2018 JGP Yerevan Free Dance

[Ichatdelune]

Yup, as much as I adore S/N, I knew it wasn't enough. Sigh...

 

[Ichatdelune]

On the plus side, I'll be able to watch U/N. On the minus side, I'm late to work. Thanks bus.

 

[Mrs. P]

The former Russian but still Russian dancers win the High Russian Dance battle.

 

[ancientpeas]

:yawn: but tea because coffee is icky.

I tried to get up at 4 I really did.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Maria KAZAKOVA / Georgy REVIYA
Country: Georgia
Music: Carmina Burana by Carl Orff performed by Edvin Marton; "Vocalise" (Main Theme from "The Ninth Gates")
Choreography by: Nikolai Nikonov, Igor Alferov
Costumes: Blue ombre Juliet dress for her, black pants, black shirt with matching blue cutouts for him (I like the shirt--it's theatrical and tasteful)

Program Layout:

Dance spin with fantastic speed and no break between positions. Level 4
SL lift with cartwheel entry --> Rotational Lift Quite the demanding combo lift. Level 4 for both.
Twizzles with vertical hop entry. Not as good as last time--that hop wasn't quite there. But still very very good. Level 4 for both
Choreo spinning move
Tempo change
Diag step seq with twizzle exit out. Level 3 for both.
NT Step Seq level 3 for her; 4 for him
Tempo change with Eurodisco beat. OH UGHHHHHHHHHH. But they hit those spins right on the beat.
Choreo lift - lifts her over his head. Is that allowed? It's a great lift but...

This is what I wrote last time out for these two:
It's not at all a balanced program. The first section is all FRANTIC FRANTIC FRANTIC. The middle is SLUGGISH SLUGGISH SLUGGISH. The end is back to Frantic City. It is all so UBER TRAUMA DRAMA INTENSE that I found it more than a bit OTT and off-putting. Definitely a Picasso Effect program. I can admire the tech--and I do admire it very much--but I wouldn't want to watch it again. Really, next season I'd love to see them do something totally light and frivilously frothy. Life isn't always a Bergman film.

Your mileage may vary. And hey, de gustibus...

This time?

Well I didn't find him as smug as I did last time. It's certainly a challenging dance and it's quite good. It's growing on me. They're in the final.

Score: 99.23 and a SB

They're in.

 

[ancientpeas]

Very happy to see her without that painful looking top knot. Just looking at it gave me a headache.

 

[anonymoose_au]

What even is this music?!

Is that a tuba?

 

[Ichatdelune]

U/N did well as expected, and now I have to work. See you all!

 

[Mrs. P]

So I still don't get this FD concept at all, but honestly, they do sell it and it's complex and they're fast. They will get all the points.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Arina USHAKOVA / Maxim NEKRASOV
Country: Russia
Music: Black Cat, White Cat (soundtrack) by Goran Bregovic [I smell a short term Junior Warhorse trying to get into the stable. Next season will be telling...]
Choreography by: Natalia Yanovskaia, Elena Maslennikova
Costumes: A psychedelic confection of rainbow extravaganza for both! C'mon, it's BLACK cat, WHITE cat. What do you think they're wearing???

Program Layout:

Choreo Char Step Seq - a smart opening. Lots of mime. The program demands you establish distinct characters from the git go. And this is probably what TPTB had in mind for the ChSt.
Twizzles - huge speed but not much coverage. Level 4 for both
Diag Step Seq
SL Lift - very steady Level 4
Choreo Spin with her holding his leg by one hand. Nice position.
NT Step Seq with tempo change. Level 3 for her; 4 for him.
Dance Spin
Rotational Lift - again huge speed. Level 4

That was what I would call a "Hard Sell" performance. She in particular is just PUSHING PUSHING PUSHING the character. They certainly have the tech. But it's all so frantic.

The judges will lap it up. Like cream.

Score: 103.63 SB for them

And they're in.

 

[ancientpeas]

What even is this music?!

Is that a tuba?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lUtQLQ0IHo

 

[Mrs. P]

The judges will lap it up. Like cream.

Score: 103.63 SB for them

And they're in.

Like CATS?! I mean seriously, you just explained their FD concept right there! Arina job is exactly that. THOSE CATS, they're sly....taking all the poi... uh cream.

Also U/N regain the highest FD score of the JGP by a mile.

 

[hortensja]

I'm very happy that someone is using Bregovic's music, but I would prefer Arizona Dream or Ederlezi. And U/N style is very tiring to watch for me. But I appreciate that they at least try to be original.

Georgian couple is very nice and I'm happy that they have the chance to survive in Georgia and it wouldn't be possible in Russia.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Like CATS?! I mean seriously, you just explained their FD concept right there! Alina's job is exactly that. THOSE CATS, they're sly....taking all the poi... uh cream.

Also U/N regain the highest FD score of the JGP by a mile.

Yup. They're the heavy favorites for the final. But not my cuppa. Or in this case, dish of cream.

There's more to dance than speed, judges.

 

[anonymoose_au]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lUtQLQ0IHo

Good one.

Or maybe I was thinking of a trombone...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJxCdh1Ps48

Her dress was super pretty though!

 

[flanker]

So I still don't get this FD concept at all, but honestly, they do sell it and it's complex and they're fast. They will get all the points.

The film Black Cat, White Cat is about gipsies living in Balkan. That doesn't need a concept...

 

[Mrs. P]

Yup. They're the heavy favorites for the final. But not my cuppa. Or in this case, dish of cream.

There's more to dance than speed, judges.

I do hand it to them for bringing some diversity to the mix. At least we're going to see some variety in the JGPF. We'll see where the seniors lie.

I do like the two other Russian teams better. (EDITED: the two teams in JGPF that is, Sofia SHEVCHENKO / Igor EREMENKO and Elizaveta KHUDAIBERDIEVA / Nikita NAZAROV)

The film Black Cat, White Cat is about gipsies living in Balkan. That doesn't need a concept...

I haven't seen the movie -- but if that's what they were going for, I'm not sure if they quite nailed it. It seem kinda more abstract to me.

 

[ancientpeas]

At least they didn't work in the Cats soundtrack into it.

I too have not seen this film and do not know the music so I won't judge if it fits.

I'm so happy to see such diversity in Dance. 4 different countries represented! As much as I really admire the Russian dominance in the jr disciplines (really it is a marvel) more diversity is nice too.

Good luck to all of the Dance teams at the Jr. Grand Prix.

 

[dorispulaski]

U&N: There is something nagging me about her posture and angular legs that bothers me, and I am not the Chief Inspector of the Posture Police. Granted flamenco in the RD and gypsies in the FD...or were they cats....cats do not have to stand up straight. I have the feeling that if I were to take a photo of them, most of the time it would be a crap photo.

And yes, good luck to all the teams in the GPF. So nice to have four different countries represented!!!

And yes, I did not get up till the last flight was already started...:

 

[ancientpeas]

U&N: There is something nagging me about her posture and angular legs that bothers me, and I am not the Chief Inspector of the Posture Police. Granted flamenco in the RD and gypsies in the FD...or were they cats....cats do not have to stand up straight. I have the feeling that if I were to take a photo of them, most of the time it would be a crap photo.

And yes, good luck to all the teams in the GPF. So nice to have four different countries represented!!!

And yes, I did not get up till the last flight was already started...:

Inspector Doris. I love it. I have the feeling you'd want to slap me between the shoulder blades and tell me to stand up straight. My posture sucks.

I stayed up too late. The plan was to wake up in time... Thank goodness for the stream.