[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Recap” _builder_version=”3.0.95″ background_layout=”light” module_alignment=”left”]<\/p>\n
Hello and welcome to the Ice Dance Observer.\u00a0If this is your first visit, the Observer recaps events from the previous week as well as previewing upcoming competitions. It is posted on Tuesday of each week.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
We’re back after a brief hiatus while most of Team IDC was in San Jose, California, for the 2018 U.S. Championships.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next few weeks will be busy with the European Championships, Four Continents Championships, Russian Junior Nationals and Bavarian Open – lots of skating.\u00a0\u00a0It’s hard to believe that we are just 33 days away from the short dance at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang!\u00a0<\/p>\n
This weekend, we launched the new support ice-dance.com through Patreon and Paypal sidebar links on a few of our pages. As you know, IDC has been the leading resource for ice dance information and news online since June 1999 When I started the website with Emma back in 1999, I had no idea that it would grow to be what it is today. Between 1999 and January 2018, we have covered 375+ events, which is not a small feat when you are staffed 100% by volunteer journalists and photographers. We are hoping to improve our website hosting, which will allow IDC to continue to grow. When we meet our first goal, we will then set a second goal to make additional improvements to the website as well as continue to provide the best coverage of events possible.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
There are now two ways that you can financially help ice-dance.com:<\/p>\n
Whether you are able to pledge or not, we appreciate your continued support and value you all as part of our ice-dance.com community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Until next time,<\/em><\/p>\n Daphne & Team IDC<\/em><\/p>\n by Anne Calder | Photos by Melanie Heaney<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The 2018 Canadian National Skating Championships were held at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia from January 8-14, 2018. Ten senior ice dance teams competed on the final weekend.<\/p>\n The podium included Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (gold), Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier (silver), and Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje (bronze).<\/p>\n Short Dance<\/strong><\/p>\n Virtue & Moir danced samba to the Rolling Stones, rhumba to the Eagles, and cha cha to Santana and earned 85.12 points. Their TES was a perfect 45.30, with all level 4 elements and all +3 GOEs.<\/p>\n Gilles & Poirier scored 78.37 points with their bossa nova and mambo. Poirier\u2019s magical sleight of hand trick produced colorful ruffled sleeves that marked the start of the pattern dance. The team earned level 4 for all the elements except a level 3 Rhumba.<\/p>\n Carolane Soucisse & Shane Firus were third with an Enrique Iglesias medley for their samba, rhumba, and samba short dance that scored 70.90 points. The team earned level 4 for their pattern, twizzles, lift and not touching footwork; the pattern step sequence was level 3.<\/p>\n Weaver & Poje lost points when Poje had an unfortunate fall on the first twizzle that negated the element. The Rhumba pattern, curve lift and pattern step sequence were level 4, while the not touching footwork was level 3. The Cuban street dance program used the bolero and mambo for its rhythms. They were in fourth place \u2013 a very unfamiliar position for the reigning Canadian silver medalists.<\/p>\n Free Dance – A PERFECT SCORE! <\/strong><\/p>\n The Vancouver audience didn\u2019t care that the ISU does not recognize national championship season and personal best marks. They didn\u2019t care that the score attained by Virtue & Moir will not be included in their international resume.<\/p>\n Instead, they came to pay homage to their champions who teamed up 21 years ago and were skating at the Canadian Nationals for the last time. The enthusiastic crowd was rewarded with a skate for the ages. It was a moment the dancers and fans will remember for many years. Virtue & Moir were crowned champions for the eighth and final time.<\/p>\n The 2010 Olympic gold medalists performed to \u201cEl Tango de Roxanne\u201d and \u201cCome What May\u201d from the Moulin Rouge<\/em> soundtrack. After the mandatory lowest\/highest scores were eliminated, all that remained were seven +3 GOE and seven 10.00 PCS, which converted to a perfect 124.70.