Midori Ito @ 11 yrs old - as good as today's Baby Ballerinas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDvM8...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDvM8...eature=related
Midori Ito @ 11 yrs old - as good as today's Baby Ballerinas.
- Thread starter Coach
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ETA: Here's the correct link to Ito's 1981 Junior Worlds FS that you originally posted in the "Old School Figures" thread in the Lutz Corner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDvM8Aynm6c
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she was so tiny! I have to say that her spins and flexibility were nowhere near some girls of the same age that are skating now. and she needed to stretch her free-leg out more entering the jumps. the jumps themselves though, and the speed are stunning.
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Midori Ito was known for her great jumping ability. Her jumps were powerful. In fact, Kurt Browning used to say "Midori could compete with the men." She was often criticized for her lack of aritstry, but made up for that in her wonderful jumping technique. Who could forget her famous leap off the ice and almost taking out the camera man and then her quick recovery?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG1B7SH-RbY&feature=related
Midori really was an amazing skater.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG1B7SH-RbY&feature=related
Midori really was an amazing skater.
To be fair in 1980 - other than Biellmann, there weren't many skaters out there who could spin as well as Midori. The catchfoot Y spin was quite novel for the time and her scratch is terrific. Midori would have made a truly great CoP skater. Her transitions were terrific, she had very difficult step sequences and all her programs were full of steps and MITF.
But to even compare her to the so-called baby ballerina's is just wrong. Midori was the exact antithesis of this. Her magic came from speed, power, bags of personality plus a megawatt smile that simply carried along the audience for one helluav ride when she skated.
I totally love her and wish she was skating today. She added so much to this sport and IMO is seriously underrated by many as a skater. She was nothing short of a genius.
To be fair in 1980 - other than Biellmann, there weren't many skaters out there who could spin as well as Midori. The catchfoot Y spin was quite novel for the time and her scratch is terrific. Midori would have made a truly great CoP skater. Her transitions were terrific, she had very difficult step sequences and all her programs were full of steps and MITF.
But to even compare her to the so-called baby ballerina's is just wrong. Midori was the exact antithesis of this. Her magic came from speed, power, bags of personality plus a megawatt smile that simply carried along the audience for one helluav ride when she skated.
I totally love her and wish she was skating today. She added so much to this sport and IMO is seriously underrated by many as a skater. She was nothing short of a genius.
ITA. As a kid, I always rooted for Kristi Yamaguchi over her, but Midori Ito is greatness personified!
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Midori was a total charmer at 1984 Worlds where I first saw her.
Here's her SP. She was 14. Check out the height of the triple loop as the second jup of her combination. WOW
Here's Midori doing a triple axel triple toe in warmup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-wCqJmwQRA
Here's her SP. She was 14. Check out the height of the triple loop as the second jup of her combination. WOW
Here's Midori doing a triple axel triple toe in warmup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-wCqJmwQRA
To be fair in 1980 - other than Biellmann, there weren't many skaters out there who could spin as well as Midori. The catchfoot Y spin was quite novel for the time and her scratch is terrific. Midori would have made a truly great CoP skater. Her transitions were terrific, she had very difficult step sequences and all her programs were full of steps and MITF.
But to even compare her to the so-called baby ballerina's is just wrong. Midori was the exact antithesis of this. Her magic came from speed, power, bags of personality plus a megawatt smile that simply carried along the audience for one helluav ride when she skated.
I totally love her and wish she was skating today. She added so much to this sport and IMO is seriously underrated by many as a skater. She was nothing short of a genius.
Was she like the current Joubert? His performances are very energetic and exciting and his jumps are very powerful and have "wow" factors.
I think her spins very strong. Her layback has a nice position. Her spins remind me of Miki's in that both have nice power to center the spin.
Here's some more early Midori I just uploaded to youtube. I don't think a lot of it has been seen before. She's between 11 and 12 in these clips.
1981 - Worlds first triple triple combo
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=z7a1tCxqch0
1981 Japan Free Championships SP & LP (LP Partial)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3uE8ATXa0ck
1981 Documentary and interview about Midori landing triple lutz
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LtmzXZ_p0fk
1981 - Worlds first triple triple combo
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=z7a1tCxqch0
1981 Japan Free Championships SP & LP (LP Partial)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3uE8ATXa0ck
1981 Documentary and interview about Midori landing triple lutz
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=LtmzXZ_p0fk
I was just watching her yesterday on Youtube (a godsend) and couldn't get over how much I miss her.
Her biggest mistake was trying to be graceful. (91-92 season). She was raw power and energy personified. Music should have been compose to suit her speed and power. Skating to Rach brought down her performance level.
Her biggest mistake was trying to be graceful. (91-92 season). She was raw power and energy personified. Music should have been compose to suit her speed and power. Skating to Rach brought down her performance level.
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Ito was such fun to watch! Now, I'm not saying Yukari is another Midori, but Midori's leg wrap seems such a non-issue, and I wonder why such a big deal is made of Nakano's? I guess Midori did minimize it over the years, but still...
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What a joy to watch. She has an artlessness and grace that are above art - it's the effortlessness of the angels. I adore her shy smile and courteous nods (in later vids, not these). Personally I like 11- and 12-year-olds to look their age, and not pretend to be "artistes" or little Jon Benet Ramsays.
I too think her spins are great. She doesn't twist like a pretzel, but she has great speed and revolutions.
Midori Ito - truly one of the greatest.
I too think her spins are great. She doesn't twist like a pretzel, but she has great speed and revolutions.
Midori Ito - truly one of the greatest.
Midori had her crossed leg turned out at the hip when she jumped which meant she could manipulate the wrap depending on what kind of height she got. She was incredibly aware in the air and if you study her jumps closely you can see that she can minimise the wrap at will when she needs faster rotation. See her triple lutz at the beginning of the 1989 Worlds LP. Not as high as it usually was so she closed her legs a little more.
I always thought it gave her jumps an added aura of height and suspension, plus quite slow rotation which always drew gasps. Nakano wraps with her legs in the same position on lutz, flip and - when she does it - loop. The position never alters.
I always thought it gave her jumps an added aura of height and suspension, plus quite slow rotation which always drew gasps. Nakano wraps with her legs in the same position on lutz, flip and - when she does it - loop. The position never alters.
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