Did anyone watch the Adult Pairs? If so, I'd love to hear what you can recall of the elements executed. Any throw doubles? How about sbs doubles? Any combination overheads? Were the death spirals all forward insides or was there a variety? Any info that you can recall would be greatly apprectiated!!

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"The first rule of pair skating is that the two shall skate as one."

-Dick Button

What company did the photography?

Jocelyn

Ledin Photography. http://www.ledinvideo.com

I just logged on to this site....we just got back from AN and I wanted to hear what other people thought.

It's great to have not one, but two posters checking on the NC skaters! I'm a fan of Nancy and Richard, too, and they did really well in Championship Dance. I'm also proud of my friend Cheryl for her bronze medal in Masters Junior....

Unfortunately, the NC group (all three or four of us) weren't treated to whoops, hollers and stuffed animals littering the ice after we skated, like many of the other competitors. Don't get me wrong...the atmosphere there is SO supportive...but I think we need to have a much larger southern contingent at Lake Placid!

My coach offered to bring a cowbell for me next year and ring it if I land my axel again

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"Gravity is a harsh mistress." -- The Tick

I watched it, but unfortunately didn't take any notes. Perhaps someone else can help out. IIRC one of the teams did a star lift, and one did a BO death spiral (I don't think she got all the way down, but it was a good attempt).

For me, pairs was one of the highlights of ANs because it was such a rare treat. All of the teams were fun to watch.

Cheers,
Raine

Someone mentioned that the master's pairs champs (Trevor and Laurie) from last year retired. Anyone know more about that? I saw her in the fall and they were planning on going, and I also heard they were thinking about doing standard pairs. I assumed that they just didn't have competition this year. My partner (the infamous Chris Williams!) and I hope to do master's pairs next year.

I didn't know Chris is skating pairs. You lucky dog, you! I hope you'll get to compete in Lake Placid next year!

Originally posted by pairsk8r
Did anyone watch the Adult Pairs? If so, I'd love to hear what you can recall of the elements executed. Any throw doubles? How about sbs doubles? Any combination overheads? Were the death spirals all forward insides or was there a variety? Any info that you can recall would be greatly apprectiated!!

pairsk8r no team tried any throw double jumps or spilt double twists. every team tried eather a throw loop or a throw waltz jump. Only one team that i can think of had a combination spin in their program. Only 2 teams had overhead lifts. Paul Mata and his partner did a press lift and a platter star lift but fell short of the required rotations on the lifts and had a deduction for it. She two footed alot of the elements. Every team i belive tried the back outside death spiral. One thing that was lacking in all of the programs was footwork. The teams need more speed and unision in their programs but overall the event was very exciting to watch.

Hi there,
I'm in my new job, and able to post again!
Clarice, what was your program in interpretive? We were in the same group - I hope I saw it, as I was the last to skate.
As far as the pairs, there were no Master's entries. The rules really didn't change from the previous year. You had to have a preliminary or juvenile pair test, or silver level for adults, and one partner a gold or intermediate pair test for masters - the othere partner has to meet the adult requirements -unless I missed something. The number of master's pairs has been decreasing. When I competed in adult pairs there were 14 pairs, and when I was in masters, there were ablout 10. Last year there were only 3 in masters.
I had a great time, and Ann Arbor did a wonderful job as host. It was a shorter than normal trip for me (I usually go for a week), so I didn't get to see as much as I would have liked - Althought I say Patty in practice, and she was relly strong! I had a great skate, and it really felt good to be out there. I was thrilled to see my name on top. Thanks to all!

flo, I know you won Interp. last year and this year. What were your themes each time?

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

Hi,
My programs have been: "Loon", from On Golden Pond, "Time", using music from Cinderella, and this year "Fledgling" a baby bird learning to fly/skate, with the music from Elgar's enigma variations.
It was a lot of fun to get out there and skate. The crowd was supportive, and I had a great group to skate with.

Thanks flo! I had a few people comment last week on my improvement since last year. It really makes me feel good that people actally noticed.

Unfortunately you also saw me at my worst last week, when I had my little "meltdown" in the dressing room. The realization that I had screwed up my interp event combined with the fact that I may not be able to skate in final round hit me and I kinda fell apart. Things turned out a whole lot better than I thought they would at that moment. Unfortunately I missed your program as I was sitting at the Urgent Care center waiting to see a Dr.

Congrats again on your Gold!

PattyP

Flo - I LOVED your interpretive number! You really deserved that win! I did the klezmer piece, in a blue dress with a head scarf. When I saw the video, I was pleased with the improvements I've made in smoothness and flow, but see that I have a long way to go yet with speed and power. I was very impressed overall with the level of skating I saw in Ann Arbor, and am all psyched up to set goals for myself for next year. (To that end, started learning brackets just this morning! On to Gold Moves!)

Clarice,

I believe I saw your interpretive...very nice! Was the scarf white? If so....daughter thought it was toilet paper at first....

I know I did, but I could honestly see that it was a scarf after a few seconds.

