FD Report

[Anna]

Bergen/DeFazio, SUI, Nothing Else Matters

Missed them because of the Ladies Press Conference. A pity, I really wanted to see a dance to Metallica...

Budner/Moscicki, POL, Alladin

I came in half way through their program. Not too bad, but nothing outstanding either. Typical set of lifts with donuts, hB and such, loads of move "like Egyptian" hand and free leg moves. Nice flow, though.

 

[La Rhumba]

Great Anna, because Eurosport is showing a Ski Run now, as Ladies was soooooo long, they have yet to go back for the FD.

 

[Anna]

Towler-Green/Poole, Celtic Tiger, Candyman

Tw, I am not sure, but I think she might have put feet down on the 2nd one
CiSt, says the protocol, I only realized it was the St halfway through
RRoLi, looked a bit weird, she first was holds in on his arms and then wrapped herself around, probably intended, but looked like she was loosing balance
DiSt almost missed a handhold ones
CuLi+SlLi, he really worked hard to keep 2nd feet off ice in Cu
CoSp
CuLi
RoLi slow

The dance suited them much better than Tango, but it was rather messy overall.

 

[La Rhumba]

I wonder if the Senior Poles Kauch & Zych are regretting their decision to quit....well, his decision, she had no choice in the matter.

The Junior Polish boy's shoulders were soooo hunched in the Waltz.

 

[La Rhumba]

Thanks for the Brits report Anna, sounds like I didn't miss much. They need to go back to the drawing board really, sad to say, having finished 20th last year.

 

[Anna]

Nagy/Elek, Romeo and Juliet

SlLi+CuLi
RoLi
DiSt
CuLi
Tw
SeSt, missed holds
Sp
SeLi

If I hadn't seen him in Paris, I would have said that his complete lack of commintment and total lack of attention to his partner is due to his worries over his brother, but as I've already seen them before I know that it's just the way he skate... Still the amount of mishaps in their program was too much. They skated throught smth before RoLi (like they were supposed to it, but reconsidered) then they had a dramatic moment then he was rushing after her on full speed to catch up on dramatic boom in the music, which I am not sure was an intended highlight, they also missed each other by a couple of meters a couple of times later.

 

[Anna]

Sorry, but internet access crushed

Rubleva/Shefer, Air of Black Swan

Tw 8-shaped pattern
Sp
Sl+CuLi
CiSt
SlLi
DiSt
RoLi
SeLi

He got the matching costume now, nice to see it. The dance appears a bit dated, but they skated well. She has toned down the cheerfulness compared to Nationals, which is good, given that the theme is dying from unrequired love. Smooth, with good flow and attack, but overall they skated better in Mytischi.

Zaretski/Zaretski, Carmina Burana

SlLi low to the ice
Tw
CiSt
SeLi
CoSp
DiSt
CuLi+RoLi
RoLi

Much like in OD I thought this dance is too much for them to handle. They did better and had some cool transition moves in it, but also missed holds (or at least each other) in a couple of places. Good flow and power, though.

Beknazarova/Zuev, Flamenco

CoSp
RoLi+SlLi
CiSt
SeLi
Tw
SlLi
DiSt
CuLi

I really do not like their lines. They seem to be very unrefined. Great power and attack and rather good speed in step sequences, but of this group I liked them the least. Tehre is really nothing memorable about their skating for me, and they don’t have much of character either.

Kerr/Kerr, Last of Mohicans

Cu+RoLi
CuLi
Sp
CiSt
SeLi
Tw
DiSt
RoLi


New costume for John. He has taken page out of Shabalin’s book and is now wearing fur… The dance improved tremendously since CoR, the first half was mesmerizing, but they run of stream towards the end a bit. John stepped out of Tw again and they missed a hold in DiSt. But I liked the way they maintained the style throughout. Tough draw for the other couples, having clearly the best team of the warm up skating first.

Carron/Jost, Edit Piaf Medley

CuLi
MiSt
Tw, she s.o.
RoLi
CiSt
RRoLi, well done
CoSp
SlLi+RoLi

Wow, very well done. Her mistake on tiwzzle notwithstanding is was just great. Pechalat/Bourzat should really stop their falling all over the place routine, because C/J have arrived and are ready to overtake them. Excellent character, great chemistry between them, good flow, nice elements and excellent performance skills to boot.

Frazer/Lukanin, Carribean Guitar[/b]

Sp
SlLi
CiSt
CuLi
Tw
CoLi
MiSt nearly fell, but recovered
RRoLi

Somehow her posture wasn’t as distracting as usual and the dance has a nice flow, but it was simply not in the same league as two previous teams. I also like the previous costumes better. Good lifts for the most part.

