Everything sure has changed in ice dancing. I used to not be able to watch it because the "judging," which was really an exercise in Calvinist predestination, made me so steamed. But the new judging system has been a breath of fresh air. The moves are more difficult and exciting, and what's more, execution actually counts for more than reputation. Ice dancing used to be the one Olympic sport where it didn't seem to matter what you did on the day of the competition; now, now even the favorites can plunge in the standings if they make a serious enough mistake.
And, yikes, we certainly saw our share of those last night. People were falling all over the place, which made the flawless performance of Belbin and Agosto all the more exciting. They were terrific, and nailed the fast Latin rhythms. They also related to each other as well as anyone in the field.
I won't be able to watch the free dance tonight, as I'm heading out today for a retreat at the Abbey of Gethsemani. (Hey, there really are more important things than figure skating.) I'll be back later this week with a report.
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