2012 World Figure Skating Championships Short Dance Review

Firs of all I've got to say that this was one hell of a competition. There were disapointments, there were under-scoring, there was a fight and you could feel the intensity from here.

To start with the champions Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir, What a temptation between them. I think I haven't seen them this much strong and good for maybe 1,5 year. This SD was fast and flawless. From the beginning till the end you could feel the energy in your marrows. All of the transitions were polished and there was a magnificent intensity during the whole program. I will be analysing in details when I compare them with Davis & White. But overall it was breathtaking.
As for the Meryl Davis & Charlie White, I love this program. I think its amazingly structured and both of them were looking so spontaneous like they were coming from the street and someone invited them over and they were improvising the whole choreography, incredible speed in transitons always blowing my mind and they did their best.

Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat; The words are never enough about how I get excited during this program. That fever that glow that rhapsody that enthusiasm is simply magical. This was their best at performing this program. The beginning of the program was so well done with the speed and turns you could see in the rhumba sequence that they could have been better. Fabian had a little stumble on the second part of the twizzle but they handled it well, then comes the fantastic part, the last 45 seconds, impeccably done.
As for the Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje my sentimental favorites are progressing so well I can't believe it how fast they do it anymore. They are more passionate and don't afraid to look or touch each other, this has taken the program into the next level. Their opening movements had weaving footwork and intricacy. Their speed level was spectacular. They have amazing content, transitions and difficult positioning ( thanks to Bourne) which they accomplished with strenght. In the Rhumba pattern their edges were so deep, very good.
Elena Ilinykh & Nikita Katsalapov were below their average performance. Transit
ions were not well done and something happened I can't point it out about their speed. Overall it was a great performance. I loved seeing them as the number one Russian couple on ice that's for sure. But I believe Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte should've ranked higher than them. Their SD was sensational. They make me feel the passion and romance. The softness betweet the turns & transitions is immense. Amazing synchronization between the two was hypnotizing. They haven't stumbled even once. Hands down it was their best performance and they deserved to be ranled 5th.
About Shibutani's, I don't know what happened there. They certainly have been under-scored, not much but a bit. In terms of technique they are not behind neither the Italians nor the Russians. While examining their scores it is obvious that rhumba pattern was the main reason behind it and this element was certainly considered as a below the average for the judges, especially the first one. I believe they were not that good on the pattern either.
Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue are so in love. I love how they quickly started a relationship and this reflects their dancing makes it delicious to watch them and how they sink into each other makes all the movements more delightful. This couple is fast and they were certainly fast enough to impress the judges either.
Ekaterina Bobrova & Dimitri Soloviev, with their poor skating skills, unsynchronized movements, Ekaterina Bobrova's hunch backed annoying posture, untight execution of footwork well, it was ok for me them being 9th. A shame on that fall but looking at their scores you can clearly see that it's not all about that fall.
My newbies Penny Coomes & Nicholas Buckland did the best they could. What a shame her blade slipped out of her hand during the first part of the twizzles but one way or another I enjoy watching this program.

2012 World Figure Skating Championships Quick Notes on FD

Will be comparing the Mery / Charlie & Tessa / Scott after my detailed review about the short dance...


Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir; They brought the magic

As much as I love Meryl & Charlie's program so much. It was obvious that this wasn't their best .
Meryl was slowing down a bit and transitions were not fitted well like they usually are.
But except the disharmony on the twizzles, this was the best performance of Tessa & Scott. They were mesmerizing. They deserved it.

In my opinion, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje shouldn't have done a better job.
This program is so well executed  technically and artistically the combination of the two not only made me cry but also left me speechless!
Angelika was all over the place, they hit the audience and the whole world so hard!

Today I've decided that Fabian Bourzat is the sexiest man ever in the ice dancing history. I usually can't take my eyes of him but this time I was so worried about Nathalie's nose she was my priority to watch, without breathing. It was their country. This was their best shot. And they made it. And Fabian didn't break her nose :) Gladly

2012 World Figure Skating Championships Quick Notes on SD

Detailed review will be coming soon...


Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir

Wow, Tessa definitely lost weight, it was the time for it but this outfit does not suit her at all. I like the blue one
Is it me or Scott is looking hotter than ever ;)
They are certainly better prepared than ever! Loving their aura
Everything is in its right place, amazing harmony, great energy level, they are giving me this magical vibe today like they used to did back in 2010. They are looking so confident and their pattern sequence was without a doubt the best. They have made polished deep edges
This was their greatest SD performance of this season. definitely deserved to be the 1st but they were under-marked either


Nathalie Pechalat / Fabian Bourzat

Amazingly structured transitions!
Their energy was over the top!
Just a litttle bit unsynchronization on the twizzles there... Something quite expected from them so no surprise
A quite sensational ending movements executed impeccably

Meryl Davis & Charlie White

Great opening movements, no prob
Charlie is looking flawless as usual :)
Before coming into pattern sequence I sensed a bit lack of energy on Meryl
They've changed the ending movement AGAIN. I love the one before this the most.
Not their best but judges certainly under-marked. They deserved higher points

Four Continents 2012 - Virtue/Moir & Davis/White Comparison

I sure wasn't expecting that. Wasn't expecting for Tessa and Scott to be this fascinating at all. They were striking in the transitions and turns and there is no doubt that this program has been edited tremendously. They added some transitions that were missing. Finally! I'm so happy that they've seen the missing parts that needed to be filled. The beginning of the program was just so boring now it has amazingly fluent movements that are enchanting. Tessa looks radiant. As much as Tessa and Scott's first 45 sec. of the program was eye-chatching Meryl and Charlie's program seemed so flat. I couldn't live that feeling which I usually have when I watch them. I believe as much as they are technically exellent when they don't have the energy to bring the dance alive the adjective magical flies away from the window or this program. All of the lifts were accomplished tremendously in Virtue & Moir's Funny face. Especially the long lift was best that I've ever seen from them. I used to think that there was always something wrong with this lift where she struggles in the transition of different positions but this time it was solid and flowing. They really risen up high and took the peak point of the music above with it then callobrate it. But somehow Meryl and Charlie struggled in their circular lift and they usually used to take the music where it belongs to when Meryl rises up and like I used to say "she flies and touches the blue sky" but she had difficult moment up there leaving her hands from Charlie's shoulders. What a shame to a wonderful lift. They were both great in footwork sequences but Charlie and Meryl were outstanding as always in the twizlles but they both unsynchronized just a little tiny
 bit so were both teams were equal to me in this segment. By the way, Meryl and Charlie were literally out of breath at the end of the program. I have never seen them like this. They both leaned foward and it was an awkward moment because performers usually doesn't aware the jury that they are exhausted especially Mery and Charlie. Just look at the picture. Something obviously didn't go well for them but they hold it together. Well done Mery and Charlie' Overall, just to make a quick summary their performances and timing were both in the right place but in terms of scoring Tesa and Scott deserved to be higher this time and they have +3,5 Base value so it was inevitable for them to win Gold.

