2015-16 Grand Prix Final Free Dance

[Mrs. P]

You know guys what's the worst in terms of audience perception? After the Shibs, no other team got such sincere emotional reaction and I think part of the reason was that the collective disappointment at their scoring caused people to be a bit bummed and incapable of appreciating and cheering on others as much as they could have. I think had the audience approved of the Shibs scores, W/P would have got a bogger reaction. :confused2:

But all in all, it was a good event, and even though the scoring in this one particular case was disappointing, that moment when they finished can only be compared to the one when Yuzu finished his SP, that feeling that you have just witnessed something extraordinary.

I hoping to witness the same magic in Boston! You guys are such an awesome audience though.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Well, I'm glad a lot of people don't take that attitude in real life, but otherwise things will never change for people. But maybe it's because in my line of work, I'm seeking to overturn judicial opinions through appeals and read and write pieces critiquing judicial opinions.

Also, that's not much of a silver lining.

Well apparently Alex is not feeling well...and on PJ Kwong's Facebook page, it shows only Maia doing an interview so he's sick enough that he couldn't do the interview afterwards. I'm saying it's a silver lining they didn't medal because if he did, Alex could be dwelling that he missed it. But since they didn't medal, there will be no dwelling.

I'm not sure if that made sense.

 

[Mrs. P]

Well apparently Alex is not feeling well...and on PJ Kwong's Facebook page, it shows only Maia doing an interview so he's sick enough that he couldn't do the interview afterwards. I'm saying it's a silver lining they didn't medal because if he did, Alex could be dwelling that he missed it. But since they didn't medal, there will be no dwelling.

I'm not sure if that made sense.

Well, if Alex could endure a 4 minute FD being sick, he probably could endure a medal ceremony, especially since, well, it's a medal. I appreciate you being positive, but I have to agree it's not a great silver lining.

 

[danceme]

judging at this dance event is a joke :dance2:

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Well apparently Alex is not feeling well...and on PJ Kwong's Facebook page, it shows only Maia doing an interview so he's sick enough that he couldn't do the interview afterwards. I'm saying it's a silver lining they didn't medal because if he did, Alex could be dwelling that he missed it. But since they didn't medal, there will be no dwelling.

I'm not sure if that made sense.

I understand what you're saying now. I'm just not convinced it's a silver lining at all.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Sorry about that silver lining I suggested. I'm trying to think of a response right now to follow up without everyone gaining in on me.

I'll just leave it at congrats to to medalists and I can't wait to see what happens at Nationals, 4CC/Euros and Worlds.....and also the Team Challenge.

 

[NAOTMAA]

In a way the result here kind of reminds me of the 6.0 era when the results would remain exactly the same through each phase regardless of how everyone skated. After the first round if you were fourth you were finishing fourth unless there was a big disaster from the top three and there was nothing you can do about it. I don't think that's a good thing

 

[shyne]

I was never really into the ice dance, never took the time to learn all the judging criteria, so I can't comment on how the skaters did technically.
But coming from someone very ignorant about this discipline, I was in tears after Alex/Maria's FD. There's something very special about that performance that grabbed me. It was breathtaking and very emotional. I hope they will continue to do well and have more success in the future.

 

[slider11]

I think the expression of the competitors in the Kiss and Cry were very telling. Although not totally elated, Kaitlyn and Andrew, Anna and Luca and Russians were pleased and hopeful. Shibs were "spent" and emotional -makes sense now that we know about Alex's food poisoning. Madison and Zach and Madison and Evan were pretty neutral/bummed. Igor was heading for the bar. The crowd had the appropriate responses, as well, for each performance. Some (including me) may not agree with the judges' scores but that is part of the slicey-dicey scoring system where little things can rack up points and big mistakes somehow get passed over for a front-runner. I do think that this will make an impact on the US ice dance Nationals competition and pre-conceived notions of who will be on the podium. May the best team win.

 

[Idontsk8]

Well, since Portuguese ESP won't air Ice Dance today and I was so looking forward to it, I watched the videos now before they start airing the Men's and here are my thoughts:

1. W/P: Well, I still love this dance and it was almost almost perfect! Apart from Andrew's error on the twizzles, two things bugged me a bit. The costumes! I loved the totally black ones and they were one of the reasons that made me think of this dance as a reflection on the present and future of humanity and how they try to escape this land. With the grey ones the effect is still there but a bit lighter. The other thing was that they were a bit too smiley in the Run section that, at CoR at least, was skated with more drama and fit better IMO. Otherwise still my favorite dance of the season but if they return to the old costumes would make me happy!

2. C/B: I see their commitment to this but in no way this should be second. They have very soft qualities and put the right amount of drama but Madison was sloppy in a couple of other moments apart from the Twizzles. I also don't like the beginning and the end, and also the first position on the second lift to me is so off...I think I'll never warm up to this dance but still good job!