Cappellini/LaNotte, I’ve Got Rhythm

Sp
CiSt
SlLi
SeLi
Tw
Cu+RoLi
MiSt, he fell
RoLi

What an awfully judges-centric program they have. I’ve seen it’s twice from the “right” side of the arena and I thought it’s really a good dance, but from the back side I’m not seeing much of their faces. Still it’s a lively program and it suits them well, but they looked juniorish compared to GP performances. May be just because the field is deeper here.

 

[Anna]

Gruenberg/Rand, Silva

SlLi low to the ice, well done
CiSt looked simple
RoLi
SeLi
Sl+CuLi
DiSt slow
Tw out of unison and far apart
Sp

Finally a smooth skate, but their music is just sparking and they are
rather bland. She it trying, but he doesn't even seem to bother with
it. Nice flow and lines, though.

Silna/Matsjuk, Saturday Night Fever

Tw
SlLi
SeSt
Sl+RoLi
Sp
SeLi
DiSt
RoLi

Funny, I've never seen them before, but they are actually pretty good.
Could use quite a bit more flow and speed, but they danced it through
nicely. They program has some cute touches, like in the spin, then she
has her leg on his shoulder and they are keeping each other hands over
it.

Copeley/Stagniunas, Kalinka

SeLi with her in split
CiSt
Tw
RoLi, well done
CoSp very slow
Sl+CuLi
DiSt
SlLi

Boooo to them for choosing Kalinka. It's such a cheap way to get the
audience on your side. I wouldn't have minded if they succeeded in
keeping up with the tempo, but they didn't. Nice lines, though.

Zhiganshina/Gazsi, It's Jazz time

Tw first one very fast
SlLi
CiSt
Sl+RoLi\
CoSp slow
SeLi, second half Del/Sch lift with her upside down
DiSt
RoLi

They sold it really well. The dance was quite busy in a positive way.
Great job, excellent international debut for them.

Hajkova/Vincour, Elvis Presley Medley

Sl+CuLi
CoSp
SeLi
CiSt
Tw
SlLi, from Lob/Aver Olympic FD
DiSt missed hold towards the end
RoLi

They had a good start while dancing on the spot, but then they started
to move, it was from poor to worse, IMHO. He was really trying to sell
it, but falling short. Just doesn't have the "abandon" the dance was
supposed to have. Messy in some elements, often too far apart, lines
less than perfect too.

Grebenkina/Azrojan, Air

CiSt slow
Sp weird, I don't think they had enough rotations or something,
because it was very short
Sl+RoLi
Tw
DiSt slow
SlLi
SeLi
RoLi change of pose which looked forced by loss of balance

Clearly a replacement FD. Old lifts thrown together to the Bach music
occasionally connected with some rather random connecting moves… I got
a feeling that they were mostly doing crossovers….

Zadorodnuik/Verbillo, Stella from Dralion


Sl+RoLi she does B on his back during Sl
Tw
CiSt
Sp
SeLi
SlLi D/V one
DiSt
RoLi 1 hand

Clearly the best so far. Good flow and nice choreography which flow
smoothly throughout the dance. I really liked them here.

 

[Anna]

The warm was all business-like, with all the teams totally engrossed into their own thoughts and quietly working on their elements, no show offs at all. Given how quietly all of them move across the ice, one could think we are surrounded by ghosts.

Delobel/Schoenfelder, Bonnie and Clyde

RoLi
CiSt
Tw
SeLi
Sp
CuLi
Sp
CuLi
MiSt
Sl+RoLi

I think they were a bit nervous this time. All together it’s probably their best performance this year (Delobel went into a lot of pains to get her B right this time, so what the spin won’t get downgraded again), but some elements could have been done better… Very good, but not unbeatable I think. But they do have a breathing room after CD/OD results.

 

[Anna]

Khokhlova/Novitsky, Aranjuez Mon Amour

Tw
Sl+CuLi
CoSp
SlLi
DiSt
CiSt, minor stumble
SeLi
RoLi

They also were a bit reserved, and did not have the abandon they had at Nationals, but the stakes are much higher here, so it’s understandable. I love the way their elements seamlessly flow into one another, and the lifts were, of course, fantastic…

 

[Anna]

Domnina/Shabalin, Polovetsian Dances

Sp
DiSt
SlLi
Sl+RoLi
Tw
Se
CiSt
RoLi

They didn’t let go of it until the final fast section, but the ending was great and powerful. Overall a very good performance, for me it’s a toss.

