Favorite flamenco program over the years | Golden Skate

Favorite flamenco program over the years

bunnybarista

If I risk it all, could you break my fall?~
On the Ice
Joined
May 27, 2018
With Olympic memories resurfacing at this time of year, including Virtue and Moir's Farrucas original dance from the 2010 Olympics, I've been thinking a lot about skaters that have done flamenco-inspired programs. I'm curious to hear what your favorite takes are? Even though I love Virtue and Moir, I actually didn't think that their Farrucas OD was all that authentic to Flamenco. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6mge7uZbLo

A team like Peizerat and Anissina, on the other hand, did a stunning flamenco dance back at the 2002 Olympics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUBSjJLfzbU

More recently, I've enjoyed the more contemporary flamenco dance from the Spanish team of Hurtado and Kirill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2sxuBHQ7jI (My vote is still undecided for Carreira and Ponomarenko's flamenco dance this season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQKbX3mocto )

Tell me your favorite flamenco programs! All the ones I've listed have been ice dancers, but I'm also open to singles and pairs flamenco programs. :luv17:
 

kolyadafan2002

Fan of Kolyada
Final Flight
Joined
Jun 6, 2019
For me, nothing compared to javi fernandez malenguena. His best was probably 2017 worlds sp.
I think Matteo rizzo is doing FP similar style this year.
 

rain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
Virtue and Moir's is by far my favourite. I thought their best performance of it was actually Worlds 2010.
 

ana

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 16, 2010
Carolina Kostner - Galicia Flamenco
Stephane Lambiel - Poeta
Javier Fernandez - Malaguena
Satoko Miyahara - Invierno Porteno
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
What a great subject for a thread. I remember Anessina and Peizerat's OD very well. It looked so authentic, and that for a former Russian red haired female and French blonde male skater. Unexpected indeed. I understand they took Flamenco lessons in Spain to prevent their movements from being over the top. Most importantly, in flamenco the male dancer is usually very spectacular and I think it fitted this couple like a glove to let Peizerat have some shining moments in that skate. What an absolute joy to watch this again.

And Stéphane...I remember that skate too. Stéphane was always a joy to watch, but this skate particularly. That step sequence is just superb, while his spins are second to none (and always were, not just in this skate). Maybe somewhat less authentic than the Dance pair above, but pretty close all the same. Edit: just saw the exhibition with the Spanish dancer. Doesn't get more authentic than this. Wow!

And Sara and Kirill...well, Sara is Spanish, and knows how so many Flamenco's on the ice are OTT. Not theirs. A tentative Dance showing off the soft side of the Flamenco. Really great.

Much as I love Michelle and her skating, I think her Spanish FS in 2003 was even better. This one may be less 'Flamenco' tthan the SP linked above if you compare the costumes. But so good....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfluAux0Sf0.

I must say I always felt Angelica Krylova (who is Russian) was very good in performing a Spanish Diva. No Flamenco perhaps (Carmen of course is something else) but still a great feel for the Spanish rhythm all the same - in 1998 I think. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oFAnymw0YU. She looks so Spanish (yes, I know not all Spanish ladies have black hair and a rose tucked up, but still).

Javier of course is sublime...old version from 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewKkNf20o4M. And what about Kristi Yamaguchi...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewKkNf20o4M (with a fall, but still pretty good).
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
You're welcome! That was his SP the next season: Here it is in competition https://youtu.be/Evjrx_PMLa0

Also very good, but I can't help it, I like the exhibition better. Which is odd, as I usually don't think the Exhibitions are best because of the lesser jump content. But in this case, whatever the jump content, the exhibition is sublime and the SP is just good. Jeremy is fantastic, and I wish he would have gotten better admiration and - dare I say it - better points in competition.
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
Also very good, but I can't help it, I like the exhibition better. Which is odd, as I usually don't think the Exhibitions are best because of the lesser jump content. But in this case, whatever the jump content, the exhibition is sublime and the SP is just good. Jeremy is fantastic, and I wish he would get better admiration and - dare I say it - better points in competition.

