Regardless of what you think, S & Z have improved a great deal over the years and I love to watch them on the ice, especially the connection they have with one another.
Now THAT I agree with! They have improved tremendously over the years. They actually are a pair as opposed to two single skaters sharing the ice. Shen actually looks at her partner and looks like she wants to be on the ice with him.
But I also have to agree, that the Chinese pairs do not embody what I love about pair skating. They don't really pay attention to detail with hands, fingers, posture, etc. They (P/T & Z/Z) also, don't seem to relate to one another on the ice and enjoy the music, skating or their partners. JMO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by loopey
Now THAT I agree with! They have improved tremendously over the years. They actually are a pair as opposed to two single skaters sharing the ice. Shen actually looks at her partner and looks like she wants to be on the ice with him.
But I also have to agree, that the Chinese pairs do not embody what I love about pair skating. They don't really pay attention to detail with hands, fingers, posture, etc. They (P/T & Z/Z) also, don't seem to relate to one another on the ice and enjoy the music, skating or their partners. JMO.
I agree that S/Z are a cut above the other Chinese pairs. I enjoy Zhang Squared but I don't feel the connection between them as I do when watching S/Z. Zhangs have incredible technical ability but very little emotion. P/T have always left me cold.
Quote:
Originally Posted by loopey
But I also have to agree, that the Chinese pairs do not embody what I love about pair skating. They don't really pay attention to detail with hands, fingers, posture, etc. They (P/T & Z/Z) also, don't seem to relate to one another on the ice and enjoy the music, skating or their partners. JMO.
Shen and Zhao pay a lot of attention to their hands and fingers--for example, there is that lovely part in Turandot where he is tracing her face with his hands.
I think P/T do relate to one another on the ice and are the most musical or lyrical of the three pairs. Their problem has been consistency in the jumps these past few seasons. Dan Zhang does really lack expression but she is young yet and there is plenty of time for her to improve