US PSA Awards for the Ladies through the years | Golden Skate

US PSA Awards for the Ladies through the years

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
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US PSA Awards for the Ladies through the years


As you know by now, I thought it would be fun to go back through the years and rewatch these amazing programs, when they could be found. So here are the Ladies' award winning programs. (Finally). Sorry it took so long.

Which of these programs did you love and remember?

Which choice made no sense to you?

I would love to know!

The PSA awards are interesting awards since they are awarded for the best program at US Nationals. Quite often, the winner was not the winner of the event. Some years, a junior skater even won! They have been awarded every year since 1999.


Here are the formal criteria:
https://skatepsa.com/best-performance-awards

One winner is chosen from each category in men’s, ladies, pairs, dance, and synchronized skating. Selection will be based on performance, not placement and will not necessarily reflect the best technical skater. Elements considered include artistry, charisma/appeal, balance, originality, drama/emotion, music, costuming, humor, showmanship, quality, theme, and technical ability. Votes are tabulated by the executive director’s office and determined by a majority vote.

They were recently announced for this season on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/13597736311...bstory_index=0

My comments on ladies are not to be trusted entirely. I have not been a huge fan of Ladies, especially US Ladies. I would like to hear your opinions!!



Best Performance Ladies

2020
Mariah Bell - Championship Ladies Free Program
PSA Coaches – Rafael Arutyunyan, Adam Rippon
Choreographer - Shae-Lynn Bourne
Music Selection - "Hallelujah" by KD Lang
Costume Designer - Elena Pollack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRTy4mcJjaw

An awesome choice IMO. The video of it went viral.
And here's an Oniceperspectives version of the program, filmed by Jordan Cowan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKZ6YL5c_Ic

2019
Alysa Liu – Championship Ladies Free Program
PSA Coach – Laura Lipetsky
Choreographer – Cindy Stuart
Music Selection – “Witches of Eastwick” by John Williams
Costume Designer – Lisa McKinnon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImjfFnhcPc0

I am not happy with this choice. Alysa does two triple Axels, but this award is supposed to be about choreo and performance. I probably would have voted for Bradie Tennell's SP to "Rebirth"by High Finesse. The Nationals video is gone, but she skated this well at 4CCs
https://m.ok.ru/dk?st.cmd=movieLaye...=927877565057&_prevCmd=friendMovies&tkn=2506#

2018
Mirai Nagasu – Championship Ladies Free Skate Program
PSA Coach – Tom Zakrajsek
Choreographer – Jeffrey Buttle
Music Selection – Miss Saigon
Costume Designer – Pat Pearsall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__P0kqXBiBA

Everybody likes a comeback kid narrative. Mirai's resurgence is a great story, and this is a nice program.​

2017
Karen Chen – Championship Ladies Short Program
PSA Coach – Tammy Gambill
Choreographer – Karen Chen
Music Selection – “On Golden Pond” by Dave Grusin
Costume Designer – Lisa McKin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9D1k2M3WcE

A very lovely US lady-typical program, but I marvel at how well the movement of that ruffle on her arm adds to the performance. Well done, Lisa McKin, costume designer.

Boo PSA though. The choreo was by Jonathan Cassar as well as Karen Chen.
https://web.archive.org/web/20161123025327/http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00034366.htm

2016
Gracie Gold – Championship Free Skate
PSA Coaches – Frank Carroll
Choreographer – Lori Nichol
Music selection – Selections from “The Firebird “by Igor Stravinsky
Costume designer – Josiane Lamond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIL_k4VB6mc

A good role choice for Gracie, a firebird, flying high, free, and dangerous. The last minute is particularly good. It was a fine performance.

2015
Ashley Wagner – Championship Free Skate
PSA Coaches – Rafael Arutyunyan, Nadezda Kanaeva, John Nicks
Choreographer – Shae–Lynn Bourne
Music selection – Soundtrack of Moulin Rouge
Costume designer – Jan Longmire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zng_vhmAI54

This is my favorite performance by Ashley. The change of mood in the middle works particularly well. Bravo!
But you have to notice how much the PSA voters love red costumes!

