European Championships 2017 review: ice dance
I’ve already shared my impression from pairs and ladies at European Championships 2017, now it’s time for ice dance.
As always drama, drama, drama)
Good for me that I watch ice dancing like a gripping TV series with a mix of genres: from drama to comedy, from thriller to fantasy. Once again it’ve been proved that in recent years it’s the only way not only to keep your mental health but even enjoy watching ice dance.
In principle, I have only one question about ice dance. How is Sergei Ponomarenko? Is he ok, or still struggling in an unequal battle with hiccups and hiding from Tarasova? Oh, poor man, she was furious and continued to talk about his professional qualities all over again during all disciplines after the short dance.
Fortunately at Europeans trendy boring lyrical dances were diluted with some different styles, but the lot still managed to troll the audience and skaters: tangos and Tchaikovsky performed one after another. Probably to make it easier for Judges to compare.
I really liked the free dance of Lucie Mysliveckova / Lukas Csolley. I’ll definitely re-watch it to catch all interesting things. I also liked the British duo Lilah Fear / Lewis Gibson, I think we need to remember them for the future.
Kirill Khaliavin with Sara Hurtado suddenly started to look like a real partner: strong, reliable and manly. I wish he only paid a little bit more attention to her and looked at her more often during the dance. Ha, was it really Zhulin who choreographed their dances? I can hardly believe) Where are mimes, crazy people? After all, where’s Vivaldi?! Pair has nice trendy dances and very impressive lifts! If not a mistake on twizzles I’d gladly put them into the top-10.
Speaking of the top ten. Nikita Katsalapov triumphantly broke into the top ten, defeating the Turks. Amazing result. It’s not for me to judge how bad were levels in the short dance, but one thing I now know for sure, unlike his partner Nikita is not a fighter. He didn’t even try to fight for the element, just stood watching Victoria heroically doing twizzles. I feel sad for Victoria, I think Nikita should ask the contact of Kovtun’s psychologist. Well, heal your shoulder, your head, learn rumba. whatever, I just hope that the buzz around SK IZ will calm down and we’ll have less drama.
Not so long ago Tarasova was pretty generous for compliments for Nazarova / Nikitin and now such a change of mind! Boring, uninteresting, no a dance. No, I also don’t like their constant style of urban crazy, but what caused such a dramatic change of point of view?)
This time I felt the free dance of Laurence Fournier Beaudry / Nikolaj Sorensen. Such a sensual program! And even her negligee wasn’t distracting. I’m so sad for Charlene Guignard / Marco Fabbri! They looked great in the short dance and then such a shocking and dangerous fall in the free dance. Although, something was wrong already on the step sequence( I’m so sad, I like this team a lot.
According to madam Tarasova everyone was so frightened of Stepanova / Bukin, judges saw a serious competitors in them and decided to hold them back with scores and didn’t let them to broke into the pedestal and probabaly beat even the Frenches) We definitely saw different dances, because on my screen Stepanova and Bukin had a really rough short dance and almost fell at the beginning. Come on, Tatiana Anatolievna, you’re not young but not blind, so I doubt you didn’t see that. But this is ice dance, baby, drama and only drama) Tango they skated better, but still it wasn’t wow.
The umpteenth rescue of Russian ice dance was postponed indefinitely. Again. Apparently, all hopes for Morozov and his wife.
Though Tobias / Tkachenko took the fourth place, I have nothing to say about them. They are not memorable for me and the only thing I do remember from their performancs are sequines on Isabella’s jumpsuit.
I think Bobrova and Soloviev were the strongest in the short dance. They have speed, they skate big, they have solid pattern. So I agree with their first place, but they way this justice was restored, it is some kind of absurd. Someone called someone late at night….Can I also call that someone?) I have a looot of questions. As for the free dance, it still makes me laugh, starting from the first move. Sorry)
Every season there are new favorites in Russian ice dance, but only Katya and Dima consistently bring some medals. So Russian fans have nothing to do except praying to all sorts of figure skating gods and hope that in off-season Zhulin won’t have a dream where Gershvin and Tchaikovsky are persuading him that they sound great together, plus you can always call Vivaldi.
In the world of trendy boredom and overdrama it seems only Anna and Luca bring some positive and happiness into ice dance. And I’m so gratefull for that! Unfortunately Ostravian jitters got them too( I don’t even remember when they had a mistake on twizzles for the last time! And I a small remark about new dress. It’s elegant but it made the dance too dark…. So, I prefer the old one, with an ash rose blouse)
Gabriella and Guillaume got rid of their nighties and went on the short dance in amazingly beautiful costumes. But the paradox the dance lost it charm … ..the charm of slight negligence. The free dance was strong and captivating, but I think at GPF they had emotionally stronger performance. And everything in this world seems to remain the same: the French lose the short dance, win the free and overall. With only one difference. Now all this happens not at the cosmic level. No more huge gaps in scores…..
