Favorite Olympic programs? | Golden Skate

Favorite Olympic programs?

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Hard to believe someone hasn't already posted a thread like this but I haven't found one. Even if there was, seems like a good moment to start a new one since we now have one more Olympics behind us.

So, since you've been watching the Olympics, what have been your favorite programs? No number limitations.

Here are mine, counting down:

10. Mirai Nagasu's Carmen LP, 2010. (what a great coming-out-moment)
9. Midori Ito's LP, 1992 (The last minute triple axel is just such a great Olympic moment)
8. Chen Lu's Butterfly Lovers LP, 1998. (beautiful skating, and a great comeback.)
7. Paul Wylie's Henry V LP, 1992
6. Tara Lipinski's The Rainbow, 1998
5. Oksana Baiul's The Swan SP, 1994
4. Kim Yuna's James Bond SP, 2010
3. Kim Yuna's George Gershwin, Piano Concerto, 2010
2. Alexei Yagudin's Man in the Iron Mask LP, 2002

But if I could only watch one for the rest of my life, it would be this one:

1. Sasha Cohen's Dark Eyes SP, 2006.
 

Ren

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
In no particular order:

1. Alexei Yagudin--Man in the Iron Mask LP, 2002
2. Ilia Kulik--Rhapsody in Blue LP, 1998 (Yes, even though I don't get why his costume is like that. It was one elegant program with great jumps, and the smile at the end was:love:.)
3. Shen and Zhao--Who Wants To Live Forever SP, 2010
4. Gordeeva and Grinkov--Moonlight Sonata LP, 1994 (I loved that their costumes were quite simple, thus allowing the audience to focus on the beautiful skating)
5. Michelle Kwan--Lyra Angelica LP, 1998
6. Akiko Suzuki--West Side Story LP, 2010 (Loved her step sequence!)
7. Sasha Cohen--Dark Eyes SP, 2006 (also, her Romeo and Juliet LP, even with the splat)
8. Virtue and Moir--Mahler's 5th Symphony FD, 2010
9. Daisuke Takahashi--Eye by Coba SP, 2010 (and his La Strada LP was great, too, even with the botched quad)
10. Yu-Na Kim--Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F, 2010 (The flow out of those jumps is impressive. I also love her Bond program, which I think she performed better at Skate America)
11. Davis and White--Indian Folk Dance OD, 2010
12. Stephane Lambiel--Four Seasons LP, 2006
13. Katarina Witt--Carmen LP, 1988 (My definitive Carmen)
14. Mirai Nagasu--Pirates of the Caribbean SP, 2010

If I include exhibition programs, Michelle Kwan's Fields of Gold (2002) would probably be near the top. :)
 
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Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
In no particular order:

1. Alexei Yagudin--Man in the Iron Mask LP, 2002
2. Ilia Kulik--Rhapsody in Blue LP, 1998 (Yes, even though I don't get why his costume is like that. It was one elegant program with great jumps, and the smile at the end was:love:.)
3. Shen and Zhao--Who Wants To Live Forever SP, 2010
4. Gordeeva and Grinkov--Moonlight Sonata LP, 1994 (I loved that their costumes were quite simple, thus allowing the audience to focus on the beautiful skating)
5. Michelle Kwan--Lyra Angelica LP, 1998
6. Akiko Suzuki--West Side Story LP, 2010 (Loved her step sequence!)
7. Sasha Cohen--Dark Eyes SP, 2006 (also, her Romeo and Juliet LP, even with the splat)
8. Virtue and Moir--Mahler's 5th Symphony FD, 2010
9. Daisuke Takahashi--Eye by Coba SP, 2010 (and his La Strada LP was great, too, even with the botched quad)
10. Yu-Na Kim--Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F, 2010 (The flow out of those jumps is impressive. I also love her Bond program, which I think she performed better at Skate America)
11. Davis and White--Indian Folk Dance OD, 2010
12. Stephane Lambiel--Four Seasons LP, 2006
13. Katarina Witt--Carmen LP, 1988 (My definitive Carmen)
14. Mirai Nagasu--Pirates of the Caribbean SP, 2010

If I include exhibition programs, Michelle Kwan's Fields of Gold (2002) would probably be near the top. :)

Well, ITA with everything you said including what the heck does a giraffe print have to do with Gershwin? :laugh:
 

dlgpffps

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Hard to believe someone hasn't already posted a thread like this but I haven't found one. Even if there was, seems like a good moment to start a new one since we now have one more Olympics behind us.

So, since you've been watching the Olympics, what have been your favorite programs? No number limitations.

Here are mine, counting down:

10. Mirai Nagasu's Carmen LP, 2010. (what a great coming-out-moment)
9. Midori Ito's LP, 1992 (The last minute triple axel is just such a great Olympic moment)
8. Chen Lu's Butterfly Lovers LP, 1998. (beautiful skating, and a great comeback.)
7. Paul Wylie's Henry V LP, 1992
6. Tara Lipinski's The Rainbow, 1998
5. Oksana Baiul's The Swan SP, 1994
4. Kim Yuna's James Bond SP, 2010
3. Kim Yuna's George Gershwin, Piano Concerto, 2010
2. Alexei Yagudin's Man in the Iron Mask LP, 2002

But if I could only watch one for the rest of my life, it would be this one:

1. Sasha Cohen's Dark Eyes SP, 2006.

ITA. I would change #3 with #1 and #8 and #6 though :) I would also put Mirai at #11 to include Yagudin's Winter somewhere. I would also include Kulik somewhere.... this is so hard.
 
