Johnny Weir Journal - July '08 | Golden Skate

Johnny Weir Journal - July '08

jennylovskt

Medalist
Joined
Oct 20, 2006
Nina Petrenko's work vs. TAT's work this season?:no: How will Johnny and Evan play out? I have no idea. It seems that Johnny stepped down a little and Evan stepped up. Of course, with Galina being Johnny's coach, I didn't expect to see Johnny works with Tatiana. We have to wait and see.

Good to know that Johnny sees positively about Lambiel training with him. It might turn out to be the best thing for both of them because they can push each other to be better.

Wonder who will be Lambiel's choreographer? I hope it's not someone in the same camp.
 
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KayMil01

On the Ice
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Happy to hear Johnny's speaking positively about Stephane training with him...very nice things to say about him as well:p good to hear.

I hope Stephane continues to work with his long-time choreographer Salome Brunner. Back during Worlds, Stephane said he was planning to work with Antonio Najarro again too (he (along with Salome brunner) choreographed Stephane's short, and Flamenco program this past season. Antonio Najarro did a wonderful job on those programs and I hope he'll be working with him again, if he hasn't already. There's been no word as of yet if Stephane has started work on his new programs.
 

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Country
United-States
As always, Johnny's journals are filled with news and funnies like:

I was feeling very full of myself and the next day (my birthday) I ran, arms flailing, into the sea only to spot a six inch long black fish and run screaming from the surf.
:laugh: :laugh:

Dee
 

Buttercup

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
I think Johnny would do well as a writer or in the media. He's smart, articulate, funny, and seems to have a lot of diverse interests that would really contribute to a successful career in those fields - as a viewer or reader, I much prefer people who can speak/write about a variety of subjects. I hope he considers it after retirement (not too soon, of course!).
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
thanks for posting, once again an interesting read.

Glad to hear that he is eating again and that he is not being a ***** about Stephane moving in.

I am not sure that Nina Petrenko was the best choice for him. He exhibition program IMHO is not very good.
 

annlfs

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
as always a fun read, yeah i'm not so shure about nina petrenko neither, but i TRUST Johnny; he woudn't do it if he didn't feel she could help him in some way, so i'm very excited to see him next season.

he's so funny.... that part about him in the ocean, i can just picture it :)
i'm curious to see what his lp music will be, his short is by saint preux "i did a little research and that music has Johnny writen all over it-soft, piano,angelic,classic,JOHNNY!!
 

emma

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Great journal entry! I'm not at ALL JEALOUS about his vacation spot....:chorus::chorus:

I was thrilled to read he is doing a new strength work out and eating - just what I wanted to hear!!!! I can't wait to see how he skates this year.
 

dancingqueen

On the Ice
Joined
May 17, 2008
It was very fun and interesting to read his journal as usual.
His journal never bored me.

Ha ha… The black fish in the sea part cracked me up, too. It’s only 6 inches fish ! Of course there are fishes in a sea, besides it’s near the jungle. LOL, :laugh: so cute !
He is too funny !! But why he chose to go there ?
Love his sense of humor. I guess the fish might have been teasing him when the fish saw him in the sea. :laugh: .

It’s nice to hear about his feeling about the issue of Lambiel’s coaching change and taking it only positive way. Hopefully all will go well for both of them.

As for Nina’s choreography, I love his Ave Maria EX number, it touched my heart deeply. And in Nationals EX and etc.. he got standing ovation for that number, ( with his great performances ) so I think it was successful.

But right now I don’t even know his music for next season, so I can not say and don’t judge by only the choreographer. In the past , he was usually putting his idea for his choreography in his programs, and not only depending to his choreographer ( including Tarasova ) , and I always loved watching his expression and sensitive movements and beautiful polished line. Hopefully Judges will love his new programs.

I look forward to seeing his new programs.
 

layman

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
as always a fun read, yeah i'm not so shure about nina petrenko neither, but i TRUST Johnny; he woudn't do it if he didn't feel she could help him in some way, so i'm very excited to see him next season.

he's so funny.... that part about him in the ocean, i can just picture it :)
i'm curious to see what his lp music will be, his short is by saint preux "i did a little research and that music has Johnny writen all over it-soft, piano,angelic,classic,JOHNNY!!

I don't care for the music. It sounds like generic muzak.

Sample here:

http://www.saint-preux.fr/en/disco.html

If Johnny wants a soft piece or a piano piece or piece from a French composer, why not a classic from Debussy...something with more power, depth and meaning than a generic piece of forgettable muzak. I would love to see Johnny perform to "Afternoon of the Faun," or "Engloutie Cathedral."

