Skate America 2010: The Snakes and Damaged Beauty Edition

The Free Dance here was probably my most anticipated segment, but again, only for the second half: Ekaterina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko, Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani, Kaitlyn Weaver & Andew Poje, Vanessa Crone & Paul Poirier, and of course Meryl Davis & Charlie White. Of the four I'd only seen the Shibutanis' free dance (!), so this was going to potentially be quite an eye-opener.

Ekaterina Riazanova & Ilia Tkachenko were skating to a selection of music hilariously titled "Mexico," and were dressed nearly identically. I'm not sure how I feel about partners being so matchy-matchy, but it works, I suppose, because both they and their costumes are quite pretty.

Unfortunately for them, the sound quality on IceNetwork was such that I couldn't really hear the music and appreciate how the choreography was structured. They had some cool lifts such as this, even though the position was held for only the briefest of moments:


Ekaterina & Ilya's twizzles were together and had fairly good speed, but didn't have the pop that one simply cannot forget after seeing the Shibutanis. Their following combination spin seemed a bit slow in rotation, and the slow, sweeping music in their circular step sequence didn't help much in carrying the performance up and forward. They did bring the energy up in the next section, but the sensuality between them was sorely lacking, and for me that prevented the program from rising to the next level.

The first exciting moment of my night occurred next: Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani!

This may be petty, but until this moment I had never seen even a hair out of place from Maia.

As usual they were adorable, elegant, and polished. I still want Maia's dress--actually, I want her whole wardrobe, both on and off the ice. Their opening dance spin was very fast with good positions, setting the tone for the next four minutes. Their curved lift into a rotational lift was also hit and fast, and the twizzles? Amazing, as usual. Must be the Japanese work ethic kicking in somewhere.

All teams are under the 6-second lift rule, but no one said anything about this lift feeling rushed à la the Russians because Maia's extension allows her to hit positions instantly and exaggerate them, so the audience is actually left with a mental image.

The music for their performance was soft as well, but unlike the previous team the Shibutanis almost didn't need it. I'm not trying to be hyperbolic, and they are far from perfect, of course, but they have a great presence on the ice. They received the highest TES of the night, which really bodes well for their career and shows that they simply need time to mature and not be each other's siblings anymore. Unfortunately for them the latter is impossible, so now they need to take care that they don't go the way of Sinead Kerr & John Kerr.

Snake sighting. And some classic Alex, pre-SB scores.

Kaitlyn Weaver looked uncannily like Nicole Kidman, although I never would have guessed it during their Short Dance. Kaitlyn & Andrew's Moulin Rouge music selections weren't my favorite (I do love Come What May but Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend and the tango weren't quite necessary), but they had good energy and speed throughout, and had some very interesting lifts. The judges apparently weren't fooled, though, and cut them down technically.










I'm not sure why Vanessa Crone & Paul Poirier chose the costumes they did, or why Vanessa styles herself so she looks nearly 30 instead of 20, but their program got the job done. Eleanor Rigby as a piece is pretty boring so it was easy to stop paying attention, but they had good speed in both their spins and footwork, and some cool lifts such as these:

Summersett-Gilles, 2.0?

Paul went down on a freak fall while they were essentially just skating around the rink, though fortunately for them it had no affect on their planned elements. I wasn't totally sold on their program, but it was enough to put them ahead of my favorite siblings.

The final couple, of course, was Meryl Davis & Charlie White. Although I disapproved when Charlie switched to a black costume with gold trim for their Bollywood original dance last year very late in the season, I would be quite okay with him wearing this all-black outfit forever.

The thing about Meryl and Charlie is that although I often talk about them needing to get together, I never actually believe it at much as I do about Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir. There is clearly chemistry between them, but it doesn't seem as desperately romantic and latent as the Canadians'. I can actually buy it when they say that they are only friends, which is a problem.

Their twizzles this time around were fine, although they weren't quite perfectly together. I did love, though, that they used a portion from Por una Cabeza, as it brought me back to some of Mao Asada's more glorious days. And then, in the middle of this musical glory, both Meryl and Charlie fell while trying to hit some dramatic tango position. Ridiculous.


In the replay it looked like it was Charlie who lost his balance again and brought Meryl down with him, and she didn't seem too pleased in the Kiss & Cry while Charlie looked seriously cartoonlike.

Snake sighting behind Meryl.

The judges took a year and a half to announce their scores, which meant that they were trying to find every possible way to let them win by a landslide, and indeed the judges essentially pretended that the fall had never happened aside from the mandatory -2.00 deduction (plus another for an extended lift). This more than generous score was more than enough to put them on top and bring the smile back to Meryl's face.

Skate America 2010: The Not-Quite-Japanese

Like the Ladies' Short Program, the first half of the Short Dance was also eliminated from my day. Good thing, too, because I was far from impressed by the first team that I did bother to watch, Cathy Reed & Chris Reed.

Before the warmup was this scene, featuring some of my favorites:

AS: Say, 'Hi Mom!'
MD: Hi Mom!
*cue fist-pumping and roof-raising*

So my night with the actual Short Dance began with this:

Just no.

I'd missed the part where the commentators explained that they were skating to Addams Family music, which itself sounded better than I expected, but simply trying to be in character does not excuse any form of ridiculousness or sheer ugliness. On top of that their dance had a messy feel overall, which wasn't helped by all the strands coming out of Cathy's dress and her very long hair. I decided to not pay too much attention and wait patiently for the next brother-sister, not-quite-Japanese team. 44.40, which was an ultimate 8th place. They didn't actually think that competing for the US was what was holding them back, right?

In between I started to notice just how scary Melissa Gregory's voice is.

The biggest difference between the Reeds and Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani is that I LOVE the Shibutanis. This may sound mean, but being able to watch these two teams back-to-back really emphasized how much better the Shibutanis are. Their twizzles? BAM. So fast, so tight, so together. These two may be innocently sweet-faced, but they know how to focus and compete.

Classic Zoueva & Shpilband.

56.46 seemed decent enough (a personal best!), especially since Maia had a slight slip during their circular sequence.

What goes through Alex's mind at times like this?

Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje were next. Despite being scary, Melissa Gregory does earn points for all but telling it like it is: they're attractive so they'll score well. Both were indeed true. There was nothing overwhelmingly impressive about them (their twizzles seemed slow after the Shibutanis), although they were incredibly elegant. And compared to the Shibutanis, their maturity really carried them through their performance. But overall, it seems like they stayed clean and did what needed to be done while having fun doing it, and it resulted in a 59.48 for a very temporary first place.

Vanessa Crone & Paul Poirier were slightly less pretty (look at the back of her dress! Did they run out of material because they covered up her whole front?), but they started out with a pretty cool upside-down lift although I sort of lost interest after that. They placed above their compatriots with a 60.41, but interestingly beat them on PCS and lost the TES by a point and a half.


