The Best Choreographer | Golden Skate

The Best Choreographer

Tinymavy15

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
All this talk about coaching changes and new choreographers has made me think. Who do you feel is the best choreographer, either now or in the past... and which program that you have ever seen had the best choreography.

Don't take into account what skater performed it, or how the skater did or anything like that. we are just talking about the choreography itself.

Mine are:

Phillp Mills, "Hands" http://youtube.com/watch?v=cqVXK8xdpV0

Phillip Mills, "God Bless America" http://youtube.com/watch?v=_aHSj1t7DZc

Tatiana Terosova, "Malaguena" http://youtube.com/watch?v=rzJRgvX_9Uo
 
dorispulaski

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Favorites of mine

Christopher Dean

T&D
Oscar Tango
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9Lkjt-_CRY

Missing
as done by Duchesnays (1990 worlds0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRtg7VpawSA
as done by T&D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NJC_D8RLHQ&feature=related

Christopher Dean
Paso Doble OSP (1984 Olympics)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnSacxv2WLM

Shanti Rushpaul
Anissina & Peizerant
Susanna 2002
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v9yE3ZVXsE

Shanti Rushpaul
Samson & Delilah, skated by Handra & Sinek (2002 4CC's)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8q-2PtK-UA

Choreographer:R. Sinitzin, N. Karamyseva,
Mysliveckova & Novak
Lehty & Ieva's Polka (Finnish dance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwagmE0qnZQ
2008 Jr. Worlds
 
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Joesitz (RIP)

Joesitz (RIP)

Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I do not consider front loading jumps as good choreography, but I do consider them point gathering for CoP.
 
E

emma

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
There really are so many great - in terms of choreography - programs over the years. Yet, for me, there is that really blury line between great choreography and great delivery....so that I'm not always clear if it was one or the other (for example, was Kwan's East of Eden brilliant choreographically or in her delivery or both?? I'm not sure, but I love it).

BUT, having said that, I do think that Christopher Dean is quite brilliant. I think David Wilson just has an amazing 'eye' at least when it comes to programs for Buttle; Lambiel has some great programs, and I think Morosov did a great job with Takahashi's programs last year even with the front loading of the sp, and front/back loading of the LP. Also, all the other greats like Tarasova come to mind immediately too....and my head jumps to a number of dance programs that were truly innovative and interesting (like D/S (Bulgarian) African drum thing, the Kerrs last year and so many of D/S (French) programs, and many others too).

However, in recent years, I think the program that most struck me - although not delivered perfectly - was Nichol's Meditation for Shen/Zhao. That program was, imo, absolutely beautiful, with so many nuances and easy looking but hard to do moves/transitions....i could watch it over and over and still see new things in it.
 
NatachaHatawa

NatachaHatawa

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
There's so many great choreographers: Tatiana Tarasova, Lori Nichol, Kurt Browning, Christopher Dean, Tamara moskivina etc

The one who really stands out to me though is Nikolai Morosov. He's got such an ability to find what suites a skater and come up with a program for him/her and bringing out the best in a skater. He's able to do so many different types of programs it's amazing! Here's some of my favourates:

Daisuke Takahashi's "Swan Lake"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAqg2tZ1oUQ
Alexei Yagudin's "Winter" (ok, it was also done with TT)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqvkip9S1VA
Evgeni Plushenko' "The Godfather" - when he interpreted it properly like at the 05 Euros.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kHpmUVqLOU
Brian Joubert's "Matrix"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PXy-qmNnic
 
F

fiercemao

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
emma said:
However, in recent years, I think the program that most struck me - although not delivered perfectly - was Nichol's Meditation for Shen/Zhao. That program was, imo, absolutely beautiful, with so many nuances and easy looking but hard to do moves/transitions....i could watch it over and over and still see new things in it.
Click to expand...

I thought the initial version at 'Cup of China' was the best of this program. Unfortunately, they had to take out a few nuances/transitions and rearrange the sequences of some elements in order to fit into the time restraint.

2006 Cup of China
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOhqwAJtIOo

2007 Worlds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2onmlL194M

According to a recent article, they performed 126 throws in total for the SOI tour concluded two months ago, Xue Shen landed 122 successfully, missed 4 only,which is equivalent to an amazing 97% success rate. S/Z and TT/MM were perhaps the most consistent pair skaters ever. TT&MM might be even slightly better than S&Z in terms of consistency.
 
