Perfect scores and a twist ending mark a surprising Week 4 of Blades

Week four of Battle of the Blades saw a first! Last night's performance by Kaitlyn Weaver and Sheldon Kennedy earned them perfect 6.0 scores from all three judges — the first time for any team this season. 

Over the course of the series, the skating skills of the hockey skaters and the pair skills of the teams have been improving by leaps and bounds, so what else is at stake?

Choreographer Julie Marcotte, who works with Weaver and Kennedy, said, "I want — from week-to-week —  for people to see [Kennedy's] wide range of abilities; emotionally, interpersonally and with skating skills."

What captured the judges' attention was not just the skating skills, but the way in which the pair interacted with each other. "I love 'Planet Sheldon,'" said judge Colby Armstrong, referring to the skater's lyrical way of expressing the piece.

Co-creator and executive producer Sandra Bezic said, "They're all working on performance. Last week they started bonding as partners and this week it's solidifying that. It's now about expressing themselves as a unit."

Every week, the skaters have been demonstrating their improvements in performance. Figure skater Andrew Poje and hockey player Natalie Spooner are both experts in their respective fields. The judges' scores reflected their painstaking preparation and polished performances week-to-week. Last night was no exception in a playful program that featured fun tricks and fast skating. And the lessons here go beyond skating — Poje cites "the power of vulnerability" when talking about the risk for Spooner in doing something outside her comfort zone. 

For Spooner, the shift from hockey player to figure skater has been remarkable. "As a hockey player, I am used to being on my own. Following someone was a big adjustment at first for me," said Spooner.

Amanda Evora and Colton Orr have been leaning on the "big tricks" of pair skating to keep them in the competition. This week they featured a beautiful lift with variations of position and an ultra-secure and very high-risk double twist — the only team to do so.  Orr commented about his biggest non-skating lesson from the show, "I have been learning patience. When I used to mess up, I would stop and now I am working on pushing through."

The bottom two teams were the last to skate.

Violetta Afanasieva and P.J. Stock were up first. Skating to music from Dirty Dancing, the two skaters left nothing behind in an exuberant performance that had head judge Kurt Browning calling Stock a "dancing demon." Armstrong said, "You went full P.J. tonight," when describing Stock's charismatic performance. The response from the audience was enthusiastic as well.

Ekaterina Gordeeva and Bruno Gervais were in the bottom two for the second week in a row. Last week, when pushed to the wall in the skate-off, the judges recognized and rewarded Gordeeva and Gervais' smooth style filled with mature expression and musicality. This week, they skated to a Zorro-inspired program that once again showcased their strength as a team and their ability to express a specific style of music. 

Browning said that hockey player Gervais was doing the "best impression of a figure skater" and that he didn't think non-figure skating Canadians would get just how remarkable that was.

In the final analysis, choosing between the bottom two teams was like comparing apples to oranges for the judges. The camera closed in on Browning as he deliberated about what to do. His opinion was the last and deciding vote in a race that was impossibly close to call in terms of performance and a tied score.

To the surprise of everyone, most of all the skaters themselves, Browning announced — to thunderous applause — that both teams would stay.

"Sometimes… it's good to be head judge," said Browning in a text message after the show. "I simply decided to keep both teams. Their skates made it possible." 

I don't think anybody saw that one coming.

Stream the full episode on CBC Gem and stay tuned for what surprises may be in store next week.