Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron

[liapacco]

Yesterday, after rewatching Build a Home and melting into my computer I went down a rabbit hole and rewatched their FDs for the quad. A couple thoughts:

1. I've never given them enough credit for their hard work. The Mozart program is beautiful and gives a preview of what was to come, but there were still areas of choppiness and some hops here and there. Regardless I loved the freshness and lack of restraint. But you can tell they really got to work during the offseason because . . ..

2. By the next year their skating skills were ridiculous. Build a Home sounds like it was composed for them. Ethereal and transcendent. :luv17:

3. Stillness was not heartwarming in the same way, but respect! I love their more avant garde exploration of more complicated music. In some ways I think they start breaking some conventions of ice dance here, so looking back this might be an extremely important program.

4. Moonlight Sonata felt like an Olympic year compromise. However, yesterday I tried not to think about the piece of music and focus on the movement. I noticed that there is a new freedom that they're able to achieve now that Gabby is a force in her own right. They have these complimentary moments where they seems to be reaching beyond the bounds of the dance arena. I'm not absolutely sure how to explain it.

5. Some overall achievements: a) their glide is legendary already, b) they've found a way to melt twizzles into the program in a way that no other team does, c) their step sequences are far and away the best in the world. None of the choppiness of other teams.

6. I cannot wait to see what they come up with now that they don't have to worry about the Olympics and they have no close competitors. I think this battle with V/M has transformed them into Super Saiyans who will be very hard to beat in the next quad.

Yes yes yes. The twizzles, absolutely. Melt is the right word! I love how their twizzles in their FD just fit in so seamlessly with the music. Also, about Gaby, I was watching their FD on the Eurosport stream and I don't know what the commentators' names were but during their slowmo replay, it was probably the first time that I heard the commentators bring up how well Gaby emotes before anything else, because I've so often just heard them talking about Guillaume's skating skills. They mentioned how Gaby brings a unique softness to the program, how she emotes and how she basically threw her entire self into the FD, and I couldn't agree more.

 

[citron]

It's infortunate that Lane and Browning's comments about the supposedly easier skating of P/C is taken seriously by casual canadian watchers who only see ID every once in a while, at the olympics... oh well :disapp:

Anyway, I rewatched their FD for the first time today and Gabi has never skated this well, my eyes were drawn to her the most (sorry Guillaume )
Attagirl

 

[floatingworld]

They haven’t officially retired yet so it’s smart to treat it like that just in case

I am not familiar with the rules, but if no Canadian ice dancing team lands on the podium this coming March at the Worlds, would that reduce the number of teams they are allowed to send next year? If that is the case, then maybe V/M are waiting for a request from their federation to compete next month.

 

[icetigger]

I am not familiar with the rules, but if no Canadian ice dancing team lands on the podium this coming March at the Worlds, would that reduce the number of teams they are allowed to send next year? If that is the case, then maybe V/M are waiting for a request from their federation to compete next month.

Might there also not be financial considerations......

 

[Gotlev]

Arf, judges don't award levels... and French got L4 on NtS in GP France !

From what I understand, Banned Dr. Oetker is quoting the comments of Canadian fans. Not sure if I am interpreting your reaction correctly though.

 

[Roast Toast]

silver bag!

Going over 10 pages back in the fan fest of a team you hate? Why would you do this to yourself? Run along now.

 

[Harriet]

Another fancam version of the FD from Tuesday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRegN96U1y0

There are some really nice details in this one that the official camera angles didn't pick up.

 

[Gotlev]

Another fancam version of the FD from Tuesday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRegN96U1y0

There are some really nice details in this one that the official camera angles didn't pick up.

Thanks Harriet! What a great recording! I like it almost better than the official version. It's from the best seat in the house!

 

[oakandbirch]

Of course, how would one skate with the fear of a dress revealing nudity and losing points: not very well, no? If I move my arm here, is it going to fall? And so on... Even Gabriella said that the dress was heavy and because of that wardrobe malfunction there was an imbalance in weight. The SD practice was that good that the canadians got scared and had to do something on the french SD.

 

[Gotlev]

Of course, how would one skate with the fear of a dress revealing nudity and losing points: not very well, no? If I move my arm here, is it going to fall? And so on... Even Gabriella said that the dress was heavy and because of that wardrobe malfunction there was an imbalance in weight. The SD practice was that good that the canadians got scared and had to do something on the french SD.

