2015-2016 Programs by Discipline | Page 51 | Golden Skate

2015-2016 Programs by Discipline

uhh

Medalist
Joined
Nov 19, 2013
I do not understand the thinking behind S/K's SD choice. All of last season was, for them, an unfavourable comparison with their former partners, particularly Victoria with Elena & the common consensus was that Victoria was in almost every way a downgrade for Nikita. So why would you then invite a continuation of those comparisons by using the same music as was used for I/K's biggest triumph? :shrug: :confused: Particularly as I/K used the main waltz for a good third of their FD. I guess S/K might be using the less known waltz from Act III (Entrance of the Special Guests) instead, but I don't think it's fast enough for the Ravensburger.

I don't know, if they felt a ballet piece would work for them, there are countless other works they could have used - the Shibs already have Coppelia, but just off the top of my head there's Sleeping Beauty, Sylvia, La fille mal gardee, The Nutcracker, Onegin if they wanted something with a good waltz in a similar style. It reminds me of last season, when before CoR Marina was talking of how I/K had the Swan Lift, but she'd made something new for S/K that she called the Swan Princess lift (I think tumblr renamed it the gyno lift...) - why are they constantly calling back to I/K and not just making a clean break?
 

Marta25

Medalist
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
I do not understand the thinking behind S/K's SD choice. All of last season was, for them, an unfavourable comparison with their former partners, particularly Victoria with Elena & the common consensus was that Victoria was in almost every way a downgrade for Nikita. So why would you then invite a continuation of those comparisons by using the same music as was used for I/K's biggest triumph? :shrug: :confused: Particularly as I/K used the main waltz for a good third of their FD. I guess S/K might be using the less known waltz from Act III (Entrance of the Special Guests) instead, but I don't think it's fast enough for the Ravensburger.

I don't know, if they felt a ballet piece would work for them, there are countless other works they could have used - the Shibs already have Coppelia, but just off the top of my head there's Sleeping Beauty, Sylvia, La fille mal gardee, The Nutcracker, Onegin if they wanted something with a good waltz in a similar style. It reminds me of last season, when before CoR Marina was talking of how I/K had the Swan Lift, but she'd made something new for S/K that she called the Swan Princess lift (I think tumblr renamed it the gyno lift...) - why are they constantly calling back to I/K and not just making a clean break?

Marina`s tactic for D/W was using sweeping and well known music, maybe she is trying something similar for S/K? Marina has never been known for her innovative music choices, so it was pretty clear from the beginning that her teams would get classical themes for the SD. I just think she is making it really hard for Viktoria, since the Ravensburger Waltz is already very tough for the girl and now she has to deal with getting compared to Elena`s Black Swan performance. If you consider that most people already consider Viktoria as the weak link, I don`t know if this is the right approach.
 

uhh

Medalist
Joined
Nov 19, 2013
Marina`s tactic for D/W was using sweeping and well known music, maybe she is trying something similar for S/K? Marina has never been known for her innovative music choices, so it was pretty clear from the beginning that her teams would get classical themes for the SD. I just think she is making it really hard for Viktoria, since the Ravensburger Waltz is already very tough for the girl and now she has to deal with getting compared to Elena`s Black Swan performance. If you consider that most people already consider Viktoria as the weak link, I don`t know if this is the right approach.

I suspect you are right wrt the style, although I'm not sure that will work for Victoria (I'm actually not sure what style is good for her, she doesn't have the power to do sweeping & dramatic, or the natural rhythm and performance ability to carry off something faster & more dance-y...), but there are so many other options for a waltz in this style that wouldn't involve using Swan Lake!
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
Javi's SP will be very Spainish done by Najjaro: http://youtu.be/8fFOmwI1Oyg
But his Lp done by David Wilson will be the same old style we have seen from him for years: http://youtu.be/IhMVCpT4qpA

I can well imagine the freeskate will look different compared to last year or previous ones. Besides, the music is completely different.

Quoting myself because I have found out this will be the version Javi will use for his SP: http://youtu.be/INe9AXdVYys
Domingo version, good choice.

Yes, that is a good choice!!!
 
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chameleon

On the Ice
Joined
May 29, 2014
While I raise my eyebrows a bit at the choice of Swan Lake, I don't think it will really be a problem. It's a waltz-march-polka program, it'll probably be much softer and lighter than I/K's Black Swan, and its hard to compare SD with FD anyway. I know people were worrying that I/Z's Carmen being compared to V/M's, but in the end the SD and the FD are just such completely different programs that it's going to be really hard to make a direct comparison, especially as it will likely be soft and sweet anyway.


Bocelli is more of a problem for me, I think you have to skate really big to not get swallowed up by it. We'll see how that goes.
 

Ice Dance

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
I think you have to skate really big to not get swallowed up by it. We'll see how that goes.

Yes, that's true. But that's the fun of it for me. To see if they can. I just don't think these two can afford to go out there and not stand out. At the very least, they have to take Y&M, which shouldn't be a problem, but they're going to need to demonstrate power to do it. (Typically, in my experience, power is the main difference between most senior & junior teams).
 

