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

[parcferme]

so Rahkamo/Kokko's OD is my favorite original dance of all time, I can watch it over and over again...which is saying a lot for a program that is so OTT-cutesy-happy-ballroom themed. Rahkamo and Kokko described it as "sparkling champagne," and its working name as a potential CD before being named the Finnstep (perfect choice btw) was the "Sunshine Quickstep

[eaweek]

But by some combination of R/K's reputation as the wacky creative weirdos of ice dance, their nontraditional look, sleek black costuming, the difficult bouncy steps, the OTT body language, music from a gangster movie, and how their expressive presentation defied the stereotyped Finnish coldness, their OD became something really special.

This sentence made me laugh because it's such a perfect assessment of RK's program. : )

[eaweek]

Ugh, posted too soon...

it'll be really hard to find the perfect music that is new, matches the rhythm, and has the same quirky character as Borsalino but isn't.

Yeah, there is that potential drawback. I hope we see some interesting and original music choices.

Shibs - their technik will be amazing, HAPPY SMILES not so much, really hoping they won't choose swing as their other rhythm but foxtrot might be just as bad.
Voir - probably going for a very traditional ballroom feel with Smugface Scott...will be as watchable as Funny Face.
Meryl/Charlie - their 09 expressions were really amateur, but they've grown a lot artistically since then and I expect their Finnstep will be really seriously ballroom but very...grand and captivating as Die Fledermaus was.
NathFabs - well they're the top team with the wacky-creative reputation, so the pressure's on them to deliver the comedy. their SDs are always great though and I doubt this will be an exceptionI think your predictions here will be largely borne out in reality next February. LOL about

[jedinic]

I love your predictions here. :D

[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.

[roses_are_roses]

The music and dance kind of remind me more of the Charleston than it does the quick step. I think this dance would give dancers that are stronger technically (Davis/white) an advantage.

[eaweek]

I'm thinking this will play to MC's strengths--the quick, short steps are something they seem to do very well. A pattern that emphasizes deep edges, long body lines, and elegant unison would probably have favored VM. Not that the Finnstep is easy--there's something like 70 steps, which have to be performed on the correct edges and in time with the music. I expect most of the teams will be working all the way through to the Olympics just getting their levels up.

[lovesongsrlove]

WOO HOO TRIPPY PATTERN! (Mainly the fact that there's a little box.) I wish I could do this dance (alas I'm stuck on the lower dances).

And I really love Rahkamo/Kokko's routine.

I'm excited for next season.

[eaweek]

Looking at that box makes my head hurt. It's like an engineering diagram.

I loved RK back in the old days. I saw them once live in Stars on Ice; they were so wonderful! Really nice personalities. I'm so happy one of their dances has become a compulsory pattern. That's such a nice tribute to them.

[flashsword]

is anyone going to make a 4cc post? Are there any streaming links?