Nagasu to skate to Miss Saigon

[VIETgrlTerifa]

I will say this about Madame Butterfly in its defense, we all acknowledged that the music is beautiful, it also inspired my favorite Weezer album Pinkerton and one of my favorite Weezer songs "Butterfly".

 

[Tavi...]

I will say this about Madame Butterfly in its defense, we all acknowledged that the music is beautiful, it also inspired my favorite Weezer album Pinkerton and one of my favorite Weezer songs "Butterfly".

It was my favorite role to sing.

 

[Ender]

At this rate, we might never have new music for competitions.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

At this rate, we might never have new music for competitions.

"New" music?

 

[apons575]

Tom Zakrajsek annoys me SO much as a coach. You KNOW he had an influence on this choice. He's gone on the record in many interviews saying that skaters need to skate to "iconic" music, that people know.....WRONG. WRONG. WRONG!!!!! Skate to music that FITS the skater!! Miss Saigon is ok.......but C'MON!!! It's the Olympic year, do something OUT THERE!!!

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Tom Zakrajsek annoys me SO much as a coach. You KNOW he had an influence on this choice. He's gone on the record in many interviews saying that skaters need to skate to "iconic" music, that people know.....WRONG. WRONG. WRONG!!!!! Skate to music that FITS the skater!! Miss Saigon is ok.......but C'MON!!! It's the Olympic year, do something OUT THERE!!!

I think the choice of music is open to criticism for the reasons stated in the thread, but I don't necessarily agree that Miss Saigon is too well known that it should be avoided for that reason. Looking past the story behind the piece, I'd say the music is very well suited for a figure skating program.

 

[fallingsk8er]

I think the choice of music is open to criticism for the reasons stated in the thread, but I don't necessarily agree that Miss Saigon is too well known that it should be avoided for that reason. Looking past the story behind the piece, I'd say the music is very well suited for a figure skating program.

Agreed. The music is beautiful and Mirai is a talented skater. I can't wait to see what she does with it.

 

[slider11]

It all depends on how Mirai feels about it. If it's another piece to which she primarily concentrates on jumps and other technical aspects of her skating, then it will be disappointing. But, for whatever reason, if the music moves her and she can show that in her performance, it should be fine. I never quite embraced the Gatsby medley 2 years ago and last year's "The Winner Takes It All" had some moments but never memorable for me. I need to feel Mirai feel the music.

 

[IndependentObserver]

Curious to see what cuts Mirai will use. The musical has some great and powerful songs, other than the ones used in programs we've seen so far. Bui Doi is slow and emotionally powerful. The Heat is on in Saigon is fun and upbeat. Sun and Moon another beautiful ballad. I'm guessing it'll more likely be the standard music cuts we've seen previously.

 

[brightphoton]

Curious to see what cuts Mirai will use. The musical has some great and powerful songs, other than the ones used in programs we've seen so far. Bui Doi is slow and emotionally powerful. The Heat is on in Saigon is fun and upbeat. Sun and Moon another beautiful ballad. I'm guessing it'll more likely be the standard music cuts we've seen previously.

Mirai has said that she likes Sun and Moon.

Interesting that Miss Saigon was not Mirai's first choice. Max Aaron chose the song she wanted, and he got first dibs. Seems strange to me why Mirai didn't get first dibs. Ladies first and all.

I'm going to copy paste from my other post.

Jeff Buttle chose Miss Saigon and Mirai said she likes Sun and Moon. When asked if she chose the cuts, she says, no, she is hands off, Jeffery Buttle chooses all the cuts. She has not seen the show, Miss Saigon, but she heard it is like Madame Butterfly.

Her version is completely instrumental. No lyrics, she doesn't want a showgirl program. She used to do a lot of ballet and instrumental songs, so she wants to go back to her roots and show her (ballet) lines.

 

[geige]

And there you have it, folks. Mirai wasn't trying to undermine Asian women everywhere by perpetuating the "weak, foolish Oriental girl" stereotype, she just simply didn't claim her music fast enough. Go figure.

 

[ice coverage]

Mirai has said that she likes Sun and Moon.

Interesting that Miss Saigon was not Mirai's first choice. Max Aaron chose the song she wanted, and he got first dibs. Seems strange to me why Mirai didn't get first dibs. Ladies first and all.

I'm going to copy paste from my other post. ....

And as a huge fan of both Mirai and Max, I in turn will copy and paste my response to your other post.

For anyone who has not watched/listened to the video with their own eyes/ears:

Mirai told Ted that when Max chose the music, he did not know that she wanted it too. Per Mirai's own words, Max had "first dibs" on it.
Mirai said all of this with a smile on her face, with a cheerful tone, and with a friendly nod (literal nod) toward Max.

