Moves of 2012 - Fully Extended Free Leg Twizzles

I love twizzles because they are one of the few moves you can subjectively compare teams performance in it. You might be thinking "What is she saying? Doesn't she know they are not a couple anymore?" Well I do.. But lets look at what Hubbell&Donohue and Gilles & Poirier twizzles this season. What a coincidence that the first part of their twizzles are unique and quite the same. They are performing the first set of twizzles with a fully extended free leg. In my opinion Donohue and Hubbell's is much better. But thats not the point. This is very unusual. I love the fact that people are trying to renovate the twizzle concept and go beyond borders to make something dissimilar. Absolutely loving these twizzles. Not only they are difficult to execute they also require a great balance indeed and even the slightest unsynchronization is out there, clearly you need to be bold to include this kind of movement into a program. My God I love this flash of dazzle called twizzle don't I :) Sorry for the terrible print screens

Moves of 2012 - Virtue & Moir's Funny Faces

I love this theme. And the funny faces they make. They constantly make funny faces and that is a great way to represent the theme, the idea of it and to reflect. I love when couples do associated certain "moves" to integrate it with the program. This is certainly out of Virtue & Moir's league because even though when they make a hardcore Pink Floyd theme program, they always superimpose intimate actions. But this program is just about fun. Pure fun and the "moves" they make are "funny" even when their intentions are not to be. The opening in itself is delightful and funny! He tries to make her smile but she looks funny faced :) Representing the whole dance in the most pertinent way. And there is the part when they tap dance a little bit Scott makes this "funny face" and they just constantly make it. Great move Tessa & Scott. Appreciated..

Notes on the U.S. Nationals 2012

The king and queen of the twizzles..
Meryl and Charlie are exceptional this season. The way they use music is supreme. Collecting rises and the falls, the usage of every tone of it and turning it into enchanted movements is a gift. Their Free Dance is going to be legendary, I have to admit that I wasn't into it just like last season. But I've noticed once again when I watched the U.S. Nats. this program is not only impeccably executed in terms of technicality but also a way of turning a masterpiece music to vision. I was also pleased the way they edited the SD. The end of it is so much better loved the sliding move. It was their best seasons best performance of this SD. So much choreographed that you cant track the contents of this program its amazing. PS: Loved Meryl's new outfit. Hope she keeps this one

                                                                 Definitely attracted...
After I've seen Chock and Bates in the U.S Nats performing their FD, there was only one thought on my mind "They are definitely attracted to each other, its maybe even love". I't is so obvious. Here is what I see; Madison always giggles in a shy way when he talks and her eyes sparkle when she looks at him. They definitely seem to love being close to each other and take every opportunity while they are performing and they have an amazing chemistry which I'm not even talking about because these are the obvious ones that we have been aware of since the beginning of the GP, there are little details supporting my theory which is him whispering her at the en of the FD. Come on.. offcourse you can talk to your partner but what is so urgent that you cannot even wait the performance to end you just picked the most intimate part (she lies on his knee and he almost kisses her) of it to whisper her something by chance ha? Sure.. I'm dying to know what he said to her because that moment was so adorable and she was pretty happy about it but this is not it. Then when she lets her head down in the end, look at Evan's right hand, you'll see what he does. I'm not going to tell :).

