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Thursday November 23rd

Original Dance
Group 1:
1. Arikawa & Myamoto - JPN
They have some smooth edges to their skating, but were slow in the diagonal sequence, and lost unison in the side by side one.
Not much difficulty in this program, and presentation was not one of a foxtrot or a quickstep. Part of their music was from the jungle book.
2. Gourvest & Pernet - FRA
They did Foxtrot and Quickstep. They had a nice feel to their dance, and I think they reflected their choice of music well.
Their sbs line sequence was good, but they had zero speed into it, nearly did it at stop. Lifts and other elements were fine, but their diag sequence lacked the "it" factor.
He does a lot of the work while she needs to improve her twizzles, speed and line. They skated it better than in practice.
3. Zhang & CAO - CHN
They did Foxtrot and Quickstep too. They were slow from beginning to end. But they have a smooth quality to their skating, and really try to do a lot of footwork. I didn't care about them, they were boring, and their elements were even slower than the japanese.
4. Agogliati & Milo - ITA
I didn't like her dress, thought it was a ballroom one.
He nearly fell on the straight line sequence, and it cost them their unison. The diagonal sequence was well done but is way too easy compared to all the other couples here.
They are already fast skaters, and have the "it" factor all the others in this group lacked.

Group 2:
1. Winkler & Lohse - GER
Charleston and quickstep.
What was nice is that it was abiiiiiiiiig relief not to see another Dancing fool program.
I loved the program, they had the "it" factor to their skating : speed, difficulty, unison and expression.
The judges were really hard on them, sinceI would have put them ahead of the russians and the french.
Problem is : Kati's dress that makes her look like a hore according to the judges, and the beginning of their program, where she puts her butt in front of them. All judges were shocked LOL.
2. Delobel & Schœnfelder - FRA
She was the best of the two tonight, but they lost speed in all their steps sequences. I talked to them and they told me they do not like it at all, and they will change everything in time for Europeans, and maybe french nationals. The only positiv thing about this program is that their expression was right on every beat of music. I would have ranked them in 6th, with the canadians in 5th.
3. Wing & Lowe - CAN
They also did Charleston and Foxtrot, and that was also a gooooood choice for them. Their straight line footwork was not done in unison, like in the morning practices, but they recovered well in the diagonal one. They have more speed than the french, and were refreshing so I would have put them ahead of the french in this section, in fifth position.
4. Anissina & Peizerat - FRA
They do a slwo foxtrot followed by a quickstep.
The first part of the dance is *nice*, but it lacks difficulty, and they may have to change it if they follow the judges notes.
He had a major stumble before their diagonal sequence, and nearly fell on it. Then it was Marina's turn to stumble right at the beginning of their side by side step sequence, at 1/3 or it. They tried to mask it but it was plain obvious. They recovered well and IMO it was skated way better than at Skate Canada. Gwendal had another glaring mistake at the end of the program.
They have a good feel to the music, but the russians were clearly better tonight.
They skated this dance at 20% of what they showed us in the practice morning, just to tell you this dance has a high potential, compared to last years OD. I quite like it, but for the beginning section that seems so empty.
Lysianne Lauret, who was next to us during the OD told us "It's a disaster!". We couldn't understand why they were so tensed, since they did it well at practices ... Read Ben's notes for the press conference. I can only tell you Marina and Gwendal were not pleased at all with their skate.

Group 3:
1. Lang & Tchernyshev - USA
Again a Foxtrot and a Quickstep. They have a good straight line footwork sequence thought he might have touched the boards. Their diagonal was ok, but so easy it made me cringe.
It was an easy dance, thought they did it very well indeed.
2. Eliane & Daniel Hugentobler - SWI
OK I didn't understand their placings at all. They were slow, sloppy, and nearly fell on their step sequences. And they had a lot of unison problems. I couldn't see them land in front of the canadians AT ALL !!!
3. Humphreys & Baranov - GBR
They were boriiiiiiing. She is the best of the two, and has good lines and extensions, plus she is really soft in her ice touch. He is so sloppy !! I can't see them do well this year since they lack everything. Her quality let them hang on 8th place, but on a very short margin.
4. Lobacheva & Averbukh - RUS
They do Foxtrot and Quickstep. Their costumes are awful, if not horrible, even more than the morning practices ones.
They have less speed than Marina and Gwendal but all they did was perfect, from start to finish. It's an easy dance, and a step backward for them, in terms of composition.
After seeing the israelis dance, as well as all the top 5 ones, I can tell you Galit and Serguei will have no problems beating this one.
I would have put the german in first, just because their dance was refreshing and they meant it, on the expression mark. As far as technique was concerned, I was quite glad M&G were in second after the disaster they showed us.