Tuesday, August 27, 2013

How would he know?

"I think part of what makes each year exciting and different is coming up with new lifts," White said.
If that's what he thinks, why doesn't he try it some time?
"At a certain point, it becomes, 'How can we top the lifts we've done before?' "

And the answer is "we can't" and that's why you do the same ones every season?

I have no doubt Derek Hough has designed lift silhouettes that will fairly scream NEW LIFT. But unless Davis White skate into them, show control in them versus pasting their centers of gravity together like a couple of juniors in order to maintain control, and exit into more skating and another element, instead of exiting into jumping around and a lot of other nonsense, it will be the same lifts.

Their programs this season are My Fair Lady (SD) and Scheherazade (fd). Icenetwork's article features a photo from Bollywood - pretty much a no brainer considering that at least aesthetically, Scheherazade is meant to harken back to that.

With My Fair Lady they're at another ball, and I'm sure this time they'll actually dance there.

The ball in My Fair Lady is a fairly sedate society ball - tense, even - and neither Freddy nor Professor Higgens nor Col. Pickering are the sort of guys who, while dancing with their partners, turn 3/4ths away from her to fling their arm out to the crowd and toss back their head prior to leaping.

Charlie says they're putting their own spin on it though, so never say never.

Icenetwork also mentions that Judy Blumberg consulted with DW at Champs Camp and in Canton, which of course means that Judy Blumberg will definitely not be the technical caller or be anywhere near a judging panel at any competition in the coming season where DW and VM compete against each other. I'm sure she's just a pillar of integrity but would she really give her own work fair scores? Or would we get Sandra Bezic type scores (Bezic has never judged in eligible skating on an international level, but she does have the habit of pretending that skaters' she's worked with have skating of the gods.)?

Ah and already, Meryl says "We were honored by her positive feedback." They're gonna be doing this all season. It's gonna be all about selling it off the ice.
"There's a special sparkle that comes with Persian cultural dance," Davis said. "It's kind of the way the women have some mystery about them." Icenetwork 2014.
  2010: "Starting with the twinkle in the eye" (Tom Hammond commenting on Bollywood)

"And Meryl says that's one of the most important nuances - the sideways twinkle in the eye" (Tracy Wilson commenting on Bollywood.)
What Marina says about picturing Meryl in Scheherazade pretty much rips off her tale of her epiphany in Harrods, looking at some Indian silk scarves, and realizing how well Meryl could pull off a Bollywood theme.

And people think VM make her tired.

 They're amazing - the way they top themselves is to repeat themselves and the now that it's Olympic 2014 the best way to break new ground is to recycle 2010.

MY concern is that the USFSA has received a message that if DW closely hew to what they did in 2010 and convince people they've skated clean, the gold is DW's. Otherwise the blatant recycle would seem to put them at a disadvantage.

54 comments:

  1. D/W are pulling a Domnina and Shabalin with this music choice. i wonder if they're gonna use ropes attached to their costume for their ~new lifts~ because god knows they need the support.

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    1. They already use Domnina and Shabalin tactics with the amount of pulling and lifting Charlie does of Meryl across the ice, coupled with Meryl's scampering and trotting, alternating with Charlie's lunging and leaping. It accomplishes the same thing without accomplishing it via skating.

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  2. I think these are good choices for D/W. I can't wait to see the programs next month. :) Thanks for mentioning their music.

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  3. In regards to the FD, I can totally picture a moment in which Charlie is flinging his arms up and out towards Meryl, who is standing stationary while "belly dancing." Goodness knows that they won't be able to do that while actually moving down the ice on an edge. Or even moving down the ice on a flat when I think about it.

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    1. They'll use moveable poses as usual. The illusion of doing things while skating, while not actually skating.

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    2. Charlie will probably do a butterfly again.

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    3. For the SD I can see Charlie being slapstick in the vein of this SYTYCD program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGFfs32njvk

      Yeah, that oozes classical ballroom.

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    4. Anon at 10:13 am - actually that would fit Charlie like a glove - and to boot he would get to do his butterfly move while ignoring his partner...

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    5. @ 10:13 I doubt charlie is able to do those kind of leaps without falling

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  4. http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?88940-Davis-amp-White-17-quot-They-re-more-than-good-They-re-Gr-r-reat!-quot&p=3981624&viewfull=1#post3981624

    lmao v/m have improved so much since vancouver

    also i dont see how a couple who continuously uses the same lifts and twizzle can improve

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  5. As a VM fan I don't feel intimidated by DW's choices. I know the idea is to fake them into looking like they're really dancing (as they faked ballet in Giselle), but I doubt their dance will even exceed that of the Russian couple who used those songs for the yankee polka or the Italians that used My Fair Lady for the SD in 2011. None of those programs were all that successful. Charlie will ham it up bigtime for "Get me to the Church."