2012 Canadian Figure Skating Championships Overview

I enjoyed watching this season's Canadian Nats., maybe its because most of my sentimental favorites are from Canada. First of all Scott was looking like interesting with his wierd printed shirt but I'm kind of realizing that they are growing up and they are mature human beings. I dont find their SD was as good as it should be. Because we all have been seen them performing this program with so much energy and this performance lacked enthusiasm. But I certainly find them beautiful and I admire their demeanor. About their FD. I've seen some editing. Especially on the first lift which is a terrible idrea because they were fine with that innovative lift and they were progressing on it so why change now? If they can handle that streight line lift they had in 09' and 10' seasons they certainly can handle this one. They've changed it into this ordinary lift that has nothing exciting about it and as much as I love Tessa and Scott I don't think that they are going to be World champions this season. I appreciate Tessa's interest in Funny Face theme but this program is to be honest...boring. Let's give some credit to Meryl and Charlie, they are a lot better and their program contains variety of transitions and quick changes and edgy movements, Tessa and Scott are just hanging around the ice and this choreography lacks everything M&C has in their program. So I wish that they would just come up
with new ideas instead of rehersing the same moves on and on.. It all comes down to them, this is not about the coaches they can easily look at Meryl and Charlie and say " They have a lot of technical stuff that we don't have" and try to change this program. Ok enough of Tessa and Scott..As for the Weaver and Poje. They blow my mind. Their SD was hands down the best performance I have seen this season. Jusst perfection. No suprise they were so close to Tessa and Scott after the SD. They deserved it. And their FD was absolutely astonishing I love this program but once again I told myself "they really need to edit this last lift" they need to cancel the 3rd lift and combine last two lifts in the end because that straight line lift needs something and that is a rotational lift with makes it a long combination lift. It would be perfect because it just seems awkward. Thak God they have these amazing movements aftarwards in the end that changes the mood but there is still 2 seconds screaming for help.Coming to Gilles and Poirier, as much as I loved their SD, I hated their FD. I thought that is was going to be choreographed by  Christopher Dean but if it is then I'm disappointed. Because it is great till the end of the first minute then off.. its boring.. sorry but I would expect more from him. Maybe it will progress but draft is there and unless it doesn't have lot of editing on it then certainly this program is not taking them anywhere. But
their SD was impeccable yet innovative. I loved Piper's energy and gleam. I didn't know that she was this much talented Im suprised in a good way and they have a great chemistry, nice choice there Paul! Go with it. Loving loving loving their twizzles! very creative and hard to execute. Loving Piper's yellow outfit. I think it is the best outfit this season. But I can't say the same to their FD outfits. They are terribly lame! I understand their funny look with a tough song like Sweet dreams but they don't need to look childish. İf they would look the opposite ( tough) to their actions (sweet and funny) then it would be clicked but I'm not feeling it like this. Coming to Paul and Islam, they executed clean, poished and solid work out there. They were impeccable but they need some action to at least one of their dances because they are dancing with a rhumba part mostly in their SD and performing to a slow music piece in their FD. I'ts just not right. Ralph and Hill deserved to be 4th. I'm not really into this couple although I adore Asher and his posture and stage presence I believe Kharis being a bir over weighted constitutes as an obsticle for them. But they are passionate and enthusistic so.. wish them the best.

European Championships 2012 - Recap

We all knew that this battle was going to end with the victory of the French. But I shall remunerate Bobrova and Soloviev for their FD performance either. I thought for a sec that they were going to win because ther FD was nowhere around I've expected from them. After being in first place after that SD which they didn't deserve at all with this strong, clean FD program I've told my mom "See that, they might win. I cannot believe this" But this time jury was fair. The whole ranking in the FD was as it should've been so I'm pleased.