Four Continents Championships 2012 - Short Dance Overview

First of all I really think that no one performed full of their capacity. They were all lacking energy and especially speed. Aso for the Davis and White. They were undeniably the best but still they lacked synchronization in some twisted parts. I really liked Mery's outfit in the nationals and I think this one sucks the light out of the dance. She should not wear it at all. So distracting. But her outfit was not the worst. Tessa's outfit shows all the weight she gained. Its not a bad dress. I don't think we can ever see her testeless but it is a wrong choice for her body. She gained a lot of weighed and it showed most of it. Loved her dark bue one. It was the best represented this program. Se was looking absolutely stunning with it but this time I could not see that "Tessa and Scott light" in this program. They were slow and unsure about some of the movements. Scott is having a hard time trying to lift her up. What a shame for great dancers. Tessa should do domething immetiately. I'm not telling all this to offence but to show reality. We cannot deny this. If they don't pull themselves together, they will continue to fall. We all they are so much better than this. Don't start with the whole she had so many surgeries, bad times defention. She had surgery back in 2009 but they returned like a bomb in 2010. They are loosing it. They are not creative anymore. Don't take this all to Zueva and Shpilband. Look how Meryl and Charlie adding their signature movements and speedy, edgy transitions to their programes.
Weaver and Poje were the only ones with full speed. Although Kaitlyn was really nervous and looked a bit uncomfortable about something Her concentration is so high that nothing can get on her way and she shows it. I feel like their chemisty as a couple is getting better everytime I see them. They are more passionate and don't afraid to look or touch each other, this has taken the program into the next level throughout the season. I believe they have recieved lower scores than they deserved it. So did the Shibutani's. Its ok for me to both of the teams to be rated close but not this low. I may still consider them as teenagers and the fact that they are siblings is a bit disturbing to me in ice dancing but this has not prevented my point of view to be objective. In terms of speed they are better than Weaver and Poje. In terms of twizzles they can even be better than Davis and White in the future! so even thought Weaver and Poje are my sentimental favorites, Shibutani's were much better. I have to admit. But should they really have to dress her upthe same as Tessa's dark blue outfit? I bet she is not wearing it because of this. This is kind of the same dress and I hate these kind of situations. They are both team canton so they should have thought about this. I hate emulation. Everyone has the same hair style as the trend Tessa started; straight flat ponytail from the top of the head.
Tessa is a pioneer of fashion in ice dancing. Tessa and Scott are always the ones followed by the others. Their music is being used by other teams this year. They have started the unique, difficult and high end lifts in ice dancing. They are "high ice dancing" even thought they are not as good as they used to be. Madison Hubbell and Alexandra Paul are one of them.  I was expecting much from Hubbell and Donohue. But they lacked speed and they were missing all the deep edged transitions. I thought that they were going so strong but they dissapointed me big time. Alexandra and Paul were almost in slowmotion. They are perfection in terms of executing technical elements but they were boring. This program feels like its not even latin. It just doesn't gives the vibe.

Moves of 2012 - Pechalat & Bourzat's Egyptian

Pechalat & Bourzat's Egyptian movements are interspersed into this free dance intellegently and right on the spots where it needs to be. This is hard work. The use of their extremities is magnifical and stupendous. Dancing played a vital role in the lives of ancient Egyptians. Even the laborers used to work in rhythmic to the sounds of percussion. So forming the traditional and typical usage of using extremities in a significant way is performing unision symmetrical and dramatic movements. Pechalat and Bourzat integrates these movements in every deep edged transition and change of direction. We are not talking about a few, they are in almost every 5 seconds of this free dance. This makes it internalize
and you taste the essence of this program with Egyptian flavors. This is how you can feel like you are in the theme and when it captures you that's what ice dance is all about. It is choreographed by Kader Belmoktar, she is Egyptian so they wanted to make this right and as it should be. Remember Domnina and Shabalin critisized for offensive aborginal dance which was not their purpose, ofcourse they didn't knew that they were doing something wrong. To execute traditional dances is a bold move. They worked this right and relied on hard work. I always loved Pechalat & Bourzat's innovative approach and to me, they are a synthesis of both modernist and traditionist. Hope to see this routine in its best and see as the 2nd ranked FD of the Worlds.

Moves of 2012 - Davis & White's Rotational Lift

It used to be a Virtue & Moir thing. To make difficult and dangerous lifts. But in the last 2 years that title is Davis & White's.What a glorious joy you feel watching that lift...It's like you can reach and touch the sky and feel all the clouds, stir them to gain your power to fly up higher. This lift is musically superb in its construction. Look how they hit the changes of tempo, there is such sensitivity, they take an amazing piece of music and deliver it. This lift is the peak point of this whole program and you just forget to breathe...