Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates

[Joesitz (RIP)]

For what it is worth I think Davis is wooden and White is over the top. I much prefer couples in sync. Delobet and Schoernfelder like.

 

[Hsuhs]

Samuelson & Bates are SO good, wow. I loved their FD. They're still pretty young though.

 

[jcoates]

... we also have almost no idea what D/W have really been doing this past summer; there's been no news on them anywhere really. We don't even know their music.

Their program music has finally been posted in the Cliff Notes and in the bios on the ISU website.

 

[cassieandcheetah]

Has anyone seen this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYh8guTWOGU

in this program, Meryl's nothing but wooden. Her expression is exquisite. She's even singing along with the music. I have to say she's been more reserved in her later years...I wonder if it's cause of the choice of music...Why can't they do something lighter like this?

and I don't really care for Bates and Samuelson cause they're too technical. And they're such extroverts, always selling their programs to the max, much like B/A except they're not half as attractive.

 

[lcd]

Has anyone seen this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYh8guTWOGU

Meryl's nothing but wooden. Her expression is exquisite.

Agree, and find the comment startling. It must be very challenging for someone like Meryl to 'feed' the tempermental beast that is the "entertainment" quotient of this sport. While her level of expression could improve in certain ways, I find so many subtle dimensions to her skating, her artistry, that must be so unfortunately easy to over look. Her excellence may not "hit one over the head" but I think if one were to look more closely and with a less "entertain me" type of perspective, then one would find that she is brilliant in many ways. She has many "dancer" qualities. Too many ice dance ladies have "pole dancer" qualities that frankly, I could do without.

I think the year is young, and with Skate Canada coming up - it is way too early to judge whether "2nd place" is vulnerable.... it is my opinion that Davis/White will come out of Skate Canada making many think that they actually have quite a bit of momentum over Belbin/Agosto as we head to Cleveland... I wouldn't be surprised in the least, and think it would be high time. We'll see if I "eat my words" in a week, but I'm really expecting a lot of raised eye brows (impressed) once SC is done.

As for Emily and Evan - I was genuinely impressed. Very well trained, they competed very very well and really represented the next generation of US skaters in a timely manner. They - along with the Hubbells and the Shibutanis - IMO are the teams that are going to continue thriving in a very fast forward kind of way. The technical elements are there with each of those teams to an extent that really makes one notice, and as exemplified by the TES marks from SA, are not necessarily being overlooked by the callers. I mean, look at the footwork and twizzles done by the top 3 teams at SA, and tell me if you think they would obviously come out ahead in a head-to-head comparison with the trio of Samuelson/Bates (terrific lifts), Hubbells (wonderful edges) and Shibutanis (Wow twizzles). The maturity and performance qualities will take some time, but with the exception of the French, D/S - who really seem IMO to be ripening wonderfully in terms of performance qualities that we have never quite seen before, I think the timing by which this next generation rises to the top is sooner than anyone may have believed possible.

 

[lmarie086]

Their program music has finally been posted in the Cliff Notes and in the bios on the ISU website.

Yes I know, I posted it in the cliff notes as soon as I read it lol.
But thank you!

 

[Nadine]

Don't get me wrong, I still like Davis & White, but they come no where close to my enjoyment of Samuelson & Bates.

The latter have the "IT" factor for me, in terms of skating, presentation, innovativeness, and connection/emotion/chemistry.

D&W are superior to S&B when it comes to speed & mayhap a few other technical elements. But I appreciate skating for more than just being a superb technician. Watching D&W is like watching a good-natured brother & sister skate. Nothing more, nothing less, but it's not enough for me. I like to see acting/theatre/emotion/chemistry.

In my experience of watching ice dance (& pairs for that matter), I notice that the female is usually the one that sets the tone, the one that all eyes focus on first & foremost, then the male (lol, except for Anissina & Peizerat, as both were equal). Thus, she has to bring that something extra special to the table, not just looks (though that helps to a certain extent), it has to be innate/organic. And, unfortunately, in the case of Meryl Davis, for me anyway, she just doesn't have IT. Not talking looks (she's gorgeous), but rather personality/fire/emotion/etc. She's just so wooden/generic ~ huge friendly white smile, sparkly tiny small eyes, beautiful heart-shaped face that's meant to smile, nothing more, nothing less. She just wasn't blessed with the type of face that expresses much emotion. JMHO. She's a great technician though ~ love her & Charlie's lightning fast twizzles! But compared to Emily Samuelson (& Evan Bates), with their long beautiful classical flexible lines, innovative lifts, and emotion/passion, there's just no comparison. All my humble opinion, of course, so take it with a grain of salt.

That said, I loved S&B's CD & OD, but not so much their FD, though it got high marks. Just really didn't like the one-note somber bombastic music, really over the top, but then again my personal favorite was "Luna" from last year. Hopefully it will grow on me as the season progresses. Also, though I love their innovative unique lifts, I'm hoping they will add a new one this year.

Now the music I would choose for them would be My Sweet and Tender Beast, beautifully skated to by A&P in 1999, and also used in a wonderful montage of the movie "Pride & Prejudice", seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xXNcXieG1c

EDITED TO ADD: oops, forgot the link to A&P skating to this wonderful piece of music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtS5MQvRi44

 

[lmarie086]

entire post.

See, I often find that Samuelson/Bates are good at playing to the audience, but they don't show much connection with each other just yet. I noticed in the FD that they did not show much chemistry with one another. That will probably come with time, but IMO that isn't one of their strengths yet. Another opinion of mine is that the Hubbells show far more passion and intensity in their skating.

While Meryl has not always shown a lot of emotion, she really improved in that department by the end of the season. She and Charlie do have areas to improve on as a team, but I'm hoping to see that improvement this weekend.

Sorry for hijacking; back to Samuelson/Bates. I really enjoyed their OD; it was very lively and well executed. I also think they showed more connection here than in the FD, which I don't like nearly as much. And I hated that lift they took from last years FD, the one where she has her legs around his waist and she's facing down toward the ice (I think that's the way to describe it). They execute it well, but I just don't find it an appealing lift. That being said, it's amazing how polished they were at SA. Truly belong on the senior scene.