Evgeni Platov on Tessa and Scott

I have found it on FSU forum and I'm just so happy to read that my greatest figure skating idol (until Tessa and Scott appeared) admires them so much.
Here is the link http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=58467&page=11

Hope you enjoy it!

Marta, yeah, it was great to read it! I read those words of Evgeni in russian article but I thought I can't translate it to english really right and didn't post it here. I will try to make a translation from russian next time!

Our russian Evrosport's commentators adore Tessa and Scott. They said there were no dancers such equally talented in one couple since then Grushchuk-Platov skated Only one pair - Tessa and Scott.

Hi! This is my first post here.

This is not from Platov but I recently translated for a friend what the Swedish commentators on Eurosport said about Tessa and Scott's performances at Worlds. It's two ladies who do the ice dance commentating.

CD:

During skate: "Notice how they use their entire body to express the emotion of the dance and how they are leaning"

Immediately after skate, the two ladies are so excited they talk at the same time LOL: "Oh, what a dance, what expression". "He's eating her up" (and then she happily giggles LOL).

During slow-motion: "They are skating so well together and know how to use their knees so they can generate and keep the speed and power throughout the entire dance. The lean of their bodies the whole time. Very strong and excellent done. Look at them, what an expression. Deep edges bring them all out to the shortsides. Very strong skating. She's lifting her leg higher than him, if you have to find anything that can improve. But apart from that it's a great performed dance. Fantastic. Perhaps the best dance today"

OD:

When entering the ice: "Oh, look at the expression right from the start. I have not made up my mind yet if these are my favourites" and the other lady "Well, I've decide on these two. They are so great to watch. They skated a fantastic Argentine Tango on Tuesday"

After OD: "Power and speed from start to finish. Except in the circular steps, there the tempo and speed slowed down. Apart from that this couple is wonderful with their speed, and the deep lean on the edges which is so special with these two. Effortless in feet and up and down in knee makes their skating look so easy. Lifts are easy and quick - complicated lift positions but they get in to them so quickly and it doesn't look elaborate. They lose unison in the twizzles"

FD:

After FD: "They skate a wonderful program. What is special for this couple is their body lean when they pick up speed and how they use that lean on very deep edges and curves. The effortless lift entrances, spectacular lifts but in a soft, beautiful and graceful way. They really express the mood of this music and have a connection between eachother that makes you involved as a viewer. Think they involved the whole arena, all 9000, in this love story, and that is an art. Both artistically and technically high quality"

Can you tell they like Tessa and Scott?

vm I definitely thing they do.

Andin that is great that russian commentators say they are equally talented. My impression is the same, but there are many people praising Scott more. Even Evgeni speaks more about him, but maybe that's the male point of view and he just compares Scott with himself.
Tessa is very much into ballet and thus very delicate and just not that expresive and lively personality as Scott. But how about their skating technique? Is it equal? In my opinion it is, but I'm not an expert.
What are yor opinions?

vm, thank you!!

Just when I thought there couldn't possibly be anything more to add to last season.

I expect all the top teams to have improved over the summer and I can't wait to see, especially what Tessa and Scott have been up to.

vm, thank you!!

Marta wrote:

vm I definitely thing they do.

Andin that is great that russian commentators say they are equally talented. My impression is the same, but there are many people praising Scott more. Even Evgeni speaks more about him, but maybe that's the male point of view and he just compares Scott with himself.
Tessa is very much into ballet and thus very delicate and just not that expresive and lively personality as Scott. But how about their skating technique? Is it equal? In my opinion it is, but I'm not an expert.
What are yor opinions?

Marta - mmmm, I have to say I like Scott a little more Maybe it's just my female point of view It's really important for me you wrote about: "expresive and lively personality". It seems to me sometimes Scott is inside their dance with all his heart but Tessa is not...as if Scott feels soul of dance a little more, a little deeper....it's just my opinion!
I love them both anyway. And during Worlds 2008 I thought so never, Tessa was admirable!
But their technigue.... I love to see repeats of their CD tango. It's incredible! Yeah, I agree: they are equally talented.

Some more about our commentators's words. When Tessa and Scott were finishing their FD, one of commentators said: "You know, I took my headphones off specially to hear public's reaction. And first applause were on sportsmen's sector. They applauded an their rivals." I was so glad to hear it!

Skaters applaude each other a lot in this sport. We make such good friends in our travels, and within our own networking that we cheer for them, even if we are competing against them.

I also think a lot of people respect Tessa and Scott because they rose up so fast, and they are true stars. Most people in dance have years and years in senior before they get to be even national champions, and they are already world medalists.

Sarah wrote:

Skaters applaude each other a lot in this sport. We make such good friends in our travels, and within our own networking that we cheer for them, even if we are competing against them.

It's great

Sarah wrote:

I also think a lot of people respect Tessa and Scott because they rose up so fast, and they are true stars. Most people in dance have years and years in senior before they get to be even national champions, and they are already world medalists.

Yes, I'm agree with you, I also want to add there are not only their titles and medals but their talent and performance. People applaud not every medalist so sincerely And I think they will be true stars for public only next season. And that won't be easy for them...

Andin wrote:

And I think they will be true stars for public only next season. And that won't be easy for them...

