Thoughts, Observations, Rants, and Raves: The 2017 World Championships

Well, I wasn't planning on writing again until Worlds was over, but this competition is so interesting and surprising it has brought a lot of things to mind. So much that it could not be conveyed in a Twitter or Facebook posting. Every time I get done watching an event, I am in a daze of thoughts.

So to start this crazy set of days off, one of my favorites, Misha Ge, said he was retiring. It really sucked to hear that, but he had a lot of valid points. Being a skater without a quad, he does not believe he will be able to compete with the top skaters in the field. He further laments the downfall of the overall performance in the quest for quads.

Which brings me to point #2: Nathan Chen popping off in an interview about how artistry isn't important and that the sport is moving in a more athletic direction. It was something about watching ice dance if you want artistry, and all that stuff isn't as hard as working on quads. Well, Twitter blew up over this. In one camp, there were people really pissed at Nathan. In another, his defenders.

And then me (and maybe some others), who thought his comments were coming from a place of nervousness and insecurity. This was his first time at Worlds at the Senior level after all. Anyone that's a Yuri on Ice fan remembers how JJ was bragging about being the king and all that, and how he succumbed to pressure at the Grand Prix Final by popping and falling on many of his jumps. I figured Nathan was going to have a JJ moment out there, and I was right, though not quite on that grand of a scale. That was followed by Javi's clapback in the press conference, about if all you do is jump and can't skate, you shouldn't be there.

The quad debate in nothing new. This has been going on since the early 2000s, but now has reached epic levels of ridiculousness. I was at a competition a few months ago talking to a friend of mine about all the injuries that had happened this season. She had asked me if I thought there should be a limit on the number of quads in a program, since so many skaters have gotten injured in the quest for more and more. It was honestly something I had not given much thought. I have not liked the direction toward jumps and jumps alone in both of the singles events, to the detriment of everything else. But I also think if you can do a move, flaunt it!

I'll give you all a little tidbit about me try to understand my thought process. My Myers Briggs type is an ENTP. One trademark of ENTPs is they like to examine all sides of everything, and argue the merits of each point of view.

Then, I thought about two things I never fail to mention in all my favorite programs: artistry and passion. I'm pretty sure I've said this in about 90% of my posts here. So, knowing my M.O. in regard to skating, this makes the answer fairly simple. Yes, I do think the number of quads should be limited; I just don't know on the number. Supposedly, all elements are created equal under IJS, but everyone knows damn well that is not the case. Not to mention, so much hype is put on the jumps that other elements can get ignored. Also, it is just boring to watch when all you see is setting up for the next jump. If you place all your bets on jumps, it is a hollow program if for some reason things don't go as planned.

Maybe the jumpers could have a separate event. We do that in most of the smaller level competitions in USFS with jumps challenges and spins challenges. That certainly would be fascinating to see on an elite level.

On to point #3: The Program Component Scores, or PCS. I was doing a little more research on this last night. I found a lot of good information on what each of the components are, and the specific things they look for under each component. The components are Skating Skills, Transition and Linking Footwork & Movement, Performance and Execution, Choreography/Composition, and Interpretation. The first two components are somewhat quantifiable, but the last 3 are subject to interpretation. Do you ever see a program where you are just blown away by the performance, feeling everything the skater does? Have you seen others that, though they were technically solid, left you just feeling kind of "meh"? That's what these last components are supposed to measure. It is really challenging to put these type of "soft skills" into a measurable format. This is where the rub is a lot of the time in the PCS scoring. How do you measure emotional connection with the audience and judges? Or individuality? Or emotional and intellectual maturity?

On to competition stuff: In addition to Misha's retirement announcement, another one of my favorites (Maxim Kovtun) got injured in the short program. And another one of my favorites (Yuzuru Hanyu), got a stupid BS deduction. Nonsensical tomfoolery! Javier Fernandez has not had his best season thus far, but he always shows out at Worlds. It never fails! It does make things exciting to watch. I also was very happy to see Patrick Chan enter the "100 club". When he is on, he is fantastic! His skating has so many wonderful qualities and he seems to just float out there. I think Ashley was kind of robbed and scored too low in the short, but I can't say the same for the free skate. I have got a new favorite in ladies too: Gabrielle Daleman. She skated great today and seems to have such a nice personality. And congrats to Hubbell and Donohue! One of my highlights of the morning, along with Piper and Paul's disco-fabulousness. That one's going down in the archives as an all time favorite. My favorite performance of the whole event so far was Sui and Han's free skate. That program is a masterpiece. I'm looking forward to Yuzu's "Hope and Legacy" program tomorrow too. That is a true work of art.

