THE ICE 2015 - Mao's Ice Show! From Sapporo to Sendai (07/22 - 08/02)

[sunnystars]

any new videos yet??

 

[matmuh]

not yet, waiting for August 2nd (or 1st? )
btw, seems like Misha won the dance battle again :dance: arty:
small video (imitating Johnny?? haha)
and Dance Squad, abs

 

[hurrah]

Attended the final show in Aichi today, and honestly, everyone was fantastic. I think it was the best ice show I have ever attended. Like, ever. And the figure skating audience in Japan is always supportive and warm, and it was no exception today. The atmosphere was really fantastic.

Some of the less mentioned highlights for me (besides the obvious highlights which everyone already mentions) were:

- Kozu and his beautiful and magnificent skating.
- Joannie Rochette: such a beautiful and strong skater.
- Pang & Tong: they are a very complete pair skater, lovely to watch.
- Carolina's new exhibition was superb. She seemed very relaxed today.
- Mura: the only performance of the night which moved me to the point of tears; hope he can finish the season without an injury.

Many performances got standing ovations, so my list is certainly not complete.

Adelina and Kovtun performed unexpectedly. Adelina landed her double axel a bit unsteadily and popped her toe loop attempt, but she had great presence on the ice. Hope she'll sort out her jumps. Kovtun was pretty funny, too. His axel seems to have improved a great deal (and Patrick's axel technique also seemed different. Hope that's a good sign.)

I was surprised by the percentage of successful jumps by all the skaters. Mao, for example, only doubled-footed one double-axel, and landed all her other jumps clean. And the more I watch her exhibition, the more I realize how difficult it is. She is wonderful.

During the the interview session, Adelina, Patrick and Carolina appeared and they were asked about their future plans, and Adelina again said that she plans to attend Nationals, and then maybe European and Worlds. She looked a bit grumpy. Patrick said he is making a full comback and he is looking forward to GP. Carolina said she wants to remain involved in expressing herself on the ice, though whether that would be in competition, shows or coaching, she did not know. It seemed like she is contemplating retiring. (A funny moment was when Patrick was asked about performing in Japan and he said he liked it because he found the figure skating audience in Japan to be 'well-educated'. No doubt that's probably true but to have it put like that was kind of funny.)

Mao came out before the interval break to teach the audience the ICE dance move, but most of the audience nailed it on the first try and so she asked the audience if they had practiced beforehand, and there was alot of clapping to indicate that they had. Mao was a very, very, VERY cute dance teacher.

Totally committed to attending next year's THE ICE, a sentiment shared by my colleagues who went to THE ICE for the first time today.

 

[mikaboo]

Thank you for your report hurrah. I'm very envious!
I hope to go next year too but I wish they'd come to the Kanto area.

 

[roma]

@KansaiPJ posted a video review of TheICE in Osaka. I pretty much agree on everything he said. lol!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHHwte68M0g

My soon to be 8yr old niece has already sent me a message to start saving so I can bring her along next time. She is a huge Mao fan since she was barely a year old.

 

[cohkaix]

@KansaiPJ posted a video review of TheICE in Osaka. I pretty much agree on everything he said. lol!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHHwte68M0g

Thanks for sharing this. I was in one of the Osaka shows and I think the same one as KansaiPJ. I also agree with what he said in the video. And the following is my thought on the collaboration number 'Benedictus' by Caro, Joannie and Mao:

[Benedictus]

Although there's already video clip, the program is just heavenly and divine when watching live. I feel so honored I can get to watch the performance for once at The Ice, and for me it is going to remain as the epic collaboration program from all the show programs I've watched so far. The minor (really really minor) point I don't really go with the whole performance is the projection of the peace sign on the ice, as I think it is too literal and the program already express the main theme well without that. In terms of skating ability, the three just balanced one another out, and the whole choreography is quite balanced throughout as well. After watching the video clip, I realize how difficult it is to shoot the whole program: once the angle is zooming on one of the three skaters, you don't get to see the whole choreography movements that they skate around one another (this is the same thing as @KansaiPJ says that it's hard to focus on just one of the three). But the camera-san who took this video has done a great job capturing perhaps 90% of the whole performance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pJJG0JBfsM

NB: I read from twitter, that during the 1st Aichi show, Mao, Caro and Joannie were interviewed by Mai during the intermission. Mao said it took them 3 days with Lori to choreograph the piece. Afterward they went home to practice on their own (via videos). And they got together 2 days prior to the start of The Ice, doing run though of the whole number which is about 5-min long.