And then finally, finally was the team that I can't seem to get enough of: Meryl Davis & Charlie White. He was wearing an ascot--an ascot!--and looking fantastic. You know that's the true test for hotness--put them in something somewhat strange and very outdated, and see what happens. Same with Scott Moir and his coattails.

Lovely. Every figure skating fan would do anything to be one of them right at this moment.

Meryl was wearing a different dress (pink) than she was wearing at NHK Trophy (red), and although I understand that they were going for a complete image overhaul after being criticized by judges, I have to say I really prefer the red. This long-sleeved pink thing kind of screams Disney princess (and like, a cheap replication of a Disney princess dress at that), which doesn't fit Meryl's ethereal beauty at all.


Things were going okay until Charlie tripped during their twizzle sequence, bringing me back several seasons when this seemed like a chronic problem. He seemed to have gotten over it in the past two or so years, so I'm not sure why it's back and, more broadly, why the problem exists at all. It's not like he doesn't focus, and it's not like he doesn't know how to skate--does he get overeager? Is he too excitable? Or does he actually not like twizzling in a certain direction? No matter, though, since even with only the fourth-highest TES of the night, their PCS blew everyone else's out of the water. Ordinarily I would be indignant about situations like this, but artistically they left a much larger impression than any of the other teams. And no one can argue with their artistry. 63.62.

Time to Take My Head Out of the Sand

Okay, here we go, four weeks late: I'm going to follow the Grand Prix. What better time to finally leap in than a competition that features Daisuke Takahashi, Nobunari Oda, Adam Rippon, Kanako Murakami, Rachael Flatt, Meryl Davis & Charlie White, Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani, and Felicia Zhang & Taylor Toth?

Most of these skaters I am legitimately cheering for (see: everyone except Rachael Flatt), although sometimes (see: Nobunari Oda, Adam Rippon, and Kanako Murakami) that support is colored by a simple sense of curiosity as to what will happen next. (This reminds me, I still need to watch Nobunari's Skate Canada programs and compare them to the reported train wreck that Patrick Chan's were.)

I'm not going to even bother trying to make predictions. Let the obsessive viewing finally begin!

By the way, this is the dumbest IceNetwork poll ever:

Who's the most likely skater/team to win gold at Skate America?

Meryl Davis and Charlie White 83%

Rachael Flatt 7%

Adam Rippon 6%

Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett 2%

P.S. I just realized I wrote this at 11:11! I hope something lucky happens, because I forgot to make a wish. =(

Scott Moir vs. Ricky Ullman

http://www.skatecanada.ca/en/Artistry/virtue_moir.htm

http://teemix.aufeminin.com/star/photo-136239-ricky-ullman.html

NHK Trophy 2010: Thank God For the Time Difference

Usually, the 13- or 14-hour time difference between the East Coast and Japan creates a lot of logistic difficulties in my life, but for once this halfway-around-the-world business is proving to be quite helpful. In fact, it may directly contribute to the survival of my heart past the age of say, 25.

Although a lot of different headlines find their way into the rotation that is all Yahoo! pages, I definitely was not expecting to see 「真央『思い切りやる』３回転半ぶっつけ本番」when I went to go check my Japanese e-mail. First of all, I did not know that anyone other than my mother actually used ぶっつけ本番. Second of all ,WHAT?

浅田は練習でも成功していない、演技後半に３回転半ジャンプ（トリプルアクセル）を入れるプログラムにぶっつけ本番で挑むことを誓った。

I have the utmost respect for and faith in Nobuo Sato, but seriously? This free skate plan might be even more idiotic than Tatiana Tarasova's grand schemes for using the triple Axel. Isn't Mao supposed to be working on her other jumps so she doesn't have to set up for certain disaster, and in the second half of her program no less? I am so, so glad that this will all happen while I am asleep. Lord.

In fact, my love for Mao and her successes is such that I am glad for the time difference even after seeing pictures like this:

http://photography.ice-dance.com/2010-11/2010NHK/Dance/Practice/ThursPM/10NHK-PrThPM-0317-DW-LC.jpg.php

Sometimes, I can hardly comprehend their existence. They may just be the team that singularly redeems the Short Dance.

And so... I am soon going to bed. See you, Short Program, during some downtime (HAH) at work.

That Slow Dance

Finally, my first taste of Nebelhorn: the Shibutanis. This video could not make for a better start to my following of the international season. I love them, and I love this program.

Being a sibling team presents a number of challenges to and limitations on their programs, obviously--the intense romance and sexual tension that simply oozes from Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir is (should be?) impossible, and would be so highly problematic if it were. The Shibutanis have dealt with this well, though, without becoming cutesy or gimmicky, and they have made music choices that bring an element of romance onto the ice without actually implicating them. This was true of their exhibition from last season, which I adored, and it is true of this FD, which has a very similar era and feel.

In this musical sense, this program is very trademark Shibutani--or what I hope will become their trademark--but their lifts have the very clear Marina Zoueva/Igor Shpilband mark. The entrances and exits for their six-second lift in particular, while gorgeous, are quite reminiscent of both Tessa & Scott and Meryl Davis & Charlie White. Looking at these three teams has also led me to conclude that the coaching pair really knows how to dress their teams. Maia's dress is beautiful, and it makes her look even more mature than she already does.

One thing that really stood out to me was how much their twizzles have improved. They were by no means poor last season, but this time they were remarkably sharp, fast, and together. The sparse audience noticed it, too. :)

Apparently there are a few technical issues in this program as it stands now, but it is early in the season and I can't imagine anything slipping by Zoueva and Shpilband's eagle eyes (unless, of course, they are distracted by having too many top teams under their tutelage at once, which is something I've been wondering about ever since Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates announced their coaching change).

Nebelhorn Love

Nebelhorn Nebelhorn Nebelhorn! I usually don't get anywhere near this excited for the Nebelhorn Trophy (despite its awesome name--that was the real reason I had to write it four times in the first two sentences, obviously) because it generally showcases new talent that I don't yet care about or older talent that just isn't making it elsewhere. This year, however, there are some aspects to this competition that make it quite intriguing.

In terms of competitors, I am a little mystified that there are no Japanese ladies, as I am sure there is no shortage of girls who dream of becoming the next Mao Asada. Even Kanako Murakami could probably benefit from competing here and getting some early feedback as a senior. There is also only one Japanese male competing, which is also a little odd because there must be many boys out there who think Daisuke Takahashi is really, really cool. Heh.