My last point is on the fan fallout. I am somewhat new to Twitter (I signed up around August/September last year), and it has been so fascinating reading everyone's comments live as the events are happening! I had originally gotten the account to live tweet the competitions as they were going on, but that kind of didn't happen (Skate America was the same weekend as the Renaissance Faire, so it got recorded. I didn't get with the program on that until around Nationals). What I have found is a community of skaters, skating fans and bloggers who are really awesome. It has been great to know there are many other die-hards out there like me.

However, there are some fans who get kind of ridiculous when things don't go the way they want them to. I have especially seen a lot of hate toward Evgenia Medvedeva, and it's so mean. I'm personally a fan and think she's a great skater, so I just don't get it. And come on, everyone knew she was going to win it before it even started, pending a catastrophic failure. Just because your favorite didn't deliver, or you don't agree with the judges, doesn't make it ok to hate on whoever did win. Some people don't even allow for disagreement. If you don't like all the same skaters they do, you are just wrong, and a horrible person, or not a true skating fan. Stop. Just stop. And definitely do not go harassing skaters on Twitter.

I'm also hoping that everyone claiming to be "emotionally ruined" by the results of Worlds is just being dramatic for the internet. As figure skating fans, we should know that there are surprises and upsets at most competitions, and sometime things don't go as planned or how we would have wanted. I personally look at it like this: I have enough to keep me stressed and frustrated on a daily basis. I skate, watch skating, write my blog, and connect with others on social sites as an escape from all that. All these things are creative outlets for me and give me something to enjoy and look forward to. Hopefully all these things have brought enjoyment to others too.

Ok, one more thing...did you guys see where Plushenko announced his retirement? I thought that already happened at the Sochi Olympics. He is so talented and has definitely left his mark on the sport, but damn, can he hog a spotlight.

Later y'all!

Autumn at Icy Trails ⛸

Icy Trails Favorite Performances of the 2016/2017 Season- Part 4: Super Awesome Bonus Content!

Hi everyone! I hope you've enjoyed my other posts in this series for Pairs and Dance, Ladies, and Men. I was saving a few things specifically for this post, though. It's the Super Awesome Bonus Content!

To start off, let's take a look at some of the season's more "interesting" programs...

Evgenia Medveva (RUS)- Exhibition: "Vogue"

This performance drew a lot of reactions, ranging from "this is pretty cool" to "WTF is going on?". I personally happen to enjoy it. She comes out of the covering like a superstar reveal before a show. And she is a superstar! The costume is really cool too. The important thing is she went out and did something different. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

Maxim Kovtun (RUS)- Short Program: "Bahamut"

Well, you guys know about my soft spot for Kovtun, but I really don't know what's going on here. Is he hitchhiking? Anyway, he skated really well though, especially with the jumps. The opening quad salchow combo was gold. Wait, he just did a facepalm/dab kind of thing there. And the rejoicing at the end...you are still a winner, Maxim!

And we have this one, from another Max, which is just a hot mess all around:

Max Aaron (USA)- Free Skate: "The Lion King"

Luckily, this performance from the Cup of China was at least better than his skate at Nationals. This just irks me so much. He has a lot of talent and great jumps, but it's never packaged appropriately. He has been trying, with varying degrees of success, to improve his component scores over the years. Most of the time this leaves him trying to be something he's not. I understand working to improve weaknesses, but this should never be done to the detriment of one's strengths. Max's sweet spot focuses more on athleticism. Any program should showcase that instead of these failed attempts at artistry. This is not his fault necessarily; his choreographers are not playing to his strengths either. I think he could strike a balance somewhere between Evan Lysacek and Elvis Stojko on the presentation scale, and that would go very well. Both of these skaters used athleticism to their advantage and created a presentation with aggressive music for that. I don't like to throw shade and I think Max is a good guy. This whole thing with the programs is just so damn frustrating! Johnny even called it in the commentary, about the usage of "The Lion King" to improve artistry. Tara actually had insightful commentary on this one too, highlighting some of the points I just mentioned.  Let's just hope he comes back stronger next season. It's the circle of life...

After all that, I'm sure you're all ready for a good program! Well here's another exhibition from my new fave Misha!

