Russian test skates 2017-2018

[Johns]

Medvedeva's program was incredibly dull and devoid of any real meaning. Literally nothing but a series of the exact same technical elements she has been doing for years. The same spins as always. Her "choreography sequences" are identical for 3 years in a row and the footwork sequences hardly altered. This is awful. Nothing in the program matters, it's just constructed to heavily backload, every movement is vague and pasted onto the music, with a stupidly pretentious ending segment that is supposed to make the soft and serious music seem "deep".
On the plus side her first double axel in the program is the best I've seen from her, there seemed to be more of an attempt to lift up. Her lutz edge was also maybe better (so no surprise she made a mistake on the jump; after years of cheating you're not going to suddenly be able to do consistently clean real lutzes with an arm over the head). Although her 3Sal+3Toe combo is still being cheated.

None of the other ladies were interesting either. I really hope Pogorilaya has something interesting in store and will get her jumps back. Otherwise Zagitova looks like she will have the best program of the Russian ladies this season...but it's what she was already doing last season and is mostly just a sugar rush kind of program. Goodbye artistry.

Lol.

 

[solani]

The thing I fear the most is Evgenia winning a close contest and the internet getting angry... aka, another Sotnikova situation.

Won't happen. Evgenia is the clear favourite at the moment and even if her season does not go very well, she'll still be one of the favourites. She's the reigning WC after all. Adelina wasn't even the favourite among the Russian skaters, I think if Yulia would have skated clean and won the outrage wouldn't have been that huge. In fact, I'm not sure wether there would have been an outrage at all. She won Europeans, two GP's and finished 2nd in the GPF in 2013/14 after all, behind Mao. So she was one of the clear favourites, Adelina wasn't.

 

[Tulipstar]

Maria is a beautiful and I think her speed and skating skill improved. But why the music for the long? It is so mono tone and I was falling asleep. The LP last year was equally monotone. Twice in a year, now I think it is what she prefers or what her coach thinks good for her.

I wish she would have done something different. I always get bored watching her; she seems to fade away when compared to the rest, at least to me.
Even when watching the test skates, for which I was very excited, I was suddenly looking at my phone when she was on.

Nothing against Maria, because she seems like a lovely person with good skills, but I wish they would have worked on her packaging and made her stand out more.

 

[NoNameFace]

Because I am a glutton for punishment, I have rewatched T/M's LP. In fairness, they look SOOOO tentative in the second half that this choreography might be pretty new to them - like, they might've just learned it very, very recently.

But seriously. NO ONE can take a program like this and make it great. Something this OTT requires ridiculous amounts of a certain type of raw charisma that so few people have. Aliona and Bruno could make this less terrible, it would be pretty decent material for a team like Marchei/Hotarek, but this team???? NO.

Give the young, vanilla Russian team some classical, dramatic Russian music like Swan Lake or the Nutcracker. (I actually think the Nutcracker would be perfect for them.) Forcing them toward this genre that they just aren't very good at, with music that is really just not very good, is just plain sadistic during an Olympic year.

the program/music/theme alone for FS - I am really curious what their team has thought to give such classical, rather introvert kind of pair in expression/presentation, pair full of clean lines and a 'serenity' aura around them this kind of music and choreography...There's no way they could make it work, because it feels forced and artificial as a wholesome, even if elements would be perfectly executed. As you said - why not classical music? Tchaikovski's Sentimental Waltz, something from Faure, doing some ballet-inspired choreography based on 'Jewels' by Balanchine? Christ, the possibilities are endless to make a memorable, strong and beautiful, elegant program for such classy, talented pair and yet they managed to make them look all over the place, trying so desperately to fit them into this...

To be honest - it is another case of terrible packaging for a pair to be considered as a Russian top one, Worlds bronze medallists and very talented athletes, BUT within certain aesthetic which seems to be so painfully ignored...

 

[Totentanz]

Maria is a beautiful and I think her speed and skating skill improved. But why the music for the long? It is so mono tone and I was falling asleep. The LP last year was equally monotone. Twice in a year, now I think it is what she prefers or what her coach thinks good for her.

I remember reading one of her interviews she told that she wanted to try something new maybe more upbeat this season, but coaching team adviced to stay in the comfort zone and don't change the style for olympic season.

