That was it.... The moment of obscurity appeared when Davis/White finished the program.. Which of them were going to win? Was it Tessa and Scott? Or Meryl and Charlie? I was confused. I bet everybody was confused. Last year you could say it, clearly it was Virtue&Moir. But this year. It was so close, that you can't say. I started to clear my mind and think of every move they made and consantrate on it. Technically I was saying Meryl&Charlie, but another part of me was saying "V/M are the Olympic champions, come on.."But there it was, with a big 111.51 on the screen it was D/W ahead 4.01 points of V/M. I'm glad to see them champions.. really.. I think they deserved it even though I'm a big Tessa&Scott fan and loved the latin medley program, D/W's improvement this season was unavoidable. This program showed how technically hard it is and how it needs to be passionate. There were twists and turns. Meryl and Charlie did it! This program was so close to perfection in the Worlds.
On the other hand if we look at the Latin Medley. Opened artistically great with cha cha moves with very unique and original twizzles then a tricky and moody midline step sequence and followed by the greatest lift of 2011 a rotational lift (RoLi4) then music schanged and I think besides how good they are this part of the choreography was not that strong. It has some gaps which are empty that neither Tessa nor Scott dances. This program is technically almost good as the Tango and V/M's posture and abilities made it brilliant. Usually they never make a mistake. Not even a little disharmony or a loss of balance. But this time. When I watched for the second time I saw Tessa leaned back a bit when she almost (!), I am saying this again you can see it only if you look carefully, lost her balance for not even a second. But it was in front of the judges. And in their partial step sequence they started wth a little disharmony. We are all used to them being identical in the sequences and footworks and I think I saw it a moment in Scotts face.
But except these they were fantastic as usual. Tessa's elegance and Scotts caring holds always takes my breath away. And this dress was one of the greatest outfits in the History of Ice. They were sexy and innocent at the same time. A jazzy style combined to latin is a eurhythmic synthesis and suits them very well. I wish that we could seen it before the worlds a seveal times and wish that they could have a lot more time to practice. Because this program is glamororus..And In my opinion they only missed the gold because of this. Every program they do, they always rule it and they have the control of it. They are always going through hundreds of times over and over again till they are perfect on a move. But they didn't have the time even though The championship reassigned to May. They lost 3 months due to Tessa's compartment syndrome and this loss of time is important.
D/W on the other hand, had their whole season to practice to improve themselves. They've become more and more passionate everyday and fulfilled all the requirements of the program. They were absolutely floating upon the surface. Charlie always makes it blowy and edgy at the same time. He is very elegant. I usually look at the girl but with this couple, my eyes are mostly on him. I just can't take them away. So tango just suited him. They did all the elements perfectly and most of them were ranked 3 always keeping the GOE above the avg. They had the time. They took it and they made it hell of a great program. Unlike the V/M's program this one is full of great moves never stoping turns and twists mostly are created in the rehersals by themselves. Because I remember seeing this for the first time in this season it just wasn't this good enough. There was not that much of good parts that filled it.
If we look at the elements starting with the lifts, straight line lift of D/W is ranked much higher than V/M's. It was unique and much harder to do than the V/M's. V/M did a different variation of it last year in their flamenco which was so much better because that lift suitted the flamenco and the way Scott held Tessa was technically so much harder. But I loved the move he did like a saturday night fever style and sliding a bit like a surfy way. Rotational lifts were similar to each other. V/M's first rotational lift GOE 1.5
because of only one judge ranked it 2. Which should have been a series of 3's. D/W's first rotational lift on the other hand is as dangerous as V/M's. The moment Charlie only holding Meryl from the under of her legs is astonishing. But I think V/M's is a glam. And its speed is incredible. Looking at the 2nd rotational lifts D/W's ranked so much higher than it should have been and V/M's ranked above the GOE it should have. These two lifts are technically in the same line. Plus, V/M's was so much faster. Looking at the curve lifts V/M gets a higher point which is something I don't agree because it is clear that D/W's is a top lift to be hard. Charlie is carying Meryl's whole body weight with his one arm. They should have ranked much higher on this particular lift. Looking at the
twizzles, even though D/W's speed and harmony is amazingly perfect V/M's synchronized twizzles with a circular "mirror" twizzle with a "following one another" twizzle, was unique. It is so hard to be the the same on trying out something new. They were making a circule with twizzles, I believe that they worked on that so many times. They were identical. Not as much as the D/W but should've been ranked higher. When we look at the spins we can see clearly that Meryl's leaning back position get the points and it deserves it. Even though V/M did 3 moves inside the spin. D/W's position eas so much hard.I believe that Tessa and Scott wasn't their best at that time because we didn't see them before performing this program we cant compare on how great they can do all of the moves but I know they could have done it better.
