OD 9:15 am Eastern time Friday

[dorispulaski]

The red boots are a required item in a lot of Eastern European folk dance, so it doesn't matter whether or not Tanith looks good in them. If she wants to look 'authentic' it's red boots.

Notice all the red boots in this picture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_dance

http://www.prlog.org/10375496-folk-movie-premier-in-chicago.html

 

[L'amour]

I notice the thing with red boots, some weeks ago isaw some videos of moldovian folk dance when all the girls had red boots. Some parts of the choreo are very much like the videos, cool program.

I sure they will change something on it, they allways do

good luck on the free dance

 

[Charlotte Elizabeth]

Belbin/Agosto OD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L7dzjlteZ8

The concept is great!

Thanks. Great dance!
But still my favourite OD's so far are by V/M and D/W.

 

[herios]

The red boots are a required item in a lot of Eastern European folk dance, so it doesn't matter whether or not Tanith looks good in them. If she wants to look 'authentic' it's red boots.

Notice all the red boots in this picture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_dance

http://www.prlog.org/10375496-folk-movie-premier-in-chicago.html

I am romanian born hungarian. The red boots are specific especially in hungarian folk dances. Not in romanian, but in the far east Transilvania where is a large hungarian community, in the middle of Romania the red boots are used in the traditional folk dances. This piece of music they used is listed on their ISU page as Moldavian, which is the eastern region of Romania. If you are familiar with G. Enescu's music (the most famous romanian composer), there is a section in the Romanian Rapsody nr 1, called "the skylark", you can hear in the last section of their dance.

I was thrilled tro see Ben wearing costume we had to wear when I danced in my kindergarten

 

[Dyan]

I guess I can "forgive" Natalia for last years program (as if she cares ) and IMO the two year plan seems to be working.

I love B&A's new OD red boot covers and all. Very good technical content, the lifts are wonderful, some really nice highlight moves (the bird miming at the beginning was a nice touch). I love the dancing in place that Tanith and Ben do immediately before the midline step sequence. One sign of a good dance (for those who like the dance in question) is when it seems as if that dance is over in a flash which for me B&A's was. When Tanith and Ben hugged for their closing pose I thought "it's over already?" Tanith and Ben. This dance goes onto my favorite list along with D&W, P&B and N&B.

Re D&W vs B&A. The only thing you can do is compare the actual required elements since the dances of both teams are of course different. When it comes down to liking or not liking the dances it's possible that some people are more open to some rhythms than others.

In skating for every performance there has to be a downside. I hope to get a look at W&P's OD again once they perform it better. I love this team and was gutted for them when Kaitlyn fell. I think their Flamenco might end up on my favorite list once W&P can regroup and become more comfortable with the dance. I'm assuming that was the problem; well that and early season nerves.

F&S are looking good. I need to watch them again in order to figure out whether it might be possible for Federica and Massimo to beat K&N at some point this season.

I won't even talk about K&N. I don't even remember if I liked the choreography as I was distracted by those costumes. Or perhaps I shouldn't be hard on them; are those costumes authentic in any way? K&N have always gone the more dramatic route with their costumes but they outdid themselves this season and not in a good way.

I missed C&Z (well the entire first flight) whom I wanted to see. I'll have to check youtube later to see if their OD was posted.

Good luck to B&A in the FD. I wish them another solid performance. Also I hope W&P can move past the OD performance and skate well in the FD.

 

[~tapdancer]

Also I hope W&P can move past the OD performance and skate well in the FD.

I hope that for them, too. I thought they looked gorgeous and I really enjoy their skating. They are better than that OD score reflects, imo. Good luck to them in the FD!

 

[icedancer18]

I know that not many people would catch this, but did anyone else know that C/Z used Japanese Taiko drums during the midline section of their OD? That specific piece is called "Strobe's Nanafushi" by a very famous taiko group in Japan called "Kodo."

I've seen it used for Asian set programs, but not Afro-Cuban. Obviously their component scores weren't hurt so bad considering their range was in the high fives.