Misha Ge (UZB)- Exhibition: "Bang Bang Bang"

Another performance from that super fun show, All That Skate. He comes out with the boombox, sunglasses, and sideways hat. This is gonna be cool already! He is just the coolest; it doesn't matter what he's skating to.

On a final note, I would like to acknowledge some of the coaches. None of these skaters in any of these posts would have gotten as far as they have without them. Let's start out with the legendary Russian coach who has trained many Olympic and world medalists, Alexei Mishin!

Here, we see his typical, unamused look, and he probably is judging. Wait, what's this?

Aww, how cute! Someone gave him a heart. Well, it's probably for Carolina, but still. He still has his serious face on, but his heart is growing. You could also give Frank Carroll a plush heart and it would be just as amusing.

This next coach has a skater that's really on a roll! He's so happy that he's dancing with a water bottle! Ladies and gentlemen, Rafael Artunian!

This dance is now referred to as "The Raf". Everybody do The Raf!

Hope everyone has an awesome week! Later!

- Icy Trails ⛸

Icy Trails Favorite Performances of the 2016/2017 Season- Part 3: Men

Alright, alright, alright! Still cranking these out! For our next post:

"It's raining men! Hallelujah! It's raining men! Amen!"

Seriously though, this one is gonna be a big post. For the past several years, the men's competition has been arguably the most exciting competition to watch because you never know who's going to show up prepared to win. There is an excellent field with such an array of talent. No one can ever predict who is going to win! Another thing I'm very excited about is that there are more and more new countries getting involved with the sport every day. I love the variety that each of the newcomers bring to the sport.

We will start out with the Super Short Programs!

Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)- "Let's Go Crazy"

The second Prince program for the post! This one had to be included! Yuzu is probably my favorite skater right now, although I have discovered a new one which we will get to in a minute! This program is a departure from his usual programs, but he can skate to any style. He always gives 110% to every performance, and it shows. He's got it all: the jumps, and more importantly, the artistry. He just keeps getting better and better. And the lunge and slide is the coolest thing ever OMG! Someone did this cool flag for him at the beginning of the video too. He is interacting with the audience in such an awesome way here, and everyone is loving it! And the triple axel practically went into the stratosphere...amazing! The ending of this video is hilarious. They're highlighting all the tossies he got out there, and there's a lot!

Misha Ge (UZB)- "Liebestraum"

Another gent in lavender, and from a country newer to the sport! Misha may not have a quad, but he has beautiful artistry in this short program. What is fascinating about him is that he can skate a beautiful classical-type program like this, then transform into a completely different skater for exhibitions. You will see what I mean. Misha is one of my new favorites! He has been competing for a few seasons now, but I have unfortunately just recently discovered him. He has a flair for drama; I love it!

Michael Christian Martinez (PHI)- "Emeral Tiger"

Another somewhat newcomer on the scene from a different country. This is just great to see. Is this the most refined performance? Not necessarily. But his Biellman is the best I've ever seen from the men, and it's better than a lot of the ladies as well. Just amazing. He also starts off the program with an interesting step sequence, which is and interesting opening we do not seen often. The choreography here is dynamic and entertaining, and he has a few dance type sequences that look really cool. He's playing to his strengths.

Now on to some Fantastic Free Skates! This is where championships are often won!

Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)- "Hope and Legacy"

This program is so legendary, beautiful and amazing. Pretty much anything Yuzu skates to is going to be one of my favorites. This program is an Olympic-worthy program, but then again, his program last season to "Seimei" was too. It will be interesting what he brings out next season. He's got the difficult jumps here, to include the quad loop. He's got a lot more great skating too, with all the transition steps and great line. This program is mesmerizing and you can't look away.

Nathan Chen (USA)- "The Polovtsian Dances"

It's our "Quad Bae" Nathan Chen! He is nothing like we have ever seen in US Figure Skating. This program was an unbelievable feat in athleticism, but also had good presentation. 5 quads for the first time ever at Nats! The stadium explodes in applause! He pulled off this performance after being out for several months with a serious injury. Not only that, but he also performs well in international competitions! Consistency has been an issue across the board for American skaters, except in the area of ice dance, for years. Skaters come to kick ass and take names at Nationals but then succumb to pressure at big international events. Johnny dubbed him "America's hope". Kind of dramatic, but also kind of truthful. The best thing about Nathan Chen is that he is just getting started. He's got potential to get better and better. You can already see how the competition is steep here, and I haven't even finished posting all my free skates for the men yet.

