With assignments for the 2014-15 Grand Prix series to be determined today and Friday, where can the top teams from Canada and the U.S. expect to book a trip? As a summary review, each host nation — the U.S., Canada, China, Russia, France, and Japan — may invite up to three home entries per discipline;…
Feature, Ice Dance, Interview
Lifted by Success, Paul and Islam Hold to Foundations
by Jacquelyn Thayer After dreaming of the Olympic Opening Ceremony as newly-minted members of Team Canada, the real thing proved no disappointment for ice dancers Alexandra Paul and Mitch Islam. “It was the most unbelievable feeling, walking into that stadium, having everybody cheering, just looking up into the stands,” says Paul. “It was butterflies in…
Feature, Ice Dance, Interview, News, Pairs
A Guide to the Off-Season: Departures
With the conclusion of another Olympic season come changing dynamics, from retirements, breakups, and new formations to the rise of younger couples and shifting fortunes for more established duos. For our first quick take on The Off-Season That Is, a review of the major American and Canadian teams who’ve taken their last bows — at…
Analysis, Ice Dance, Pairs
PCS: Connecting the Dots #1. A Question of Ranking
by Jacquelyn Thayer Since its introduction under the International Judging System in 2004, the program component score (PCS) has in popular view functioned as a sort of equivalent to the previous system’s “second mark” — that score which weights the aesthetic qualities of performance, rather than difficulty and purity of technical content. This is something…
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Flashback Friday (Weekend Edition): Canadian Stars On Ice, Vintage
While Stars on Ice has had a presence in Canada since 1990, with the full tour beginning a year later, individual program footage prior to the twenty-first century is tricky to come by. A few gems from some of the nation’s leading duos, however, are still on offer. Five-time national champions and two-time World silver…