2016 Skate Canada Free Dance

[NAOTMAA]

Yep! And the judges are identified by country again. In the protocols, all the scores are listed by judge now so you can see exactly what each judge gave in GOE and PCS rather than the random assortment that it used to be so you can't tell who gave what.

IMO, the real problem with P/I is that Alexandra Paul is a much much better skater and dancer and performer than Mitch. Someone with her ability should be competing for the Canadian title, not placing below the Chinese team in the FD at Skate Canada of all places.

I always believed that COP was basically 6.0 system just with a lot more numbers. Like a personal 6.0 system broken down for each individual skating aspect or something like that. So seeing the protocols, besides the obvious outlandish inflation for home skaters, with the judge's country listed next to them this year just makes me believe it even more. It's still the same issues no matter what system we got :confused2:

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

I always believed that COP was basically 6.0 system just with a lot more numbers. Like a personal 6.0 system broken down for each individual skating aspect or something like that. So seeing the protocols, besides the obvious outlandish inflation for home skaters, with the judge's country listed next to them this year just makes me believe it even more. It's still the same issues no matter what system we got :confused2:

But at least now you can tie individual scores and GOEs, and maybe the difference in which you scored your personal number 1 over number 2 may not be enough to make up the difference other judges scored their number 1 compared to yours. But yeah, ranking is still going on, but everyone's different rankings don't hold the same weight as it would under the ordinal system.

 

[Matt K]

I too, enjoy judge Chihee Rhee of South Korea. Placing Chock/Bates 4th in the Free Dance, she was also not afraid to royally dump H/B and S/B with devastating marks, especially Hawayek/Baker in the SD. She definitely seems like she is in no one's pocket.

I still cannot believe the Italian judge.

 

[lyndichee]

I always believed that COP was basically 6.0 system just with a lot more numbers. Like a personal 6.0 system broken down for each individual skating aspect or something like that. So seeing the protocols, besides the obvious outlandish inflation for home skaters, with the judge's country listed next to them this year just makes me believe it even more. It's still the same issues no matter what system we got :confused2:

Watched a competition for the first time in person and it actually felt like the opposite. One of the main reasons I think 6.0 system was so much more popular was that scores can be interpreted more as being relative to each other rather than playing a numbers game. Also cleaner performances back in the day were rewarded more under the system and jumps were less scrutinized than COP. If the tech score was lower but a high presentation score came up, audiences would still know that the judges are giving a signal that although they messed up, they know the audience loved their program.

Sometimes I felt like there was a huge disconnect between how the audience enjoyed the performance vs. how the scores came out.

People loved Yuka Nagai as she delivered a clean performance and she was so happy at the end, but she got murdered on the tech and a low score came up confusing the audience. We won't know until the protocols come out. I have seen many people on these forums arguing that they know better than someone at home if someone had an edge call or UR since they were there in person however that was the total opposite for me. I enjoyed the performances very much but even being right in the front row where my normal talking voice could be heard by skaters, I needed to double check the slow-mo replays.

A relevant example would also be Misha Ge, the audience loved him and I really thought he would skate a personal best yet when his score came up I was pretty disappointed. I really thought he deserved to be ahead of Brezina and Samohin. Another disconnect was Satoko Miyahara; many audience members didn't understand why her scores weren't higher. Also, while I thought Madison was awesome in her FD, Piper and Paul really stole the FD segment from everyone.

 

[thoakun]

Overall a really good dance night. I didn't expect a free dance event from a place in Canada I've never heard of to entertain me so much. There's not a program I don't like, even the derided Bjork one by the Finn and whatsitname by S/B.
V/M program has the masterpiece potential and I think it can only get better. Love Tess'a pared down makeup and low-key ponytail, which fits the "story" of their program very well IMO. G/P's tango was the showstopper. I love that they were so happy with the job well done that they hugged the security guard . There's nothing more rewarding when you gave your all and left nothing to doubt.

 

[auser]

Overall a really good dance night. I didn't expect a free dance event from a place in Canada I've never heard of to entertain me so much. There's not a program I don't like, even the derided Bjork one by the Finn and whatsitname by S/B.
V/M program has the masterpiece potential and I think it can only get better. Love Tess'a pared down makeup and low-key ponytail, which fits the "story" of their program very well IMO. G/P's tango was the showstopper. I love that they were so happy with the job well done that they hugged the security guard . There's nothing more rewarding when you gave your all and left nothing to doubt.

