2023 NHK Trophy Free Dance

[kolyadafan2002]

they don't want to be put to sleep, which is what the G/F free dance does!

I understand the more "gala" style of F/G isn't to everyone's liking, and that's totally fine. Me? I just don't want to fall asleep during the FD! However, I'm seeing all the blame being placed on the judges and on Fear/Gibson, and NONE being placed on Guignard/Fabri for such a mediocre free dance. They're world silver medalists, for crying out loud! IF they had decent material, they wouldn't be in this position!

It's not the fact it's gala style, it's the fact that the skating itself has issues. I wouldn't mind the gimmicks if there was the highest level of skating displayed within it. And the fact that the levels and GOEs are inflated for weaker elements (less depth of edge, less kneebend, unclean turns called clean).

Lilah and lewis are entertaining. I never denied that once. But in sport, there must be objectivity when judging individual elements and components. There is none of that here. If you want to stop calling it a sport, and call it a performing art, then it's fine if the judges are subjective. But from a sporting perspective, the marks aren't accurate or reflective. Give charlene and marco lower performance scores, that's fine. But everything else to me is of the higher quality.

 

[brushalley]

I fell asleep, but for sure, this is one I will need to watch on replay.

Reminds me of the time Sinitsina/Katsalapov beat Pap/Ciz at Euros. Who says dance scoring is boring and predictable, eh?

Yes but PC made mistakes GF didn't.

 

[slider11]

It's not the fact it's gala style, it's the fact that the skating itself has issues. I wouldn't mind the gimmicks if there was the highest level of skating displayed within it. And the fact that the levels and GOEs are inflated for weaker elements (less depth of edge, less kneebend, unclean turns called clean).

Lilah and lewis are entertaining. I never denied that once. But in sport, there must be objectivity when judging individual elements and components. There is none of that here. If you want to stop calling it a sport, and call it a performing art, then it's fine if the judges are subjective. But from a sporting perspective, the marks aren't accurate or reflective. Give charlene and marco lower performance scores, that's fine. But everything else to me is of the higher quality.

Totally agree that in the competitive lane, technical excellence must be marked independent of the artistic side. Some judges seem to be wowed by the athleticism and dynamic nature of the performance by Fear and Gibson and are forgiving to the technical deficits.

I like Lilah and Lewis and am glad to have them in the top group. But a consistent standard in high-level technical skills must be marked as such for all teams, regardless of their entertainment value. I am hoping that the GPF's panel will be more objective and discerning.

 

[cheerknithanson]

When was the last time the British National Anthem played at a senior GP event?

 

[Ruthypegs]

Based on a public response in the arena during the performances, i knew F/G will won... Maybe it's right, maybe it's not, but that is a figure skating for you

to be fair though, the Japanese figure skating fans are a knowledgeable audience.

I don't properly understand ice dancing scoring, and although I like F/G, they're not my favourite ice dance team. However, to my untrained eye, they did seem to skate much better at this event than at Skate Canada, and it seemed to be error free.

I'd personally love to see them skate to some classical/classical contemporary/orchestral music, and see more of a range of styles. However, they have the ability to make incredibly difficult moves look easy. Also, Lewis is not much taller than Lilah - he must be incredibly strong. And she is fearless - some of those lift speeds and angles..

 

[Ruthypegs]

When was the last time the British National Anthem played at a senior GP event?

I think in 1984, when Karen Barber and Nicky Slater won Gold at the NHK Trophy.

(Whilst looking this up, I discovered that as a teenager, Jayne Torvill was British Pairs champion in the 1970s).

 

[cheerknithanson]

I think in 1984, when Karen Barber and Nicky Slater won Gold at the NHK Trophy.

(Whilst looking this up, I discovered that as a teenager, Jayne Torvill was British Pairs champion in the 1970s).

Wow. That's a long time.

 

[jorge2912]

i seen many surprises in this season and are very nice.

Lilah and Lewis was great and 80s music (is hard to decide if is Lewis or Rocky on the ice rink ) is something that always is nice to see and enjoy, for a while was like back to 80s on a movie theater ,lol , Since last year was watching Loicia Demougeot and Theo Le Mercier and is great and their FD was very relaxing ,is like a SPA session and Claude Debussy's Claire de lune is a hard to interpretate classical music and for find the right speed and mood for express it , Juulia Turkkila and Mathias Versluis was wow!! lyrical. Is great see that from 2021 some are doing their FD with some classical or Ballet Music like Nadia and Peter Romeo and Juliet or Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek with Swan Lake act 2 FD (the unique critic is Odette in the act 2 is white dress but looks like a ballerina like Marianela Nuñez or Olga Smirnova) sorry for mix some ballet with ice dance ,lol .

