2016 Cup of China Short Dance

robredo40 · Nov 18, 2016

question why do people love the shibs so much, they are slow they do a good waltz , expressionless etc they had a good program last year with fix you but this year they are back to their usual boring self and next year won't get better with latin as the sd theme without Poje's twizzle mistake weapon would probably have had a 3 or 4 point lead.

SarahSynchro · Nov 18, 2016

4everchan said:
i went to bed at 9sih... woke up at 12... had my business meeting at 2... now i have a little break and i do 4-8 i must see.. I feel like (insert a 4 letter word of your choice)...

Is it cherry "cock"? That's a four letter word. :rofl:

Mrs. P · Nov 18, 2016

robredo40 said:
question why do people love the shibs so much, they are slow they do a good waltz , expressionless etc they had a good program last year with fix you but this year they are back to their usual boring self and next year won't get better with latin as the sd theme without Poje's twizzle mistake weapon would probably have had a 3 or 4 point lead.

Say how you really feel! :laugh:

Also "twizzle mistake weapon." SO THAT IS WHAT IS CAUSING ALL THE TWIZZLE PROBLEMS. Twizzle mistake weapon control now!

rosy14 · Nov 18, 2016

Shibs could have suffered from the jet lag, which is much worse for Americans than Russians-or Canadians living in Moscow.
Anyway they got a SB, so not all is bad.

Barb · Nov 18, 2016

Shibs were great but their expression was better at SA, especially Maia, they seemed tensed here

. And of course skating first did not help.
I liked Viktoria and Nikita too :agree:

VIETgrlTerifa · Nov 18, 2016

robredo40 said:
question why do people love the shibs so much, they are slow they do a good waltz , expressionless etc they had a good program last year with fix you but this year they are back to their usual boring self and next year won't get better with latin as the sd theme without Poje's twizzle mistake weapon would probably have had a 3 or 4 point lead.

I can only answer for myself, but I fell in love with their skating during their 2009 Junior Worlds FD. They had a real softness, beautiful edgework, classic beautiful look, an organic way of dancing rather than a theatrical one, and a real authenticity and innate but reserved musicality with depth that I found similar to Michelle Kwan and still find rare in ice dance where so much of it is putting on the usual ice dance style of expression I've seen from when I fell in love with ice dance thanks to Anissina/Peizerat. I also found their precise, clean style a real breath of fresh air when so many didn't have that quality.

To me, their beautiful posture, line, deep knees, a Yuka Sato type of edge work that was developed when they started out skating as kids under the tutelage of Janet Lynn's coach, Slavka Kohout (Kurt Browning said he loves that they have the rise and fall on their edges that reminds him of Shae-Lynn Bourne and Scott Hamilton), and their really restrained and thoughtful way of expressing music which I still find to be DIFFERENT and DISTINCTIVE in ice dance. The last part is probably what turns some off of their style as they give off the impression that they are limited as dancers (Maia a bit more than Alex). Marina turning Maia into a gorgeous dancer with beautiful posture and line can prevent her from really being free with the upper body. I do think they've really worked hard at it, but they will never turn into the sort of ice dancer many are used to seeing, but instead they are becoming much better versions of themselves.

I also think they do lack the power of say Weaver/Poje (love their power!) and Hubbell/Donohue, so it gives people the impression that their skating skills aren't on par, but there's a lot more to skating skills than just looking at raw speed (as was explained to me by a much more knowledgeable poster) and there's a reason why the Shibs receive some of the highest SS skills scores in the world. I also love their unison and how well matched and partnered they are. They don't have romantic chemistry, but they have the most natural chemistry between one another because they're siblings and grew up with one another for almost all of Alex's life and all of Maia's life. That bond is apparent for all to see. IMO, they are the best team when it comes to that.

I also love their intelligence and personality that I get from their off-ice personas. They put so much thoughtfulness into their skating and I love what they've been giving us since they've taken much more control over their creative direction rather than going along with what Marina wants them to do. So really, it's a huge slew of factors. Either you appreciate them or you don't. No need to force it.

Mrs. P · Nov 18, 2016

The Shibs don't have the highest amount raw power and speed, but they have a lot of control. People like to twist that into "restraint" but it's actually really difficult to maintain steady edge control. One thing seeing them live is that they maintain the same amount of speed and edge quality throughout. That is actually not easy to do.

Weaver and Poje yes have power and presence, but it sort of goes in and out and when they mess up (which I saw, sadly, both times I've seen them live at 2012 Skate America and at Worlds last year) that power drops considerably.

WeakAnkles · Nov 18, 2016

VIETgrlTerifa said:
I can only answer for myself, but I fell in love with their skating during their 2009 Junior Worlds FD. They had a real softness, beautiful edgework, classic beautiful look, an organic way of dancing rather than a theatrical one, and a real authenticity and innate but reserved musicality with depth that I found similar to Michelle Kwan and still find rare in ice dance where so much of it is putting on the usual ice dance style of expression I've seen from when I fell in love with ice dance thanks to Anissina/Peizerat. I also found their precise, clean style a real breath of fresh air when so many didn't have that quality.

To me, their beautiful posture, line, deep knees, a Yuka Sato type of edge work that was developed when they started out skating as kids under the tutelage of Janet Lynn's coach, Slavka Kohout (Kurt Browning said he loves that they have the rise and fall on their edges that reminds him of Shae-Lynn Bourne and Scott Hamilton), and their really restrained and thoughtful way of expressing music which I still find to be DIFFERENT and DISTINCTIVE in ice dance. The last part is probably what turns some off of their style as they give off the impression that they are limited as dancers (Maia a bit more than Alex). Marina turning Maia into a gorgeous dancer with beautiful posture and line can prevent her from really being free with the upper body. I do think they've really worked hard at it, but they will never turn into the sort of ice dancer many are used to seeing, but instead they are becoming much better versions of themselves.

I also think they do lack the power of say Weaver/Poje (love their power!) and Hubbell/Donohue, so it gives people the impression that their skating skills aren't on par, but there's a lot more to skating skills than just looking at raw speed (as was explained to me by a much more knowledgeable poster) and there's a reason why the Shibs receive some of the highest SS skills scores in the world. I also love their unison and how well matched and partnered they are. They don't have romantic chemistry, but they have the most natural chemistry between one another because they're siblings and grew up with one another for almost all of Alex's life and all of Maia's life. That bond is apparent for all to see. IMO, they are the best team when it comes to that.

I also love their intelligence and personality that I get from their off-ice personas. They put so much thoughtfulness into their skating and I love what they've been giving us since they've taken much more control over their creative direction rather than going along with what Marina wants them to do. So really, it's a huge slew of factors. Either you appreciate them or you don't. No need to force it.

This really is spot on. I ADORE their FD this year, because it plays to all of their strengths. But restraint and precision and exactitude aren't SHOWY, so they're usually overlooked . I always think if ID couples are like painters, then WePo are more VanGogh-esque, a bit messy but colorful and passionate. The Shibs are like Vermeer--whose genius creeps in on you until you are totally enmeshed in the world he has created. It's not a style that is au courant (whereas the Cold Play was tres au courant), but it is not going to date. This year's FD will be gorgeous fifty years from now.