SENIOR FREE DANCE REPORT
Report by Daphne Backman
Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto won their fifth consecutive U.S. dance championship with an inspired performance to piano selections by Frederic Chopin. From the start, the team captured the audience’s attention with well-executed elements and undeniable emotion and expression. The team received all +2s and +3s with only two +1 GOE’s. They received no base marks of 0. One program highlight was their curve to rotational lift that featured excellent position transition by Belbin. At the end of the performance, the crowd gave the team a standing ovation.
“This year’s free dance is such a joy to perform,” Agosto said. “It’s a really nice change for us. We really enjoy performing it. It’s getting more and more natural, and it’s really starting to flow.”
Meryl Davis & Charlie White were the last skaters of the event and received a standing ovation for their elegant performance to “Eleanor Rigby” & “Eleanor’s Dream” by the Beatles. Their lifts had interesting position and the program looks modified and much improved since Skate America. Davis & White received level fours on all of their elements, except for their serpentine lift, which was awarded level three. The team claimed the silver medal in just their second trip to the U.S. Championships as seniors and seems to be closing the gap between themselves and training mates Belbin & Agosto.
Davis took an opportunity to explain the story of their free dance.
“At the beginning of the program, I’m portraying a very sad and lonely character,” Davis said. “Throughout the program, he is the dream guy that I want to be with, and I’m longing to escape from my sad and lonely life. At the end, we’re torn apart and I’m alone again. I’m back to my reality of being alone again.”
The duo seemed more comfortable with their second trip to U.S. Nationals at the senior level.
“I think this season is less of a surprise for us,” Davis said. “Last season, being our first season on the Grand Prix circuit and senior at Nationals, everything was just so new to us. I don’t think we were really sure what to expect, but this season we’re coming in, trying our best, and knowing that’s what we’re going for.”
Kimberly Navarro & Brent Bommentre, the 2007 pewter medalists, moved up one spot to claim bronze, with their free dance to “Since I’ve Been Loving You” performed by Corinne Bailey Rae. The performance showcased the team’s speed and unison and good control on their lifts. They also received all level fours except for a level three on their combination spin. Navarro & Bommentre were named to the World Championships team.
“We’re really honored to be in this position,” Bommentre said. “Honored to be able to go because of how hard we’ve worked, and honored to share the team with two other great couples. It’s going to be an incredible experience.”
Finishing fourth and winning the pewter medal are Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates. The team was sixth in the free dance portion of the competition. The performance was going well until a fall on a reverse rotational lift. The music, “Luna” by Alessandro Safina, was enjoyable and the program flowed really well as the choreography blended the elements with highlights and transitions. The rotational lift was downgraded to level three and they received all -3 and one -2 GOE’s for the fall. Because both fell, they also received a -2 deduction from the final free dance score.
“It was a new element that we inserted into our program to make the change to senior,” Bates said. “Obviously we’re not as familiar with it, which was a challenge for us that we knew we were going to have to overcome. I think the rest of the performance was really good and we have something to build on”
Sitting in fifth are the 2007 Nebelhorn Trophy champions, Jennifer Wester & Daniil Barantsev. Wester & Barantsev skated light and playful performance to “Singing in the Rain.” They received only one -1 GOE and all their elements rated level three or four. The team finished fifth in the free dance and overall.
“I was overall happy with it,” Wester said. “We were honestly hoping that with all the work we put in, we could get a little bit higher this year. We were hoping for a better overall result.”
Wester also designed the team’s free dance costumes.
“I love happy colors and this was my favorite era to portray,” Wester said. “When I was going through the colors, I saw the yellow and thought, that makes me feel good.”
Finishing fourth in the free dance and pulling up to sixth overall are Jane Summersett & Todd Gilles. Summersett & Gilles skated a Christopher Dean-choreographed program to “La Valse” by Maurice Ravel, for which they received no negative GOE’s and level fours on all of their elements, except for their step sequences. The team has very strong lifts and Summersett changes positions with ease.
“Our goal was to come out and skate as strong as we could,” Gilles said. “We didn’t have a solid placement goal that we were shooting for.”
Charlotte Maxwell & Nick Traxler presented an enchanting program to “Time to Say Goodbye” by Andrea Bocelli, a stark contrast to the team’s Native American-themed original dance. The audience seemed to embrace the team’s performance, which featured smooth transitions and unique lifts. “MaxTrax” finished seventh in the free dance and overall.
“Natalia [Linichuk] really brought out our emotions and the story in the free dance,” Maxwell said.
Skating first in the free dance, Mauri Gustafson & Joel Dear performed to a fun medley of hip-hop songs. Gustafson & Dear were active in the choreographing of this program and sold it well, especially their interesting lifts. The team finished 10 th in the free dance and 10 th overall.
Lynn Kriengkrairut & Logan Giulietti-Schmitt brought life into their Tango free dance. The team received level three on their circular and diagonal steps and -1 and -2 GOE’s on their diagonal step sequence. Kriengkrairut & Giulietti-Schmitt finished ninth in the free dance and overall.
Yet another type of program was performed by Clare Farrell & Chase Fishpaw. Farrell & Fishpaw presented their lyrical free dance to music from “Notre Dame de Paris” (French version). The program featured flowing choreography, four level four elements, and a warmth and openness that reached out to the audience. They were 11 th in the free and overall.
Mimi Whetstone & Chris Obzansky skated to a medley of jive-type songs, placing eighth. Marsha Snyder & Peter Fischl danced to “Malaguena” for 12 th, while Stacy Kim & Jonathan Harris took a tumble on their straightline lift and finished 13th.
