2018 NHK Trophy: Ice Dance Pre-game chat

[NoNameFace]

Thank you for the well wishes. Mom would say thank you too.

Why not think of it as a chance to discover NEW teams that will make your heart beat faster? They don't have to be in your personal top ten, but the more teams you root for, the more fun it is to watch. Just my two cents on it.

Please extend my best wishes to your Mom too!

I agree, my heart beat faster indeed after seeing Lilah and Lewis, their programs in Bratislava live - they are by far the best newcomers in ID to the scene for me, that Disco FD is totally a crowd pleaser and done in such tasteful, catchy manner!

 

[WeakAnkles]

Please extend my best wishes to your Mom too!

I agree, my heart beat faster indeed after seeing Lilah and Lewis, their programs in Bratislava live - they are by far the best newcomers in ID to the scene for me, that Disco FD is totally a crowd pleaser and done in such tasteful, catchy manner!

Thank you also for the Mom wishes. Always appreciated!

Hmm, one thing about disco was that it wasn't tasteful. It was tacky and sexy and over the top and often downright silly ("Ring My Bell" and "Boogie Oogie Oogie" are two of its biggest American hits; we're not talking Wagner here). Piper and Paul got that; their disco program was all the better for it. I like the Fear/Gibson program, but I don't lovelovelove it. I just wish they would bring a little more of that gloriously tacky sexy trashy funfunfun vibe to it. YMMV of course.

Oh wait. Oops. Wrong sister.

Well yes, I have the junior sister on my list on my Junior Teams To Watch List. Actually, after the last JGP, I started making a list of them, and it was well into the double digits. Now not all of these teams are going to set the dance world on fire. But I think all of them have some quality or qualities that make them worth keeping an eye out for in the future. That's what I mean LadyB, about tthey're not in my Personal Top Ten, but I still root for them anyway. Because the better ALL teams are, I think the better ID is as a whole. The best events are where EVERYONE skates well and they battle it out for the podium. Or for a personal best.

 

[NoNameFace]

Thank you also for the Mom wishes. Always appreciated!

Hmm, one thing about disco was that it wasn't tasteful. It was tacky and sexy and over the top and often downright silly ("Ring My Bell" and "Boogie Oogie Oogie" are two of its biggest American hits; we're not talking Wagner here). Piper and Paul got that; their disco program was all the better for it. I like the Fear/Gibson program, but I don't lovelovelove it. I just wish they would bring a little more of that gloriously tacky sexy trashy funfunfun vibe to it. YMMV of course.

Oh wait. Oops. Wrong sister.

Well yes, I have the junior sister on my list on my Junior Teams To Watch List. Actually, after the last JGP, I started making a list of them, and it was well into the double digits. Now not all of these teams are going to set the dance world on fire. But I think all of them have some quality or qualities that make them worth keeping an eye out for in the future. That's what I mean LadyB, about tthey're not in my Personal Top Ten, but I still root for them anyway. Because the better ALL teams are, I think the better ID is as a whole. The best events are where EVERYONE skates well and they battle it out for the podium. Or for a personal best.

Yes, Piper and Paul got into aesthetic thoroughly and with authenticity in basically every element, from costumes, couch suit/perm hair & moustache combo on Paul, music, choreography, attitude...And I loved it too - it was in the perfect, the most corniest vein possible, it showed that they had great fun with it and they got us in the fun mood, too. Brits' Donna Summer Disco FD is more 'lite' and sleeked out for sure, but I enjoy the picture quite much

 

[La Rhumba]

Soucisse & Firus need to get the pattern. They've had a level 1 and a basic in two out of three international competitions thus far.

Fear & Gibson are having the same problem.

Fear & Gibson had Level 3 in the TR1 at Skate America 1TR3+kpYYNY....and it's only the third ever Compulsory Dance that Lewis has learned. They improved the Tango character alot after weak performances at Nepela and Nebelhorn. And are working on it further still.

