Canadian Nationals 2016- Dance

When Weaver and Poje do their new(ish) short dance, I see an improvement every time, and I think that is going to benefit them in the long run. They are on the right trajectory, they're performing better and better over the season in general, but I don't think they're going to win that world title I'm sure they're dying for. With all their performances this season and what we've seen from others, I definitely see them on the podium, but I definitely think that there are quite a lot of teams that could be on the podium, in any position, depending on their skates at Worlds and the judging panel. Weaver and Poje stand a chance at winning the world championships, but I would say it's more likely we'll see them in second or third again.

Gilles and Porier stand out in the best way for me. They have very original programs which stand out among the traditional, somewhat bland programs we're seeing this year. I still don't get their programs, but I don't have to. I still stick to the theory that their short dance is based on the conspiracy theory behind the song Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds. Their freedance is also very original, and regardless of whether or not you completely get the story they're telling, it is eye-catching and original enough to hold your attention in a way so many programs don't do this season.

Orford and Hill are a team I am loving to watch. For such a new team, it is amazing to me that they mesh so well together. Their programs are beautiful, and though traditional, I am more than willing to give them a pass because they are a brand new team, and in the first season, teams need to play it safe to make it onto their national team. On top of needing to be traditional, Orford and Hill do this very well. Personally, I find their Theory of Everything freedance tells the story better than Hawayek and Baker, even though I still don't want to see another Theory of Everything program again unless she lifts him by the end of the program to both tell the story and stand out.

Paradis and Ouellette are really nice skaters. They do the Ravensburger very well, it's light across the ice, which is how it should be done. Their technical balance is good, they are able to achieve levels on their lifts without overdoing the number of positions, so she doesn't look like she's rolling around in his arms, which has become a common trend in ice dance this season.

Paul and Islam were really disappointing at nationals, they just weren't able to do their programs with the quality they are capable of. I really like them, but they are not living up to their potential. This isn't the first time they've had issues on a lift, and this is starting to become a trend. They don't have the impact that they could have, especially when they have technical failings like they did here. Honestly, as much as I like them, I would have had them behind Orford and Hill, who I think were much better.

Trophee Bompard- Dance

The dance event at Trophee Bompard was a little shocking in the outcome.

Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue won the short dance (and maybe the event? it's still unclear what's going to happen). I was sincerely surprised by how much I enjoyed their short dance. I'm usually not a huge fan of people skating to Hallelujah, but I loved their short dance. Their movements were clean and the program was choreographed simply. There were a few moments I loved, simple moments where, rather than filling the program to the brim, they held a nice edge in close hold to the music. I was far from their biggest fan in the past, but they are clearly good skaters, and their material finally showcases this effectively.

Piper Gilles and Paul Porier were the favourites for this event, but finished in second. I like their short. I don't entirely understand, though I do have a theory as to the story, but I don't think I need to. They stand out from the crowd because they are going so far from the pretty music and pretty people we're seeing a whole lot too much of this year, because the short dance is a waltz and the world champion's freedance was classical and traditional.

Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin are definitely my favourite Russian team. I generally like their skating, they have nice lines and decent choreography, even though it is still very Russian. They look very nice on the ice and match each other well.

The Brits, Penny Coomes and Nicholas Buckland, finished the event in Bordeaux in fourth. They aren't my favourite team, they don't have the soft knees and long lines we expect from the ice dance event. They end up looking a little too much like a pair team for my tastes. They aren't bad skaters, but they are lacking a little refinement in the details, which is part of why they are not as successful as some might expect them to be.

Skate America 2015- Ice Dance

I am still a little in shock about the ice dance event.

This is so far from what I expected from this event, and I'm still not quite sure how it happened.

The biggest shock was obviously Sinitsina and Katsalapov coming in second. Last season they didn't even get the technical requirement to qualify for worlds and now they're beating out some of the best teams in the world.

Sinitsina and Katsalapov were fine, but they were not exceptional. I really can't believe they beat Gilles and Porier, and Hawayek and Baker. I don't know what happened, but I really didn't see what the judges apparently saw.

Sinitsina and Katsalapov didn't have a great Ravensburger, the choreography is less than exciting, and they don't have the best lines. Their lifts are also strange. They never settle into a position, which leaves them looking like she's rolling around in his arms, and then all of a sudden she's back on the ice.

Also, I really don't understand the motivation to skate to Swan Lake. Nikita already did that with Elena, and it is nowhere near as good. The music they use also doesn't work exceptionally well for the Ravenburger, which makes me question what the hell Marina Zoueva is thinking with these two.

