BackStage Barbie: cannuscio lorello

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Saturday, October 22, 2011

2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Skate America Free Dance [LIVE BLOG}

1) Alexandra Paul & Mitchell Islam (CAN)
Music: Tonight by Bernie Taupin & Elton John

If they can get over what plagued them in the short dance, this could bring home a huge score
Beautiful rotational lift
I love the colors of the costumes, very serene
Gorgeous twizzle sequence
This team is so elegant and it's a pity they couldn't show it in the short
This circular step sequence doesn't have the speed of the top teams, but they have a gorgeous, well-matached leg line
They've been called Virtue/Moir 2.0 and I can see it
They have good variety in the lifts
She looks like a bird floating in that dance spin
There is always a pause when the couples shift spinning directions and I appreciate that she took the time to make a gesture with her arm to fill the space
Their entries/exits to the lifts are flawless
They have a very expressive quality about them, without pulling their faces
They were born to do lyrical free skates, don't expect anything jazzy from them anytime soon
He makes her look as light as a feather and shows her off well while still drawing attention to himself which I appreciate
Gorgeous skate!

FD Score: 40.21 (TES) + 34.99 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 74.20
Total Score: 37.50 (SD) + 74.20 (FD) = 111.70

2) Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello (USA)
Music: Les Miserables

Fast paced opening to this program
She loses the 1st twizzle and the 3rd for that matter
This is an odd selection of pieces from Les Miserables
They look like they aren't over their legs for some reason
That curve lift was a nice position
They're carrying great speed in this program
I'm not as big a fan of their programs this season
And her lipstick is too pink

FD Score: 38.36 (TES) + 34.81 (PCS) = 73.17
Total Score: 42.05 (SD) + 73.17 (FD) = 115.22

3) Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue (USA)
Music: I Put a Spell on You by Joe Cocker

This is a great Free Dance, I like it now and it has growing potential as well
They are a very well matched team
They are similar in height and they kind of put me in mind of Lang & Tschernyshev
This is a very solid program, it's seamless and you don't see the elements
The twizzles are great, I love that they take a risk with the a la seconde position
Their holds are very close and they have a great connection to one another
I'm so glad that Madison is not skating with her brother anymore
That final moment was just so great
They are so happy, Zachary is just thrilled with that

FD Score: 43.11 (TES) + 39.22 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 81.33
Total Score: 49.71 (SD) + 81.33 (FD) = 131.04

4) Isabella Tobias & Deividas Stagniunas (LTU)
Music: Let's Twist Again, Only You, Tutti Frutti

I love that Isabella Tobias trained at SAB
They are so cute together!
Love this program!
Those music transitions are kind of awkward
This music is great because it has a recognizable beat
They have great lifts in signature Zoueva & Shpilband
They need to carry more speed with this fast-paced music
That was such a cute program!

FD Score: 41.99 (TES) + 38.76 (PCS) = 80.75
Total Score: 51.83 (SD) + 80.75 (FD) = 132.85

5) Kharis Ralph & Asher Hill (CAN)
Music: Le Cosa Pequena, El Chulio

They never have professional looking costumes
I love watching Asher, but Kharis is a little clunky
He is so much more expressive than she is and has much nicer body lines
That was a gorgeous rotational lift that had great speed
Interesting low spin position with her handing off of his leg
They are running out of gas about halfway through and lack the speed of top teams
Their leg lines do not match very well, he has much better extension
That ending pose was very cool

FD Score: 40.22 (TES) + 38.39 (PCS) = 78.61
Total Score: 52.68 (SD) + 78.61 (FD) =131.29

6) Nelli Zhiganshina & Alexander Gazsi (GER)
Music: Romeo & Juliet

This is a beautiful program at times and painfully awkward at other times
I hate that heartbeat undertone, but it was added after O Nepela when they received a music violation for not having a clear dance beat
That "did they kiss or didn't they" life moment is awkward
The upside down lift is lovely but the exit is strange
This music transitions is awkward and they seem to be flailing, like they don't have their feet under them
They normally have very nice lines, but today they seem off
This is a very odd program for me
I could also see another music violation in that the free skates are supposed to be uplifting in nature, but I don't see that at all when she stabs herself with his hand at the end and dies