So in terms of competitors actually competing, I am very excited to see how Felicia Zhang & Taylor Toth and Maia & Alex Shibutani do. They have both moved up to seniors for the first time this season, and sadly history has shown that junior success does not necessarily mean senior success. I have confidence that these two teams have the talent and commitment to pull the transition off, but I do need to see it happen! In addition to seeing where they stand in relation to other senior teams, I'm also eager to just watch their new programs--if I did a little research I could at least know what music they are using, but my Internet is being uncooperative and I think I kind of like being surprised.

Have I said this already? Kevin Van der Perren needs to retire as soon as possible. I should start making a list of skaters who need to retire. So far on this list are Kevin, Fumie Suguri, Rena Inoue & John Baldwin, and possibly Alissa Czisny and Miki Ando. I can understand why Alissa and Miki have decided to continue, but I honestly can't see them getting anywhere that she hasn't been already (or to get where they have already--such as the National and World titles, respectively). Oh, and Rachael Flatt. Please.

The dance field is pretty full (I am not really sure what the rules for entry are here), and includes Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte and Nathalie Pechelat & Fabian Bourzat. Hrm. How did I just only now realize that Anna's name means "angel hair pasta"? Anyway, those are two solid top-10 teams that really have no business competing at Nebelhorn, although perhaps they aren't scheduled to compete until the end of the Grand Prix circuit, in which case it would make sense that they would want some earlier feedback and competition. At any rate, it will be interesting to see how the Short Dance (ugh) is performed by some top teams.

Let the season begin! :)

The Spotless Mind of Love

悲しいほど奇麗だね

Busy. So busy.

There is something so depressing about beauty. It makes me wish it didn't exist and that I couldn't see it... but what a world that would be.

I wish I could create something beautiful.

Vancouver 2010: Free Dance

Okay. Now that I'm partly over the shock of the FD and the sudden barrage of midterms and things due, I can actually think and write about it. I didn't see much of it thanks to schoolwork, and the ones I did see were on a very fuzzy TV screen, but nevertheless the power and beauty definitely shined through. I was so excited for ice dance going into the Olympics, and it totally lived up to all of its hype. Wow.

Due to extenuating circumstances (read: people listening to music before I turned on the TV), I had to watch Isabel Delobel & Olivier Schoenfelder on mute. Yes, that sort of defeats the purpose of watching the FD... and I also missed the moment where she pulls down her costume to reveal a tubetop or whatever, because, well, it was on mute and I was doing my homework. So in general that was a fail on my part, but my overall impression based on what I did see was that, like their OD, everything is there except enough time to train. I hope they manage something before Worlds.

Knowing that Meryl Davis & Charlie White were up next, I decided that I would rather be rude than miss the experience of the FD and unmuted the TV. OMG, it was so worth it. Actually the first thing that was worth it was seeing that clip of Charlie back when he was 8 years old or so, still playing ice hockey. I couldn't really make out what he was saying because of the noise in the room, but it was adorable! And then came their FD. I've always felt that they wasted Samson and Delilah by skating to it last year, and that their Phantom of the Opera music is not only overdone but badly cut, but that night their performance blew all of these doubts away. Even through the fuzziness I could tell that they were completely on fire, and everything was so fast, strong, and powerful. I can't even pick out specific moments because it was all one mesmerizing blur, although I do remember thinking (again) that the lift where Meryl is basically balancing on Charlie's calf, is both crazy (in a good way) and odd (aesthetically). At the end of the program he looked like he was going to collapse onto the ice of exhaustion, which just goes to show how much of themselves they put into the performance. As usual Meryl looked as calm and unflustered as ever--how she managed that, I don't know. They scored a personal best 107.19, including a 1.00 deduction for an extended lift that has so far not been identified, and while it was deserved I knew that we were in for another night of record-smashing score inflation.

Then I missed Frederica Faiella & Massimo Scali's FD because I am a bad ice dancing fan and a stressed-out student. However the next team I definitely made sure not to miss, because it was my favorite: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir. The audience was crazy with excitement and anticipation, and I must have been too, considering James and Eric were snickering as I watched. Anyway, my opinion of Tessa & Scott's FD has remained the same throughout the season: beautiful, strategically sound (in that it plays to their strengths), version 3.0. Clearly they have become stronger with each season, but this FD is basically the same as The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, which was basically the same as Valse Triste. But regardless...

It was beautiful. Subtle, restrained, elegant, but powerful, this performance had it all. Tessa & Scott's love and respect for each other really came through. If I were going to be really nitpicky I would say that I have seen them more free and emotional in some other performances, such as at 2008 Worlds, and that Meryl & Charlie gripped my attention more, but overall it was a masterpiece and it was clear (if it hadn't been before they started skating) that they would win. The best part was their swan lift, or more rather the commentary (Rafael: "Zueva really likes hurting her men"), but like Meryl & Charlie's performance it's hard to pick out certain points because it was like all one moment. Their scores were an unheard-of 110.42. While I believe that Tessa & Scott are the rightful gold medalists, I am not entirely convinced that they beat Meryl & Charlie by such a large margin (5+ overall) even with the 1.00 deduction factored in. I suppose if the standings aren't affected, it doesn't hurt much to give the home crowd an extra bit of excitement. As if they needed any... although Scott has always come across to me as calm, intelligent, and well-spoken, his reaction upon seeing his scores revealed to me the fire that drives him to compete as he does and drove his 8-year-old self into an ice hockey melee. It was an interesting contrast to watch, and his pure excitement was refreshing.

Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto's performance fades in my memory because Meryl & Charlie and Tessa & Scott were so far and away the best of the night. However, it seemed to be that this was their best FD of the season, and I am sorry that politics and whatever else kept them out of 3rd place. To their credit both of them were extremely classy in their response, with Ben keeping it funny as usual and Tanith being thoughtful about how they would like to go out when they retire. A few comments by fsonline then got me thinking about how Tanith & Ben were the ones who even made the FD possible. Without them the European stranglehold on the sport would still exist, and the current classiness would probably not exist either. That is an amazing achievement and beyond all of their medals, they have so much to be proud of.

Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin were last, and unsurprisingly NBC was not hesitant in their criticisms. I didn't pay all that much attention to them, except to see that they were using some kind of ropes/straps on their costumes to do their lifts, and while it was creative I just didn't feel anything from the program. They made some comments later about how they "had the best skate" but still only placed 3rd--the medal, by the way, seems like a complete boon of their nationality--and while the American media took that one line and used it as a sign of their lack of sportsmanship, I am still not completely convinced (until I see the whole interview, that is) that they were talking about the best skate of the night instead of the best skate of their season.

Because NBC is silly I haven't seen the moment where Scott tells Tessa that they came in second, behind the Russians, then tells her he's "just kidding." Come on, NBC... that has got to be the best quote of the night. I kept the TV on to watch the medal ceremony, during which it seemed that by the end of the night both of "Zueva's men" would have passed out. Scott looked so relieved and SO excited by his medal and by the anthem that I thought he'd keel over on the podium.

