2011 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Free Dance

Alright everybody, the senior free dance is about to get underway. I'll be giving my commentary and thoughts on the elements and the performances as a whole. Feel free to leave me a comment!
** Denotes my choice in USFSA Fantasy Skating

1) Kristen Nardozzi & Robert Cuthbertson

   Music: Imagine/Revolution

• Great to hear the Beatles, a great American musical selection
• I don't love that they chose the GLEE version of Imagine versus the original John Lennon
• These 60s costumes a a tad tacky for me
• Kristen has a beautiful smile, but I hope she explores other ranges of emotion
• I'd like them to hold their lift positions a bit longer
• Oh Kristen tripped on her toe pick in the circular step sequence
• I love that we get to hear lyrics in Ice Dance
• That was a nice position in that one-arm rotational lift
• They are really far apart in their twizzles, but the mirroring work is very nice
• Using several versions of Imagine is a nice idea
• Nice solid ending to them
• Good performance, despite the fall
• FD Score: 29.75 (TES) + 25.71 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 54.46
• 38.53 (SD) + 54.46 (FD) = 92.99

2) Alison Carey & Ryan Van Nattan

   Music: James Bond

• Nice difficult spin positions, but they lose speed
• They start off out of synch, but get back together later in the twizzle sequence
• There is some snow flying, which is a sign of unclean turns
• They definitely can work on their fluidity and elegance
• They seem to be dancing on top of the ice, rather than into the ice
• They did a nice job, she really looks like a Bond Girl
• As their first senior season, this will be a good building year for them
• FD Score: 27.27 (TES) + 23.06 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 49.33
• 34.35 (SD) + 49.33 (FD) = 83.68

3) Alissandra Aronow & Zachary Donohue 

   Music: Medley

• This is another Zoueva/Shpilband team
• Zachary used to skate with Piper Gilles, the twin of Alexe
• They have been together less than a year
• So far, a very fluid, sensual opening
• They have some really fine lifts with interesting positions
• They really use their knees a lot
• Nice attack in those twizzles
• Nice layed out camel position by Alissandra in the dance spin
• Emily Samuelson just commented on their improved connection with each other on the ice
• Alissandra shows some nice flexibility in the split position going into the rotational lift
• That was a very strong free dance from them
• FD Score:  32.54 (TES) + 31.98 (PCS) = 64.52
• 40.84 (SD) + 64.52 (FD) = 105.36

4) Katharine Zeigler & Baxter Burbank

   Music: Ladies in Lavender

• This is another team in their first year at senior Nationals
• Slightly out of sync on their twizzles
• Nice lyrical quality and elegance in their program
• This won't medal, but it's a good beginning to their senior careers
• FD Score: 30.41 (TES) + 27.30 (PCS) = 57.71 
• 32.29 (SD) + 57.71 (FD) = 90.00

5) Katherine Pilgrim & Alexander Lorello

   Music: Sweet Emotion/Come Together/Walk This Way

• They are starting right off with their dance spin
• They are very close in height which gives them nice long lines on the ice
• Very far apart in their twizzles, they'll want to get closer together in those in the future
• He caught an edge and dropped her in a split position from a rotational lift
• She has to be hurting right now
• A fall like that will definitely hurt your performance quality
• They seem like they are running out of steam here after that fall
• Nice hydroblade move, I wish they would've hung onto the edge a little longer and rode a longer curve
• Poor Katherine also had a serious collision during the warm up for the short dance and now this
• FD Score: 22.92 (TES) + 25.68 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 47.60
• 32.79 (SD) + 47.60 (FD) = 80.39

6) Ginna Hoptman & Pavel Filchenkov **

   Music:

• 
  
• FD Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 69.16
• 48.37 (SD) + 69.16 (FD) = 117.53

7) Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello

   Music: West Side Story

• 
  
• FD Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 82.12
• 54.43 (SD) + 82.12 (FD) = 136.55

8) Rachel Tibbets & Colin Brubaker

   Music:

• 
  
• FD Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 76.39
• 41.86 (SD) + 76.39 (FD) = 118.25

9) Shannon Wingle & Timothy McKernan

   Music:

• 
  
• FD Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 75.13
• 55.07 (SD) + 75.13 (FD) = 130.20