The winners of the event are the ones we all expected to win here. No one is surprised that Madison Chock and Evan Bates took the gold here. Even for them though, the freedance was very sloppy. We're used to Madison having less than great technique, but this week, they were exceptionally sloppy. Madison really needs a strict technical coach to fix her edges and turns. However, a quick fix is for her to just bring her feet together between turns. I went back and re-watched their programs, specifically watching Madison's feet, and not once did I see her feet come together once between their programs.

Piper Gilles and Paul Porier are still the silver medalists here in my mind. They have interesting programs, they're fun and exciting, and they have interesting music choices. I really like their programs, even though I don't really get the theme of the freedance, I like it so much that it doesn't matter to me. It is nice to see dances that are not just typical pretty people skating to pretty music.

Speaking of pretty people skating to pretty music, Hawayek and Baker finished just barely off the podium here. Their programs are not my favourite, and I would like to see them do something a little different from the past.
They have really nice lines and good technique, but their programs are so similar every year that they are seriously becoming a snozefest. I really want to love Hawayek and Baker, but I would love for them to step out of their comfort zone, even a little bit.

I was really disappointed in the Chinese team here. They have become one of the teams I love to watch, and they had some more interesting programs than some of the other teams, but they really did not skate well here. They had a lot of mistakes, and I'm just hoping they can pull it together sooner rather than later.

Thornhill Summer Skate: The Seniors- Senior Dance

The senior dance is usually my favourite event at any given competition, but at Summer Skate, though it was very good, Gilles and Porier withdrawing from the freedance was a bit of a letdown.

The short dance this year is the Ravensburger Wlatz. I'm very glad that, unlike last year, there seems to be more diversity in the theme and execution of the short dance.

Gilles and Porier had a fun hippie themed short dance, they seemed to not have their costumes though. I've seen photos of them in costume for the short dance, but at Summer Skate they were in plain black clothes. We didn't get to see their freedance as they withdrew from the event (I haven't been able to find out why).

The other highlight of the event was Nicole Orford and Asher Hill. They have just teamed up very recently, but they already work extremely well as a couple. Their lines match beautifully and they have great chemistry on the ice. Both programs were beautiful, and though not particularly original in theme and styling, they were amazing to watch. Like Piper and Paul, they don't seem to have costumes ready or they had some sort of issue with them, and skated in plain black clothing like Piper and Paul.

The other couples were strong, but fell into the shadows cast by the two bigger couples. They were enjoyable to watch, but not as memorable as Orford and Hill and Gilles and Porier.

This competition just continued to show the depth of ice dance in Canada at the moment.

4 Continents Championships- Ice Dance

This is going to be a long one folks, all my favourite teams from my favourite event competed this weekend and I couldn't just talk about some of them.

Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje did not do as well as we all expected in the short dance as I think most expected of them, after winning the Grand Prix Final, I don't think anyone anticipated them in third place after the short. However, in the free, they certainly did not disappoint, making up the small point deficit from the short.

Their beautiful freedance, though very traditional, is quite beautiful, and accentuates their amazing skating skills. They have a great connection to the music and each other. The choreoraphy suits them well, it's light, graceful, smooth and sweet, filling the music and catching the nuance of the melody. They have fantastic speed, even through their difficult elements, there isn't much need for long set ups for elements when they are able to create speed through their intricate transitions.  

And who doesn't love a reaction like Kaitlyn's?

Madison Chock and Evan Bates are always exciting to watch, they have some of the most interesting lifts in ice dance at the moment and despite any mistakes, Madison is always selling the performance with everything she's got. I have to say though, I am not a fan of the new costumes for the freedance. the mesh down the sides of both her dress and his shirt is unnecessary. They had a few mistakes in the freedance, but overall, their performance was strong in both programs. Some of their transitions come off a little awkward but they make up for most of the minor mistakes they make in the performance quality. They have great musicality and are very inviting to their audience.

Maia and Alex Shibutani finished better than I think many expected them to at this year's 4 Continents Championships. Perhaps this is due, in part to the fact that they were the only team training in Michigan whose flight was not delayed. While the rest had to worry about making it to the competition at all, Maia and Alex were already in Korea, giving them a chance to adjust better to the timezone and get some practice in. Following the short dance, they really stood a chance to overtake one or both of the top two teams. Their short dance is clearly their stronger program, the free just doesn't have the spark that we all know the Shibutani's are capable of.

