Jason Brown: "I want to make an impact" | Page 7 | Golden Skate

Jason Brown: "I want to make an impact"

TontoK

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To me there is also "emotional power" in an excellent performance, just as pure sport. It is a big thrill to see Secretariat charging along beating all the other horses by 31 lengths at the Belmont. When someone has four or five quads planned and he checks them off one after another -- that's pretty cool all by itself, and can lead to a big emotional climax as he hits the final jump -- ta da!

I agree. I also have a very hard time taking seriously claims of "lack of connection or emotion" while an arena of thousands leap to their feet in sustained thunderous applause and prolonged cheers.

And, as much as I sincerely LOVE where I think Jason is headed with this FP, I defy anyone to watch the early clips of that SP and preach about emotional power.

Forget the Hamilton hype. It's a generic jazzy, razzle-dazzle Broadway number.
 

el henry

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Oh well, I didn't want to go down the rabbit hole, but I am not good enough to resist....:laugh:

Thousands may feel emotion or connection to Nathan or Vincent. That is their right and their privilege and good for them, and I am not being sarcastic. I don't. What I don't like is being treated as some willfully blind uber (I'm not saying anyone here has, I'm saying I don't like it) because I don't see it or feel it. I don't, and I'm not blind and I'm not ... well, I was going to say not stupid, but that could be contested:biggrin: But not for my figure skating opinions....

Had I been in the stands for Nathan's FS at 2017 Nats, would I have stood and applauded? Yes. What an amazing technical display, and clean! Would that mean that I felt some deeply suppressed connection to his skating? Heck, no.

And, to bring this back to Jason, I don't feel anything about Hamilton yet, because I just can't tell. But I loved Juke. So jazzy and razzle dazzle does it for me.:biggrin:
 

TontoK

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Oh well, I didn't want to go down the rabbit hole, but I am not good enough to resist....:laugh:

Thousands may feel emotion or connection to Nathan or Vincent. That is their right and their privilege and good for them, and I am not being sarcastic. I don't. What I don't like is being treated as some willfully blind uber (I'm not saying anyone here has, I'm saying I don't like it) because I don't see it or feel it. I don't, and I'm not blind and I'm not ... well, I was not stupid, but that could be contested:biggrin: But not for my figure skating opinions....

Had I been in the stands for Nathan's FS, would I have stood and applauded? Yes. What an amazing technical display, and clean! Would that mean that I felt some deeply suppressed connection to his skating? Heck, no.

And, to bring this back to Jason, I don't feel anything about Hamilton yet, because I just can't tell. But I loved Juke. So jazzy and razzle dazzle does it for me.:biggrin:

I've been waiting for your reply. LOL

He's your boy. No flack from me. Enjoy his skating. I certainly do, depending on the program.

And, no. I'm not calling anyone an Uber. Even you, dear friend.

Maybe Rohene will spray Jason's hair white for the SP, so it looks like a powdered wig.
 

el henry

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I've been waiting for your reply. LOL

He's your boy. No flack from me. Enjoy his skating. I certainly do, depending on the program.

And, no. I'm not calling anyone an Uber. Even you, dear friend.

Maybe Rohene will spray Jason's hair white for the SP, so it looks like a powdered wig.

Tonto, my friend, I do want you to enjoy Nathan and Vincent, and I am not saying the flying young men are not impressive. They most certainly are. And I hope you do enjoy Jason's LP as time goes on.

And I like the white hair idea:agree: Couldn't be worse than some of other Rohene's bedazzler treatments.....:shocked:
 

TontoK

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Tonto, my friend, I do want you to enjoy Nathan and Vincent, and I am not saying the flying young men are not impressive. They most certainly are. And I hope you do enjoy Jason's LP as time goes on.

And I like the white hair idea:agree: Couldn't be worse than some of other Rohene's bedazzler treatments.....:shocked:

All, joking aside, I really feel like Jason's LP is going to be the greatest program he's ever skated. In these early stages, I love everything about it.