Adam Rippon (USA)- "Arrival of the Birds"

This program is absolutely gorgeous. It's really unique and has a lot of cool artistry to it. Adam becomes one with the birds. Even his jumps are birdlike with soft, light landings. He has a really nice layback spin too. I'm pretty bummed that he got injured and we can't see this at Worlds. Adam also made the Grand Prix Final for the first time this year, as the program was well received by both the audience and the judges.

Maxim Kovtun (RUS)- "Iron Sky"

I have Maxim Kovtun in here because I like this program, and also because it seems like he always gets the short end of the stick. He won Russian Nationals in 2014 but got left off the Olympic team when Plushenko came sweeping in and took his spot. Then he pours his heart into this performance at Europeans, and still comes in second to Javier Fernandez, even though Javi's performance was riddled with mistakes. This is a really cool song too, and suits him well. He's knocking out the quads too! I love the passion and drama he brought into the performance. Keep on fighing Maxim!

More on my thoughts on Kovtun:

Now, who's ready for some Excellent Exhibitions?

Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)- "Notte Stellata"

This is beautiful, amazing, and iconic. Just like Yuzu himself, which is why he's a favorite. He has such grace and poise here. The performance is birdlike with vulnerability to it.

Shoma Uno (JPN)- "See You Again"

Shoma is someone I have enjoyed watching the past couple of years. He's got a lot of energy and focus in his skating and is crazy talented. From what I have seen, he's had at least 3 exhibition programs for this season. This one was my favorite, as it shows a different side from what we have seen in his competitive programs. I particularly enjoyed the hip-hop section of the program. He finished the program strong with a huge triple axel and then that cool slidey-thing (I don't know the actual name for it).

Misha Ge (UZB)- "Baby/Let Me Love You"

I thought his short program from Four Continents was beautiful, then he comes out with something completely different with this exhibition. This will be the first of about 10 of his exhibitions...just kidding! But there will be another. Then I found a ton more of his exhibitions and they are all so amazing! How am I just now discovering the wonder that is Misha? I'm glad I started my blog and got on Twitter because now I'm on the "up and up" with figure skating and a lot of other cool stuff. So, back to this program. It is so fun and he has some killer dance steps in here. Also, the music choice. I'm pretty open to most types of music, but Justin Bieber does not fall into that realm. However, like any great performance, this program made me enjoy it. Break it down, Misha! Seriously though, in the quest for quads, great skating like this is often overlooked. Those dance moves are every bit as complicated as a jump!

Jason Brown (USA)- "Canned Heat"

Jason Brown is always an amazing entertainer. There's all sorts of cool dances here, and the split jumps are killer!

And our last one, as promised:

Misha Ge (UZB)- "Great Balls of Fire/Juicy Wiggle"

Gosh, he has so many different skating personalities! Who is this man? He's definitely intriguing. It's funny how there's always a lady skater sitting up on the boards too. He's working the audience and blowing kisses before the music even starts! I enjoy that he's often singing along while he skates too. No one can entertain like this! I love when he breaks out in full hip-hop mode! Those step sequences are no joke! I've got another special exhibition I'm saving for my super awesome bonus content post, coming soon!

So, here's the programs to watch for at Worlds. I hope you have enjoyed these, and don't forget about the super awesome bonus content coming up! I'll be watching next week and I know y'all will too!

Icy Trails Favorite Performances of the 2016/2017 Season- Part 2: Ladies

We are on to the second part of this post. I planned to just do one but there were way too many programs. Better to break it into smaller pieces, no?

Ladies skating this season was an interesting ride, as always. Evgenia Medveva continued to dominate everything, but there were some other beautiful skaters as well. One highlight of the season to me was Carolina Kostner's return. I have always loved her style of skating. There were a lot of cool exhibitions for the ladies this year as well. 

We'll start with some notable short programs:

Evgenia Medveva (RUS)- "River Flows in You"

I will admit, when I first heard about Evgenia, I thought she would be just another Russian skater with good jumps. Luckily, that is not the case. She is the complete package, technically, artistically, and emotionally. She's got the potential to dominate for a long time, like a modern day Michelle Kwan. The costume is great, and I like the gloves with it. Why be cold on the ice? This video also shows her getting the Victuri figurines at the end, which is adorable. 

