Overall Thoughts on Skate America

[KKonas]

Exhibitions

Armin is also a classical pianist and cut his own music to his exhibition number. He was over the moon in winning a medal here.

Savchenko & Szolkowy had the most beautiful and exciting exhibition number.

The Shibs skated to La Vien Rose. Pleasant

Davis & White's number was lackluster. Don't think they have had time to work on another number.

Takahashi ended the exhibition - okay, not great.

The Chinese pair team were cute robots.

Ladies champ was full of pep, flying across the ice.

Overall it was not memorable but there were some fine moments.

 

[KKonas]

Competition impressions - Savchenko & Szolkowy had a great FP to Pink Panther. Canadian pair also looked good. Takahashi's SP was better than his LP. Oda was all business but lost points with that extra combination. Armin was the only male skater without a downgrade or deduction. Adam was kind of a mess in the LP. Crone & Poirer are much slower live than they appear on TV. Weaver & Poje had the cleanest GW. Prefer Davis & White's original FD tango. Think it was a mistake to split the combo lift even though it might get them a few decimal points more - splitting the lifts does not have as much "Wow" favor and other choreographical movements were eliminated to the detriment of the whole program IMO. I did think they had more passion. The Shibs won the audience with their 3 sets of twizzles. Flatt skated a clean LP jump wise and won the bet with Tom Z, so he had to do push ups in the K&C. Lynn & Logan (the 3rd American dance team) really improved since last season.

 

[dorispulaski]

Then it was better than the average GP exhibition
There is a reason my husband hates them.

 

[Apple Pi]

I love your explanation, even though I didn't understand everything. But still, when I come to a show I want the artist to give everything to me. Everything he/she has at the moment.
Yes, for them it is yet another show with yet another crowd of fans, but for me it is THE show. For me it is highlight of the year. This is why I want to feel the artist cares about me and connects with me. That he/she respects my love and admiration for their art.
And what is art? Art is the emotional connection between the artist and the viewer. Without the emotional connection there is no art.
Yes, you explained it beautifully from the technical point of view, but artistically I am still not convinced. They can have all sorts of problems with rules and costumes, but still can give their best to connect with me.

But why you do think they weren't trying their best? They most certainly were. That's why they fell, because they were giving the audience and the judges everything they have at the moment. If they were playing it safe, they would not have fallen or made mistakes. Look how hard they were breathing at the end. I think they were exhausted for the exhibition too, with the mental and physical toll this competition took, but they still went out there and gave whatever they had left of them. They didn't back out of the exhibition.

I think one of the greatest rewards of watching skating is seeing a program in its early, mistake-ridden version, and see how it progresses and the skaters grow as the season continues. Art and emotional connection are not perfect the first time around, no? You have to give them time, they're human just like us.

 

[dorispulaski]

Apple Pi, I completely agree. I love seeing a program develop-and youtube let's me compare the final and initial versions!

 

[Cezar]

Probably you are right.
I didn't have any issues until the gala. Except for the competition warmups when I noticed they were not connected, but as Doris stated - it is their style. I guess you kind of not see on TV, but watching it live their disconnection is very visible. Especially when you compare it to other teams who always warm up connected. Having just one pair one rink-length apart was kind of odd. But it was minor and I didn't waste much time thinking about it then. I remember Brasseur-Eisler who always warmed holding each other, and it was very classy.
The main issue was during the gala, and their mediocre (careless in my previous interpretation) performance reminded me of those warmups, and everything kind of added up together.
But you guys explained it, so I withdraw from my previous opinion. I am glad you did it.

Probably it would be wise for them to focus on their PR better than they do now in order not to be misunderstood, but anyway, they know very well what they are doing...

I guess this picture shows their focus and emotions very well:

http://www.cezarmart.com/2010/skate_america/20101114_131526.jpg

 

[dorispulaski]

Cezar, your photos are great!

 

[samba]

Cezar, thanks for the nice photos. BTW, you do not have to withdraw your previous opinion since you are not the only one who felt D/W's exhibition was "careless" performance. Trust me, many people at the gala agree with your observation.

 

[Cezar]

Thank you all for the kind words. If another skating show comes to Portland I will be there too with my camera.
Just to close it, the rest of the photos are here:
http://www.pbase.com/pulkownik_swiatlo/skate_america_2010
Be warned before entering the gallery: figure skating is an inter-gender contact sport, and this leads to some photos and poses that may not be viewable by kids . Especially photos of Ekaterina Riazanova and Ilia Tkachenko!

 

[CoyoteChris]

At the "Friends of Figure Skating" appreciation breakfast, Adam Rippon remarked that camera flashes were extreamly distracting and other skaters agreed. I am not a skater but I can imagine that carrying your partner in a difficult lift and getting a shot of light in your eyes cant be good. He requested that we tell the ushers if we see this and report it. I saw little enforcement of the no flash policy other than announcements till the last day.
I believe that without enforcement, there is no motivation for the casual picture taker to learn how to turn off their flash. I am told that some cameras actually turn the flash back on when the are turned off and on.
Aside from my personal suggestion of a portable camera crusher, one has to wonder why the USFSA doesnt make enforcement a requirement of the bid process? It does take a few ushers with two way radios to do a
"one flash warning, two flash temperary confiscation" program, but I think it would be worth a few minutes before each competition to ask the camera users to take a pic of the judges and if they flash, to turn it off or ask for help from someone else to learn how to turn it off. They could even have a table in the concourse with someone to help people who are technically challanged. This isnt rocket science....am I missing something?
Confused in Spokane

 

[Cezar]

He requested that we tell the ushers if we see this and report it. I saw little enforcement of the no flash policy other than announcements till the last day.