I was only half-joking about the powdered wig treatment... I wouldn't bet against it, for the reason you cite. Bedazzle!

I've got to admit I would certainly watch Jason skating to Hamilton in a rhinestone Revolutionary War get-up, complete with ruffled shirt and cuffs and a powdered-wig hairstyle.
 

Tavi...

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I agree. I also have a very hard time taking seriously claims of "lack of connection or emotion" while an arena of thousands leap to their feet in sustained thunderous applause and prolonged cheers.

Except that you don't know what motivated each of those thousands of people to leap to their feet. If you were there, you know what motivated you. But unless you asked, how do you know what motivated others? People get excited, maybe even awed, when an athlete is in the zone - hitting every three point shot he attempts, for example - and excitement is an emotion. But in my mind, it's different in kind to the connection you feel with an artist who takes you on an emotional journey by expressing something that touches you deep down. Neither one is "better" than the other, but they're very different.
 

skylark

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To me there is also "emotional power" in an excellent performance, just as pure sport. It is a big thrill to see Secretariat charging along beating all the other horses by 31 lengths at the Belmont. When someone has four or five quads planned and he checks them off one after another -- that's pretty cool all by itself, and can lead to a big emotional climax as he hits the final jump -- ta da!

Oh, I completely agree. I think that's one of the things I appreciated about Nathan's skating this year; and for me, the emotional impact of his skating was significantly greater in 2016-17 than it was in 2015-16, so it wasn't just about the quads for me.

I suppose I was uncharacteristically trying for brevity in my earlier post, and I ended up cutting thought corners.


But of himself he has said that although most people are pushing technical limits because that's where the points are, he wants to push artistic limits. He's also trying to up his own technical difficulty, but in the process, he never wants to lose his emotional connection with the audience, because that's why he skates.

It's in the Ted Flett interview from about 24:35 - 27:50.

I was so glad to hear him talk for some time about this and not gloss over it. I also find it encouraging that he said people approached him about skating another FS in the same vein as "The Piano." I had the impression (but maybe I was reading too much into it?) that it meant that certain people (officials, judges?) actively want him to push the artistic limits; Jason is like an ambassador for pushing the artistic limits and making a connection with his music and audiences. I find it really hopeful that there are people in the sport not wanting the artistic side to be downplayed as a result of the technical limits being pushed,
 

TontoK

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I was so glad to hear him talk for some time about this and not gloss over it. I also find it encouraging that he said people approached him about skating another FS in the same vein as "The Piano." I had the impression (but maybe I was reading too much into it?) that it meant that certain people (officials, judges?) actively want him to push the artistic limits; Jason is like an ambassador for pushing the artistic limits and making a connection with his music and audiences. I find it really hopeful that there are people in the sport not wanting the artistic side to be downplayed as a result of the technical limits being pushed,

At this moment in time, I would be very suspicious of anyone advising Jason to focus on the artistry in his skating.

He has that. Artistry is not the shortcoming.

Of course, we want both artistry and technical mastery. But what is in Jason's best interest? Eeking out a few more PCS points? I don't think so.

I'm not suggesting this is the case... just speculating on these unnamed people and perhaps Jason's own motivations... if artistically sublime programs, and not medals or placements, are the prime motivation for Jason's skating, then that's the direction he should go. If the prospect of World/Olympic medals are what drives him, then surely he knows what he has to do.

I don't know Jason, and I doubt anyone here does either, but he should pursue his own path, his own dreams, and let the chips fall where they may.
 

skylark

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At this moment in time, I would be very suspicious of anyone advising Jason to focus on the artistry in his skating
.

I hadn't thought of that. I'm not naturally suspicious, but I recognize that there's sometimes good reason to be.


but he should pursue his own path, his own dreams, and let the chips fall where they may.

I completely agree.
 

Mrs. P

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At this moment in time, I would be very suspicious of anyone advising Jason to focus on the artistry in his skating.

