2011 US Figure Skating Championships: Novice Compulsory Dance

Alright y'all here we go...competition is officially underway in Greensboro with the Novice Ice Dances in their compulsory dance. As a judge, it must be such an honor to judge at nationals.

BLUES

1) Howe/Farmer

• The speed seems to really be lacking here
• They are nicely synchronized with the music
• They seem intently focused which is good, but she is definitely more of a performer than he is
• Is it just me or does she look like Lynn Kriengkrairut?
• 14.12 (TES) + 14.44 (PCS) = 19.99

2) Parsons/Parsons

• I already don't like these costumes for a blues number, they are too light and flowy and seem more appropriate for a waltz
• This team has much better speed than the previous team and they also seem to get further onto their edges
• I don't know why they let the music run so long after the dance is finished, we have to hear the same piece 12 times so is it necessary to prolong it?
• 18.14 (TES) + 17.57 (PCS) = 25.00

3) Mancini/Brooks

• Now those costumes look more like blues costumes
• She needs to lift her head more and elongate her neck because she looks like she is staring at the ground
• They are pretty deep into their knees which is good but they need more stretch in their free legs and a lot more speed
• Thank you for killing the music asap once the dance ended
• 17.93 (TES) + 16.60 (PCS) = 24.17

4) Oi/Jhanke

• I could tell from their entrance that I liked them, they just knew how to carry themselves from their first stroke
• They do need more speed, but their elegance is undeniable and they have nice lines
• I'm calling it now, if they stay together, they'll be a top team here in a few years
• I wonder if Zoueva & Shpilband every scout new teams or if the ice dancers come to them?
• She is a lovely performer and I don't know what it is, but there is something really special about them
• 15.45 (TES) + 15.31 (PCS) = 21.54

5) Pogrebinsky/Gudis

• They seem to have a nice flow across the ice
• She really needs to straighten her knees and point her feet to elongate the leg line
• I don't like him in those tails because they disrupt the leg line and just get in the way
• She has something in her hair that is kind of distracting and juvenile looking
• 16.73 (TES) + 16.06 (PCS) = 22.96

6) Deissroth/Mueller

• They are an older team and their height similarity makes for an interesting look
• She has such long legs, I wish she would extend them more
• I also hoped they would have more of a performance quality because they are older but I didn't really get that from them
• 13.47 (TES) + 13.03 (PCS) = 18.55

7) Grant/Skala

• I would love to see these skaters do more in terms of makeup and hair to treat this more as a performance
• They are skating painfully slow here
• They look scared and aren't giving me anything in terms of performance quality
• Leg lines need to be elongated
• 14.34 (TES) + 13.65 (PCS) =19.59

8) DeMaria/Miller

• I would love for them to be faster
• They have nice leg lines and I appreciate that they are really trying hard to point their feet, that gets a lot of points in my book
• She gets very deep in her low positions
• The look very tentative, especially her, but they are nice skaters and have no reason to hold back
• 14.10 (TES) + 13.78 (PCS) =19.52

9) Schmucker/Munday

• Nice speed to start out with
• They have nice posture and carriage, particularly the man
• Normally the woman is the picture and the man is the frame but he really has nice posture and he is a joy to watch
• 15.34 (TES) + 15.19 (PCS) = 21.37

10) Moore/Klaber

• I like the suspender look on him, but her dress is a little to romantic and ethereal for me
• This sounds weird but they have very nice extensions to the back in what would be an arabesque position in ballet
• I want all of these ice dancers to take ballet so they can learn to point their feet-an unpointed foot just destroys an otherwise beautiful leg line
• You know how some teams just have that "look" that they fit together, well this is one of those teams
• 16.37 (TES) + 16.11 (PCS) = 22.74

11) Jeandell/Dodge

• They have a nice intensity about them, particularly in the opening poses 
• They seem to have lost that intensity as the program went along

Current Leaderboard:

Parsons/Parsons 25.00

Mancini/Brooks 24.17 

Pogrebinsky/Gudis 22.96
Moore/Klaber 22.74 
Oi/Jhanke 21.54
Schmucker/Munday 21.37
Howe/Farmer 19.99
Grant/Skala 19.59
DeMaria/Miller 19.52
Deissroth/Mueller 18.55