2008 Skate America – Compulsory Dance Report

It’s interesting that current guidelines for the Viennese Waltz include the words “elegant,” “evenly controlled,” and “neat and unobtrusive.” Today, people think of the waltz as conservative and sedate, yet when the waltz was introduced to European ballrooms in the eighteenth century, it was considered a scandalous dance. Men and women embracing! Ankles showing! The immorality of it all! In 1797, a pamphlet was written entitled, “Proof that Waltzing is the Main Source of Weakness of the Body and Mind of our Generation.”

Over the years, this original “dirty dance,” has evolved to its present squeaky-clean reputation. Like the current ballroom incarnation, the ice dance version of the Viennese Waltz has a feeling of lightness and gracefulness. Men wear tuxedoes and women wear flowing dresses. Skaters must repeat the pattern three times, on strongly curved edges, all in barely over a minute.

Isabelle Delobel & Olivier Schoenfelder of France used their opening and closing poses to create light comic characters perhaps closer to the late 18th century idea of the waltz, with Schoenfelder eagerly anticipating the chance to get a woman into his arms. Delobel wasn’t quite so sure about that. Once into the pattern, they skated on secure edges with deep body lean.

Their protocols consist of a sea of +1s and +2s (only two marks of 0), with their second pattern looking the strongest to the judges. They also had the highest performance and interpretation scores in the field, with marks ranging from 7.00 to 8.50 (and one outlier of 6.50, from judge number six, who was similarly harsh on all couples in the event). Score: 19.50 + 18.99=38.49.

Americans Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto revealed their Linichuk reboot, skating a deep pattern with big swoopy free legs. Their interpretation allowed for creativity in their upper body during the turns, as they gestured with their arms. It was an elegant and secure performance.

Like the French team, Belbin & Agosto also had a majority of positive marks (though there were nine instances of 0). Their Program Component Scores were very strong, ranging from 6.75 to 8.0. Score: 19.10 + 18.53=37.63.

Audience favorites Sinead Kerr & John Kerr from Great Britain drew the biggest pattern of the field, carving long, deep lobes. They looked fast and smooth, creating a feeling of freedom. Of all the teams in this event, the Kerrs’ waltz seemed the most inviting, almost as if they were asking for all the invisible wallflowers to join the fun on the ballroom floor.

The judges were less impressed than the spectators, putting them in a distant third place. Their elements score was an even mix of 0s and +1s and PCS from 6.0-7.50, with the higher numbers coming in their performance and interpretation marks. Score: 17.44+16.93=34.37.

The battle for fourth place is close between two teams, with less than .5 separating the two. Pernelle Carron & Mathieu Jost of France were the first team in the skating order to use their upper bodies to interpret the music. They looked soft and secure, although there seemed to be a slight amount of scratchiness in their bladework. Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates from the U.S. skated with good speed and used their long limbs to beautiful extension. They also used sweeping arm gestures to interpret the turns around the lobes.

While Samuelson & Bates barely outscored the French team PCS, the French team had a strong first pattern, which made enough of a difference in the TES. However, it must be noted that while it didn’t make a mathematical difference in the overall score, the third judge’s marks for Samuelson & Bates were far off the rest of the panel. Judge 3’s marks: 4.75 to 5.50; other judges marks: 6.0-6.75.

Carron/Jost Scores: 16.74+15.52=32.26

Samuelson/Bates Scores: 16.24 + 15.57=31.81

Representing Lithuania, Katherine Copely & Deividas Stagniunas used beautiful upper body position and generated an elegant waltz feel to their dance. Some of their footwork was a little scratchy, but the overall impression of the dance was fast and smooth. Their PCS ranged from 5.0 to 6.5.

Ekaterina Rubleva & Ivan Shafer of Russia skated a fast and aggressive waltz. Their interpretation generated a feeling of constant movement, although at some points the dance seemed bouncy instead of smooth. They also had a range of 4.5 to 6.5 for their PCS.

At 2008 U.S. Championships, Jane Summerset & Todd Gilles were skating a strong Yankee Polka when disaster struck. Their fall in the CD may have cost them at least one placement in the final overall standings at that event. This time, they appeared to be taking no chances, and their Viennese Waltz, while precise, seemed careful and tentative. This caution hit them most in the PCS, with their lowest marks coming in interpretation — overall range 4.25 to 6.25.

Canadians Allie Hann-McCurdy & Michael Coreno kept their smiles going, but their speed during the CD was uneven, and their upper bodies were slightly stiff. Their PCS were in the 4.25 to 6.0 range.

None of the teams who finished sixth through ninth place ended up with an overall positive TES in the CD. The base value of the dance is 15.5 and all four teams scored less than that, with sixth place Copely & Stagniunas scoring 15.3, eighth place Summersett & Gilles scoring 14.86, seventh place Rubleva & Shefer scoring 14.64 and ninth place Hann-McCurdy & Coreno scoring 13.64.

Total scores for 6th-9th place:

Copely & Stagniunas: 15.3+14.48=29.78

Rubleva & Shefer: 14.64+13.77=28.41

Summersett & Gilles: 14.86+12.64=27.50

Hann-McCurdy & Coreno: 13.64+12.10=25.74

The competition continues with the original dance on Saturday.