I think Meryl & Charlie still have even more to go--I feel like their full potential hasn't been reached just quite yet, even if the "yet" comes in a month at the World Championships--and I hope, hope, HOPE that neither they nor Tessa & Scott retire. Ice dancing is finally becoming interesting and beautiful, and if they retired it would undo everything.

Just for the record: I am not a bandwagon-jumping fan. I just pick the good ones, BEFORE the Olympics. :)

Vancouver 2010: Original Dance

Things are not looking good for Meryl Davis & Charlie White. I am fairly confident that they will medal, but their chances of realizing their gold-medal dream seem pretty slim at this point. Their strength compared to the rest of the field (well the other teams in the top 4, namely) is their OD, and while they unsurprisingly beat Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin they still lost ground to Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir. Tessa & Scott's strength is definitely their FD, so it seems like it will be difficult for Meryl & Charlie (and everyone) to beat them tonight.

Anyway, to the specifics...

Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates: They were the only couple shown in between skicross races, and while I am still not a fan of her dress or their OD in general, it was very well executed and they successfully moved up several spots. They seem to be much more comfortable once they can get out of the CD, and it showed here. Emily & Evan are very well-trained technically, and Susie Wynne(?) was all over them.

(By the way, can I mention that skicross is a terrible idea? Wiping out with skis is so much worse than wiping out on a snowboard... or at least worse to watch... eek.)

Isabel Delobel & Olivier Schoenfelder: Considering that they are former world champions, everyone knows what they are capable of, so the timing of her injury and pregnancy couldn't have been worse. I really liked the concept of their OD, which was a French Can-Can, but their performance was painfully heavy and slow. Susie described it as "rough around the edges," and it seems like they simply ran out of training time.

Sinead Kerr & John Kerr: They were as sweet and as entertaining as ever, but had a problem on their second set of twizzles that really held them back. They were also skating to American country music, and had a cool move at the end that involved them skidding to a stop to the sounds of a car. It's great that Sinead can use her relative size to their advantage and come up with these lifts and tricks, but all in all I guess their program had more show-skating qualities than technical ones.

Oksana & Maxim: This was the first time I saw their much-disputed OD and all "authenticity" controversies aside, I am not a fan of this program. It looked slow and labored, and nothing really grabbed at me because all of their ice dancing skills seemed hidden in wild moves and appearances. They were slow and seemingly messy, without a real emotional connection between them. I always wonder why they feel the need to do illusory programs, as they clearly have skating skills (see: CD), but they did and the result was a fairly empty routine. Susie nearly choked on her own voice trying to get all of her criticisms out, and I have to say that NBC's journalistic professionalism really fell here. While reporting that Australian aborigines have been offended by their program is fine, remarking that the portrayal of the culture clearly is not authentic is amateur, when she herself has no knowledge of the culture either. The commentators would later insert a snide comment when talking about Meryl's dress, which was pieced together from several Indian dresses purchased in a Indian shop in her hometown--"So her costume is authentic, unlike the Russians'." Completely unnecessary. "...so her costume has not generated controversy" is a valid journalistic move, making judgments on authenticity is not. The media in the US is as biased towards its athletes as it is possible to be, but NBC last night really crossed a whole new line. Anyway, the judges tried to hold Oksana & Maxim up as much as possible through their PCS, but in the end it wasn't enough to keep them anywhere higher than 3rd.

Meryl & Charlie: And then actually came the routine that has been used as the foil. They put out a great performance that really grabbed the audience, and again I was struck by Meryl's unique beauty. They beat their personal best pretty significantly, and at this point it looked like they had really gotten the job done.

Tessa & Scott: ...until Tessa & Scott skated, that is. Given the problems that they had on their OD earlier in the season, and the fact that the flamenco is less relatable than the Indian music, it seemed like they would lose the OD to Meryl & Charlie and then make up the difference in the FD. Susie kept making inane comments about how "there is no room for error," as if the other programs do have this room, but indeed Tessa & Scott's OD was super technical and high-paced. Everything was tight and close together, and there was none of the uncertainty of their previous competitions. I'm not sure what the male commentator meant by "they have a tendency to hold back," but either way there was no holding back in this flamenco. I loved their lift, although I could have sworn her legs were neater in previous attempts, but whatever. They looked amazingly and adorably pleased at the end, and their scores were even bigger than Meryl & Charlie's. Unlike in the pairs the scores probably weren't due to the Magic Canadian Bonus, but in general the scores seemed very inflated.

Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto: They have changed their costumes since Nationals. Why, I do not know, because these new ones looked needlessly heavy and someone described it as "looking as if they'd jumped off a deck of cards." I am still not a fan of their strangely jumpy OD, but their performance was the best I've seen from them in a while. There was energy, speed, and power, and most of all they looked happy. However the EEB decided that an all-North American podium just wouldn't do, and made sure their OD lost narrowly to the Russians. I have no idea how this happened, but because of it Tanith and Ben are still in 4th place.

FREE DANCE TONIGHT!

Vancouver 2010: Compulsory Dance

The Eastern European bloc has had to have been working overtime since Evgeny Plushenko's untimely and unlikely demise, but given the nature of the CD their efforts did not quite manifest. Of course this can probably all change on Sunday and Monday, but for now, Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin are rightfully in first over hometown favorites Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir, Meryl Davis & Charlie White, and Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto.

Oksana was wearing a strangely-cut red dress that had too much material in the top front, and not enough in the back and bottom. The solid red with the back jeweled accent worked well with Maxim's suit though, and it was hard to imagine that these were the same people embroiled in the OD controversy. Their skating was fast, smooth, close together, and easy, and although much of it seemed less sensual than Tanith & Ben's, the point of the CD is to be technical and they pulled it off flawlessly.

I thought Tessa & Scott skated well, but there was a slight lack of ease compared to some of their past performances. Of course it was the CD, so there's not much room for expression, and it was the first segment of the Olympics. Everything was tight and clean, although after a while I have to admit I found myself staring at Tessa's dress more than anything. I also started wondering if there's any effect of doing a tango in the CD and another in the OD (and now that I think about it, is a flamenco really a "folk dance"?). Anyway, their skate was enough for a new personal best, just behind Oksana & Maxim, and they looked pretty satisfied afterwards.

It was hard for me to pick between Meryl & Charlie and Tessa & Scott on a technical level, and that was probably where the (slight) Canadian advantage came in. Then again I'm not a ice dancing judge by any means, so there likely were also differences I didn't notice that account for the placements and two-point gap. Meryl & Charlie skated fast and close together, and for me they actually seemed more relaxed than Tessa & Scott. I've heard that Meryl had a priceless expression on her face after she realized they were third, but unfortunately I've yet to see this.