FD Score: 37.43 (TES) + 38.53 (PCS) = 75.95
Total Score: 55.66 (SD) + 75.95 (FD) = 131.61

7) Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat (FRA)
Music: Passion, In the Garden of Souls, Le Retour de Punt, Alf Wayla Wa Layla

That opening lift was a stunner!
I hate the costumes, but I get how they work for the program
I hope Fabian can make it, he is really sick
He is a pharaoh and she is the mummy of his deceased wife coming back fro one last dance
Very cool twizzle sequence, a bit of unison lost in the 3rd set
They are keeping the theme of the piece even in the lifts, which is not always the case
I love this jazzy section in the middle!
I can't tell if I love it or hate it
The ending pose was pretty cool

FD Score: 46.42 (TES) + 50.80 (PCS) - 1.00 (DED) = 96.22
Total Score: 60.07 (SD) + 96.22 (FD) = 156.29

8) Meryl Davis & Charlie White (USA)
Music: Die Fledermaus by Strauss

I am loving this classical program on them, they really look World Class
This is what happens when you stay together for 13 years kids, you dance as one
Dance spins must be the hardest place to get creative
They are very good at waltz
Meryl's arms were a little bent in that rotational lift and the exit was slightly abrupt
Spot on twizzles today, the crowd loved it!
I love the whimsical quality of this piece, they have two very light programs this season, both very watchable
A little ragged and wild at the very end, but lovely and solid overall
That piece fits them perfectly

FD Score: 51.21 (TES) + 56.53 (PCS) = 107.74
Total Score: 70.33 (SD) + 107.74 (FD) = 178.07

Friday, October 21, 2011

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

Saturday, January 29, 2011

2011 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Free Dance

Alright everybody, the senior free dance is about to get underway. I'll be giving my commentary and thoughts on the elements and the performances as a whole. Feel free to leave me a comment!
** Denotes my choice in USFSA Fantasy Skating

1) Kristen Nardozzi & Robert Cuthbertson

Music: Imagine/Revolution

Great to hear the Beatles, a great American musical selection
I don't love that they chose the GLEE version of Imagine versus the original John Lennon
These 60s costumes a a tad tacky for me
Kristen has a beautiful smile, but I hope she explores other ranges of emotion
I'd like them to hold their lift positions a bit longer
Oh Kristen tripped on her toe pick in the circular step sequence
I love that we get to hear lyrics in Ice Dance
That was a nice position in that one-arm rotational lift
They are really far apart in their twizzles, but the mirroring work is very nice
Using several versions of Imagine is a nice idea
Nice solid ending to them
Good performance, despite the fall
FD Score: 29.75 (TES) + 25.71 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 54.46
38.53 (SD) + 54.46 (FD) = 92.99

2) Alison Carey & Ryan Van Nattan

Music: James Bond

Nice difficult spin positions, but they lose speed
They start off out of synch, but get back together later in the twizzle sequence
There is some snow flying, which is a sign of unclean turns
They definitely can work on their fluidity and elegance
They seem to be dancing on top of the ice, rather than into the ice
They did a nice job, she really looks like a Bond Girl
As their first senior season, this will be a good building year for them
FD Score: 27.27 (TES) + 23.06 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 49.33
34.35 (SD) + 49.33 (FD) = 83.68

3) Alissandra Aronow & Zachary Donohue

Music: Medley

This is another Zoueva/Shpilband team
Zachary used to skate with Piper Gilles, the twin of Alexe
They have been together less than a year
So far, a very fluid, sensual opening
They have some really fine lifts with interesting positions
They really use their knees a lot
Nice attack in those twizzles
Nice layed out camel position by Alissandra in the dance spin
Emily Samuelson just commented on their improved connection with each other on the ice
Alissandra shows some nice flexibility in the split position going into the rotational lift
That was a very strong free dance from them
FD Score: 32.54 (TES) + 31.98 (PCS) = 64.52
40.84 (SD) + 64.52 (FD) = 105.36