 

[tjb]

medvedeva's antis don't like her programs. what a surprise. last season gubanova's "romeo & juliet" is much better than honda's btw

 

[noidont]

I feel bad for Evgenia. There is a strong likelihood she is going to lose OGM to Zagitova because of this dreadful long program. She already loses a few points in BV and Zag's elements are exactly the same quality as hers. People don't like to admit this but Yuna Kim lost her gold because of that boring free. I simply can't see this program having any favorable impact in a presumably already hostile arena, whereas Alina can probably get away with an unremarkable Don Quixote that builds up.
The heartbreak will be so cruel even Medvedeva might not be able to recover from it. I can't even think about it.

 

[Tolstoj]

Speaking about Long Programs:

Gracie Gold, the version early in the season where she started with a double axel after the opening choreographic sequence and then built up to the lutz combo on the swell of the music. Unfortunately she never skated the program anywhere close to ideal, but that is not the fault of the choreographer. It could have been amazing.

Mao Asada's program was very pleasant, but again she wasn't able to compete it to full potential.

Kanako Murakami did a very credible Tosca at Japanese Nationals.

Marin Honda performed a nice Romeo + Juliet.

Wakaba Higuchi did a satisfactory Scheherzade.

Satako Miyahara's program was something I criticized for not being as good as it could have been (I'm still upset they never came up with good movement for the music change at the end), but it was quite fine.

Mariah Bell's "East of Eden" was of course never going to be on the level of what Michelle Kwan did, but it improved over the season and was in best form at Worlds, turning into something lovely. Ironically the way she missed the opening 3Lutz+3Toe combo improved the program, because it caused her to add in a 2Axel+3Toe combo (which had previously been a boring 2Axel+2Toe) and also add a +2Toe to her second Lutz later in the program, which worked well to the beat of the music.

Karen Chen's program was also satisfactory, with a requisite timing of fiery flourishes and clean lines and nice placement of elements.

In my opinion none of these programs were particularly memorable: some of these were so forgettable that i had to rewatch them.

Gracie's Daphnis et Chloé program was very bad: it was a loop of "crossover - pose - jump (fall)", no moments at all but most importantly she never felt it and you could tell by watching her face. The only beauty of that program was probably the dress.

Wakaba's Scheherazade maybe the only one of this list that i enjoyed (at least the choreography was respectful for the music), but still it was very inappropriate for her age and body.

 

[puremagic]

I feel bad for Evgenia. There is a strong likelihood she is going to lose OGM to Zagitova because of this dreadful long program. She already loses a few points in BV and Zag's elements are exactly the same quality as hers.

Not exactly, if we're talking about jumps. Alina's axel, flip and lutz are better than Evgenia's. So Zagi also may expect more GOE on her jumps.

last season gubanova's "romeo & juliet" is much better than honda's btw

It's true.

 

[MelDee]

I feel bad for Evgenia. There is a strong likelihood she is going to lose OGM to Zagitova because of this dreadful long program. She already loses a few points in BV and Zag's elements are exactly the same quality as hers. People don't like to admit this but Yuna Kim lost her gold because of that boring free. I simply can't see this program having any favorable impact in a presumably already hostile arena, whereas Alina can probably get away with an unremarkable Don Quixote that builds up.
The heartbreak will be so cruel even Medvedeva might not be able to recover from it. I can't even think about it.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves in these predictions. Don't be too quick to draw conclusions from a test skate. Sure, we know many people's material now and may have some preferences, but a lot can change between now and the GP series. Everyone still has enough time to tweak things in their programs, even those who compete at Rostelecom still have more than a month to go. Just because we've seen Medvedeva's material in its early stage doesn't mean anything about how it'll look like at the time of the Olympics. And frankly, as impressive as Zagitova's BV might be, this girl will be new to the senior stage - before proclaiming her the OGM instead of Med, let's see how she does in competitions when she's under pressure. In that area, Med's nerves of steel could be the decisive factor.

 

[Blades of Passion]

Gracie's Samson & Delilah was very bad: it was a loop of "crossover - pose - jump (fall)", no moments at all but most importantly she never felt it and you could tell by watching her face.