NoNameFace

GS given name - Beatrice
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012

exactly my thoughts...

very bland and uninspired choices for me, but they are generally very tough to accept/understand as a ice dance duo (in my opinion they are completely mismatched and there is an one-man show of Nikita instead of partnership). Especially SD Swan Lake is a crap of a choice - this is totally wrong for the team who is new and want to work its own style/mark, but honestly I doubt this is their goal (especially with Marina alongside them), comparisions with Elena/Nikita Olys FD will be endless. And I totally agree with all jokes about Nikita as a Swan - while Elena was an equal personality and character in duo with Nikita, Victoria is not so strong and will remain on second plan
 

uhh

Medalist
Joined
Nov 19, 2013
exactly my thoughts...

very bland and uninspired choices for me, but they are generally very tough to accept/understand as a ice dance duo (in my opinion they are completely mismatched and there is an one-man show of Nikita instead of partnership). Especially SD Swan Lake is a crap of a choice - this is totally wrong for the team who is new and want to work its own style/mark, but honestly I doubt this is their goal (especially with Marina alongside them), comparisions with Elena/Nikita Olys FD will be endless. And I totally agree with all jokes about Nikita as a Swan - while Elena was an equal personality and character in duo with Nikita, Victoria is not so strong and will remain on second plan

I think this is exactly the problem I have with S/K. I/Z have been very clear about wanting to try new things, needing to understand what works for them as a team - so they learned last year that the fire & passion of Carmen was good for them, as was playing clear characters & the more nebulous idea behind the FD didn't work. So now this year they are doing an FD which has a clear story between two characters & isn't just a program about ~young love~ or ~hope~ or whatever, because that kind of thing doesn't work for them. And they are taking a risk with the SD, it's something neither of them have done before, & maybe it will work, or maybe it won't, but it's all part of creating an image of a new & fresh team that's happy to challenge themselves. On the other hand, S/K just seem like Nikita is carrying on where he was before, but subbing out Elena for Victoria & not giving any thought as to whether what he as an individual does works for them as a team.
 
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bramweld

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
I think this is exactly the problem I have with S/K. I/Z have been very clear about wanting to try new things, needing to understand what works for them as a team - so they learned last year that the fire & passion of Carmen was good for them, as was playing clear characters & the more nebulous idea behind the FD didn't work. So now this year they are doing an FD which has a clear story between two characters & isn't just a program about ~young love~ or ~hope~ or whatever, because that kind of thing doesn't work for them. And they are taking a risk with the SD, it's something neither of them have done before, & maybe it will work, or maybe it won't, but it's all part of creating an image of a new & fresh team that's happy to challenge themselves. On the other hand, S/K just seem like Nikita is carrying on where he was before, but subbing out Elena for Victoria & not giving any thought as to whether what he as an individual does works for them as a team.

Victoria appears to like the role she's been given. Nikita also appears to relish the role of the alpha leader, so it works for THEM. So as they say let's see. Personally I prefer when teams have more dynamic interaction. S/K sort of give off a vibe similar to Averbuch and Lobacheva.
 

Anastasi14

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 14, 2014
I like the Swan Lake for S/K, think it's a good and solid choice. When other pairs try to be creative and present waltz in not classical way it could be a good choice to highlight their strengths. I don't want to make any comparison to IK because we even don't know which music parts are selected (Swan Lake has more that one waltz). I think they will not even portray the characters of the Swan Lake, it could be just the waltz to the big and beautiful classical music. No swans, no story, no tutu. I hope so.
And one more thing i like about this choice is that they will use all music parts from the same composer and the same piece - no need to invent how to unite Masquerade and RJ, for example.
I'm not so enthusiastic about FD, just don't like this song.
 

tvuckic16

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 29, 2014
I've been actually stalking this thread in hope of hearing something about Hawayek-Baker's programs. But nothing yet. I am excited to hear what they will dance to, I hope it is something good. I am also looking forward to seeing Yanovskaya-Mozgov next season, their first in seniors. See how they transition. Excited for them too.

But, since I ran into this post on this last page, I will make a comment. I agree, I think the Swan Lake waltz is a good solid choice, for any team. It doesn't have to contain any swans or tutus, for example, one of my favorite waltzes in Act I has no swans... We'll just have to wait and see... but overall I think it is a very good music choice.

As for the FD, I also agree... not crazy about it. Bocelli sings beautifully, as always, but the song lacks some umph... at least for me. And SK need all the umph they can get... so... not overly optimistic here.

However, not to be a total downer for SK fans, overall, these are much better music choices than last year, so that is something...

Since everyone likes to compare them with Ilinykh/Zhiganshin for obvious reasons, I guess I will throw my two cents in for them as well. I liked their music choices much better last year. Not that I don't like Queen, I love Queen, but not sure I love it as a waltz/march dance music, even though it technically is. As for their FD... music from "Frida", a love story of two artists... ummm, is anyone really familiar with this story aside from the movie, cause Frida and Rivera had quite the troubled relationship with lots of adultery on both sides... just not my kind of story I guess... and the music from the film is fine, but if I remember correctly, much of it is traditionally sung and not very "danceable"...I guess I would have to see what they pick from the soundrack... I am sure Najarro's choreo will be fantastic as usual, so that might be a saving grace...

OK, those are my few cents...
 

Ice Dance

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
OK, those are my few cents...

I enjoyed your cents:). I agree about I&Z's sp music. But I think Frida has a lot of potential. The drama should be right up Elena's alley--much more than last season's LP. There are a lot of aspects to the Frida Kahlo story beyond the adultery. For me it's much more a story about a woman facing adversity (physical, societal, and emotional) and developing her own artistic voice.
 

caitie

Medalist
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
I've been actually stalking this thread in hope of hearing something about Hawayek-Baker's programs. But nothing yet. I am excited to hear what they will dance to, I hope it is something good.

Kaitlin said last week that they'd be announcing it "really soon," but I haven't heard or seen anything yet. Hopefully soon because I am super curious to know what they've chosen. I'm hoping their early start on the season pays off, and they'll be a little more settled technically.
 
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