4) Katharine Zeigler & Baxter Burbank

Music: Ladies in Lavender

This is another team in their first year at senior Nationals
Slightly out of sync on their twizzles
Nice lyrical quality and elegance in their program
This won't medal, but it's a good beginning to their senior careers
FD Score: 30.41 (TES) + 27.30 (PCS) = 57.71
32.29 (SD) + 57.71 (FD) = 90.00

5) Katherine Pilgrim & Alexander Lorello

Music: Sweet Emotion/Come Together/Walk This Way

They are starting right off with their dance spin
They are very close in height which gives them nice long lines on the ice
Very far apart in their twizzles, they'll want to get closer together in those in the future
He caught an edge and dropped her in a split position from a rotational lift
She has to be hurting right now
A fall like that will definitely hurt your performance quality
They seem like they are running out of steam here after that fall
Nice hydroblade move, I wish they would've hung onto the edge a little longer and rode a longer curve
Poor Katherine also had a serious collision during the warm up for the short dance and now this
FD Score: 22.92 (TES) + 25.68 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 47.60
32.79 (SD) + 47.60 (FD) = 80.39

6) Ginna Hoptman & Pavel Filchenkov **

Music:

FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) = 69.16
48.37 (SD) + 69.16 (FD) = 117.53

7) Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello

Music: West Side Story

FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) = 82.12
54.43 (SD) + 82.12 (FD) = 136.55

8) Rachel Tibbets & Colin Brubaker

Music:

FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) = 76.39
41.86 (SD) + 76.39 (FD) = 118.25

9) Shannon Wingle & Timothy McKernan

Music:

FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) = 75.13
55.07 (SD) + 75.13 (FD) = 130.20

10) Meredith Zuber & Kyle Herring

Music:

FD Score: (TES) + (PCS) = 73.64
44.42 (SD) + 73.64 (FD) = 118.06

11) Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein

Music: Cabaret

I've been saying all season that they look like a young Liza Minnelli & Joel Grey, thats a compliment
Greg has great facial expression here to keep up with Madison
Nice twizzle series, very solid
They just banged it out
Awesome speed in teh circular step sequence, good tight turns here
Greg is killing me with this performance, Joel Grey would be so proud
I love this spin they do at the beginning of The Money Song
Loving everything about them
They've been the team I've been pulling for all season
I love that upside down lift they do in The Money Song
Those tight turns at the end of the Money Song are so tight, they had falls there at Grand Prix Paris but so clean here
oooo time for Liza, work the Liza Madison!
That final rotational lift was awesome!
FD Score: 48.07 (TES) + 44.81 (PCS) = 92.88
61.74 (SD) + 92.88 (FD) = 154.62

12) Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani

Music: Smile/Let's Face The Music And Dance

So precious, I just love it
This is so elegant, maturity beyond their years
They look like a 25-year old seasoned veteran team out there
Every moment is just so special, there is so much detail
They are so gentle and delicate in those holds
That combination lift is fantastic and he sets her down so gently
I love the transition here into the second piece
They are twizzle masters, they are so good the do three sets
He lifts her like nobody's business
They just are so heartwarming, they have something so very special about them
They have that X-factor performance quality that you just can't teach
They could be the next Olympic champions, they are that good at such a young age
FD Score: 52.34 (TES) + 50.37 (PCS) = 102.71
70.47 (SD) + 102.71 (FD) = 173.18

13) Madison Hubbell & Keiffer Hubbell

Music: Medley by Yellow & Art of Noise

Their programs always have a bit too much sensuality for me for a brother/sister team
They have some unison issues on their twizzles, they are pushing it too much
They do have nice long lines because they are both so tall
They hit some innovative lift positions
Nice use of the hydroblade technique there
I love the low positions they get to in those balance moves, that's a way that they use their height similarity to their advantage
They look a little wild in my opinion, not as crisp and clean as I would like
FD Score: 41.86 (TES) + 41.93 (PCS) = 83.79
57.91 (SD) + 83.79 (FD) = 141.70

