It's true that the routines nowadays don't look as beautiful as they used to - too many moves inserted to score points, rather than because they fit well with the overall ambience of the piece. Shame.

Still, I've been enjoying the couples, especially the Franco-Welsh youngsters doing the old Riverdance type routine, the Russian aboriginal dance (loved the costumes, and the exuberance!) and the final two, also French, doing their cowboy thing. John and Sinead's I liked too, especially the driving the car bit at the end.

You can't compare ice dancing now and then though. There is a huge list of compulsory elements (everyone has to include twizzles for instance) and timings for lifts etc have to be very precise and the ways to increase scores by increasing base levels on elements is also precisely laid out so there simply isn't the scope for the same type of choreography these days as in T & D's day. I am amazed how much variety they still seem to accomplish even within the much narrower confines of todays sport.

There were some amazing dancers around just before the new scoring system came in who were able to give free rein to their choreography and interpretation and were fabulous to watch like Annisina and Peizerat for example.

Have (annoyingly) missed all of this as I've been out busy all nights this week. Just watched the Kerrs on Youtube and really enjoyed it.

Is it just me or 'would' anyone else with John Kerr?

But that's the whole trouble, I do...from an artistic sense anyway. I know they brought that whole new system in to get rid of the block voting and bias, or at least try to, but there's very little room left for expression and as for the girl looking graceful, forget it.

Annissina and Peizerat and the Lithuanians (names escape me) just got under the wire and I'll always be grateful. Annissina/Peizerats interpretation of Carmina Burana choreographed by Jayne and Chris still gives me goosebumps.

Oh yes Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas - I loved them. And Stavisky and Denkova.

Everyone's improved on the artistic side and gracefulness as skaters have got used to how they can use the new rules and I think the 'gynacological positions' have also been made unacceptable elements so there's not so much of that now thankfully.

Kerrs on red button performing now!

The Kerrs performed a great programme in their free dance, and they gave something that we don't see often now ...... some innovation and many highlights.

They do seems to flow together, unlike the other couples who are rather jerky and fling their arms about but not in unison.

This couple skating now, the woman is quite heavily set, he sometimes looked like he was lifting a sack of potatoes.

My all time favourites!

I'm watching this at the moment and am not enjoying it. Every competitor is similar with the same jumps every time plus Robin only focuses on the jumps in his commentary. No one seems to care about the dancing or originality of the dance which is a shame.

Why do they have to dance at all? Just do the fives or six jumps one after the other and let the judges score them!

Dancing on ice is so much more entertaining!

I'm afraid that the governing body of the ISU who makes the rules are responsible for this, by making the couples put lots of different elements into their routines it takes away the freedom of expression, I can't see much difference between the Original and the free dance except the free dance doesn't have a "theme" the way the original does!

The judging scandals forced the governing body to define much more precisely how to mark, which means the skaters (or their coaches) know what will score well, and so (being rational and wanting high marks) put those things in.


That doesn't sound so bad.

Are you confusing free skating and ice dancing? Those who do jumps are not the dancers. There are only 6 recognised scoring jumps in free skating 3 involving toepicks (vaulting from) and the others (in essence) edge jumps.

The dancers don't jump.

The commentary tends to be more interesting on Eurosport if you have it though Nicky Slater does tend to waffle on bit!

It's really not supposed to be comparable to DOI though (which is an ice based entertainment with show skating, (so they can do moves that are illegal in proper competition) while the Europeans are about serious high level competition.

Just catching up... and if there is anyone who can gainsay him in Vancouver - he wasn't at the Europeans

Well... maybe Stephane Lambiel - if he doesn't take a sit-down in the middle of nowhere

Some of the American's may give him a run for his money, but I heard Lysacek didn't do so well at the US Nationals. So we'll see! I still struggle to watch Plushenko seriously after the "Sex Bomb" routine!

I'm more excited about the return of Sasha Cohen and if she skates at Vancouver, how well she could do!
After scoring low at the Euro's I wish Jenna McCorkell all the luck in the world, but she's gonna have to skate out of her skin!

Great to see Plushenko back - he's as dynamic and artistic as ever.

I didn't agree with the finishing order of the ice dancers. I liked the Italian couple best.

And I didn't catch all of the Ladies free prog on BB2 earlier, but that Finnish lass better not have won! She barely made any of her jumps

Silver. Gold went to the Italian who toppled over (and didn't shave her armpits well). She deserved the win, though

Thanks for letting me know.

When you say the Italian, do you mean the girl with the British coach? I forget her name now.....she usually gets stage fright.

Carolina Kostner I think!

Carolina Kostner won gold....I can't believe she is still only 22, she seems to have been competing for years!

Not that into the dance couples anymore for me it was at its best when Annisina and Pezierat were skating I loved them and I haven't followed anyone since I find them all a bit boring so glad Plushenko is back love him my favourite male skater ever will definately be watching the skating a lot more now he is skating again. Although I used to enjoy the female skating the girls were bad not half as good as they used to be or is it me?

It's really whetted my appetite for the olympics.

I think Plushy vs the Americans will be a great contest. I thought the Italians were best in the dance but I didn't see the compulsories & they were quite far behind after that. I hope the Canadians or the Americans Davies/White win in Vancouver.

I think the European ladies are not in the same league as the Asian & N American girls. It will be interesting to see how Sacha Cohen gets on.

I was very disappointed in the dance, the Italians won both the short and long programmes yet didn't win I have not been a fan of theirs (I am now) but I believe they should have won, afterall they did win 2 out of 3 sections.
I wasn't impressed with the judging in the ladies either, the Finnish girl who came 2nd was way overmarked, she made many, many errors. Cansomeone explain how you can make errors yet it doesn't affect the presentation score?

The Russian pair won the Gold medal becuse they were in front with points from the Compulsory dance, the Italian pair actually won the Free dance but didn't have a big enough score to beat the Russians.....if that makes sense

I love the Italian pair, they have grown over the last few years to become very good....does anyone remember when she dropped him on his head!

Yes I know the Russians won the compulsory dance but the Italians won the other 2 sections, how can you win 2 out of 3 sections and not win, it just doesn't seem fair.

I know, I agree - did think that the Italians' free dance was great (although her overacting in the face does get me annoyed at times but as Robin Cousins said on commentary, it's probably completely different if you're there watching). Feel sorry for the Kerrs but I think their programme is great and if they iron out the little errors they will be contenders; also liked the French (although someone seriously needs to ban using Requiem for a Dream/Tower next year. Three times I counted! and that was only the few I saw!).