Neal Cassady is the worst.

[theskatingarchive]

Jeremy Abbott (USA)

2010 US National Championship Short Program (87.85)

[theskatingarchive]

Jeremy Abbott (USA)

2010 US National Championship Short Program (87.85)

[theskatingarchive]

Jeremy Abbott (USA)

2012 US National Championship Free Skate (183.35)

[figureskatingcostumes]

Ann Patrice McDonough skating her short program at the 2001 US Nationals. Her music was Zigeunerweisen by Pablo de Sarasate.

(Photo by Leigh Meydrech)

[figureskatingcostumes]

Ann Patrice McDonough’s pretty pink dress for her short program at the US Figure Skating Championships in 2003.

(Photos from www.life.com)

[ellsey]

Gonna need you to explain Zingas/Kolesnik to me as well. I get them more than Fear/Gibson, because at least she’s a very good dancer from the waist up and I think he’s getting the Cizeron bonus from the judges for being a flexible and fluid ice dance man, but she’s so…static? In the knees? Like there’s no rise and fall, her glide isn’t in the same universe as Caroline Green’s, and even without Michael’s fall Z/K would’ve beaten them here by several points while wearing practice gear. CPom have never achieved that score at a Grand Prix. What am I missing this time?

The only explanation is that Igor. Look, people accuse me of being a z/k hater so idk take this as you will, but she still skates like a singles skater! Notice how much hopping they do. People will be like "oh that makes it harder" but really they're doing to it help her switch edges easier.

If you want an easy example, watch her progressives (the ice dance equivalent of forward crossovers). They are short and choppy and high in the knees. She doesn't get the bounce in the knees and the fluid push that you should. When I was learning to do progressives I remember really concentrating on knee action, rhythm, and pushing with the leg that is underneath. When you get it right, the edge that you get is so deep and you get such push. She just doesn't do that. And I mean I guess it's fine?? But it's not ice dance technique.

Look, I think Emiliea seems like a wonderful person, super nice and friendly. And she is very talented. I don't want anyone to think i think otherwise. However, she suffers from the same problems Daisuke Takahashi did when he switched to dance, except that luckily she is the person being lifted. But no, I don't think they should get an 80 in any universe. Also I generally don't love their programs lol. The choreography is often very smart though in masking the fact that she doesn't easily go from turn to turn with stable edging.

Anyway I guess we'll see how cpom do soon. But if z/k is getting 80s they should be getting 83s at least lol. Idk the vibes in ice dance this season are so bad I simply cannot deal.

[momontheice]

Z/K are getting the scores that K would be getting if he was solo dancing. Sorry but they as a team are not even close in overall quality to C/Pom, much less G/Pa.

[veritphoto]

Caroline Green & Michael Parsons — Escalate / Son of Nyx Free Dance Practice at Cup of China 2025

[skatejoy]

Christina’s Instagram

Are those the same green earrings from Carmen??

[momontheice]

Her costume is so gorgeous. I literally can't right now.

[ellsey]

lol no one talk to me right now these scores are so wack

was it their best performance? no but still

[momontheice]

Shades of G/Pa's scores at Cup of China. I hate this season so far. Like, SO much!

[ellsey]

The RD has good bones but needs revamping in the way that Stevie Nicks had good bones but needed revamping. Bring back the handstand lift and get rid of the awkward dance break just before the pattern step if there isn’t a requirement that they come to a stop - their skating has improved exponentially but they’ve always been pretty stiff hip hop dancers and I think those cringe five seconds kinda kill the momentum of the fun first half

I’d certainly like to think USFS wouldn’t be so short sighted to ditch a three time top 10 world finisher for an untested Igor team but I don’t know that they can afford to hand them the excuse

I do think the bones of the rd are fine. I don't think the skate was that bad actually. It wasn't their best, but it wasn't 76 bad. If that rotational lift had gone better they would have had more points though, so that's something to work on.

idk i'm just kind of down because people are swearing to me z/k are now going to the olympics and it's such a bummer because they are not as good as cpom but then i also have to remind myself i have real issues and who goes to the olympics really doesn't affect my life at all lol

anyway we'll get through this together. Here's hoping their fd goes over spectacularly tomorrow.