14) Lynn Kriengkrairut & Logan Giulietti-Schmitt **

Music:

They are on my fantasy team so I'm rooting for them
They have nice speed, but I want them to calm down a bit and not get so wild
Nice lift with Logan on one foot
Arms were a little out of unison on the twizzles
She is flying around his head really quickly in some of those lifts
I'm not sure who their coaches are, but they have some pretty innovative lifts
They don't have the speed and difficulty of the Zoueva/Shpilband teams in their footwork sequences
Nice dance spin sequence, she uses her free arm quite well as well
Oh wow Lynn just fell and pulled Logan down on top her
That is really going to hurt their score, which is unfortunate because they had been doing so well
FD Score: 40.00 (TES) + 42.83 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 79.83
58.59 (SD) + 79.83 (FD) = 138.42

15) Meryl Davis & Charlie White **

Music: Tango Medley

I have a feeling this is just a preview of the 2011 World Champions
Another new costume for Meryl, I love the skirt on this one
They have such amazing speed
I love that lift where Meryl rests on the back of Charlie's leg
They have such intricate and complicated holds
They are soo good at the small details like head positions and hand movements
Phenomenal twizzles
This is an expertly choreographed program that does not waste a single moment of the music
Every time they get through that moment where they fell at Skate America, I breath a little easier
Meryl has to have such amazing abdominal strength to hold some of those lift positions
They have to be so exhausted after this program
I love how distinctive those three poses are at the end of the program
FD Score: 52.16 (TES) + 57.28 (PCS) = 109.44
76.04 (SD) + 109.44 (FD) = 185.48

Final Standings:

Friday, January 28, 2011

2011 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Short Dance

Hey y'all so here we go, its about time to start the senior short dance. Look for the integration of the golden waltz compulsory dance into free skating movement. Check back with me after each team for my thoughts on their performance and and feel free to leave me comments!

1) Alison Carey & Ryan Van Nathan

Music: Ordinary Day/Do Your Thing

Unison issues on the twizzles, a little too close to each other
Her upper body is very stiff, she should loosen up a little
The transition from Golden Waltz to free skating was a little awkward
The straight line step sequence is pretty good
I liked the cartwheel ending
SD Score: 18.49 (TES) + 15.86 (PCS) = 34.35

2) Rachel Tibbetts & Colin Brubaker

Music: At Last/Hallelujah I Love Her So

Here is another Brubaker Brother
They have nice smooth edge qualities
A very quiet lyrical couple, at least in this dance
Her shoot the duck could have been lower and she could have had a higher leg in the attitude
I've seen worse, but that musical transition was a bit awkward
I would like to see more joy on their faces
The distance between them changed on the mid-line step sequence, it should stay the same
Slight unison issues on the twizzles
SD Score: 20.43 (TES) + 22.43 (PCS) -1.00 = 41.86

3) Ginna Hoptman & Pavel Filchenkov

Music: Dark Eyes

Twizzle in opposite directions, that was interesting to see and nice unison
Nice speed and precision on the Golden Waltz
This musical selection works very well
She shows nice flexibility in the rotational lift
Nice midline step sequence
I like their look together on the ice
Very crisp and clean
They have a nice lilt to their movements
SD Score: 26.57 (TES) + 21.80 (PCS) = 48.37

4) Katherine Pilgrim & Alexander Lorello

Music:

Little loss of unison on twizzles, not super fast
She needs to extend a lot more in her free legs
They got very close to the boards at one point
The waltz mixed with a tango just does not work for me
They need to point their feet a lot harder
They definitely ran out of steam toward the end
SD Score: 15.43 (TES) + 17.36 (PCS) = 32.79

5) Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello

Music: Piano Man

They improved a great deal from their first senior grand prix to their second, so we'll see if they can keep that up here
They have a nice look on the ice, very elegant
Unison issues in their twizzles, but they were much faster also
The choreography works well with they music
Nice midline step sequence, good flow
I like that they integrate the Golden Waltz with the free skating into one piece of music
Nice one-arm rotational lift, he makes her look so light
I don't like when the ending poses are so involved, its just unnecessary
I don't really get how the
SD Score: 28.93 (TES) + 25.50 (PCS) = 54.43

