Stephane Lambiel | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Stephane Lambiel

Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I'm not sure if anyone has seen this...it's a half-hour tv documentary where Stephane visited Japan after the earthquake. In the first part of the show, he visits the skate shop and rink in Sendai (the famous rink where Yuzuru and Shizuka Arakawa trained...they are mentioned briefly, but not in the video). It must have been soon after the rink re-opened, and he gives a skating lesson to some children there. In the second part of the video he goes to visit a young speed-skater who lost her home and father in the quake. He seems so caring and sweet. The video is all in English, btw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1397dOognko

Thanks so much! What a lovely guy, both on and off the ice.
 

Lette

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 18, 2014
Hi! I'm new at this forum, and Lambiel is my favorite male figure skater. Maybe Lambiel's technique it's not the best, but I just love the way he can performance everything, he's so expressive and it seems like he would never be angry for anything... I just love that about him... my favorite perfomance is this William Tell's oberture :clap: he looks so happy that his happiness is contagious :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHYdLhpQx0Y
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Hi! I'm new at this forum, and Lambiel is my favorite male figure skater. Maybe Lambiel's technique it's not the best, but I just love the way he can performance everything, he's so expressive and it seems like he would never be angry for anything... I just love that about him... my favorite perfomance is this William Tell's oberture :clap: he looks so happy that his happiness is contagious :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHYdLhpQx0Y

Welcome, Lette!

I love William Tell also. How inspired to have a Swiss skater use music that recounts the story of one of Switzerland's greatest heroes. A gorgeous program! And I agree with you about Lambiel. He is one of my forever favorites, along with Kurt Browning and Daisuke Takahashi.
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
So glad to see this thread here. One thing I LOVE about Stephane (besides a million other things about his skating that cannot be said enough) is that he takes such pride in being a skater and an artist. His passion and respect for the art of skating can be seen in every one of his programs. I think it's so admirable that almost all of his show numbers have just as much thoughtful choreography and complexity as his competitive programs, if not more. I love and respect that he takes every performance seriously, instead of just another chance to milk in the cash or goof off (not that there's anything wrong with that). He's a real artist with integrity.

My all time favorite programs from him throughout the years have been "Ne me quitte pas", "Poeta", and "Otono Porteno". The fist time that I saw Ne me quitte pas at 2010 Euros, I truly thought that was the most beautiful skating performance I have ever seen that I started a thread here on GS just for that. It had such fluidity, emotional openness and intensity.

Some others that I really loved over the years:
Cirque du Sole LP (2002)
Gotan Project SP (2002)
Chocolat LP (2003)
Gypsy Dance LP (2004)
Caravan SP (2005)
Dralion SP (2006)
Blood Diamond SP (2007)
Nina Rota's Romeo & Juliet Exh (2007)
La Traviata LP (2010)
Don't Stop the Music Exh (2011)
Puttin' on the Ritz (2012)

Watching these programs one can really see how the charismatic, exuberant, uber musical young skater grew and evolved into a real artist, and still continues to push the envelope of artistic expression. Even those programs from 2002 and 2003 were gems. They were creative and different, compared to what the other top men were doing; and he was performing CoP type of complexity and footwork before CoP was even in place. As a fan since 2003, he has truly taken me on an incredible journey that I wouldn't trade anything else for.

Absolutely. I also love that he takes his EX programs seriously. The lack of required elements allows for so much freedom, and he really takes advantage of that freedom to fully interpret the music, while still incorporating difficulty and complexity.

This is one of my favorite EX programs of his: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNH5GwqWKzU

I am so glad that he is still skating at shows, and his programs still leave me in awe.

Oh I totally agree with this post. The Romeo and Juliet program holds special meaning for me because IMO that marked the the beginning of the burgeoning artist Stephane has matured into.
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
He was working with Ziganshina/G. Is he a choreographer?
http://instagram.com/p/oJQhFdoCQ1/

TAHbKA translated and posted on FSU an interview with Stephane by Simonenko and Vorobieva: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/sho...va-interview-with-Lambiel-I-can-do-a-quad-now
Excerpt on his work with Zhiganshina/Gaszi:
Q: How was working with the German ice dancers Zhiganshina/Gaszi?
SL: First of all I already had an experience working with the Italian team - the European bronze medalists Berton/Hotarek. In 2012 we worked on their Flamenco. The programme was more or less ready and we were working on polishing it, transitions and emotions. I also helped Volosozhar/Trankov in `Art on Ice'. They usually come to Switzerland after the competition and they need to add some life into their exhibition programmes, make them more memorable. So all and all I knew how the pairs work, but working with Nelly and Alexander was quite a new experience for me since we started the choreography from the scratch. What I loved the most about working with a pair was the contact that happens between the partners, how they communicate with each other all the time. Someone gives and someone receives. When you skate alone you just give the audience all you have.
So sounds like he actually did the choreography for them.
 

lauravvv

Medalist
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Country
Latvia
Some rock'nroll. Rolling Stones "Paint it black"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5XSemZYSDw
Thank you for reminding that Stephane can be very different from the soft romantic and/or classical programs that most skating fans seem to associate him with.

