Mao's programs this year | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Mao's programs this year

turtle

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Now that the down grading rules are a bit relaxed, I do hope that she brings her 3-3 back. They were beautiful and tended to be so close even when they were dinged.

I also thought that we would see less downgrades this year but was rather surprised to see the score sheet of Mao. All three loops she did were downgraded in her LP and I thought for sure that her single loop was fully rotated. I don't think she has much choice right now but I agree with many that she should just try lutz even at the risk of edge call. I don't think her LP program is a good fit for her but nonethless it is a beautifully choreographed program and I like it much better than her last season's LP.
 
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janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
Which raises the eternal question: why are Mao Asada's exhibition programs by Tarasova so brilliant, but her competitive programs are...not? On a more superficial note, I even like the exhibition costumes more than the competitive ones.

I have to agree with you but one could also wonder why Mao can skate Tat's exhibition programs so brilliantly but not the competitive ones?

It is basically the same question but points more at Mao's ability to interpret darker music.
Or, could it be that Mao does NOT have to worry about the 3A in the exhibition programs and can relax and enjoy herself more?

I did not mind the LP "Super Hero" styled costume so much because it seems to fit the music (maybe it should it also have a cape ;).

But that SP "little Jan Brady " dress was an abomination. How is Mao supposed to skate a serious program in that awful thing?

Stop for a minute and try and imagine Michelle in that dress. You can't because Michelle would not be seen in public in such a bad dress. :laugh:
 
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PROKOFIEV

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
I finally got to see both of Mao's programs.:love::love::love: I may be the only one who truly loves her programs and dresses. I would love to see the dresses in person. There are so many details with beautiful color coordinations that I can not see on youtube. I think her music is perfect. It is really wise for TAT to use last year's long program for this year's short. I think last year TAT tried to prepare Mao to put her 3A in the short, this year. The masquerade program sounds much better for the short. Rachmaninoff's choreography is close to perfect. I really do not think that her music or TAT is the problem. The problem is that Mao is probably facing some kind of mental pressure that is stopping her from executing those jumps perfectly. If Mao could land all those jumps at ease, I am sure both of the programs would be the most impressive ones. And everyone would love them!! Mao can definitely skate to her music if she gets her confidence back. When she can do everything, she will do magnificent programs, which I love to see.

Go Rachael. Go Caroline. Go Alissa. Go Mirai. Go Alexe. Go Sasha!!!
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Oh, I wish I'd heard Kurt's comment about Asada's music myself. Music for when the vampires wake up--what a stitch! Thanks for sharing it. Unfortunately, it's pretty accurate. That music is like a dirge. I'm familiar with the prelude in its original piano form, and it's probably my least favorite of Rachmaninoff's piano works (other than this, I adore his music--why couldn't Tarasova have chosen the G minor prelude instead? Or, better still, an excerpt from his cello and piano sonata?) But orchestrated like this, it's almost claustrophobic. The notes are so insistent, and except for the one quick passage, the melody barely varies all the way through. This is music for a solo by a guy built like Lloyd Eisler.

As for Khachaturian, he is indeed Armenian, but for years, when Armenia was part of the U.S.S.R., he was considered a Soviet composer, so it's understandable that people think of his music as Russian. I just looked him up: he trained, worked, and lived in Moscow. I mean, he even wrote a ballet about a collective farm! But I do agree that his musical idiom and style are very different from Rachmaninoff's.
 

PROKOFIEV

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
The prelude in C minor is one of my favorite pieces to play. It is extremely challenging because you can put so much many dynamic emotions. The hard hitting chords are to display the feeling and emotions. Because of this piece, Rachmaninoff became one of the most famous composers of late 19th century romantic style music. He wrote this piece during a famine and intense poverty in Russia.
There are so many studies of this music, but one can find that the bells are a symbol of fighting wars and economic hardship, I hope Mao will overcome her hardship as she hears these bells and will be able to skate to her triumph. It really does not matter where she places.

Go Rachael, Go Caroline, Go Alyssa, Go Alexe, Go Mirai, Go Sasha!!! :):):):biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 

ehdtkqorl123

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 6, 2009
According to a news article I read, TAT said Mao failed 3A in SP due to her 'weak spirit'. TAT said Mao needs stronger spirit and confidence.
 

oxade21

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 24, 2004
I can't wait for Vancouver. When TAT will prove yet again her brilliance :bow: by making Mao Olympic Champion. I can't wait to revisit this thread at that time.:clap::rock:
 

CARA

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Country
United-States
Oh, boy. Where to start?

