Through the years they did master more control and balance in their skating without losing any of the speed or passion or power. This was the 2008-09 free dance. The 2009-10 free programme Phantom of the Opera shows more balance and control, & really shot them into fame, what with the silver at olympics and at the world championships. But I think it is the World Champuonship 2011 performance of their Tango programme which really marks the next level of their maturity - absolutely perfect, no sense of any lack of control or confidence, no mistakes ever - though it isn't one of their most popular programmes. Thence onwards, 2011-12, 2012-13 & 2013-14 all programmes, sd & fd, were actually flawless. P.S. And of course, they got some brilliant complex chreography by Marina Zueva all through their competitive career.

@@radioactivedetective6876 the opening of phantom - nothing like charlie's passion and power. i watch later ice dancers and just yawn. even v&m bored me to tears except for Roxanne program. you just can't take your eyes off charlie. oh, and the Esmeralda/notre dame lift. the thing that really hurt phantom was that overly contrived lift.

@@redshoesgirl Oh the opening of Phantom! Charlie's leaps to block Meryl's path and that whirlwind spin! It fits so well with the emotions and the drama of the music! I love it! Always replay the opening whenever I revisit the Phantom programme videos. The opening movements (upto the first music change) of Phantom and Notre Dam de Paris are my favourite openings. Although, of coyrse, by 2012-13 season Notre Dam programme they had matured to flawless perfection.

@@redshoesgirl Another thing I love and always amaze at is how they can mould the feel and force of their skating to fit the nature of the music. Surely no matter the programme it must require tons of energy and power to perform all components - yet, when they are performing to De Fliedermouse it seems as if they are floating, hopping, skippping across ice, their skates seem so light. Same for the Sochi olympic Finnstep programme with My Fair Lady. But in Notre Dame the same skating seem so aggressive and powerful, as if they are attacking through the ice - as it should, coz the musical piece is about conflict and crisis. Very fast twizzles in both programmes, must be equally physically demanding, yet one set seems aggressive, the other seems no sweat at all. They also do the same rotational lift with meryl's legs spread along Charlie's shoulders, but the body language, the feel and the force seem conpletely different. As dancers that's the best quality one can have, to blend every movement with the emotion and drama of the music