Dear Oakandbirch,

• Yes, V/M came back with the only goal of getting Olympic gold.
• Yes, it was clear all season that G/G were most likely to take the gold.
• Yes, apparently their SD practice was superb, they had trained their guts out for it.
• Yes, the clip breaking was extremely convenient for V/M.
• Yes, G/G would have almost certainly won if it hadn't been for that one idiotic issue.
• Yes, it is very strange that V/M do not seem to mention this anywhere in any interview, or even hint at the fact that the dress misery made the gap after the SD a lot larger than it would certainly have been without it.
• Yes, people can behave very sneakily and deviously and pretend to be a lot nicer than they really are.
• Yes, jealousy and envy and ambition exist.
• Yes, Gaby has told in an interview how scared skaters are that someone would tamper with their skates.
• Yes, feds have been found scheming and plotting to make sure the gold went to a certain team.
• Yes, people have gotten their knees smashed with a baseball bat for a gold medal.

So yes, there is quite some circumstantial evidence that could hint at foul play.

But unfortunately NO, so far, all of this does not amount to proof of any foul play.
Until someone can put some real solid evidence of mischief on the table, there is NO point in all this build-up of suspicions.

So yes, in the present situation, you are creating a conspiracy theory that has no foundation in reality. However likely it may be in your or my head, it is NOT legit or useful.
Please come back to us when you've gotten the tape in which V/M are laughing about how they got that clip sabotaged.
Until then, it is much better for your and my mental and physical health to just accept that this is how it went, and how the universe wanted this to play out.

 

[AliAle]

ahutterstock and oakandbirch, please tone it down, I'm by no means trying to police you guys, but unproved conspiracy theories and name calling on the other threads is utterly pointless. Please, please, take the high road and be above the V/M fans that were throwing fits after the short that the fix was in. You're not going to convince any of the V/M fans that their victory was undeserved, just like they're not going to convince us that V/M are better skaters than P/C. What's needed right now is to stay positive. I agree with you that if not for dress-gate, P/C had the first chance at Gold. Unfortunately what happened, happened. Let the V/M fans gloat all they want and delight in how lucky we are to see P/C making history in front of our eyes. As I mentioned before, they're so much more than the color of their medal or statistics, what matters is the art they're leaving behind.

 

[AliAle]

So we fans and P/c also have to repeat how they deserved their gold and kiss their a##es? And still they will be going to the media trying convince themselves and other that they deserved it? Coz it seems that they dont Do you care for P/C or not?

You don't have to repeat anything or kiss anyone's bottom. Make your statement, make it good and make it once, otherwise the only thing that comes off is jealousy and desperation. The majority of the media already makes it clear that P/C's mishap in the short hindered their chances at Gold, but you're fighting a pointless battle on a forum. As for your last question, I'm not even going to dignify it with a reply, I'm positive P/C do not want to see your kind of behavior from their fans.

 

[Anyasnake]

We are not conspiracy theory people, and I don't think we intend to be. Ever. It starts with the skating, and ends up with it. Incident happens, that sucks and as G&G said : "we're not playing our life on it". Nobody should ever be a poor sport for something they cannot control, and that's a dress, the judging, and every exterior factors. I'm just glad they delivered, and even won the free (even with such a panel and this skating order). I'll let the rude people do what they need to do, but it had no place here and I'd rather ignore it, because what's the point ?

If this is titles that you want, they are practically up there with the all-time best of Ice Dance. Olympics are one competition, but in the meantime they got everything, multiple times. And that is not what's about in the end. Hey, everyone will remember Mao Asada in skating and she never got OGM.

I read the NY Times article again today, and that is something I know they'll be so proud of. Being respected for what they do, their skating and embodiement of their art, instead of anything else not skating-related. :clapper:

 

[Anyasnake]

You all here seems to not care how colour of the medal they bring home. But THEY care. They are skaters. They have been working all life for that moment. You are just happy they delivered beautiful performance blablablabla . They could end up in 3rd place and you would be satisfied because they gave us "an art" .But whats the point of delivering beautiful performances if they are not awarded for it righfully , in EQUAL RIVALRY

Adn some of you true fans reported my post because I used bad word.Shocking

We care about the color of the medal. We also care about what they put on the ice, because this is what made us fan in the first place. But WE cannot do anything because this is none of our business and we try not to become fanatics to be honest. I don't want to end up being so blind and biased that I'm going to insult everyone on YouTube videos or else. I have a life, and if they felt robbed and decided to take actions, then so it be. I cannot do anything but that, I refuse to become like those one of those V/M ubers fanatics I saw on the internet the other day. I'm far better than this.
By the way, there is nothing much they can do, except moving on and work their ass off in the years to come.