 

[Tonichelle]

I like Ben with a little fur on his face... his upper lip is too naked...

that being said I love watching them skate. Not overly excited about the program (must be my North American-ness) but I love their energy, which is why I've been a fan for so long...

That specific piece is called "Strobe's Nanafushi" by a very famous taiko group in Japan called "Kodo."

LOVE that music... Stars On Ice used Strobes Nanfushi for their opening in 2000/01, it was fantastic (wish I'd seen it live).

 

[Dyan]

I like Ben clean shaven but I do have to get used to him looking that way as he wore a beard for so long. I did a double take when I saw pictures of him and Tanith from the Olympic summit a couple of months ago.

I'm North American and I love B&A's OD although perhaps my views shouldn't count as I've always been a fan of the European and Russian skaters as well as the American and Canadians.

I'm doubly :frown2: that I missed C&Z as they skated to Afro-Cuban music. For some reason I thought they were skating to one of the European folk dances then remembered that was S&G. Hopefully I'll be able to catch one of the repeats since Universal Sports shows the short and long programs throughout the week until the next GP airs.

 

[dorispulaski]

Does anyone know some more about the particular Moldavian song Tanith and Ben skated to? They seem to be freeing a bird in the beginning of the program, and I'd love to learn what that is all about! I thought they were clearly far and away the best of the teams here.

I finally got to watch most of the programs. The link here at the hospital is only good in the wee small hours and by 5 am, it grinds to a slow crawl.

I, too, am so sad for W&P-that program looks like it could be very elegant, and very flamenco, if they can succeed in skating it well. And then did quite a good golden waltz...I was hoping they could take fourth here.

F&S skated a very successful and charming regional tarantella in 2007 (pizzica) and I wonder whether it was wise to do something similar again this year. I know I felt a little 'I've seen this before' while watching it.

I have to watch K&N's program again...I was too distracted by the costumes to see anything about the dance other than the flexibility moves.

Certainly Russian folk dance seems to have lots of bright colored floral costumes, but I'll have to wait for our Russian posters to say whether Jana Khokhlova is showing a particular Russian style or whether it is her own OTT interpretation.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I, too, am so sad for W&P-that program looks like it could be very elegant, and very flamenco, if they can succeed in skating it well. And then did quite a good golden waltz...I was hoping they could take fourth here.



I have to watch K&N's program again...I was too distracted by the costumes to see anything about the dance other than the flexibility moves.

I so agree. I loved that flamenco, it even topped virtue and moirs in my book, but the fall really killed them.

K&N did not seem to take the dance seriously and just showed off thier tricks to russian music.

I LOVED Tanith and Ben. Finally the team of 2006. They had speed, difficultly, I am so happy to see them trying new difficult lifts. They looked beautiful and had charming chemistry. perfect.

 

[dancefan77]

Next to D/W, B/A's OD is my favorite so far. This was a really good style for them and highlights their strengths. I loved the red boot covers too.

They were a little slow in some sections but this is the first time they have performed the OD in competition and it will only get better.

The other OD I enjoyed was W/P's Flamenco. I must say that I enjoyed the character of this dance much better than I do with V/M and C/P. The way Weaver used the fan in the choreography and their dance lifts were great. They are not at the level of technique as V/M but I just enjoyed their interpretation of the flamenco better.

I was disappointed with F/S' OD but that is because I loved the other Italian Folk program they did a couple of years ago. But maybe this will grow on me as the season goes along.

C/Z---what can I say? She is fierce. She has an amazing look on the ice but they are still young and have a lot to learn. Zurlein will need to work on balancing his presentation and expression while still presenting Chock.

K/N--I didn't like the program. Great lifts though.

 

[icedancer18]

LOVE that music... Stars On Ice used Strobes Nanfushi for their opening in 2000/01, it was fantastic (wish I'd seen it live).

I guess my main concern is that they are skating to JAPANESE music for an AFRO-CUBAN program. Technically, the incorrect choice of music must be penalized. Why would you even want to risk being deducted for something like that?