Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev

[RemyRose]

Interview with Dmitri translated on FSU:
Vaytsekhovskaya's interview with Soloviev `Olympic season is not the time for changes'

 

[RemyRose]

New SD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-S61Rg9Ffo
2nd video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5Wimc8VLMk

 

[coldblueeyes]

On a first watch I didn't really like the program that much, but when it's clean and smooth, I can see it working. Especially the first and second songs go surprisingly well to me, but I'd do without the shoulders a bit. The entire first section with the non-touching steps is so pretty! Let's wait for them to improve!

Also, I think this program is better than their last years' SD. At least IMO, of course.

 

[NoNameFace]

On a first watch I didn't really like the program that much, but when it's clean and smooth, I can see it working. Especially the first and second songs go surprisingly well to me, but I'd do without the shoulders a bit. The entire first section with the non-touching steps is so pretty! Let's wait for them to improve!

Also, I think this program is better than their last years' SD. At least IMO, of course.

in all that critic already expressed from some, I agree that this is not the worst or not the worst we could get. For me, the dance, choreo and the structure of it seem to suit Ekaterina and Dmitri quite well, and I am pleasantly surprised on musical selection which is on more 'low-key/understated' side of Latin than I expected.

What is important for me also is the commitment and attack I saw from both of them - I think that years of experience and being seasoned performers (programs can be liked or not, their expression too, but performance abilities cannot be denied from them in my opinion) help to carry on performance and making it engaging. I appreciate some nice movement from Katia, BUT that dress has to go - it does little to highlight her killer legs and figure, she would kill in red/burgundy number with open back, full sleeves, some gold details, asymmetric trim, definitely on shorter side. And Dmitri would look much better with all black costume, maybe similar he had for last season's EX. My other doubt is the lift - it kind of looked accidental and unprepared, if it has to be at the end, rotational one is the most fitting, but I'd like to see the one they did in 'Anna Karenina' FD.

Overall, I feel like the dance needs more mileage, seasoning, gelling and polish - like probably all programs/dances presently for the first time. I would especially pay attention to the ending sequence with quicker rhythm/pace included - it looks a bit messy comparing to relatively polished slow sequences/step sequences/pattern. But I have my hopes

 

[coldblueeyes]

Yeah, it's pretty obvious it's in the early stages yet, but the more I watch the more I like it. And I can't say the three songs don't go well together, it's more of a matter of finding a way to transition between one and the other and carry on the expression throughout the program. Also, it has a very ballroom feel to me, very classic, with just a little bit of sass. I think they found a good balance between cheeky and sensual, and the structure of the program also works for me. I don't really feel like there's that sequence of element-transition-element that I felt when watching their last programs. This looks whole, and that's really good to me.

Of course, that lift needs to go, and a better dress would be nice too, especially if it's something in warmer colors. That blue just doesn't do it to me.

 

[RemyRose]

SD from test skates https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_VsBvfYv2s
Dima has a new costume!

 

[RemyRose]

FD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_PiBWUppKc
2nd video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGBEmYrofaA

 

[LadyB]

Not sure about the SD, but I liked the FD. However, Dima did say earlier that they were only skating at 70pc of their capacity at the moment, but they will be back on track in time for their first comp.

Lengthy interview with Dima & Katia: https://rsport.ria.ru/interview/20170910/1125528659.html

 

[Snow63]

:luv17:

 

[coldblueeyes]

Oh, wow, TAT praised them. Now no one will stop these two, now.

https://m.sports.ru/amp/news/1055555870/

Also, let me just leave this link right here. Tell me you can't see the story right there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50B_vk9BpIo

 

[TheGothicEme]

Also, let me just leave this link right here. Tell me you can't see the story right there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50B_vk9BpIo

Not sure I got it right, but I think at first Katya was blind, then Dima gave her his eyes, and then when he was blind he couldn't find her? It's like Madness fd somehow isn't it? The end was a reverse of the beginning?

 

[coldblueeyes]

Katia and Dima are first after the SD in the 1st event of the Russian Cup - ahead of Evdokimova/Bazin. They scored 73.86 (TES 36.66 PCS 37.20)

They got lvl4 on the lift and twizzles, lvl3 on the rest (lost one key-point in the pattern)

Here's a short video of the SD, hopefully more to come. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6R2g1wNh0Y

 

[coldblueeyes]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J03htBpJC8g

Aside from the mishap on the last set of twizzles, it was a very strong showing. Their speed during the pattern is just awesome, and there's a new lift. I think it still needs just a bit of tweaking, more training probably, but it looks better than the last one.

 

[Snow63]

Not sure I got it right, but I think at first Katya was blind, then Dima gave her his eyes, and then when he was blind he couldn't find her? It's like Madness fd somehow isn't it? The end was a reverse of the beginning?

The story is a bit different.

