2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Skate America Short Dance [LIVE BLOG]

All this intro info from the commentators is clearly for the casual skating fans, because the hard-core fans obviously know that Madison Hubbell used to skate with her brother Keiffer.

1) Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue (USA)
    Music: Mambo, Rhumba, Samba

• I want Madi  Hubbell to get her roots done, and wear a sassier hairstyle than a high ponytail, its very Tessa Virtue circa 2011 Worlds
• He has great hip action and I'm loving the musicality already
• A little bit of loss of synchronization in that circular step sequence, but so great for a new team
• I'm glad that Madi can let out her inner diva now that she's not skating with her brother
• They have very well matched leg lines in the Rumba sequence
• They go in and out of the closeness of the hold in their 2nd Rumba sequence, but that too will get better with time
• I like the varied positions in the twizzles
• That was a little rough around the edges, but a good start to their season

SD Score: 24.65 (TES) + 25.06 (PCS) = 49.71

2) Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello (USA)
    Music: Cuando Pienso en ti, Tequila

• Did Bella have light hair last season?
• Bella's lipstick color is a little too bright for the dark costumes
• They start with their circular not touching step sequence
• His edges and knees seem much deeper than hers
• That parallel lift is a nice idea, but it needs a lot of work to get in and out more smoothly and maintain speed on Ian's part
• I am a big fan of keeping one piece of music for the whole short dance so it doesn't look like two programs tossed together
• Hard fall by Ian on a twizzle, they were out of synch from the beginning
• I"m not a fan of this program, the choreography didn't do much for me

SD Score: 21.43 (TES) + 21.63 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 42.05

3) Isabella Tobias & Deividas Stagniunas (LTU)
    Music: Shakira Medley

• I love that Isabella is working the Shakira-esque hair for this short dance
• Deividas is a very stiff and her arms are looking a little flaily
• Separation on the twizzle sequence
• Very nice rotational lift, she hits a very Belbin-esque split position
• I'd love more speed in this piece
• I like that this compulory, the Rhumba, focuses on extension, toe point, and leg line
• Fierce ending pose, and they look very happy with that program

SD Score: 28.14 (TES) + 23.69 (PCS) = 51.83

4) Alexandra Paul & Mitchell Islam (CAN)
    Music: 2046 Main Theme, Havana Slido

• I am loving her costume, it's simple but has enough of a pop, and her make-up is flawless
• What happened, she just trip on a crossover? Simple loss of concentration
• Men wearing all black is a theme in the short dance this season
• Nice counter-balance lift, but her arm movements were a bit awkward
• Great speed in this 1st Rhumba section
• The arms were slightly off, but good twizzles overall
• Luckily for them, Crone & Porier are done and they have a great shot to make the Worlds team out of a tough Canadian ice dance field
• Tough second fall for Alexandra on another simple movement, she looks very thrown off
• She seemed out of her body, like she could be sick
• This is a lovely program and I know they'll grow a lot this season?

SD Score: 19.57 (TES) + 20.98 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 37.50

5) Kharis Ralph & Asher Hill (CAN)
    Music: Wanna Be Startin' Something, Harlem Nocturne, Do You Only Wanna Dance

• These costumes are hurting my eyes, I don't even know what else to say about them
• They look a little wild on this opening step sequence, it's great to go full out but you need to reign it in sometimes
• Nice straight line lift with her balancing on her blade
• Her positions are a little square, I'd like them to be more fluid
• This choreography is very fragmented, the "transitions" between elements were quite fragmented

SD Score: 27.79 (TES) + 24.89 (PCS) = 52.68

6) Nelli Zhiganshina & Alexander Gazsi (GER)
    Music: Desperados from "Once Upon A Time in Mexico"

• Poor commentators are struggling with those names
• This is a throwback to Amodio vs Joubert last season
• Something about this team.....they'e never looked well matched to me
• They carry nice speed through this circular step sequence
• Good flow over the ice overall, but Alexander looks a little off balance
• Funny how he goes down into the split position, nice role reversal
• Rotational lift in the haircutter position
• I've never been a fan of over the top endings, i.e. that cartwheel

SD Score: 29.14 (TES) + 26.52 (PCS) = 55.66

7) Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat (FRA)
    Music: Mas que Nada, Batacuda, Real in Rio

• This is my first time seeing them after their coaching change and I'm excited!
• Is it weird that I wish she were platinum blonde?
• Great shimmying opening? And I feel like I'm at Carnaval
• Great seamless position changes in that lift
• Fabian caught his toe pick and went down, that had to have been a deja vu moment to last year's Worlds
• Now this is good choreography, you don't even see the elements, it's one seamless performance
• Sloppy, sloppy twizzles; not the way to try to catch the World Champs
• I love the reverse lift cartwheel at the end

SD Score: 29.51 (TES) + 31.56 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 60.07

8) Meryl Davis & Charlie White (USA)
     Music: Batacudas, Life is a Carnival, On the Floor

• I love the sass of them getting into the opening pose, sassafrass
• Great speed and intricacy of choreography right off the bat
• Charlie slightly ahead in the twizzles
• Great closeness in the holds
• This is the thing about Zoueva/Shpilband choreography, it is all one work, you don't see the elements
• Great fluidity in the Rhumba sequence
• And I lost my feed
• I assume the end was great, though I didn't get to see it

SD Score: 34.14 (TES) + 16.19 (PCS) = 70.33