US International Figure Skating Classic Free Dance

Telegina/Japaridze, GEO: 34.53 TES + 33.02 PCS = 67.55 Total: 109.70

• Curve lift with her wrapped around his waist while he is in a spread eagle
• A little off on their unison in the first step sequence and not a lot of interesting variations in hold
• Twizzles slightly off and they seem to be a little choppy
• Rotational lift 
• Flip up into a handstand lift with him in a spread eagle 
• Lots of ice spray on the edge changes in their 2nd step sequence indicating they might not be clean
• Slow dance spin but good flexibility from her
• I feel like the tango/Latin elements of their program are placed here and there and it doesn't really come across coherently through the whole program
• Rotational lift with her in a haircutter

Aronow/Brubaker, USA: 28.57 TES + 33.73 PCS = 62.30 Total: 100.31 and into 2nd place

• Nice lift with three good changes of position
• Curve lift with him in a backwards hydroblade and her holding her body parallel to the ice
• Nice flow through their step sequence with a bit more intricate changes of hold
• They are far apart on their twizzles and seem to be off by a rotation on the 1st two sets
• Nice backwards rotational lift with her in a twisted split position
• Great extension and flexibility from her in the dance spin
• Nice stretched free leg and good deep knees through their 2nd step sequence but they seem to have gotten lost at the end of the pattern
• A bit of trouble in the flip up to their closing lift

Bernardi/Mior, ITA: 35.29 TES + 30.69 PCS -1.00 = 64.98  Total: 106.13 and into 2nd place

• I'm not sure I get the theme they were going for here...he looks like an orchestra conductor but seemed to be a puppet who came to life
• Good unison on the twizzles through all three sets
• Rotational lift with her wrapped around his neck and one position change
• They are a bit choppy in places and don't always seem to have a good speed and flow across the ice
• Decent positions in their dance spin but they could use some more speed and flexibility
• Pretty good matching let height on their step sequence and good unison 
• Kick into a split lift transitioning into a rotational lift but she could use more stretch behind her knees in the split position
• Interesting lift with him in a lunge and her balancing on his leg and a position change
• Ended just after their music

Maekawa/Maekawa, MEX: 28.87 TES + 27.81 PCS = 56.68 Total: 92.26 and into 4th place

• Split rotational lift but she could have more flexibility and stretch through the position--it also seemed rather bouncy but it was in time with the music so that might have been a choice
• Basic holds in their step sequence and not fully stretched through their free leg positions
• Twizzles a bit slow and a bobble on the 2nd set from her as they were too close
• Not very deep in their edges in the 2nd step sequence and not a lot of use in her free arm
• Straight line lift with him in a squat
• Slow curve lift with her kicking over his head
• She could have more stretch through her free leg and he could have more flexibility through his positions in the dance spin but speed is maintained throughout
• Haircutter rotational lift wrapped around his neck

Tobias/Stagniunas, LTU: 37.36 TES + 37.55 PCS -2.00 = 72.91 Total: 121.08 and into 1st place

• A little bobble from him on the 1st set of twizzles, good speed but unison is off
• Nice speed and flow through the 1st step sequence with nice changes of hold and good use of her free arm
• Rotational lift with her wrapped up around his head
• Nice stretch from her through the dance spin with interesting arm positions in the layback and a good exit out of the spin
• Nice hydroblade lift with her in a haircutter resting on his leg
• A little bit of a lack of unison and varying leg heights in their 2nd step sequence in places
• Arabesque lift with her standing on his leg and him balancing on one leg

Cannuscio/McManus, USA: 34.86 TES + 37.41 PCS -1.00  = 71.27  Total: 119.34 and into 2nd place

• Nice speed and flow through their 1st step sequence with lots of changes of hold and good use of her free arm
• Interesting rotational lift with two changes of position
• Nice stretch through their free leg and decent matching leg lines in the 2nd step sequence 
• Nice changes of position for her with him in a spread eagle
• One arm rotational lift with her in a catchfoot position
• Great character to this program and they don't drop it during their elements
• He bails on the 1st set of twizzles and they only do 2 sets so that will really hurt their level
• Could use a bit more speed on the dance spin but nice positions
• Upside down hair cutter lift for her with him in a spread eagle
• Nice final arabesque lift 

Kriengkrairut/Giuletti-Schmitt, USA: 42.83 TES + 40.62 PCS -2.00 =81.45 Total: 134.48 and into 1st place

• Nice unison and matching leg lines in their 1st step sequence, I like how both of them make use of their free arm and have an ease in the change of hold
• A little off on the unison of their twizzles but pretty good
• She has great lines on the ice
• Twist up into a rotational hair cut lift
• Nice entry into their dance spin with great positions from both of them with nice stretched out positions 
• Great backwards shoot the duck lift with her in an overextended split position arching back
• Cartwheel up to a nice attitude position and then wrapping around his neck in the rotational lift
• This team is such a joy to watch and have a great ease on the ice in addition to making some beautiful pictures
• A bit of a bobble getting into their 2nd sequence but it wasn't on an element so it won't effect the levels
• Rotational lift with him holding her by the foot with a change of position in the middle

Reed/Rogov, ISR: 35.56 TES + 32.70 PCS = 68.26 Total: 113.49 and into 4th place

• They could use more stretch through their free leg in the 1st step sequence but their leg lines match well
• Step up into an arched position with him in a spread eagle, transition into the rotational lift is slow
• I'm not sure this program really works for them because they don't seem to really be committing to the characters or the choreography and embracing the playfulness of the music
• Good twizzles
• Twist up into a rotational lift with her in a haircutter position
• Slow on the dance spin and a bit choppy in the change of direction
• A bit on top of their blades in the 2nd step sequence and they could work on having deeper edges
• Awkward flip up into a lift with her standing on his leg

