Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani

[Barb]

How has this not been posted here? They are at Switzerland working with Stephane Lambiel (I suppose he is choreographing one of the new programs)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSelXq8AUjG/

 

[beki]

I thought the ice dance free was a hot mess (speaking about the event as a whole). Whatever, the podium placements ended up as expected, albeit in a convoluted way. I would also have been happy for H/D if they had pulled off a surprise bronze. They had it and they blew it (big time).

I was there, and the Shibs had pretty good crowd support, the best of the Americans. The audience was positively chilly toward poor Chock and Bates. Now that was a poor choice of program to bring to Helsinki.

It was a strange event, but they survived it and they'll be fine. I think I was too exhausted from the mens free to really process. It didn't feel like any of the top dancers were really "on," gorgeous as they are. I give Piper and Paul the "most screwed" award.

I'm very excited for the masterpiece they can create with Stephane. I liked their free this year, but in the arena it got tedious listening to so many teams with a similar style of music. Serious became snoozy.

 

[Barb]

I thought the ice dance free was a hot mess (speaking about the event as a whole). Whatever, the podium placements ended up as expected, albeit in a convoluted way. I would also have been happy for H/D if they had pulled off a surprise bronze. They had it and they blew it (big time).

I was there, and the Shibs had pretty good crowd support, the best of the Americans. The audience was positively chilly toward poor Chock and Bates. Now that was a poor choice of program to bring to Helsinki.

It was a strange event, but they survived it and they'll be fine. I think I was too exhausted from the mens free to really process. It didn't feel like any of the top dancers were really "on," gorgeous as they are. I give Piper and Paul the "most screwed" award.

I'm very excited for the masterpiece they can create with Stephane. I liked their free this year, but in the arena it got tedious listening to so many teams with a similar style of music. Serious became snoozy.

Yes, I love their program ¨Evolution¨, and I don´t just like it, I really LOVE IT, it is my favorite program ever :scard8:, but considering my tastes, if I were choosing their programs, the Shibs would be done years ago. Regardless of the choreo, they need popular music. I know that people said that C/B FD was risky and, yes, the choreo was weird, but the music kind of saved it, that song is worldwide famous.

 

[NoNameFace]

As I learned watching the Final Four games last night, sometimes the win is scrappy and even good teams lose out. That said while the Shibs weren't perfect on levels and for that lift deduction, they did enough. That's a testament to their training and hard work. Congrats on bronze!!

exactly, and at the end of the day people sneer over them being clean and winning and then sneer over them losing some points and still getting their job done...In Poland we have a proverb saying that 'dogs bark and the caravan goes on', people can try to hold Maia and Alex down, but they're far better and higher than that. They simply know their value and strengths, and are fully aware what went not as they wanted and in which areas they were held down by judges, because they were.

The only US team no wavered by nerves, pressure and skate itself. With all hot mess happened at FD segment as a whole palmf, Maia and Alex still showed a class and timeless quality of their skating, proving themselves as rock solid skaters, performers and competitors. I think that part of their success is their consistency and amazingly solid basis they have been worked on since forever, but a part of it is also due 'evolution' they went through since last season. I feel like they're far more confident right now and etched themselves in judges' minds for good as top class team and competitors. Now, with such competitive field with so many teams in fight you have to present this kind of coolness, confidence to get what's yours and not let it be taken by someone else. And their whole season, both programs are a great testament of their hard work and dedication. It will be a good starting point to go into Olympic season, no doubt they'll channel that frustration and maybe disappointment into work!

And really loved that EX program, a little bit darker, twisted from them, it could be indeed a good direction for FD material. And how about working with Stephane!, sure he'll able to produce magic with them.

 

[Barb]

Stephane does not have much experience with ice dance programs but he made the choreographies of Nelli ZHIGANSHINA / Alexander GAZSI 2014-2015 . I think he did a really good job.

SD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_-msFJCKmI&t=205s
FD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y651m_q7PtU&t=279s

 

[NoNameFace]

Stephane does not have much experience with ice dance programs but he made the choreographies of Nelli ZHIGANSHINA / Alexander GAZSI 2014-2015 . I think he did a really good job.

SD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_-msFJCKmI&t=205s
FD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y651m_q7PtU&t=279s

hello

For me, Stephane may not have big Ice Dance choreography experience, but in all his work he builds programs based on best qualities of a skaters or their biggest strengths/talents he wants to highlight. Nelly and Alexander were not so great technicians maybe, but top class performers with signature style about them - and Stephane used those assets in a very good way.

