First thoughts about Skate America
I know I'm a week late, but whatever. You know the reasons.
- Samantha Cesario is fierce. Loved her Carmen, including the costume.
- Speaking of costume, Gracie Gold's costume for the free (including the hair thingie) is gorgeous.
- Nam Nguyen's free skate? Bam! What a talent. Brian Orser's magic is on again.
- Chafik Besseghier has great music choices this season.
- Jeremy Abbott in a beard is hot, can't deny it. I so, so want him to deliver a clean free skate this season because that program to "Adagio for strings" is absolutely mesmerizing. Even though it was flawed this time, the bits that were there, the music and Jeremy's expression had me tear up a bit. Please own the ice sometime this season, will you?
- Denney and Frazier were a breath of fresh air in pairs. They chose the Lion King score piece that was also used in the Katia Gordeeva "Circle of Life" montage (which is an all-time favorite of mine), and they nailed it. It was probably good to have Ingo Steuer on board - second place!
- Peng Cheng and Hao Zhang also chose great music for both the short and the long. I'm particularly fond of the short program because every time somebody announces to skate to The Nutcracker, I hope they include the Arabian Dance (my favorite part of the music). Which they never do, and now the Chinese skate their complete program to it. :0)
- Really impressed by Kavaguti and Smirnov's LP. He's so expressive!
- I miss my ice dancers ... :'0( Elisabeth Paradis and Francois-Xavier Ouellette were quite a nice surprise in the free, though.