 

[La Rhumba]

Please extend my best wishes to your Mom too!

I agree, my heart beat faster indeed after seeing Lilah and Lewis, their programs in Bratislava live - they are by far the best newcomers in ID to the scene for me, that Disco FD is totally a crowd pleaser and done in such tasteful, catchy manner!

I'm glad everyone is enjoying them, but it's their 3rd season competing!! Though in all 3 seasons they've had a stronger FD than SD/RD.

 

[Ice Dance]

Fear & Gibson had Level 3 in the TR1 at Skate America 1TR3+kpYYNY....and it's only the third ever Compulsory Dance that Lewis has learned.

And a "Basic" in their second. It's unbelievable how many teams are getting a Basic (below level 1) on the pattern this season. I could probably count on 1 hand how many senior teams I recall earning a Basic in years prior. This year, they are all over the place. Especially during the second set. Seems like more steps may be required for a single keypoint this year? Is this correct?

 

[skatemd1]

I hope Parsons/Parsons medal here.

Me too. Love their programs this year. Free dance is one of the best I've seen.

 

[Heleng]

I hope Parsons/Parsons medal here.

Same here, and Kaitlin and Jean-Luc also!

 

[DSQ]

Actually because there is no clear-cut overwhelming favorite, I think it makes it much MORE exciting. Alas, there is a good chance I am going to miss it, because my Mom isn't doing well and I will probably not be home Friday or Saturday. So if I'm not here, could someone step up and do the PBP? Much appreciated!

My thoughts go out to your mum! I’d love to do the play by play but I feel like my knowledge is a bit lacking to do it justice.

I’m really excited for the RD though, it’s so wide open.

 

[La Rhumba]

And a "Basic" in their second. It's unbelievable how many teams are getting a Basic (below level 1) on the pattern this season. I could probably count on 1 hand how many senior teams I recall earning a Basic in years prior. This year, they are all over the place. Especially during the second set. Seems like more steps may be required for a single keypoint this year? Is this correct?

The Tango Romantica wasn't known as a particularly fiendishly difficult dance in the days of Compulsories. There is such a lack of points distinction between the Levels awarded, that doesn't reward the icedancers, eg. At SA Lorraine & Quinn were the only couple to get 2 Level 4s and 8 Y's, but got a lower GOE than Hubbell/Donohue who got Levels 3 + 2 but scored higher in the TR due to being awarded higher GOE. According to a Dance Coach I know, the top couples will need to get at least 3 Ys to be in contention for medals in each TR segment, and the Patterns are not as big as the old school skaters. Certainly when it comes to Compulsories the standards haven't increased but gone down. As Ivan Bukin said in Helsinki, he is staggered his Father's generation did 3 circuits of the TR when he was struggling with one! During the 83-84 Olympic season icedancers had to practice 6 CDs of which 3 were drawn on the eve of competition, plus an OSP and an FD. I think the reason why they're struggling this season is because of having to a proper sequence of the TR, as opposed to one side of the rink for a few steps of Rhumba in Kilian hold like last season.

 

[auser]

Actually because there is no clear-cut overwhelming favorite, I think it makes it much MORE exciting. Alas, there is a good chance I am going to miss it, because my Mom isn't doing well and I will probably not be home Friday or Saturday. So if I'm not here, could someone step up and do the PBP? Much appreciated!

Just saw this post. Well wishes to your Mom, sister(s), and family. Will be thinking positive thoughts and missing you.

 

[chameleon]

I believe the sudden epidemic of Bs we're seeing is due to having four keypoints instead of three. If I'm not mistaken, getting no keypoints last year on the rhumba got you a level 1, whereas this year to even get a level 1 you have to get at least one key point. Getting that one keypoint is crucial-- the difference between a L1 and a L4 pattern is 1.5 points, but the difference between a basic pattern and a L1 is 1.35.