Twizzled Out?

[Ladskater]

I am growing tired of seeing the twizzle move in ice dance. I know it's there to add technical difficulty to skater's program, but one does grow weary. Anyone else feel this way?

 

[glam]

I like twizzles because they are one of the few ice dance moves where you can subjectively compare the top teams. Even people who haven't watched figure skating a lot can see if they are not synchronized or if somebody messes up.

 

[clairecloutier]

I am growing tired of seeing the twizzle move in ice dance. I know it's there to add technical difficulty to skater's program, but one does grow weary. Anyone else feel this way?

As a choreographic element, yes, you could argue it's a bit predictable.

But, as a technical component in a sporting event? It's kind of like saying you're tired of triple Lutzes or triple Axels.

My favorite twizzle set this year is Hubbell & Donohue's in the free dance; they perform one of the twizzles with fully extended free legs; very unusual. I like that they're doing something different.

 

[ivy]

I'm another that isn't excited about twizzles. It's sort of like the former spiral sequence in Ladies, too predictable and repetitive from program to program. When it works it is great, but so often it seems like complexity is added to increase levels, but it becomes overly labored to my eye.

 

[skfan]

to me, it looks ugly when most teams do it. when i watch older programs, it looks to me like twizzles were more smoothly integrated into the choreography before COP. now it's a flash of razzle and dazzle, often with the blade grabbing i despise. i'd probably like it more if there was more variation in what twizzles look like when performed by different teams, by the same team in different programs, and not so much blade grabbing going on. basically it's a choreography killer.

and the tempo for twizzles too--usually the music tempo hasn't picked up that much but the skater is in a dash-like-mad haste to impress the judges, who are required to 'quantify' this, so... yet another break-the-spell aspect to twizzles.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

Great twizzles are amazing to watch, in my mind. Bad twizzles are among the worst elements to watch in figure skating, though.

 

[tulosai]

Great twizzles are amazing to watch, in my mind. Bad twizzles are among the worst elements to watch in figure skating, though.

My sentiments exactly. I LOVE the twizzles and could never get tired of them when done well. Done poorly... I never want to see them again

 

[jcoates]

Great twizzles are amazing to watch, in my mind. Bad twizzles are among the worst elements to watch in figure skating, though.

Agreed. IMO the Canton teams have really set the bar for quality twizzles at a very high level. They blend so well into the programs and fit the music. Other Michigan schools have produced teams that can approach that level of proficiency at times, but not nearly as consistently. While I often am ambivalent about the choreography coming out of the Lane school, I have to give them credit for being imaginative with their twizzle variations. Unfortunately, most of the European teams lack both speed and originality and frequently unison as well. They are almost always their weakest element.

 

[ivy]

to me, it looks ugly when most teams do it. when i watch older programs, it looks to me like twizzles were more smoothly integrated into the choreography before COP. now it's a flash of razzle and dazzle, often with the blade grabbing i despise.

Just like how spirals used to be great moments and then got spoiled by levels, getting better maybe now in the spiral department, but spins suffer from the same problem, so many end up slow and labored with too many positions.

 

[dorispulaski]

I like the twizzles done by Ralph & Hill in their FD quite a lot, as well as the Canton team's.