I totally understand your argument, that is how the sport works.... But that is SO WRONG that I cringe everytime we have such discussion. Those girls should totally be able to fight out among themselves, just like girls in any other country. The whole federation push for one but not the other just makes me sick. Not to mention how bad it is that judges are under such a big influence of this nonsense. Only your performance should matter.
2017 GP Cup of China Ladies FS
- Thread starter dorispulaski
- Start date
I totally understand your argument, that is how the sport works.... But that is SO WRONG that I cringe everytime we have such discussion. Those girls should totally be able to fight out among themselves, just like girls in any other country. The whole federation push for one but not the other just makes me sick. Not to mention how bad it is that judges are under such a big influence of this nonsense. Only your performance should matter.
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2013
There can be clear purpose. One example would be programs based around transformation. Say the start is very quiet, melodic and sad. No jumps there. Then there's a mood change to more upbeat and going from looking sad to smiling for instance, with every jump there. It's not an imbalanced program here, just different, with clear purpose.
Wanting every jump spaced out in the same manner in every program - Now that's what I call stale.
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2004
Its getting nasty out there!!!!!
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports...iguchi-robbed-victory-cup-china/#.WgJbY2hSyHs
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2014
I enjoyed ladies competition and patiently read the posts. Okay! I find the competition really exciting. Like B-euro commentators say, if the top ladies at the Olympics skate as good as the top 4 ladies here, it would be AMAZING!!
After watching Dance(P/C)
and Ladies(Mai, Tuk, Radio, Main, Wakaba, Zagitova)
,Men made me too depressed :noshake: that pairs couldn't lift me up.
I just want to say Ladies were the highlight of the event and I am grateful for their efforts and hard work.
I only wish it weren't the Olympics for Marin. The pressure is too huge for the Japanese girls and there is no room for any mistakes... She skated heavenly, Not with her smile, but with her interpretation. David Wilson once described Yuna's musicality something you are born with. I see it from Marin. Not that I personally know her, but Marin is a skater who breathes in the program. She grasps the grandness of the music, digest every part of the music. I see some delays in her skating to respond to that heavy volume of music, which may affect her timing of the jumps. She is not the skater who takes advantage of the built-in climax and excitement of this great warhorse music, but really understands the depth and interprets it with skating truthfully. If figure skating can be ethical, I think I find it in Marin.
Mai is another skater I find very empathetic and genuine. She is not a flashy skater, but she uses every moment to build up and create perfection. Like Kolyada when his best, Mai never slows down in her skating. She maintains speed and intensity of details throughout the program and execute every movement with care and patience. I envy her impeccable, soft knee-bend to execute fluid jumps and steps. Her choreography/music are thoughtfully composed and edited to make her shine as the program goes on. When she landed the last jump 3S with arms over head, I got so emotional. I wish her step sequence had a little more impact at the end. It was flawless but could be magical
Wakaba skates loud and clear; the music, choreography, interpretation, I can see and hear who she is. I adore her confidence in what she does. All the memories watching her grow went through my mind; her crying and laughing on the JGP podium after finishing 3rd to Marin, not be able to advance to the final. Her breakthrough with Scheherazade last season. I finally see the complete form of a skater I enjoy dearly ; confidence, power, self-awareness, charisma,... While Mai was steadily crafted jewel like pearl, Wakaba is playful energetic fireworks. Since she can create speed on the ice from nothing (a la Patrick), she literally skates as she feels like, not afraid of losing speed or momentum for the next move. Hence, she is alive in every second of the program. The fact that her second 3Lz3T in the second half is higher and cleaner than her first one speaks a volume. How dedicated and focused she is to put together her best assets to create this masterpiece!! So proud of her.
Tuk's 3A and 3T3T , 3Lz, were as good as the ones she won with at the worlds. Mishin's rink must be spiritual and nurturing place, helping Carolina and Tuk regain their best form back. She is back to the starting point where she had left off. Now, she needs to build up upagainst this new standard. I know when she is on, she really is unstoppable, winning every competition she entered.
Radio sold her performance like there is no tomorrow. She does not have the best posture in the field. BUT, when she skates, "no crowd left behind". She makes sure her expression projected to the crowd. The Sp and FP are both her best programs, celebrating her showmanship and energy. I hope the 3rd place here gives her boost and motivation enough to move up at the Russian Nationals.
