Mikhail Kolyada

[Tutto]

Test skates were crazy...
Just my opinion:
I really like the new SP. I agree with others that Misha looks great in lyrical programs, but he said he doesn't feel comfortable with this and so he dumped the Wind of Change. I saw it a the test skates in St. Petersburg and while I thought it was good, I liked Muse better. Anyway, the new program was put together in a short time before the test skates, so it is definitely not a finished product yet, but even now I thought it suits him well and it has a lot of potential.

Chaplin is cute and works well for him. As others say, if he lands his jumps, he'll be up there, no matter what he skates to as the overall quality of his skating and his elements is excellent.
I liked that he showed fighting spirit and threw in that extra triple Axel and it was a nice one.
One important thing - he needs to smile more in both programs, even when he makes mistakes. The character of these programs just demands a smile. Alexander Samarin didn't skate too well either, but he tried to sell his program with a smile until the end.

What do you think about the Chaplin costume? I am not sure about it, I kind of felt it made him look "quadratic", but this might just be me?

I am rather upset he dumped Wind of Change, though I thought the music a bit too monotony for a skating program, with an interesting choreo it did have a potential to be something unique (his new SP can be nice but unique it never will be alas). I also feel that he 'robbed' himself of advantage he had over some of his competitors, having skated that program a dozen times in front of the audience in Japan, having more mileage on it even before the season started. I thought that would be very beneficial to him but what Mika does next he drops it... as he has no other problems to concentrate on - e.g. an obvious lack of training due to injury, time taken by the wedding etc
It is not a major issue of course, skaters do change programs all the time and sometimes even in the middle of the season, but it feels a bit irresponsible which quite uncharacteristic of him.

Yes, my big problem with both programs that Mika is not that carefree 20 year old bursting on the scene out of nowhere, anymore. In theory, it should be easier to portray the character that you can relate to easily, but in reality it is not so straightforward. When jumps are not working he becomes very tense which won't look good in fun programs at all. I re-watched Javi and Keegan's Chaplin, both were able to carry on through mistakes and keep it fun, I don't think Mika can, at least he could not at test skates where the heart was gone out of his performance right after first two mistakes.

I am sad to say I don't like either of costumes either (oh God I am all negative - please forgive me!), SP is okayish but nothing special, the waistcoat for Chaplin is a big no, I am surprised Maria E. came up with that, not only it does nothing for the theme it does not sit particularly well on him and the most hateful thing for me when it goes up in the spins revealing the shirt and breaking the overall line of the costume. I am hoping it was not a final version.

 

[Tutto]

Has anyone had time & patience to watch the whole TSL interview on the test skates? Did they talk about Russian men and Mika at all? (probably felt they were best forgotten ...sigh...):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V05Xy9iJDnA

 

[Clairecz]

Has anyone had time & patience to watch the whole TSL interview on the test skates? Did they talk about Russian men and Mika at all? (probably felt they were best forgotten ...sigh...):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V05Xy9iJDnA

If you click on the full description, there are timestamps, so they talk FOR A FULL MINUTE about Dima and Misha between 1:13:14 and 1:14:31 (but no, I haven't watched it).

 

[Tyche]

TSL: 1.13 MEN. D: ALIEV needed a shower & a shave. FS ok, landed 4T. KOLYADA just more of the same. J: SS, speed, spins so remarkable but doesn’t matter if you can’t do the elements. D: But when he does them, they’re some of the most beautiful in all of skating - but clearly his mind is somewhere else.

 

[Tutto]

If you click on the full description, there are timestamps, so they talk FOR A FULL MINUTE about Dima and Misha between 1:13:14 and 1:14:31 �� (but no, I haven't watched it).

TSL: 1.13 MEN. D: ALIEV needed a shower & a shave. FS ok, landed 4T. KOLYADA just more of the same. J: SS, speed, spins so remarkable but doesn’t matter if you can’t do the elements. D: But when he does them, they’re some of the most beautiful in all of skating - but clearly his mind is somewhere else.

Many thanks!

Sadly I incline to agree that his mind was elsewhere (maybe there is a reason why elite skaters as a rule marry after they finish competing) but lets wait till next weekend first!

 

[Annet78]

Many thanks!

Sadly I incline to agree that his mind was elsewhere (maybe there is a reason why elite skaters as a rule marry after they finish competing) but lets wait till next weekend first!

If we talk about SP. It's understandable where was been his mind. Perhaps, he try don't forget new steps from his new sp, because they made sp a few days before Test Skates.

 

[RoundedBackCamel]

Sigh. I remember the TSL when Mikhail did a great program in the early season and Dave and Jonathan were oohing and awing and Doug Haw (sp?) was saying something was happening in his personal life giving him confidence (implying something romantic). They were always ready to champion Misha (and Jonathan ofc loves Aliev), calling them the Baryshnikov and Nureyev of Russian skating. So we can say it’s because it’s because he’s married, sinusitis, injury, or whatever, but I’m starting to lose hope. He just doesn’t seem to have that champion spirit willing himself to gut it out. I hope I’m wrong, because I always fight for the underdog, but this skate does not bode well. The pops are just inexcusable at this point in his career.

 

[LRK]

I quite like both of his programs, and I hope the fun nature of them can help him relax - and hopefully then the jumps will come too.

As for skaters and marriage, Michal Brezina has been skating a lot better since he got married. It may be a coincidence, of course, or maybe not, who knows?

Anyway, I shan't give up hope, and hope that you won't either. If being a Liza fan has taught me anything…

 

[coldblueeyes]

The pops are just inexcusable at this point in his career.

