This past weekend the Russian test skates took place. In this showing we were able to take a first look at the short dance and free dance of most Russian teams. I will be giving my opinion solely based on how the programs are looking and not so much on whether the teams are achieving great technical results by now. Some programs will have two videos, just in case you want to watch it in different perspectives. Let’s start with the short dance.
I really like the music that Bobrova and Soloviev chose for the rhumba, but they need to be smoother during this portion. They do the pattern to a samba which I don’t think was the best choice. Also, I don’t particularly like the steps they are going. The lift is to show they are good acrobats but I don’t particularly like how it looks. I am going to keep watching this program, as I hated their blues in the beginning of last season but it eventually got better. For now, I don’t think they are in their element and it is showing. Still, it is a good program.
I was really excited to see what Stepanova and Bukin had to show us. I really liked the start. They showed good attitude. But then, I hate Chandelier as a rhumba. Sorry, but it doesn’t work. The lift was great though. And they it gets worse in the third music, which does not fit with the previous ones. I read somewhere that it was “too much posing and not much dancing” and they are right. That’s what I think as well, particularly if you are looking at Alexandra. If you just pay attention to Ivan, it does not look as bad. Stepanova’s problem of not fully extending her arms, for instance, also gives the impression that the movements are not finished. They have a lot of work to do. My expectations were high and maybe that is why I was really unimpressed, but they still have time to develop the program.
Here, I had no expectations at all. Elena and Anton have been skating together for 3 months, so I did not know what I was going to see at all. They start with Daniela Mercury. Good choice! They have speed on the rhumba pattern! And the twizzles were quite in sync, which is good. “Besame Mucho” for the rhumba. Love it! The lift was gorgeous. Maybe what I did not like was the execution of the no-touch midline step sequence, in which it was more visible that he can’t keep up with her. She is a star, and is doing great. He has little experience and alongside her, it shows. But quite a nice program for a team that is together for so little time. Choreographically, I think I like this program more than the previous two. Simplicity is sometimes the key, and for them I think it worked beautifully.
Another team that I was looking forward to seeing was Tiffany and Jonathan. Hip Hip Chin Chin. Loved the twizzles. I don’t remember so many teams doing the twizzles they are doing on the second set. Only Delobel and Schoenfelder. And I know that because I absolutely loved them, so this Russian team just scored some points with me. On to the rhumba pattern: the best I have seen so far. Good job! She is a natural at this style, but he is quite good himself! Maybe the better matched team in my opinion. Really liked the finishing samba. I really hope they challenge the top teams this season. They are looking good for that. Some imprecisions which are part of being early season, but they are one of my favourite Russian teams so far.
Evdokimova and Bazin’s rhumba pattern was something that lead me to beg for it to finish as it started. Just work on that please. The lift was great, maybe a little slow. I don’t know what to say. They skated well, but I kept thinking about stopping it to watch another team. And that is not good.
World Junior Silver medalists, Alla Loboda and Pavel Drozd are moving up to seniors and showed their short dance. Great twizzles! I don’t like the placement of the pattern dance where it is. He is great on latin movements and then she is way over the top and a bit clumsy. So, I liked to watch him, but not her. Regardless, this is one of my least favourites programs. Don’t particularly like the music or the layout of the elements. I was expecting so much more.
Betina Popova and Sergey Mozgov were a question mark for me. They start with the same music that Smart and Diaz of Spain have. The twizzles were quite good. The lift is great! Latin-wise this is one of the best teams. I really liked their program. She even gives hip action occasionally. Great job! One of the teams to keep an eye on this season.
Lastly, Sinitsina and Katsalapov. This team was doing poorly last season, but they have a good ability, so another question mark team for me. First impression: get rid of that dress Victoria, please. Something with color, fringe, sparkles and not just some piece of cloth. About their short dance: it is quite different from the other teams and they did their twizzles! The music cut was a bit strange. Performance-wise I liked their interpretation. They missing some steps and the lift is weird. The program is ok. I think I will have to watch it again to form and opinion. Is not one of my favourites but it is not one of the worst either. Let’s move on to the free dance, which unfortunately did not have the presence of Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin. Bobrova and Soloviev’s free dance: she is not in black! I was so tired of seeing her in black that this is a nice change. They have nice ideas for lifts but I was not completely sold. They still need some work. I like their music choice. They kept their rotational lift, which was my least favourite. It may be hard to do it, but it does not mean it fits what you are skating to. It did remind me of some programs from Montreal, but with the gestures it gives a nod to Medvedeva. I don’t know. I liked it, in opposition to the one they had last season that I absolutely hated. However, I don’t see them winning with this. Still, it is early in the season and I want to watch this through the Challengers and the Grand Prix Series to form a more concise opinion.
Oh wow that stationary lift at the beginning. She is new to ice dance but he was the one that made a slight mistake on the twizzles. Honestly, she has personality and looks like a dancer. I also liked their spin. I loved the program. It is really nice. It was a great interpretation from Annabelle and Andrei (she is fantastic on that!). This is one of the teams I want to see throughout the season, as they have a lot of potential.
It is Carmen for Popova and Mozgov. The spin is great, the twizzles look good, and the lifts make sense on the music. Interpretation and commitment are there. This was probably my favourite free dance of these tests. I hope they get a grand prix assignment, they sure deserve it. I mean it is not easy when the last great Carmen was done by Virtue and Moir and you are able to give it your interpretation and succeed in having a great program yourselves. Good job! I will for sure keep an eye on this team this season. The twizzles look good. The coaching change was good in that department! What a lovely stationary lift. I also liked some of the choreographic elements. The straight line lift was also good, even though it felt a bit unpolished. This program suits them well. And I like the costumes. Much better than in the short dance. One can see where their focus has been. My only critique for Victoria & Nikita at this point is that they need to work on two things: step sequences and connection with the audience.
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Here are the results of the Winter Universiade, which took place between the 29th of January and the 8th of February in Almaty, Kazakhstan. 6. Hong Chen/Yan Zhao (China) – Total of 137.24 points
7. Nicole Kuzmichova/Alexandr Sinicyn (Czech Republic) – Total of 135.00 8. Juulia Turkkila/Matthias Versluis (Finland) – Total of 130.12 9. Jennifer Urban/Benjamin Steffan (Germany) – Total of 126.92 10. Mathilde Harold/Mael Demougeot (France) – Total of 126.04 11. Yuzhu Guo/Pengkun Zhao (China) – Total of 112.48 12. Maria Stavitskaia/Andrei Bagin (Russia) – Total of 111.26 13. Xiaotong Wang/Kaige Zhao (China) – Total of 100.02 points 14. Kristsina Kaunatskaia/Yuri Hulitski (Belarus) – Total of 86.86 Between the 20th and 26th of December all eyes were in Russia due to nationals. In this case, however, only senior teams competed, as the junior nationals would take place from the 1st to the 5th of February. Here are the results: Right now I will be commenting on what went down. Short Dance:
Free Dance:
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