    Scherezade is a really tired theme and I think people will see through them yet again using some kind of Middle Eastern-type theme to play on Meryl's exotic looks (they've had Polovetsian Dances, Bollywood, and even Samson & Delilah). Carolina Kostner is also using it for the FS and I think her skating skills are actually more respected than DW's, which is a sad commentary on dance.

    No surprise though will the "me too" going on:
    "we always felt the connection"
    Authentic dance instructor (how many does that make it this season?)
    "We want to capture not only the choreography but the essence and style of the dance," (just like Carmen)
    "They can explain the relationship between the man and woman," she said. "They have a whole concept for the short dance. From beginning to end, you can follow the story." (what VM is typically known for)
    "We started thinking about it over a year ago, which really helped us design lifts that are challenging but still match the program," he continued. "At this point, we're past the worry stage. Now it's just a matter of training and perfecting the programs." (this could've come out of Scott's mouth, and sounds nothing like the skating we know of DW, who usually come out with a trained FD at Skate America with last year's elements).

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    1. No VM fan should be intimidated by DW's choices or their skating.

      What's concerning is the habit of the ISU of giving DW stratospheric scores, and now, basically coronating them Olympic champions before Sochi and viewing Sochi as a formality.

      They're following the 2002 S&P script to a tee. Feel good to have that bite you in the ass, Canada?

      Here DW haven't bothered to upgrade anything. Why haven't they bothered? All skaters get ISU feedback. They seem to have gotten "Just do what you've always done and it's in the bag. Talk it up, though."

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  6. Can I just post an open and heartfelt request to the fan who likes to talk about the cultural appropriation of the bindi in the Bollywood dance to please, please, please not start stuff over the authenticity of the Persian dancing or the gender issues surrounding bellydancing? On any forum or social media.

    It really makes V&M's fans look so petty. They're already cutting this off at the knees by talking about working with the authentic Persian dancer and noting that they, unlike everyone else, know the differences between all those cultural dances (anthropology student in the house, go blue!). Please keep the talk to skating not politics. There is so much to say about the skating.

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    1. I understand what you mean but there's a limit to how much that fan can deal with it here, and here is all I can control.

      I have mixed feelings about using the comments section to talk about other fans unless it relates no-brainer to posts.

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    2. That's true OC, and if you feel it's inappropriate then I won't mind if you delete my comment. I honestly am not trying to bash them but reading that article made me think of that person and I couldn't help myself.

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    3. No no, I won't delete your post and I do understand your point. I don't think I'm all that stringent about it, because gratuitous fan-on-fan stuff tends to play itself out pretty quickly here, so there's no point in making a big deal of it most of the time. And simultaneously the blog does discuss fans vis a vis issues/connections/analysis in the posts that are followed up in the comments section. I just am being cautious against the time something DOES end up a long tangent of fan-on-fan.

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  7. @5:11 I absolutely agree! Binker don't even think about starting that topic again, here or anywhere else.

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    1. Word. Talk about it on your Twitter or Tumblr if you must but please leave it off the message boards and blogs.

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    2. has it ever crossed your mind that if everyone expresses their disdain with their fd and say its insulting to persian culture that they might end up like the russians (with their aboriginal dance)?? people think that the publics opinion has no effect on how the judges score dancers but it does. why do you think V/M were terribly underscored last season? its because too many people were saying carmen was inappropriate. Why do you guys think the russians ended up 3rd in last olympics? sure maxim's knee and missing the first part of the season played a role but the uproar caused by their aboriginal OD DESTROYED them. in addition meryl's comments about persian culture or whatever are obnoxious as hell. IMO d/w are going to embarass themselves with this music choice and i can't wait for that to happen.

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    3. even the people who absolutely detest v/m on twitter HATE scheherazade because they know D/W are going to embarass themselves.

      v/m will come out and skate a beautiful classical memorable fd like mahler

      while d/w will come out and skate a brash, obnoxious, innapropriate FD that people will only remember because it caused controversy.

      knowing marina, D/W's fd is prolly gonna look like this

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cttmf6lDIk

      flashy ugly costumes and all.

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    4. sure there are going to be people who will call v/m boring (which after carmen i dont understand) but v/m will appear 100% more classy than D/W

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    5. i dont understand how people who visit this blog can complain how their opinion is being surpressed in other v/m communities why surpressing other people's opinion.

