Rachael Flatt articles about her collaboration with Lori Nichol and Dorothy Hamill

Sylvia · Jun 29, 2009

Rachael Flatt articles about her collaboration with Lori Nichol and Dorothy Hamill

New Rachael Flatt article with quotes from her and Lori Nichol: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090628&content_id=5579010&vkey=ice_news

Flatt is thrilled with how the two efforts, a short program to Louis Prima's Big Band anthem "Sing, Sing, Sing" and free skate to Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," are shaping up.

"I'm doing my long with Lori this week. It's going really well," she said. "We're just starting to figure everything out.

"I think [the programs] show two totally different sides of my personality. One is the romantic and very strong part of my personality, and the other is bubbly and happy and lots of fun. It's a good contrast."

A recent Dorothy Hamill article with quotes from her about mentoring Flatt: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090618&content_id=5396326&vkey=ice_news

mandykane21 · Jun 30, 2009

I love this kid.

Nadine · Jun 30, 2009

Bravo, Rachael, Bravo!:thumbsup:

I absolutely love your choices, they're perfect for you, honestly cannot wait to see them. Thus far, your musical choices are by far my favorite.

Sing, Sing, Sing brings to mind the big band era of the 30's & 40's & naturally Clara Bow, the original IT Girl. It will highlight your effervescence & joy. But I have to admit I'm dying to see what costumes & hairstyle/makeup you will be using, the choices are endless. I hope to see you dressed up as a Flapper Girl.

Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is a piece of music I never tire of listening to, it's timeless, classic, a beloved favorite. But I have to admit my favorite version of this is from the movie "Somewhere In Time" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_JmUMkLy7g (lol, I can still recall first seeing it as a young tween). I can't wait to see your interpretation of this timeless piece of music. I look forward to it with great anticipation & excitement. :love:

GOOD LUCK, RACHAEL, ON THE EVE OF THIS EXCITING OLYMPIC SEASON!!!!! :clap:

Tinymavy15 · Jun 30, 2009

Thanks for posting.

Variation XVIII is incredible and a real highlight.

any classical music gurus know what part of "rhapsody" this is? Is it the hard, strong part?

Medusa · Jul 1, 2009

Tinymavy15 said:
any classical music gurus know what part of "rhapsody" this is? Is it the hard, strong part?

The most populistic piece of music Rachmaninov has ever written: here you go. Great piece for a girl with a great spiral sequence. Flatt doesn't have one.

John King · Jul 1, 2009

Rachael is so adorable! And admirable, a straight A student who chose to abandon piano lessons when school and skating took priority. I wish her well in the Vancouver Olys.

Alicja · Jul 1, 2009

Medusa said:
The most populistic piece of music Rachmaninov has ever written: here you go. Great piece for a girl with a great spiral sequence. Flatt doesn't have one.

I've seen much worse spiral sequences. Rachael might not be the most flexible one but at least she has a fairly consistent edge and her free leg doesn't wobble around. I also thinks she's shown lots of improvement in her spiral positions, just go and rewatch a spiral from when she was younger.

mandykane21 · Jul 1, 2009

Plus, she could do an ina bauer (sp?) at the crescendo, then into her spiral sequence. She has an absolutely fabulous one! From that 'One Day I'll Fly Away' program that she did herself (didn't she? I think I read that) she seems to be very aware of what her strengths are.

LeCygne · Jul 2, 2009

Rachael's new exhibition to One Night Only: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foYheq1Nmtk

I really like it! I think she could skate a bit faster, but all the personality is there!

feraina · Jul 2, 2009

LeCygne said:
Rachael's new exhibition to One Night Only: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foYheq1Nmtk

Thanks for the link. You're right, she's showing a lot more personality here than usual. The choreography is somehow more "natural" than what I see from her competitive programs. Doesn't she choreograph her own exhibitions?

I noticed that all three of her jumps were under-rotated, and both the 2A and the 3F would've been downgraded in competition, and possibly also the 3S. There was not the usual spring in her jump, and she doesn't seem to rotate as fast in the air as she used to.

Of course it's only an exhibition and it must be hard to skate in the dark with the bright spotlights in your eyes, but it's still worrying that her jumps don't look as big as they used to (not that they were ever huge, but they were usually rotated), since other elements of her skating aren't really eye-catching.

It sounds like she's getting some great programs this year, and no doubt she's working on her presentation. I just hope that she's not following the recent examples of Kimmie Meissner and Ashley Wagner -- making much-needed improvements on their presentation but letting their jumps slide.

Medusa · Jul 2, 2009

feraina said:
I noticed that all three of her jumps were under-rotated, and both the 2A and the 3F would've been downgraded in competition, and possibly also the 3S. There was not the usual spring in her jump, and she doesn't seem to rotate as fast in the air as she used to.

Probably doesn't mean a thing. The season she became Junior World Champion she had half of her jumps downgraded at the beginning of the season. Towards the end all of her jumps were fully rotated and ratified as Triples.

I am more concerned with this music choice for the LP. She cannot pull this off.

evangeline · Jul 2, 2009

Medusa said:
I am more concerned with this music choice for the LP. She cannot pull this off.

I am inclined to agree; I'm afraid her new LP might go the way of the Debussy LP she used this past season.

janetfan · Jul 2, 2009

evangeline said:
I am inclined to agree; I'm afraid her new LP might go the way of the Debussy LP she used this past season.