Plutowska/Gerber, POL: 35.47 TES + 32.86 PCS = 68.33  Total: 114.48 and into 4th place

• Flip up into a straight line lift with nice position changes for her and nice speed through the rotational portion
• They could have better matching leg lines in the 1st step sequence and she bobbled a turn and put a foot down and had to get back into it
• He seemed a bit wild on the twizzles but they hung on
• Nice curve lift with him in a spread eagle and her hanging upside down
• Nice extension from her in the dance spin but a little bit slow
• One arm rotational lift with an up and down motion
• She has such elegance on the ice with great posture and lines
• Nice use of the free arm and changes in hold in the 2nd step sequence 
• Rotational lift changing directions in the middle

Zlobina/Sitnikov, AZE: 38.80 TES + 39.79 PCS = 78.59 Total: 132.34 and into 2nd place

• Nice lunge position from him with her leaning back over the ice in their 1st lift
• He struggled to hang on to his 2nd set of twizzles but they had good unison
• Good speed through their step sequence but a few places that were a bit choppy and they could use their eges more
• Rotational lift with one arm in a catchfoot position for her
• She could stretch more through the sit position in their dance spin but good speed throughout
• Nice lasso entry into a one foot curve lift with a change of position
• Good unison and flow through their 2nd step sequence
• Rotational lift in a haircutter position

Weaver/Poje, CAN: 49.33 TES + 50.05 PCS = 99.38 Total: 161.99 and into 1st place

• Nice passion and tango feel at the top of their program
• Nice changes of hold and unison in their first step sequence with good edges and they keep the performance up the whole time
• Nice arched position for her in the first position in the dance spin but extremely slow
• Difficult one arm rotational lift with him picking her up from the ice
• Cartwheen up to a straight line lift with two changes of position
• Curve lift with her balanced out parallel to the ice
• A little slow on the twizzles but good unison
• Rotational lift with her in a haircutter but he is holding her foot and her arms are wrapped around his neck

Orford/Williams, CAN: 41.67 TES + 42.29 PCS -1.00 = 82.96 Total: 137.60 and into 2nd place

• Loss of balance on the first lift--he was skating backwards on one leg and flipped her up over his head but they got out of it gracefully
• Nice positions, speed and a good exit out of their dance spin
• Twizzles were a little choppy and they could have been closer together
• Great extension and lines through their step sequence with good speed and flow; also nice unison and matching leg lines
• Flip up into a rotational lift with great speed and a nice exit from her
• Good speed and unison through their 2nd step sequence but a bit choppy in places
• One arm rotational lift
• Cool toss lift into a straight line lift with him in a squad 
• I think this program will flow a bit better once they really get it later in the season but at times they seem to be fighting to keep up with the music

Coomes/Buckland, GBR: 38.32 TES + 42.12 PCS -1.00 = 79.44  Total: 133.41 and into 4th place

• He falls at the top of the program in a transition movement
• Cool press lift from an upside down position into a nice rotational lift
• Good ease in their position changes in the 1st step sequence
• Twizzles a bit choppy and really off on their unison
• They have some interesting lifts with very unique entries and exits but they still seem a bit messy
• Good positions in speed in their dance spin but a bit choppy on the change of direction
• One arm up and down rotational lift with her legs in a half split
• Cartwheel up into a couple flips

Davis/White, USA: 53.17 TES + 57.85 PCS -1.00 = 110.02 Total: 183.69 and into 1st place

• Very good slide across the ice up into their first lift and extremely difficult
• Nice leg lines and unison in the 1st step sequence with ease in their changes of holds and really good edge changes
• Press up nto a handstand balancing on his shoulder into a split rotational lift
• Nice positions in their dance spin with a good entrance from a spiral and a lift exit
• Very close and good speed on their first set of twizzles but a bit slower on their second set
• Solid second step sequence and they really flew across the ice
• Rotational lift
• Stag lift with her balancing on just his shoulders

Place	Start No.	Name	Short Dance		Free Dance		Total Score
			Place	Score	Place	Score
1	14	Meryl Davis Charlie White, USA	1	73.67	1	110.02	183.69
2	11	Kaitlyn Weaver Andrew Poje, CAN	2	62.61	2	99.38	161.99
3	12	Nicole Orford Thomas Williams, CAN	3	54.64	3	82.96	137.60
4	7	Lynn Kriengkrairut Logan Giulietti-Schmitt, USA	6	53.03	4	81.45	134.48
5	13	Penny Coomes Nicholas Buckland, GBR	4	53.97	5	79.44	133.41
6	10	Juliya Zlobina Aleksei Sitnikov, AZE	5	53.75	6	78.59	132.34
7	5	Isabella Tobias Stagniunas Deividas, LTU	7	48.17	7	72.91	121.08
8	6	Anastasia Cannuscio Colin McManus, USA	8	48.07	8	71.27	119.34
9	9	Justyna Polutowska Peter Gerber, POL	9	46.15	9	68.33	114.48
10	8	Allison Reed Vasili Rogov, ISR	10	45.23	10	68.26	113.49
11	1	Angelina Telegina Otar Japaridze, GEO	11	42.15	11	67.55	109.70
12	3	Federica Bernardi Christopher Mior, ITA	12	41.15	12	64.98	106.13
13	2	Alissandra Aronow Collin Brubaker, USA	13	38.01	13	62.30	100.31
14	4	Pilar Maekawa Leonardo Maekawa, MEX	14	35.58	14	56.68	92.26