2022 U.S. Nationals: Senior Free Dance

[Seven Sisters]

This is even odder than the pairs announcement! So according to your theory Doris, Green/Parsons are not the Olympic alternate? Who is, then?

And, we are not going to send our US Junior champions to Junior Worlds? What’s with that?

 

[Seven Sisters]

Jean-Luc has been fortunate enough to have one partner the entire time. Michael has not. Its not fair but it is what it is.

Are we sure of this? I seem to remember Jean Luc having had another partner back in juniors, before Kaitlin. Joylyn something?

 

[dorispulaski]

Yes. Jean-Luc skated with Joylyn Yang in juniors. She had a career-ending injury. I still regret this. They were thoroughly wonderful.

Joylyn Yang & Jean-Luc Baker - Short Dance at 2011 US Figure Skating National Championship

Short dance from the 2010-2011 season performed at the US Figure Skating National Championships in Greensboro, NC

m.youtube.com

I don't know. It is all very odd.

But we have 3 dance Teams at Olympics, so it is a bit different.

Is there a limit to how many people they can actually send?

Does it depend on their perception of whether there is a serious risk that a team might not be ok to skate?

Michelle Kwan got sent to Lillehammer in 1992 because it was unclear whether Tonya Harding would be allowed to skate...

But if C&J get nothing again, it is too, too dreadful.

 

[litenkyckling]

This is even odder than the pairs announcement! So according to your theory Doris, Green/Parsons are not the Olympic alternate? Who is, then?

And, we are not going to send our US Junior champion to Junior Worlds? What’s with that?

they are the alternate

 

[Wafflecakes]

Also just going to put out there how no one would have believed in 2000 that Ice Dance would become the discipline the US was deepest/most dominant in for over a decade. I know I wouldn't have believed it.

(Men probably deeper right now, but that is short term.)

Now if only we could have a pairs era....

 

[moonvine]

Are we sure of this? I seem to remember Jean Luc having had another partner back in juniors, before Kaitlin. Joylyn something?

That was many years ago. G/P teamed up in 2019.

 

[Seven Sisters]

Aww! Joylyn is totally adorable. As is Baby Jean Luc!

And look, Lorraine & Quinn were at that comp too. Michael Parsons was probably in Novice!

Where do you find these videos, Doris? It seems like there is a bit of time before the Men actually start

 

[dorispulaski]

I asked YouTube for.any videos of Joylyn Yang.

I chose 2011 RD, because I was there and had happy memories of that skate.

 

[larat]

I was in the arena and as usual I don't understand ice dance scoring. I thought HB were clearly the best and to me they got the best audience reaction also. But I knew that the most they could hope for was third unless H D and CB withdrew prior to skating. I don't understand what keeps HB with a perpetual ceiling of third. I also didn't understand CP's terrible score. They seemed enjoyable and had no glaring errors. I think they are like HB and just aren't judges favorites and who knows how to change that. I would love to see Anthony partner with Lorraine in my dream world.

HB - it is very clear to me what keeps HB in third all the time but i will not say

 

[Kitt]

Please, Larat, do tell!

 

[bigsisjiejie]

HB - it is very clear to me what keeps HB in third all the time but i will not say

Yes please, do tell. All this time, I was under the impression that it was because they were actually the third best team in the USA after H/D and C/B. Silly me.

 

[dorispulaski]

How about because they are better than every team not named Chock & Bates or Hubbell & Donohue?

 

[Yeslekyelnats]

You mean to say Gilles/Poirier were not looking great at Nationals? They had a few level 3 step sequences and lower scores than the top teams here, but that might be just the technical panel being more generous at US Nats. Other than that, G/P were foot perfect.

Canada doesn’t tend to be conservative with their scoring.

 

[lauravvv]

@Yeslekyelnats - But this time they were comparatively conservative. I was talking about the technical panel in my previous post, but I remembered it wrong - G/P didn't have any level 3's in the FD. So the comparatively lower marks are on the judges. The GOE and the PCS were still very high, but a smaller number of 5s and more 3s, and also a smaller number of 10s. But it still stands that Gilles/Poirier were foot perfect, and those judges could have given them even higher marks at Nationals if they would have wanted.

In any case, I was not arguing their chances at the Olympics. All I was arguing with was the statement that they "weren't looking great at Nats" which sounds as if they made several mistakes and were looking weak overall.

 

[WeakAnkles]

How about because they are better than every team not named Chock & Bates or Hubbell & Donohue?

Oh Doris, how dare you make sense and be so reasonable??? I want conspiracy theories, foaming at the mouth, judging scandals! Not any of this "well that totally makes absolute sense" nonsense.

Hmpf. I say.

 

[Seven Sisters]

Saw a response by @Weak Ankles here and had to click immediately. Now I, too, want to know about the conspiracy theory that has brought WA out of hiding! Please do tell.

It’s not the short men theory, is it? I’ve heard that one already, and am not persuaded.

 

[dorispulaski]

Those worrying about whether short male dancers who skate with lifts on their skates can ever succeed?

They need to consult the career of World Champions Albena Denkova & Maxim Stavisky.

And they were from a small, not powerful federation, too.

Also Charlie White is rather short.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Saw a response by @Weak Ankles here and had to click immediately. Now I, too, want to know about the conspiracy theory that has brought WA out of hiding! Please do tell.

It’s not the short men theory, is it? I’ve heard that one already, and am not persuaded.

I'm 6' tall, so there goes your short man theory down the proverbial drain. Not to mention my potential career as a World Class Gymnast and Limbo Dancer.

Actually the reason is because my Mom has late-stage Parkinson's with related dementia and she now requires full time care. But she's a tough Irish broad and is a total inspiration. It has, alas, meant that this season I've been unable to watch almost any skating at all. So I rely on all of you here to keep me Well Informed. You just never know when the topic of Figure Skating will come up in company, and I for one don't want to look like I'm not extremely Well Informed!

 

[slider11]

That alien program felt gimmicky

Must agree. I know C/B did pretty well internationally this year in a limited capacity but not great. And I think this program does not have the international traction to score podium-big at the Olympics. I think H/D have a better shot at bronze, maybe silver.

 

[mskater93]

This is completely meaningless other than being fun. Here are the results of Junior Ice dance, 2007, Spokane Nationals.
View attachment 4844

My opinion only, but Evan Bates would have long been a World Champion and Olympic Medalist (probably Champ) with Emily Samuelson. I feel Emily Samuelson was the better skater when they were team up and Evan Bates had to work hard to be equal as a partner. I know Madison Chock has worked very hard on her basic skating and edgework but I feel like Evan Bates has more or less coasted in this regard waiting for his partner to "catch up". Madison Chock is a more extroverted performer than Emily was, but I would say the same in comparison to Meryl Davis. I am in no way dismissing them, but in some ways am disappointed in what coulda been