! )

On the bright side , it was great to see W/P have a good free skate, and to know they're in for GPF.

On the pure frustration front..the live stream cut out for the senior SD at BC sectionals, so we're in the dark about O/W's senior SD effort and then the feed cut out again halfway through their FD. Hmmm...* sigh * O/W's SD..54.87 (Levels - Tw; 4..R1and2; 3 for both..Roli ; 4...Cist.; 3 )..VA/S's SD.. 49.72

For the FD..O/W 82.71..VA/S 73.02

In the "believe it or not" dept. , G/P scored 60.49 to R/H's 56.81 for the SD at Central Ontario sectionals. ( I'm afraid I must choose "not", based on int'l scores for good skaters who've been together for some time )

Their free dance goes tomorrow.

Do all these teams have to go to Challenge ?

 

[blue_idealist]

Gilles/Poirier ahead of Ralph/Hill in the SD already? Surprising.. I can't say I don't feel a bit bad for R/H, being the seasoned team and all!

 

[NorthernDancers]

Well this weekend is turning out to be exciting, but not really in the way I had hoped.

First there was the sad news about Alex Paul getting cut in a collision and needing 20 stitches at NHK. Now I just hope they'll be able to build for Canadians ( and I have a secret, selfish hope that they'll now consider her costumes bad luck, and change to something with some colour and a more latin look for the SD..but health first ! )

On the bright side , it was great to see W/P have a good free skate, and to know they're in for GPF.

On the pure frustration front..the live stream cut out for the senior SD at BC sectionals, so we're in the dark about O/W's senior SD effort and then the feed cut out again halfway through their FD. Hmmm...* sigh * O/W's SD..54.87 (Levels - Tw; 4..R1and2; 3 for both..Roli ; 4...Cist.; 3 )..VA/S's SD.. 49.72

For the FD..O/W 82.71..VA/S 73.02

In the "believe it or not" dept. , G/P scored 60.49 to R/H's 56.81 for the SD at Central Ontario sectionals. ( I'm afraid I must choose "not", based on int'l scores for good skaters who've been together for some time )

Their free dance goes tomorrow.

Do all these teams have to go to Challenge ?

Really quite sad about Paul/Islam. I do hope she recovers well for Nationals. Maybe new costumes, new outlook, and fresh training once the stitches heal will give them a boost of confidence.

Now speaking of boosts of a different sort, I have to take both BC and Central results with a shovel full of salt. I also highly doubt a brand new team can post top world scores in their first year out....never mind first time they compete the short dance. I had a look at the BC report cards. Van As/Shindle got level 4's on both their rumba's. I may be wrong, but I don't think many, if anyone, has accomplished this globally - including Scott and Tessa. Between all 4 report cards, there isn't a minus GOE to be found, except 1 from 1 judge in Van As/Shindle FD. There are lots of plus 1's and 2's to go around. I have a really hard time buying that.

Now that Arnold/Trojek are no longer skating, I count 17 teams at Senior. That means that unless a team has a bye due to a GP assignment (V/M, W/P, P/I, R/H, H/G), they must compete at Challenge. Top 15 go on to Nationals. I really hope Skate Canada hires the best qualified tech specialists for Challenge, and they call everyone evenly and accurately. I also hope there are good judges who will leave the noise, chatter and politics at the arena doors. Then, when all these teams finally compete together, we'll have a much better idea how these teams are really doing.