If Johnny wants to skate to Russian music, why not the piano version of Mussourgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition," or a Scriabin piano sonata. I just dont want to see Johnny skate to another piece of generic muzak.
 

Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
something with more power, depth and meaning than a generic piece of forgettable muzak.

That may be a bit harsh on Saint Preux. He is no Debussy, but I actually like his music. He is an acclaimed composer (I know - just because he is acclaimed doesn't mean that he is good...) of contemporary classical music, with several prices and cooperations with prestigious orchestras. Some of his compositions venture a bit into the generic pseudo-classical-music - but apart from that he sure knows what he is doing and his orchestrations are really good (we studied some of them in theory of music at music school). My favourites

http://www.saint-preux.fr/en/disco_opera.html
- the first one, called "Sur les ailes du temps"

http://www.saint-preux.fr/en/disco_pologne.html
- "Symphonie pour la Pologne"
 

Eddie Lee

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
I don't care for the music. It sounds like generic muzak.

Sample here:

http://www.saint-preux.fr/en/disco.html

If Johnny wants a soft piece or a piano piece or piece from a French composer, why not a classic from Debussy...something with more power, depth and meaning than a generic piece of forgettable muzak. I would love to see Johnny perform to "Afternoon of the Faun," or "Engloutie Cathedral."

If Johnny wants to skate to Russian music, why not the piano version of Mussourgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition," or a Scriabin piano sonata. I just dont want to see Johnny skate to another piece of generic muzak.

Johnny's taste in music is questionable. "Love is War" was a bit on the trashy side--a bit of quasi-dramatic drivel, it was. But it worked for him!?! I love Stravinsky's Firebird as a possibility. It is really wonderful, dramatic music and I believe Johnny could relate to it. It didn't work the best for Kurt Browning (in competition) or Micki Ando, and several others. But it's Russian--and couldn't Tarasova work wonders with it! (Evan, perhaps?)
 

tilak

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Thanks Layman for posting the link to Saint-Preux music. I am a huge fan of Johnny and I have to agree with you. IMO but I didn't care for anything I heard - at all. :no: Still, I am hoping that whatever Johnny choses, it somehow works for him.
 

Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Johnny's taste in music is questionable. "Love is War" was a bit on the trashy side--a bit of quasi-dramatic drivel, it was. But it worked for him!?! I love Stravinsky's Firebird as a possibility. It is really wonderful, dramatic music and I believe Johnny could relate to it. It didn't work the best for Kurt Browning (in competition) or Micki Ando, and several others. But it's Russian--and couldn't Tarasova work wonders with it! (Evan, perhaps?)

I love Firebird, and you are right, we have never seen a really great (Browning wasn't bad...) / successful (in terms of results) interpretation of it. But I always thought that both Firebird and Sacre du printemps would suit Lambiel exceptionally well. I have no doubt that Lysacek could rearrange his flail-choreography from Carmen (and his other programs) and skate to Firebird - but wouldn't that insult Stravinsky and Fokine? Tarasova may be able to give him some new moves - but I doubt that you can give someone the understanding/feeling of this fantastic music, especially if this someone is/was proud of the fact that he is so ignorant to classical music that he never had heard of Carmen before he skated to it.

I am also not sure that Johnny could carry the dramatic depth of the music (well, he sticks to the lyrical stuff - so we just don't know). Buttle could probably do it better than Johnny. But my favourite for this music is Lambiel, he could be wonderful with it.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Thanks for the music links.

"Sur les ailes du temps" is pretty nice, but the other one sounds pretty bad.

The firebird is an amazing composition, and I love it for skaters, but I think Johnny's bird days are behind him. I cannot picture him doing the firebird well.
Stephane could do it. he can do anything.
 

Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
I ... don't think so ...:no: I can't picture Stephane doing "Swan" and " Otonal " . more beautiful than Johnny did ... IMO ;)

Perhaps he would do it in a different way, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't be able to do it just as beautiful and impressive as Johnny. Both pieces are open to different interpretations. My opinion is that Stéphane and Johnny are both very artistic skaters - in a very different way. Johnny is more of an impressionist, where Stéphane seems to be more of an expressionist. If you ask J.M.W. Turner and Henri Matisse to paint a certain identical scene - the result will be totally different, but it would be impossible to say which picture is more "beautiful" - both would possibly be very impressive in their own right.

I happen to think that Stéphane would make a great swan.
 

dancingqueen

On the Ice
Joined
May 17, 2008
Perhaps he would do it in a different way, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't be able to do it just as beautiful and impressive as Johnny. Both pieces are open to different interpretations. My opinion is that Stéphane and Johnny are both very artistic skaters - in a very different way. Johnny is more of an impressionist, where Stéphane seems to be more of an expressionist. If you ask J.M.W. Turner and Henri Matisse to paint a certain identical scene - the result will be totally different, but it would be impossible to say which picture is more "beautiful" - both would possibly be very impressive in their own right.

