Hey!
I was about to do a practice report yesterday, but I was lucky enough to get a ticket for today's practice, and since we did not see the Top 10 dancers yesterday, thought it was better to wait until I saw them today :-)
I won't be saying anything about ladies practice, as I don't follow them, and truly was just bored most of the time (to show you the extent of my un-interest, I slept through Yu-Na Kim this morning)
We learnt about Joannie's mother during OD practice, that was a shocker
Well, what stuck with me for both OD practices is
1/ there are so many ugly outfits :S
2/ how good it is to watch the Top 10 groups, quality skating and entertaining :-)
I dont have many things to report. Like at the Brit practice on tuesday, S&J were clapping after the other team run through and really paying attention to their skate. They run through, twizzles are still a prob, but the crowd loved them, especially the ending pose. They got the biggest non north-amrican response :-)
Delschoes program looked good, but they were slooooooooow
I did not hate DomShabs OD, it was weird, and I do understand the polemic around their theme, but then again, many other skaters are skating to folk not from their country and some are pretty bad too (Beiers I am looking at you, lol)
As far as Country dances go, I liked the one from Samuelson & Bates too. P/B were ok, lots of energy
F/S OD was really good, I am no fan of theirs, but it truly felt like being in Italy, and they skated well.
V/M: like i might have said before, I've tried to enjoy their skating many times, but they just don't do it for me... they don't grab my attention, and I always find something better to watch... but I'm in Canada, they are favourites, so I tried again. Did not work... for me this flamenco is as far as flamenco as Spain is from Australia (it does not help that I am a die hard Anissina Peizerat fan and that the Flamenco is to me what Torvill&Dean's Bolero is to some people: untouchable). Of course, after they skated the house went down... lol
D/W: see above. but props to them for going with a different type of folk.
I liked some of the lower ranked teams, especially Coomes&Buckland. Of course, Irish dances are always a winner, but they have a great first lift in the OD too. Hopefully NISA funds them so they can stay with Platov after the Olympics.
The Reeds Japanese OD was really good too, and the fan prop really work.
Random other sighting: Domnina stayed for the Ladies practice and went and sat on her own in the upper bowl.
Schoenfelder stayed to watch the last dance group practice too.
First sighting of TAT with the Russian girl (Leonova i think)
Michelle Kwan was there too :-)
Tomorrow is the Free Dance, and well, I won't get to hear the Marseillaise as I hoped it would happen
But I'll be there with my GB and my French flag, cheering for S&J and Isa&Oli.
Ok, the novel will stop there! hehe...
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