It just wasn't their best even though it was a great performance. They raised the bar in Ice dancing so I know that in some points if they were better, they would've won the gold. But congratulations to Meryl and Charlie they did their best and Won. Can't wait to see next year.
Starting another GP with falls. Madison Chock and Evan Bates fell so bad on ice it is unbelievable how they didn't get injured. That fall costed them 2.00 points of deductions and they finished SD round in 6th place. Their twizzles were a mess. There was no harmony at all and they couldn't put it together till the pattern sequence.They were insecure and movements were intermittent. Then they accomplished the straight line lift perfectly. That lift is edgy and Madison shows velocity in those poses. They have great chemistry and I believe a romance. It shows. They were very dynamic on the pattern sequences and didn't ranked as higher as they've deserved. Even though they fell, I don't agree on that particular -3 point of a judge. If you take a look closely to other points for the element, lowest score is 0. So an -3 is unfair. Ok they fell but they got their deduction they didn't sucked on that linking footwork sequence. Neither Puskash/Guerreiro not Riazanova/Tkachenko were better than Chock and Zuerlein. They are just couples with average skating skills by making excessive movements. And afterwards we finally see a clean program from Capellini/Lanotte. They were not thriving on the first pattern sequence. Some other couples were so much better. But we see fluidity on the twizzles. I always adore their stage presence and elegance. Their samba part is energic and they rocked it. So much fun and charisma in this part of the program. Especially Anna looked like she enjoyed it! I think there were some
part where Weaver and Poje were better and other than that they were equal in terms of skating skills and presentation. Technicality set Weaver and Poje apart. There were some very hard movements in terms of technicality and it showed. I can see clearly that they turned up the volume this time and taken risks. It is unarguable that they prepared well this season. Kaithlyn is a very competitive skater and Andrew is one of the most talented men on the ice dance. I believe that they will reach the spot they deserve this season. They were impeccible on the pattern sequence in terms of both technicality and presentation. They were so confident and had this cocky attitude I simply loved it. A gorgeous straight line lift, just a Bourne style. It really shows it. I become aware of the fact that Kaitlyn's movements resembles to Bourne. Some of the head turnings and usage of her body is so similar you can tell that she got it from her. This choreography is full of requirements containing a high level of speed and edgy turns. They are great especially with speed but they lacked in good posture, extension of the extremities and rushed every move at the part before twizzles by the way they were great. That leg movement after the first section of the twizzle is adorable. I love this little details. I'ts not always about the big picture
for me. Last but not least the couple of my life. They were simply impeccible. Since I have written my comments about the program components, executed elements and choreography before in my finlandia trophy review I will only tell that they are improving even in the beginning of the season. They have added some new tricky movements that have been needed. They are clever and proactive. They have the advantage of their FD last season that should be used wisely. I'm so glad that they changed the lift. Their rotational lift was a very difficut lift but in terms of presentation I always thought that there was something missing. They almost lost balance because of Tessa's posture but they handled it perfectly. They are true champions. Excited to see the FD's tomorrow.