Karen Chen (USA)- "On Golden Pond"

This one, for the element of surprise alone, had to make the list. Here's a quick summary of the thoughts at Nats: "What the what?" Who's leading after the short? Not Ashley? Not Gracie? Ooo! Karen Chen! Wow, she was really good!" Way to make a comeback! This is your moment. Congrats on your win!

A side note: I CANNOT with this commentary. Where are the British dudes when you need them? Johnny and Terry are quite insightful but there is too much chatter, OMG! Be warned, this will not be my last ranting on this!

Carolina Kostner (ITA)- "God of Thunder/Bonzo's Montreux"

This is some really interesting music, and a departure from Carolina's usual choices. She is back in top form and I am so happy! Her skating has a different type of refinement from everyone out there. Also, the still for this video is hilarious. Carolina is all happy and making heart motions, and Alexei Mishin is not amused. 

On to the free skates!

Satoko Miyahara (JPN)- "The Planets"

This is Satoko's performance from the Grand Prix Final. Unfortunately, some time after this, she got injured and missed Four Continents and also will not be at Worlds 🙁. The costume is gorgeous, and her skating has such beautiful flow. She lands her jumps quietly too. Her position on the layback spin is so beautiful, and transitions so nicely to the haircutter and Biellman spins. She also has a lovely spiral, which you don't see as often these days, and I really enjoy that. Her expressions and skating really did fill the arena, as Johnny mentioned. That is always a good goal to strive for, regardless of skating level, but one that is often overlooked.

She also started skating in Houston (representing H-town!), and guess what? I did too! Can the Houston area claim her? She would be a nice contrast to the commentator and former skater who can't stop talking...I have suffered in silence long enough.

Ok, ranting is over, who's next?

Carolina Kostner (ITA)- "Les Autres Existent"

I'll say it again: I'm so happy Carolina's back! Such beautiful posture and elegance. This free skate has a lot more jumps, especially in the second half, than I have seen her to before. She looks like she never took a break. There are many skaters that should take note.

Another side note: Do you guys remember in the 90s when the fans had cowbells at Europeans? What happened with that? That was one thing I really enjoyed about the European skaters and fans.

Thank you Christopher Walken. You understand.

The ladies also brought out some impressive exhibitions this season too. Here's some of my faves:

Ashley Wagner (USA)- "Dangerous Woman"

I wish I had this confidence on the ice...or in life. She is on fire here! She looks fabulous, as usual, and I love how she appears to look the audience in the eye. The commentators actually had a point here about how this program needs to be performed by someone with Ashley's womanly charisma. It would appear a bit off with many other skaters.

Karen Chen (USA)- "House of Flying Daggers"

This was really cool and unique. Also, skating with those sleeves and avoiding a catastrophe is a rare and commendable skill. This is a program only Karen can do. Those sleeves make everything really beautiful and dramatic.

I'm sure most of you have seen Evgenia's "Vogue" exhibition, and have varying opinions on it. I may feature that program in a later post, but there is another Russian lady who had a great exhibition program this season:

Elena Radionova (RUS)- "Worth It"

This was fun and sassy! Most of what I have seen her skate so far have been more on the serious side. She looks like she's having fun and being silly here. You point at that audience and flip your ponytail, Elena!

I got caught up watching a lot of programs from the All That Skate, and this show looked like a blast!

I found another awesome exhibition of hers I was going to feature, but it was from last season. Drat! I'll find a way to post it somewhere!

That's it for the ladies! Stay tuned for the men's post, coming soon. There will be a lot of ground to cover in that one!

Icy Trails Favorite Programs of the 2016/2017 Season- Part 1: Pairs and Dance

Hi Everyone! I've got a very special post for you just in time for Worlds! I've spent the past several days watching videos and going over some really cool ones. Every time I think I'm done, I find more and more! I've got competition and exhibition programs from all the disciplines, plus some super awesome bonus content! These are in no particular order...

Let's kick it off with pairs!

Wenjing Sui and Cong Han (CHN)- Free Skate: "Bridge Over Troubled Water"

This program is so beautiful. They said they were skating their story, and it really showed. This performance made everyone feel what they were feeling. One of the best performances this season, no question. Their musical interpretation is superb, and they have many beautiful positions. It just goes to show that if you stay true to yourself and your story, the performance comes much more naturally, and more importantly, the audience will believe it.

Liubov Ilyushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch (CAN)- Free Skate: "When You Say You Love Me"

This program has so much potential to be great. You really can't go wrong picking Josh Groban for your program, and there is such beautiful choreography here too. I wanted them to skate this cleanly the whole season because I could see its potential. Their performance at Four Continents was their best one yet, and is finally starting to tap into that. They also have great musical timing, with a fantastic lift right at the crescendo of the music.

Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres (FRA)- Free Skate: "The Sound of Silence"

I love these British commentators! They often have insightful comments, with witty phrases thrown in like "they have got to skate a blinder here". I find their commentary just enough, as I can't stand when commentators talk through the whole damn program. Anyway, on to this program. I featured this in my Top Ten Favorite Pairs Performances. I won't rehash all of my commentary from that post, but this program is a standout. It revolutionizes how figure skating is performed by pushing the envelope. We have seen much more creativity in competitive performances that was previously saved for exhibition and show performances. This is a great development. This program has the perfect combination of technical elements and artistry, and they really get into the performance. This is their music. I can't think of another pairs team that could pull this off. I would love it if they made the podium at Worlds!

And now....shall we dance?

This year, the ISU added hip-hop to the short dances. I think this addition is one of the best things to happen to ice dance. This was also the first year I remember disco being included. The short dances have typically been restricted to ballroom dances but this new change incorporates new forms of dance. Usually, I am all about the free dances with ice dance, but I have to say that the short dances were what drew me in this time around. Here's some I have been really into, and will be excited to see again at Worlds:

Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue (USA)- Short Dance: "Feelin' Good/Hip-hop medley"

OMG all the jams are in here! "Feelin' Good" is a good standard ice dance song. A funky transition song...what's next? Push It! Can't Touch This! Ice Ice Baby/Baby Got Back mix! Turn Down for What! The ending twerk! This is iconic. If you aren't singing and dancing with this, something's wrong. Next we have another epic jazz and hip-hop mashup:

Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani (USA)- Short Dance: "That's Life"

The US national champions in ice dance! Because this is freakin' cool! They can do it all, dancing to Frank Sinatra with ease, then breakin' it down to Jay-Z. Epic. The transition part is my favorite! They transition so easily between the jazz and hip-hop parts. It's just unbelievable. The choreography here is stellar.

I also mentioned disco earlier, so here it is:

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (CAN)- Short Dance: "Oh, What a Night for Dancing/Disco Inferno"

This performance was quite enjoyable! You can't be in a bad mood listening to disco. I also love that Paul has a total throwback look. He looks like an extra off the Saturday Night Fever set with the hair and mustache. It is giving me life. I have also been humming singing "Disco Inferno" a lot. Walking down the hall at work, cooking dinner, doing chores around the house...it's an earworm, but in a good way. I thought this performance from Canadian Nationals was their best one. I want to get out there and dance with them! We need to have a disco night at the rink! 🎵Burn baby burn! 🔥🔥🔥 Disco Inferno!🎵

On that note, there is another Canadian dance duo that made their return to competition this season:

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (CAN)- Short Dance: Prince Medley

This is the first appearance of a Prince program in this post. This is another development I enjoy. I also loved watching this short dance because it brought out a different side for Tessa and Scott. Most of their programs are quite dramatic and emotional, and this program brought out a sassy side. This dance also showcases why they are the top in the world. They make this look so easy!

As I mentioned before, I was all about the short dances this season. However, there was one free dance I really enjoyed. Here it is:

Gabriella Papadakis and Guillame Cizeron (FRA)- Free Dance: "Stillness"

This one stood out to me as a beautiful program, and they had interesting positions that no one else was doing. These costumes are absolutely beautiful too. I love this team's flow and emotion in their dances.

Now on to some notable exhibitions:

Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani (USA)- Exhibition: "Do You Remember"

In this performance, we see a completely different side of the Shib Sibs. This program was choreographed by Stephane Lambiel, and as we have established, Stephane is awesome. This program definitely has the flair he is known for. The music has this really cool groove to it, and their dance complements it well.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates (USA)- Exhibition: "Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen"

A little anecdote on this one...this song came out the year I graduated from high school. My first thought on this was "What the hell? This is weird". Then the song grew on me and I came to appreciate its sage wisdom. I felt the same way watching this dance. Overall, it was an interesting and new idea. It had to be challenging to dance to something without a defined rhythm for most of the song.

Alrighty, y'all. This is the first of at least 3 installments on the 2016/2017 season. I'm working diligently to bang these out before Worlds starts! Hope everyone enjoys this!

Icy Trails Top Ten All Time Favorite Pairs Performances

Hey guys! Hope you're all having a good week. Our competition season has kicked off here and I'm pretty stoked.