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    6. Just stop. You're embarrassing yourself. You're just doing this whole cultural appropriation thing because you hope it will turn people against D/W and therefore V/M can win. But your claim has no merit.

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    7. This is the commenter who brought it up originally. If you think the public is going to voice their disdain for how DW are treating Persian culture that's fine - let it happen organically, the way the media is picking up on Abbott's comments about the Russian law. Your writing style even under anon comments is very easy to spot, your pseuds are obvious, and people are going to know it's you and you're making the comments because you hate DW.

      I do not think what you're saying will happen, because DW are too smart and media savvy. I also found Meryl's comment obnoxious, because she acts like she's the only one who can possibly understand that these cultures are different. But DW have already provided cover for themselves while working with an expert which Domnina Shabalin did not. That person will go to bat for them if necessary. DW are not stupid enough to do anything with a PR plan in place. This has probably been vetted. Don't be surprised if they have a Persian-American organization comment on the authenticity of the dance. Seriously. They're not playing, this is their career and they take it seriously. Commenting on message boards and twitter is not going to take them down. I wish it would, but it won't.

      What I think may hurt DW is that no matter how authentic ice dancers try to be when it comes to Middle Eastern style dances, they always seem to come out looking the same. PB worked with specialists for their Cleopatra FD, and yet all of the comments were that it looked just like every other generic walk like an Egyptian program. Hopefully, this will come off as a generic dance intended to crib their former success with Polovetsian, S&D, and Bollywood.

      BTW I think that G&G program was from Tarasova not Marina, I know Tarasova did some of their early pro stuff.

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    8. I don't think it matters if the program comes out looking generic. It will be scored like what they say it is, and talked about like what they say it is, not how it's actually performed or skated. Their skating certainly isn't judged; the performance won't be either. It will be presented as if they're the best at both.

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  8. So I back in the office and after a few days - you know what really has me peeved - Judy Blumberg. Basically here is last World's technical controller appearing to be working exclusively working with D/W and no-one is saying anything? Wow...PJ Kwong you have no issue with this? New President of Skate Canada - former ISU judge - this flies by you? If this doesn't scream collision - I don't know what does...Do you actually think she gave the same pointers to the Shibs - doubt it..Judy Blumberg you've made this so personal - shakes head..Tracey Wilson if Judy Blumberg can get her hands this dirty - you can speak up during your commentating duties...

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    1. Do we know if she's ineligible to judge this year because of her current association with D/W? I'd say that's a good thing that she's ineligible to judge this year...I'm sure its no coincidence that D/W's overblown scores had something to do with her being on various panels last year (especially Worlds.

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    2. I would like to know too, because if she's eligible to judge, where is the Circular Letter to all ISU members asking to urgently amend the rules because the obvious abuse of the ISU's lax conflict of interest provisions would result in a bad appearance for the sport?

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    3. *eligible to be on technical panels, I mean.

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    4. There is nothing unusual or unethical about an ISU Technical Specialist visiting a rink and advising teams on their levels, the key points of the pattern dance, and so on. Skate Canada, I am certain, arranged for ISU Technical Specialists to view Tessa and Scott's programs.

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  9. A bit OT but do you think we'll see Cassandra on their reality TV show ? Her pinterest site looks a lot like a brides magazine lately, they seem to really go with Heather on the wedding thing.

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    1. I wouldn't read too much into her Pinterest -- it hasn't been updated since she became Scott Moir's Girlfriend. Regardless, I wouldn't put it past them to include her. She's hungry for attention, so she could appear as one of Scott Moir's Friends but of course, we'd recognize her as the girlfriend.

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    2. "She's hungry for attention, so she could appear as one of Scott Moir's Friends but of course, we'd recognize her as the girlfriend."

      I would bet money on this.

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  10. * And the answer is "we can't" and that's why you do the same ones every season?* yep, the first time I saw their *Notre-dame de Paris*, I thought that it was *Phantom of the Opera* with different music -_- same twizzle, same side by side camel spin, even (almost :P ) same dress -_- btw, I love you OC :v

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    1. Same side by side camel spin?!? Wrong discipline :) I agree with everything else.

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    2. 12:29

      That's right, that awkward uncomfortable-looking kissing picture totally convinced me!
      loooollll

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  11. Did you hear TSL (Jenny and Dave) got rejected by the USFSA? lol @ them whining. Obviously, they don't meet the criteria for media since they're more like a gossip vlog.

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  12. It's interesting how the people who claim to know all about Scott and Cassandra's wonderful relationship always take shots at Tessa and basically claim Scott can't stand her. What's up with that?