He has that. Artistry is not the shortcoming.

Of course, we want both artistry and technical mastery. But what is in Jason's best interest? Eeking out a few more PCS points? I don't think so.

I'm not suggesting this is the case... just speculating on these unnamed people and perhaps Jason's own motivations... if artistically sublime programs, and not medals or placements, are the prime motivation for Jason's skating, then that's the direction he should go. If the prospect of World/Olympic medals are what drives him, then surely he knows what he has to do.

I don't know Jason, and I doubt anyone here does either, but he should pursue his own path, his own dreams, and let the chips fall where they may.

I don't think Jason is in it only for the performance. If beautiful performances were the only goal, he would have not worked to the point of injury (in this interview, he talks a lot about learning his body's signals that he needs to rest) to try to master the quad jump. I think it's more that he doesn't want to do it at the expense of the performance/programs that maybe some of his competitors do. I think part of the reasoning is that he knows where his bread is buttered -- if the quad isn't there (either cause he's recovering from injury or just having trouble with the jump) then he's got to hold on to what keeps him relevant.

Despite his pleasant and perky demeanor, I think he is driven and ambitious. Again, it takes some major inner will to go out and compete at a competition you're not ready for and somehow manage in a matter of days do just enough to get on the World team.
 

Tavi...

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I was so glad to hear him talk for some time about this and not gloss over it. I also find it encouraging that he said people approached him about skating another FS in the same vein as "The Piano." I had the impression (but maybe I was reading too much into it?) that it meant that certain people (officials, judges?) actively want him to push the artistic limits; Jason is like an ambassador for pushing the artistic limits and making a connection with his music and audiences. I find it really hopeful that there are people in the sport not wanting the artistic side to be downplayed as a result of the technical limits being pushed,

Hmm. I didn't get the impression anyone is pushing him into it; rather, that it's who he is and what he believes in. And maybe there's a tiny bit of ego in there, because after all, he is getting rewarded for it!

The ISU Technical Committee is currently testing +/- 5 GOE (ISU World, 5/2017). There's also been talk about the possibility of changing PCS so that skaters without multiple high value quads aren't at such a disadvantage (though I'm not sure if the ISU itself is considering it). Perhaps Jason is hoping that if ISU sees enough value in what he's doing (i.e., fans continue to respond), they may decide to push some of those changes through after 2018.
 
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I for one would be over the moon if Jason presents one beautiful quad in each of the SP and LP and otherwise skates his socks off like we know he can. All things considered, I think that is his best way to score points and at the same time to "make an impact."

I think Hamilton will be a huge hit with audiences, especially generation X types. The play certainly was.
 

skylark

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Hmm. I didn't get the impression anyone is pushing him into it;

I didn't say anyone pushed him into it. Jason said the judges liked his FS last year, and people approached him. He downplayed it, the way he does. I think the remarks were toward the beginning of the interview. I don't have time right now to go back and re-listen.
 

Tavi...

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I didn't say anyone pushed him into it. Jason said the judges liked his FS last year, and people approached him. He downplayed it, the way he does. I think the remarks were toward the beginning of the interview. I don't have time right now to go back and re-listen.

Yes I recall very well what he said. I probably misunderstood what you wrote.
 
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I don't think Jason is in it only for the performance. If beautiful performances were the only goal, he would have not worked to the point of injury (in this interview, he talks a lot about learning his body's signals that he needs to rest) to try to master the quad jump. I think it's more that he doesn't want to do it at the expense of the performance/programs that maybe some of his competitors do. I think part of the reasoning is that he knows where his bread is buttered -- if the quad isn't there (either cause he's recovering from injury or just having trouble with the jump) then he's got to hold on to what keeps him relevant.

:thumbsup: Plus, there is more to Jason's skating than just putting on a show. The quality of his edges, intricacy of transitions, awareness of his body, etc., are all "technical" aspects of a skating performance. I think that is why he can score up there with the quadsters even on the score card of the dourest judges.
 
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