by Jacquelyn Thayer Range among PCS categories — and among marks assigned by individual judges within a category — may be the nitpickiest of topics to assess. Certainly numbers here are minuscule, with variations typically hovering around the 1-point range for both dance teams and pairs (despite the different factor applied to each category within…
Category: Analysis
Analysis, Pairs
PCS: Connecting the Dots #1.5 – A Pairs Pattern
by Jacquelyn Thayer Before proceeding to the next topic in our PCS series, let’s take a moment to look at the national ranking trends suggested in entry #1 as applied to our other discipline of interest — pairs. PCS and National Ranking: Pairs This analysis, it must be cautioned, does not take into consideration technical…
Analysis, Ice Dance, Lists, Pairs
Previewing the 2014 Grand Prix Draft
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;…
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…
Analysis, Competition, Ice Dance, Pairs
2014 Winter Olympics Pre-Game Analysis
by Jacquelyn Thayer Six dance and five pairs teams representing the U.S. and Canada will take on Sochi ice in the two weeks to come (with some competing as well in the first-ever Olympic team event this weekend). As ever, the attempt here will be to take a closer look at the participants by more…
Analysis, Competition, Pairs
2013-14 Grand Prix in Review: Pairs
For U.S. and Canadian pairs, the Grand Prix offered up a rather mixed bag of results: while two Canadian pairs are once more Grand Prix Final-bound and closer in ranking than ever, established and up-and-coming national teammates are vying for their own opportunity. In the U.S., technical consistency is proving a key to success, and…
Analysis, Competition, Ice Dance
2013-14 Grand Prix in Review: Dance
The six events comprising this pre-Olympic Grand Prix series established more firmly than ever the central storylines for North American ice dance as the countdown to Sochi continues. By the numbers and more than a little data analysis, the key takeaways. 1. The Battle for First – No contest has been more discussed or more…
Analysis, Competition, Ice Dance, Pairs
2013 Finlandia Trophy Post-Game Analysis
Finlandia Trophy featured return visits from two teams who last began their season there in 2011 — World silver medalists Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir and U.S. silver medalists Madison Chock & Evan Bates, who took gold and bronze at that year’s event and here caught gold and silver. The stakes for an early beginning…
Analysis, Competition, Ice Dance, News, Pairs
2013 Ondrej Nepela Trophy Post-Game Analysis
For all four U.S. couples entered, Ondrej Nepela Trophy held a particular import: for Gretchen Donlan & Andrew Speroff, it was an opportunity to recoup after the ups and downs of the 2012-13 season; for U.S. silver medalists Alexa Scimeca & Chris Knierim, a return to the major competitive stage after a mid-summer ankle injury;…
Analysis, Competition, Pairs
2013 Nebelhorn Trophy Post-Game Analysis — Pairs
For the U.S. and Canada’s pairs entries, Nebelhorn Trophy marked a fresh start: both Lindsay Davis & Rockne Brubaker and Natasha Purich & Mervin Tran were new teams making their international debuts together, both men having sat out the 2012-13 season after unexpected splits from the partners with whom they competed at the world level.…