I missed that, thank you . I really enjoyed the breadth of G/P's programs this comp :agree:.

 

[Skater Boy]

Wow what a turnaround for Chock and Bates . Virtue and Moir can concede the world title to the French; they will be fighting for a medal now. I wonder if this gives hope to Weapo that V and M were sloppy and uninspiring. Not exactly the triumphant return for V and M but it is still gold.

 

[rvi5]

I think that the audience was there to see their darlings win; and the audience initially thought that C/B defeated V/M so they started booing which was not classy at all.

When did this happen?

The only displeasure from the audience I noticed, was on a few occasions over the last couple days when the judges were too slow posting scores. I just checked my DVR recordings, and still only hear cheering for both teams when their scores came up.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Now that I re-watched the top 4 FDs, I have to say V/M looked a lot better than they did in real-time, especially in the second half. I may change my personal rankings to:

1. G/P
2. Either C/B or V/M due to V/M's twizzle mistake
4. C/L

 

[Mango]

Back from the rink as well and popping in for a quick word.

Virtue/Moir were pretty off. Tessa in particular. I am not sure what it was - maybe tiredness from a long day at their first GP? They weren't themselves. But Scott gave her a beautiful smile even after those twizzles went wrong. They really are best friends. Their team, in particular Patrice, is going to have to work on them quite a bit. A sudden regression like this is not good unless it really was just competition nerves catching up to them. Hopefully by NHK everything is sorted out.

Back to back Liebestraum dances... :yawn: Hawayek/Baker were miles ahead of Paul/Islam. Marie-France and Patch have done nothing for these two.

Anna and Luca totally deserved to be on the podium had that SD been better. I hope they do well at their next event. They are very charming in person, and the crowd did indeed give them a standing ovation.

Who the heck was booing Chock/Bates? They got a healthy round of applause. Few except the US fans were cheering for them because few understood what they were trying to do with that program. The elements were great, but it's a 'strange' program for the casual viewers. I also figured out why it sounded so bad in the rink to some of us - the music is way too loud. All you hear, "PRESSURE!" and it's bizarre. I heard repeated comments of people not liking it. I respect that TES as they earned it, but I didn't enjoy it either. Especially because they skated after the strongest program of the night.

Piper and Paul - wow! I saw this program in Scarborough in August when they debuted it to the public. I liked it then, even though there were criticisms of the costume (it was very different) and comments like "not another tango ". They mentioned in IFS Magazine that they wanted to do something a bit more traditional this year after going out of the box in 2015-2016. I think Carol and Juris understood that they need to build their reputation with the usual before going to the unusual. And they do get to be creative in the SD. The standing ovation was deserved. They stayed in character until they got off the ice after which Piper started hopping and hugged the kiss and cry coordinator.

I know it was mentioned in the SD thread but there was no animosity today. Piper applauded Tessa and Scott's performance. There was a real camaraderie between the Canadian skaters. Both teams were singing O Canada on the podium. And Piper and Paul hugged Patrick and Kevin after the ice dance victory ceremony.

 

[elif]

Virtue Moir should be very careful there is Gilles Poirier who can take Canadian number 1 title from them. How can they be this close to them really?

Only good thing about this season is Chock Bates. I dont like them but they take risk. They changed skating style. Lucky for them everyone skates same so they look very different. You thibk season before the olympics everyone will try to create something new, olympic season will be safe No they began from thia year. I cant imagine olympic season now.

 

[rvi5]

Back to back Liebestraum dances... :yawn: Hawayek/Baker were miles ahead of Paul/Islam. Marie-France and Patch have done nothing for these two...

...Few except the US fans were cheering for them because few understood what they were trying to do with that program. The elements were great, but it's a 'strange' program for the casual viewers.

Not what I would consider to be an avid fan, the person I was with would agree. She thought H/B were much better than P/I with that song. She hated C/B's program.

 

[Mango]

Virtue Moir should be very careful there is Gilles Poirier who can take Canadian number 1 title from them. How can they be this close to them really?

