2012 US Figure Skating Championships: Junior Free Dance (Final Group) LIVE Commentary

Will we see some body checking from the top two teams like we did in the short dance?
Will the Parsons sibs be technically proficient again and win the TES mark?
Can Bonacorsi/Mager make up the 1-point difference and win the Gold?
Making the top 3 is crucial, because they will most likely comprise the World team.

9) Lauri Bonacorsi & Travis Mager

   Music: Close to You

•  Spot on 3-twizzle set with really interesting arms
• They've grown a lot this season, particularly in the performance quality
• Nice deep edging and great extension
• Lauri's posture is better in this dance than in the short
• Feed froze for about 30 seconds
• This music is very high drama, very early 2000s ice dance
• They are a very well matched team, they relate to one another well
• Nice speed in the curve lift
• Very wild on that rotational lift, he almost lost her, that was almost disastrous
• Good save, solid finish
• Very mature program, they're ready to move up to senior

 41.07 (TES) + 39.27 (PCS) = 80.34

 53.39 (SD) + 80.34 (FD) = 133.73

10) Rachel Parsons & Michael Parsons

   Music: To Glory, Enigmatic Soul

•  Great upside down lift
• I just love Michael's posture and extension
• I'd love to see her relax her upper body a little more 
• Nice set of twizzles, lacked a little bit of speed
• I'd love to see them make top 3 and get to go to Jr. Worlds
• Nice toe point on the dance spin
• A little slow on the spin
• Really nice positions in the curve lift
• They seem to be running out of speed, but they're picking it up here in this musical change
• They have some really acrobatic lifts
• That final one-arm lift was very cool
• Very strong finish, good program overall for them
• Some of the lift exits need work, but a ton of potential
• They'll be a team to watch next year at this level

 36.22 (TES) + 36.24 (PCS) = 72.46

 50.80 (SD) + 72.46 (FD) = 123.26

11) Alexandra Aldridge & Daniel Eaton

   Music: Lord of the Dance

•  I'm obsessed with this piece
• This music is beautiful
• Great show of strength in that upside down lift
• Perfect unison on those twizzles
• They look so polished this season, like a completely different team from last season
• They have the attitude of this piece down pat
• Fantastic costuming
• I love how they relate to one another
• They look like they get so much joy from skating
• I love the Lord of the Dance part, it's absolutely rapturous
• Fantastic, I wouldn't change a thing about that

 42.93 (TES) + 44.75 (PCS) = 87.68

 54.42 (SD) + 87.68 (FD) = 142.10

12) Madeline Heritage & Nathaniel Fast

   Music: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Medley

• Nice Tanith Belbin lift 
• Oh no what happened there, some kind of misstep or slip, they lost their footing and rhythm
• I am obsessed with her costume
• They have a very mature look about them
• Very nice flexibility on that spinning lift
• This piece should make me want to get up and dance, but it's not doing much for me really
• It seemed like a little bit of a struggle in places
• I love their look so much, a well matched team

  (TES) +  (PCS) = 69.35

 48.82 (SD) + 69.35 (FD) = 118.17

13) Lorraine McNamara & Quinn Carpenter

   Music:

• They are such a lovely team, they are younger than a lot of novice teams
• A little bit rough on the exits from some of the lifts
• This music sounds a little bit muddled to me
• Nice speed on the rotational lift, but the positions were a little muddled together
• A bit of a unison issue
• This team is going to be one to watch next year
• I wish they would have stuck with the lyrical elegance, I could do without the techno beat, but that's not their fault
• Very strong Jr. debut from them, they are definitely going places! 

