Practice Sessions at Nationals

[moonvine]

Yay Nica and Mark!! Love them

 

[moonvine]

Mark is the nicest guy. They just did their first international comps this year and got their USA jackets!

 

[moonvine]

Wow Sonja Hilmer does a ton of choreo

 

[PaulE]

I have liked a whole lot of these pairs and I think it will be a great competition to watch.

 

[labgoat]

Here for dance practice...
Jean-Luc Baker with Jackie Wong

 

[labgoat]

On the ice now...
Group A
Grace Yi / Danila Savelev
Emily Bratti / Ian Somerville
Madison Chock / Evan Bates
Eva Pate / Logan Bye
Vanessa Pham / Anton Spiridonov

 

[skylark]

I'm here for dance practices. I really, really enjoyed watching and listening to the whole pairs practice yesterday. Jean-Luc Baker was commentating "all by himself" as he said, and I was glad of it. People tweeted questions in for him, and his answers were fascinating, I'd sometimes have to rewind because I'd missed what the skaters were doing.

He spent a long time talking about the music. Most interesting -- he said he and Kaitlyn always aspired to make it seem like their bodies and minds, their movement created the music, rather than as if they were just skating to it. Lovely. I've always considered that important in my favorite skaters.

 

[labgoat]

Emily Bratti was previously a competitive diver - who knew?
Her and Ian look very sharp.
Jean-Luc says they are easy to work with and will try anything.

 

[labgoat]

Free Dance run through for Madi & Evan
JLB suggest they try to get a little faster on their one-foot section
New lift that somersaults over Evan's shoulders

 

[museksk8r]

I like the changes that Madi and Evan have made to their FD; they’ve added more flash and flourishes to the choreography in the last section, but I still find the middle section to be boring and I still don’t like his muted costume. Jean-Luc basically called their midline step sequence pedestrian. I’m flabbergasted he criticized them like that.

 

[labgoat]

Eva & Logan skate Sheherazade/Prince Igor
JLB talks about spacing issues on the twizzles

 

[labgoat]

I like the changes that Madi and Evan have made to their FD; they’ve added more flash and flourishes to the choreography in the last section, but I still find the middle section to be boring. Jean-Luc basically called their midline step sequence pedestrian. I’m flabbergasted he criticized them like that.

Or maybe they are holding back on practice?

 

[labgoat]

Vanessa & Anton are next with coach Kaitlin Hawayek at the boards
He looks more animated with his new partner running through Dirty Dancing
JLB likes their flow for a new team

 

[museksk8r]

Or maybe they are holding back on practice?

Very possible. Unlike Gilles/Poirier, they really don’t have a home country rival nipping at their heels forcing them to be flawless.

 

[labgoat]

Better one-foot step on second try for Madi & Evan per Jackie & JLB

 

[labgoat]

Very possible. Unlike Gilles/Poirier, they really don’t have a home country rival nipping at their heels forcing them to be flawless.

Also why show that improvement to your rivals if you don't need to...

 

[ramurphy2005]

Better one-foot step on second try for Madi & Evan per Jackie & JLB

Feeling more warmed up, perhaps?

 

[museksk8r]

I think Ian Somerville is the most charismatic dancer on this warmup. He is always on the verge of being out of control and it makes him so interesting to watch.

 

[labgoat]

Feeling more warmed up, perhaps?

Or maybe not as much traffic...

 

[labgoat]

I think Ian Somerville is the most charismatic dancer on this warmup. He is always on the verge of being out of control and it makes him so interesting to watch.

I know it is exciting to watch and a bit scary. Lately though I've been watching how well Emily keeps up with him and tracks him.