Kaori Sakamoto | Page 4 | Golden Skate

Kaori Sakamoto

idontknow

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 25, 2017
congrats kaori-chan.enjoy your olympic experience i am still happy with this.you really like Cinderella story.
 

Marin

"Efforts tell lies, but it will not be in vain."
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 10, 2015
“She (Kaori) is able to put aside her worries and go for it when it counts. She is the right choice for the Olympics where you only get one chance to prove yourself, versus the World Figure Skating Championships.” Full translation of the article here.
 

MaiKatze

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 4, 2012
congrats kaori-chan.enjoy your olympic experience i am still happy with this.you really like Cinderella story.

Even a squeaky clean Kaori will have it hard to make the podium, but just imagine her getting a bronze! It would be the story of the Olympics for me. Beginning of the season: On noone's radar. End of the Season: Olympic Medallist.
 

Viiktoruu

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 10, 2017
Some very pretentious fans claim this "miming" Evgenia and Kaori do is for some reason wrong and thus, dislike them. It's just because it's something we haven't seen that much in the sport, and these critics almost just wish every program was the same.
I am just one of many figure skating fans but personally I'd much rather see something fresh, unique and creative in the interpretation of music, and that is exactly what Kaori does in her free program.

Thank you Kaori for your creativity and emotions while skating to music from Amelie - the movie that is all about being different and being free and yourself. Kaori matches this spirit beautifully! :luv17:

You go girl, wish you the very best at the Olympics! :biggrin:
 

MaiKatze

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 4, 2012
Some very pretentious fans claim this "miming" Evgenia and Kaori do is for some reason wrong and thus, dislike them. It's just because it's something we haven't seen that much in the sport, and these critics almost just wish every program was the same.
I am just one of many figure skating fans but personally I'd much rather see something fresh, unique and creative in the interpretation of music, and that is exactly what Kaori does in her free program.

Thank you Kaori for your creativity and emotions while skating to music from Amelie - the movie that is all about being different and being free and yourself. Kaori matches this spirit beautifully! :luv17:

You go girl, wish you the very best at the Olympics! :biggrin:

I think the moment in the middle where she stops moving almost completely is a bit too long though. Idk, perhaps they will think about it more and hopefully change it, now that she's going to PC.
 

mikeko666

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
I don't understand why some people throw the mining in Evgenia's programs and Kaori's Amelie into a same category. The miming choreographed by Ilia Averbukh is copies of certain moves, like picking up the phone and jumping rope. The miming in Amelie is more abstract, and you need to use your imagination and interpret those moves. In a recent interview, Daisuke Takahashi said he wanted to work with Benoît Richaud citing Kaori's Amelie. Kaori watched Daisuke's Amelie (chreographed by Stephane Lambiel) while working on the choreography.
 

Alifyre

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 29, 2017
I don't understand why some people throw the mining in Evgenia's programs and Kaori's Amelie into a same category. The miming choreographed by Ilia Averbukh is copies of certain moves, like picking up the phone and jumping rope. The miming in Amelie is more abstract, and you need to use your imagination and interpret those moves. In a recent interview, Daisuke Takahashi said he wanted to work with Benoît Richaud citing Kaori's Amelie. Kaori watched Daisuke's Amelie (chreographed by Stephane Lambiel) while working on the choreography.

Ah, what a wonderful way to spend Christmas morning, watching Dai's sublime skating...

I do see the homage there, Kaori clearly did take some inspiration from Dai's hand motions! I do think that Zhenya's miming has made skating fans in general a little more critical of miming, because often the "stories" Averbukh puts into her programs often have nothing to do with the music. Same goes with Polina T's "Light of Seven" skate where she does all this miming about painting, when it has nothing to do with the actual piece. I actually found Kaori's hand motions quite charming and not out of place with the rest of the skate. I must admit I understand the criticism about her just stopping and being a kind of rag doll in the middle of the skate, but the rest of her hand motions I think add a lot to the program. She uses them to tell a story in a natural way, and I never get the feeling like she's flailing her upper body around as many young skater do. Her miming also is a good way to engage the crowd -- as I posted above, she gestures directly at the audience and they interact back with her!

Anyways, it's clear that Zhenya's miming has gained her points, wether or not skating fans like it. If she's allowed to work the system, so is Kaori. And note that much fewer people are on Kaori than the Russian about her backloaded skates -- because she manages to make it look balanced (although I think if she were ever to reach Zhenya's success level that might not be the case as much. The more successful the athlete, usually the more naysayers unfortunately).
 

Viiktoruu

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 10, 2017
I don't understand why some people throw the mining in Evgenia's programs and Kaori's Amelie into a same category. The miming choreographed by Ilia Averbukh is copies of certain moves, like picking up the phone and jumping rope. The miming in Amelie is more abstract, and you need to use your imagination and interpret those moves. In a recent interview, Daisuke Takahashi said he wanted to work with Benoît Richaud citing Kaori's Amelie. Kaori watched Daisuke's Amelie (chreographed by Stephane Lambiel) while working on the choreography.

Agreed. It's not the same category, but you have the use the same word to describe it lol. Evgenia's is more direct and tells a very specific story - from the examples you mentioned: childhood, or a person seeing of someone on a rather tragic trip. In Anna Karenina I just LOVE how she mimics dancing with Vronsky at the ball at the beginning of the step sequence. It just draws you in. :luv17:

And personally I'm SO over all these classical music programs where the only emotion we get is when the skater just dramatically opens their arms while doing an ina bauer or spread eagle and in the end looks up to the ceiling with a pose that has nothing to do with the music, after a predictable spin on a crescendo of the music and some call this OH SO ARTISTIC AND SUBLIME (cough cough Satoko cough cough Carolina) - we've seen literally decades of this.

