Sunday 25 October 2009

Rostelecom Cup Dance Review

A few one liners to sum up the OD ...
Davis and Whites od is bollybrilliant (sorry cheap shot), completely unique and my favourite of all the OD's I have seen so far.

Cappelini and Lanotte was a pretty bog standard OD with some nice easy transitions which all looks nice.

Rubleva/Shefer aka Barbie and Ken looked like they had just skated out the packaging in a toy shop at Christmas. But its a bit different so pleasing enough, prefer it to their free dance.

Free Dance
Ok so Chock and Zuerlin oh wait ... its Davis and White. I complained about the French P/B using the clock theme which was done by the Germans previously but at least it wasnt done in the same olympic cycle Davis and White have a got a second hand free dance, after they were done with it obviously Madison/Greg were looking to sell it off cheaply.

Aside from the complete lack of originality (I actually cant believe they had the nerve Im just going back to check i was watching the right team), the skating was really good. Costumes pretty old fashioned, but I love their lifts .. esp when she does the little rotational twists in the middle of the lifts (the Kerrs do this too :D). Twizzles remain some of (if not) the best in the world. Their edge work and basic skating wasnt as great as at worlds 09, however I guess this is partly an early season issue and will be gone soon enough. I like the collapsing on their knees in the middle to catch their breath back made to look intentional ;-) But to summarise a well deserved first place. But someone PM me when they have got their own free dance sorted im sure that will be great - understand we are in a recession and all.

Onto Cappelini/Lanotte, I did not predict these to finish as high as they did, owing to how could anything live up to their Love Story free dance and the change of coaches can take a while to adjust to. Reqium for a dream was a bit of a let down after love story, and is an over used peice of music in skating of late, whilst love story has been used a lot I never tire of it. Didnt feel they really connected with the music, and like P/B transitions were not great - the French coaching team must have decided this is the route to more points, faster skating in place of better transitions. Loved the lift where he is in a teapot I have been waiting and willing a team to do this! So kudos for that. All their lifts were pretty good, and despite the bland music there was some innovative choreography. Skating skills however well down on Davis and White. And they too have joined the black and white FD costume gang - maybe you get a discount on the costume if they are black and white.

And a wobbler of a performance from Rubleva/Shefer. There was something resembling Chemistry between them. costumes were not bad although russians have strange concept of what colours go together. No elements which stood out for me, it was all a bit bland. THey didnt pull of the music I didnt feel, but then I didnt get the music at all didnt mean much to me was a bit nothingless. Choreography was pretty multi purpose and in no way unique to the program. Few places where if they had slowed any more they would have stopped. Dont see this team as any threat to the big guns.

Crone/Poirer's video on youtube had had the soundtrack removed so wont review them.

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