Sasha Cohen

[chuckm]

I believe that the music choices and choreography have been done by the SOI director and choreographer.

Maybe Sasha isn't totally into her numbers because she is used to being the one to choose the music and have a say about the choreography. But her jump problems are her own.

 

[tarotx]

Sasha picked "Imagine". She had planned to skate to the Gyspy kings as well but that changed once SOI started practicing. The other number was an older number redone because of the live guest at a Disson show.

Sasha was into her numbers at the Columbus date. "Imagine" is a quiet number but it was still beautiful.


Here a few videos of Sasha Preforming last season

Imagine Japan SOI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auRsQ-2xOzI

Anytime Anywhere from SOI Lake Pacid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nokjtEAXhfE

Anytime Anywhere Fashion on Ice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwR8ndiayJw

 

[rtureck]

SOI made two major errors when they promoted Sasha as the star of the tour this past year. First, SOI has always been an ensemble cast and putting one skater "above" the others isn't what that tour is about. Second, Sasha just doesn't have either the personality or talent to carry off a starring role in a cast full of better skaters with more outgoing personalities.

I disagree to a certain degree that Sasha does not have the personality or talent to carry off a lead role. Compare to Kristi (if ever there is a prime example of SOI star), Sasha is more extrovert. Talk about talent and potential, she is supposed to have a ton. IMO Scott miscalculated Sasha's lack of motivation or work ethics. But to a certain degree that is to be expected. When she was a competitive skater, she preferred shopping at Paris to training (and every competitive skater is supposed to put training and the goal of world/olys gold above everything). How on earth do we expect Sasha to put in the pain to train and work at being a good show skater.

 

[demarinis5]

Thank you for posting the links. Sasha is lovely as always..

 

[museksk8r]

I disagree to a certain degree that Sasha does not have the personality or talent to carry off a lead role. Compare to Kristi (if ever there is a prime example of SOI star), Sasha is more extrovert. Talk about talent and potential, she is supposed to have a ton.

Kristi's programs had tons of diversity and set different moods and Kristi did explore parts of her personality that proved how versatile she is capable of being. Who can forget her "Doop Doop" number or her number to "It's Oh So Quiet" by Bjork or her Tango number or her Charlie Brown number? You certainly can't say Kristi is not capable of surprising an audience given this wide range of styles. Kristi certainly isn't a run of the mill performer and I believe she had tons of star quality because you could always depend on her to deliver her best. You could see her love for skating by the amount of work she always put out there on the ice. Kristi maintained her training and competitive shape well into her professional career. She still did 3Lutz, 3flip, 3loop, and 3toe as a pro. Also, she is an Olympic Champion and a 2 time World Champion, so there's no denying she has a star resume. Judging from what I've seen from Sasha and Kristi on and off the ice, I wouldn't say Sasha is more extroverted than Kristi. Just my opinions.

 

[AwesomeIce]

Did she pick her music or was it picked for her??


Did she do her own choreography??

Dee

I don't know and honestly, it doesn't matter. If you are the star of a Broadway show, you obviously don't pick the music or do your own choreography. But you do make the best of what was given to you. But I'd say Sasha had some involvement in picking her numbers, after all, didn't she use "Anytime Anywhere" before? And we know she has a tendency to re-use her own music selections. And I absolutely do not believe that she had NO input on her choreography. But even if she didn't, she really could have sold the programs better than she did.There was no heart, and no joy in her skating.

 

[R.D.]

^ I think there's something in the last sentence. It's the difference between skating from the heart (i.e. because you love it) and skating because you have to (i.e. it's the only way to make a living). The two can overlap, of course, but the point is, if you're having fun out there on the ice, it usually carries over to your audience and they have fun too.

 

[chuckm]

The reality is that Sasha would much rather be a movie star than the SOI headliner. And apparently, it shows.

 

[Particle Man]

From what I have read, Sasha has already signed to headline SOI next season, so that means she will not be returning to competition.

Where have you read this? This is big news if it is true.

 

[vlaurend]

Sasha is in her early 20's and has been doing nothing but competitive skating for practically her whole life. I think she deserves to be a little less intense about it for awhile, and just show off what set her apart: her beautiful lines, flexibility and grace. She is also entitled to spend a little time trying to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life. What were you doing at her age?

 

[AwesomeIce]

Sasha is in her early 20's and has been doing nothing but competitive skating for practically her whole life. I think she deserves to be a little less intense about it for awhile, and just show off what set her apart: her beautiful lines, flexibility and grace. She is also entitled to spend a little time trying to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life. What were you doing at her age?

