Vancouver 2010 - Original Dance

Turns out I lied when I said I wasn't going to watch the OD live. I literally could not resist. I missed Cappellini/Lanotte because I was out until late and the Eurosport coverage, which I had recorded, didn't start until the Czech team skated, but I managed to see everybody else that I like. Not sure when I will get to see C/L, though, and I really do want to because I love their OD.

- I think there is something very likable about Samuelson/Bates, Emily in particular. I think it's unfortunate that so many top teams picked an American country dance, but their program is definitely cute and fun and suits their personalities well.

- I actually really liked the Reeds' program. I thought that their use of the fans was clever and interesting, rather than tacky and distracting, which is always a plus. I am also a fan of the Beiers' Hawaiian effort.

- I love Coomes/Buckland, and it looked like the audience did, too! Their score got huge boos and Penny was too cute 'shh'-ing them. They were cute in the KnC in general, actually. They seem so excited to be there, as well they should, and I love their Irish folk dance. I'm a little worried for them, though, in that if and when the Kerrs retire after this season, Chitwood/Hanretty will likely take GB's spots in international competition, but they probably aren't good enough to earn enough spots that C/B can continue to get international exposure. Still, it's great that both British teams are so well received by the crowd, and I think that C/B definitely have great potential.

- As soon as I saw Khokhlova/Novitsky take the ice for their warm-up, I remembered their program. How could I forget Jana's skirt? I like these two, but I can't say I was disappointed to see them drop under the Kerrs. I love their Firebird free, so I'm looking forward to watching that one tonight.

- I am pretty much in love with Delobel/Schoenfelder's can-can. If they'd had more time this season, I think that could have been something really special. I loved the costumes and the choreography and the whole program in general, and they did a great job of selling it, but unsurprisingly, their smoothness/technique is just not quite up their with the very top teams. I'm not sure if they're skating Worlds. If they are and they have enough time to get the program as polished as it needs to be, we could have an epic battle on our hands between these two, Davis/White and Virtue/Moir for the world title.

- The Kerrs changed their twizzles to make it easier on Sinead - she'd been rotating the 'wrong' way originally, which is why she's been having so much trouble with them this season - but last night John went back to his old ways and messed up the sequence. It didn't seem to have too big an effect though, and their program is a lot of fun and I just love them. I also think that, after skating, John should definitely become a model.

- I was trying really hard to like Faiella/Scali, and it worked, to a certain extent, because I enjoyed their program and I especially loved Massimo's costume, but I figure that I shouldn't have to try to like a team. They just don't do that much for me.

- On the complete other end of the scale, even though I feel like I shouldn't like Domnina/Shabalin's controversial OD, I still kind of love it, in a vacuum. That does not mean that I want them to win, though, so I was more than happy with their scores. I also feel so sorry for Maksim, who is obviously in a lot of pain.

- What is there to say about Davis & White? They were fantastic. I would have loved that program no matter how they'd skated it last night, but wow, they were foot-perfect. Charlie is adorable and Meryl is so composed all the time and they are just wonderful together. Love them.

- Nathalie Pechalat is one of my absolute favourite figure skaters of any discipline, but I really wish she'd go back to her natural hair colour, or at least dye it brown. I love P/B's music and I love them but, like S/B, I just wish that their program was a little different. I already have a hard enough time liking this team as much as I do, whilst still wanting the Kerrs to beat them all the time, without them having a very similar style of program ;). Anyway, once again; nice fun, clean, program. Their 'Requiem' free grows on me everytime I see it so I can't wait to watch them tonight.

- The Zaretskys inspire literally no comment. They did pretty well for them, I think, but just...blah. For me, Emily and Evan had more charisma and presence, but like I think I've said, I know basically nothing about the technical side of dance so I would guess they are better in that way.

- I thought that Davis/White were amazing and I didn't think that anyone could possibly beat their performance - but I didn't think that Virtue/Moir were overmarked. They were just as great as D/W, if not better, and I think any 'Canadian bonus' they may have gotten is not undeserved and probably won't have that huge an effect on the overall result. The two of them right after they finished were adorable. Tessa's beautiful, even if she does insist on wearing such long, generally frumpy-looking skirts (I'll let her off on the flamenco though). I think they'll probably take the overall gold tonight, and as long as D/W remain on the podium, I think I'm going to be delighted with the result.

-Belbin/Agosto always fall a little flat for me and I wasn't at all surprised to see them below D/S, but I always feel sorry for the fourth-place finishers. I'd be perfectly happy to see them on the podium, I just don't think it will happen.In other news, 'Be Good Johnny Weir' finally became available on iTunes, so I spent this afternoon watching Popstar on Ice and all the rest of the normal-length episodes, and came out of it loving Johnny even more than I already did. I highly doubt it will happen, but as of now, my dream podium at Worlds goes Joubert, Johnny, Jeremy, preferably in that order. Love that guy.

All my sympathy goes out to Joannie Rochette, whose mother just died. Such a terrible thing to happen at any point, but especially so suddenly, and right before Joannie's competition begins. It seems like these Games have been tinged with tragedy, but hopefully Joannie, as well as Elene Gedevanishvili, can stay strong and skate the skates we know they both can.


xxx