Finnstep

[eaweek]

While we're waiting for 4CC and Worlds to begin, I thought it would be fun to look down the road to next year's Olympics.  Over on the Golden Skate forums, they've been discussing the compulsory pattern for the short dance, which will be the Finnstep.  It's a variant on the Quickstep and is based on a program originated by the wonderful team of

Comments

[chimbleysweep]

I loooooove to watch the Finnstep. My biggest worry is totally related to the music, because it seems that only about 1% of the SDs the last three seasons have been memorable or interesting. Too many have been medleys of appropriate rhythms and nothing else. Or they've just gotten the job done, been nice to watch, but that was it.

The 50s produced a plethora of bubbly ballroom music that only old people listened to at the time, and they'd bring a lot of joy to the Olympics.

But I predict nothing but random Sinatra from every other team and I don't like it.

I am grateful, though, that they didn't pick another Latin dance for the Olympics. I still need time to recover from the rhumba SD.

[eaweek]

I really hope people are creative in their music choices. I don't mind Sinatra, but I don't want to sit through 40 Sinatra routines. That would get numbing.

Oddly, I don't mind the short dance format. I was never all that enamored of compulsory dances, mainly because having each team do the exact same program to the exact same piece of music is tedious in the extreme. I remember falling asleep during compulsory dances when I attended competitions in the 90s. It's not bad watching one or two compulsory dances from top teams, on TV or on the computer, but sitting there live, my God, it was dull. But I'm okay with a couple of pattern dances as required elements in a program that includes other required elements. At least that way, you get some variety in the programs.

If nothing else, the SD format has given us Meryl & Charlie's Giselle, which I would not have wanted to miss. : )

[lovesongsrlove]

Oddly, I don't mind the short dance format. I was never all that enamored of compulsory dances, mainly because having each team do the exact same program to the exact same piece of music is tedious in the extreme.

Same. During the 2010 worlds I went from being really amused with the Golden Waltz music to "...I won't get it out of my head any time soon..." (But I still like listening to the music haha)

But I'm okay with a couple of pattern dances as required elements in a program that includes other required elements. At least that way, you get some variety in the programs.

If nothing else, the SD format has given us Meryl & Charlie's Giselle, which I would not have wanted to miss. : )
Indeed. And also their SD from 10-11.

And ngl I also really like Voir's current Short Dance.

[eaweek]

I like Voir's DS better than their Carmen FD (which is just a head-scratcher to me). Tessa's costume is sooo pretty; I love that shade of teal, and it looks really good over the cream satin underskirt. But Scott looks like he borrowed one of Todd Eldridge's mid-90s costumes, LOL. : ) The program just isn't polka enough, though. It's basically a waltz with a tiny bit of polka thrown in.

Marlie definitely have the SD of this season. (Too bad Charlie flubbed the step sequence at 4CC). It really highlights the polka section.

[lovesongsrlove]

Agreed on all accounts. Marlie's SD does feel more like a polka-waltz instead of like waltz-y polka-ish.

I agree about the "insert polka here" feel of Voir's SD. But the waltz parts are just so gorgeous that I kind of just forget that it's actually supposed to have a polka pattern in it.

Though I was amused and enjoyed the SD's that had "Witch Doctor" and (what sounded like) "Levan Polka" during the polka sections.