2015 NHK Free Dance

[WeakAnkles]

4 years. NHK 2011. It's also symbolic cause during that season Bobrova/Soloviev had beat them a Cup of China by a wide margin. And now the scenario was reversed here.

And interestingly enough they beat Weaver/Poje at that NHK and the reversed happened at SC.

Yes but look at the protocols--all those lovely 2s and 3s for GOEs and 9+ each for 3 of the 5 PCS categories.

Make that, Chock and Bates should be very VERY nervous.

 

[solar]

OMG the shibs are vlogging! I'm anticipating their video!

 

[Mrs. P]

Yes but look at the protocols--all those lovely 2s and 3s for GOEs and 9+ each for 3 of the 5 PCS categories.

Make that, Chock and Bates should be very VERY nervous.

You're right, but just noting the patterns.

 

[semosk8tfan]

I think they got a 102 at SLC, though? That's what I have down for them on my spreadsheet anyway.

I'm really disappointed for them, but they did make at least one visible error.

They scored 92.54 in SLC

 

[caitie]

Looking at the protocols, I feel like this tech panel was very generous. Everyone in the final group got a Level 3 on all of their step sequences. And a Level 4 on everything else. That's pretty unusual...

Wait, Penny and Nick did too. So make that all Top 5 teams. That seems kind of weird and unlikely to me, tbh.

 

[WeakAnkles]

I learn more from B***** Weak Ankles, anyway

LOL Thank you.

You think it's hard being green? Try being an Uber Dance Fan and keeping quiet through an entire GP season. LOL. I'm just not that good or nice or whatever.

 

[slider11]

Wow! What a FD! I'm trying to understand the scores of Bobrova and Soloviev. Technically it seemed strong and with a lot of drama but not particularly innovative. Actually I think I like Stepnova and Bukin more for their innovation but really did not care for the music. I'm sure Madison and Zach are disappointed for dropping to third but no more than Piper and Paul! The GPF should be interesting!

 

[herios]

I think they got a 102 at SLC, though? That's what I have down for them on my spreadsheet anyway.

I'm really disappointed for them, but they did make at least one visible error.

According to the ISU page, their best result in FD to date was 100.34 at Golden Spin in 2014. So this should be a new best.

 

[WeakAnkles]

You're right, but just noting the patterns.

And Heaven Bless You for that. What would we do without Mao's vid links and your number crunching? I shudder to think!

 

[auser]

Peter Tchernyshev is their FD choreographer. Thx for the reply.

Oh, thank you. I wondered if it was Peter T. (Notice how I got you to spell his name? ) .

 

[auser]

I think that's probably Peter Tchernyshev, who choreographed their free dance.

Thank you.

 

[TontoK]

Wow! What a FD! I'm trying to understand the scores of Bobrova and Soloviev. Technically it seemed strong and with a lot of drama but not particularly innovative. Actually I think I like Stepnova and Bukin more for their innovation but really did not care for the music. I'm sure Madison and Zach are disappointed for dropping to third but no more than Piper and Paul! The GPF should be interesting!

I'm also trying to figure out the protocols on B/S. They got ridiculous GOE on those timid twizzles and that squishy dance spin.

I had hoped that Zach and Madison would hold on as well, but they should be extremely proud of their progress this season. I hardly recognized them at TEB. The shift to Canada to train was a very, very good move.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Wow! What a FD! I'm trying to understand the scores of Bobrova and Soloviev. Technically it seemed strong and with a lot of drama but not particularly innovative. Actually I think I like Stepnova and Bukin more for their innovation but really did not care for the music. I'm sure Madison and Zach are disappointed for dropping to third but no more than Piper and Paul! The GPF should be interesting!

It's not innovative at all. That's the point. They went for the tried and true High Russian Style. That program would not look out of place 25 years ago (well, the tech would, but not the dance itself, or the music or the costumes).

S/B absolutely need a new choreographer. It is criminal the crap that is foisted on them. Their SD--that RW is GORGEOUS, but then the "let's pander to the American audience at Boston" second half is CRIMINAL. And stupid. Right now they have one thing really going for them: their 'shoot the duck' twizzle. Do you honestly remember much else about their performances? And for a couple that talented, that's just insane. Stupid and insane.

 

[noskates]

So happy for the Shibs. Maybe they're finally coming into their own.

 

[herios]

I'm also trying to figure out the protocols on B/S. They got ridiculous GOE on those timid twizzles and that squishy dance spin.

I had hoped that Zach and Madison would hold on as well, but they should be extremely proud of their progress this season. I hardly recognized them at TEB. The shift to Canada to train was a very, very good move.

Yes, absolutely. They did the right move, Their PCS was never this high, now they have to just work on those GOE's to try to improve them.

 

[rustyskater]

I'm so excited for the Shibs. I thought it crazy when they won the bronze their first year at Worlds. Who does that? Many long years later, they have a real shot at repeating if not besting that result. Ice Dance has become so fun all of a sudden. I'm picking the Shibs to take some sort of gold before the season is over.

 

[lauravvv]

This is an absolute disaster for H/D. What a bitter loss to B/S. :noshake:

This pretty much ends their hope to get top two at nationals.

Almost a 101 point with a deduction "a disaster" when their previous best in a normal international competition (I mean, not a small B competitiion) was 97.20, and that at Four Continents with no world top teams to compare them to, and their previous result for this FD was just a bit over 92 !!?? They got 95.13 for their FD at Worlds last season. And this was not the best they can do with that FD - they had a few small catches/mistakes, and I think that PCS wise there is room for improvement too. Probably they won't get into the USA top 2, but at least they will stay in top 3 almost for sure, although many predicted (before the start of the season) that Hawayek/Baker are going to push them out of it this season.


In any case, it seems to me that the judging was quite generous for the top 4 here. I was not expecting such scores for Stepanova/Bukin when they only reached less than 97 at last Worlds for a (in my opinion) better skate, nor for Hubbell/Donohue when their previous score for this FD was barely over 92. I also was not expecting such an improvement in Bobrova/Sloviev's FD score (and there was no visible improvement in their perforamnce of the FD from Skate Canada - at least not by so much). Was expecting something a bit over 103 for Shibutanis, but I thought that their Skate Canada FD performance was slightly better - Alex was a bit shaky on the straight line lift, and the performance didn't seem as emotional in places.


Edit: I see that caitie already pointed that out (generous scores and levels for the top 4 or even 5).

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Just started on Eurosport 2 with Muramoto / Reed

CaroLiza_fan

 

[WeakAnkles]

Okay, WeakAnkles. Was that some of the ~wretched excess~ you talk about?

I think they looked really strong here, though. My biggest criticism would be that the program kind of drags for me in the final 2/3 (the music from the AK movie is just not very good figure skating music IMO -- it's (surprisingly) a bit too understated or something?) and also that their lifts seem to always end at a standstill or with them having slowed way down, which I don't like.

I think the real problem with the Anna K FD isn't the music per se--which is understated but also really lovely. It's that they're trying to cram TOO MANY transitions into it. Every moment of that program is BUSY BUSY BUSY. I've always said the one real criticism you can make about COP in terms of dance scoring is that it has killed the incorporation of beautiful but SIMPLE steps. They don't rack up the points, so now so many programs are OVERchoreographed. There's a really lovely through-line to that FD, but you have to wade through a lot of clutter to get to it. But hey--it racked up them all important points.

And I'm a big fan of wretched excess. Where would dance be without it?

 

[xibsuarz]

Congratulations to the Shibutanis! So glad to see them on top of the podium again! GPF is going to be very interesting, as well as US Nationals :yes: