Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue | Page 21 | Golden Skate

Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue

dancelion21

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 14, 2019
Now seems like a good time to reinvigorate the thread after FCC. It's well established their programs are not great, nor are they a likely contender for Worlds. So, I think a more productive conversation is how they can salvage their standing and reputation if they really want a shot at the Olympic podium. To me it's going to be a mix of things:

  • Bring in outside choreographers and counsel, and publicize they are doing this. They might need to stay at Gadbois politically, but they need new eyes and ears on how they should be presenting themselves on the ice. This is less about skating at this point, it's branding and packaging.
  • Get knocked down a size by someone they respect. Is anyone telling Zach his prick attitude is making them unlikeable? They need someone in their lives to be much more honest with them who they will actually listen to. I fear they might not have that person at Gadbois. Zach is a guy's guy and I don't really see Marie France getting through to him...
  • Do some stuff outside of skating and bring that back to the ice. Volunteer this summer, or spend a couple weeks taking a college class in Montreal. Meet new people who do things other than skate and expand their world view.
  • Not have Madison's mom make their costumes. It's sweet she still does some of them, but sweet doesn't win medals.
  • Show they are listening. They've stuck by and defended both this year's and last year's program to the end. What's wrong with starting to admit this program didn't work as well as they imagined? Or, genuinely taking into account fan's suggestions for programs? Can you imagine if they did that how many more people would be rooting for them? Madison started to show some level of self-awareness in the press conference after the FD. More of that please.
  • If I were them, I would start mentally focusing on 2020/2021 season now. Forget this season. Be spending 70% of your time working through these changes vs. trying to tweak their FD once again.

I could go on :) But I'm interested in what others think. If they want to medal at the Olympics, what will get them there?

I agree with everything that you said. It's a shame that this season has gone so poorly for them when they are such strong skaters, but that's the world of ice dance. They've benefited tremendously from having good material in the past, and not they're struggling with poor material. More important than anything, I think they need Challengers next year to show their programs before the Grand Prix season and make the appropriate changes before it's too late. It will be difficult to climb back up, second winds in ice dance don't happen very often, but C/B managed to revive their careers through better programs, and H/D absolutely can too.
 

oly2018

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 13, 2018
The problem is, Madi and Zach seem pretty stubborn. If losing medals and competitive ground hasn't been enough of a wake up call, what will be? I do think they need to look outside their camp for choreography. They need to let someone from the outside tell them what would best suit them. Not every skater has the ability to be their own creative director.

I also agree that they need to rehab their image with the general skating community. I think that may be the hardest part. It's unfortunate, but in ice dance, general image goes a long long way.
 

elbkup

Power without conscience is a savage weapon
Medalist
Joined
Mar 3, 2015
Country
United-States
Or .. perhaps they might enhance, capitalize on the image they have created...
This song "Fool" by the Sweeplings seems tailor made for them and I can imagine their FD to it with appropriate costuming... would be smashing!!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PGNnr_QsmLI

Hope they dig a little deeper at least musically....
 

blancanieves

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 3, 2012
Now seems like a good time to reinvigorate the thread after FCC. It's well established their programs are not great, nor are they a likely contender for Worlds. So, I think a more productive conversation is how they can salvage their standing and reputation if they really want a shot at the Olympic podium.

I think the basic problem is that H/D and their coaches have yet to properly adapt their programs to meet the post Olympic shifts in judging criteria. Amongst all the activity and flux resulting from the Gadbois expansion, some teams were going to get short-changed in some capacity and H/D wound up being one of them. Regardless of the coaching team's intentions going into next season, timing wise I don't think H/D can afford to give Gadbois a third chance at getting things wrong. As difficult or expensive as it may be, they need to go outside of their training center.

I don't buy into online perceptions of people you've never met. But if trolling culture has made them shut off audience feedback altogether, they really need to differentiate vitriol from respectful, negative feedback. You can't have a successful program without understanding why you connect or fail to connect with the audience.
 

IceDancingQueen

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 7, 2017
I just watched their performances from the 2015 Grand Prix final and they had such a lovely subtlety to their skating along with their power. It makes me sad cause they are so good but the last two years’ programmes seem like they are trying too hard now in comparison. I hope they bring back some of the subtlety to their new programmes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

siberia82

Addicted to Canadian men's singles skating
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Country
Canada
The following is from CBC television's broadcast of Worlds with Kurt Browning and Carol Lane as commentators (no rhythm dances were aired).
I had to upload the duo's free dance on Streamable because it was rejected by Dailymotion due to the music.


2022 Worlds FD (CBC TV 720p):


These vids are less significant, but Madison & Zachary are discussed in both (in the first vid, they're part of the RD recap).

2022 Worlds Opening Montage + Ice Dance Discussion + RD Recap (CBC TV 720p):



2022 Worlds FD Group 4 Warm-Up Clips (CBC TV 720p):
 
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Flying Feijoa

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 22, 2019
Country
New-Zealand
Zach doing an axel

This thread is surprisingly quiet...

A slightly belated congratulations to Madi and Zach, Olympic bronze medallists/World silver medallists! :D

Although their programmes were a bit hit-or-miss, there were some real gems over the years (personal favourites: both Pyeongchang SD/FD, this year's farewell free dance). Popular vote this season seems to be for C/B's free, but H/D's moved me more. Also, nobody left in the field can match their raw power and glide. I'll miss them!
 

skylark

Gazing at a Glorious Great Lakes sunset
Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 12, 2014
Country
United-States
Zach doing an axel

This thread is surprisingly quiet...

A slightly belated congratulations to Madi and Zach, Olympic bronze medallists/World silver medallists! :D

Although their programmes were a bit hit-or-miss, there were some real gems over the years (personal favourites: both Pyeongchang SD/FD, this year's farewell free dance).

As far as some programs being hit-or-miss ... I always like to see that, because it shows they're open to creativity and impulse, and not just trying to maintain their position ... in other words, they're skating to advance and win, rather than skating not to lose.


ETA: Also, I like it purely for the sake of creativity and enjoyment. I realized it may have sounded like I put value only on the result.

Popular vote this season seems to be for C/B's free, but H/D's moved me more. Also, nobody left in the field can match their raw power and glide. I'll miss them!

I was a H/D fan before, but 2019 Nationals really wowed me, with Madi & Zach's power, passion, glide, and presence. I'm happy to see skaters retire happily, but honestly I wonder ... with the ID situation in the coming year, I kinda wish they'd go for it another year ❤️
 
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