Sure, there are other very strong teams. My point is that if this tech specialist was calling things at the Olympics, anything but perfection would be harshly scrutinized. I totally agree with the Shibs 79. I just think the others, more some than others, were overly penalized for imperfections. I wonder how Scott and Gabriella with their occasional wonky twizzles would fare under this gentleman's watch?
2017 GP Skate America Short Dance
- Thread starter dorispulaski
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Sure, there are other very strong teams. My point is that if this tech specialist was calling things at the Olympics, anything but perfection would be harshly scrutinized. I totally agree with the Shibs 79. I just think the others, more some than others, were overly penalized for imperfections. I wonder how Scott and Gabriella with their occasional wonky twizzles would fare under this gentleman's watch?
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Shibs win the twizzles war for sure! The final lift, while looked mechanically & technically superior, but felt "less organic"... and that would be how I'd describe them as a pair overall in comparison to the other two team, and I guess that hurts their PCS a bit. V/M & P/C also appear to have a larger presence on the ice as well.
If I have my way, I'd put them in a 3-way virtual tie after the SD (kinda like the Sochi ladies SP), and let them duke it out in the FD.
I’m here in rink and am sad for all the teams. This tech panel is brutal. They really need to be consistent between competitions. Shibs really were the class But the rest certainly didn’t deserve such a beating in the levels So many sad and confused faces in kiss n cry
Tough comments but not unwarranted. Jean-Luc is an exceptional male ice dancer. Problem is that his stature limits his partner options. Kaitlin shows promise, at times, but I agree that his rise would be quicker with a comparable partner. I am really looking forward to Anna and Luca's FD. They really shine with their artistic expression of Life is Beautiful.
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I like the Shibs SD the most this season but I think the VM base has them locked in for an Olympic silver medal with PC winning gold. Shibs will likely win bronze. H/D or C/B may beat Shibs but Shibs will need to make a mistake or two.
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Baker is a very talented ice dancer with a load of projection and charisma. She's not cutting it.
There's no arguing with the Shibs' scores, but in my opinion, that will be good only for second at US Nationals. H/D have all the passionate sizzle, and the Shibs are going to look like little kids in comparison. Obviously, they can't go with the smoldering sexy brand of Latin, but this is too bouncy and animated for my tastes. TBH, I don't even remember what C/B short dance looks like, and that's not a good sign.
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On what do you base you assertion that some teams did not deserve a beating on the levels?
I'm curious, because some people (and I'm not saying this is you) seem to think that anything they like deserves a Level 4.
I have no problem, none at all, with low levels (or UR calls in singles) if they reflect the performance of elements accurately.
If a skater or team is getting higher levels than are actually warranted, then that works to the disadvantage of superior technicians.
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When the most memorable thing about a team is the hair color of one of its participants, well that spells Trouble.
I was trying to remember their SD from earlier in the season and realize, nope, can't remember a thing about it. Or any of their dances. But she does have fab hair.
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For me, it has more to do with inconsistent judging throughout the GP series. Like the ladies at Skate Canada -- it's unfair if one group faces a disproportionately tough panel. I did think this was a fairly sloppy event, though.
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LOL. Please start with FALSE EYELASHES.
Lesson 1: They are eyelashes. They need not merit a call to the Guiness Book of World Records. You know, just in case...
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I appreciate your reply, but it also confuses me.
If this event was a "sloppy event," then why would anyone expect that the levels should be higher across the board?
I concede your point that some panels are stricter than others, and those are the ones I like. If skaters can't fully rotate a jump, or can't hit the requirements for Level 4, then they don't deserve credit for it. It angers me when I see that, because it cheats the better skaters.
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Out of the current pool of talent, who do you suggest?
My problem is with the lack of consistency with the tech calling from competition to competition. The levels called at the other Grand prixs make it looks like these teams are far inferior. I know you can't compare scores from competitions, but if one has a more lenient caller then those teams get a morale and reputation boost compared to what we just saw. Does this tech team think that no coaches know how to teach a Rhumba or is this tech team right and the other five grand prixs tech teams know nothing? All teams here other than Shibs looked totally dejected. ISU has to figure out how to give teams consistent feedback.
Thanks for the flashback
. It is lovely to see how closely they skated together.:agree: And amazing to see how much ice dance/rules have changed(eg CD and OD morphing into SD, lifts, etc) 
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Maybe they are inferior to the teams at other GP's. Or maybe they just had an off night with uncharacteristic mistakes.
People (and, again, I'm not saying this is you) will complain about teams getting Level 2, and yet have absolutely no idea of what the requirements are for a Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 step sequence. They just react, "Gosh, that looked really good to me!" and think that's enough to merit Level 4.
I'm not enough of a technical expert on dance footwork to say for sure what caused the levels to change, but overall, I think Skate America has been a relatively poor event in singles and pairs, so maybe the skaters are tired or in a phase of training for their national championships that meant they skated below potential here.
Yeah, but Dostatni has done this before. He hammers people on levels when they are skating the patterns and steps the same way they have been at other competitions with other callers, and they don’t know what the problem is. There should be standardization across the tech panels. I shouldn’t see his name and be like “oh crap.”
Through the screen they just looked flat and slow to me. Pattern not as big as the other top teams and pSt lacked the sweeping curves, the buttery edges or, in Charlie White's words on P/C, the beautiful rhythm, the rise and fall. Their upper body movement is always a weakness, there's a moment towards the end when Maia throws her head back but from the neck down it's completely square and straight. No shoulder nor hips from either of them. And really unattractive costume for Alex.
Well, Jackie Wong said their pattern was the biggest of the night, and they looked faster than usual and got great levels with a tough caller.
I personally think some of their elements are clearly superior. Their twizzles are the class of the field. Their dance spin is better than VM’s. I think they are a clear favorite for bronze at this point and would deserve to capitalize on any errors by PC or VM. I don’t think either team is a fall or botched element better than the Shibs whereas VM and DW were that much better in 2014.
I personally think some of their elements are clearly superior. Their twizzles are the class of the field. Their dance spin is better than VM’s. I think they are a clear favorite for bronze at this point and would deserve to capitalize on any errors by PC or VM. I don’t think either team is a fall or botched element better than the Shibs whereas VM and DW were that much better in 2014.