?? I'm not sure what you mean by this.

yeah me neither??

lilybird wrote:

Andin wrote:

And I think they will be true stars for public only next season. And that won't be easy for them...

?? I'm not sure what you mean by this.

mmmmm, maybe it's my poor english? I'm so sorry for it.
I wanted to say they were true stars not for everybody in past season. In fact they were - for me, for us, for example. Always. When i saw them in first time and they were just kids - they were amazing already, really. But not all of the figure skating's fans knew them actually. In past season. Some of my friends have named Tessa and Scott: "your canadians" or "small canadians". That's all! And all of them were delighted with Virtue/Moir during Worlds. They started to say: "They are great! Beautiful!" In next season I think I won't have to explaining to anybody how they are strong and expressive.

And I mean their new status is a new responsibility. I know they'll manage with it! But it will not easy. Because of people are expecting of them more then earlier. But I believe in them.
That's what I wanted to say.

You know, that show, Show of two capitals in St.-Petersburg...Tatiana Navka introduced Scott and called him "Tomas". I was so angry! But I think nobody will do this again NOW!

Andin wrote:

And I mean their new status is a new responsibility. I know they'll manage with it! But it will not easy. Because of people are expecting of them more then earlier. But I believe in them.
That's what I wanted to say.

I think I see what you mean. Not only better known to everyone (well, in the skating world, at least) but you're also thinking of responsibility.

You've put me in mind not only of "responsibility" in terms of the expectations on them to deliver outstanding skating programs but also how they handle things on a personal level.

I've seen a proverb - "man is tested by the praise he receives."

Hmmm.... I think so far they're doing just fine (and thank God not like certain Hollywood starlets who shall go unnamed).

lilybird wrote:

I think I see what you mean. Not only better known to everyone (well, in the skating world, at least) but you're also thinking of responsibility.

You've put me in mind not only of "responsibility" in terms of the expectations on them to deliver outstanding skating programs but also how they handle things on a personal level.

yeah, that's what I meant! "man is tested by the praise he receives". good phrase!

I'm looking forward to next season because of all of these thoughts too.

Andin wrote:

Marta - mmmm, I have to say I like Scott a little more Maybe it's just my female point of view It's really important for me you wrote about: "expresive and lively personality". It seems to me sometimes Scott is inside their dance with all his heart but Tessa is not...as if Scott feels soul of dance a little more, a little deeper....it's just my opinion!
I love them both anyway. And during Worlds 2008 I thought so never, Tessa was admirable!
But their technigue.... I love to see repeats of their CD tango. It's incredible! Yeah, I agree: they are equally talented.

I agree. Tessa's technique is good, as is her expression. But Scott is amazing!! He becomes the music. He's not afraid to show deep emotion, either. Tessa tries very hard (like in this past season's folk dance OD), but doesn't seem to embody the music as well as Scott does.

Diana wrote:

I agree. Tessa's technique is good, as her expression. But Scott is amazing!! He becomes the music. He's not afraid to show deep emotion, either. Tessa tries very hard (like in this past season's folk dance OD), but doesn't seem to embody the music as well as Scott does.

Scott has a lot of charisma...both on and off the ice. He does to a good job at presenting Tessa but sometimes you can't help but just focus on him. In the case of Dark Eyes, their overall performance depended a lot on how much Scott was feeling the music. At the Grand Prix Final, Scott didn't seem to be feeling it at all and as a result, their OD fell extremely flat. Dark Eyes seemed to be designed to showcase Scott while Umbrellas was designed to show off their connection. Becoming more "evenly matched" in their expression could be something that they're working on this summer as they create their new programs.

swandie wrote:

Becoming more "evenly matched" in their expression could be something that they're working on this summer as they create their new programs.

I hope so, swandie. I was just re-watching their ballet exhibition, and the difference is very evident there as well. While Tessa is skating the program, Scott looks like he is "living" the program. It's what makes all his movements look so incredibly natural. I wonder if Tessa might be too shy to open herself up in that way? Or maybe she has a hard time handling all the charisma Scott is blasting at her?

Diana wrote:

While Tessa is skating the program, Scott looks like he is "living" the program. It's what makes all his movements look so incredibly natural. I wonder if Tessa might be too shy to open herself up in that way? Or maybe she has a hard time handling all the charisma Scott is blasting at her?

"While Tessa is skating the program, Scott looks like he is "living" the program." -

Diana, yes....
Maybe there're just different levels of talent in this case? I mean, talent includes 99 % of work usually, but it's a great Gift from birth sometimes. A feeling of dance is a nature of Scott....

But I have to say some of my friends adore Tessa more then Scott - on ice!!! And they are not men.
I like Tessa, really. I think she's a best partner for Scott in dances.

Andin wrote:

Diana, yes....
Maybe there're just different levels of talent in this case? I mean, talent includes 99 % of work usually, but it's a great Gift from birth sometimes. A feeling of dance is a nature of Scott....

Perhaps this is the case.

Quote :

But I have to say some of my friends adore Tessa more then Scott - on ice!!! And they are not men.
I like Tessa, really. I think she's a best partner for Scott in dances.

I like Tessa as well. She is a good skater as well as a good partner.

Diana wrote:

I like Tessa as well. She is a good skater as well as a good partner.

Yeaaaaah........Oh, I just hope that they don't finish to skate after their Vancouver OI........It's my big dream really.