Friday, November 11, 2011

NHK Trophy Free Dance

Group 1
Reed/Reed, JPN: 38.36 TES + 36.50 PCS -1.00  = 73.86 Total: 123.22
  • Some very intricate arm holds and change of positions around each other at the beginning of the program
  • The twizzles were clean but they drifted apart and then closer together throughout the sequence
  • Their step sequence seems a little choppy and her arms are on the stiff side
  • A little bit of an awkward entry into their first lift and their change of positions are very slow
  • I'd like to see her stretch more through her free leg in the second step sequence and a few of their holds almost missed after turns
  • Overall it seems a little messy and they're not totally in synch with each other
  • An interesting lift where he rolls her around his head but the position isn't very appealing
  • Decent speed on their dance spin with an interesting change of direction--the spin really slows at the end
  • Rotational lift in a haircutter position with a bobble getting out of it
  • Her positions in the lifts aren't very good and her legs aren't stretched with pointed toes
  • To be fair, they collided with another team in warmup just minutes before their program, so all things considered this was a good showing after the scare
Paul/Islam, CAN: TES + PCS =
  • They withdrew after an injury in the warmup earlier in the day
Kriengkrairut/Giuletti-Schmitt, USA: 39.29 TES + 36.29 PCS = 75.58 Total: 126.39 and into 1st place
  • I love her gold dress and it's refreshing to see a male dancer in a color other than black
  • Great extension from her into the straightline lift where he skates backwards on one leg and she is in a split completely balancing on his body
  • She comes out of the first set of twizzles a full rotation before him
  • Solid rotational lift and he changes levels in the middle; although it is a one arm hold it is not a difficult position variation for her
  • I like how they really hit all the accents in their music in their first step sequence
  • A nice cartwheel into and out of their lift
  • Another nice entry with her going through the keyhole and then wrapped around the head--her positions in the lifts are great with nice stretched legs
  • I love their connection in the second step sequence but sometimes their free legs get a bit wild and they lose some of the control they need to really get into the edges and match each others lines
  • Good speed and positions in the dance spin
  • Nice final rotational lift with him picking her up from the ice
Alessandrini/Vaturi, ITA: 39.72 TES + 39.20 PCS = 78.92 Total: 133.29 and into 1st place
  • Her skirt has a big slit on both sides--they could get a costume deduction for that
  • He almost looks like he's pulling her backwards in the dance spin--Nice transition from the spin into their stationary lift with him rotating on one leg and her in a haircutter position
  • She has very long legs and really stretches through her free leg in the step sequence but sometimes she kicks her foot out too hard
  • Very nice transition straight into the twizzles from the step sequence
  • Interesting rotational lift with her curled into the fetal position on his shoulder
  • I'd like to see her loosen up a bit and really let the step sequence flow--there's also a few places where there leg lines don't match
  • A very cool lift where she is on his back and he slowly rotates her around to the front--tons of ab strength from her!
  • Spread eagle lift with her standing on his leg and bent back toward the ice on a crescendo in the music
  • The death at the end seems to come out of nowhere and I'd like to see the story developed a little more 
Group 2
Zhiganshina/Gazsi, GER: 39.28 TES + 41.15 PCS = 80.43 Total: 136.12 and into 1st place
  • I wish they would tone down the cheese at the beginning and have more of a genuine reaction to seeing each other for the first time instead of the wide eyes and mouth look
  • Good unison on their twizzles with a difficult variation holding the foot
  • This step sequence has much better flow than their last event but they got very close to the boards at one point
  • They really lose the speed and the centering on their dance spin after the change of position
  • Twist into their straight line lift where they almost kiss for 6 seconds
  • Nice handstand lift
  • Good edges in their second step sequence but they are a bit off in unison in a couple places
  • Rotational lift with her in a hair cutter position and he is holding her foot
  • Spread eagle position with her standing on his feet into their Romeo and Juliet ending
Shibutani/Shibutani, USA: 45.84 TES + 46.99 PCS = 92.83 Total: 151.85 and into 1st place
  • Warm welcome for the Shibs from the crowd
  • Her dress looks like it got some extra rhinestones since last week
  • Great opening really sets the mood for their program with a lot of speed and personality
  • Great unison on their three sets of twizzles and right with the music
  • Front walkover into their first lift and he lifts her up by one foot with a very nice smooth exit
  • Good speed on their dance lift with a relatively smooth change of direction
  • Very smooth step sequence with good matching lines and nice edgework
  • Nice curve lift with him in a spread eagle, and she's standing on his hip leaning backwards right on the music
  • I like the different changes of hold they have in their second step sequence and the little finishing touches they add with their hands and heads
  • He really spins her fast through the In the Mood music!
  • Fast flip into a speedy rotational lift with her in a hair cutter position and exits with her shooting right through his legs
Weaver/Poje, CAN: 44.30 TES + 48.39 PCS -1.00 = 91.69 Total: 151.76 and into 2nd place
  • I love her dress for this program and the elegant look they both have
  • Very nice edgework in this first step sequence but there was one spot where it looked like Kaitlyn's spins were slow and it wasn't as smooth getting back into their hold
  • I love this type of program on them--very elegant, lyrical and emotional--it fits them so much better than Moulin Rouge
  • Very nice dance spin
  • Interesting lift that started on the ice and went up into a rotational lift with change of levels for him
  • I love that she uses her arms to express the feeling of the dance through the step sequence so it becomes a part of the story and not just an element
  • Good unison on all three sets of twizzles
  • Rotational lift with her in a haircutter position
  • Great straightline lift with him on one foot and her standing on his hip and leaning back with a cartwheel exit
Ilinykh/Katsalapov, RUS: 40.35 TES + 47.30 PCS = 87.65 Total: 149.48 and into 3rd place
  • That is a gorgeous dress for this program and I'm glad they went for a cream color instead of white as it stands out more against the ice.
  • Rotational lift with her in a catchfoot position--little bobble on the exit and not as fast as the previous two teams
  • Very interesting change of holds for them in the first step sequence but she almost crashes into him on a bobble on a spin
  • He came out of the twizzles about a rotation before her
  • Another rotational lift in a haircutter position, still seems slow
  • I feel like this team can do so much more than the choreography that was given to them--there is a lot of standing and posing and waiting for the music
  • Really cool dance spin with him holding on to her blade and counterbalancing their weight but a bit sluggish on the change of foot and getting into the positions
  • They have great deep edges in their step sequences
  • Great photo moment in their final lift with her wrapped around his leg and reaching out over the ice
 Pl.  NameNationTSS
=
TES
+
 PCS
+
SSTRPECCITDed.
-
StN.
1Maia SHIBUTANI / Alex SHIBUTANIUSA92.8345.84 46.997.867.648.007.867.930.00#6
2Kaitlyn WEAVER / Andrew POJECAN91.6944.30 48.397.937.828.298.258.251.00#7
3Elena ILINYKH / Nikita KATSALAPOVRUS87.6540.35 47.307.897.687.898.078.040.00#8
4Nelli ZHIGANSHINA / Alexander GAZSIGER80.4339.28 41.156.966.547.007.007.000.00#5
5Lorenza ALESSANDRINI / Simone VATURIITA78.9239.72 39.206.506.296.716.646.710.00#4
6Lynn KRIENGKRAIRUT / Logan GIULIETTI-SCHMITTUSA75.5839.29 36.296.075.756.076.366.210.00#3
7Cathy REED / Chris REEDJPN73.8638.36 36.506.185.866.046.296.181.00#1
WDAlexandra PAUL / Mitchell ISLAMCAN          #2

No comments:

Post a Comment