Short Dance

You could say, among the top 6 or even 7. Bobrova and Soloviev were the worst. With their poor skating skills, unsynchronized movements, Ekaterina Bobrova's hunch backed annoying posture and irritating choreography that SD was far away from being the best. But somehow they've managed to be the first. I know that the the French lost timing a bit in the beginning of the program but they've managed to chatch it up before the lift and they were making deeper edges in the GPF so I can understand how their score was lower than the GPF. But other than that two facts, they were full of energy and they were fast with no mistakes. They showed us how great skating skills they have as always. Looking at Riazanova and Tkachenko I find them technically impeccable. I wish that they would just seem a bit effortless. Regarding to what they accomplish I'm not saying that they look like amatures but if they can manage
 to look confident and include some theatrical looks, they might even be considered as the best couple from Russia. Because they are. They just need time to convince public about it. Coming up to Penny Coomes and Nicholas Buckland. You know how I love this couples demeanor and their vibe and how much I'm into this SD. I love Aguilera's El beso del final and all of the movements just melts in this song. What a shame that they've missed it in the twizzles. It was going to be excuisite. They were fast in the step sequence and transitions were great in the mirror steps because they are trained by the one and only Evgeny Platov. After the Kerr's retirement I'd never thought a couple would come from GB with this much talent. All of their lifts are containing speed and innovation. When the music needs a lift, they give us the lift and their speed level is significantly adding values into their performance. So they deserved to be 4th. Tobias and Stagniunias are not in my favorite list and they need a way go. Unsynchronization on the twizzles and poor skating skills gives them away. I bet they are going to be so much better with team Canton but not there yet. As for the Italians, They 
had a trouble but at least should've been ranked above Coomes and Buckland. If they would have been magical just like in the GP they would have been 3rd. They weren't expecting all these series of sync loss and tripping. Was their worst performance but even performing their worst, they always seem fascinating and enchanting. Love their chemistry. Ilinykh and Katsalapov on the other hand were remarkable. Great speed with transitions made with amazing edges. Hands down it was their greatest performance. Them and the italians ranked below so many couples because their movements base values are very low. Cappellini / Lanotte were 25 and Ilınykh / Katsalapov were 24.5 compard to other couples high base values this is the reason they got behind. French could've pass on but their base value was lower than Russian either. So this
 is very important. I say this every year. They should not let anyone cross them with their higher base values because when GOW is added to it no matter how great points you have from the Jury you might get behind when it multiplies with base values. Carron and Jones, they are my sentimental favorites! I love this program. And they handled it amazingly. Beginning movements were so cute and well done. Just a bit loss of synchronization on the step seq. but thats all. Even Bobrova and Soloviev tripped there. But they were ranked first. So how come Carron and Jones presents a tremendous program and becomes 8th. This is not the first injustice they experience this season. It happened before in the GP. They were solid and this program is polished beautifuly. Their lifts were hard to accomplish and its transitions were real quick They made deep edges in the pattern sequences. What did they want from them? Last but not leas Zhiganshina and Gazsi wore the same outfits again, which has nothing to do with latin but hands down it was their greatest performance this season. I love this couples deep edges. They were the only ones to accomplish step sequence with deep edges and quick transitions. They never unsynchronized. The main problem with Guignard and Fabbri; either she's taller and bigger or he is too small because they look a bit awkward. I love when women looks tiny near men in ice dancing and the opposite always bothers me. They are a self-improving couple and they were ok. I believe they see Virtue and Moir as idols because usage of their extremities (espesially Charlene's) look alike them. I'm not saying this as a bad thing I think its cute and not annoying at all they look lovely. In years to come we might see them in top 10.

Condemning the jury

Please wake me up.... wake me up.. A bad dream about the Russians performing as bad as always as being first on the short dance. Oh no.. I'm not talking about Ilinykh and Katsalapov. They were amazing as always. I'm not talkin about Riazanova & Tkachenko either beause they were flowing and beautiful.Way better than Bobrova and Soloviev. Elena and Nikita should have been ranked above Bobrova and Soloviev. Please.. Are they really serious?. I condemn the jury. Can't believe it. How come Pechalat and Bourzat not ranked as first? What is going on here? I'm actually asking this really.. not kidding. How can you look at the Russians and cannot say "Jury made them a favor" This is the most innocent answer that you can give in a situation like this. Pechalat and Boutzat were the best. I'm not going to even criticize their program. We all have seen it. This is about Bobrova & Soloviev ranked 1st. It happened before with their poor skating skills, unsynchronized movements, Ekaterina Bobrova's hunch backed annoying posture and irritating choreography. Do they really think we are stupid? Guess what we are NOT! Did they really think that we would see this and say "Well they were ok, I guess they deserved to be 1st... I'm not an expert anyways... Jury is". Well clearly they are not. Becouse the whole top 6 were way better than Bobrova and Soloviev.

Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final Review

Bobrova & Soloviev:
I love to bash this couple. Because they deserve it. Ekaterina looked awful in the free dance as much as she looked flawless in short dance. But Bobrova and Soloviev are in nowhere a champions should be. In the SD they were fast and accomplished the pattern sequence very good but the way Ekaterina Bobrova uses her extremities is excessive and the fact that she leans foward literally all the time is disturbing. She lookes like she is hunched. Their FD was full of content, its not a bad free dance but she ruins everything by leaning foward all the time and with her disproportionate posture. It is so hard for her to stop this. They are dancing very apart from each other in linking footwork sequences which is a big flaw to me. They were not even sliding on the ice. Lost too much time writing about them. They didn't even deserve to be in the Finals of the Grand Prix
                                                                  Shibutanis:
They may be less experienced but their skating skills are superb and in terms of technicality it is undeniable that they were better than the Russians. Especially in the FD. The lifts were full of content and they were extremely difficult. But they gave us a solid performance. Shibutani's have amazing skating skills and this time I've seen this FD more polished and smoothed. They are more glowy and it is obvious that they have worket on their artistical side out of it. Their timing was impeccable and they were calm during the performance. But they still  lack something that does not take them in front of Weaver and Poje. They need a couple of years to settle some things down and figure out their style, because they are capable of everything
Weaver & Poje
Just perfection.. There was fire on stage and Kaitlyn really pushed hersef to the end because usualy she is not very strong in the end of their performances and she usualy looses her strength and power but this time she went all the way. It was adorable when she cried. This program has diversity, power, melancholy and drama. I love to see drama on the ice. Totally Bourne style choreography, they used all the lines in it fulfill fully. They were clean in all of the transitions there was not one moment connected intermittent there is no doubt about that. Especially Andrew blew my mind tonight. I can see that he is improving on usage of his extremities and body language. They were absolutely stunning and all of the lifts especially their rotational lift (second) was as fast as they could be. Well done Kaitlyn and Andrew. I'm so prod of you and how fast you have become an amazing ice dancers.
Pechalat & Bourzat
They were fast and edgy on the Short dance. They have deserved to be the 3rd. But I believe that they should've been ranked 4th for the FD. The short dance, first of all it was full of content. This SD has been choreographed and tailored perfecly for the french. It suits them very well and takes you to another place. What a remarkable performance. From their clothes to little detailes fittet in the small bits of the program it is shiny, positive, hopeful and cozy. I love to see them in funny and refreshing programmes as much as I love to see them in the middle of the innovative and post-modern pieces. Egyptian theme is just mesmerizing. They were enchantedly fascinating and their stage posture is tremendous in this program. I don't need to tell you how amazing Fabian looks and how this theme even makes him more gorgeous. He could possibly the most charming and charismatic ice dancer in the ice dancing history. What a shame
 on that twizzles with loss of synchronization. They've opened very strong an made very deep edges, lift could have been better. I have seen them performing this particular lift, which is their signature lift, so much better than this, even in this program but it was ok. Linking footwork was admirable. See, this was one of their weak sides. Till last year they were never good in linking footworks and step sequences because they used to dance so distant but you can see the improvement. I personally hated the way they changed their straight line lift! Why on earth did they do that? I have seen this lift in almost every program they have performed. Straight line lift in this program was unique and innovative. It used to give you the vibe of the oriental side of it. This is a very big mistake. I loved the deep edges and transitions in this program. They are still adding some minor details in usage of extremities in an Egyptian Way. Their timing was impeccable. Overall, it was well done. Virtue/Moir and Davis/White comparison is coming up in the next few days ... I have decided to make this annual because  my comparison review from the last worlds is the most popular by far of my all posts..