There were many great planned moments in the program, regardless if she didn't perform them well. Posing is not a bad thing. It requires skill to hold your body in a beautiful way, in time with music, when you are in the middle of a competitive program. You have to break from "athletic stance", which is mostly all we see people doing these days. Added transitions often come at the cost of full awareness and attention to creating the most pleasing form and emotional projection possible. Anyway, the opening choreography sequence in her program was a breath of fresh air and the build up to all the jumps works so well with the music. The details of her spins were mostly excellent and actually interpretive of the music. The footwork sequence would have been more effective than most as well.

Wakaba's Scheherazade maybe the only one of this list that i enjoyed, but still it was very inappropriate for her age and body.

You what? :disapp:

last season gubanova's "romeo & juliet" is much better than honda's btw

Eh, that program just becomes a jump-a-thon and misses many of the most important musical climaxes.

 

[NoNameFace]

In my opinion none of these programs were particularly memorable: some of these were so forgettable that i had to rewatch them.

Gracie's Samson & Delilah was very bad: it was a loop of "crossover - pose - jump (fall)", no moments at all but most importantly she never felt it and you could tell by watching her face. The only beauty of that program was probably the dress.

Wakaba's Scheherazade maybe the only one of this list that i enjoyed (at least the choreography was respectful for the music), but still it was very inappropriate for her age and body.

oh, very curious about that one, similarly to Blades of Passion - could you please elaborate how 'very inappropriate' was Wakaba's Scheherazade choreo for her age and body (the later especially)? It takes quite an eye (or opinion) to state that a choreography was respectful to the music, but 'very inappropriate to skater's age and body...Very interesting insight - so it means that a certain music is supposed to be used only from certain age by skater?

 

[Sam L]

Okay can we please stop hyping Alina and putting unnecessary pressure on her. Some of us are real fans of her. She's not a revenge tool for Zhenya, she's not a chance to ride the prediction train to the OGM.

Lets just see what she can do and appreciate her skating and stop with the crazy predictions.

 

[atsumiri]

is there any way to mute or block some users?

 

[NoNameFace]

is there any way to mute or block some users?

there is probably 'Ignore' option for use

 

[atsumiri]

there is probably 'Ignore' option for use

thank you!!!! you saved me.

 

[Hannah555]

there is probably 'Ignore' option for use

Oh, thank you! you saved me too

 

[snd]

i liked medvedeva's lp. liked the spins and steps in the beginning, liked the back-loaded jumps. i like all of it with this music. i haven't liked any of her programs except this one and her first senior lp.

didn't like zagitova. the music and choreo are ham-fisted, almost vulgar. she doesn't have the charisma to pull something like this off (check out liza's 2014-15 performances to see how one should go about bombastic tasteless programs). her skating is good but has neither polish nor personality. at least medvedeva has that signature lightness that other's haven't been able to emulate (and they shouldn't - it's not the only or even the best way to be artistic).

liza's jumps are so beautiful they almost made me cry. her spins are not as labored as they were during the last 2 seasons. i hope she works super hard and improves even further. the programs are hardly tasteful but it's her style and she does this whole thing well and it's great to see her back. if she has a great season, she can truly be called the queen of come-backs.

i'm sad anna's not doing well but she is young, capable of being consistent, tends to have interesting programs and even if 2017-2018 turns out to be a failed/skipped season for her, in the end, i do believe she is one of those that has the motivation to continue and the skills to do so successfully. i don't think those that medal at olys singles are going to continue...

t/m - oh i love that dress. and that tie. but like andromache pointed out, this would be a good vehicle for marchei/hotarek and maybe aliona. this girl though, with her fragility and reserved, shy demeanor is not up to the task here. neither is her serious partner. they just aren't jolly enough. give them an onegin. she'd be a great tatiana. he a brooding loner. jane eyre. something like that. they are not even confident and bold enough for something modern (aliona's pina, s/k iconic 2015-2016 lp).

when was the last time ilinykh looked so polished? those twizzles - beautiful! fingers crossed for this pair.

 

[brens78]

Oh Liza Tuk I'm in love! Please let this be her comeback year and makes the team!

 

[noidont]

Crazy prediction it is not. It's a rule in Olympic season that you might not know who will win, but you always know early on who isn't going to based on program potential. There is still time of course. Evgenia can change her program altogether. Carolina ditched both her programs deep into last Olympic season and she was completely on the money.