2014
Gracie Gold – Championship Short Program
Coach – Frank Carroll, Scott Brown
Choreographer – Lori Nichol
Music – “Piano Concerto” by Edvard Greig
Dress Design – Josiane Lamond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWR9iN-gIHg

Gracie as USFSA wants its ladies to look, but with a huge 3Lz3T. She deserved the win here, but as a program, I thought something less princessy might have suited her better.

2013
Polina Edmunds – Junior Ladies Free Skate
Coach – Nina Edmunds, David Glynn
Choreographer – Marina Klimova
Music – “Romeo and Juliet” by Nino Rota
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0k-6-qSo8k

This is a well skated junior program. But for my taste, this is a prime example of a good but juniorish program. Particularly distracting is the angular, elbow - leading way she uses her arms while in motion, coupled with the "this is the way I do it in ballet class" moments when she is more stationary. I do not remember 2013 Nationals particularly, but surely there was a better piece of choreo than this in the Senior Ladies somewhere?

2012
Agnes Zawadzki – Championship Ladies Short Program
Coach – Christy Krall and David Santee
Choreographer – Tom Dickson
Music – “Harlem Nocturne” and “Whatever Lola Wants"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWHwzz1Kr04

I did not remember this program, but I love the character Agnes brings to this performance! Excellent!

2011
Courtney Hicks – Junior Ladies Short Program
Coach – John Nicks
Choreographer – Phillip Mills
Music – “Dark Eyes” performed by Andre Rieu
Junior Worlds version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFG1HOgeBLU

No. Just no. I expect the votes got split between Alissa, Mirai, and Rachel, and Courtney just slipped through and won or something, but for me, the best ladies program from Nationals 2011, both in the arena and here on youtube, was Rachel Flatt's "East of Eden" by Lee Holdridge.
https://youtu.be/eblFFfKbkLk

Her power and commitment to this piece are jaw dropping. You do not see that often in US ladies programs, which often are rather Disney-princess in tone. The moves in the field section at the end is just wonderful, especially the Ina Bauer to spread eagle section. And yes, she got a standing O :love:. So what if Rachel was generaly disrespected as not arteestic; this time she shone brighter than all the others.


2010
Mirai Nagasu – Short Program
Coach – Frank Carroll
Choreographer – Lori Nichol
Music – “He’s a Pirate” by David Garrett
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEDJOZQhOI0

Once she gets to the "Pirate" part, this really rocks. The spin positions are special.​

2009
Alissa Czisny – Long Program
Coaches – Julianne Berlin, Yuka Sato, Linda Leaver, Brian Boitano, Natalia Deller
Choreographer – David Wilson, Lori Nichol, Kurt Browning
Music – Selections from the “Doctor Zhivago” soundtrack by Maurice Jarre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIvGQkFtQcU

I have no idea why the voters preferred Alissa's long program, which is a hymn to good spins and flawed jump technique with a fall and several mistakes, to her short program to The Swan, which was was better IMO. Also I like the Swan costume a lot better, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7eNDmgq704

2008
Mirai Nagasu – Senior Ladies Short Program
Coaches – Charlene Wong, Sondra Holmes, Bob Paul, Sashi Kuchiki, Jim Yorke
Choreographer – Lori Nichol
Music – “I Got Rhythm” variations for piano and orchestra by George Gershwin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzKT3lHuOwQ

Cute kid, and she won the SP with this program. For this season, I think it was the right choice.

