If Arribert makes a repeat with one of her junior teams, it's a tool to develop them and their repertoire.So I went back to compare F/F's tango from last season to this one to see if they've come up with something different.
My first thought is that the approach looks similar, similar black costumes, even the same straight line lift, and definitely lots of the same traditional sharp movement with bent-knee kicks (for lack of a better description).
OTOH, the music is subtler, so they are bringing a softer quality to this tango. And there are more highs and lows and variations in this musical piece, which could bring out a more nuanced and varied expression. I also agree with Amy that:
Something that wasn't as apparent in the 2022-2023 RD version.
She makes them work a first time on understanding the music, on how to move on it, setting a repertoire of movements, and the second time, she pushes everything, works on detailing, on interpretation, making it more complex and more felt.
Usually, one junior team per season is entitled to this treatment.
Usually, she uses the work she does in ballet (season being March-May)
Here is the last part of her 2022 ballet and here is the last part of Fradji/Fourneaux 2022-2023 FD
Not the same but still, F/F had already worked on how to move to that music.
This time, she used F/F work from last season.
Have you tried the 2019-2020 season ? before they went to VillardI also agree with Amy that:
"Fradji/Fourneaux out there being super French." Something that wasn't as apparent in the 2022-2023 RD version.
Here are the RD and the FD, both bland and unremarkable
2020-2021, first season in Villard, there are no videos available. Their FD was the same the next season.
Covid season, plus a block of concrete fell from the ceiling of the rink and the rink got closed for a long while.
2021-2022, second season. RD (personality, musicality emerge, ISU notice stuck in 2019/2020 so credits are wrong) and FD (still bland)
2022-2023, third season. RD (interesting) and FD (intriguing)
2023-2024, fourth season. RD (which I like very much but must be skated 100% energy from begining to the end) and FD (which I flove)
That's how you make a good but bland junior team a villardian team.
The same Arribert did with Demougeot / Le Mercier.
To me, they are late in their preparation, like almost every season.Unfortunately, one of the things I immediately noticed was how much more confident they looked in last season's version. Granted, it was end of season compared to the beginning here, but they skated with much more command and attack in the RD version. I hope they can get that level back as the season progresses.
Given the either closed (the huge majority) or (the few) overcrowded rinks in summer in France, that's pretty much the norm.
Last season, they were quite shaky at the start of the season and she was scared of falling on her head in the dismount of their lift (she did actually, in practice).
So why go so early if you're not ready while it's not even your fed's event ?
My personal idea is the following :
gaining experience, both the skaters and the coaches (they are only 2 of them)
Because in 18 years of coaching international juniors, Arribert never had a team competing in Asia, except Istambul.
And as she never competed internationally herself (she stopped in junior when there wasn't a JGP circuit), she's in dire need of a crash course on how to best accompany a team in Asia, probably after her experience at Worlds in Saitama.
So this season, her teams are doing JGP Bangkok, JGP Osaka, JGP Yerevan, GP China, GP NHK, maybe JGP Final in Beijing and Jr Worlds in Taipei. Except Euros and Worlds, it will be 100% Asia.
By the end of the season, it will feel as natural to them as to Montreal's team
Edit : I made a mistake. Arribert went with Blanc/ Bouquet to GP China in 2007. Well, still not much experience in Asia.
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