Long story short:
Katia is a blind lady and Dima is lonely young man. They bump into each other randomly on the street and Dima falls in love with her. Her blindness is not a problem for him, that's how deep his love is. He starts to help her, to 'open' her to the world. Love is a miracle, love makes impossible things possible, and so the miracle happens and Katia starts to SEE, she's not blind anymore. They are happy, they are in love, they feel like they can fly! Katia sees that the world is even better and brighter place than she ever imagined when she was blind. But every atom of happiness has its expiration date, all the good things come to an end. In the end it turns out that Katia is not real, Dima imagined her, she was just a dream. That's what the ending is, he tries to catch her and she always slips out. So after the dance he stays just as lonely as he was in the beginning.

That's a bittersweet story. And they really tell it well, it's like I was watching a spectacle on the ice. I think that this is the best dance in their career. You can throw stones at me, but I'm absolutely sure that they are the best storytellers in history of ice dance. My opinion.

 

[coldblueeyes]

And they really tell it well, it's like I was watching a spectacle on the ice. I think that this is the best dance in their career. You can throw stones at me, but I'm absolutely sure that they are the best storytellers in history of ice dance. My opinion.

It's just looking at the comments about their FD this year that you can see it was never about the dance, it's because Katia and Dima are not the favorites. It's because they are not some other couple. And that would be fine if people just admitted that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_SmG1TcxoM

FD from today - some mistakes on the steps and in the choreographic lift, but another strong showing.

 

[Snow63]

It's just looking at the comments about their FD this year that you can see it was never about the dance, it's because Katia and Dima are not the favorites. It's because they are not some other couple. And that would be fine if people just admitted that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_SmG1TcxoM

FD from today - some mistakes on the steps and in the choreographic lift, but another strong showing.

The one and only thing I don't like in this FD is that straight line knee lift. I'm not a fan of knee lifts at all. The idea is good but it kinda ruins the flow of the dance. I usually against recycling, but IMO their last season's straight line lift would be absolutely perfect for this dance. Their twizzles sequence on the other hand is wonderful, it will look brilliant when done well.

 

[TheGothicEme]

The one and only thing I don't like in this FD is that straight line knee lift. I'm not a fan of knee lifts at all. The idea is good but it kinda ruins the flow of the dance.

Agree, ever since Lena and Ruslan's Indian FD, I have bad prejudice with knee lifts. But they had problems with last year's straight lift, so I think they won't risk it this season. Personally I like the straight lift in their 2011 White nights FD most, I always want to see it again, the original one, not the one they altered the exit and put to their 2014 SD.
Btw, I love the curve lift, it looks so beautiful.

 

[Snow63]

Agree, ever since Lena and Ruslan's Indian FD, I have bad prejudice with knee lifts. But they had problems with last year's straight lift, so I think they won't risk it this season. Personally I like the straight lift in their 2011 White nights FD most, I always want to see it again, the original one, not the one they altered the exit and put to their 2014 SD.
Btw, I love the curve lift, it looks so beautiful.

The curve lift SCREAMS Papadakis/Cizeron for me. And I'm glad they finally heard what Shekhovtseva said years ago, ISU welcomes more simple and less acrobatic lifts. And their rotational lift stays the best. Now if only they fixed their straight line lift or changed it... ehhh. this dance needs light and minimalistic lifts, not heavy and slow. Even their Anna Karenina StLi will fit better.

 

[coldblueeyes]

The curve lift SCREAMS Papadakis/Cizeron for me. And I'm glad they finally heard what Shekhovtseva said years ago, ISU welcomes more simple and less acrobatic lifts. And their rotational lift stays the best. Now if only they fixed their straight line lift or changed it... ehhh. this dance needs light and minimalistic lifts, not heavy and slow. Even their Anna Karenina StLi will fit better.

I don't know, I like their straight line lift? But perhaps it would do them good to have something minimalist. The rotational lift is the money element on the dance, but it doesn't really stand out from the rest. I really like how both step sequences are built, and how even the transitions don't feel just like transitions. Everything blends seamlessly, and that's the most important thing.

What I like about the lifts is that they are simple, short and solved in seconds. Katia and Dima always had good lifts, but sometimes I thought they took away from the rest of the dance. Not this year. This is their best FD ever. It's miles above AK, and that was already a feast for the eyes. But this year the program is just so easy on the eyes, so simple to understand. I can see it being a hit with the judges, because it's palatable to everyone.

 

[Snow63]

I don't know, I like their straight line lift? But perhaps it would do them good to have something minimalist. The rotational lift is the money element on the dance, but it doesn't really stand out from the rest. I really like how both step sequences are built, and how even the transitions don't feel just like transitions. Everything blends seamlessly, and that's the most important thing.

What I like about the lifts is that they are simple, short and solved in seconds. Katia and Dima always had good lifts, but sometimes I thought they took away from the rest of the dance. Not this year. This is their best FD ever. It's miles above AK, and that was already a feast for the eyes. But this year the program is just so easy on the eyes, so simple to understand. I can see it being a hit with the judges, because it's palatable to everyone.

Well, it's not exactly bad, it's just slows the dance almost to a full stop. That's where I see the problem. Maybe they will train it and it will look more seamless in the future. I would also like to notice that their FD at test skates was only thier 5th or 6th skate of that FD in full. Mileage will do wonders.