6) Madison Hubbell & Keiffer Hubbell

Music: The Addams Family Values

The movements are choreographed nicely to the music
Haircutter rotational lift is a little overdone at this point
They are nice and close together in their holds
The Golden waltz seems a little slow
Keiffer stumbled out of his first twizzle at the end of the step sequence
She also lifts her leg a lot higher than he does
SD Score: 30.64 (TES) + 27.27 (PCS) = 57.91

7) Meredith Zuber & Kyle Herring

Music: Fallin by Alicia Keys

They are really close in height, they look nice in holds
Not the speed of the other teams
Nice unison in twizzles and midline step sequences
They look more comfortable together than most new teams do
I know they want to show off her legs, but sometimes they looked a bit like they were flailing
SD Score: 24.95 (TES) + 19.47 (PCS) = 44.42

8) Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein

Music: Edith Piaf's Waltzes

Here comes one of my favorite teams
Madison has such great expression on her face
This is already the best speed we've seen so far
These Zoueva/Shpilband teams really use every not of the music
Nice transitions between the individual waltzes
These are the best twizzles we've seen so far
Padam, Padam works very well for this Golden Waltz sequence
Very smooth, speed staying basically the same throughout
Great speed in the rotational lifts, very fast
SD Score: 32.00 (TES) + 29.74 (PCS) = 61.74

9) Katharine Ziegler & Baxter Burbank

Music: Hallelujah

Love the musical selection
Loss of unison in the twizzles
He rocked back onto his heel of his skate and fell
She could really stretch out her limbs more
He seems very unstable on his feet
They seem very slow overall
They finish after the music
They have a very nice look together on the ice
SD Score: 16.15 (TES) + 17.14 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 32.29

10) Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani

Music: The Carousel Waltz

I love them so much!
The Carousel waltz is one of my favorite pieces of music in the world
Some of the best twizles in the world, they do a sequence
This is probably my favorite short dance of the season
PERFECT unison on the midline step sequence
They are very well matched in terms of height
They use their knees so well, they skate into the ice rather than on top of it
They cover so much ice
The curve lift is fantastic as is the rotational lift
Nice big fist pump from Alex!
They are so pleasant to watch, they just warm my heart
SD Score: 38.43 (TES) + 32.04 (PCS) = 70.47

11) Kristen Nardozzi & Robert Cuthbertson

Music: Fallin

This is like the song of the season apparently
They look a little choppy, they skate above the ice, not really into it
Definitely lacking in speed a lot
He gets tripped up in some steps in the Golden Waltz
SD Score: 20.08 (TES) + 18.45 (PCS) = 38.53

12) Meryl Davis & Charlie White

Music: La Boheme & La Traviata

This is a very European looking program
I'm glad Meryl went back to the peach dress
Slight twizzle issue
The weaving midline sequence is wonderful
This program has grown so much since the debut at NHK, specifically in terms of performance and drama
Wonderful speed and deep edges in the Golden Waltz sequence
Gorgeous ending, and they don't lose any speed throughout
SD Score: 38.78 (TES) + 37.26 (PCS) = 76.04

13) Shannon Wingle & Timothy McKernan

Music:

Major unison issues on twizzles
Are they really another Zoueva/Shpilband team?
SD Score: 31.15 (TES) + 23.92 (PCS) = 55.07

14) Alissandra Aronow & Zachary Donohue

Music:

This blue color is like the color of the day
Their edges aren't nearly deep enough
Major unison issues on the twizzles, she lost her position
This is a new team and they have a lot of room to grow
SD Score: 19.95 (TES) + 20.89 (PCS) = 40.84

15) Lynn Kriengkrairut & Logan Giulietti-Schmitt

Music: The Trouble With Love Is

This is a nice team, they connect well with each other on the ice
They have pretty nice leg lines
They seem pretty slow today, the music is dragging them down
SD Score: 32.08 (TES) + 26.51 (PCS) = 58.59

