2020 US Nationals: Rhythm Dance Recap

gsk8 · Jan 24, 2020

2019 U.S. National silver medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates took the lead after the Rhythm Dance in Greensboro, N.C., on Friday at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Defending champions Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue are close behind, followed by Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker who took bronze last year.

Chock and Bates showed great energy in their jazzy routine to "Too Darn Hot", showing very good level 4 twizzles, pattern and diagonal steps. The only mistake came when Chock had a tiny slip on a twizzle during the Finnsteps which was graded a level 3, and they scored 87.63 points.

"I just tipped over and thought, 'at least this is an outside edge, it could be worse,' and we recovered really well, but it was unexpected," said Chock of the mistake. "This is something we have been working really hard to get back to. We have had a long career together with many highs and many lows. We are happy to back on a high, and we want to keep pushing ourselves to that trajectory."

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What are your thoughts on the Rhythm Dance? Did the judges get it right?

cheerknithanson · Jan 24, 2020

I thought McNamara/Carpenter's score should have been a bit higher.

WeakAnkles · Jan 24, 2020

Well apparently this was quite the fascinating press conference. A really smooth season Ms Hubbell? Well if you say so. And you were given a wake up call after your first event of the season, a wake up call you apparently chose to ignore. Yes Ms McNamara, we notice you. We also notice that you could use a new choreographer. And yes H/B, you do indeed have bigger fish to fry.

Good article.

el henry · Jan 24, 2020

Really interesting quotes. Loved this one from Evan Bates:

“Moving to Montreal has been very, very life changing. .....But we feel it also off the ice rink. In many ways, that is more valuable, because the skating career is going to be over at some point, but the life skills and the relationships we are building are going to be forever. That joy we have for life is what is coming through in our skating, and I think it’s leading to good results.”

I love skaters’ recognition of the bigger things in life. I also love joy on the ice

dancelion21 · Jan 24, 2020

The first half of the season has been a giant wake-up call for H/D that they just don’t seem to get. Losing the free dance at Skate America, losing to G/P at Skate Canada, losing to C/B at the GPF, and now being behind C/B after the rhythm dance, which is usually their stronger segment.

Their programs just suck, and when are they finally going to get that message? It hurts to see them waste their talent on such awful music and programs.

Neither team was perfect today but I think C/B should be ahead even though she had a more visible mistake. H/D just weren’t as clean throughout, while C/B were exquisite in everything besides the one slip. On the NBCSN stream, Tanith explained really well that the slip wasn’t that bad since Chock got a deeper outside edge as a result, so it didn’t result in a loss of a level.

Either way, I’m rooting for C/B’s snake program to bring the house down tomorrow and finally win back the national title. It’s been a while, and I hope they do it.

oly2018 · Jan 25, 2020

dancelion21 said:
The first half of the season has been a giant wake-up call for H/D that they just don’t seem to get. Losing the free dance at Skate America, losing to G/P at Skate Canada, losing to C/B at the GPF, and now being behind C/B after the rhythm dance, which is usually their stronger segment.

Their programs just suck, and when are they finally going to get that message? It hurts to see them waste their talent on such awful music and programs.

Neither team was perfect today but I think C/B should be ahead even though she had a more visible mistake. H/D just weren’t as clean throughout, while C/B were exquisite in everything besides the one slip. On the NBCSN stream, Tanith explained really well that the slip wasn’t that bad since Chock got a deeper outside edge as a result, so it didn’t result in a loss of a level.

Either way, I’m rooting for C/B’s snake program to bring the house down tomorrow and finally win back the national title. It’s been a while, and I hope they do it.

H/D are either trying to save face or they are seriously ignoring the smoke signals they have been sent all season. There is less and less room on the world's podium and at this point, I don't see how they factor in with their programs.

lusterfan · Jan 25, 2020

oly2018 said:
H/D are either trying to save face or they are seriously ignoring the smoke signals they have been sent all season. There is less and less room on the world's podium and at this point, I don't see how they factor in with their programs.

If C/B pull out the win in the FD, I don't see how H/D could recover this season. Internationally, momentum is with C/B ... if National favor goes to C/B too, then that's the nail on the coffin. Semi-questionable cultural representations aside, C/B's FD program is stunning and so so exciting. Maddie really brings out the best of her in every one of her snake performances! And even though Evan is heavily overshadowed, he does a great job supporting the star and carrying more than his own weight in the process. H/D need this wake up call for them to change next season!