Going into these Games I shared the opinion that Tanith & Ben's medal chances were relatively pretty low, but they held everything together to come in 4th. Before any skating could begin I was immediately distracted by Tanith's dress, which has a lot of gratuitous cut-outs and is pretty much in line with the style of her other recent costumes. It also had two TASSELS! With a load of rhinestones and glitter added, it seemed unnecessarily showy, but at least it was all black and white. The thing I most noticed about their performance is the sensuality they oozed the moment the music started. Tanith was incredibly intense throughout, and their lines and smoothness of skating really shone through. Their ending move was a little overdramatic for me, but all in all it seemed like a good package for them, especially considering they'd never competed this CD this season. Again, I'm not sure about the specific technicalities that separate them from the top 3, but I really enjoyed this performance.

Isabelle Delobel & Olivier Schoenfelder had the strangest lead-up to their CD, with Olivier putting on his suit jacket and both of them stroking their own and the other's jaws. I have to say, though, Olivier in a suit makes for a pretty imposing cut on the ice. Their music sounded different from the others', although I didn't know that was possible--maybe I'm imagining it. They skated fairly well but compared to the top teams it seemed a little slow, and the scores reflected it.

Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates did not have a great day, although their results are not altogether surprising considering that the CD has never been their strong suit. She was dressed in some red, purple, and turquoise ball of glitter that didn't quite go with his red shirt and vest, but whatever. Their skating was slower, further apart, and shallower than the top teams, and she had a slight misstep in their final pose, but it was a good effort from them at their first Olympics.

Canto Alla Vita

I somehow discovered Josh Groban's "Canto Alla Vita" just yesterday (yes, I'm behind) and immediately thought about how great a FD set to it could be. I sort of imagined Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates skating to it, since the song has a similar feel to their "Luna" (2007-2008) and "Amazonic" (2008-2009) free dances. But before my non-existent career as a choreographer could take off, I realized that Madison Hubbell & Keiffer Hubbell had already had the same idea, back in 2006-2007. Sigh. :)

Unfortunately, WMG was stupid enough to claim copyright on the song, leaving this program without music. I suppose it's possible to play the music as you watch it, although it's unlikely that they chose to use the full song all the way through without any cuts. Honestly...

Aside from that, though, this program by Madison & Keiffer really shows how far they have come in these past few years. This is their FD performance from Trophée Bomphard earlier this season:

Their edges are surer, they're skating much closer together, their twizzles are spot-on, and their speed is not even comparable. Even if they will never challenge for a National or World title, their improvement is really amazing and I have a newfound respect for their skating.

Given that comparison, I'd really like to see another FD set to "Canto Alla Vita," this time at the senior level... and although I mentioned Emily & Evan earlier, I think Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto could pull off a great one. (Speaking of which, are they retiring at the end of this season or sticking around for yet another four?) Their "Ave Maria" FD this season has the same intensity, and it seems like there would be a lot of potential there.

But hey, what do I know. My choreographing career is still on indefinite hold.

Some Things Are Just Reliable

Like 「M」. I know that this version is a cover, but I discovered this one first, so to me it's the original. But really, either version is beautiful, although it probably helps to understand the words. I can't even decide whether he knows how to sing, but in any case he does here, and it's now my go-to for most things.

Speaking of, I haven't seen ヘキサゴン since 2010 started. Can someone please fix that?

This performance is also one of those things. Each season they come up with some really amazing performances, but this one is just special.

2010 Four Continents

This is late, I know, but there was too much stuff to do to keep up with Four Continents as it happened (actually I still have a lot to do, but I don't want to get too far behind), and besides the fields were generally uninteresting. The only exceptions, of course, were Mao Asada, Adam Rippon, Jane Summersett & Todd Gilles, and Keauna McLaughlin & Rockne Brubaker, probably in that order. ♡ I guess I was a little interested in how Ryan Bradley, Brandon Mroz, Akiko Suzuki, and Caroline Zhang would do, and Tatsuki Machida too, but all in all there didn't seem to be much going on.

Actually, before any skating, I just have to say that Mao needing to have bodyguards at this competition was absolutely ridiculous. I am glad that the necessary steps were taken to ensure her safety while at the competition, but the steps shouldn't have been necessary in the first place. Screw PC, Korean fans are crazy. If they believe so much in Yu-Na Kim's talent and potential, then they should let that shine through without trying to muddle the rest of the skaters. Their actions make it seem as if the only way Yu-Na can win is by pulling a Tonya Harding. Mao deserves the right to compete all over the world without worrying about her safety, and in all honesty sometimes I think that Yu-Na needs to be given some sort of warning or something in order to send a message to her rabid fans.

On to skating: Mao nearly killed me after the SP. Since I don't have a TV around (not that figure skating would be televised anyway), I had to wait for someone to upload her performance and looked at the results instead. I calmed down a bit once I saw that the difference between the top 3 was marginal, and that her 1.00 deduction was not because she fell but because she went over time. I'm not sure how that happens this late in the season, but at least it was not on her triple Axel. Unfortunately instead she popped her 3F, but it seemed that she was skating a little faster than she was previously this season and I think that this is a good step for her. I still don't like her dress or her cuts of music, though. I'm not sure this Tarasova thing was such a good idea, although I had such high hopes for it when it was first announced.

Mao did, however, bring it in the FS. She nailed both of her triple Axels, although she somewhat mysteriously received a Level 2 on her step sequence instead of her usual 4. I know that the slightest of body movements can determine what level a move is rated, but given how much she loves footwork I have come to expect a consistent 4. I guess it's just a matter of staying focused at the Olympics and making sure she gets those levels on everything. What I noticed here and in her SP is that she seems to get faster throughout her program, rather than slower like most skaters. Perhaps it is getting the pressure of the triple Axel out of the way? I was really proud of her, though, for holding it together after the SP and blocking out all of the negativity in Korea. I am not a fan of her heavy-looking dress, but there is something about her music that is growing on me. I hope that this starts the momentum she needs for the Olympics. Aaah

I was almost equally heartbroken after Adam started out in 7th after the SP, before noticing that positions 3-7 were virtually tied (with 2nd not far off). He fell out of his triple Axel and put his hand down, but despite that I was still struck, as usual, by his great edges and soft jumping quality. He was understandably a little disappointed in his performance, but there seemed to be a lot to be optimistic about.