Standings After the Short Dance:
Davis/White 76.04
Shibutani/Shibutani 70.47
Chock/Zuerlein 61.74
Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt 58.59
Hubbell/Hubbell 57.94
Wingle/McKernan 55.07
Cannuscio/Lorello 54.43
Hoptman/Filchenkov 48.37
Zuber/Herring 44.42
Tibbetts/Brubaker 41.86
Aronow/Donohue 40.84
Nardozzi/Cuthbertson 38.53
Carey/Van Nathan 34.35
Pilgrim/Lorello 32.79
Ziegler/Burbank 32.29

Thursday, January 20, 2011

2011 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Ice Dance Predictions and Fantasy Picks

My Predictions:

1) Meryl Davis & Charlie White

2) Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein

3) Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani

4) Madison Hubbell & Keiffer Hubbell

5) Lynn Kriengkrairui & Logan Giulietti-Schmitt

6) Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello

My Fantasy Picks: SkateGate's Fantasy Pick:

A) Davis/White A) Davis/White

B) Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt B) Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt

C) Hoptman/Filchenkov C) Hoptman/Filchenkov

If there is such a thing as a sure thing in figure skating these days, it is Meryl Davis and Charlie White. With Virtue and Moir out of the Grand Prix this season, they had not competition internationally and they should not be challenged at home this year at Nationals either. While the US has a strong field in the senior Ice Dance event, Davis and White would literally have to skip several elements in their programs to find themselves below the top spot of the podium. They have top scores of 68.64 in the short dance, 102.94 in the free dance, and an overall combined score of 171.58. These scores easily won them the Grand Prix Final gold for the second year in a row. While they do not have to worry about competition at Nationals, they can use the event as a chance to improve their technical levels and program components going into the World Championships where they are favored to win gold.

Nipping at the heels of Davis and White are their training partners Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein and Maia and Alex Shibutani. Both of these teams are relatively young and train under Marina Zoueva and Igor Shpilband. Chock and Zuerlein are the 2009 Jr. National and World Champions and last year they debuted on the senior level with an impressive 5th place finish at Nationals. With a senior season under their belts, they looked poised to land in the number two spot in the US, though Maia and Alex Shibutani, the 2010 Jr. National Champions making their senior debut actually have put up higher scores on the Grand Prix.

Though the Shibutanis have put up slightly higher scores, particularly in the free dance, the teams are in a relative dead heat for the silver medal and I think that will be one of the most interesting battles of the event. I am torn because I love both teams so much and they bring very different things to the table. I don't think Chock and Zuerlein's short dance to Edith Piaf's waltzes suits them as well as it could. However, I love their free dance to Cabaret and it is just so quirky. They perform it so well and remind me of a young Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli. They definitely commit to the characters in a mature, yet whimsical way and because they are a Zoueva/Shpilband team, the technical content is obviously there. Their performances won them two bronze medals at their Grand Prix events this season.

I think the Shibutanis have a fantastic short dance and it is just so fluid and gorgeous. Part of that is that The Carousel Waltz is one of my favorite pieces of music on the planet, but they just perform it so incredibly well. They burst onto the senior Grand Prix circuit this year like seasoned professionals, winning two bronze medals in highly contested fields at both of their events. I think they were US bronze medal favorites going into this season, but after the scores they put up on the Grand Prix, they may just be favorites for silver in the minds of most.

While I and many other predict that these three Zoueva and Shpilband teams will sweep the podium, there are several other top teams just waiting to throw a wrench into that plan. Madison and Keiffer Hubbell had a disastrous short dance at Cup of China and though they came back with a stronger free, they still finished off of the podium. They had a much stronger start at Cup of Russia, but they withdrew due to illness, so they will have something to prove at nationals. If all goes according to plan, the Hubbells will make up the final warm up group with the three Zoueva/Shpilband teams, though I don't think they are at the same level as my perceived top three. Lynn Kriengkrairut and Logan Giulietti-Schmitt made a very strong showing at their lone Grand Prix event and actually scored higher than the Hubbells by about 10 points so we'll see if that was a precursor of things to come. Also, expect big things out of Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello. Their overall score improved by about 15 points from their first Grand Prix to their second and if they can keep going, they'll be in the same score range as the the Hubbells and Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt. Regardless of what happens, I am most looking forward to this event next weekend!