 41.21 (TES) + 35.78 (PCS) = 76.99

 49.11 (SD) + 76.99 (FD) = 126.10

2012 US Figure Skating Championships: Junior Pairs Free Skate

1) Cali Fujimoto & Nicholas Barsi-Rhyne

   Music: Swan Lake

•  I love the lacing detail on the back of her dress
• Nice strong lasso lift, a bit of a thud on the exit
• They have nice flow across the ice
• That carry lift in the spread eagle took a lot of strength on his part
• She is a very glamorous skater, wonderful carriage
• That was a very nice program overall
• I believe he may be sick, because he looked like he wasn't invested in the program at all

33.79 (TES) + 35.20 (PCS) = 68.99

 38.45 (SP) + 68.99 (FS) = 107.44

2) Audrey Goldberg & Joseph Dolkiewicz

   Music: Mulan

•  Her hair is so long, I really hope it doesn't get in the way!
• Starting with the death spiral is an interesting choice
• She really needs to point that foot
• Really good split twist
• Oh, tough fall, she didn't open up out of the throw fast enough
• They both look scared to death out there, I'd love to see them open up and smile a little!
• I'd forgotten hos fantastic this music is
• One major difference between Jr. and Sr. pairs is the height and distance of the throws
• Those spins were starting out so great, he may have caught an edge
• Odd exit out of that lift, a bit of a stumble it seemed
• This coach is being really hard on them, said "quite a few mistakes"

 38.91 (TES) + 33.93 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 71.84

 37.15 (SP) + 71.84 (FS) = 108.99

3) Olivia Oltimanns & Joshua Santillan 

   Music: Assassin's Tango

•  Good positions and upside backflip exit form opening lift
• I love the detail and beading on her costume
• I like that swinging exit into the spins
• Wonderful unison on the spins until the foot change, but they got it back
• I really like this piece of music, it's edgy and theatrical
• She took a hard fall on that throw
• Better landing on the 2nd throw, but a cautious takeoff
• They are really starting to run out of energy toward the end, they look like they almost tripped over each other on some crossovers
• She steps out of the SBS jump, this is starting to ravel a bit her
• Not there best, but a very strong first half

 34.77 (TES) + 38.13 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 71.90

 37.40 (SP) + 71.90 (FS) = 109.30

4) AnnaMarie Pearce & Craig Norris

   Music: Music from Rodeo

•  I love Aaron Copeland music
• She is such a little performer and he is very expressive as well
• Good quick split double twist
• Oh they're opposite jumpers, I always like the look of that
• Good save on that hand-to-hip lift, he looked to be losing his footing a bit
• Throw looked to be good, but just a step out, nothing huge
• Nice arch in the death spiral
• I like this team a lot, they're a joy to watch
• It's really hard to see unison when they pairs spin the opposite way
• Lost quite a bit of speed on the pair spin
• I love this music so much
• Good flexibility by her on the spiral
• That drop split was a nice moment of choreography
• Great speed on those lifts
• Nice musicality, this piece is well choreographed
• Fantastic skate from them!

 35.08 (TES) + 41.59 (PCS) = 76.67

 45.54 (SP) + (FS) = 122.21

5) Madeline Aaron & Max Settlage

   Music: Romeo and Juliet

•  Oddly enough, they're right around the same age as Romeo and Juliet
• Beautiful side by side jumps
• This team has gorgeous posture and carriage
• Slight leg separation on the split double twist
• That was a gorgeous throw, just leaned a little too far left
• Nice double axels, slight unison issue on the 2nd jump in the series
• I don't know why, but I've never liked when the music changes mid-spin
• Oh no, another fall on the 2nd throw
• This is not the skate they wanted after winning on the novice level last year
• This clearly is not the skate they dreamed about, but they have wonderful qualities if they stay together and keep skating 
• I really like the simplicity of these costumes

 38.35 (TES) + 43.73 (PCS) -3.00 (DED) = 79.08

 46.26 (SP) + 79.08 (FS) = 125.34

6) Brianna de la Mora & Taylor Wilson

   Music: Transformers/Batman 

•  Wow hello costumes!
• Oooo was that throw titled in the air, I'm glad she didn't fall harder than she did
• Really tight split twist
• Nice upside down entry and exit on that lift
• This team really has good unison
• They have some really nice elements, they just need to loosen up a bit
• They are really flying, good speed
• They should be really pleased with that performance

