Mao's Chopin Nocturne SP was a masterpiece !!

I hope that Mao could return to that short program because she interpreted it very mature and beautiful.

Her posture and positions have always been exquisite. Her arms have always been graceful. She had hit every note of music very well.

I think she and her team should consider the short of time to prepare for the olympics and why not go back to that program.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xbZfeRbbvM

Mao's Nocturne is one of my absolute favourite skates. I loved everything about it, including her dress.

Mao and Yu-Na had their best programs ever, for both the SP and LP, in 2007. Mao never really mastered her 2007 LP, though. I think the choreography and ideas of that program were a little much for her at that age.

My heart longs for Yu-Na to skate to "The Lark Ascending" again this year.

OMG, I so agree about The Lark Ascending. What gorgeous music and a gorgeous program.

And I agree that what I'm missing most about Mao this season is her graceful arms. TAT enforces "strength" too much and it's all dumb.

Jasper said:

OMG, I so agree about The Lark Ascending. What gorgeous music and a gorgeous program.

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Oh, but I do think Kim's Danse Macabre program is her very best SP ever, and Bond is in second. But then again, Danse Macabre is basically my favorite piece of music ever written.

"Roxanne" is Yu-Na's best SP because of how beautifully the program built. She didn't do the solo Triple until several elements into program (something we pretty much NEVER see anymore) and the Double Axel came right at the end. The footwork expressed the music perfectly as well.

bx11 said:

I hope that Mao could return to that short program because she interpreted it very mature and beautiful.

Her posture and positions have always been exquisite. Her arms have always been graceful. She had hit every note of music very well.

I think she and her team should consider the short of time to prepare for the olympics and why not go back to that program.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xbZfeRbbvM

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I totally agree, bx11!

Chopin & Clair de Lune are my favorite programs of Mao's thus far, though I honestly enjoy all of them.

Earlier this evening I had a pleasant journey down memory lane watching all of Mao's competitive programs since she turned a senior way back in 2005/2006, at the tender age of 15. What a joy it was to re-watch programs I hadn't seen in a while, like watching them all over again with fresh eyes. My face lit up when I saw her skating to Nutcracker, how apropos at the time, perfect for her. And now to see that young grasshopper as a grown up woman brought a smile to my face & a joy to my heart. My, how she has grown, in more ways than one.

To see her skate to Chopin's Nocturne now as a grown up young woman would be one for the ages, I think.

By the way, ever since Mao & Tatiana Tarasova announced her FS music way back in June, my favorite fan video is this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMAIXM81Bbw

***Note: I was sad to see that the actual bells tolling was not heard in her current music, whereas in the video they toll 3 times, starting 14 seconds into it & ending at 24 seconds.***

Lol, I have a thing for "bells tolling", as my favorite AC/DC song begins with such:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwxJ46HWXbA


Lyrics:

I'm a rolling thunder, a pouring rain
I'm coming on like a hurricane
My lightning's flashing across the sky
You're only young but you're gonna die

I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives
Nobody's putting up a fight
I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to hell
I'm gonna get you, Satan get you

CHORUS:
Hell's Bells
Yeah, Hell's Bells
You got me ringing Hell's Bells
My temperature's high, Hell's Bells

I'll give you black sensations up and down your spine
If you're into evil you're a friend of mine
See my white light flashing as I split the night
'Cause if God's on the left, then I'm stickin' to the right

I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives
Nobody's puttin' up a fight
I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to hell
I'm gonna get you, Satan get you

CHORUS

yeow
Hell's Bells, Satan's comin' to you
Hell's Bells, he's ringing them now
Hell's Bells, the temperature's high
Hell's Bells, across the sky
Hell's Bells, they're takin' you down
Hell's Bells, they're draggin' you around
Hell's Bells, gonna split the night
Hell's Bells, there's no way to fight, yeah

Ow, ow, ow, ow

Obviously Mao has improved her artistry, posture, line, and presentation in a lot of different ways. But watching this Chopin SP reminded me just how *light* she used to skip across the ice. She gave you this sense that skating was *so* easy, she was just skimming the surface and everything came so naturally. I really miss that!

The first time I saw her skate live was at SA in Hartford and I too thought that this was one of the most perfectly skated/choreographed programs. Too bad whomever has choreographed for since has totally missed the mark.

That was a lovely program. It's a shame she has not seemed to really find a musical theme that captures her style as well as that program did. I mean, can you think of a program that she is "identified" with? you know, in the way people talked about certain specific programs and skaters? For a former world champion who has been around, it is hard to come up with as much that is memorable, as it is that she won, lost, hit her triple axel combination, didn't, etc. Chopin seems ideally suited to her character.

Jasper said:

Oh, but I do think Kim's Danse Macabre program is her very best SP ever, and Bond is in second. But then again, Danse Macabre is basically my favorite piece of music ever written.

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Blades of Passion said:

"Roxanne" is Yu-Na's best SP because of how beautifully the program built. She didn't do the solo Triple until several elements into program (something we pretty much NEVER see anymore) and the Double Axel came right at the end. The footwork expressed the music perfectly as well.

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I consider Danse Macabre to be the best executed and most polished piece of YuNa's, but ultimately I also agree that Tango de Roxanne was the best program that was put together for her. DM most impresses me, but TdR inspires me.

I appreciate the insight Blades offers for why TdR is a favourite of many, and I wanted to add that I think the variation in the tempo of the music--the slow, smooth introduction leading into a beating rhythm, followed by a dramatic braking pause, and then the climactic ending--really helped frame an interesting choreography (without that overly-choreographed feeling.) I wish Tom Dickson continued to work with YuNa and Wilson, because it resulted in two great pieces (Roxanne & Lark) with obvious contrasts in style.