<\/p>\n Times They’re All A Changing<\/strong><\/p>\n Virtue & Moir ended their two-year retirement for one reason – to win gold at the 2018 Olympics. So after placing second at the Grand Prix Final – their first loss since the return – they went back home to Montreal and tweaked their program. The 2014 Olympic silver medalists edited the music and changed the lifts. They wanted it to build more, make a more dramatic ending, and give it an Olympic gold medal feeling!<\/p>\n After a fourth place finish at Skate America, Gilles & Poirier also made changes. Seven weeks ago, they took a huge risk, and switched their Perry Mason themed program to James Bond. Using much of the old choreography, they added stronger and more dramatic music that better accented their speed and innovative movements.<\/p>\n The team\u2019s lifts, spin, and diagonal footwork earned level 4; the circular footwork was level 3. Unfortunately, a bobble in the second twizzle reduced it to level 2 and lost them several points.<\/p>\n However, their gamble had paid off! The new James Bond defeated the old Perry Mason (from Skate America) by over 11 points with a 113.71 third place segment score. Their eight-point short dance lead was enough to secure second place over all and their fourth Canadian National silver medal. The total was 192.08.<\/p>\n Weaver & Poje began the season with Spartacus. <\/em>After the Autumn Classic they dropped the program and returned to their 2012 signature piece, \u201cJe Suis Malade\u201d. The costumes needed an upgrade, footwork rules were different, and the skaters were six years older and more mature. The choreography needed a facelift. When they performed Saturday afternoon in Vancouver, the new program had only been skated at two competitions, most recently two months ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n As Weaver & Poje skated to center ice, they knew what was on the line, so they did what was necessary. The standing ovation began before the music stopped and the final position taken. Six of their seven elements earned level 4 and the choreographic lift and spin received full 2.10 scores. The judges gave them ten perfect 10.00 PCS. They were second in the free dance, but their total 191.09 was less than one point short for the silver. They were awarded the bronze medal.<\/p>\n International Assignments Announcement<\/strong><\/p>\n Canada announced it’s Olympic and World Championships ice dance teams on Sunday.\u00a0 Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier, Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir and Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje will represent Canada in PyeongChang and Torino.\u00a0 Alternates (in order) are Carolane Soucisse & Shane Firus, Sarah Arnold & Thomas Williams and Haley Sales & Nikolas Wamsteeker.\u00a0<\/p>\n Soucisse & Firus, Arnold & Williams and Sales & Wamsteeker will represent Canada at the upcoming Four Continents Championships in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei from January 22-27.\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”New on IDC” _builder_version=”3.0.87″ background_color=”#282828″ background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” custom_margin=”10px|10px|10px|10px” custom_padding=”10px|10px|10px|10px” module_alignment=”left”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Photo” _builder_version=”3.0.95″ src=”https:\/\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/mizuki-volskis-6756.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” custom_margin=”10px|10px|10px|10px” show_bottom_space=”on” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Bullet List” _builder_version=”3.0.95″ background_color=”#f9f9f9″ background_layout=”light” custom_margin=”10px|10px|10px|10px” custom_padding=”10px|10px|10px|10px” module_alignment=”left”]<\/p>\n ARTICLES<\/strong><\/p>\n EVENT COVERAGE<\/strong><\/p>\n PHOTOGRAPHS<\/strong><\/p>\n RESULTS<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Events This Week” _builder_version=”3.0.95″ background_color=”#282828″ background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” custom_margin=”10px|10px|10px|10px” custom_padding=”10px|10px|10px|10px” module_alignment=”left”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”List of Events” _builder_version=”3.0.95″ background_color=”#f9f9f9″ background_layout=”light” custom_margin=”10px|10px|10px|10px” custom_padding=”10px|10px|10px|10px” module_alignment=”left”]<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/h3>\n
CANADIANS RECAP: VIRTUE, MOIR WIN EIGHTH NATIONAL TITLE<\/span><\/h3>\n
NEW ON IDC<\/span><\/h4>\n
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EVENTS THIS WEEK<\/span><\/h4>\n