Monday, January 17, 2011

US Nationals Preview: Senior Ice Dance Best and Worst Case Scenarios

After compiling a list of this season's scores for US senior ice dance teams competing on the grand prix circuit, I noticed some small disparities in scores for certain teams from competition to competition so I though it would be fun to combine each team's top short dance score and top free dance score from different competitions to project what may happen at nationals if each team matches their season's best. On the flip side, I thought it would be interesting to see who would still rise to the top if each team would happen to match their season's low score. So here are the results, take from them what you will, and ask yourself are you an optimist or a pessimist?

BEST CASE SCENARIO
Davis/White: 68.64 (GPF) + 102.94 (GPF) = 171.58
Shibutani/Shibutani: 56.46 (SA) + 88.65 (SA) = 144.81
Chock/Zuerlein: 58.09 (TEB) + 84.86 (SC) = 142.95
Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt: 52.13 (SA) + 78.59 (SA) = 130.72
Hubbell/Hubbell: 44.47 (CC) + 76.48 (CC) = 120.95
Cannuscio/Lorello: 52.19 (TEB) + 64.61 (TEB) = 116.60
Tibbetts/Brubaker: 36.88 (SC) + 58.98 (SC) = 95.86

WORST CASE SCENARIO

Davis/White: 63.63 (SA) + 93.06 (SA) = 156.68

Shibutani/Shibutani: 53.68 (NHK) + 83.52 (NHK) = 136.93

Chock/Zuerlein: 54.19 (SC) + 80.39 (TEB) = 134.58

Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt: 52.13 (SA) + 78.59 (SA) = 130.72

Hubbell/Hubbell: 44.47 (CC) + 76.48 (CC) = 120.95

Cannuscio/Lorello: 38.34 (CC) + 63.49 (CC) = 101.83

Tibbetts/Brubaker: 36.88 (SC) + 58.98 (SC) = 95.86

So both of these situation deliver the exact same results. However, there are some extenuating factors to consider:

Chock/Zuerlein had several falls on the Grand Prix so their scores will go up if they skate clean
The Hubbells withdrew from their second Grand Prix so they only had one shot at delivering a good score and their messy programs from Cup of China should be much improved at Nationals
Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt & Tibbetts/Brubaker were each assigned only one Grand Prix so they only had one chance to show their programs to judges
Cannuscio/Lorello made a 15 point jump from their first Grand Prix to their next and if they can improve by that much at Nationals, they will have a shot at making the top four

Sunday, January 16, 2011

US Nationals Preview: Senior Ice Dance Competition

When projecting the results for Nationals, it is important to look at the skaters' results in the events leading up to Nationals. The teams included in this post are the competitors that have the best chance of medaling at Nationals. Below are the scores from the 2010 Senior Grand Prix Series. I will be making my predictions and fantasy choices based on these scores and some other extenuating factors in a post to come next week. But for now, here are the top scores among US ice dance teams for the short program, free skate, and overall totals.

Top Short Dance Scores

68.64 Davis/White (Grand Prix Final)
66.97 Davis/White (NHK Trophy)
63.62 Davis/White (Skate America)
58.09 Chock/Zuerlein (Trophee Eric Bompard)
56.46 Shibutani/Shibutani (Skate America)

54.19 Chock/Zuerlein (Skate Canada)

53.68 Shibutani/Shibutani (NHK Trophy)
52.19 Cannuscio/Lorello (Trophee Eric Bompard)
52.13 Kriengkrairuit/Giulietti-Schmitt (Skate America)

44.47 Hubbell/Hubbell (Cup of China)

38.34 Cannuscio/Lorello (Cup of China)

36.88 Tibbetts/Brubaker (Skate Canada)

Top Free Dance Scores

102.94 Davis/White (Grand Prix Final)
98.24 Davis/White (NHK Trophy)
93.06 Davis/White (Skate America)
88.65 Shibutani/Shibutani (Skate America)