And then, just like Mao, he laid it all down in the FS. Unfortunately the idiot of a cameraman who taped for SBS cut out Adam's arms in the shot of his triple Lutz, so I couldn't quite appreciate, you know, the entire point of the jump, but otherwise the quality of his performance managed to shine through the screen. His music is a little flat to me, but on the other hand it doesn't distract from appreciating his actual skating, and that is a very good and rare thing. Too bad his season ends here, but thanks to some magnificent skating and some equally magnificent choking by several others, I think Four Continents sets up for a great 2010-2011. I can't say for sure whether this is just Adam's natural trajectory of progress or if Brian Orser really did something special, but something is working for Adam right now and I love it.

No one has posted Jane & Todd, so I've been reduced to relying on the ISU's score sheets. I was hoping that they would make a real run here, but they were beaten by Madison & Keiffer Hubbell and Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein again, as well as by a Chinese team (wth). No offense to the Chinese team or the teams that placed under them (i.e. 5-12), but it's a pretty bad time when an Asian team beats you in ice dance. I'm sure this team is good and all, but really. But maybe this can begin an interest in ice dancing in Asia...

Keauna & Rockne brought out their game about 10 days too late. I haven't been able to find their SP yet but it doesn't have the all-too-common 1.00 deduction, so already that's progress. Their side-by-side triple Salchows received a negative GOE, though (actually, it ranged from -2 to 0... maybe 3-year-olds could serve as judges and we'd get the same consistency of results), and all of my bets are on Keauna. Don't get me wrong, I love this pair and really want them to do well, but her lack of basic technique makes me so nervous and I feel like they (could) have so much more potential.

In the FS their problems resurfaced almost immediately, with Keauna falling on their first side-by-sides. This was followed by a great triple twist, which leads me to wonder yet again about the dynamics of their partnership. Keauna is small and has great line for pairs, and Rockne really takes advantage by making some huge throws and great lifts. They look great together and obviously have chemistry. At the same time, she is the reason they are not placing higher or more consistently, and I just have to wonder how they assess their situation and their respective contributions to the team. Anyway, the rest of the program went pretty smoothly until Keauna fell on their second throw jump, and although I know that placing elements at the end can be a real point-getter I do question the wisdom of placing such a move at the end when both are tired, especially given her historic difficulties with landings. I was touched by how supportive and comforting Rockne was at the end of their performance, and despite my short and unauthorized analysis above I think they could have what it takes. All in all, even though I have been a little harsh on this pair recently I really do love them and hope they stay together to make a run at 2014.

I was curious to see how Brandon would recover after Nationals, and was a little surprised (not in a bad way) to see him in 3rd after the SP. Sadly he slipped to 4th overall, but it's a good sign he can rebound so quickly, and he'll probably be in great shape (mental and otherwise) going into next season. For the same reason I was interested in Caroline's results, and she miraculously pulled off a 3rd-place finish here. I don't really know where to begin with herm but hopefully this gives her the confidence she needs to sit down and re-assess her skating and coaching situation. Ryan Bradley, meanwhile, seems to be continuing his run of messing up the SP, going for broke in the FS, and ultimately being too far behind to catch up. He will probably retire soon, since I can't see him going for another four years, but I sort of want him to get some sort of medal before he does.

I don't know whether I should be a little embarrassed to say this, but I was interested in Akiko Suzuki's and Tatsuki Machida's results only because they were Japanese. Okay, that's not quite true. To me Akiko has come out of nowhere, and I have been both surprised and impressed that she has been able to keep up her competition results so consistently. I can't get myself to warm to her skating just yet, but she does a good job of doing what she needs to do in the shadows of Miki Ando and Mao. Tatsuki, meanwhile, caught my attention because I had never seen his name before, but was far outperforming Yasuharu Nanri here (and evidently at Nationals, which I hadn't paid attention to past Takahiko Kozuka's name). Tatsuki is pretty young (19), and I hope this starts a off a successful next four years for him.

I think I'm going to be too nervous to actually watch the Olympics.

2010 US Nationals: Free Dance

Well, it's been a while. Between picking classes and family visiting, I haven't had any time to really keep up with the things I usually follow. I have finally decided what I am taking this semester (Independent Research, Evolutionary Biology, Quantitative Methods in Sociology, Experimental Physical Chemistry, and French--yay), though and everything seems to be slowly settling into place. Well, everything except lab. My cells are acting weird and I'm not sure why.

So this happened like a week ago, but at last I've found the Free Dance (for the last five groups) from Nationals. It was a great competition and I was pretty excited about it, although the scoring in the OD (between Meryl Davis & Charlie White and Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto), considering the twizzles, was a little strange.

Tanith & Ben skated first out of the final group, and because I'd somehow made it through the better part of the season without seeing their program, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were skating to Caccini's Ave Maria. Yes, Ave Maria in general is a classical fallback, but it seems that the Ave Maria most people immediately think of is Gounod's, followed by Schubert's, and this will raise the visibility of Caccnini's version. Caccini's version is the most dramatic, though, so it worked well for them. Their black-and-white costumes were appropriately plain (color-wise) and dramatic (glitter- and cut-wise) at the same time, although I'm not sure if I would have designed a similar costume. I was glad to see that Tanith's hair was tied back. Anyway, in terms of their skating, I thought they did really well--their twizzles were fast and together, and their lifts were elegant and smooth. Their trademark move, where Tanith stands on Ben's skate and arches her back, was used really well and emphasized one of the climaxes of the music. They looked very happy at the end of their performance and after they saw their marks, and I think that even though they did not become the first team to win six National titles they have a lot to be proud of.

Next was Kim Navarro & Brent Bommentre. They were also dressed in black and white, though more simply so, and I think I prefer this set of costumes within the black and white scheme. Their program got off to a slightly shake start with the first set of twizzles, when Kim let go over her foot too early, but they recovered well for the second set. Tonia Kwiatkowski mentioned that their FD is supposed to represent their partnership, which seems really sweet (although I'm not sure exactly how the representation works... maybe through the lyrics of the music ("One" by Mary J. Blige)). Their lifts were pretty eye-catching, and the simplicity of their costumes helped accentuate the line of their positions. Kim & Brent looked very emotional at the end, and you could see them mouth "Thank you" to each other. Sentimental favorites indeed. I thought their program component scores could have been a little higher, but good performance all around. Too bad they're not going to the Olympics.

Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein are really the future. You can always tell which juniors will be successful as seniors because they make a dramatic move right away, and this team is no exception (so far). Their costumes were the first that really seemed to be costumes as opposed to crazy outfits, and their music (a "classical waltz") was soft and elegant. Very different feel from the first two teams. Their first set of twizzles seemed just a tad bit messy, but their alternating arm movements in the second set really stood out and was timed perfectly to the music. Kwiatkowski mentioned that they seem to have gained a lot of confidence since winning Junior Worlds last year, and although I didn't really follow them last year she seems to be right--they skated with the power that comes from confidence. They actually beat Navarro & Bommentre in the technical score, but lost out significantly in the program component score, which is sure to go up as they gain more experience.