Their freedance is unfortunately a little drab, especially when compared to the power, precision, and control in the short dance. It seems that they aren't really getting the attention and choreography they need to become the top US team, something they are certainly capable. There are lots of strange little details within the choreography that don't seem to fit. There are times when their legs are bent, and even if it is intentional, it doesn't always look good. These little details should have been smoothed out by now, but I fear they are still not Marina's top priority. It might just be time for these two to make a coaching switch, as I've said before, I want them to do as well as they possibly can, and I'm not so sure that's going to happen if they stay with Marina Zoueva.

Piper Gilles and Paul Porier maintained their fourth place from the short dance to the free, and are doing quite well for themselves this season, but the very traditional freedance may not have been the best choice for these two.

(Video not available everywhere, sorry.)

Though their Freedance certainly has merit, and there are quite a lot of really great moments, my favourite being the period move for the choreographic spin movement, a new addition this season, which, I have to say, I quite enjoy. However, for Gilles and Porier, the classic style while good enough and entertaining enough, when compared to their Hitchcock program, it falls a little short for me in terms of creativity. They do weird too well for them to not capitalize on it. A program like Hitchcock helped them stand out from the crowd in a way this program does not.

Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker are a joy to watch. They are one of my favourite teams this season. They have gorgeous, deep edges and wonderful flow across the ice. They have something very few skaters can manage, the perfect connection to each other, the music, and the audience. This only amplifies their beautiful skating. I would like to see them be a little more adventurous in the freedance. While their program is beautiful and smooth, the choreography is so much like so many other programs it can be hard to stand out, and they don't really have a reputation to help them achieve that recognition, though they are quickly making their presence known in the world of ice dance.

However, it must be said that their short dance is not quite as good as the free. Like most teams this season, their paso is good, but not as good as their freedance. The Pasodoble is clearly not their best style of dance, but next year's Ravensburger Waltz should suit them better, and give them the freedom to be a little ore adventurous in the free. Their energy is fantastic to watch, they are always so enthusiastic, and watching their happy dance on the ice at the end of the freedance brought a smile to my face.

Alexandra Paul and Mitchell Islam are a team I have always been partial to. Though I enjoyed their old freedance, many did not share that opinion, and it was smart to re-work the program choreographed b Jeffrey Buttle for their new freedance. Overall it seems to be better received than their old one.

They always have such nice lines, especially when in hold, something many other teams struggle with. The costuming is beautiful and different from the other teams. They have great flow and deep edges, and the hold position you'd expect from the son of an ice dance coach. They have great musicality, and considering this is only the second time they've skated this program in this way it looks extremely polished, though as you'd expect, there's some kinks to work out. Everything seemed to be going so well for them, and then he tripped. I should've known it was too good to be true, but at the very least, his trip over his toepicks (it happens to everyone, but did it have to be in the middle of Four Continents?) didn't happen during an element, so the cost was pretty minimal. That doesn't mean we're all not hoping Mitch gets his toepicks under control before Worlds.

Canadian Nationals 2015- Senior Ice Dance

At the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships the strongest field was certainly the ice dance. Many feared the fall of Canadian, and North American ice dance overall following the retirement of Davis and White and Virtue and Moir (yes, I know, they haven't officially retired, but let's be honest with ourselves, they're probably done), but it is clear this season that North American ice dance is still going strong.

Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje took their first national championship title this weekend. Some aren't thrilled with the artistic side of their skating, but it cannot be denied that they have amazing skating skills, speed, and power. Though some may be less than enamored with their free dance they do have a classic elegance that I am partial to. They have a beautiful free dance, and very few of the top teams have a free dance with a nontraditional style. With the pasodoble as the short dance, many teams opted for a classic, soft free dance to balance the sharp power of the paso. Among these dances, Weaver and Poje stand out as very talented, confident skaters, regardless of how you feel about their skating style.

Piper Gilles and Paul Porier finished in second place at nationals this year, and like Kaitlyn and Andrew, have had an exceptional season, attending the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona. Piper and Paul had a great showing at nationals. They usually have a quirky energy to their programs, which in many ways is toned down in their programs this season, but they still maintain their energy in the more classic free dance. They will not likely place on the podium at worlds, but they have a strong chance to finish certainly in the top 10 and perhaps in the top 5.

The third place team of Alexandra Paul and Mitchell Islam have not had the successful season internationally the other 2 teams have had. However their new free dance, originally choreographed by Jeffery Buttle is a beautiful piece that suits their personalities, and should (hopefully) be more successful internationally than their free dance from the first half of the season. These two had an amazing breakout season last season, attending the Olympic Games in Sochi, and this season they continue to be successful within Canada, but are struggling a little more on the international circuit, perhaps in part due to the fact that the pasodoble is not their best style of dance, but they continue to perform admirably, and hopefully as they attend the last few international competitions of the season their programs will be more appreciated by the judges.