 

[labgoat]

I am not the biggest fan of the Italians (Although I completely respect their technical brilliance, I don't find them to be well matched physically, or interesting performers), but that was a lovely palate cleanser after the previous program. It was far more complex and sophisticated. Well done!

I agree with a lot of this. When I hear the Theory of Everything music all I can see in my mind is a young Hawayek & Baker telling the story of Steven Hawking so beautifully in a way that pulls at my heartstrings and Charlene & Marco do not quite achieve.

 

[Weathergal]

I agree with a lot of this. When I hear the Theory of Everything music all I can see in my mind is a young Hawayek & Baker telling the story of Steven Hawking so beautifully in a way that pulls at my heartstrings and Charlene & Marco do not quite achieve.

I remembered them doing this program but hadn't seen it for a long time. Thanks for posting the link. I realize there are technical differences, but Guignard / Fabbri's actual program and presentation don't hold a candle to this.

 

[labgoat]

I remembered them doing this program but hadn't seen it for a long time. Thanks for posting the link. I realize there are technical differences, but Guignard / Fabbri's actual program and presentation don't hold a candle to this.

I think this is one of my all time favorite programs of theirs. It just moves me. I wouldn't mind seeing them reprise it with a take on how they dealt with their various injuries and struggles. I just miss them so much and am hoping they are healthy enough for US Nationals.

 

[DSQ]

When was the last time the British National Anthem played at a senior GP event?

Never.

Robin Cousins won the first ever NHK Trophy but it was not yet a Grand Prix Event.

 

[labgoat]

Finally watched the FD all the way through and these are my impressions...

• KoKo - They are costumed lovely. I give each real-life couple a chance to indulge and do a romantic program. Great use of his spread eagles, not so strong on OFT slower and careful than the others.
• Lorraine & Anton - Murky semi-modern piece skated in turquoise yoga wear. Very nice OFT (4th) and twizzles. MiSt not as successful. Not a lot of emotion here. Lackluster dance spin. This team seems to have plateaued no matter who is on the judging panel.
• Lariault/LeGac - Corpse Bride! One of the most original and fun skates of the season for me. Her costume is epic as are his expressions. A costly mistake on her third tw sank their scores. Great character skaters. A personal favorite dance this year.
• Bratti/Somerville - Lovely rose and wine colored costumes. Both have wonderful posture and soft arms. The play off each other well with good expression to the oft used music. Very steady development for them.
• Loicia/Theo - Classic navy for Clair de lune music. Very strong, smooth skating showing their glide. Wow for the StaRoLi. The crowd clapped along with the uptempo music change into stunning walkover lift. Great musicality. Slightly off on the OFT. Very unique take on the elements.
• Turkkila/Versluis - Blue ombre for her, Black ombre for him. Stunning StaRoLI for them Elegant and musical shapes and soft arms. effortless change of hold. Slightly awkward on one lift. Very well done twizzles and OFT, just slower than the other teams and less powerful.
• Allison & Saulius - A modern program about over reliance on technology - hence the cell phone mime. They start distracted and disconnected. He lures her in to get more involved in the music and electronic distractions become louder and more insistent But they shake them off and their movements erupt into a frenzy of coordinated dancing that continues until the end when her phone goes off and she looks at it. Tw a bit out of sync, DiSt a bit lower, flipover into dance spin is great. OFT a bit lower for him. Very original. The crowd very appreciative. They are more powerful and cover more ice than the Finns with deeper edges. Very original, a bit less tidy in spots.
• Fear & Gibson - Love it or hate it Rocky is a novel choice of theme. Lots of boxing accents - the jump rope, boxing, sparring that blur the edge of character and gimmick. The silent opening with the bells for the OFT is effective at showing off their improvements in comparison with the Finns (faster and better ice coverage) and the LTU (neater). As the music picks up they do their faster elements - tw, DiST, and dance spin. Lyrical suggestions carefully chosen for the judges - getting strong now.. Into an effective CuLi and character steps finally the StLi to end. Very audience friendly.
• Charlene & Marco - Very good twizzles, hardest, most unusual dive & reverse entry to their StRoLi. Circular steps into mock death spiral entry into dance spin. Marco shows lots of anguish in character section & consolation from Charlene to Steven Hawking story. Her upside down pose at the end shows how his illness upended their lives and ends with him lying on her knee.

 

[murphybridget]

I once dated a man who took me to an elegant Italian restaurant on our four month anniversary and hired an accordion player to serenade us with "Loving You." I immediately ended the relationship.

He should have just chosen a different song.