If she wants to be less intense and find herself or whatever, that's fine. But don't agree to headline a show and then do it half-a$$ed. Thats all I'm saying. Grace and flexibility and beautiful lines are great, but it isn't worth a darn thing to me if I don't believe that the skater is enjoying what s/he is doing, or is only in it for a paycheck, or whatever. She doesn't have to go out and do six-triple performances but there needs to be some intensity, some kind of passion in her performances. Luckily for SOI, I bought my tickets based on the fact that we had Kimmie, and Evan, and Tanith & Ben as guests, as well as having S&Z and D&L as regular cast members, not because Sasha was their star. If the rumor of her having signed on as headliner againfor next year is true, then I hope they have a really outstanding supporting cast because I won't buy tickets solely based on her being the star, because of the way she performed this year. And if they have a good cast next year and I go see the show and Sasha skates well, then great, I'm just not planning on going just to see her skate.

 

[Mathman]

To me, it's not fair to compare Sasha with Kristi Yamaguchi, the greatest professional skater of all time. :yes:

 

[Dee4707]

But don't agree to headline a show and then do it half-a$$ed. Thats all I'm saying.

So do you think Scott made a big mistake??

Grace and flexibility and beautiful lines are great.

So do you think she does have grace and flexibility and beautiful lines??

Dee

 

[dewey]

Kristi certainly isn't a run of the mill performer and I believe she had tons of star quality because you could always depend on her to deliver her best. You could see her love for skating by the amount of work she always put out there on the ice. Kristi maintained her training and competitive shape well into her professional career.

And that is why Kristy is still described as one of the greatest.

 

[AwesomeIce]

So do you think Scott made a big mistake??

So do you think she does have grace and flexibility and beautiful lines??

Dee

I don't know. I'm not necesarily saying he made a mistake. Sasha has, in the past, shown herself to be a great performer. Picking her as a headliner based on performances such as DROMP and Hernando's Hideaway, as well as on her popularity with skating fans, is not a bad idea. I would not say that Scott made a big mistake. I'm just saying that this year, Sasha did not perform the way I would expect a headliner to perform. She was lukewarm when she needed to be on fire.

Have I ever said that she didn't have grace, flexibility, and nice lines?

 

[Fossi]

SOI might not have had a choice. Who else could they get to headline? You know they were probably dying to get Michelle Kwan, but she was injured. Irina's health is always questionable. Kimmie, who blew Sasha away at Worlds, is still competing. They may have just realized that Sasha was the best person at that time. Fresh off the Olympic Silver, although many thought it was a controversial silver, she still had some media attention focusing on her. Maybe Sasha is doing the best she can. Maybe she's not a show skater, as some have been saying, after all.

 

[AwesomeIce]

SOI might not have had a choice. Who else could they get to headline? You know they were probably dying to get Michelle Kwan, but she was injured. Irina's health is always questionable. Kimmie, who blew Sasha away at Worlds, is still competing. They may have just realized that Sasha was the best person at that time. Fresh off the Olympic Silver, although many thought it was a controversial silver, she still had some media attention focusing on her. Maybe Sasha is doing the best she can. Maybe she's not a show skater, as some have been saying, after all.

All in all, Sasha was not a bad choice. She just did not perform up to her potential this year. I think she can be a really great show skater, IF that is what she wants to do. I just think that this year, it looked to me like she was going through the motions and didn't really care about what she was doing. Maybe she likes show-type programs, she just doesn't like how much work it is to have to do show after show after show. I don't know.

 

[R.D.]

The above two posts are my feelings exactly.

 

[heyang]

My decision to see SOI last year was based mostly on S&Z's participation. Even without the language barrier, they reallly threw themselves into it and you could see how much fun they were having the group numbers and the connection that continues between them. Marie-France and Patrice were also highlights for me.

I'm really curious about the line up for next year since COI is no more.

 

[Mathman]

According to a post by NONKO on FSU, Sasha will be heading for Korea for the "Superstars on Ice" show, July 19-20.

Also scheduled to appear are Alexei Yagudin, Evgeni Plushenko (?!), Jeffrey Buttle, Stephane Lambiel, Evan Lysacek, Na-young Kim, Mao Asada, Miki Ando, Belbin & Agosto, Pang & Tong, and some lessor known Korean skaters. Yu-na Kim is training in North America and couldn't make it. (I am not sure if all these stars are actually confirmed or not.)