Then came Meryl & Charlie. They skated to Phantom of the Opera, which is completely overdone, but of course they managed to make it their own anyway. They jumped right into two combination spins, which had great spead, and everything just took off from there. The straight line --> rotational lift had numerous quick position changes, and highlighted the tension of the main theme before the music cut to "Music of the Night." I wasn't such a huge fan of the musical transitions and cuts they decided to use, but they were definitely able to change their style and feel according to that of the music without sacrificing speed. Charlie made me a little nervous on their second straight-line lift, although Meryl's position was really amazing. Their twizzles were fast and controlled (they made sure it was nothing like the OD), and they built up the program's excitement to the end to receive a standing ovation (although I absolutely hated how they suddenly switched the music--the change was way too obvious and abrupt). Their scores were absolutely through the roof (yay Nationals!) despite receiving a deduction (?), and easily beat Tanith & Ben.

Last were Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates, skating to "Canto Della Terra," which initially reminded me of a less breathy Enya in a different language (it's not--it's Italian opera). Evan definitely had a friend in the audience. :) Their twizzles were spot-on and their lifts dramatic in all the right ways. I was really happy to see that none of the top teems seemed to be trying the old ice-dance trick of using crazy costumes to distract from the actual skating (but can someone do something about Emily's hair?). In the end I felt much more emotion from Kim & Brent and I think their performance was stronger, but Emily & Evan are clearly the much better technicians and they deserved to place 3rd.

The other team I hunted down online was Jane Summersett & Todd Gilles, who skated to a "rock & roll medley." They are always so energetic and fun to watch, which worked with the music well, and despite everything I always find myself secretly hoping that they'll place. Unfortunately Jane fell out of her first set of twizzles, and their skating seemed a little slow in comparison to the later group. Their signature curve lift was definitely the highlight of the performance. :) According to Kwiatkowski they changed coaches early in this season, and have improved their edges and closeness. I really hope they keep skating.

In the Land of PC

As it pours outside and I wait for my cells to transform (which really isn't as cool as it might sound):

This has been bothering me for the past several days, ever since it made the mainstream news. Apparently the Australian Aborigines are offended by Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin's OD, which is based on an aboriginal theme. Of course the news would use the photograph of the moment with the most outrageous expressions from Oksana, meant to elicit politically correct outrage:

Copyright AP, I believe.

However there are several problematic points with the Australian Aborigines' anger, and theirs as well as the general public's reveals their ignorance about ice dancing. Without addressing any specific complaint that the Australian Aborigines', ice dancing and ice skating as a whole is as much theatre as it is sport. And I mean that in the most respectful way possible. Although the ones giving the marks are ultimately the judges, who are sitting immediately rinkside, the audience and its reaction is a huge component of ice dance.

To this end, the makeup and costumes of ice skaters in general is often exaggerated (see: Miki Ando) because it helps drive the theme home while they skate at top speed (well, not all of them), especially to those sitting way at the top of the stands. Ice dancing, while highly technical and athletic, is usually the most theatrical of the diciplines and often borderline ridiculous (if not outright so). This Russian team in particular, compared to teams such as Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir and Meryl Davis & Charlie White, tends towards the more ridiculous on the ice dance spectrum and go for the costumes rather than dresses/shirt & pants. Oksana & Maxim's OD this year treats their theme no differently than they have past themes.

1. "We see it as stealing Aboriginal culture and it is yet another example of the Aboriginal people of Australia being exploited. It's been absolutely stolen without our permission and without consultation of the relevant dance groups within Aboriginal Australia. ... It's not just intellectual property. It's straight-out cultural theft." -Sol Bellear, New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council
   
   The moment someone exaggerates to this extent, they immediately start losing credibility.
   
   • There is no exploitation of Australian Aborigines occurring. There just isn't. Every year the music of various cultures and persons is used, and the process for using the aboriginal music was no different than for others. If anything, the music of a highly successful program can in fact benefit, with fans (re)discovering music or the movies from which they were taken. After Mao Asada's win at the World Championships in 2008, the piece for her long program was one of the most purchased songs in Japan.
     
   • Choosing a piece of music for a program does not involve consulting the composer; instead, the skaters credit appropriately and indicate whether it is a compilation of two different songs, original cuts, etc.
     
   • Oksana & Maxim did not steal an aboriginal dance. They used an aboriginal dance as inspiration for their OD, much like Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosoto with their Moldavian dance. As above, they did not claim that this was a dance conceived entirely of their own creativity, and nor did they claim that this dance was taken from a different source than "aborigine."
     
   
   
2. "Interest must be expressed in a way that is respectful. The ripping off of our art and songs is not, and nor is this depiction of my culture." -Bev Manton
   
   This, on the other hand, is much more reasonable and thoughtful, and I am sure she has a point. However, I still think that she does not fully understand the style of ice dance, and does not realize that many cultural pieces are "adapted" in exaggerated for the sport. If this is the first time she has fully looked at ice dance, then yes, the OD is probably offensive. The Internet was probably not the best sole source for research on this dance.
   
   
3. There was also a protest on the fact that the costumes involved bodysuits made to make Oksana & Maxim's skin look darker. I have not been able to find this complaint since, so perhaps whoever said it realized that this was a foolish one and withdrew. Kim Navarro & Brent Bommentre also wear dark-colored bodysuits for their Afro-Brazilian dance, and Brent goes as far as to wear a leather headpiece meant to emulate long hair: "As far as the headpiece is concerned, they were trying to find a way for me to have longer hair. I was really hesitant about hair extensions, and I can't grow my hair out fast enough to have dreds." Where's the protest on this one?
   
   
4. In addition, the "body paint" on the costumes has been criticized as looking as if "a 3-year-old child had drawn it on." -Stephen Page
   
   Perhaps to an Australian Aborigine, this is true. However, look at Maia & Alex Shibutani's OD costumes for this season, set to Japanese drum music:
   
   
   Copyright Michelle Harvath
   
   

   The Shibutanis are ethnically Japanese, so they would probably know a thing or two (or at least their parents would) about the culture. Yet their tops are stereotypically designed, and not at all like the solid, dark-colored, open front tops that one usually sees on traditional Japanese drummers. Yet in a world where most people have never seen a taiko performance, the point is made: this dance is Asian. Could the Russians have been more tasteful? Probably. But a point of the similar effect is made through their costumes, and that was reasonably their goal when they were designed.
   