Zagitova was amazing. I don't think it is ISU rule that fools many skating fans/judges. It is Zagitova's pure athletic inhumane ability that brings out all discussions and sensational reactions. She's really swung the pendulum so hard that it broke the ceiling!!! That being said, I will say exactly same thing I said when she won JWD. She needs to change her choreographer. Look for other one who will celebrate her otherworldly talent with sophisticated and thoughtful packaging. The way her choreographer did with Swan Lake and Don Quixote is one-dimensional, with no imagination, and clown-like. He must have been so overwhelmed by her extensive talents that he masked this virtuosa with his pedestrian, sub-par program. I like the choreo-sequence and last jump-sequence, but the middle section did a disservice to her. I believe she has taken ballet lessons and is quite good at it. The beginning movements could have been more refined but nice and fresh (is it impossible to do nice releve with skating boots?) It gets better with a head-to-toe, elongated, straight body line on Charlotte spiral, a relaxed upper body and perfectly turned-out legs on Ina Bauer. Her donuts to biellmann transition on Camel spin is the best among the field. Especially the last variation with her extended arms holding a free leg up high creates a tilted surface, which emulates Kitri's fan. The reason this choreographic sequence was successful was that the moves have enough time and space she can fully execute and connect. This balance and freedom gets lost in the following step sequence. The music gets slower and adagio, where Kitri seduces Basilo and stels his heart. But, it is too packed to be exuberant and sassy, not alone to execute the each element well. She literally lunges with her free leg bent. She is forced to do ina bauer, side spiral, illusion kick in a raw for a split second. I don't know there is a pro ballerina who can do that to the perfection. Sadly, it is where her Kitri becomes from virtuosa to clown. The music/tempo is still adagio, but the choreographer throws jumps (3L3R, 2A3T) with non-sensical transitional moves (i.e. 1 second ina bauer + braket(?). Poor Kitri, who is abused by this abhorrent choreography but still landing clean soaring jumps, leads this program to be somewhat triumphant. A 3F(Rippon)2T(Tano)2R(Rippon) combination is better placed to the music. Out of a stunning layback spin, her free leg in the attitude position starts to sag. She could not hold her hips tucked in anymore. I was sad, because it was to my favorite Kitri solo variation music. I notice she is getting tired. But she completes the drastic jump sequence to the coda ;3Lz(Rippon), grand jete with arms in 5th position, 3S(Rippon), 3F(Rippon), 2A, and final combination spin. I find her jump technique strong. Her upper body is relaxed and her arm position in air is way more elongated than any other ladies who do that. Her posture I believe is a matter of spacing. I only hope she finds a way to explore choreographic freedom she deserves in the NEAR future.
After watching Dance(P/C)
and Ladies(Mai, Tuk, Radio, Main, Wakaba, Zagitova),Men made me too depressed :noshake: that pairs couldn't lift me up. I just want to say Ladies were the highlight of the event and I am grateful for their efforts and hard work.
I only wish it weren't the Olympics for Marin. The pressure is too huge for the Japanese girls and there is no room for any mistakes... She skated heavenly, Not with her smile, but with her interpretation. David Wilson once described Yuna's musicality something you are born with. I see it from Marin. Not that I personally know her, but Marin is a skater who breathes in the program. She grasps the grandness of the music, digest every part of the music. I see some delays in her skating to respond to that heavy volume of music, which may affect her timing of the jumps. She is not the skater who takes advantage of the built-in climax and excitement of this great warhorse music, but really understands the depth and interprets it with skating truthfully. If figure skating can be ethical, I think I find it in Marin.
Mai is another skater I find very empathetic and genuine. She is not a flashy skater, but she uses every moment to build up and create perfection. Like Kolyada when his best, Mai never slows down in her skating. She maintains speed and intensity of details throughout the program and execute every movement with care and patience. I envy her impeccable, soft knee-bend to execute fluid jumps and steps. Her choreography/music are thoughtfully composed and edited to make her shine as the program goes on. When she landed the last jump 3S with arms over head, I got so emotional. I wish her step sequence had a little more impact at the end. It was flawless but could be magical
Wakaba skates loud and clear; the music, choreography, interpretation, I can see and hear who she is. I adore her confidence in what she does. All the memories watching her grow went through my mind; her crying and laughing on the JGP podium after finishing 3rd to Marin, not be able to advance to the final. Her breakthrough with Scheherazade last season. I finally see the complete form of a skater I enjoy dearly ; confidence, power, self-awareness, charisma,... While Mai was steadily crafted jewel like pearl, Wakaba is playful energetic fireworks. Since she can create speed on the ice from nothing (a la Patrick), she literally skates as she feels like, not afraid of losing speed or momentum for the next move. Hence, she is alive in every second of the program. The fact that her second 3Lz3T in the second half is higher and cleaner than her first one speaks a volume. How dedicated and focused she is to put together her best assets to create this masterpiece!! So proud of her.