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. Probably one his best pro programs, reminds competitive programs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wootYsnmw9g
I think his 'Grieg's Piano Concerto in A. minor' is even better. 'Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto' has more jumps, but 'Grieg's Piano Concerto' has more choreography and different nuances. Better versions without falls from 'All That Skate' are posted below.

Wow a Stephane thread.
His latest programs
Art on Ice 2014
Grieg's Piano Concerto
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfO3APL1CHA&list=UUkTQYEKybeaXZEBQMavMk5g
Hurts "Water"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dVmJIVa2GU
'Grieg's Piano Concerto' and 'Water' from this year's 'All that Skate':
'Water' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwX3QdpRVGg (the TV version from day 3), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_dahvCog5s (good quality fan version from day 1)

'Grieg's Piano Concerto in A. minor' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fp40GyrIEQ (TV version from day 3), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQFLFlgxfos (fan version from day 1), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMDQ11Davbg (another fan version from day 2 - different angle, close up)

I think especially 'Grieg's Piano Concerto' has become even better since 'Art on Ice'. Unfortunately, there are no good videos from the (reportedly and obviously) great Denis Ten's show. Although the versions from 'All That Skate' are probably better due to the bigger ice rink and different (live) instrumental arrangement.


He was working with Ziganshina/G. Is he a choreographer?
http://instagram.com/p/oJQhFdoCQ1/
Yes. Lambiel has choreographed a few competitive and quite many show programs for singles skaters, an also helped some pairs skaters like Berton/Hotarek (with their 'Poeta' LP) and Volosozhar/Trankov (with some EX programs), but this is his first time working with ice dancers. He obviously choreographed their new Paso Doble SD. As for Lambiel's work for singles skaters, he choreographed Denis Ten's tango SP four seasons ago, Tatsuki Machida's 2012/2013 season SP (could be seen on GP events), also SPs for Daisuke Takahashi and Miki Ando that unfortunately have never been performed publicly (Daisuke chose another SP choreographed by Shae Lynn Bourn, as Lambiel's SP was "too difficult" for him, but Miki didn't compete that season in the end, and a new SP was choreographed for her next season). He has done most of Denis Ten's recent show programs, Daisuke's 'Amelie' exhibition program, two show programs for Carolina Kostner (performed at 'Opera on Ice 2012'), an exhibition for Miki Ando, and some more.
 

yyyskate

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Just found this thread, and thanks for everyone post Stephane's program and choreo number. I will start to catch up with them. I only watched Stephane's most recent show programs, he is a very very special skater. To me, he is the master of blade ice relationship and physics and whole body skating. and his choreo reflected that too.
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Stephane's two new programs for this year from Artistry on Ice in Taipei in HD:
The Water https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWuBvovUYR8
Say I wanna know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs2cqlitIK8

Again, skating to music from two completely different genres showcasing his profound versatility and musicality. The programs are both masterpieces IMO - probably my favorite from him in the past couple of years (although Ritz and My Body is a Cage were brilliant too). In particular, I didn't realize I was holding my breath the whole time when I was watching "The Water" until the very end. The depth and breadth of his artistic capacity just never stop expanding. Lauravvv, I think you have said before that Stephane's musicality consists mostly of responding to the accents and rhythm in the music (paraphrasing here, correct me if I am wrong), but I feel this program shows that he's definitely capable of responding to and interpreting the more subtle phrasing in the music. :)
 

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Country
United-States
Thanks Shine. I absolutely loved "The Water". I love his use of edges during all the little transitions and especially how he stays on edges during the knee down circular patterns. It's a really powerful way to express emotion and put your skills on display. Obviously his spin positions are interesting and executed to perfection. :points:
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
You are welcome! He does have some of the most creative and masterful uses of the edges!
 

Pamigena

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
I haven't seen an AOI thread where I could gush, so I'll resort to Fan Fest Hopping. I've been to the show in Davos yesterday and this gentleman killed me a little with his program to Try. Can we please just not allow him to be so gorgeous? Because he almost made me :cry: and I'm against that!
 
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