2018 Rostelecom Cup Free Dance

[WeakAnkles]

Natalia KALISZEK / Maksym SPODYRIEV
Country: Poland
Music: Bout Time by Crystallize; I Feel Like I'm Drowning by Two Feet; Bout Time by Crystallize
Choreography by: S. Nowak-Trebacka, L. Chojnacak, R. Bondara
Costumes: Both in basic black with sheer paneling and illusion stripes down each sleeve. The Nebelhourn costumes were way cooler.

Program Layout:

Frantic robotic steps that say, No this isn't Dirty Dancing. We've gone Techno! It's Tres Moderne! And into
Rotational lift - He flips her up into a strange position (go see the video). But I like it. Level 4, .84g
Connecting steps into
Twizzles - Level 4 fo rher, 3 for him. Neg .62 goe. Screen froze. What happened>?
Back to more robotic steps into
ML Step Seq - Hey! It's PostModern Waltz Time! But it still needs to be sharper. if you're going to go techno, you need that cold precision. Level 3, 1.46g
Some VERY interesting robotic steps into
Dance Spin with a cool first position. And it's multidirectional. Level 2, .38g
SL Lift with her on one thigh. It's very sculptural and cool. Level 4, .79g
Choreo Spinning Move - which I also really like. GOE: 1.38g Steps into
Stationary Lift - which they've been using for I believe 2 previous seasons. Level 4 .87g
Tempo change and right into
NT Step Seq - adding that hiphop for extra flavoring. Level 3 for her, 1 for him 1.16g
Chor Char Step Seq 1.66g
Choreo Lift 1.54g

Judges savaged this at Nebelhorn. Then they got a PB at Skate America. BUT for this to work, both partners have to FULLY COMMIT TO THE CHOREOGRAPHY. You can't be half-hearted. Techno is all cold mechanistic precision. Own it. The lifts and spins work, now they need to focus on steps and edges.

Another longggggggggggg review. Really long. They really fine tooth comb this dance every time. Ouch.

and man the stream is GLITCH CITY


Score: 95.32

 

[Baron Vladimir]

i'm late to this party. At least i can watch top 3

 

[Jeanie19]

Alexandra and Ivan. Great skate. :thumbsup:

 

[Baron Vladimir]

This free dance is really a great vehicle for Stepanova/Bukin. 68 TES

 

[tzazu]

Great skate!!!

 

[WeakAnkles]

Alexandra STEPANOVA / Ivan BUKIN
Country: Russia
Music: Blues: "Am I The One" by Beth Hart
Choreography by: Irina Zhuk, Aliona Samarskaia, Petr Chernyshev
Costumes: Black dress (very well cut) with open back and strapping for her; basic black for him

Program Layout:

Steps -- including everyone's new fave the besti squat (his dad would be super duper proud!) and over the shoulder roll, to tell you, Yes It's a SEXY Blues and into
Curve Lift - level 4, 1.21g
Dance Spin - first position is good - lovely body lines. Level 4 1.67g
NT Step Seq - Level 3 for her, 2 for him 2.47g
Twizzles with an interesting, difficult entry. These actually get some real coverage. Also like the stop and head flick to end them. Nice and unexpected. First rate. Level 4 for both and 3.20 g which they deserve
Chor Spinning Move - with her in a split position between his legs. Musical. Good. 2.66g
Chor Char Step Seq - with a clear axis (thank you) 2.70g
Diag Step Seq Level - very little of which is actually done in hold. Level 4, 3.04 goe Hmpf. No.
Ro Lift over the back roll up entrance to one foot. Level 4, 1.58g
SL Lift Level 4, 1.19g
Choreo Twizzles - in their patented shoot-the-duck position. These WORK because they don't NEED to have great coverage. 3.65g
and a real Hmpf ending (it's a good thing)

I did a lot of thinking about this since Helsinki and I know what my problem is with the program. Blues comes out of slave field chants and spirtuals. It's about sex and sin and guilt. Go back and listen to early blues and you'll hear some of the dirtiest double entendres you can imagine. "I need a little sugar in my bowl./I need a little hot dog between my rolls." And what I'm NOT getting from this program is that raw dirty earthiness that say H/D had in spades. She has definitely found her knees, which is a huge improvement. Now I want both of them to find that attitude. They have it at the end of the twizzles. I just wish this had more of it all the way through. It's a good program, probably the best FD they've done. But to take it to the next level, they really need to dirty it up and LOOSEN it up. Sex and sin and guilt. This was much better but go for the dirt even more!

