The Skating Lesson Podcast Transcript Four Continents Dance and Pairs Recap Jenny Kirk: Hello, and welcome to The Skating Lesson Podcast. I’m Jennifer Kirk, a former US Ladies competitor and a three-time world team member. Dave : I’m Dave Lease. I’ve never done a triple-triple, but I am a figure skating blogger and a current adult skater. Jenny: And in this video, we are going to talk about the pairs and dance event at the Four Continents Championships which took place last weekend. Dave: Jenny, I am really excited for this conversation. We haven’t discussed how we feel about the dance event yet, and I feel like we were watching a black and white film and the heroin came in at the end. And the smoke rings, nice vodka – Meryl’s hair was down, and Garulle was singing “Dance mon Esmeralde!” Tessa and Scott had those lifts and that groping Carmen… Jenny: All this sexiness! Meryl Davis/Charlie White vs. Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir – General Remarks Dave: Yes, let’s just get into it! So, Meryl and Charlie did win the gold medal at Four Continents, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won the silver, Madison Chock and Evan Bates won the bronze, and Maia and Alex Shibutani finished in fourth place. So, we haven’t discussed the programs yet. What were your impressions of Meryl and Charlie at Four Continents? Jenny: I thought their free dance was just perfection, and I think the marks really reflect that as well. They were so crisp, it’s the best I’ve ever seen them do this dance. And every single thing was on. Their twizzles were on – they did have that bobble in the short dance a few days ago, which I think may be why they were in second place because overall I think also that dance may be a little bit stronger than Tessa and Scott’s. But that free dance from Meryl and Charlie – just – everything was on, they were skating to win. They had that fire, that attack, and it really seems that the momentum is in their favor heading into Worlds next month. Dave: Oh, I definitely agree when you said that they had the attack. I think it was almost perfect for them to be in second place after the short dance because the one thing I get about Meryl and Charlie is that they always seem so lovely, they always say the right things. But they just have that look in their eyes like they go into every competition ready to attack. There’s never any excuses. They go out there full speed. Their lifts are flying, she is twisting around him, they have such difficult transitions. And it really looks like they are hungry this year. They skated really well at the World Championships last year, and they finished a really bitter second place, frankly. I think they were really mature about their result, but I think they were upset and I think that the attack they have this season in every single competition shows that they really want to win. And I get a sense that both top dance teams really believe that – each one believes that they are the best in the world. Whereas maybe before they were competing I think each one feels in their own minds that they are the best, and they compete that way. And I think that Meryl and Charlie are going after not just a gold, but they are going after 10s every time they compete. They had ridiculously high scores at nationals, and they backed it up with this performance. I think they had a little bit of a stumble in the footwork section of their short dance, Charlie was a little off. But they had really their game faces on and their focus in the right place for the free dance. It was a really powerful performance. I think the drama and their attack and desire to win is a perfect match this season because they really don’t have to hold anything back. Last year, they really did a lighthearted free dance that I think really masked some of their attack. It seems this year they really go full out, powerful, ripping at each other limbs. They have that connection. I guess, do you feel their connection has improved compared to last year? Because I personally get that from them. Jenny: I don’t know if it’s the connection that has improved, it just seems that particularly their free dance – there’s so much passion there, and you can tell that they are so hungry to get that world title. And I don’t see that passion, that hunger, particularly from Tessa this season. And I know you talked about how both teams seems like they both seem like they really want to win. But in their free dance from Tessa and Scott – obviously they had the problem that we’ll talk about where they had to stop their program here at this event – it just seems sloppy to me, it seems like you lose that passion halfway through. Their free dance starts off so strong, there is that passion. And once they hit the slow section to the end, they never really regain that. And I think that the really strong point when we talk about Meryl and Charlie in their free dance is they keep that passion throughout. They keep the hunger, the fire, and then it also increases by the end of the program where they’re skating faster, they’re keeping up to the music. And I also think that their spins are faster. I find their lifts in their free dance to be a little bit more visually appealing, intricate. I do like the last two lifts from Tessa and Scott’s free dance. But I think their opening lift – I’m not a huge fan of it. They do have great speed, but it just seems a little bit sloppy in their free dance. What are your impressions of the two free dances? Dave: I think they are both great programs. I will start with saying that I think they both really took it up a notch for this season from last season, and I think they both are trying to improve. However, watching the programs a couple of times this season and just watching Four Continents, I feel that Meryl and Charlie’s free dance has come together at this point in the season more cohesively. It builds, they have added little details to it, and I think that – one of the things that has really improved for them is that they have really been working on their weaknesses. In the past, those in the ice dance world, the other coaches, the judges, comments from the media, of other federations – you’ll always hear them mention how beautiful Tessa is on the ice and they’re wonderful connection. One thing that Meryl and Charlie have really done is work on their connection. And I actually do see Meryl open up more as a performer, and it seems that when — Jenny: See – I don’t mean to cut you off – I agree there, but I don’t think the connection between the pair is as strong as Tessa and Scott’s. Dave: No, but I think she is opening up more as a performer, and it felt when they would criticize Meryl and Charlie, they were really criticizing Meryl for her lack of perhaps sex appeal on the ice. And I think that her hair is down, and she seems to be more open as a performer. Perhaps they don’t – I don’t think that Meryl and Charlie have the heat that Tessa and Scott do. I don’t know what’s going on in their personal lives, but when Tessa and Scott skate – they look like years of an on and off romance, whether it’s acting, whether it’s real, I don’t know, but I’m riveted by it. Jenny: And I think that it’s also personalities – Tessa is sexy! She just has this sex appeal about her, and obviously Carmen – it really brings it out. And I think that Meryl is beautiful – she is really understated in some ways. So I think that’s really where, when you talk about the performance quality it differs, but I do think the free dance for Meryl and Charlie – it brings that out more than Carmen. It just comes across as a little bit sloppy to me. Dave: I definitely see a problem with Carmen. It starts off SO sexy, and after years of – we had Tessa bringing this Audrey Hepburn-vibe to the ice, and I think there was a lot of criticism last year that we’d had enough of it. She was always sweet and beautiful, and this year it’s like a shocking 180 where Tessa’s all of a sudden this villainous on the ice and she is groping at him and… it’s exciting to watch, and the opening is great. It’s powerful, it’s eye-catching, and it’s very different for them. It’s a little bit more modern, a little bit more perhaps slightly avant-garde in areas. And then it loses it when the music changes and they go into the footwork and the step sequences. It slows down, and I think that the impact of the program – I think that if they skate cleanly and Meryl and Charlie skate cleanly, that they lose about a point in components and about… not just the components, but they lose the crowd.