The one thing we could riot about though is asking the ISU for a new rule about costume malfunction. First Yura Min in the team event, then Gaby. This needs to be changed ASAP.

 

[Tigerlily87]

I suppose I don’t understand what complaining about it and whining about it does.

 

[cocotaffy]

High road people, high road. I don't want our thread to go down the conspiracy rabbit hole like the crazies from V/M fan base which made the last two seasons so much less enjoyable. So what happened happened and I hope it will fuel their interpretation by adding another layer of emotions like anger, frustration, shame, rage even. All good to make their programs even more interesting.

 

[AliAle]

I read the NY Times article again today, and that is something I know they'll be so proud of. Being respected for what they do, their skating and embodiement of their art, instead of anything else not skating-related. :clapper:

Yes, I can imagine them both sitting over coffee and reading that with a smile on their faces. I also have the feeling if they were to choose between competitive success and sticking to their own artistic vision, they will always choose the latter at the price of the former (obviously, ideally the two would go hand in hand).

 

[Gotlev]

So we fans and P/c also have to repeat how they deserved their gold and kiss their a##es? And still they will be going to the media trying convince themselves and other that they deserved it? Coz it seems that they dont Do you care for P/C or not?

Please READ before you react.

ahutterstock and oakandbirch, please tone it down, I'm by no means trying to police you guys, but unproved conspiracy theories and name calling on the other threads is utterly pointless. Please, please, take the high road and be above the V/M fans that were throwing fits after the short that the fix was in. You're not going to convince any of the V/M fans that their victory was undeserved, just like they're not going to convince us that V/M are better skaters than P/C. What's needed right now is to stay positive. I agree with you that if not for dress-gate, P/C had the first chance at Gold. Unfortunately what happened, happened. Let the V/M fans gloat all they want and delight in how lucky we are to see P/C making history in front of our eyes. As I mentioned before, they're so much more than the color of their medal or statistics, what matters is the art they're leaving behind.

Nobody asks you to proclaim that V/M won deservedly. Nobody asks you to deny that without the fatal dress mishap, G/G would have won gold.
And most certainly nobody here asks anyone to kiss the butts of V/M ubers.

Why would we do that? We are HEARTBROKEN that something as stupid as a dress clip ruined GabGui's first Olympics.

But it's not because we are sad that we have to be mad.
We can be sad and still keep our heads together and face the facts.
As I said: without any solid proof, there is no point at all in discussing things that may or may not have happened. There are an endless amount of things that may have happened, but what matters is what the present situation is, and how we can effect the future, don't you think?

If you are certain of your allegations, please, by all means, go and investigate and find the undeniable proof that will be needed to change the present situation in which V/M won the gold medal.

If we are not able to do this investigation (I for one am by no means equipped to do such a thing) and dig up some real evidence, then it seems like a waste of time to just talk and talk and talk about it, no? All that talking is NOT going to change the present situation, so why don't we focus on creating some good vibes and support for G/G so that they feel strengthened and lifted up for their coming competitions? So that they can skate confidently as the Gods of Ice Dance that they are and create a future that will overshadow everything that has happened so far?

That's the only thing that AliAle asks. Let's focus on how we can lift G/G and ourselves up. Without having to give up any of our convictions and beliefs or bowing to V/M fans. It's not because we don't fight them on their level that we agree with them. We just want to live in a different atmosphere than the one that they create. If you want a different world, it's a bit weird to use the same building blocks, don't you think?

 

[floatingworld]

Looks like Guillaume has gotten hold of the New York Times article and has posted it in his Facebook page. Yay, I'm glad they got to read this article from a dance critic!!

https://www.facebook.com/GCizeron/

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/20/arts/dance/ice-dancing-gabriella-papadakis-guillaume-cizeron.html

 

[floatingworld]

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean re-tweeted the New York Times article on their Twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/torvillanddean