[momontheice]

I am really, really hating the judging so far this season. Plus Christina still not having her passport is making me mega nervous. I hope she is able to get it sorted ASAP because them going to the Olympics is like, a requirement IMO.

Agree that Z/K is not nearly as good as CPom and would also argue they are not as good as G/Pa either due to Emelia just not being close to the same tier ice-dance-quality wise as Christina or Caroline. They should be being judged as a team, but so far this season, the judging seems to be going as if Vadim is doing solo dance instead of with a partner.....

[ellsey]

I still think CPom will be fine for the Olympics because their body of work is undeniable but I’d be pretty irritated if Z/K get the push to set them up as US #1 for next quad. Emilea has nice upper body articulation but literally every woman in senior US ice dance has superior skating skills and we can give her props because she’s still so new to the discipline but I don’t know why professional judges are grading them on a curve. I’m insulted on Green/Parsons behalf, though they probably need to stay on their feet more than they do.

Green/Parsons deserve so much better (yes I know they have fall issues but still). And I agree so much about z/k. Everyone gushes about them and I'm like...but the actual skating??? Also I find their choreography to be not my cup of tea lol.

Once Christina has the US passport in hand I'll feel much better I think (and I suspect their scores will be better too honestly that passport seems to be worth a ton). I haven't been given any indication that there's any issues as of yet, and I feel sure people would let me know lol (they know how invested I am in this hahahahaha). But still, I would be very happy to see it all settled.

[momontheice]

I agree with everything you said here. I still feel Z/K is ridiculously overmarked because, at least at the lower levels of US ice dance and in my personal first-hand experience, if the male partner is the superior skater and the female partner is markedly weaker than the other female partners in teams they are competing against, the whole team typically is scored lower. I mean, Vadim is an excellent skater but they are a team, not just one person. It seems they are getting marks he by himself should be getting, not BOTH of them.

[skatejoy]

Photo credit Verit Photo

Caroline’s dress is stunning! I’m not sure how it relates to his though. Can’t wait to see this program again.

[skatejoy]

Cup of China FD

I was so sad seeing Green & Parsons withdraw (I assume due to injury) but I think it was politically the right thing to do to preserve their chances and not be written off.

Smart/Dieck - I’m still not sold on this program. It has some very cool shapes and moves but even Chris mistook it for last year’s program. The choreo step was jarring.

Lim/Quan - Good for them! I actually found this program more gripping than S/D. I forgot to take notes.

D/lM - Nice to see something so different in the sea of same. Her hair! Their combo lift was great. I’m not a fan of the music, but they really hit the highlights well.

Lopareva/Brissauld - I don’t like this as well as last year’s, but they skated it well. That stationary lift at the beginning! The slide at the end! Good to see them appreciated outside France, if not by their own federation.

Zingas/Kolesnik - I do not understand the scoring on this. I’ve seen this program a million times by a million teams. Not a single move was memorable. Emilea looked unstable on the twizzles and shallow edges throughout. It’s like a DWTS team.

Chock/Bates - This program has potential. There are some interesting moves - that straight line lift that showed both of their strengths. A third set of twizzles! The choreography step that seemed mostly clapping can go. I still find the bottom of her costume distracting, but overall it has lots of potential. They did lose some levels, so they have some work to do before Skate America.

Did Chris really call Patrice Lauzon Patrice Cezanne??

Mid-level chaos in this event. What will Skate Canada bring?

[momontheice]

I agree with you 10,000% about Z/K scoring, but after the scoring at the first GPF last week, I had a feeling the fix would be in. Also agree about Emilea. Vadim is definitely getting up there with the top ice dance men (one might even argue top 10?), and although she is a good skater in her own right, she still looks like a fs skater to me. She is simply not up to the level of the rest of the ladies in the World top 20 or so and Vadim's quality makes it even more obvious.

[sunskate]

Michael posted on his IG that he suffered an injury to his pelvis in the RD at CoC, that he's recovering and expecting to compete at NHK

(also how stunning are they here - her dress, but this is in the middle of their opening, i think, they're in motion, and look how gorgeous and soft her position despite how long her neck is, how open, how graceful they are)

they got some love from fans when they had to withdraw ❤️

[faustomoebius]

[aeiouwhy]

[odorareicons]