E

emma

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
that's an amazing stat regarding consistency - wow! I too found their CoC version to be the most intricate and my favorite...
 
A

all that

Final Flight
Joined
May 4, 2007
When Marina Zoueva was chorographing for G&G, and later for Katia as a soloist, I used to think she was the best choreographer.
 
L

london_calling

On the Ice
Joined
Jun 3, 2007
I know Evgeny Platov has choreographed the Kerr's programs but I'm not sure if they had anyone else. Regardless, whoever is doing any of their programs is amazing. They are very creative and exciting to watch.
 
Joesitz (RIP)

Joesitz (RIP)

Joined
Jul 11, 2003
emma said:
There really are so many great - in terms of choreography - programs over the years. Yet, for me, there is that really blury line between great choreography and great delivery....so that I'm not always clear if it was one or the other (for example, was Kwan's East of Eden brilliant choreographically or in her delivery or both?? I'm not sure, but I love it).
Click to expand...
That blurry line has gotten to me too. Friends and I used to discuss who is the best reporter of the news on TV, until a British friend said, that on BBC, they announce the name of the newcaster as reading the news. So it has mostly to do with delivery. I think the skater gets more credit than deserved. It really is team work. Without good choreography, the skater does not necessarily get at your emotions, imo.

Nichol created, imo, one of the most endearing pieces of work with East of Eden, and Michelle skated it perfectly. Not surprising, Nichol has a knack for developing great routines for Lady skaters.

Another blur occurred last Worlds with Buttle who was not having a stellar season until then. Wilson gave him the perfect dance to Ararat and voila, Jeffrey gave his finest performance. Was it Wilson or Buttle? or Both?

I think we should give credit to the choreographers as well as the coaches. Without them, there will be nothing but tricks.
 
N

nippponophile

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 24, 2008
Anything by Kenji Miyamoto is a joy to watch. Two cases in point - Daisuke's 2007 exhibition to "Bachelorette" and his new season SP to "Eye". Both exquisite and captivating.
 
Buttercup

Buttercup

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
nippponophile said:
Anything by Kenji Miyamoto is a joy to watch. Two cases in point - Daisuke's 2007 exhibition to "Bachelorette" and his new season SP to "Eye". Both exquisite and captivating.
Click to expand...
Bachelorette is good - in fact, it's the first program of his I've really enjoyed, so good thing he's going to be working with Miyamoto this season. I haven't had the chance to watch Eye yet.

I've always liked Lu Chen's Last Emperor LP, which Wikipedia says was choreographed by Toller Cranston. It was a lovely program and really suited her.

london_calling, I agree about the Kerrs. I wish the judges would reward their efforts more than they did in recent years; I find them better than several of the couples ranked ahead of them.
 
Mathman

Mathman

Joined
Jun 21, 2003
emma said:
(for example, was Kwan's East of Eden brilliant choreographically or in her delivery or both? I'm not sure, but I love it).
Click to expand...
To me, that was a brilliant example of teamwork. (You mean the East of Eden exhibition program, as performed for instance at the 1998 World Pro, right?).

In that program there were two eye-popping highlights that let you know you were in the presence of great talent. The first was the long spiral sequence, change of edge, switch from forward to backward without putting the other foot down, holding it all the way in to the little curlicue at the center. This is how a spiral should be done (that's why they call it a "spiral" -- it's supposed to spiral in toward the center. :laugh: Unfortunately we will never see a spiral like this under CoP judging -- it takes up too much time for too few points. :cry: )

Lori Nichol deserves credit for displaying this element so prominently in the choreography, but the reason that she could do it is because she had Michelle to execute it. Lori has never choreographed that move for any other skater, before or since, because none other has had the edge control to carry it off.

The other highlight is the split falling leaf to a change-edge spread eagle. Here the move gains its effect because of its placement in the music. It comes right after the bridge (which is rather weak, IMO, in Lee Holdridge's score), just as the music rises to welcome the last triumphant return of the main theme. There is an exact moment when the bombbay window opens, and Michelle drops the bomb cleanly into the gap. :love:

I am tempted to say this is more to the credit of the choreographer, since lots of skaters can do a split jump and a spread eagle. But the timing has to be perfect. Nothing brings down a program so much as when a little bobble or hesitation throws the performance out of sinc with the music, robbing elements of their drama and effectiveness.
 
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