Score: 124.94 and an overscored SB. Sorry but that's how I feel. They're being set up for a silver at Worlds.

 

[cathlen]

I really like Alexendra's dress :luv17:

 

[Ravyn Rant]

Now that was a skate worth getting up early to watch! It was risky picking a Beth Hart number after H/D did so well with one last season, but S/B are really making this their own. Great job!

 

[skylark]

This free dance is really great vehicle for Stepanova/Bukin. 68 TES

And more importantly ... they're bringing SEX to Ice Dance. So do Madi/Zach and Gabriella/Guillaume... but all in such very different ways

 

[Baron Vladimir]

I feel Carreira/Ponomarenko free dance is 'too serious' for thier youth... Maybe they can switch programs with Madison/Zack

 

[WeakAnkles]

Christina CARREIRA / Anthony PONOMARENKO
Country: United States of America
Music: Tokio Myer's medley including Clair de Lune, Bloodstream, and Angel
choreography by: Igor Shpilband and Pasquale Camerlengo
Costumes: Blue ombre dress with sequins for her. black pants, blue ombre shirt for him. It's all a bit throwback.

Program Layout:

Long series of dance steps and poses that are lovely to Establish the Mood. It's even got a Besti squat!
Dance Spin Level 3, 1.03g
Twizzles - done in a long circular pattern. 4 sets! Nice! Level 3 for her, 4 for him 1.87g
Then the music gradually imcresases its tempo (and they match it) during the
ML Step Seq. - Hmm, again, not in hold as much I'd like, Twizzle out. Level 3 1.84g
Tempo change into
Stationary Lift - Level 4, .75g
Tempo change into
NT St Seq - Level 2 for both. Could be more precise. It looked rushed. 1.46 goe
into a patented Igor Step Up onto His Thigh Curve Lift Level 3, .94goe
Chor Char Step Seq - MUCH clearer with HUGE arms by both. Much better. 1.66goe
Rot Lift up to his shoulder. Nice speed. Level 4, .69goe
Tempo change to
Chor Lift - nice curve to that 1.66goe
and a Choreo Slide (yay! a slide with intent!) 1.66 GOE into their final young lovers pose.


As you can see above this is incredibly sophisticated music with a TON of tempo changes. I give them enormous credit for skating BOTH the highs and lows of it. It means they feel that music. They're not dumbing down the tempo for a step sequence. I'm really impressed by that.

And they are so young. Moving to Seniors was a very smart move.


Score: 1.5.20 That's about right. It wasn't quite as good as last time. But man they can skate LEVELS in a performance which is a joy to watch

 

[Weathergal]

Great skates by S/B and C/P! Loved S/B's twizzles and ending sit twizzles.

 

[Kittosuni]

i really like how unapologetic this program for Stepanova/Bukin. Man that was awesome

 

[cathlen]

That's definitely one of my favourite FDs this season

 

[Baron Vladimir]

That was good from Hurtado/Khaliavin They can win silver???

 

[tzazu]

That was good from Hurtado/Khaliavin They can win silver???

Bronze?

 

[Jeanie19]

Sara and Kirill. Love love this program!!!

 

[Ravyn Rant]

A Bukin and a Ponomarenko on the podium. OK, I feel better about getting up so early and enduring the splatfest that was the men's comp.
I want to see this medal ceremony - hopefully, all the proud OGM parents will be there.

 

[skylark]

So the last three -- the Russians, the Americans, and the Spaniards ... all were smashing,each in a completely individual way. I could not be happier!

 

[cathlen]

And they have silver!