The Russians are politicking hard, if C/B come out on top, H/D might even end up in 5th behind Stepanova/Bukin!

moonvine · Jan 25, 2020

My babies should have been in second. Says me with zero understanding of ice dance judging. If I have to see that confused and horrified look in the K & C on my Kaitlyn’s beautiful face tomorrow a riot is likely to ensue.

heartyxo · Jan 25, 2020

dancelion21 said:
The first half of the season has been a giant wake-up call for H/D that they just don’t seem to get. Losing the free dance at Skate America, losing to G/P at Skate Canada, losing to C/B at the GPF, and now being behind C/B after the rhythm dance, which is usually their stronger segment.

Their programs just suck, and when are they finally going to get that message? It hurts to see them waste their talent on such awful music and programs.

Neither team was perfect today but I think C/B should be ahead even though she had a more visible mistake. H/D just weren’t as clean throughout, while C/B were exquisite in everything besides the one slip. On the NBCSN stream, Tanith explained really well that the slip wasn’t that bad since Chock got a deeper outside edge as a result, so it didn’t result in a loss of a level.

Either way, I’m rooting for C/B’s snake program to bring the house down tomorrow and finally win back the national title. It’s been a while, and I hope they do it.

100% agree. People saying that the judges have already chosen C/B- it may be true, but they were better.

Bcash · Jan 25, 2020

I saw two minor wobbles from Donahue and one very visible slip on a key point from Chock. That coupled with how generic C/B’s RD is, in concept, choreo, packaging and performance, doesn’t justify the 1 point lead. The US judges here were just following the international momentum.

Bcash · Jan 25, 2020

heartyxo said:
100% agree. People saying that the judges have already chosen C/B- it may be true, but they were better.

They were not.

Bcash · Jan 25, 2020

lusterfan said:
If C/B pull out the win in the FD, I don't see how H/D could recover this season. Internationally, momentum is with C/B ... if National favor goes to C/B too, then that's the nail on the coffin. Semi-questionable cultural representations aside, C/B's FD program is stunning and so so exciting. Maddie really brings out the best of her in every one of her snake performances! And even though Evan is heavily overshadowed, he does a great job supporting the star and carrying more than his own weight in the process. H/D need this wake up call for them to change next season!

The Russians are politicking hard, if C/B come out on top, H/D might even end up in 5th behind Stepanova/Bukin!

Even is not overshadowed in any way of one pays attention to the skating. His power feels unleashed.

Spiralgraph · Jan 25, 2020

I'm rooting for Hawayek and Baker. Realistically they don't have a big chance to move up unless some dreadful mistake happens to either C/B or H./D who have been known to have mistakes occasionally. I do prefer the snake dance of C/B over D/H's free dance but I'm not going to whine no matter who wins. Go Kaitlin and Jean-Luc! And to Carreira/Ponomorenko for the pewter medal.

Yeslekyelnats · Jan 25, 2020

I think they were

skatemd1 · Jan 26, 2020

Spiralgraph said:
I'm rooting for Hawayek and Baker. Realistically they don't have a big chance to move up unless some dreadful mistake happens to either C/B or H./D who have been known to have mistakes occasionally. I do prefer the snake dance of C/B over D/H's free dance but I'm not going to whine no matter who wins. Go Kaitlin and Jean-Luc! And to Carreira/Ponomorenko for the pewter medal.

Agree, but love that snake dance and think that puts them on top this year, and in the RD I thought the judges got it right with C/B first and H/D second. But gotta say I just loved H/B's disco routine. Jean-Luc was made for that program. They had a blast! Also saw some great stuff from two of the younger teams, C/P and G/P. Parsons and Green probably skated more cleanly than anyone, and my, those edges... pretty impressive for a new team, and C/P are always strong and seem to get better every time out. The top 5 were all in the zone.

2020 US Nationals: Rhythm Dance Recap

gsk8

cheerknithanson

WeakAnkles

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.

dancelion21

oly2018

lusterfan

moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie

heartyxo

Bcash

Bcash

Bcash

Spiralgraph

Yeslekyelnats

skatemd1

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