3. C/L: I love this fun dance but after the Shibs felt a bit anticlimatic. Still a very well skated dance, but maybe it lacked some sparkle as seen in CoR and CoC, I don't know, what do you think, was it just me?

4. Shibs: Well, also one of my favorite dances this season and they nailed everything! However in NHK I was even more in awe. It must be super frustrating for them being placed off the podium and below C/B even when they skate better. What do they still lack to get top notch PCS? I'm puzzled, hope they become US Champions to reverse this since it seems a lot based on reputation. Their twizzles are the best in the world and they should get monster GOE that no other team should come close to (I don't think it's fair at all that they and C/L had the same GOE on this element).

5. B/S: Very nice job, I still prefer their SD this season but still very high Russian drama and a successful recovery from previous misfortunes. However this dance doesn't make me emote as W/P and the Shibs dances, and having watched Anna Karenina I feel that, even though Dima is superb on this, his expressions should be more arrogant and sometimes he looks too dazed. In the end I can see it, but maybe in the middle of the dance it could add a bit more to it.

6. H/D: I still don't get this program and I have to watch both Tron movies to get it, I still think Madison should throw that costume and hairdo to outer space but otherwise I'm getting really impressed on their qualities. The twizzles were the second best to me behind Shibs and it was a very unfortunate fall from Zach but I was amazed at how it did not affect at all the flow of the program! Glad to see them on the spotlight.

Maybe a bit harsh but as many other said judging sometimes is frustrating in Ice Dance and in this competition it was a bit shocking :noshake:

 

[Astrid56]

Wow, C/B completely revamped their FD. I love this new version _ very dynamic, engaging, and triumphant. The transitions were seamless and effortless and the interpretation is right on the money. Rachmaninoff composed this musical piece to express his struggles and his victory over depression, regaining his self-confidence. Madison did have a glaring twizzle bubble but that didn't detract the overall quality of their presentation which was quite astonishing. I also enjoyed W/P's FD _ I think it deserves this win though I am not sure about the score. C/L skated very well: the program though entertaining is a bit uninspiring. The Shibs were, as usual, fabulous but the choreography, I think, needs a little tweaking - kinda one-note.

I understand a lot are disappointed with the results but, I think, it is the right outcome. Many would complain about C/B placing 2nd despite Madison's mistake and W/P scoring high even though Andrew had a slight bubble: well, overall their performances were inspiring [to me] still deserving of the placements.

 

[Sugarpova]

havent seen anyone but oh well
Congrats B/S
At least they're not the last!:agree: I expect them to be our #1 at Nats with SinKats 2nd

not gonna say anything abt SHibs:sad4:
its still the best FD this year & they have the best tech
Like Zoueva said - Its often that memorable doesnt win

 

[Jagger]

All Russian Forum's users hate unfair judgement
Shibutani were the best today.

 

[mylifeback]

Overall the quality today didn't match the SD competition, but still an entertaining competition with all the teams having a different approach.

C/B made tons of changes to their free, and overall I love the changes, especially the new ending. New lift positions are an improvement, too, I think. Thank goodness I have the British Eurosport guys to listen to about the quality of C/B and why they are a top team because if I only read here I'd think they were the worst team ever, and that twizzles & crowd reaction are the only or even a thing judges judge on lol.

W/P had a lovely program, I like this one so much better than last year's Four Seasons program. I love the new costumes, too.

The only program that isn't my taste is C/L, since I'm just not a big fan of perky, cutsey programs in general and this is the style they always seem to skate with.

Congrats to the Shibs for skating so well considering Alex being sick, and it's such a shame about Zach's fall, but overall they had a solid competition and their SD is one of my favorites this year. And, good to see B/S back in competition this year!

 

[caitie]

I understand a lot are disappointed with the results but, I think, it is the right outcome. Many would complain about C/B placing 2nd despite Madison's mistake and Andrew's: well, overall their performances were inspiring still deserving of the placements.

So just because people would complain about the placements without the mistake, the complaints are invalid?

Ice Dance is an incredibly subjective sport, so when the judges are able to distinguish between between the teams based on actual athleticism, they should actually do their job and distinguish between the teams. Madison and Evan have messed up the twizzles at every stop on the GP this season. They came into the GPF with the worst technical record of any of these six teams. IMO they have been coasting on their #1 USA status, and despite a glaring visible error (a rarity in ice dance) the presumably American judge still did her job for them, handing them +2 GOE on that element (inexcusable) and giving them PCS just shy of perfect. It's ridiculous and unfair, and I'm totally over it. The Shibs and C/B should go into nationals being seen as equals IMO, and I don't think they will, and that frustrates me so much.