Only good thing about this season is Chock Bates. I dont like them but they take risk. They changed skating style. Lucky for them everyone skates same so they look very different. You thibk season before the olympics everyone will try to create something new, olympic season will be safe No they began from thia year. I cant imagine olympic season now.

Did you forget there is a thing called the SD? And that Tessa & Scott have the highest SD marks this season?? I like Gilles/Poirier a lot but using them to throw shade at a team you don't like isn't cool.

People get more predictable come the Olympic season, not less. That's why you see a plethora of warhorses.

 

[olayolay]

I don't understand why everyone is so doom and gloom about V/M after one iffy skate. Everyone has bad days. Everyone has bad skates. It was their first competition back and they won, posting respectable scores. Chill?

 

[elif]

Did you forget there is a thing called the SD? And that Tessa & Scott have the highest SD marks this season?? I like Gilles/Poirier a lot but using them to throw shade at a team you don't like isn't cool.

People get more predictable come the Olympic season, not less. That's why you see a plethora of warhorses.

I think V/M should have two fall cushion over G/P in free but If VM fans thinks SD is cushion what can I say? It is enough to say about VM free dance.

Watch 2009 and 2013 again. Dancers tried something new those yeara becauae olympic are safe. But this year already so safe and lazy. olympics will be worse.

 

[Skater Boy]

I should say the team I really liked was Gilles and Poirier. I kind of would have scored them higher here but it might be hard as they look like Canada no. 3.

 

[katha]

To come back to C/B and the resentment against them (though it's getting better now): I think it was always a mixture of various factors. People being nostalgic for Samuelson/Bates. The usual bitterness after a team splits. The Shibs have many fans and bitterness about them overtaking the Shibs crept in (though IMO the Shibs stagnated after 2011 for a while and Marina didn't give them suitable vehicles, I don't think they were underscored at all in that period). They rose fast in the rankings in general, so fans of every couple they overtook probably didn't take kindly to it. I always thought it made perfect sense: They seem like very hard workers, they stayed with Shpilband after the split with Marina so they became Igor's main focus and he's super loyal to them, Igor is a stickler for technique so they always had programs that hit the levels and got high TES.

That said, it's good that they're taking risks now. Last year was a struggle, but they never gave up on it. This year they have really ambitious, unique programs that let them stand out from the crowd. And the FD is really working for me, not sure about the SD yet. Great skate here. V/M aren't yet in top shape, I expect them to get even better. G/P are very strong and I think their tango FD really made S/B look bad. IMO StepBukin looked underwhelming in comparison and like they didn't have a grasp on theme and interpretation like G/P. C/L did what they always do, I'm sure they're nice and hard-working and all, but at this point I'm tired of it.

 

[Mango]

I think V/M should have two fall cushion over G/P in free but If VM fans thinks SD is cushion what can I say? It is enough to say about VM free dance.

Watch 2009 and 2013 again. Dancers tried something new those yeara becauae olympic are safe. But this year already so safe and lazy. olympics will be worse.

I'd love to see your technical break down for this two fall cushion. If Tessa and Scott skated close to how Gilles/Poirier skated and got the same marks as they did last night then I would talk with you. They did much better at Autumn Classic but had 2 points deduction. Their score would be +113 if it were not for that. You can dismiss the SD if you like, but then don't wonder why someone won or lost if you're only keeping track of one program.

If you are comparing 2009 and 2013 then you have also forgotten that ice dance as a discipline underwent a huge change. I mean, no one can beat Tessa and Scott's WR original dance score, after all. The Olympics are safe how? Who has gotten lazy? You're throwing things out there with no examples.

 

[Blades of Passion]

I was underwhelmed by all of the Free Dances here. Actually no team this entire season has really impressed me much in the FD. Weaver/Poje, please save us, you're our only hope...

I should say the team I really liked was Gilles and Poirier. I kind of would have scored them higher here but it might be hard as they look like Canada no. 3.

Why should that make it hard? This mentality has caused judging problems for so long, bah.

 

[TontoK]

I was underwhelmed by all of the Free Dances here. Actually no team this entire season has really impressed me much in the FD. Weaver/Poje, please save us, you're our only hope...

What are W/P programs this year. I haven't heard. Did they debut them at a summer competition?

My hope is that they ditch the artsy-fartsy stuff, and just dance. That, by the way, is a general comment for all teams, but for them in particular.