I think that their cooperation will be nothing but beneficiary for Maia and Alex and I'm sure that Stephane will channel their musicality, crispness and pristine technique in something magnificent to watch.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

The Shibs planned to waste no time getting started. Nice to see them so eager.

 

[Anyasnake]

The Shibs planned to waste no time getting started. Nice to see them so eager.

I hope they'll still get a one-week vacation during the off-season just to rest and heal the body... the road to the olympics is a freaking MARATHON. You don't get there with a speed start because you'll end up exhausted.
BUT one good strategy is to get programs or exhibitions (more likely) done NOW, so that you can just take a break right after, and then start again.

 

[Barb]

There are rumours about Maia and Alex skating La la land too. If this is true, C/B and the Shibs are taking their rivalry to the next level .

 

[apgold]

There are rumours about Maia and Alex skating La la land too. If this is true, C/B and the Shibs are taking their rivalry to the next level .

I hope this isn't true. I am not looking forward to so many LLL programs next season.

 

[musicfan80]

There are rumours about Maia and Alex skating La la land too. If this is true, C/B and the Shibs are taking their rivalry to the next level .

NO. NO. NO NO NO. It can't be possible that this is true. Maia and Alex have always had more superb program tastes than an overrated movie.

 

[Barb]

NO. NO. NO NO NO. It can't be possible that this is true. Maia and Alex have always had more superb program tastes than an overrated movie.

well, it's only a rumour, but it is the olympic season, skaters must please as many people as possible, and that was a very popular movie. Anyway they look very relaxed and happy with Stephane https://twitter.com/MaiaShibutani/status/850091773129084934, Probably they would not look like that, knowing that C/B are using the same music .

 

[beki]

That movie is a romance, so I would think they'd stay away. I could see it being more suitable for C/B.

 

[Barb]

That movie is a romance, so I would think they'd stay away. I could see it being more suitable for C/B.

But this movie have some nice songs that are not about romance.

 

[beki]

But this movie have some nice songs that are not about romance.

True, I just think it's hard to hear it and not think of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling's characters and their relationship.

 

[xibsuarz]

Idk, If Stephane is his choreographer I would think he'll like to go with something more original unique. And we all knew La La Land was going to be a hot choice for next season

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Lambiel choreographed their exhibition program this past season to "Do You Remember" by Jarryd James

So either they are turning that into a FD or he is choreographing them something else original.

Just putting this out there. :2thumbs:

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Lambiel choreographed their exhibition program this past season to "Do You Remember" by Jarryd James

So either they are turning that into a FD or he is choreographing them something else original.

Just putting this out there. :2thumbs:

Assuming that Stephane is working on a competitive program for them, it's reminiscent of when the Shibs got Peter Tchernyshev to choreograph "Fix You" after the success and fan fare for their Coldplay "O" exhibition the season before.

 

[Barb]

with the dates of GP series, is almost 100% secure to say that Maia and Alex will be competing at Rostelecom and Skate America

Russia

Advantages:
-Russia has very good camerawork for figure skating.
-The last seasons, competitions in Russia have very good attendance.
-We don´t have to wait so long to see them to compete, Russia is the first GP.
- They will have 1 month to do changes and adjustments to the programs until Skate America.

Disadvantages:
-Judges will try move to B/S above them.
-Russia has very good attendance, but.... Russian people is very nationalist, so, they will be only supporting to russian skaters. I only hope they will not be rude like the crowd at Sochi. Last year, I think C/B had their best SD performance at Rostelecom and the people´s response was very bland.

 

[Barb]

Do you think they will participate in a B competition? These are the dates:

U.S. International FS Salt Lake City, USA September 13-17, 2017
Lombardia Trophy Bergamo, Italy September 14-17, 2017
Autumn Classic International Montreal, Canada September 20-23, 2017
Ondrej Nepela Trophy Bratislava, Slovak Republic September 21-23, 2017
Nebelhorn Trophy Oberstdorf, Germany September 27-30, 2017
Finlandia Trophy Espoo, Finland October 6-8, 2017
Minsk-Arena Ice Star Minsk, Belarus October 27-29, 2017
Warsaw Cup Warsaw, Poland November 16-19, 2017
Tallinn Trophy Tallinn, Estonia November 21-26, 2017
Golden Spin of Zagreb Zagreb, Croatia December 6-9, 2017

I think they should go to Salt Lake. I don´t know why they went to Europe last seasons. Maybe they wanted a more realistic score.