I agree with most what people say about Mao.

1. She should "ditch" TAT;
2. She should "burn" her hideous costumes;
3. She should go with lighter music preferably choreographed by Lori.

Unfortunately it's not that simple. Because the issue here is:

1. Does Mao feel there are room for her wishes to be heard under what I am sure is unbelievable pressure?

Ultimately what I am talking about is how one manages one's elite athletic career. The United States have pretty well laid out career path tradition, i.e., shown in Jerry McGuire movie (remember?) It makes sense that this notion flourish in the States since ours is still a society rewarded by his/her individual accomplishment.

It's been a while since I left Japan, but I am guessing that it's still largely collective identity and you carry your family/society's honor. (help me out here, those who are positing from Japan).

My guess is that Mao's talent has been so superior that it didn't really matter who trained her or where she trained. She probably did not really had to forge her career path like Yuna had to.

Now, faced with her probably her first true hurdle, Mao might be in an uncharted territory of asserting her will. I hope she does, since single skater as a career truly is an ultimate individual sport - fail or succeed, she is the one who has to take responsibility.

Anyway, as a starter, I'm hoping and praying that she at least has a psychologist to consult, as I posted elsewhere. If not, she can at least talk to a few Japanese female skaters who seemed to have managed their career wisely. Yuka Sato and Shizuka Arakawa come to my mind.

I'm a Yuna fan, but I truly wish Mao best luck. I would like to see those two genuinely talented skaters battle out for years to come. Rivalry is good for our sports, and it's good them, too.
 

bekalc

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
I agree that there may be cultural issues here about Mao asserting her own will in this scenario. I.e is she comfortable saying no I don't like this program or this costume? Shizuka I think learned her year of the Olympics that she had the right to take control of her own skating, and I think that Mao needs to learn this too. I think talking with Shizuka is absolutely a great idea.

However I worry that Mao may be really attached to Tarasova and that may make it hard for her to cut that cord. I always wonder if it may be to little to late. The most worisome thing for me about Mao's condition right now isn't her programs and costumes that can be changed. It's the state of her jumps.

I think her jumps can be sorted out but I'm not sure they are fixable by the Olympics (sad!). I think if Mao doesn't win the Olympics she will definetly leave Tarasova.

Honestly a part of me has wondered if Kim wins the Olympics and leaves, if we might see the Japanese Federation asking Orser to take on Mao.
 

CARA

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Country
United-States
Bekalc:

Honestly a part of me has wondered if Kim wins the Olympics and leaves, if we might see the Japanese Federation asking Orser to take on Mao.

That's an interesting thoughts! I know that Yuna felt tremendous pressure to excel in staking while she was in Korea. I read somewhere that Yuna felt that Brian Orser and the Co. were much more accepting of Yuna with realistic expectations. She flourished in that environment. However, I do also credit Yuna for her persistence in her pursuit of Orser for coaching her. At the time Yuna asked Brian Orser of becoming her coach, Orser was not even a coach (!) if I remember correctly. Orser himself said that "Yuna made me her coach." And it took Yuna more than 6 months to persuade him.

Unlike Mao, Yuna seemed to trusted her guts instinct, i.e., she said that Brian would make a good coach, and went all out in her effort. She's a trail brazer. Of course coming from a country with no skating tradition might have forced her to become one. Still, you have to be willing to become one.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
I really love the Freeskate, but I agree that the dress could go. All those high collars...why? The SP is Okay, but having two very dramatic, serious programs is not the best strategy. Re-do the SP to either a.) a nice light playful waltz to fit the theme of a girl at her first ball or b.) skate to the Tango or Caprice. dosen't work? make it work. I have faith in Mao's triple axels and think she should be trying 3 overall but she also needs a 3/3 in the free and should be trying the lutz as well.

Honestly though Mao won't win whatever she does unless disaster strikes the Kim Kamp. If asada is perfect and kim makes her usual one or two mistakes the gold is the latter's.
 