84.86 Chock/Zuerlein (Skate Canada)

83.52 Shibutani/Shibutani (NHK Trophy)
80.39 Chock/Zuerlein (Trophee Eric Bompard)
78.59 Kriengkrairut/Giulietti-Schmitt (Skate America)

76.48 Hubbell/Hubbell (Cup of China)
64.41 Cannuscio/Lorello (Trophee Eric Bompard)

63.49 Cannuscio/Lorello (Cup of China)

58.98 Tibbetts/Brubaker (Skate Canada)

Top Total Scores

171.58 Davis/White (Grand Prix Final)
165.21 Davis/White (NHK Trophy)
156.68 Davis/White (Skate America)
144.81 Shibutani/Shibutani (Skate America)

139.05 Chock/Zuerlein (Skate Canada)
138.40 Chock/Zuerlein (Trophee Eric Bompard)

136.93 Shibutani/Shibutani (NHK Trophy)
130.72 Kriengkrairuit/Giulietti-Schmitt (Skate America)

120.95 Hubbell/Hubbell (Cup of China)
116.60 Cannuscio/Lorello (Trophee Eric Bompard)

101.83 Cannuscio/Lorello (Cup of China)

95.86 Tibbetts/Brubaker (Skate Canada)

NHK TROPHY

Davis/White

66.97 (SD) = 32.28 (TES) + 34.69 (PCS)
98.24 (FD) = 46.22 (TES) + 52.02 (PCS)
165.21 (Total)

Shibutani/Shibutani

53.68 (SD) = 28.57 (TES) + 26.11 (PCS) -1.00 (DED)
83.25 (FD) = 42.67 (TES) + 40.58 (PCS)
136.93 (Total)

SKATE CANADA

Chock/Zuerlein

54.19 (SD) = 28.21 (TES) + 25.98 (PCS)
84.86 (FD) = 44.27 (TES) + 40.59 (PCS)
139.05 (Total)

Tibbetts/Brubaker

36.88 (SD) = 18.92 (TES) + 18.96 (PCS) -1.00 (DED)
58.98 (FD) = 33.10 (TES) + 27.88 (PCS) -2.00 (DED)
95.86 (Total)

CUP OF CHINA

Hubbell/Hubbell

44.47 (SD) = 23.39 (TES) + 24.18 (PCS) -3.00 (DED)
76.48 (FD) = 38.64 (TES) + 37.84 (PCS)
120.95 (Total)

Cannuscio/Lorello

38.34 (SD) = 19.05 (TES) + 19.29 (PCS)
63.49 (FD) = 34.43 (TES) + 29.06 (PCS)
101.83 (Total)

SKATE AMERICA

Davis/White

63.62 (SD) = 30.00 (TES) + 33.62 (PCS)
93.06 (FD) = 45.16 (TES) + 50.90 (PCS) -3.00 (DED)
156.68 (Total)

Shibutani/Shibutani

56.46 (SP) = 30.08 (TES) + 26.38 (PCS)
88.65 (FD) = 46.79 (TES) + 41.56 (PCS)
144.81 (Total)

Kriengkrairut/Giuliette-Schmitt

52.13 (SD) = 29.83 (TES) + 22.30 (PCS)
78.59 (FD) = 42.63 (TES) + 35.96 (PCS)
130.72 (Total)

TROPHEE ERIC BOMPARD

Chock/Zuerlein

58.09 (SD) = 31.41 (TES) + 26.68 (PCS)
80.39 (FD) = 41.26 (TES) + 40.13 (PCS) -1.00 (DED)
138.40 (Total)

Cannuscio/Lorello

52.19 (SD) = 31.17 (TES) + 21.02 (PCS)
64.41 (FD) = 32.92 (TES) + 32.49 (PCS) -1.00 (DED)
116.60 (Total)

GRAND PRIX FINAL

Davis/White

68.64 (SD) = 34.42 (TES) + 34.22 (PCS)
102.94 (FD) = 50.15 (TES) + 52.79 (PCS)
171.58 (Total)