On the other hand, DM started and finished with more or less a frenetic pace throughout. Lots of intricate details, but without the pausing like there was in TdR, there isn't as much contrast to take a breather and appreciate the highs and lows.

Similarly, the lack of musical contrast in Mao's Masquerade and Bells makes them rather heavy throughout, which is made more odd because Mao is such a light skater. Gershwin for YuNa's LP this year (to me) has a kind of themeless variety throughout, so again there doesn't seem to be much of a contrasting rise-fall, especially in the skating (in fact, the skating looks kinda plain compared to the randomness of the music, so the program as a whole doesn't quite work for me.)

And yet, I don't really want either of them to ever go back to anything. I always want my skaters to go ahead, look forward, and try something a little different, even if it doesn't necessarily outdo something they did before. I always want the hope that they will create something that's even better.

prettykeys said:

I consider Danse Macabre to be the best executed and most polished piece of YuNa's, but ultimately I also agree that Tango de Roxanne was the best program that was put together for her. DM most impresses me, but TdR inspires me.

I appreciate the insight Blades offers for why TdR is a favourite of many, and I wanted to add that I think the variation in the tempo of the music--the slow, smooth introduction leading into a beating rhythm, followed by a dramatic braking pause, and then the climactic ending--really helped frame an interesting choreography (without that overly-choreographed feeling.) I wish Tom Dickson continued to work with YuNa and Wilson, because it resulted in two great pieces (Roxanne & Lark) with obvious contrasts in style.

On the other hand, DM started and finished with more or less a frenetic pace throughout. Lots of intricate details, but without the pausing like there was in TdR, there isn't as much contrast to take a breather and appreciate the highs and lows.

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Yes, exactly! Yu-Na had grown as a skater when she performed Danse Macabre, so her performance was a little more self-assured and the Spiral was MUCH improved, but Roxanne is the stronger program.

Blades of Passion said:

Mao and Yu-Na had their best programs ever, for both the SP and LP, in 2007. Mao never really mastered her 2007 LP, though. I think the choreography and ideas of that program were a little much for her at that age.

My heart longs for Yu-Na to skate to "The Lark Ascending" again this year.

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:thumbsup: I agree with everything you said.

Frankly I don't even remember what Mao's LP was that year because her Nocturne was simply mesmerizing.
That SP convinced me that she was going to be unbeatable in the future.

But then blah blah, now this.
Hopefully she turns things around sooner rather than later.

I would SO love to see Yuna skate Lark again.
Its potential was never fulfilled!

*Sniper* said:

:thumbsup: I agree with everything you said.

Frankly I don't even remember what Mao's LP was that year because her Nocturne was simply mesmerizing.
That SP convinced me that she was going to be unbeatable in the future.

But then blah blah, now this.
Hopefully she turns things around sooner rather than later.

I would SO love to see Yuna skate Lark again.
Its potential was never fulfilled!

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i agree with everything you said!

maybe yeonah can skate 'lark ascending' as an exhibition, at some point in the future? i do think 'lark' can look even more stunning with her maturity, confidence, and better physical condition (now that she's not skating it after a recent injury like at 07 worlds). i think this year's LP is lovely as well, but the lark ascending is still my favorite.

skfan said:

i agree with everything you said!

maybe yeonah can skate 'lark ascending' as an exhibition, at some point in the future? i do think 'lark' can look even more stunning with her maturity, confidence, and better physical condition (now that she's not skating it after a recent injury like at 07 worlds). i think this year's LP is lovely as well, but the lark ascending is still my favorite.

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Incidently, Yu-Na half-jokingly said in an interview last year that she hates 'lark ascending' because she had had hard time with it. She did not have enough stamina due to injuries during that season. She added that she does not like birds in general. But she likes TdR the most including the costume.

steyn said:

She added that she does not like birds in general.

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I love Yu-Na. So much personality.

Mao's n Nocturne is not a masterpiece, but good enough

Blades of Passion said:

Yes, exactly! Yu-Na had grown as a skater when she performed Danse Macabre, so her performance was a little more self-assured and the Spiral was MUCH improved, but Roxanne is the stronger program.

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Everyone seems to agree that Tango de Roxanne was the better program. Why? What is it about that program that really stood out compared with the others? She performed it well at worlds, yes, but not as well as she performed Bond or Dance Macbre last year. So that can't be it. Was the chreo really that good?

How well she performed doesn't really have to do with the actual programs, though?

I think Roxanne is the best of her Short Programs because the elements are layered beautifully (the jumps are notably spaced throughout the entire program - something we haven't seen from ANY recent SP under CoP) and the feeling of the program is the most dynamic out of all her programs, with the way it ebbs and flows and crescendos. The choreography of the straight-line footwork was the most interesting and effective out of ANY program I've seen from her.

Blades of Passion said:

How well she performed doesn't really have to do with the actual programs, though?

I think Roxanne is the best of her Short Programs because the elements are layered beautifully (the jumps are notably spaced throughout the entire program - something we haven't seen from ANY recent SP under CoP) and the feeling of the program is the most dynamic out of all her programs, with the way it ebbs and flows and crescendos. The choreography of the straight-line footwork was the most interesting and effective out of ANY program I've seen from her.

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"Roxanne" is great music, it will be interesting to compare Bebe Liang's SP to the same music this year. Yu-na's version of the song was pretty bad compared to the original (with lyrics) or Bebe's version. I agree that spreading out the jumping passes makes the program so much enjoyable, but Yu-na's Die Flaudermmas SP had (I believe) the same jump layout as TdR and the former is usually not considered her finest moment.