Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani
- Thread starter cornell08
- Start date
SD Practice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmrIbrcmck0&feature=youtu.be :luv17:
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2015
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2004
Oh my they look wonderful! Love the costumes, the music and of course their skating. GO SHIBS!!!!
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2014
From the blog, it sounds like there are new lifts in the FD?
Yeah I noticed that, hence the small font
How good was that blog post? Reading it felt like drinking a gallon of spring water after walking through a desert for six months
The blog was great, and as I understand it, they will be writing it regularly?,
Maia: We’ll be sharing our experiences with you between now and April of next year. Get ready and remember I included this disclaimer: this first blog entry is a long one…
Maia: We’ll be sharing our experiences with you between now and April of next year. Get ready and remember I included this disclaimer: this first blog entry is a long one…
Yeah I noticed that, hence the small font
How good was that blog post? Reading it felt like drinking a gallon of spring water after walking through a desert for six months
I totally feel you. Honestly, it was like drinking multiple gallons of water, since we got the confession that basically they were struggling to find their voice during their tough years. I'm glad to hear they weren't feeling the Missing Polka either. I do think they made do with what they got, cause Maia did get a grant from the Woman's Sports Foundation for their FD to work with that Japanese dancer.
I had totally forgotten honestly that their world bronze was in Moscow! All I could think about was that
outing in RC a few years back. Well it's 1-1. Let's how round three breaks the tie!The SD looks great and honestly this will stand out not just form the top 2 unconventional Latin SDs but in general -- I feel almost like they're playing the fun 1950s mambo party role, which is
for me. No other team is really doing that, so YAY FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.ETA: I'm starting to think they read forums
cause I feel like every criticism that has placed on them here and elsewhere has been responded to in this SD alone: 1.) Maia is too meek and Alex is too much 2.) They don't skate close enough 3. ) They are slow 4.) They have less ice coverage than the other teams 5.) They can't do latin cause they're siblings and so on. 
ETA2: Also Diva Maia makeup FTW.
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ETA: I'm starting to think they read forums
ETA2: Also Diva Maia makeup FTW.
Their ice coverage was the first thing that caught my attention, really notable.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2012
I agree - it's funny how their great, solid, sleek technical basis - coverage included - are dismissed, omitted just because they are siblings and their programs are not everybody's cup of tea...This is particularly visible in SDs that they are capable of pulling off EVERY rhythm, because of basics, technique, sharpness in execution, at least for me. I'm yet to re-watch SD practice, but from what I read - it's a play on simplicity of form and convention, with modern touch in music and Latin touch in choreography, having still that youthful look. I will stand out no matter what, because they are dedicated to the theme, music and movement - all cohesive and with nice balance between tradition and modernity of Latin convention. For me, it seems to be not 'too much' of anything, just right to highlight themselves in it.
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2012
First, thank you to Maia for not only being so articulate but also for being so open, especially recently. 
I love it when I feel as though I'm getting to know skaters as people through their interviews/posts. I'm looking forward to reading future blog posts. Will Alex be doing some also or is this Maia's thing?
Second, the SD is. I can't wait to see the whole thing!!! I love how fun and party-like it feels. The costumes rock, particularly Maia's dress!!! 
All the sparkle is so awesome and fitting for the music and program. This has SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I'm guessing it will become my favorite SD yet from them!!!
I love it when I feel as though I'm getting to know skaters as people through their interviews/posts. I'm looking forward to reading future blog posts. Will Alex be doing some also or is this Maia's thing?Second, the SD is
. I can't wait to see the whole thing!!! I love how fun and party-like it feels. The costumes rock, particularly Maia's dress!!! All the sparkle is so awesome and fitting for the music and program. This has SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I'm guessing it will become my favorite SD yet from them!!!
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2012
I so get Maia - referring to the length of most of my posts here
I think that this blog posts, sharing the experience of Olympic journey, of the season is some kind of natural continuation of what they are representing in live - private and professional. It's a mix of things: personal thoughts, feelings experienced on their professional career path, which is their everyday live too. It is complimentary with their social media activity, how they are promoting the sport and themselves out there. I think that this is also a fruit of last 2/3 years self-work put on themselves about their place in the sport, how they want to create it, what impact they want to show and how they want to change their approach.
First, thank you to Maia for not only being so articulate but also for being so open, especially recently.
Second, the SD is
I guess he will be writing too. He write very well, you can read him here in 2012 http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120508&content_id=30719578&vkey=ice_news
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new set of pictures (10) https://www.instagram.com/p/Babimx9hWZ9/?tagged=maiashibutani
eta 1. Love this picture http://us-ice-dance.tumblr.com/post/166571260826/shibs-in-sd-practice-at-rostelecom-cup-2017, their synchrony is always fabulous
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2012
Having now read the blog post more thoroughly, here are my favorite excerpts. Re-posting the link for fast reference
On being themselves and skating for each other:
The Trilogy summarized beautifully:
Dreaming despite struggles; Maia's young dream becoming their current dream:
I also liked how Maia acknowledged the "Latin is tricky for siblings" perception and then said she and Alex "had their own opinion." They knew what they wanted to do and weren't scared of doing Latin. As they've shown in the portions of their SD we've seen so far, Latin rhythms can be about having fun. I appreciate the passionate approach too, but I applaud Maia and Alex for doing something different. I like seeing their sibling bond on the ice, whether it's playful or serious. I adored them already, but my appreciation of them just went up a few notches after reading this blog post! :yes: Not only was it a very nice post for figure skating fans to read, but she wrote it in a way that anyone could understand it, with no skating jargon whatsoever. I hope some non-fans do read it and come to realize that it is difficult to be an elite figure skater.
On being themselves and skating for each other:
The Trilogy summarized beautifully:
Dreaming despite struggles; Maia's young dream becoming their current dream:
I also liked how Maia acknowledged the "Latin is tricky for siblings" perception and then said she and Alex "had their own opinion." They knew what they wanted to do and weren't scared of doing Latin. As they've shown in the portions of their SD we've seen so far, Latin rhythms can be about having fun. I appreciate the passionate approach too, but I applaud Maia and Alex for doing something different. I like seeing their sibling bond on the ice, whether it's playful or serious. I adored them already, but my appreciation of them just went up a few notches after reading this blog post! :yes: Not only was it a very nice post for figure skating fans to read, but she wrote it in a way that anyone could understand it, with no skating jargon whatsoever. I hope some non-fans do read it and come to realize that it is difficult to be an elite figure skater.
The video clip from the short helps validate some buzz that has begun circulating amongst those who have seen them or heard about their training (especially outside of the privacy of Canton, like when they have trained in LA with Renee Roca) about how their intensified commitment to both on and off-ice training (turned down shows or tours) throughout this off-season especially (under that gorgeous dress, Maia apparently has some killer abs), combined with their confidence in and ownership of their material was clearly translating into noticeably improved speed, raw power and bigger performance level.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
Whoa! I didn't know there was buzz circulating around them. That would have definitely helped ease some of my worries throughout this off-season,
Whoa! I didn't know there was buzz circulating around them. That would have definitely helped ease some of my worries throughout this off-season,
The "understanding" from those who have shared their impressions (which I called buzz, but maybe it was more a "knowing wink"?) has been that the way Maia and Alex completely owned and attacked their strategy, there has been a ton of confidence in their ability. Nobody needed to be "blabbing" or "hyping." When it comes time, they can be counted on to deliver under Olympic pressure.
