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View Full Version : What didn't you like about a World Championship winning dance team.


Aussie Willy
05-22-2003, 08:10 AM
Okay I am not sure if I am setting myself up for trouble here, but I think people can handle this without getting too nasty. This thread is inspired by the one about favourite dance teams.

Okay I did not like Gritsch & Platovs skating. I did not mind their programs (in fact I really liked their arabian program). But I really hated the Latin program they did in 96. I think it is one of the worst ever programs to win a worlds in ice dance. But I never felt they were polished (everything was a bit messy). I thought she had horrible leg line with brittle knees and their lifts never seemed to come out on good running edges. I know on one video I have of them doing the Rhumba and comparing them with K&O and A&P (I think it was 97 Worlds) I did not feel they covered as much ice (looking at the signs on the boards), but I also felt those other teams had softer knees and a nicer line.

Now I don't mind if people want to disagree with me. In fact you might be able to point something out to me that I might not realise. I never got to see them perform live so because I have only seen them on video I might have missed something. I do ice dancing myself, and my dance coach and a friend who reached junior level ice dance feel the same as I do.

So when you comment I would like to know what your background is in relation to your knowledge about ice dancing. I want the comments to be constructive and informative, not just having a go at a dance team just because you don't like them.

supersk8er
05-22-2003, 10:28 AM
Haha. Damn, I know nothing about ice-dancing! But really, does anybody? It's such a touch-and-go discipline in skating, where I feel, no one has true knowledge-definitely NOT the judges!

My only opinion on Grishkuk and Platov is that I was always so confused when they'd win things...I thought her expressions were over exaggerated, and I agree with what you've already said about her bony knees and how they didn't fit her line very nice (not that she could help that!). But I did always think he was a strong dancer...But I never thought that their dances looked any more difficult than the team that skated before them.

cygnus
05-22-2003, 02:45 PM
I hope this thread doesn't end up in a slagfest, but it probably will....

While I can admire Grischuk/Platov for their speed, twizzles etc., I really can't like them because I never saw them relate to each other on the ice. They seemed to be so concerned with the technical perfection of their moves (and yes, it was occasionally approaching this), that during most of their programs, they never even looked at each other- it was like 2 individuals out there, not a team.

And I am just a fan of ice dancing, no expertise at all. And I don't even have any of their performances on tape, so it's just what I remember- feel free to disagree.

ceceB
05-22-2003, 04:33 PM
Aussie Willy, I TOTALLY agree about G&P's '96 latin program. It looked so frantic. It's probably their worst program they ever did.

It really was a bad year for free dances. I don't remember liking ANY of them (at least the top teams).