 37.55 (TES) + 38.28 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 74.83

 39.44 (SP) + 74.83 (FS) = 114.27

7) Jessica Pfund & AJ Reiss

   Music: Music from Treasure Island

•  They are skating so fast right now, that split twist was zippy!
• Oh no, he had that jump and just slipped off the edge
• Nice big throw
• She holds a lot of tension in her hands, loosening up the upper body would do wonders for her
• Really clean double axel sequence, good unison
• This is also their first season together so kudos to them
• Some unison issues on the spins, they are really losing speed
• The exit from that carry lift was a little scary, I"m not going to lie
• Wonderful flexibility on her part in that layback position on the pair spin

 43.96 (TES) + 43.32 (PCS) -4.00 (DED) = 83.28

 43.71 (SP) + 83.28 (FS) = 126.99

8) Britney Simpson & Matthew Blackmer

   Music: Music from Titanic

•  When I first saw this I was surprised that it isn't done more
• It think this pairing highlights Britney's elegance more than her last one
• Gorgeous split twist
• Wonderful throw, great flow out of it
• Nice double axels
• I love this choreography, it really builds with the music
• Nice arch in her back on this lift
• I love the musical arrangement 
• They have a great connection with one another
• They have great unison for a pair that hasn't even been together a year
• That 2nd throw was better than the first
• They are just cool as a cucumber out there, they're making this look easy
• This is one of those programs that I could watch over and over again 
• I loved that she went down on the death spiral as the music built
• So beautiful, that looked like a senior pairs program

 46.63 (TES) + 50.68 (PCS) = 97.31

 49.12 (SP) + 97.31 (FS) = 146.43

9) Jessica Noelle Calalang & Zack Sidhu

   Music:

•  Uh oh, hard fall for Jessica
• They are flying
• Solid split double twist
• I've seen them much better this season, there is just something missing tonight
• This poor girl has taken some hard falls tonight, I hope she is okay
• I love there skating normally, but they just weren't at their best today

 41.01 (TES) + 44.99 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 84.00

 50.84 (SP) + 84.00 (FS) = 134.84

10) Haven Denney & Brandon Frazier

   Music: Pearl Harbor

•  I don't really understand this costume for Pearl Harbor
• Really nice split twist, perfectly timed with the music
• Good double axels
• Haven seems to really be having fun out there
• Really clean throw
• If they keep going like this, it's really going to be close
• It's very unclear which character she is supposed to be playing
• Aww, a fall on that throw after such a lovely skate is unfortunate, she just couldn't hang on
• This is still a fantastic program, even with that one fall

 47.01 (TES) + 50.00 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 96.01

 52.83 (SP) + (FS) = 148.84

11) Kylie Duarte & Colin Grafton

   Music: Doctor Zhivago

• This team has really long lines, very elegant
• SO far so good, I love their look on the ice
• She totally saved that jump, it looked like she was going down
• Very stifled landing on that throw, she saved that one as well
• I love their posture, they'd look great in ice dance

 46.87 (TES) + 48.65 (PCS) = 95.52

 48.83 (SP) + 95.52 (FS) = 144.35

2012 US Figure Skating Championships: Junior Ladies Free Skate LIVE Commentary

1) Gwendolyn Prescott

   Music: Atsuhime

•  Loving this dress!
• Oh no, unfortunate fall, hips were too far back on landing
• There we go with a good triple loop
• Fantastic speed on that Bielmann and the head is so far back!
• I like the build and intensity of this music
• Very courageous, going for the combination even after the hands went down on the first jump
• A few flaws here and there, but she should be happy with her Nationals thus far

 36.78 (TES) + 38.91 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 74.69

 44.84 (SP) + 74.69 (FS) = 119.53

2) Jenelle Herman

   Music: Tosca

•  Ironic music here
• I love that shade of purple on her
• That was a dynamic double axel she just threw down
• I like the speed coming out of the gate here, aggressive
• I like the expressiveness of her upper body, but I really want her to show me something on her face
• Look up and out and let us see your pretty face!
• She is really fighting for every point, nailing those triples