As you may recall, I posted my Top Ten All Time Favorite Ice Dance Performances quite a while ago. It was one of my earlier posts. If you haven't seen it, I definitely recommend checking it out. These posts take a while for me to do because I watch programs I know I love, then continue researching to see what else is out there. Then, the hardest part is only choosing 10!

I'm going to lay out what I look for and enjoy in pairs programs, similar to what I did with the ice dance post. I pull from both competitive and exhibition performances, and programs from any time period are allowed. Technical execution is looked at, but it isn't the be-all and end-all. How the program moves to the music, and the artistry and passion are most important. I'm an artistry junkie and always have been. I also look at programs that revolutionize the sport in some way, either by offering a different type of music, or with daring choreography. I also have a few pet peeves with pairs, which are 1) a lack of unison, and 2) half-assed death spirals. I CAN'T with crappy death spirals!!

As always, these are just the favorites from my perspective. I don't pay a great deal of attention to what the judges say about it, and my opinion isn't the only right one. I would love to hear about the programs you have enjoyed too!

Without any further introduction, here we go!

10. Wenjing Sui and Cong Han (CHN)- "Samson and Delilah"

They start out strong in this performance! Great musical interpretation, then BAM! The quad twist was perfection.There is some more cool choreography with the slide. It was not technically perfect, but their daring and passion more than made up for that. They got into their characters very well. One thing that really stands out with this team is their innovative lifts. They are able to pull off some really difficult positions, and I love how they ended. I'm glad Sui and Han are back in competition. I look forward to what they are going to do at Worlds.

9. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)- "The Man I Love"

This program makes you feel all the feels. So much emotion! Their passion for skating and each other is so evident in every move they make. I don't think there could have been a more perfect song to capture that. What I loved about them is that they paid attention to every last detail. The costumes work perfectly, and every look and glance is part of the performance, but it never looks fake or put on. I could have easily filled my Top Ten with all G&G programs, but there were a few others I wanted to feature too. It's hard to believe it's been almost 22 years since Sergei has been gone. His mark on the sport will certainly never be forgotten.

8. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)- "Vocalise"

Well, what do you know, I have another G&G program here! This is beautiful skating to a beautiful piece of music. It was interesting to hear this program was inspired by the Rodin sculpture "The Kiss", seen here:

I must say, they nailed it in that regard. Beautiful choreography by Marina Zueva. They are even wearing valentine colors! Even though this piece of music by Rachmaninoff has been around for a long time, G&G brought new life into it. Every time they skate to something, it seems as though the music was created just for them. The skating quality is superb here. They have such great speed, but everything is so quiet, and the landings are so soft and perfect. This pairs team is one of dreams that we are lucky to have witnessed in the time they were together.

7. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)- "Why'd You Lie?"

As the commentator (I think this is Verne Lundquist) states: this is a "different kind of love". This program's simmering sex appeal is supported with daring moves, the pair losing themselves to the music, and a complete commitment in every element. All those things working together brings the impact to this performance. Underhill and Martini's signature move, the "Leap of Faith", would be enough to secure them a spot on this list. But they didn't stop there. All the lifts were so dramatic. The way she positioned herself really showed a commitment to the character and flow with the music. All his lifts were over the head, and she looked like she was in the stratosphere! Another element of note was their death spiral. It was phenomenal, with her hair touching the ice! This is how it's done, folks.

6. Tatiana Voloshozar and Maxim Trankov (RUS)- "Masquerade Waltz"

This is an example of a traditional piece executed very well. There is no doubt that the roars of the hometown crowd fueled their enthusiastic performance. I also enjoyed their death spiral, where he switches hands! They were able to incorporate some dance elements into this pairs program, which made it more elegant. A waltz has specific timing, and they stayed in time with the music, executing the step sequences with great precision. I was glad to see this piece performed as a pair's program, as this may have been a little more boring and predictable as an ice dance performance. In this program, their dance-like footwork was embellished by huge lifts, twists, throws, and side by side jumps and spins. Truly a treat to watch.

