There's always one or two who'll skate to a tired piece of music each season, but every now and again a skater/s can pull out a gem of a program that makes the piece fresher than ever. I'm curious to know which skater or skaters have skated THE iconic warhorse program?
I'll start with Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2- While Lu Chen's skating to the second movement was beautiful, and Sasha's sprightly iteration was one of her better career choices, for me Mao Asada will forever hold that piece as her own. Not just because of the context at the 2014 Olympic Games, hell even between her and Cohen's Tarasova choreography, Asada's comes out more balanced, artistic and fluid.
Malaguena- Javi? I mean.
Carmen- For the pre-IJS generation, of course it'll have to be Witt. But IJS and post? So many to choose from. Nagasu in 2010, that sexy and visceral Virtue/Moir program in 2013, even the ill-fated Samantha Cesario's freeskate in 2014/15. And that one from Max Aaron I have to go with V/M personally. It was just so different for them, and I quite liked the arrangement.
Scheherazade: Kwan, Kim, the xylophonic gem from Asada's slump year, that sham of a program from Kostner Davis/White, Evan Lysacek (again )- I'll have to go with Davis and White here. Their Nationals freeskate in 2014 was pretty spectacular. Awesome cuts of music. And maybe because it was a romantic balletic piece- it worked better with a pair. I mean, it's a love story. Much as Scheherazade is supposed to be alluring and sensual- she wasn't doing it for herself.
Swan Lake- THE MOTHERLODE. Galindo, Takahashi, Baiul, Asada, Cohen, Ilinykh/Katsalapov, Wagner's breakout program- who gets the crown? I can't even decide on this one. I like sections of each skater's program but I can't choose THE comprehensive winner.
These are just to start- I mean there's quite a few warhorses. Sleeping Beauty, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, Samson et Dalile, Schindler's List, Les Mis, Turandot, Tosca, La Strada....the list goes on.
Let's read your list!
I'll start with Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2- While Lu Chen's skating to the second movement was beautiful, and Sasha's sprightly iteration was one of her better career choices, for me Mao Asada will forever hold that piece as her own. Not just because of the context at the 2014 Olympic Games, hell even between her and Cohen's Tarasova choreography, Asada's comes out more balanced, artistic and fluid.
Malaguena- Javi? I mean.
Carmen- For the pre-IJS generation, of course it'll have to be Witt. But IJS and post? So many to choose from. Nagasu in 2010, that sexy and visceral Virtue/Moir program in 2013, even the ill-fated Samantha Cesario's freeskate in 2014/15. And that one from Max Aaron I have to go with V/M personally. It was just so different for them, and I quite liked the arrangement.
Scheherazade: Kwan, Kim, the xylophonic gem from Asada's slump year, that sham of a program from Kostner Davis/White, Evan Lysacek (again )- I'll have to go with Davis and White here. Their Nationals freeskate in 2014 was pretty spectacular. Awesome cuts of music. And maybe because it was a romantic balletic piece- it worked better with a pair. I mean, it's a love story. Much as Scheherazade is supposed to be alluring and sensual- she wasn't doing it for herself.
Swan Lake- THE MOTHERLODE. Galindo, Takahashi, Baiul, Asada, Cohen, Ilinykh/Katsalapov, Wagner's breakout program- who gets the crown? I can't even decide on this one. I like sections of each skater's program but I can't choose THE comprehensive winner.
These are just to start- I mean there's quite a few warhorses. Sleeping Beauty, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, Samson et Dalile, Schindler's List, Les Mis, Turandot, Tosca, La Strada....the list goes on.
Let's read your list!