 40.87 (TES) + 37.95 (PCS) = 78.82

 39.03 (SP) + 78.82 (FS) = 117.85

3) Camille Davis

   Music: William Joseph Medley

•  This music is a little different, I like it
• Good triple sal combination there
• She sprung up quickly after that fall, that's the most important thing
• The jumps rotate quickly, but not a lot of spring up there
• She's lacking dynamic range, I feel like the whole performance is one note
• You can tell she is really thinking going into each jump
• I really like the costume, elegant but it pops
• Uh oh another stumble in footwork, you can thank IJS for that
• Good quality skate for her, needed more performance though

 33.48 (TES) + 33.76 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 65.24

 39.43 (SP) + 65.24 (FS) = 102.67

4) Jessica Hu

   Music: Scheherazade

•  Lovely smile right off the top
• Two-foots the opening jump, but landing it is a good confidence booster
• Point that toe on that flying sit please!
• Eyes up and let us see your lovely face!
• Shaky landing, but decent  triple lutz
• Nice donut variation
• I think she may be a little young for this music, probably doesn't understand how to play the character yet
• That definitely needed more emotion, but I respect clean skating

 31.84 (TES) + 35.93 (PCS) = 67.77

 42.35 (SP) + 67.77 (FS) = 110.12

5) Allison Timlen

   Music: Mark Twain Portrait

•  There's something I really like about her skating, I feel like she's a fighter
• I appreciate the pointed toes in her spins
• She has the perfect presence on ice for this youthful music
• Nice job hitting that opening jump
• I love this music, it's a little off the beaten path
• See what I mean....she's fighting for the landings when other skaters would fall
• That leg on the camel is arrow-straight and the foot is pointed, Hallelujah!
• What a great smile, she has so much joy for skating
• Fought for another landing, good for her
• She is good at making adjustments mid-jump
• She is really skating lights out
• Fantastic double axel
• This music is really building and she's matching it

 33.40 (TES) + 42.23 (PCS) = 75.63

 35.94 (SP) + 75.63 (FS) = 111.57

6) Katarina Kulgeyko

   Music: Nostradamus

•  This should be a very dramatic piece
• That free leg swings around at warm speed in those jump exits
• She has a little Ashley Wagner in her
• Wonderful posture in the jumps
• She is in the zone, and it's good to be focused, but I want her to open up and show some feeling as well
• Oh no, starting to make some mental errors here, a stumble, a doubled jump
• Let's get back into rhythm
• She was great in the first half but fizzled out unfortunately
• That was also an abrupt ending choreographically

 33.81 (TES) + 36.57 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 69.38

 46.55 (SP) + (FS) = 115.93

7) Gracie Gold

   Music: The Mission and The Untouchables

•  Here we go, the favorite is on the ice
• This is a popular piece of music this season
• She is looking very introspective right now
• Huge triple lutz-triple toe
• That double axel covers so much ice, not to mention the combination tacked on
• She skates so fast!
• Wonderful spin variations
• That broken arm variation on the layback is unique, very angular
• Her jumps aren't telegraphed, they just come straight out of the program
• Oh no, one fall, just really crooked on the takeoff
• That fall was a fluke, nothing to worry about
• If I can say anything she needs to work on, it's relating more to the audience
• Not a moment is wasted in this program
• Slight loss of balance in that final spin

64.92 (TES) + 54.79 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 118.71

 60.21 (SP) + 118.17 (FS) = 178.92

8) Ashley Cain

   Music: Who Wants to Live Forever

•  I love that criss-cross dress, it looks fantastic on her in that shimmery blue
• Her extension and line is to die for
• I love that she gets really deep into her knees
• Very mature and polished, wonderful intensity on her face
• Knee is nearly parallel to the traditional layback position
• She doesn't wast a second, every bit of music is used
• So far so good, great clean skating 
• The speed and flow across the ice is quite marvelous
• Oh no, one fall, legs were all tangled up, probably UR-ed as well
• The legs are slightly bent in the catch leg spin, that spin should only be done if the flexibility is extreme
• Great emotion on the face
• The fall, yes, but great performance as a whole
• So animated in the Kiss & Cry