Kinga

Medalist
Joined
Feb 15, 2008
I finally got to see both of Mao's programs.:love::love::love: I may be the only one who truly loves her programs and dresses. I would love to see the dresses in person. There are so many details with beautiful color coordinations that I can not see on youtube. I think her music is perfect. It is really wise for TAT to use last year's long program for this year's short. I think last year TAT tried to prepare Mao to put her 3A in the short, this year. The masquerade program sounds much better for the short. Rachmaninoff's choreography is close to perfect. I really do not think that her music or TAT is the problem. The problem is that Mao is probably facing some kind of mental pressure that is stopping her from executing those jumps perfectly. If Mao could land all those jumps at ease, I am sure both of the programs would be the most impressive ones. And everyone would love them!! Mao can definitely skate to her music if she gets her confidence back. When she can do everything, she will do magnificent programs, which I love to see.
I also like Mao's LP this season and I feel it can become a masterpiece if she hits all the jumps. I like Mao in dramatic, powerful pieces and I actually found her 'light' programs' a bit boring, they have never capitvated me. It was actually last year LP that made me like Mao's skating.
As much as I love Masquerade Waltz, I thinks she should change this SP to something else, because it is obviously not well received by judges and by the audience either.
In contrary, I do not love Bells of Moscow, and maybe another version of this piece would be better, yet, I still think that this powerful music can be great if everything works.
The costumes, though... Should be changed, no doubt about that!
I do not know about TAT - sometimes it seems that there is lack of communication between MAo and TAT, yet, leaving her now could be VERY difficult. It worked for Shizuka, but it doesn't mean, that it will work for Mao. It might be too late.
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
Ooooh boy, where do I start about Tarasova?

She may be a famous coach, but she is doing absolutely nothing for Mao. Wait, I take that back. She's making Mao skate worse.

Exactly.

Mao is a shadow of the skater she used to be.
 

hurrah

Medalist
Joined
Aug 8, 2009
I actually like Masquerade, but I think it will not get the kind of score that Mao needs even if she skates it perfectly. I also love Caprice, and so I think they should rework the details and make that into her SP.

Regarding Bells, I was actually flabbergasted when I first saw it, but since watching it over a period of time, I really think it can be a masterpiece. However, they should go for a lighter version of the music, and Mao definitely needs to get an outfit that showcases her beauty, rather than trying to make her look grotesque.

Mao also needs to skate with quality and consistency from here to Olympics.
 
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zartian

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Honestly a part of me has wondered if Kim wins the Olympics and leaves, if we might see the Japanese Federation asking Orser to take on Mao.

That's what I have been thinking too! That may be the best choice for Mao who has jump issues and some "weak spirit" issues. Brian must be a good jump doctor as well as a very caring person to make his student confortable.

But I am not sure if Brian will ever accept this offer. It seems a little awkward for a coach to accept his/her former student's long-time rival. Moreover, it may not be good for Brian's reputation either. I presume fixing a jump technique geared with a skater for such a long time will be tremendously hard, even if it's Brian. If I were Brian, I would rather take on a young, not-yet polished, but truly talented student and help him/her grow into another Yuna Kim or better.
 
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museksk8r

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Country
United-States
What was with Mao's music cut in the LP? There was this strange jump in her music during her footwork sequence that sounded like someone bumped into a record player causing the music to skip . . . it was really wierd. I don't think the music is Olympic calibre to me. It overpowers the subdued Mao, who I think works best with upbeat or serene, peaceful music choices. My favorite Mao programs were from the 2007 season, both her SP and LP. They had a lightness and joy that really highlighted her love for skating.

Also, unfortunately for her, it seems like her technique is going further downhill. For her to have 4 downgraded jumps in her TEB LP is definitely not a good sign. For me personally, seeing her "Bells" LP makes it hard to believe that she would ever be considered a co-favorite for Olympic gold. No wonder Yu-Na Kim has distanced herself and really established herself as the gold medal favorite. It's also easy for me to see how Joannie Rochette and Miki Ando have come out on top over Mao on the occasions they have. Asada's last 2 LPs have both been major disappointments, IMO. I think I echo just about everyone else's sentiments in wishing for the old Mao (Rafael Artunian era) back.
 

ks777

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 15, 2003
If Mao stays with Tarasova and keep the same SP and LP, I don't think she will medal at Olympics.
 
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