2007
Alissa Czisny– Long Program
Coaches – Julianne Berlin, Theresa McKendry
Choreographer – David Wilson
Music – Soundtrack from “Sabrina” by John Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZurMskwPwE0

Alissa is skating to a Rom-com soundtrack in a stunning Audrey Hepburnish costume, but I liked Bebe Liang's "Firedance" SP by Sara Kawahara better :slink:
https://youtu.be/-A_7_7UTKzk

2006
Stephanie Rosenthal – Long Program
Coaches – Stewart Sturgeon, Christi Sturgeon, Stephanie Grosscup
Choreographer – Stewart Sturgeon, Stephanie Grosscup
Music – “Ghost Dances,” by Inti–Illimanis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMwXYdkSK4g

Who is Stephanie Rosenthal? Only the most original American lady I remember. Original enough to make it into a book of essays on sports and music.
https://books.google.com/books?id=SnBArtMRNl4C&pg=PA96
Well done to PSA for giving her the EDI for 2006.

I liked her SP better - How to bring hip hop to the ice. "Rockit" by Herbie Hancock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eENh7cMpktk

Two programs, two standing ovations. Minimal technical content to help her get them. Originality works. Watch and learn, skaters.

2005
Kimmie Meissner - Long Program
Coaches – Pamela Gregory
Choreographer – Lori Nichol, Pamela Gregory
Music – “Daphnis and Chloe” by Ravel
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NNe-qg1QPw

I see why Michelle, Sasha, and Jenny did not win the EDI. All were serving up stuff similar or identical to what they had done before. That left Kimmie. But I thought the ugly triple Axel attempt took away from the overall effect of her Long Program, so I would have opted to award the EDI to her SP to "Reverie." Also I like the SP costume better than her long program costume.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pncSO-F_B4

2004
Jennifer Kirk – Short Program
Choreographer – Olga Volozhinskaya
Music – Soundtrack from “Chicago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAPqn71b5FY

This program was a stunner live! Good work Jenny! The costume especially!!

2003
Michele Kwan – Long Program
Coaches – Scott Williams
Choreographer – Nikoli Morozov
Music – “Aranjuez” by J. Rodrigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpWUo_hf4N0

Michelle won Worlds with this program, so I am OK with the choice, but I would like to give a shout out to Yebin Mok's Swan :love: as runner-up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlv6n5EQq3U

2002
Sasha Cohen – Long Program
Coaches – John Nicks, Yvonne Nicks, Roger Bass
Choreographer – John Nicks
Music – “Carmen” by Bizet
Fs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBI_tmQvG4Y

This is about the best long program for Sasha Cohen that I recall.

2001
Michelle Kwan - Long Program
Coaches – Frank Carroll
Choreographer – Lori Nichol
Music – “Beautiful World” (? This was her Exhibition that year???)
Song of the Black Swan by Villa-Lobos and Dumky Trio by Dvorak
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqxqH9atpQc

I have no idea what program PSA awarded, since the music listed was Michelle's Exhibition. I will take their word that it was the long program they meant, to Black Swan.

However, her SP to "East of Eden" by Lee Holdridge was great:
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2D9DDQxwIk

And here's what the "Beautiful World" EX looked like at the Grand Prix Final.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n4IplL4Jn8


2000
Sasha Cohen – Long Program
Coach – John Nicks
Choreographer – John Nicks
Music – "Violin Concerto" by Mendelsson
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhLtcRxNjtI

ok

1999
Michelle Kwan - Long Program
Coaches – Frank Carroll
Choreographer – Lori Nichol
Music – Ariane - “Orchestral Suite No. 3,” “Orchestral Suite No. 6, ”by Jules Massenet; “Absalom's Death And Tango” by Leonid Desyatnikov, performed by Gidon Kremer
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFSqc3IEqG4

This was a good choice IMO.
Ariane is French for Ariadne, the woman abandoned by Theseus at Naxos, after she has shown him how to escape from the Labyrinth in Crete. It is a powerful role and Michelle does it justice.

Also, I like her haircut ;)
 
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Nathan13

Medalist
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
What was your favorite program?