 

[Anna]

Denkova/Staviisky, Seven Deadly Sins

Tw
CuLi
CiSt
SeLi
Sp
MiSt
Sl+RoLi
SlLi

I definitely do not envy the judges forced to make a choice here… Unlike yesterday this time they skated very well, smooth, powerful without any glitches at all. I am not a biggest fan of this dance (just don’t care for high profile drama and besides it’s way too open), but their skills are undeniable…

 

[Anna]

Faiella/Scali, Pantera en Liberta

RoLi
MiSt
CoSp
SlLi fall
Tw
Sl+CuLi
SeLi
CiSt

After the nailbiting tension of the previous performances, theirs was a chance to sit back and just enjoy the dancing, which what they do the best. Great performance all around, but they fell on their trademark reverse lift and it seems she has cut her hand in the process. After the end they gave each other a pale imitation of Barbara’s death glare and almost refused to anknowledge each other.

 

[RDiva]

Denkova/Staviisky, Seven Deadly Sins

Tw
CuLi
CiSt
SeLi
Sp
MiSt
Sl+RoLi
SlLi

I definitely do not envy the judges forced to make a choice here… Unlike yesterday this time they skated very well, smooth, powerful without any glitches at all. I am not a biggest fan of this dance (just don’t care for high profile drama and besides it’s way too open), but their skills are undeniable…

Hi Anna,
Thank you for you reports,they are really great.I would like to say that everyone have a different taste,it is very often in favour of the compatriot dance team and we can argue for months..., but yesterday night we saw and heard which FD was the best.... and not because the judge's scores (although they also seemed to love this FD some 30 days ago much more then the one of Dom/S or Del/S) but because of the sincerе and not corrupted reaction of the audience...although there were a lot more people from France and Russia then from Bulgaria. And on the victory ceremony also... the reaction... amazing. I am watching ice dancing from a long time, but i don't remember hearing such reactions And i believe that at the victory ceremony the trully happiest people was Albena and Maxim-becuase you can't buy that with money or with the power of your federation. I know that it is impossible that you're not at least a little biased when commenting the dances of Dom/S, that is absolutely normal. But their dance....Very strong music+very weak dance...not impressive at all. As for Del/S their both dance-OD and FD-technically very strong,but lives me cold....i think they can do them better...still like them much better then the dances of Dom/S
And one last thing i noticed that you definately don't like the RLift from Den/S OD, because it looks too slow, i am not a big expert, but as i know it is not only the speed of rotation what is important but also the hold...and the slightest the hold is the more difficult the lift is (which is absolutely logical).... and they definately have the slightest hold- he is holding only her hand... isn't that right??

 

[Anna]

Actually, if you go by appaulse-o-meter, you'll have the podium of Khokh/Nov, Den/Sta and first minute of Fae/Sca

 

[sussweden]

I really liked Den/Stav (to win FD or the French) but it´s not the audiences applauds who make the judgment of who is technicaly and skating/artistic way the best. Especially the technical part many of the audence haven´t a clue about, that´s at least what I think/believe.

/Lena

 

[lanadd]

Actually, if you go by appaulse-o-meter, you'll have the podium of Khokh/Nov, Den/Sta and first minute of Fae/Sca

Not only the applause (although i saw people standing on their feet only after Den/Sta FD), but the sound after seeing the scores(sorry i don't know the word in english)....it was only for the scores of Den/Sta and at the medal ceremony it was so obvious who are the most cheered ones, someone has to be very biased to not admit it....well i've heard it and most importantly Albena and Maxim heard it

 

[lanadd]

I really liked Den/Stav (to win FD or the French) but it´s not the audiences applauds who make the judgment of who is technicaly and skating/artistic way the best. Especially the technical part many of the audence haven´t a clue about, that´s at least what I think/believe.

/Lena

I've read from a russian journalist that most of the crowed has been people involved in the figure skating (skaters, coaches, ect)And even if they are not, they at least love figure skating,why bother going if not???So why shall they understand less then me, you or anybody else?? And yes the crowed reaction is more significant for the PCS then to the TES, but even the judges gave them very close TES to the ones of Del/S so obviously they have no problems with the TES

 

[sussweden]

"most of the crowed has been people involved in the figure skating (skaters, coaches, ect)"

That´s interesting!

"And even if they are not, they at least love figure skating,why bother going if not???So why shall they understand less then me, you or anybody else?? "

Have I ever said anything against this? And yes I do think the audience in general (including me) know less than the judges.

And the PCS score are almost as close as the TES scores for Doel/S and Den/Stav.

/Lena