Did they change to Lendin Video because I think they use to use someone different. Am I just imagining things?

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I passed Junior Moves! ::happy dance::

What's a yuffie? Beats me... it sounded funny so I'm using it.

I had no idea there were so many of us Internet FS junkies at AN's....

This was my first AN, so it was rather overwhelming, but I was there, I competed, I saw _a lot_ of great skating, and had a blast! I watched Championship Dance and Master's Ladies. The OD for the dancers was the same rules as for Junior and Senior, and I think some of the choreography would have been competitive at the "kiddie" nationals. The masters ladies were wonderful; lots of clean programs. It reminded me of novice ladies at 2002 Mids, with such a loud, receptive crowd.

The one major thing I noticed is that the overall quality of the skating has improved. Starting last Sept. 1, moves tests are now required for the corresponding freestyle test.

I got to see Chris Williams freestyle...he fell on a double salchow (I think...we were about to leave), but everything else was clean and well-skated.

I can't wait for Lake Placid!

Erin

I'm not so sure we are seeing any impact of adult moves on the quality of skating as yet. The majority of skaters I know who moved up a level did so prior to Sept. 1, so they would not have to test moves.

This is the third AN I have watched, the first being in 1999, and I believe the quality of skating has progressed each time I have gone. There were a few groups this year that I felt were not as strong as last year as well.

I think the moves may very well benefit some skaters who were not initially taught the basics. For example, someone I know is learning moves, but has no idea what edge she is on...she has a lovely camel, sit/change/sit, and lutz. Go figure.....

I'm not meaning to change the focus of this thread.....just making an observation over several years of watching AN. The skating seems to have progressed steadily overall. I also hear that the level of skating at Lake Placid is even higher....hmmmmm.....

No, I don't think that was me - my scarf was a costume piece, not a prop. There was a woman in our group in light blue who skated with a long, flowing scarf as a prop. I wore an orange head scarf - a kerchief.

Thanks Clarice! It was a fun program to skate. I'm sorry I missed your skate - I had seen your program title and wanted to see your program!

I do think some of the levels have improved, but many have leveled off. It was a smaller Nationals than previous years, and the LOC has asked for feedback form all participants (a form was included in the registration packet). I'll also check to see if the form is on-line.
Next year will be my 10th AN - I'm glad it's in Lake Placid!

Flo, congratulations on your win. I'm sorry I missed your event. It sounds like you put a lot of thought into your interp programs.

I'm starting to realize how much I missed. Being my first ANs, I found it a challenge to coordinate practice ice times and meal times and watch as much skating as possible.

It was exhausting but fun, and I encourage anyone who's been considering ANs to participate at Lake Placid next year and boost the numbers.

Cheers,
Raine

Did Jay do MK? Or his Interp number for this year? Or some new group number I don't know about? He didn't tell me (and I didn't ask), but I assume he was doing the Interp for this year! (I'll ask him tomorrow too. Then again, it's b/c I have a lesson w/him...so I might not be alive after that...LOL!!!)

He had trouble skating with the hairstyle for both AS and AN. I see him teaching with a headband or ski cap at times to keep the hair off his face!!! I jokingly dubbed his hairstyle this year the "ice dancer" look (since he looked like at least one ice dancer I saw on TV and he was ice dancing at the time he had the hair...) It's been cut slightly shorter recently (don't recall if it was before or after AN...but it's shorter...), so he could see where he's skating!!!

I'm looking forward to seeing what he's gonna do next with his hair. (Recalling that a couple of years back his hair was bleached BLOND...)

And yes, I *DO* love Davin's balloon number, though I'm looking forward to watching him at Skate SF this year for his "Wizard of Oz" debut more...

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

I will be at AN next year at Lake Placid, most likely working behind the scenes since my club is host club.

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

It is so wonderful to hear so many reports!! And those of you who had not the greatest skate, so openly acknowledged it and moved on - wow! You still have enthusiasm and a positive attitude. I just may go watch in Lake Placid next year - anyone know the dates?? I have to put in my vacation by next Wednesday for next year.

Interesting that several had opposite views of the effects of Moves, and the overall quality of skating. Do you think that the participant mixture now weighs more on the previous skating experience people (skated when a kid) versus those you learned to skate as an adult? I remember a conversation a year or two ago about the former skaters sort of taking over AN.

One more thought or rather a question...do you think the adult committee would ever entertain the idea of a 'no-jump' competition category like the ISI?

Jay did do the MK number for the exhibition (I recognized that change edge spiral in particular) but not in costume, so I'm not sure everyone knew what it was all about. His skating was wonderful during this year's interpretive, but I saw one judge didn't like it and put him in last place...ouch! Perhaps it was the hair, LOL!

Davin's Wizard of Oz was my favorite number this year, you're going to love it Jazzpants!

This year my favorite number was Becca Guthrie's The Streak! I know it won last year, but I'd missed it back then. I laughed my head off when I saw it this year, and felt bad that it got last place this time around. Maybe the judges were offended or something....

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