5. Megan Duhamel and Eric Radford (CAN)- "Hometown Glory"

I'm gonna go ahead and get my unpopular opinion out of the way before commenting on this program. I'm not a big Adele fan (please don't come after me with pitchforks), but that did not matter at all with this amazing performance. Sometimes it is just your day to win, and this was their day. Everything was so flawlessly executed and in time with the music. They looked amazing out there, and the crowd exploded. I'm super jealous of my friends that got to go see Worlds last year! What really made my day with this performance was the look of complete joy at the end. They knew they gave this performance everything they could. I also noticed that while Megan was beaming ear to ear for over half of the program, Eric continued to look serious until the end. I also love that they are in their 30s and still competing at the level they are. Don't ever let age limit you, and don't let anyone tell you that you need to quit! As a bonus, did you guys see that guy in the audience? It's at the 5:32 mark in the video...he's coming down the stairs in all the Canadian flag garb!!! The hat, the jacket, everything!!! OMG! So, um, yeah, I had to throw this in there...

4. Ludmilla Belousova and Oleg Protopopov (RUS)- "Beethoven Medley"

Here we have the team that kicked off the long line of Russian dominance in pairs skating. Right off the bat, I'm noticing a lot of differences between pairs skating of the 60s and now. Obviously, there are now more difficult jumps and throws, but they don't have quite the beautiful lines of Oleg and Ludmilla. They always moved together in unison. In their time, there used to be a lot more time spent in hold during the program, and longer step sequences. Their spiral sequence was really a thing of beauty. It looked so effortless like they could go on forever, as they merged into one being gliding across the ice. I also love their classy elegance and the way they carry themselves. They knew they were at the Olympics and took this special occasion very seriously. I also need to point out another audience member in this one: there's a very stylish lady standing at the 2:40 mark with a red coat and hat, with crossed arms and resting bitch face. She looks fabulous! You don't see people quite as dressed up in the stands anymore at these events. All the ladies on the pairs podium are serving up 60s beehive realness, but only Ludmilla is wearing a tiara. Apparently she showed up dressed to win that day!

3. Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze (RUS)- "The Dinner from La Califfa"

Ok, I'm about to spout off another controversial opinion: I preferred Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze's skating style over Sale and Pelletier. Don't get me wrong, they were both great. While Sale and Pelletier delivered more on the technical front, Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze delivered more on the artistry and emotional domains. I don't see anything wrong with them both getting gold medals. That being said, the block judging, bribery, and collusion are still completely screwed up. I had a tough time deciding between this program and their free skate. I went with the short program because 1) there were no mistakes, and 2) "Meditation", their music for the free skate is in the realm of overplayed skating music, whereas as this music is unique. Plus, it has a harpsichord in it, which reminds me of a great friend who plays the instrument. I love that their skating has delicateness and vulnerability, and of course Elena's accident and recovery really tears at the heartstrings...😭😭😭. Their program is about a first kiss, and their ending pose looks like it's about to happen, the Elena gives Anton the "not now" look. Still, it was a great performance.

2. Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres (FRA)- "The Sound of Silence"

Remember at the beginning when I mentioned revolutionizing the sport? Well, this is it! The ISU's decision several years ago to allow lyrics in competitive programs has led to a myriad of creative possibilities. I cannot say I have agreed with everything they have decided, but this was one of the best changes to come to the sport. We have never seen anything like this before! I am so excited about different types of music coming into the realm of figure skating, especially when it's one of my favorite bands, Disturbed! This song has been the metal band's big crossover hit, and the song has been featured on Dancing With The Stars. What is great about the song is that it allows the band to reach a new audience, but it still has the gripping vocals they are known for. They are not selling out in any way. James and Cipres' performance perfectly captures the essence of the song. Their costuming is simple, and it's all that's really needed for this program. The music doesn't call for a lot of bling and frippery. Their coach is pairs skater John Zimmerman, and his influence is definitely present in the program as well, with the cool rock and roll edge.

You wanna know something else? This wasn't the first figure skating performance to this song either. On the 2016 Stars On Ice tour, Ryan Bradley, Jeremy Abbott, and Adam Rippon performed a trio to it as well. It's really cool, and you need to see it, so here you go:

1. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)- "Moonlight Sonata"

Wow. This is breathtaking and amazing. I don't have many other words for it. Again, they make anything they skate seem like the music was created just for them. I found it interesting to compare this performance to Belousova and Protopov's Beethoven Medley. There are a lot of similarities between both pairs, how they interpret the music, and how they relate to each other. It is a way of passing the torch, similar what I had mentioned with Torvill and Dean passing the torch to Davis and White. G&G is just the best team to ever take the ice!

I hope you all enjoyed this, and there are so many more awesome pairs programs out there too!

💖 Icy Trails