 51.28 (TES) + 53.40 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 103.68

 51.80 (SP) + 103.68 (FS) = 155.48

9) Hannah Miller

   Music: Masquerade Waltz

•  I like this music on her, really good speed, very athletic look
• I like that costume a lot
• Nice Rippon variation, both arms overhead
• Popped a jump to a double, 
• Really great speed on that layback
• She's so springy, those jumps aren't even hard for her!
• Hard fall, feet totally slipped out from under her on this landing
• A few little mistakes will add up here
• She has really good jumping technique overall, really squares her body off on the landings
• I love this footwork sequence, it really fits the character of the piece
• I love the way her arms zap out to the sides to check her landings

 46.99 (TES) + 49.25 (PCS) = 95.24

 54.44 (SP) + 95.24 (FS) = 149.68

10) Mariah Bell

   Music: Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind

•  Great attack from the beginning
• I love that rose-colored dress on her
• Nice double axel
• Shaky landing on tha tlutz, but hit it
• Doubled a jump there, small error, but it costs points
• I like her sit spin variations
• This music suits her personality, it's light an playful at points
• She has a very relaxed, fluid upper body, she clearly studies ballet
• Her sense of musicality is beyond her years
• A lot of little jumping errors like two-footing and form breaks
• She is so exuberant, hasn't lost an ounce of energy at all throughout

 44.62 (TES) + 45.53 (PCS) = 90.15

 46.75 (SP) + 90.15 (FS) = 136.90

11) Barbie Long

   Music: 42nd Street

•  I love 42nd street, I'm looking forward to this one
• She has great lines
• She is flying out of the gate on the overture
• Starting right off with a spin, sit variation
• 3-jump combo to start off her jumping passes
• She makes fast skating look easy, one push sends her flying
• Feet were crossed on the landing, just sat that one down
• I love that extended arm variation on the sit spin, anyway she can extend the body lines and show off her assets it's a plus
• She's really looking down a lot here in the footwork
• This music requires a Diva performance and I want to see more on her face
• Lost my feed for about 20 seconds right there
• That was a fine double axel, she showed some fight on the landing
• I love her skating but this was a bit flat for me, I'd rather see her do a more lyrical piece

 52.00 (TES) + 44.77 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 95.77

 48.80 (SP) + 95.77 (FS) = 144.57

12) Polina Edmunds

   Music: Circus Princess

•  She is darling in that costume!
  
• Oh no fall right off the bat
• No no, sat down the 2nd jump, didn't fight for the landing at all
• She is dear, but I'm afraid her nerves got the best of her
• All her jumps look really stifled, not a lot of height or distance
• I really like the footwork, it's very youthful and whimsical
• I want her to show us her pretty smile, she's really concentrating
• Lovely double axel on a big musical accent

 41.28 (TES) + 43.76 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 83.04

 51.02 (SP) + 83.04 (FS) = 134.06

Start No.	Name	Short Program		Free Skate		Total Score
		Place	Score	Place	Score
1	7	Gracie Gold, Wagon Wheel FSC	1	60.21	1	118.71	178.92
2	8	Ashley Cain, Stars FSC of TX	3	51.80	2	103.68	155.48
3	9	Hannah Miller, Lansing SC	2	54.44	4	95.24	149.68
4	11	Barbie Long, Springfield FSC	5	48.80	3	95.77	144.57
5	10	Mariah Bell, Rocky Mountain FSC	6	46.75	5	90.15	136.90
6	12	Polina Edmunds, Peninsula SC	4	51.02	6	83.04	134.06
7	1	Gwendolyn Prescott, Peninsula SC	8	44.84	9	74.69	119.53
8	2	Jenelle Herman, SC Of Boston	10	39.03	7	78.82	117.85
9	6	Katarina Kulgeyko, Los Angeles FSC	7	46.55	10	69.38	115.93
10	5	Allison Timlen, Columbia FSC (MD)	12	35.94	8	75.63	111.57
11	4	Jessica Hu, SC of NC	9	42.35	11	67.77	110.12
12	3	Camille Davis, Salt Lake Figure Skating	11	37.43	12	65.24	102.67