I loved the exh better too. And yes, the points thing would have been nice while he was still competing.
 

eppen

Medalist
Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Country
Spain
Hey, let's not mix flamenco and Argentinian tango with each other - Satoko Miyahara, Jeremy Abbott and Shoma Uno were doing the latter option rather than flamenco!

But what I find wonderful is that quite a few of those really good flamenco pieces mentioned above have come from the brains of one man: Antonio Najarro. He is a dancer and choreographer, just finished a stint at the direction of the Spanish National Ballet - which is a flamenco company, has nothing to do with ballet. I had not seen the Anissina & Peizerat routine for a long time and did not know that it was Najarro, but google told me that of course it was. Here an interview from Inside Skating from 2014: http://www.insideskating.net/2015/03/23/interviews/antonio-najarro-i-treat-skaters-like-real-dancers

If he looks familiar after you have watched Lambiel's Poeta with the dancer, that's because that was also Najarro... He also choreograhed Hurtado/Diaz and Hurtado/Khaliavin routines. I really liked Lambiel's slightly more modern version of flamenco until I saw that clip with Najarro and realized how weak (and even unfinished) Lambiel's arms and upper body were compared to the dancer. Completely ruined the choreo for me.

For me, The Flamenco Routine for the ages is Javier Fernández's Malagueña - again, by Antonio Najarro. He gets the style done just perfectly and is able to combine it with superb technical difficulty. The first time I saw it from Cup of China 2015, I almost fell from my chair - I really did not expect that he actually could do it! Helsinki 2017 and I was sitting there, almost directly behind where he does the first spin which travelled and tilted so much I thought he was going to fall... But the atmosphere was so strong that during the steps, there were spontaneous shouts of "Olé!". That performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlTKKOfjCro

The beginnings of Malagueña are recorded in several glimpses in this interview video and it is funny to see Javi working to get the moves right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c49-mVwf_Do And it makes you realize how much work must have gone into getting the final programme to perfection.

Javi also visited the National Ballet the other year in connection with their anniversary and went on stage with Najarro and a couple of the dancers to do a few seconds of Malagueña: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqGafaciEPc (His feet reveal clearly that he is not a dancer, but his upper body and arms work like the dancers.)

That collaboration with Najarro led to them doing a flamenco themed section at Fantasy on Ice tour in Japan last summer and Javi went on stage with Najarro - some glimpses of the 10 min or so set here with Javi and Najarro together around 3 min https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm1SaQEwD1M

E
 

Tolstoj

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Akiko Suzuki 09-10 SP Andalucia

Best flamenco steps sequence i've ever seen in singles skating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtHMU6SZr9w

Back then it was easier to see skaters really bringing their very best in the steps sequence, nowadays they often feel just on the same tone of the rest of the program, it's not special anymore.
 

deedee1

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 14, 2007

:love::love:::love::love:

Oh my. I had forgotten that. Even better than their FD! Superb.

Agreed! :love:

A 10, 11yo Japanese boy did watch the whole Ice Dance event at Nagano Oly Games on TV, and later said he loved the Silver medalists the best. This small boy really enjoyed the compulsory on TV, memorized all required steps and turns, then executed it perfectly at his home rink the next day only to surprise his coaches. His name was Daisuke Takahashi. In 1998 he already had an excellent taste when evaluating 'good skating'. :)

Nyah by 17yo Dai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xnFr0QVSSw
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
This goes wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy back. I think Kurt Browning did this for a Canadian Stars on Ice and also one of those professional World Champion competitions. It was called Nyah and was pretty much all footwork. The Youtubes of the performance have muted the music - dammit. But this is pure figure skating. Never forgot it.

HAH - found it.

https://www.bilibili.com/video/av11583163/

I still think there are very few - if any - skaters that can do with their bodies and skates that Kurt could do.
 
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