Related topics: Alexandra Nazarova Maxim Nikitin, Alexandra Stepanova Ivan Bukin, Anna Cappellini Luca Lanotte, Charlene Guignard Marco Fabbri, Ekaterina Bobrova Dmitri Soloviev, European Championships, Gabriella Papadakis Guillaume Cizeron, ice dance, Isabella Tobias Ilia Tkachenko, Laurence Fournier Beaudry Nikolaj Sorensen, Sara Hurtado Kirill Khaliavin, Victoria Sinitsina Nikita Katsalapov
I liked a lot Tobias and Tkachenko. I think they are my most favorite dancers this season. The were more memorable at Trophée de France for me, but they still captivated me. There’s a moment when she does a short layback spin and he’s doing some steps around her, that was the higlight of the magic of their dance.
It’s funny how everyone can be amazed by something different…
Usually I’m not a super fan of Brobova/Soloviev but this time I really liked them. Oh, and I agree with Mad For Skating : their free dance really looks Averbukh’s style.
Averbukh and Zhulin both have spent a lot of time in TV show Ice Age where skaters skate in pairs with famous actors/singers. There all “programs” are theatrical, I think they both can’t get rid of such “good for entertaining TV show style” creating programs for real competitions.
I totally agree with Mad for skating.
As for G &G , I’m biased againt it for more or less the same reasons. I think they did two mistakes: remain in Montreal and doing again the same progrmme, unless, as I suspect, they are not able to do anything else.
Worlds will be very, very interesting, but in the while, wt’s look at what happens at 4CC for the second and third place ( if Tessa and Scot skate clean, there’s no way someone can surpass them).
” I think they did two mistakes: remain in Montreal and doing again the same progrmme, unless, as I suspect, they are not able to do anything else.”
Where else they could go? There’re not so much options. But I agree, this season they should have tried something different and then go back to their style in the Olympic season. Because it seems people are a bit tired to see the same dances all over again.
Totally agree.
And I had to smile at them being called G&G – like Gordeeva and Grinkov!
When I said ice dance was unpredictable, I meant that it’s a judges’ game, not a competition of “who skates best”.
Victoria is a great little ice dancer, she’s improved a lot. Now I feel like she’s the one leading Nikita, instead of the other way around. She’s the beautiful girl we’re watching while he stumbles this way and that way. And yes, she’s in amazing shape.
I just hope Papadakis and Cizeron will think of something new for the Olympics.
“And yes, she’s in amazing shape”
Marina Olegovna, please take me to your group!) I will find what to do there)
“I just hope Papadakis and Cizeron will think of something new for the Olympics.”
I don’t think they’ll risk to try something new in Olympic season. Pre-olympic season is a time for experiments, unfortunately they missed this chance.
All the girls in Marina’s group make me jealous :)
I guess I will brace myself for another lyrical Papadakis/Cizeron dance. Because that’s what we’re going to get.
But they’ll have to do something not that lyrical for latina in SD)
I am already imagining a lyrical rumba dance and laughing.
For me, ice dancing is like a soap opera – so much drama it’s funny. Pairs is the sport that can bring me to tears as well as screaming happiness that could put an elated Meagan Duhamel to shame :) I’ve realized that ice dance is so unpredictable that I don’t even try to imagine what will happen.
Nikita is just wimpy to me. A friend of mine, who is usually a very sweet Russian girl, said that Nikita’s face says, “Look at me, I cannot skate, but I am God, so love me.” I don’t mind Victoria, but Nikita is just unbearable. I want Victoria to get a good steady partner again. I would rather see Victoria and Ruslan again and find a new partner for Elena. Just please, don’t make me watch Nikita one more time!
Stepanova and Bukin are talented dancers, but they don’t stand out to me as top contenders. I’d like to see more creativity.
Oh, I don’t want to hear about Morozov and his wife who is barely older than I am! Enough is enough! It’s creepy!
Bobrova and Soloviev are so solid in the short dance. They’re classy and strong, and I like them. The free dance just looks like it could have been an Averbukh creation. If they can get some nice programs for the Olympic year, they have the potential to break through.
Anna and Luca are just so cute to watch that I would’ve been fine if they won. They’re a delight. Maybe not the strongest team ever, but they’re so much fun to watch.
Gabriella and Guillaume…I hate to say it, but they are slipping behind. Maybe because they aren’t creating anything new. Maybe because I’m a hardcore Shibutani girl. Maybe because I can’t forgive them for stealing away Weaver/Poje’s 2015 World title haha. Maybe because I am developing a weird cult-like worship of Madison Chock and all her fabulousness. I don’t know, I just feel like the magic is gone. I fell in love with their free dance at 2016 Europeans, but you can only watch the same thing so many times. I feel like it’s a good movie that you’ve seen 50 times, and it’s starting to lose its charm.
Ice dance just got a whole lot more interesting.
“I’ve realized that ice dance is so unpredictable that I don’t even try to imagine what will happen.”
Unfortunately on the contrary( One look who is going to be in the tech panel and among judges and you can predict the result. (not taking into accounts some big mistakes that happen in ice dance not so often).
I think that among this “Fantastic Four” Victoria impoved the most. I don’t even want to know how much efforts it took. Looking at her I start dreaming to be in Marina’s group, so she could help me to get such amazing physical shape!
I think Gabi and Guillaume made a big mistake not trying something new in this pre-olympics season.