There was no implication whatsoever from Mirai that it is unfair for Max to use the music. And no implication whatsoever that he believes that he as a male is entitled to priority over her as a female.​

 

[Skater Boy]

Despite perhaps issues about the intended story and race et al the thing about Miss Saigon it is powerful, recognizable music which will help create interest and emotion. What Mirai does with it artistically and technically is up to her. Up to a point it is important to skate clean and consistently and free with power. If people look at Evgenia there has been tonnes of complaints about her programs but as she skates them cleanly and at least does try to emote it comes off as artistically viable. Mirai has a great vehicle it is up to her. I remember her Carmen from 2010. It really was performed well but artistically her Miss America smile had so little to most interpretations or versions of Carmen but it didnt' have a huge impact because she skated it well. The fact that she may not have understood the story or character of Carmen did not play such a huge role because she skated technically so well. Oh as for Max skating to the music she chose I don't see why she couldn't have used it too. He doesn't own the music and they skate in different categories and likely one of them will not make the olympics and or worlds.

 

[karne]

Oh as for Max skating to the music she chose I don't see why she couldn't have used it too. He doesn't own the music and they skate in different categories and likely one of them will not make the olympics and or worlds.

Nothing - absolutely nothing - in Mirai's interview suggested at all that Max thought he owned the music or that he stopped her from using it. It may well be that she felt uncomfortable skating to the same music as Max, or perhaps Z was the one who precluded it. Either way, Mirai made it very clear that Max didn't know she planned it, and that he "got there first" (which I assume means he started working on it first).

 

[Arriba627]

Mirai seemed very enthusiastic about Miss Saigon and about working with Jeffrey again. I think Sun and Moon will be great for her. Didn't get any sense of animosity at all about not skating to her first choice of music (whatever it was! Dang! She should have said! :luv17

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

And there you have it, folks. Mirai wasn't trying to undermine Asian women everywhere by perpetuating the "weak, foolish Oriental girl" stereotype, she just simply didn't claim her music fast enough. Go figure.

To be clear, nobody said Mirai herself intended to undermine Asian women (nor did we say any Asian actress who plays the role of "Kim"). People mostly just spoke about issues that they have with the material, but some of us also said we understood why people would star in Miss Saigon or use the music anyway. It was just people's thoughts about Miss Saigon as a work and why choreographers may choose it for skaters. People just got quickly defensive and started responding to arguments that were not made because the discussion triggered some sort of "anti-PC" thoughts that people already had and made the same typical arguments that we're all used to seeing when they get defensive.

 

[jenaj]

And as a huge fan of both Mirai and Max, I in turn will copy and paste my response to your other post.

For anyone who has not watched/listened to the video with their own eyes/ears:

Mirai told Ted that when Max chose the music, he did not know that she wanted it too. Per Mirai's own words, Max had "first dibs" on it.
Mirai said all of this with a smile on her face, with a cheerful tone, and with a friendly nod (literal nod) toward Max.

There was no implication whatsoever from Mirai that it is unfair for Max to use the music. And no implication whatsoever that he believes that he as a male is entitled to priority over her as a female.​

Has Max announced his music yet? I'm sure if Mirai was dead set on the music he is using, she could have used it, too. After all, it's not like they are competing against each other. I'm happy she is using Miss Saigon, which I think is really kind of perfect for her.

 

[brightphoton]

Has Max announced his music yet? I'm sure if Mirai was dead set on the music he is using, she could have used it, too. After all, it's not like they are competing against each other. I'm happy she is using Miss Saigon, which I think is really kind of perfect for her.

We'll have to see what Max has chosen. He hasn't announced his music yet.

seems disappointing for Mirai to go from her first choice music choice to Miss Saigon which

• she listened to Sun and Moon and said she liked it
• but Jeff Buttle isn't giving her any say in the musical cuts anyway, so what does it matter if she likes Sun and Moon
• or maybe Mirai doesn't want to be involved in the music cuts
• she hasn't even seen Miss Saigon yet nor does she know the synopsis beyond "I heard it's like Madame Butterfly"

I get the feeling she would have been much more involved if she had her first choice song. She'd probably know more about the song itself, its history, she might even be able to give Jeff suggestions for which cuts she wanted, or how she wanted to interpret it and express her program.

Then again, since Mirai's time with Tom Z, she's regressed to ignoring choreography and concentrating on jumps to get points. Even Max Aaron is not good at artistic interpretation. So maybe this is moot.


Also, three white males influencing an Asian woman to not do a thing that she likes and wants to do, and then she skates to Miss Saigon? Not a good look for Tom Z, Jeff B, and Max A.

 

[bevybean]

Also, three white males influencing an Asian woman to not do a thing that she likes and wants to do, and then she skates to Miss Saigon? Not a good look for Tom Z, Jeff B, and Max A.

To be fair, Max had nothing to do with Marai choosing Miss Saigon. There is tons of other music that could have been chosen once Marai decided not to skate to the same music as Max.

 

[karne]

Also, three white males influencing an Asian woman to not do a thing that she likes and wants to do, and then she skates to Miss Saigon? Not a good look for Tom Z, Jeff B, and Max A.

My only reply to this post won't make it past the swear filter.