10) Meredith Zuber & Kyle Herring

     Music:

• 
  
• FD Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 73.64
• 44.42 (SD) + 73.64 (FD) = 118.06 

11) Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein

     Music: Cabaret

• I've been saying all season that they look like a young Liza Minnelli & Joel Grey, thats a compliment
• Greg has great facial expression here to keep up with Madison
• Nice twizzle series, very solid
• They just banged it out
• Awesome speed in teh circular step sequence, good tight turns here
• Greg is killing me with this performance, Joel Grey would be so proud
• I love this spin they do at the beginning of The Money Song
• Loving everything about them
• They've been the team I've been pulling for all season
• I love that upside down lift they do in The Money Song
• Those tight turns at the end of the Money Song are so tight, they had falls there at Grand Prix Paris but so clean here
• oooo time for Liza, work the Liza Madison!
• That final rotational lift was awesome!
• FD Score: 48.07 (TES) + 44.81 (PCS) = 92.88
• 61.74 (SD) + 92.88 (FD) = 154.62

12) Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani

     Music: Smile/Let's Face The Music And Dance

• So precious, I just love it
• This is so elegant, maturity beyond their years
• They look like a 25-year old seasoned veteran team out there
• Every moment is just so special, there is so much detail
• They are so gentle and delicate in those holds
• That combination lift is fantastic and he sets her down so gently 
• I love the transition here into the second piece
• They are twizzle masters, they are so good the do three sets 
• He lifts her like nobody's business
• They just are so heartwarming, they have something so very special about them
• They have that X-factor performance quality that you just can't teach
• They could be the next Olympic champions, they are that good at such a young age
• FD Score: 52.34 (TES) + 50.37 (PCS) = 102.71
• 70.47 (SD) + 102.71 (FD) = 173.18

13) Madison Hubbell & Keiffer Hubbell

     Music: Medley by Yellow & Art of Noise

• Their programs always have a bit too much sensuality for me for a brother/sister team
• They have some unison issues on their twizzles, they are pushing it too much
• They do have nice long lines because they are both so tall
• They hit some innovative lift positions
• Nice use of the hydroblade technique there
• I love the low positions they get to in those balance moves, that's a way that they use their height similarity to their advantage
• They look a little wild in my opinion, not as crisp and clean as I would like
• FD Score: 41.86 (TES) + 41.93 (PCS) = 83.79
• 57.91 (SD) + 83.79 (FD) = 141.70

14) Lynn Kriengkrairut & Logan Giulietti-Schmitt **

     Music: 

• They are on my fantasy team so I'm rooting for them
• They have nice speed, but I want them to calm down a bit and not get so wild
• Nice lift with Logan on one foot
• Arms were a little out of unison on the twizzles
• She is flying around his head really quickly in some of those lifts
• I'm not sure who their coaches are, but they have some pretty innovative lifts
• They don't have the speed and difficulty of the Zoueva/Shpilband teams in their footwork sequences
• Nice dance spin sequence, she uses her free arm quite well as well
• Oh wow Lynn just fell and pulled Logan down on top her
• That is really going to hurt their score, which is unfortunate because they had been doing so well
• FD Score: 40.00 (TES) + 42.83 (PCS) -2.00 (DED)  = 79.83
• 58.59 (SD) + 79.83 (FD) = 138.42

15) Meryl Davis & Charlie White **

     Music: Tango Medley

• I have a feeling this is just a preview of the 2011 World Champions
• Another new costume for Meryl, I love the skirt on this one
• They have such amazing speed
• I love that lift where Meryl rests on the back of Charlie's leg
• They have such intricate and complicated holds
• They are soo good at the small details like head positions and hand movements
• Phenomenal twizzles
• This is an expertly choreographed program that does not waste a single moment of the music
• Every time they get through that moment where they fell at Skate America, I breath a little easier
• Meryl has to have such amazing abdominal strength to hold some of those lift positions
• They have to be so exhausted after this program
• I love how distinctive those three poses are at the end of the program
• FD Score: 52.16 (TES) + 57.28 (PCS) = 109.44
• 76.04 (SD) + 109.44 (FD) = 185.48

Final Standings: