Skate America Short Dance Review

Opening the Grand Prix Season with SA and from the firs day of it here goes expected and unexpected. Davis and White are no doubt going to take gold from this challenge, this is inarguable. It was demanding and captivating  SD performance. They always make a way to show it look effortless yet a hard worked program. It is so important to secure the balance within these two. Most of the ice dancers except Virtue and Moir cannot make it show as it. They always make great performances but when they seem exhausting and painful while making a move I believe jury cuts out points. Because that is not how ice dancing should. You need to make a difference there. Team Canton students are always reaching this success.
Davis and white exhibited a clean program today. Some points I want to touch; they were slower than usual in the twizzles. I believe they went with a different kind of enty to it so they couldn't speed up as usual. They had their own entry to twizzles for many years which makes it so easy for them to reach the speed they need and help them provide the best way. I believe they need to change it to old one or they won't gain the highest score in twizzles because Virtue and Moir and Pechalat/Bourzat are both performing it in 3 sections with and extra. As for  the Pechalat and Bourzat what an intriguing program and what a shame to Bourzat's fall. This can't be happening to them again. If they miss it again in the world because of an incident again I may cry. They always give such a tremendous positive energy and vibe to it.
They deserve to be in a good spot. Their quality of skating progresses in every season. They didn't let the fall effect them. Greatest outfits of the 2011 season in SD. Lovely choice of music, not an expected one so I appreciate their originality and

essence as a team.Zhiganshina and Gazsi on the other hand didn't deserve those higher presentation scores from Hubbell and Donohue whom exhibited an impeccible program in terms of speed, intricate moves and correct vibe of Cha Cha. Latin theme just suited the way of their style. They are true showstoppers. Terrific synchronization and so many great edgework on the program. Their only weak point was base values of their executed elements.
It was very low in comparison to the others it caused them not to gain much points from element scores and they got left behind. They need to make urgent changes in their second step sequence to get higher values. Paul and Islam;
what a shame to a great teamwork. Except of their falls they were flowy and sophisticated on the ice. There were no mistakes in anywhere in the program besides the 3 collapses. The quality of their skating is sensational and they look elegant. They have an undeniable chemistry between them. My God what a shame!

European Championships Overview

I'm going to talk a bit about the FD..It was obvious that Pechalat and Bourzat lead FD and won the Europeans because of their progress and attidude..But Kerr's being 3rd was a big suprise because of Sinead's injury this season. I didnt think that they were going to push this hard. They were floating with speed and balance. They were so pleased with themselves. They seemed to having a good time and most of all they were feeling it. Great tricky cheorography by Platov..
 About Bobrova and Soloviev, great opening in FD a bit disharmony and loss of balance, but especially Ekaterina looks so confident. Altougha little bad luck about her skirt stuck under Dimitri's blades she is always controlled. Elena Ilynkh oh how beautiful she smiles. Whatever she does I like it I don't know why but I think after 5 years. We will be talking about them as champions... Faiella and Scali were technically ready and tried to focus but this caused them not to reflect the feeling of the dance enough.

Overview sentence: "Unpredictable in some aspects but also highly predictable?"

European Championships Short Dance Overview

It was obvious. As I've said before, Pechalat & Bourzat we're great. I said so much about this Short dance in my last post so I will not again. It was "Absolutely french"
As we come to Bobrova & Soloviev, this was their best short dance performance that I've seen in this season. That's for sure. They started with fluidity and the twizzle part was technicaly good. They stand like champions, which I think is a great way to be in front of the jury. Stance of a person is the greatest power that changes other peoples thoughts, attitudes and behaviors towards him and Jury sees self confidence. There was one minor disharmony after the part lady leans stands back they take the position to outside hold, fastly to combo spin and outside hold again while she removes her right leg back he removes his left leg foward. This is the hardest part in the patters sequence. But I found them succesfull. They deserve to be on the 2nd spot
Ilnykh & Katsalapov were fast and furious. They never slowed down, technically great cheorographed by Zhulin. Everything just fitted. They got up there and just did it. I noticed that they were highly concantrated, which led them to success.
They are only 0.02 points in front of  Riazanova & Thachenko whom were wonderfully elegant. There was a great harmony in that performance. Creativity lies inside the classic moves which gives you hope for the future of the Ice Dance. I always expect these little moves from coaches. I think its what Ice Dancing is all about. Kerr's, they were amazing. I just wanted to scream it was wonderful. To be honest, I wasn't sure about them before the championships begun but they absolutely rocked. I hope they finish it with a silver.
Their speed was wonderful. The linking footwork sequences almost perfect and loved their spins. One of the highest marked components of their presentation was timing.The highest was "Performance" with 7.89 which should be 8.50 at least. But when do we all agree with jury? :) Good Work Sinead & John.
Faiella & Scalli. Loss of balance as usual.. but they wraped up nicely so I think they should'nt be placed 9th. So my prediction is that after the FD, nothing will change and their positions will remain the same.

2011 European Championships Preview

   

Well, the European champs have begun in Bern this season. There is definitely no competititon in the air but there can be surprises.First of all the gold medal will go to Pechalat and Bourzat. Since there is no Domnina and Shabalin couple this season they went a step ahead and did a wonderful job. Asiding from the technical qualities, their aspects of presentation is very strong. They are leaving this "french, magnolia, vintage, dusty memories" feeling when they dance. short dance is very romantic, especially the opening part of the music and the harmony between the twizzles is amazing. Natalie prefers to wear red this year which I think is a brilliant choice and she looks so elegant. I hope she doesn't change it like the others do.
They are standing as they feel like they are the champions this season, which makes me look at them differently. In their free dance, the theatratical sad and happines combination with a Charlie Chaplin medley is a full flavor. First lift is technically very difficult. It dissociates from other straight line lifts that we have seen before. He is on one foot but not close to the ground so he can simply loose his balance but he also makes a curve while gliding.But judges scores this season for this particular lift was very disproportionate. They are my favourites in this European Champs.
But Kerr's on the other hand, have lost significant time due to Sinead's injury that included a dislocation. They placed second in the Skate Canada behind Crone&Poirier. Which was a total dissapointment for them but I have hope that they will be strong in the EC's like they always do and be on the podium. Transitions of style and music in the short dance are very good. Speed and fluidity is great. FD was a bit disappointment for me because I felt that they've stayed back. But their transition moves like the creative twizzles they do on opposite directions (mirror) is so great and elegant. Didn't liked the lifts. They are doing the same lifts every year, they need better ones, I don't know why are they doing this but I know that they have great potential otherwise Platov would not be working with them. They always impress me but its definitely a questionmark in this seasons EC's.
About the Faiella & Scali team. Such a bad luck, two falls beacause of the same reason, wrong design of the clothes. He slipped by stepping on her skirt and I said "What again?".It's not about how long the skirt is. You must watch the dance and see the conflicts. Their last season FD was so impressive so we expect the same performance this year. Didn't liked the clothes in both dances. I really think clothes are so important on influence.



Don't think Bobrova & Soloviev are good enough to be on the podium nor the Hungarians. They still need some time to improve their skills.
This season The European Championships is going to be either boring or very exiting thats for sure...