It is simple. Flash (1) - distracts, and (2) - is useless anyway.
There is no point in taking pictures during indoor sporting events with compact cameras. Period. With flash or without. The light is too low, camera must be set to short exposure times to freeze the movements and the sensitivity is not high enough in those cameras. The results will be horrible and unwatchable. People still take photos just for sake of clicking the shutter, even with their cell phones, but I don't think they are satisfied with the results.
It makes sense only with better quality DSLRs, and those don't use flash during such events. Usually those cameras are operated by people who know how to control manual camera settings. Flash just doesn't make sense. You need to set the time to max 1/250 sec, ISO to 3200, plus you need to have a very good zoom lens with wide aperture. Only very few cameras and lenses are capable of taking good quality pictures on such settings and the flash is completely useless.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Hey Cezar, What you say is all very true but the average attendee who is making the flash problems doesnt understand any of it. All they know is they want to take pics and consider the event more of a "show". Personally, I dont really care if it gives them pleasure to click the shutter once in awhile and they are not obnoxious about it. I have a pocket camera with a 12x zoom lens and I can take a few human interest pics that turn out pretty well but not of fast moving skaters....I sit quietly during the performances and enjoy them. Indeed, I watched one guy during the exhibition film the whole thing on movie mode with his cell phone camera....I am glad I wasnt sitting next to him. But the main problem is the effect the flash has on the skaters, and I would like to see the arena people be more active in enforcing the no flash rule. I have been at events where the rule is enforced and also at ones where the rule was enforced with the active help of the fans. I know it can be done and 90 percent of the flashers can be educated.

 

[FlattFan]

I hope they allow camera at Worlds because I'll bring my camera with really bright flash with me and be all obnoxious about it. And then flash the hell out of any skaters standing on Rachael's way to the podium.

 

[Nadine]

Here are some pictures I took of the freebies that were given away at Skate America (aka keychains, posties, posters, skating magazine, postcards, magnets, pencils, stickers, pamphlets, etc.):

http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx254/sms666/000_8524.jpg
http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx254/sms666/000_8515.jpg
http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx254/sms666/000_8517.jpg
http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx254/sms666/000_8520.jpg
http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx254/sms666/000_8523.jpg




As regards the discussion of cameras, I keep one for posterity's sake only, as my family has always had a camera to capture a memorable event since I was a child, as it is for most people I would think. Still, personally I can't imagine using one when the actual competition is going on live right in front of your eyes (unless your a paid photographer that is, and it's your job), it just seems such a waste when one can buy pictures of the event from the internet or a even a copy of the event, but what you can't buy is actually being there in person, live, experiencing all the emotions for that once-in-a-lifetime event, firsthand. And you can't buy those moments back either. Jmho, of course.

 

[Nadine]

One more to add, as the board only allows 5 pics per post:

http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx254/sms666/000_8522.jpg

 

[Lightspear]

I hope they allow camera at Worlds because I'll bring my camera with really bright flash with me and be all obnoxious about it. And then flash the hell out of any skaters standing on Rachael's way to the podium.

Naughty girl, you must be looking for a fight!

 

[ManyCairns]

Ah, now that I'm well-rested and feeling chipper again I can now talk even more indepthly about the competition, the participants, the ambience, et al.

Hmm, where to start, I think I will do so by recalling some first impressions I had.

..

Daisuke Takahashi I've been reflecting on all afternoon, lol. Seriously, it makes me wonder if that's what it was like to see Elvis Presley in person, especially when he was younger, just starting out? It's like he has these pheromones that attract both women & men. ....

Rachael Flatt has a similar appeal to Daisuke Takahashi, and I'm NOT lying, but in a different way. She too exudes a charm/a charisma, but hers is more girl-next-door combined with a Doris Day type of appeal. She exudes charm, confidence, a likeable affability, and just pure friendliness. And she too has a sex appeal, but not as pronounced as Daisuke Takahashi's, more like she doesn't know it, if that makes sense, lol. Seriously, the guy sitting behind my niece was whistling & cat-calling to Rachael. And in person she is gorgeous, made even moreso because she literally radiates, like a burst of light is coming from her. ...

Nadine, I _so_ enjoyed your posts about Rachael at Skate America and am glad she is so radiant in person. I've always liked her and as I know I've posted about before, when I made my non-skatefan DH watch both Rachael's and Mirai's programs from last season, he was pretty equally taken by both of them, just commenting that they were different but both great -- that is, that Rachael was equally appealing but not in Mirai's lithe/lissome way but still a charismatic performer with good programs and just simply a different style.

But I wanted to chime in lest your comments on Daisuke go unremarked that -- yeah, Dai has that sex appeal thing. In spades. Absolutely. I can't put a finger on it as you did so well, it's just that while I don't necessarily find him classically handsome, and can't point to a defining feature like he's got great eyes or great hair or whatever, still I must say just wow to the overall package. Oh, yeah. He's got it. :thumbsup:

Ok, everyone else can go back to the serious photography stuff and points analysis and all, just had to interject my completely frivolous reactions ...

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

It was interesting to see the two top Japanese male skaters who maybe the two top world skaters, and how they were judged. How were the results determined?

The only way to determine the Ladies winner was to use the 6.0 system, imo.

 

[Cezar]

I hope they allow camera at Worlds because I'll bring my camera with really bright flash with me and be all obnoxious about it. And then flash the hell out of any skaters standing on Rachael's way to the podium.

Do you want to borrow my studio strobes for that?

 

[Wicked]

I am a huge D&W fan and these programs are doing nothing for me. They are boring. I hope Marlie can get their spark back. I am loving the Shibs and I think Samuelson and Bates will have a fight on their hands next season for that #2 US dance team spot. I loved S&H in the pairs. It is beyond wonderful to see a pairs team who is that young with that level of performance skill. They nailed that country dance!