The Shibs need to work on their speed and make sure their technical levels are above reproach, but they shouldn't have to be perfect beyond transcendent to pass a weak C/B.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

C/B made tons of changes to their free, and overall I love the changes, especially the new ending. New lift positions are an improvement, too, I think. Thank goodness I have the British Eurosport guys to listen to about the quality of C/B and why they are a top team because if I only read here I'd think they were the worst team ever, and that twizzles & crowd reaction are the only or even a thing judges judge on lol.

Don't worry, C/B are your national champions from now till at least 2018 no matter what happens on the ice. You should thank goodness for that too.

 

[Sugarpova]

All Russian Forum's users hate unfair judgement
Shibutani were the best today.

I conjured a perfect solution for the Shibs!
They should compete for us!
US Fed doesnt need them anyway but we very much do!
here they wont have that much competition & easily become #1 & get all the bonuses of judging !:agree:
They're named after Alexander/Maia so its a SIGN!


tho our RusFed might be too poor to afford them

 

[Lota]

Oh please, no need to be so dramatic over C/B. I see that in this forum every single season people like to, for lack of better words, gang up on teams, and it comes in waves - a team may be the forum darling one year and the next year BAM, the hate starts flooding in. You may not like C/B or the fact that the Shibs or another team lost to them, but there is no need to basically say that their skating is terrible. Referring to the mistake on the twizzles, TAT said that Madison did not let go of her foot, that's why they kept at least the level 3, and both she and B.ESP guys agreed that she recovered from that very well. They are good, very good skaters, and the fact that people (for whatever reason) seem to dislike them this year won't make that fact disappear. C/B is not my favourite team, but this is ridiculous. E.g. I'm not the biggest fan of W/P's dance this season, but there's no denying that they are very good and deserved the win.

Yes, judging in Ice Dance (and other disciplines) will never be completely fair, but if your team lost there is no need to go the other way and bash other teams. And, sometimes, there is also no need to bash the judges just because your team lost.

Rant over.

 

[Astrid56]

So just because people would complain about the placements without the mistake, the complaints are invalid?

Ice Dance is an incredibly subjective sport, so when the judges are able to distinguish between between the teams based on actual athleticism, they should actually do their job and distinguish between the teams. Madison and Evan have messed up the twizzles at every stop on the GP this season. They came into the GPF with the worst technical record of any of these six teams. IMO they have been coasting on their #1 USA status, and despite a glaring visible error (a rarity in ice dance) the presumably American judge still did her job for them, handing them +2 GOE on that element (inexcusable) and giving them PCS just shy of perfect. It's ridiculous and unfair, and I'm totally over it. The Shibs and C/B should go into nationals being seen as equals IMO, and I don't think they will, and that frustrates me so much.

The Shibs need to work on their speed and make sure their technical levels are above reproach, but they shouldn't have to be perfect beyond transcendent to pass a weak C/B.

While complaints have obvious value, these should not invalidate results that developed or evolved from other important and valid considerations and factors [C/B's transitions so seamless ... effortless, that their movements seamlessly done to the musical nuances of the music making the program wonderfully integrated]. I'd rather have a somewhat flawed but inspiring performance than a clean uninspiring one. Clearly, C/B came here with the lowest technical scores but the PCS were high. Their new FD was technically demanding ... their music, technically, difficult and complex to choreograph (one reason, I believe, that it was used in Pairs and Singles but never in Ice-dance [the Lithuanians did try to perform to it but in the end gave it up]).

 

[GF2445]

The dynamics of Ice Dance have been different. Instead of having the pack chasing 2 out of this world teams, we have instead many teams fighting it out. At this stage, no one has stepped out on their own like Tessa/Scott Meryl/Charlie....HOWEVER, the overall quality of Ice Dance amongst all the teams in general have really improved.

All the top teams have the technical goods, the speed, unison, chemistry, edge work and complex choreography are all there- an emotional performance is being showed to us...but the question is who is going to take that next step which sets them apart. When you look at a team's performance and your breath is taken away- when you believe that what the team is emoting is really real.

Today, I think Kaitlyn and Andrew started taking that next step. They are not there yet, but they seem to be stepping up. Their performance was skated with abandon and determination- the next step is to let it go- meaning relax and let the movement speak for itself and not have to worry about trying to force (maybe force is too harsh a word but when you saw Tessa/Scott Meryl/Charlie- they have this unnamable quality which really set them apart) the emotion to happen. Their routine is going to get better and better. I can't wait to see it next time.

To me, I felt the Shibutani's were undermarked. They should've been 2nd in the FD and 2nd Overall.
Then Chock/Bates 3rd and the Italians 4th.