Mao Asada's SP especially Cup of China and Grand Prix Final - magnificent triple axels and triple flip and loop, intricate and picturesque spins transitioning seamlessly into sophisticated jazz dance with silky smooth skating skills.
Mao Asada's LP Madame Butterfly Worlds - moved a mountain of emotions in me, transcendent beauty, every move and gesture done with pristine grace and great depth of artistic expression that builds the character slowly as expectation transforms into heart rending desperation, Opera meets ballet on ice with some dazzling tech elements
Hanyu Ballade- wonderful mix of restraint and abandon that matches the mood of the music with magnificent jump elements
Javiar Fernandez LP Worlds- wonderful mix of moves set to Frank Sinatra tunes with a technically dazzling display
Gabriella Papadikis / Guillaume Cizeron LP - Their unison of movement is soothing, intricate and highly artistic and sets a beautiful ideal in the mind that is frozen in time.
So many beautiful programs so hard to choose...
Top five but not in order:
Papadakis/Cizeron fd (worlds) just too beautiful to watch. Love the dance though I know few things about the technique about ice dancing.
Sui/Han sp (worlds) just proud of them! Wish Sui good luck after the surgery.
Yuzuru lp (NHK) not a Yuzu fan but this is the best men program this season, no doubt.
Wagner sp and lp (GPF) one of the most beautiful ladies! So glad she finally got a medal at worlds.
Mao sp (COC) Lovely music especially the second part. Don't like the costume though.
other great programs: Javiar's sp suits him! Satoko's sp lovely. Weaver/Poje fd love the music! Shibs fd good song, love the twizzle part! Alaine's sp pina Yulia's sp at Russia National: oh my girl...I almost cry at when I watched that...
Skaters from Asia really stole the show this year for me. It was so hard to choose only 5 though, and leave out Medvedeva, Hongo, the Shibutanis etc...
1. Yuzuru's LP at NHK and GPF, also his SP at NHK.
2. Evgenia's LP overall.
3. P/C FD in European and worlds.
4. W/P FD in Skate Canada.
5. Ashley's LP in Skate Canada.
As someone mentioned before it's hard to choose only 5, not mentioning Rika Hongo's LP, Patrick's LP in 4CC and Shibutanis.
1. Yuzuru Hanyu--LP, Seimei-NHK & GPF
2. Yuzuru Hanyu--SP, Chopin-Worlds
3. Alex and Maia Shibutani--FD, Fix You-Nationals & Worlds
4. Shoma Uno--SP, Legends-TEB still my favorite
5. Mao Asada--LP, Madame Butterfly-Worlds
6. Boyang Jin--SP at NHK (Thank you, Mrs P!), and wistful mention for what Dragon Racing might have been
1.Evgenia's LP from, Well, everywhere. I just loved her and was so happy to see the audience here in the US give her that huge and well deserved Standing Ovation.
2. Gracie's LP from Nationals.
3. Patrick's LP from 4CC
4. Ashley's LP from Worlds
5. It's a tie between The Shibs LP from Nationals and The French Team at Worlds.
It's really hard to decide. Everything in no particular order My fav programmes
Yuzu FS
Duhamel/Radford - both
Stolbova/Klimov - both
Gilles/Poirier SP
Weaver/Poje SP
Javi FS
My fav performances
Yuzu FS NHK
Duhamel/Radford - both - Worlds
Mikhail Kolyada SP Worlds
Stolbova/Klimov - both - GPF
Rika Hongo FS Worlds
Patrick Chan FS TCC
Javi FS Worlds
Ashley SP Worlds
and for the fun of it My fav exhibition performances
Adian Pitkeev CoR
Cappellini/Lanotte
Bobrova/Soloviev
Super Javi GPF
Yuzu
You mentioned all the other great numbers. It's been a terrific season. Thanks to all the skaters/coaches/choreographers and the GS members who make it extra special and worthwhile being a skating fan!
1. Gracie Gold Us Nationals Long Program. I was nervous for her after Polina's skate and her short, I was sitting there amazed when she won with a perfect program. I hope she finds consistency soon!
2. Shibutani's free dance US Nationals. I have loved the Shibutani's for years, it was amazing to see them shine brightest at an event many believed they wouldn't win and then a worlds silver medal!
3. Ashely Wagner worlds long program. She is a diamond, I wanted her to win worlds last year and I kinda lost hope for her after she fell there and then again at the grad prix final. After Gracie's fall (which wasn't the trainwrek everyone seems to think it is) I wasn't sure Ashley could pull it out but she did and it was marvelous.
4. Nathan Chen's 4 quad skate at the US nationals. I wish Nathan the best for the future, his injury was unfortunate. He may come to dominate the US field in the future.
5. Mao Asada worlds long program. I will never understand how her PCS scores are not ahead of the rest of the fields. She is the most magnificent skater when she is on, she should have surpassed Ashely and Medvedeva in PCS.
Honorable mention, Evgenia Medvedeva's long program. I didn't care for it and it's constant tano arms but she consistently kept it together, the girl has it. I also thought she was overscored at worlds, she won to me but she didn't break the record. Let's see where she is next season.
Another honorable mention is Yulia Lipinyskaya who is one of my favortie skaters, her TEB short program was a bright moment for her. I dream she comes back next season to domiante the Russian fields.
1- Papadakis/Cizeron SD World, LP Euros and World
2- Hubbell/Donohue LP World
3- Bobrova/Soloviev LP Euros
4- Javier Fernandez LP World
5- Giada Russo Red violin LP Euros
Honorable Mentions: Savchenko/Massot LP World, Han/Sui SP World, Gilles/Poirier LP World, Yuzuru SP World & LP NHK, Coomes/Buckland LP World
I have probably watched Grant's Les Mis at least 30 times since Worlds. The step sequence part where we were all going berserk just brings me to tears! So fun to share in his moment!
So difficult to pick just five (and in no particular order):
1) Hanyu’s SP at Worlds – just amazing jumps and improved artistry in year 2 with the Chopin program. The audience at Worlds was just enchanted.
2) Mirai’s FS at 4CCs – never really loved the music cuts from the GG, but she had such a great technical skate and looked like she was having fun. Her first international medal in ages! Bonus points for her beautiful costume and headband.
3) Ashley's SP at TCC – she’s a World Silver Medalist® and sold the heck out of that program complete with clean jumping passes. Bonus points for clapping during her spin and the magical Marissa Castelli dress!
4) Shibs' FD at Nationals – I loved every performance of “Fix You” from Skate Canada onwards, but Nationals was the best, IMO when they finally became national champions.
5) Javi FS at Worlds – just wow with the three quads and entertaining from beginning to end. I’ll never forget the crowd standing before he finished!