 

[roma]

I'm watching the Hokkaido broadcast now although it is about to end. At first I wished I sat on arena seats for Benedictus. But after watching the videos I guess I was lucky to have sat on the stands coz I can see all three of them at the same time! And I agree, the peace sign is quite literal. Watching how the three of them worked on it during the clips they showed in the broadcast made me appreciate all their work and that program more.

I can't wait for the Chukyo broadcast later this afternoon. I hope someone uploads as I don't think it'll be shown here.

 

[mikaboo]

This dailymotion user has started uploading some videos from today's broadcast of The Ice on Chukyo TV.
http://www.dailymotion.com/user/hana02014/1
The commentator is Midori Ito.

The Opening
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3027dv_2015theice-opening_sport

Adelina Sotnikova - Latina
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x30285a_2015theice-adelina-sotnikova_sport

Patrick Chan - The Beatles Medley
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x30284k_2015theice-patrick-chan_sport

Takahiko Kozuka - Epilogue
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x302b5w_2015theice-takahiko-kozuka_sport

Mao & Jeff - Por una cabeza
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x302e1b_2015theice-mao-asada-jeffrey-buttle-por-una-cabeza_sport

Mao, Carolina, Joannie - Benedictus
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x302ocu_2015theice-mao-carolina-joannie-benedictus_sport

Akiko Suzuki - Gold von den Sternen
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x302p4q_2015theice-akiko-suzuki_sport

Mao Asada - Puttin' on the Ritz
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x302p6e_2015theice-mao-asada_sport

Kanako Murakami - Time to say goodbye
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x30bh04_2015theice-kanako-murakami_sport

Satoko Miyahara - Pennies from Heaven
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x30bh5l_2015theice-satoko-miyahara_sport

 

[sunnystars]

thanks mikaboo for the links!
keep those videos coming :agree::dance:

 

[matmuh]

does anyone know which skaters they showed at today's broadcast? seems like different day cause they posted different program of Patrick, i really wanna see Satoko's new SP arty:

 

[hurrah]

Sort of relieved to know that THE ICE finished off with a big bang today. I'm glad everyone seemed to have a good time without any misshaps.
The next big event will be Japan Open---two months from now, when we get to see Mao's Madame Butterfly! :dance:

Wonder what the costume's gonna look like? Can't wait, but will wait, of course, in anticipation. Hope Mao will have good two months of practice.

 

[lady_bee]

I’ve just came back from the final show of THE ICE. At the end of the show, it was announced that MIYAGI-TV will broadcast THE ICE Sendai on August 8th. I hope someone could upload it on You Tube. (I wish I could, but I don’t have the equipment for that).
The show was great and Mao looked better in shape than the Photos from Osaka’s show.
I was almost moved to tears by so many programs, like Benedictus, Romeo & Juliet (kissing you) by W/P, Io Ci Saro by P/T, and more.
And group numbers! I wanted eyes like hammerhead sharks’.
I hope my memory survives few more days and have time to write some review　later.

 

[sunnystars]

Keep those thoughts survivin', lady_bee! I would like to know your thoughts about the show

 

[roma]

Sort of relieved to know that THE ICE finished off with a big bang today. I'm glad everyone seemed to have a good time without any misshaps.
The next big event will be Japan Open---two months from now, when we get to see Mao's Madame Butterfly! :dance:

Wonder what the costume's gonna look like? Can't wait, but will wait, of course, in anticipation. Hope Mao will have good two months of practice.

I've seen posts hoping it will be like a kimono... I am hoping it will be something like the costume style for Jupiter.

 

[matmuh]

still no video of rest of the skaters and now The Ice YT Channel is shut down?

 

[hurrah]

There will be another broadcast on 15th August and it's supposed to be a full broadcast this time, so another wait for the rest.

 

[hurrah]

I've seen posts hoping it will be like a kimono... I am hoping it will be something like the costume style for Jupiter.

Yes, that would be nice! Hopefully with flower motifs.

 

[gotoschool]

I will just have to wait for the end of vacation and hope that the Dailymotion videos of The Ice are not taken down because where I am now I can't access it. I guess they will not be uploaded to youtube.

 

[YesWay]

still no video of rest of the skaters and now The Ice YT Channel is shut down?

Why did they shut down the official youtube channel?
Will they make a new one?

 

[gotoschool]

Here is a photo of Mao in "Puttin on the Ritz." doing my favorite move in the program: a flexible and picturesque fan spiral with a cane behind her back.

http://www.sankei.com/photo/images/news/150729/sty1507290009-f4.jpg