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  13. I just put a bunch of comments in spam. I always spam them instead of deleting (when I'm getting rid of comments on purpose, that is) because I always think there might be a time when it's appropriate to use some of them in a blog post.

    The people who were nattering on about Cassandra have come on here before bloviating about Pelletier and have been parked on the blog for years.

    I'm not going to activate the comment moderator so this stuff is going to happen. As I've spammed them and a couple of replies, the spam filter might spam them for awhile, including the people who asked them questions. I'll keep more of an eye out on the spam folder in case the blog puts some of those people in spam later, so those comments can be unspammed.

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  14. I have a question...why is Jessica still friends with all the Moirs on Facebook and Instagram and still liking their photos and vice-versa. Meanwhile, Cassandra doesn't exist for Carol, Alma, Sheri, Cara etc etc. That just looks rather odd to me.

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    1. Re Jessica, first of all, I don't know.

      My guesses would run along these lines: 1) stay friends with her so she doesn't feel used. If she feels appreciated she's less likely to be running her mouth down the line. Keep her on the team. 2) double messaging (often contradictory) that they engage in - staying friends with her is the same as Tessa's Mom chaperoning her along with Scott's Mom at the GPF - sort of there's no reason to unfriend her because the relationship hasn't changed (IOW, she was never Scott's gf).

      Cassandra: the Moirs who are visible to the public on twitter initially followed @casshilborn's twitter and the same Moirs initially followed Heather's twitter when all Heather's twitter was doing was ridiculing VM fans and touting the hot Cass/Scott couple. I think it may be like when they pulled back on touting Jessica via facebook - they don't want people seeing blatant patterns. And also, most of the shamming is being done via instagram now, not facebook.

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    2. It's kind of coming across as "We don't like this new girlfriend and boy, do we wish Scott was still dating this old one!"

      That does bring up the interesting question of what is stopping Jessica from running her mouth. Hey Jess! Tell-all. Think about it.

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    3. I think it's clever... the whole Jessica thing was about "acidentally" leaving albums open on facebook, after "unwittingly" adding lots of fans, and then unfriending most except a few "oopsies" who could leak things out. After all, they were just trying to keep the Jessica pics "private" and did not want them "leaked."

      The Moirs aren't leaking the Cassandra photos this time because they "learned their lesson" and aren't sharing those photos on facebook. That's left for Scott's friends to do on instagram - it's more "natural" because the friends will be less media savvy and more likely "accidentally" let the photos slip.

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    4. ...is there anyone who thinks that Scott's friends are "accidentally" posting these pics online?

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    5. I think we're supposed to think that, since he never talks about a girlfriend publicly. If we aren't supposed to think they're accidental, we're definitely supposed to think they're just afterthoughts and not directed to the fanosphere, IMO. I don't think they want it to look like a Moirville push, like Jessica was.

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    6. Why was Jessica "dumped" in the first place?

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    7. Purely speculation, but prob a combination of Tessa's pregnancy, the end of Jessica's career, and how long can you really go with a fake relationship without getting engaged?

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    8. My take on the social media friendship between Jessica and the Moirs is a continuation of the sham. It's a way of saying, "See, she *was* part of the family - she *did* date Scott."

      That's why Scott's cousin Leanne recently made public a picture from Danny's wedding in Mexico. Since when did Leanne have anything public? https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151669899286201&set=a.491747186200.255777.504926200&type=1&theater

      And Moir friends like Sandy Lee also making public a picture from the same event, but everything else is still private. (*rolleyes*) It's to place Jessica in a certain Scott timeline - saying she was his GF.
      https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152422432515224&set=a.10152422432410224.957113.560615223&type=1&theater

      It's not coincidence these pictures are made public. Through all the back doors they can think of, all of Moirville keeps pushing the sham at the fans. OC must be right, it keeps them busy and feeling involved and important.

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    9. Leanne's photo has been around for some time I think - the first time I saw it was some time ago. The Sandy Lee picture was a profile picture of hers dating from around the time of the wedding.

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    10. Re Jessica getting dumped, also speculation but I think largely the end of her career with perhaps a side helping of her offloading Bryce. Bryce was a value add for sure.

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    11. 2:24 - of course these are not posted "accidentally". These images are created to be posted. They have no reality unless we see them. They're not OF anything but poses and performance.

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  15. From the mouths of D/W ubers (http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?88940-Davis-amp-White-17-quot-They-re-more-than-good-They-re-Gr-r-reat!-quot/page7):

    "I am less than thrilled at MFL for Davis White and suspect the music choices give the SD to Virtue-Moir, barring errors."

    Because God forbid V/W make any errors with their technically superior and MORE DIFFICULT programs.

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