Gracie's Firebird is still one of my favorite moments of the last decade :cry:

Mariah's Hallelujah is on it's way to being iconic :hap10:

Of yesteryear, Sasha's Carmen is hands down the best for me. [hate to say it, but imagine if she'd skated that way at the Olympics]
 

moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Country
United-States
What was your favorite program?

Of these or at all? For some reason I thought Jimmie Santee coached Agnes. But I looked at her wiki page and it was David. Oh well. I wonder why he hasn't coached many other elites? He seemed to do a good job with her.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
2012
Agnes Zawadzki – Championship Ladies Short Program

Music – “Harlem Nocturne” and “Whatever Lola Wants"

I was so rooting for Agnes. She was right on the cusp of the big time. Good performance. Inspiring back story.

2006
Stephanie Rosenthal – Long Program

I liked her SP better... "Rockit" by Herbie Hancock

It seems impossible that Rockit didn't win, since one of the criteria is originality.

2005
Kimmie Meissner - Long Program

Music – “Daphnis and Chloe” by RavelFS:

I see why Michelle, Sasha, and Jenny did not win the EDI. All were serving up stuff similar or identical to what they had done before...

Still, there was nothing wrong with Michelle's Spartacus SP. Full of purpose, extended movements matching the music, long dramatic spiral, measured footwork.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldskgB44eIM

2004
Jennifer Kirk – Short Program

Music – Soundtrack from “Chicago."

Jennifer Kirk's signature program! :rock:

But Michelle Kwan's Tosca LP -- OK, maybe it was the same old same old choreographically, but the 2004 Nationals performance was the climax and capstone of her career. Dick Button didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p9eARVotAc&t=4m10s
 
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dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
They couldn't give it to Michelle every year, I suppose.

Re Rockit, perhaps PSA members were not as cool as Stephanie Rosenthal...or, for that matter, Dick Button, who was blown away by the program?

:laugh:
 
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Lamente Ariane

Skating Skills -5, Fashion +3, Camp +4
Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
My username might give a hint to my favorite Michelle program of the ones PSA awarded ;) Stephanie Rosenthal's programs were also great. And of course :love: for Ashley and Mariah. Gonna watch more of the videos now!

Edit: And how could I forget Karen, Mirai and Sasha!
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Lamente Ariane said:
My username might give a hint to my favorite Michelle program of the ones PSA awarded. ;)

Wonderful program. :yes:

But I was also enamored of her short program that year, to music from the Carmen Suite. She skated to the music without trying to "be Carmen."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvQp_cV3xBI

Plus, in that period in Michelle's career you could always count on Michelle to introduce a little signature novelty in every program. Here it was those high kicks standing on her toe pick in the SP, while in the LP she brought back the Charlotte after a 100-year absence from the sport.

(OT -- One of my favorite names in figure-skating: Charlotte Oelschlagel ("oil beater." An Oelschlagel was a person who crushed olives to extract the oil. :) )

And the prize committee also had the option of going with 13-year-old Naomi Nam. She fell hard on the back of her head in the SP and it looked like a serious injury, but she got 4th anyway, then charmed her way to 2nd in the LP and 2nd overall with this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27xvPjakbYA
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
doprispulaski[/quote said:
2000
Sasha Cohen – Long Program
Coach – John Nicks
Choreographer – John Nicks
Music – "Violin Concerto" by Mendelsson
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhLtcRxNjtI

ok

John Nicks wins the audacity prize for taking on the Mendelsohn violin concerto in E minor with a 15-year-old ingenue. This was a good performance and might well have won the competition except for the fall on the last jump.

But the music!!! This piece (half an hour long in concert) is the world's towering masterpiece of musical passion from the early romantic era. Plus, the challenge of the soloist to take on the entire orchestra is really put to the test. (The accustics in a typical ice skating area are such that you can hardly distinguish between the violin's contribution and the "accompaniment.")

Sasha should have gone with the violin concerto in D minor, written by Mendelsohn between the ages of 12 and 14. Now that's some cool fiddling! :yes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewiiCu9yHRg&t=20m25s
 
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