   
5. "First of all, in the ISU rule book there is a list of dances which are allowed for use in the Original Dance competition. In black and white it states Aborigines Dances. When creating an 'Aborigines' dance, we were not suggesting a specific geographic region, but rather a tribute to a place and time before the 'modern civilization.' We had no intent to make the dance specifically 'Australian,' because we realize our limitations to fully understand all the intricacies." -Natalia Linichuk
   
   Well, no one can really know for sure what their intentions were, but she does have a persuasive point. This woman is a force to be reckoned with, evidently.
   

I also found IceNetwork's coverage of this controversy to be slightly distasteful and lacking in journalistic standards. This article, titled "In ice dance, it's a fine line between tribute an insult" and written by Lynn Rutherford, directly addresses the issue and uses the relevant quotes. It gives a clear context for the quotes from Tanith & Ben and Meryl & Charlie--they were asked "What do you think about the controversy over Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin's Aboriginal dance?"--and both teams answered accordingly.

In particular, Meryl answered, "We can't speak for anyone else, but for us, knowing that we didn't know anything about Indian culture going in, it was very important for us to do the research and do the dance justice. We didn't want to offend anyone or do something that was completely off base." It might not be a journalistic masterpiece, but it's fine. Meryl & Charlie come off very well, good for them.

On the other hand, THIS article (Bollywood scores blockbuster in Spokane), published the same day and also written by Lynn Rutherford, reuses the quotes from the other article and without context. (It also uses a terrible pun, but whatever.)

"[Specialists they consulted] broke it down, we worked off the ice, and they helped us explore all the areas of Indian dance. We really didn't know anything about Indian culture going in. It was very important for us to do research to do the theme justice, and know that we were not going to do anything to offend anyone or do something that was completely off base."

This comes in the middle of a discussion of how the dance was conceived, and given the controversy that everyone knew about, it just sounds like a not-so-subtle swipe at the Russians. Well, turns out, Meryl wasn't directly talking about creating the OD after all. Or... maybe this is the original quote, the other article reused it, and she's a little catty. :) But given the nature of the comment and Meryl & Charlie's sportsmanship in general, the first interpretation makes more sense.

But all in all, whatever. Ice dancing is ridiculous, and everyone (should) know(s) that. By continuing this outrage, the Australian Aborigines are giving the OD the serious consideration they insist it doesn't deserve.

2010 US Nationals: Compulsory Dance/Original Dance

Finally! I have been waiting for the Dance portion for what seems like so long, and now it's less than half an hour before the FD starts (although more than an hour before it gets interesting at all). I remember reading an article leading in the 2002 Olympics that said that ice dance was all about crazy costumes and little athletic ability. How times have changed (does saying this make me old?). There are still crazy costumes, but no one can deny how trained and skilled these skaters are.

So I didn't actually watch the CD--I love figure skating, but not always that much--but tracked the scores on IceNetwork instead. There weren't many surprises, other than the hugely inflated scores (a 45? Really?), although I didn't expect Kim Navarro & Brent Bommentre (am I the only one who wants to pronounce this Beau-mont-ruh instead of Beau-men-tree?) to beat Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates. It didn't really matter, though, because they were separated by less than half a point, and the same for Meryl Davis & Charlie White and Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto. I should probably watch one or two of them before this is all over, though--the Golden Waltz sounds pretty and is supposed to be one of the more challening of the ODs, and Meryl's purple dress was gorgeous.

I did, however, watch the OD, and was a little surprised by the results. Tanith & Ben skated pretty early on, and they skated to a Moldavian folk dance. Their costumes, of course, were lovely and seemed quite traditionally Eastern European, but I wasn't totally sold on the program itself. Tonia Kwiatkowski (who as a rule is far less annoying than Tara Lipinski) mentioned that Moldavian dances involve a lot of jumping up and down, and it's great that Tanith & Ben incorporated that, but to me all of the jumping seemed a little wild and exaggerated, and interrupted the flow of their skating. Maybe if Tanith & Ben both tied their hair back things would appear more calm, but in general things appeared a little chaotic.

Meryl & Charlie skated soon after them to their now-famous Indian folk dance. Meryl is so uniquely beautiful, and she pulled off her costume and its colors really well. From what I've seen of Indian dance, it also involves a lot of jumping, but this program seemed to incorporate that better into the style of ice dance. Given my overall impression of Tanith & Ben's skate, I was pretty sure that Meryl & Charlie would beat them in the OD as well--until Meryl partially fell out of her twizzles. Based on past experiences watching ice dance, I thought that a mistake on the twizzles would be pretty costly, but it didn't seem to hurt them much at all, and all of their elements had positive GOEs (even the twizzles, which were rated Level 4!). They placed safely first with a 68, compared to Tanith & Ben's 66. I know the time had to come and that Meryl & Charlie are the new stars of US ice dance while Tanith & Ben are getting older (although to be fair, they are not old, and ice dancers seem to have a much longer career than singles skaters), but it is still so weird to me to consider that Tanith & Ben could possibly not win Nationals.

Anyway, after them came Jane Summersett & Todd Gilles--one of my personal favorites. Not a threat to win, but always entertaining and also incredible people off-ice. I mean, they can do this:

An Evening with Champions 2008. Copyright Sarah Brannen, a remarkably talented and generous photographer. A more explanatory picture of this move is on her website.

How weird is that, right? With moves and creativity like this, the OD and FD are usually their strong portions, but surprisingly they lost ground on 6th place after what I thought was one of their best OD performances ever. I really liked the simplicity of their costumes as well, so overall that was a little bit of a letdown.

And then came Kim & Brent, who skated to some Afro-Brazilian hybrid. For all of the controversy surrounding Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin's Aborigine-inspired OD, there sure has been nothing on these two. I'm not saying that there should be (much more on this later), but Kim & Brent are also wearing costumes designed to make their skin look darker, and Brent is even wearing a "wig" made out of what looks like strips of leather. That's one for the PC mill. Anyway, as usual their performance was entertaining and energetic, although their overall impression was somewhat similar to Tanith & Ben's, and I had a vague feeling going in that they would be dropped to 4th no matter what happened, barring Emily & Evan falling or something.

And, sure enough, Emily & Evan moved up to 3rd. I'm sure their skating was all quite clean and technical, but I'm not a fan of this OD. Other than the fact that Emily's dress has gratuitous back exposure, their last rotational lift seemed remarkably simple (Emily riding piggy-back on Evan). I know that a lot of moves in figure skating can look deceptively simple or difficult, but I just can't really see the point of spinning someone around on your back. Oh, wait. I just realized that the last lift is non-scoring. Never mind... Either way, though, I don't love this one. But it was impressive to me that they would decide to go with American instead of some other culture's--I think the locality/familiarity of the style would actually make it more scary to challenge the field field with.

In between I saw Madison & Keiffer Hubbell and Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein, which were both fun although I don't remember too much of it. They did well, though, and I'm excited to see what happens in the next two hours!