Kaori's interpretation is a bit more difficult to understand and avant-garde when compared to Evgenia's. But like Zhenya, she's one of a kind. Better to be one of a kind than another one among hundreds of beautiful skaters skating more or less the same programs imho. :coffee: :biggrin:
 

YesWay

四年もかけて&#
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Kaori skated her Danse Macabre routine at the Nationals gala... that was her SP at the start of the season, and I really liked it - I thought it was big and dramatic and powerful, perfect for Kaori's skating! I was disappointed when she changed it, but in retrospect it was a good decision for her!

Her gala version a bit subdued, compared to the competition version (the rink was too small do it at "full power", and the spotlights make it difficult too)... but it was still great to see it again...
 

Spirals for Miles

Anna Shcherbakova is my World Champion
Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 25, 2017
Kaori has a full, new and updated OP. There are some videos that I can't find but if anyone can, please feel free to contribute :)
 

rikaquegira

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 30, 2017
Kaori skated her Danse Macabre routine at the Nationals gala... that was her SP at the start of the season, and I really liked it - I thought it was big and dramatic and powerful, perfect for Kaori's skating! I was disappointed when she changed it, but in retrospect it was a good decision for her!

Her gala version a bit subdued, compared to the competition version (the rink was too small do it at "full power", and the spotlights make it difficult too)... but it was still great to see it again...
Is there a link??? I have never seen that program of hers and I'm very curious since the only Danse Macabre I know is Yuna Kim's(and I find it very hard for someone to top that). 🤣

Btw, I'm so happy for Kaori!!! Can't believe she got her spot on the Olympic ice! I love that her reaction(and her team's) is always so genuinely happy and so cute! I can't wait to watch her skating in PC.
At the same time, I have to say, my heart is broken for Wakababy. [emoji24]
But anyway, props for Sakamoto for showing her strength under so much pressure. She deserved it!
 

mikeko666

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Kaori skated her Danse Macabre routine at the Nationals gala... that was her SP at the start of the season, and I really liked it - I thought it was big and dramatic and powerful, perfect for Kaori's skating! I was disappointed when she changed it, but in retrospect it was a good decision for her!

Her gala version a bit subdued, compared to the competition version (the rink was too small do it at "full power", and the spotlights make it difficult too)... but it was still great to see it again...

I personally like the Dance Macabre better than the Moonlight Sonata SP even though I understand they chose the latter for the strategic reason. Yes, the show size rink looked too small for her. :biggrin:
 

MaiKatze

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 4, 2012
One thing is for sure, the media loves Kaori's 'genki' personality. They put her in several costumes already and she doesn't seem to mind.
 

Liasky

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
She really deserves that ticket. I fell in love with her performance since Skate America. Since my favourite skater is Mai Mihara, I also support Kaori because they two are in the same team. It's great too see Kaori in the Winter Olympics and both Kaori and Mai in the Four Continents.
 

Alifyre

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 29, 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXzgLUz_ZDM&index=4&list=PL3EjtOeAr0JBXkfyUoJaAiPLt8_3siFQM

Here's the footage of her exhibition, plus a little interview at the start!!

I see why this got switched out, Kaori doesn't quite have the level of sharpness and fire needed for this kind of music just yet. I'd love to see her pull something like this off later in her career though! Also, even though the landing here was a touch wonky I gotta say I love her triple loops. She's got such nice quick steps into it, it seems to pop out of nowhere!
 

Alifyre

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 29, 2017
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports...ri-sakamoto-olympics-right-call/#.WkLXZevXerU

(forgive me for posting 3 times in a row omg) check out this article defending the JSF's choice on Kaori! It was posted in the Japanese Ladies' skating thread but I think it deserved to be here too. The best quote for me was this:

"Kaori has guts. Plain and simple.

She is absolutely fearless. This is something that can’t be taught. It is inherent.

Riding around on two thin blades in front of thousands of people is not easy, but Sakamoto does it like it is no big thing.

Combine this with her outgoing personality and you have a winning combination. There is nothing like see her walking around at competitions where everybody else is tight as a drum and Kaori is her usual exuberant self, smiling, laughing and enjoying herself."

Glad that this writer has been so charmed by such a wonderful young lady!
 

Liasky

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports...ri-sakamoto-olympics-right-call/#.WkLXZevXerU

(forgive me for posting 3 times in a row omg) check out this article defending the JSF's choice on Kaori! It was posted in the Japanese Ladies' skating thread but I think it deserved to be here too. The best quote for me was this:

"Kaori has guts. Plain and simple.

She is absolutely fearless. This is something that can’t be taught. It is inherent.

Riding around on two thin blades in front of thousands of people is not easy, but Sakamoto does it like it is no big thing.

Combine this with her outgoing personality and you have a winning combination. There is nothing like see her walking around at competitions where everybody else is tight as a drum and Kaori is her usual exuberant self, smiling, laughing and enjoying herself."

Glad that this writer has been so charmed by such a wonderful young lady!

Thank you for nice contents again. Please don't hesitate to post them! They are very nice!
 
Top