He doesn't really try to excuse his mistakes. And he is the skater he is, don't know why people are expecting a big change in the way he does things.

On another note, I don't know why we have to put relevance into someone else's opinion of him, or any other skater. I don't listen to TSL, never did, won't start now whether they talk about him or not. Let the man skate in competition, make your own decisions about whether you want to keep supporting him or not, but don't vilify him because your expectations are not aligned to his results. Some relationships don't age well, and distance is also a good thing at times.

 

[rachno2]

My personal takeaway from test skates is that I love watching Misha skate. He has never promised extraordinary results, even when the media is practically begging him to do so, and I am not expecting any. But he draws me in with the quality of his SS and carriage more than any of the other men. That said, I still dislike the Chaplin program. I understand his reasonings for doing it, but so many skaters have done Chaplin, and done it well, that I do not see this as distinguishing him or developing him as an artist. The steps are lovely enough, but I think the music cuts are grating and not dynamic, and I find the first half in particular falls flat. He clearly feels strongly about it, so I am not going to complain too much, but I am disappointed in comparison with last season.

The SP made me smile, though. It is not the most compelling program, and I would have liked to see Wind of Change (a pity it was not a part of the Ice broadcast), but he does well with it. I have kind of accepted that the programs which suit Misha as a skater do not necessarily suit him as a person, and that he values the latter over the former. Like his competitive nerves, it is just something we have to make peace with. I’ll save the anxiety for Kaori this season and let Misha be Misha.

One silver lining in terms of jumps: the 4S in warmup. I was nervous after hearing about his injury, but I am glad he has the quads this early in the season. Maybe we will even see them once or twice in competition.

Also, I see this is an unpopular opinion, but I quite like the Chaplin costume . It’s different from other Chaplins

 

[rachno2]

Oh one last thing, I wonder if his back is troubling him again, and that is why he took out the donut spin? It was one of my favorite elements he did, and I was sad to see it gone from both programs.

 

[coldblueeyes]

Oh one last thing, I wonder if his back is troubling him again, and that is why he took out the donut spin? It was one of my favorite elements he did, and I was sad to see it gone from both programs.

Well, it's clear to see that he's been losing his back flexibility in the past years, don't know exactly how his back has been troubling him besides that.

 

[coldblueeyes]

Also, on the talk about his jumps, I don't know if this video made its way to this thread, but here we have Misha landing both the 4S and 4T on the warmup at the Test Skates.

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

 

[Tutto]

Sigh. I remember the TSL when Mikhail did a great program in the early season and Dave and Jonathan were oohing and awing and Doug Haw (sp?) was saying something was happening in his personal life giving him confidence (implying something romantic). They were always ready to champion Misha (and Jonathan ofc loves Aliev), calling them the Baryshnikov and Nureyev of Russian skating. So we can say it’s because it’s because he’s married, sinusitis, injury, or whatever, but I’m starting to lose hope. He just doesn’t seem to have that champion spirit willing himself to gut it out. I hope I’m wrong, because I always fight for the underdog, but this skate does not bode well. The pops are just inexcusable at this point in his career.

Its a bit harsh. He's overcome so much to get to this level including a potentially career -ending injury, crushing experience at the Oly, media hate etc... so there is enough strength in him, but he likes to stay in his comfort zone in terms of his training situation & music choices and it might be one of reasons he under performs I don't know.

He doesn't really try to excuse his mistakes. And he is the skater he is, don't know why people are expecting a big change in the way he does things.

On another note, I don't know why we have to put relevance into someone else's opinion of him, or any other skater. I don't listen to TSL, never did, won't start now whether they talk about him or not. Let the man skate in competition, make your own decisions about whether you want to keep supporting him or not, but don't vilify him because your expectations are not aligned to his results. Some relationships don't age well, and distance is also a good thing at times.

Nobody tries to vilify him here at FF, the frustration comes from that his results are not aligned to his talent, that's all.
I just wish I cared less...

 

[coldblueeyes]

Nobody tries to vilify him here at FF, the frustration comes from that his results are not aligned to his talent, that's all.
I just wish I cared less...

Well, this is the FF where we come to celebrate him. I don't think we need people here every day venting about their frustrations, because it becomes tiring for the people that come here to admire him and praise the good stuff he does. And I'm not trying to police people about what they can and not do here. I, personally, think there are better ways to support him, and use this thread to have fun. Also, he didn't even compete this year yet, his programs are still a bit raw, let's wait before we start complaining every day.

 

[coldblueeyes]

Checked the entries to Nepela, and Misha is no longer on the list? No one subbed in also.

 

[Lovechihuahua]

Well let's hope that Mika will show up on the list of Nebelhorn soon
Oktoberfest is waving to you Mika

 

[rachno2]

Devastated for my friend who is going to Nepela to see him

I hope that this is strategic on Misha’s part (the SP is still very new, and I would rather he prepare for his GP assignments instead of exhausting himself with two challengers), but I also know that he rarely withdraws from events. Praying there is no injury or a return of the sinusitis.

 

[rachno2]

Misha has a cold and is playing it safe in light of what happened last season.

sunlight_girl (@sunlight_girl) Tweeted:
Valentina Chebotareva: "He (Mikhail) got sick, acute respiratory infection. He has problems with the nose, so we don't risk. I don’t know when he will recover, I’m not a doctor".

source: https://t.co/vpyB0zSsLM

I know it’s just a cold, but after last season this makes me nervous. I hope he stays healthy so we can continue to enjoy his skating

 

[coldblueeyes]

The thing is, he'll never get completely healthy with what he has. At this point, I believe he can only manage the symptoms, which is why it's better if they can treat them now instead of everything that happened last season.