2023 Skate America Free Dance - Don’t Miss with Texas

[Belsornia]

Is it part of Chris’ contract that he has to mention the ISU skating awards every hour?

 

[Holy Headband]

So great to do see Zach so happy and into it both at the end of the program and in the K&C! Have always wondered if he was really enjoying himself

If you read some in-depth interviews with them you'll realise he's SUPER intense. I don't think he enjoys a lot of performances because he's so competitive and such a perfectionist that he always feels they should be better, but he's clearly super invested. If they ever become major contenders, he'll probably smile more.

 

[thvu]

 

[tony]

Is it just me that in addition to looking really slow there is a lot of posing going on????

A ton. The last minute and a half, at a minimum, doesn't move around much at all. And they are so slow on top of it, it's very distracting.

 

[mtnskater]

Chock and Bates…wow! Some of the coolest moves ever. So inventive and interesting. The clock like movements in the opening were everything. A quad burner and ab activator opening pose. No wonder Evan seems a bit tired for the crazy one leg lift. A bit slow and tentative but I can’t wait to see this dance develop. I’ll look forward to seeing it in person in Montreal for sure. I’m rewinding the feed to watch it again immediately

 

[Garden Kitty]

I'd give them the gold just for being able to get into and out of the opening pose without falling on the ice.

 

[rfisher]

I do like this a lot more than I liked their FD at Skate America last season but honestly, they peaked with the alien FD and I don't know if they have it in them to be that creative again.

All they have to do is be better than the rest of the field.

 

[made_in_canada]

It's certainly not my favourite thing they've ever done, though I do appreciate that they do some creative things. The beginning had impact and then it kind of petered out.

 

[airgelaal]

Evan almost dropped her from the lift. I want to see GOE for this lift

 

[VGThuy]

If you read some in-depth interviews with them you'll realise he's SUPER intense. I don't think he enjoys a lot of performances because he's so competitive and such a perfectionist that he always feels they should be better, but he's clearly super invested. If they ever become major contenders, he'll probably smile more.

He probably feels like he his skating career should be further along than it has been, but it looks like he’s finally getting there.

 

[floridaice]

Ashley is doing better as an interviewer than Mariah. (love Mariah, but she was way too excited last night)

 

[Wyliefan]

Evan's just leaning into that "Marie-Universe coaches the world" thing.

 

[Primorskaya]

Holy score! That's an excessive gap with the teams below, and I enjoyed their skate.

 

[Frau Muller]

Fine win here but I prefer the Italians, overall. Still, a great start for C/B…and I’m thrilled for the French medalists!

 

[Wyliefan]

Ashley is doing better as an interviewer than Mariah. (love Mariah, but she was way too excited last night)

I thought Ashley was too giggly. But to each her own!

 

[beepbeep]

I loved the concept and it should get smoother as the season goes on.
I wished she ditched this dress and stopped smiling through this music.

I also wished it were Lopareva/Brissaud skating this…

 

[Private Citizen]

Ah, ice dance. It's like reading play-by-play for two completely different competitions simultaneously .

 

[Badams]

Chock and Bates are just such a beautiful team. And fun to watch.

 

[VGThuy]

It’s kind of amazing that Evan Bates won junior Worlds 15 seasons ago and Chock won that competition 14 seasons ago.

 

[PRlady]

I loved the concept and it should get smoother as the season goes on.
I wished she ditched this dress and stopped smiling through this music.

I also wished it were Lopareva/Brissaud skating this…

I thought that too! Great concept and inventive choreo but the French would do it better. Nonetheless so much better than last year’s mess.

 

[skatingguy]

Lopareva, Evgeniia/Brissaud, Geoffrey
Coach: R. Petetin, R. Haguenauer, M.F. Dubreuil
Music: Elegie, Prelude by S. Rachmaninov

Choreo Assisted Jump
Straight Line Lift 4
DiStW3+DiStM3
Rotational Lift 4
Stationary Lift 4
OFTW4+OFTM4
SyTwW4+SyTwM4
Dance Spin 4
Choreo Char Step Sequence
Choreo Dance Lift

This team has come out and made a statement with this competition. There skating seems bigger, and more important, and this program really makes use of every beat of music.

116.27 = 1st Place
193.47 = 1st Place

 

[honey]

The opening pose is cool; Sale/Pelletier used to do this often about 20 years ago. It’s so cool looking I always wondered why more pairs or dancers didn’t do it.

https://www.kurtfiles.com/pics/view...t=2004/Kurt+Browning's+Gotta+Skate+IV&search=

https://www.kurtfiles.com/pics/view...=2006/Vancouver+Canadian+Stars+on+Ice&search=

The rest was super slow. I’ll reserve further judgement until they have a few more miles on it, but wasn’t that engaged with it today. There are very cool memorable moments in it though and I’m sure it will keep them where they want to be.

 

[airgelaal]

Evan almost dropped her from the lift. I want to see GOE for this lift

3 and 4. Hm, ok...

 

[Simone411]

Anyone who found that program exciting needs to be sent off with the screamer. That's it.

Please think of us handicapped people because you made me choke on my coke and I nearly fell out of my wheelchair!

 

[beckab81]

I fully recognize all of C/B’s technical deficiencies, but especially after 4 straight tinkly programs, I really enjoyed it, and look forward to the progression over the season. They have spectacular lifts and interesting movements and poses (again, I know that the focus should be on the dancing), and it makes for a really enjoyable package.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

I think this program has massive potential all things otherwise being equal given how the handbook has been juked for Dance. It’s clear they’re (even) slower than normal with the late start. I would like a little less clock arms and to see some of the musical:element highlights corrected. The old American in Paris lift in particular doesn’t seem to be in the right spot?

The beginning of the program is great, must be where all the attention went to with the condensed prep timeline…I don’t understand how those stoner abstract vibes mutated into plastered smiles.

Stationary lift and choreographic assisted jump are on target. They’re filling the rest with Chock splits and need to weave those more into the theme. I trust it’ll get there.

 

[Dragonlady]

I went through two vinyl copies of DSOTM, one CD, and I have it in my digital library. Listening to it is always a start to finish thing, which is what Chock & Bates gave us. The entire album, almost seamlessly and respecfully cut, interpreted brilliantly. My new favourite program of all time.

 

[thvu]

German judge put Smart & Dieck in 3rd again.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

I'd give them the gold just for being able to get into and out of the opening pose without falling on the ice.

Given their penchant for freak mistakes, I’d bet money on them biffing it on the setup at some point.

 

[Karen-W]

I think that Karen must have been getting ahead of herself and watching Lajoie & Lagna.

It might also be that I'm feeling tired. I basically dozed through the last 3 teams. I have zero impressions of LajLag or ChoBat. I'll go back and rewatch later.

I also might wind up sleeping through some of through early women.