Tuk's 3A and 3T3T , 3Lz, were as good as the ones she won with at the worlds. Mishin's rink must be spiritual and nurturing place, helping Carolina and Tuk regain their best form back. She is back to the starting point where she had left off. Now, she needs to build up upagainst this new standard. I know when she is on, she really is unstoppable, winning every competition she entered.
Radio sold her performance like there is no tomorrow. She does not have the best posture in the field. BUT, when she skates, "no crowd left behind". She makes sure her expression projected to the crowd. The Sp and FP are both her best programs, celebrating her showmanship and energy. I hope the 3rd place here gives her boost and motivation enough to move up at the Russian Nationals.
Zagitova was amazing. I don't think it is ISU rule that fools many skating fans/judges. It is Zagitova's pure athletic inhumane ability that brings out all discussions and sensational reactions. She's really swung the pendulum so hard that it broke the ceiling!!! That being said, I will say exactly same thing I said when she won JWD. She needs to change her choreographer. Look for other one who will celebrate her otherworldly talent with sophisticated and thoughtful packaging. The way her choreographer did with Swan Lake and Don Quixote is one-dimensional, with no imagination, and clown-like. He must have been so overwhelmed by her extensive talents that he masked this virtuosa with his pedestrian, sub-par program. I like the choreo-sequence and last jump-sequence, but the middle section did a disservice to her. I believe she has taken ballet lessons and is quite good at it. The beginning movements could have been more refined but nice and fresh (is it impossible to do nice releve with skating boots?) It gets better with a head-to-toe, elongated, straight body line on Charlotte spiral, a relaxed upper body and perfectly turned-out legs on Ina Bauer. Her donuts to biellmann transition on Camel spin is the best among the field. Especially the last variation with her extended arms holding a free leg up high creates a tilted surface, which emulates Kitri's fan. The reason this choreographic sequence was successful was that the moves have enough time and space she can fully execute and connect. This balance and freedom gets lost in the following step sequence. The music gets slower and adagio, where Kitri seduces Basilo and stels his heart. But, it is too packed to be exuberant and sassy, not alone to execute the each element well. She literally lunges with her free leg bent. She is forced to do ina bauer, side spiral, illusion kick in a raw for a split second. I don't know there is a pro ballerina who can do that to the perfection. Sadly, it is where her Kitri becomes from virtuosa to clown. The music/tempo is still adagio, but the choreographer throws jumps (3L3R, 2A3T) with non-sensical transitional moves (i.e. 1 second ina bauer + braket(?). Poor Kitri, who is abused by this abhorrent choreography but still landing clean soaring jumps, leads this program to be somewhat triumphant. A 3F(Rippon)2T(Tano)2R(Rippon) combination is better placed to the music. Out of a stunning layback spin, her free leg in the attitude position starts to sag. She could not hold her hips tucked in anymore. I was sad, because it was to my favorite Kitri solo variation music. I notice she is getting tired. But she completes the drastic jump sequence to the coda ;3Lz(Rippon), grand jete with arms in 5th position, 3S(Rippon), 3F(Rippon), 2A, and final combination spin. I find her jump technique strong. Her upper body is relaxed and her arm position in air is way more elongated than any other ladies who do that. Her posture I believe is a matter of spacing. I only hope she finds a way to explore choreographic freedom she deserves in the NEAR future.
Mai sure did bounce back! I thank her for introducing that music from her long program for which I looked for on YouTube. That is most beautiful piece I've heard from the movies since Schindler's List and Chariot's of Fire. Unforgettable! That said, her long program is my favorite this season. I hope she makes it on the Japanese team for the Olympics.
Similar threads
- Sticky
- Sticky
- Sticky