I happen to think that Stéphane would make a great swan.

That was actually my point of the post. But my impression of the poster sounded like Stephane can do anything unlike Johnny, so I was writing that way.

I agree they are both great artists in different way. Both are very creative.

But my image of Stephane is more fit with music which has speed and power. Johnny also has music that really fit him and he can truly feel with. Because of the personalities ? So I can not picture Stephane doing swan even in a different way unless arranging the music to something up beat . I think Johnny is also very expressive, but not outgoing to audience like Stephane. I like Stephane's artisty but to me, Johnny's subtle performance actually deleted all the other out going performances from my mind.

It’s just a matter of one’s taste. :)
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
That was actually my point of the post. But my impression of the poster sounded like Stephane can do anything unlike Johnny, so I was writing that way.

I agree they are both great artists in different way. Both are very creative.

But my image of Stephane is more fit with music which has speed and power. Johnny also has music that really fit him and he can truly feel with. Because of the personalities ? So I can not picture Stephane doing swan even in a different way unless arranging the music to something up beat . I think Johnny is also very expressive, but not outgoing to audience like Stephane. I like Stephane's artisty but to me, Johnny's subtle performance actually deleted all the other out going performances from my mind.

It’s just a matter of one’s taste. :)
I totally agree with you. They both are superb figure skaters, both very musical, and both with different styles. I think that's why if one does not get on the fanatical bandwagon of one over the other, both of them can be enjoyed even in competition.

The difference I see in the styles is that Johnny's programs, both comps and exhs, are so choreographed, it does not allow much of himself to come through. I have not seen a complete program of Johnny being one with the music since Otonal, although I know he is quite capable. He seems to be concentrating on clean performances which he does very well. He's very lyrical, and he's young enough to be on the Olys podium.

Stephane, on the other hand, has very strong nuances that go beyond the choreography. I am always amazed how he moves to the rhythms of any music, and with body language.To me, he is a Master Skater encomposing both lyrical and bravura styles. I believe he is even younger than Johnny but I also feel that he has passed his prime, technically. Those knee surgeries are never totally successful.

I'm looking forward to the 2009 Worlds to see how these two are coming along.
 

dancingqueen

On the Ice
Joined
May 17, 2008
I have not seen a complete program of Johnny being one with the music since Otonal, although I know he is quite capable. He seems to be concentrating on clean performances which he does very well. He's very lyrical, and he's young enough to be on the Olys podium.

Stephane, on the other hand, has very strong nuances that go beyond the choreography. I am always amazed how he moves to the rhythms of any music, and with body language.To me, he is a Master Skater encomposing both lyrical and bravura styles. I believe he is even younger than Johnny but I also feel that he has passed his prime, technically. Those knee surgeries are never totally successful.

I'm looking forward to the 2009 Worlds to see how these two are coming along.

I basically agree with you too. Sorry you haven’t seen Johnny being one with the music since Otonal. But I did. His Maxim Mrvika -hana wonderland in US Nationals 2006 was one of my favorite. It was a ghost story. It was like a ghost came into his body and moving around on ice and was expressing his/her feeling. Judges and many people didn’t like the music and the program. But I loved it. His " Child of Nazareth " program in Skate Canada 2006 was also very musical . His facial expression was amazing to me. Only program I was not so crazy for was his King of chess.


That’s fine you see Stephane as a Master Skater encompassing both lyrical and bravura styles.
I enjoy his outgoing performances.
However, I also see Johnny is a master artist on ice. And I see many things with Johnny’s skating which Stephane and other skaters don’t have.

Stephane has creative unique complicated choreography, wild, artistic speedy movements, but he doesn’t have the detailed beautiful line which I care for the most which Johnny and Sandhu have. I think they know the basics of classic ballet.
For me, a skater who can do variety of music and can impressed me maybe Sandhu. Only his landing pose on jumps were not so artistic and beautiful.

Stephane is younger than Johnny, but Stephane has more skating experience than Johnny. Johnny didn’t start skating until he was 12.

I thought Stephane’s artistry improved since 2006. Until then I was not so impressed with his artistry. I couldn’t care less how many jumps he fell on if his artistry was on since 2006, because it was so good.

Yes, I also think Stephane’s knee surgeries might be causing his jumps problem. But Petrenko team may be able to fix his jumps next season. Johnny has been struggling with his landing leg, and sometimes it gets worse in COP.

I hope both of them will do great next season.
 
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