Isn't the point of developing and growing as a skater to be able to skate to music that a season ago might have seemed an unlikely choice? Why should Rachael play it too safe? I am not her biggest fan but I admire her and think she needs something more expressive than she has shown in the past.
BTW, I love Mao and I love Debussy. And I am a musician and what I saw from Mao and Debussy last season was not quite working either imo. Debussy"s music can be very hard to skate to and as beautiful as some of his music is I don't think it is the safest choice for most skaters.
This bit about music choices - the way i see it is that if Rachael does not have the greatest spiral sequence it is not going to get better whether she is skating to Debussy or Rachmaninoff. It will only get better by practicing it.

feraina · Jul 2, 2009

janetfan said:
This bit about music choices - the way i see it is that if Rachael does not have the greatest spiral sequence it is not going to get better whether she is skating to Debussy or Rachmaninoff. It will only get better by practicing it.

I noticed that she didn't even have a spiral sequence in her exhibition (IIRC). That shows what she either doesn't like it or doesn't feel comfortable with it. I wish she would put a spiral into her program, just as I wish Caroline would put a footwork sequence into hers; that would give them more opportunities to train the elements that they are weakest on, and perform them in a relaxed, supportive environment.

Nadine · Jul 3, 2009

LeCygne said:
Rachael's new exhibition to One Night Only: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foYheq1Nmtk

I really like it! I think she could skate a bit faster, but all the personality is there!

Thanks for posting this, it's exciting to see Rachael's development. I enjoyed her new exhibition number. It's interesting to see her go from Black Horse & A Cherry Tree to Respect and now this. So far, this one is my favorite.

I wish her & the rest of the USA Team much luck this coming season. It's wonderful to get little tidbits leading up to it.:agree:

chuckm · Jul 3, 2009

Medusa said:
The most populistic piece of music Rachmaninov has ever written: here you go. Great piece for a girl with a great spiral sequence. Flatt doesn't have one.

I looked up "populistic" in the dictionary, and could find nothing for that particular word. The closest word is "populist" "a supporter of the rights and powers of the people" or "a supporter of the Populist Party". I think what you meant was "popular".

Rachael's spiral is never wobbly and she holds her positions long enough to have her spirals rated L4 (Carolyn Zhang often gets L3 or even L2 because she doesn't hold them long enough).

Medusa · Jul 3, 2009

chuckm said:
I looked up "populistic" in the dictionary, and could find nothing for that particular word. The closest word is "populist" "a supporter of the rights and powers of the people" or "a supporter of the Populist Party". I think what you meant was "popular".

Hmm. Thanks for that. I meant this. So populist - in Germany we use this also for politics, it describes parties and politicians who use political topics that superficially sound great for some parts of the population but are completey unrealistic "no immigration - more jobs for our people" "more police presence - less crime". But it can describe other things too, e.g. a certain painting, a book or a piece of music. It's like popular with a negative twist to it. But apparently it doesn't exist that way in English.

evangeline · Jul 3, 2009

Medusa said:
Hmm. Thanks for that. I meant this. So populist - in Germany we use this also for politics, it describes parties and politicians who use political topics that superficially sound great for some parts of the population but are completey unrealistic "no immigration - more jobs for our people" "more police presence - less crime". But it can describe other things too, e.g. a certain painting, a book or a piece of music. It's like popular with a negative twist to it. But apparently it doesn't exist that way in English.

Oh, the expression does indeed exist in English but the word 'populist' is usually used instead of 'populistic.'

janetfan · Jul 3, 2009

evangeline said:
Oh, the expression does indeed exist in English but the word 'populist' is usually used instead of 'populistic.'

Yes the word exists and I believe it was used properly by medusa. I knew what she meant, which was to express a certain lack of cultural sophistication among the masses. It is a view still widely held by Europeans about Americans and our culture in general. ( But what would they do in Europe without our jeans, movies, Pop/Jazz music, TV reruns of "Friends" and other parts of our culture so widely exported across the pond.

)
Thus Rachael, being American, and preparing to skate at an Olympics held in North America chose the most "populist(ic) piece that Rachmaninov ever wrote. With the hopes that we in North America could more easily relate to her program. Orser has said Yuna's music will be kept secret but that the SP is very powerful and the LP has very well known and familiar melodies. I guess Orser and Wislon are just a couple of typical North Americans.

Medusa · Jul 3, 2009

janetfan said:
I knew what she meant, which was to express a certain lack of cultural sophistication among the masses. It is a view still widely held by Europeans about Americans and our culture in general.

The European masses aren't necessarily more educated than the American masses.That's not what I was hinting at.

janetfan said:
( But what would they do in Europe without our jeans, movies, Pop/Jazz music, TV reruns of "Friends" and other parts of our culture so widely exported across the pond. )

I mostly wear skirts, even in winter. I don't listen to Pop music (in fact, I don't even know one song written / performed by Michael Jackson). I have never watched an episode of "Friends" in my entire life. Mostly I prefer French and British cinema and British and German television.

Thank you very much for Bernstein, Gershwin and Cole Porter though, the ABT, the NYCB, your great orchestras and conductors, thanks for Sean Penn, for the NYT and so much more stuff I admire.

Rachael Flatt articles about her collaboration with Lori Nichol and Dorothy Hamill

Sylvia

mandykane21

Nadine

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win

Medusa

John King

Alicja

mandykane21

LeCygne

feraina

Medusa

evangeline

janetfan

Match Penalty

feraina

Nadine

chuckm

Medusa

evangeline

janetfan

Match Penalty

Medusa

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