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Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
I am grading only the artistic merit; the quality of the programs themselves and how well the skater was able to bring it to life regardless of possible mistakes on the tech side (although tech mistakes can sometimes detract from the program). Also, sticking only to the modern age of figure skating (1980 and on).

01. Brian Boitano - Napoleon (1988, LP) - Possibly the most complex and dynamic program of all time, delivered with gorgeous skating skills and ending with incredible excitement. This is a template for what CoP programs should be. You want transitions? This program is filled with them. Except they aren't all overt, such as "hey, I'm going to do a spread eagle before a jump, even if it doesn't go with the music, just so I can have more transitions in my program." Everything here has purpose and flows perfectly. The program continually changes tone seamlessly, has a staggering degree of nuance, and covers a wide range of emotions. He deserved 6.0's across the board for presentation (and 10's for every Program Component if we are talking CoP).

02. Sasha Cohen - Romeo and Juliet (2006, LP) - Yes, I am picking this over her SP. For me this is the best choreographed female program we have seen under CoP (although her SP is wonderful and would be in my top 5) and Sasha displays a deeper level of emotion than she ever has with this program and performance. Look at how well the movements interpret the music and how the program continually builds. Her jumps all hit the music well and have good transitions (especially the last Triple Salchow...the turn into it and the high kick afterward both perfectly reflect the music), the footwork sequence goes exquisitely with that joyous segment of the music, and her awesome Spiral Sequence hits a beautiful crescendo that creates one of the most stunning choreographic highlights of all time. Even the changes of position in her spins reflect variations in the music. The only tiny choreographic flaw is the useless changes of edge she is forced to include in her spins to appease CoP (the beillmann position in the layback wasn't needed either).

03. Alexei Yagudin - Man in the Iron Mask (2002, LP) - Soul and strength. Virtuosic choreographic highlights. A nearly overwhelming display of skating prowess. The only real problem - no jumps in the last 1/4 of the program. He could have found room to put in a Double Axel seeing as how he spent several seconds basically just pausing at the end of the rink before his final footwork sequence.

04. Lu Chen - Butterfly Lovers (1998, LP) - The word for this is enchanting. Her delicate and lyrical delivery is sublime.

05. Stephen Lambiel - Dralion (2006, SP) - One of the most exotic programs ever. It showcases how completely unique and often unpredictable Lambiel is with his movements.

06. Paul Wylie - Henry V (1992, LP) - Inspiring. Not because of Paul's story (doing so well at the most important competition of his life after a history of failing to deliver in competition) but because of the uplifting music and how well he interprets it. Would surely rank even higher had he made less mistakes. A little bit of the impact is lost in a couple spots.

07. Tara Lipinski - The Rainbow (1998, LP) - I will always defend this program. Tara showed sensitivity while delivering an unparalleled amount of enthusiasm and joy. The program creates a sense of innocence and the feeling of experiencing thrilling new possibilities in life. It's just perfect for Tara; her tiny frame and very youthful demeanor were the absolute best possible match for interpreting this music. If Tara had stronger skating skills I would rank the program as #2 on my list.

08. Michelle Kwan - Rachmaninoff (1998, SP) - Elegant. Mature. Refined. Not quite as impressive as her performance of the program at Nationals (where she did a Triple Flip instead of the Triple Toe and had a huge, gushing smile afterward) but still superb.

09. Brian Orser - Sing Sing Sing (1988, SP) - Extremely exciting and playful.

10. Petr Barna - I'm not sure of the name of this music, can someone find out for me? (1992 SP) - His footwork sequences are truly some of the most musical ever. They match the rapidity of the music note for note.

-----

Sandra Bezic choreographed 3 of these programs, including my favorite one. She wins the best choreographer award.
 

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Midori Ito's LP, 1992.
Lu Chen's Butterfly Lovers LP, 1998.
Oksana Baiul's The Swan SP and Westside story(?) LP, 1994.
Shizuka Arakawa Tourandot, 2006.
Johnny Weir, The Swan. 2006.
Lu Chen's Clair de Lune SP & something LP, 1994?
Akiko Suzuki Westside Story LP, 2010.
Mao Asada's Mascarade SP & The Bells LP, 2010.
 

CalebsMom

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
In chronological order:

1. T/D's Bolero (1984 FS)
2. Witt's Carmen (1988 LP)
3. M/D's Liebestraum (1992 LP)
4. G/G's Moonlight Sonata (1994 LP)
5. Baiul's The Swan (1994 SP)
6. MK's Lyra Angelica (1998 LP)
7. Yagudin's The Man in the Iron Mask (2002 LP)
8. B/S's Meditation (2002 LP)
9. S/Z's Who Wants to Live Forever (2010 SP)
10. Kim's Piano Concerto in F (2010 LP)

(Plus, Robin Cousins 1980 LP, Arakawa's 2006 LP)
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
02. Sasha Cohen - Romeo and Juliet (2006, LP) - Yes, I am picking this over her SP. For me this is the best choreographed female program we have seen under CoP (although her SP is wonderful and would be in my top 5) and Sasha displays a deeper level of emotion than she ever has with this program and performance. Look at how well the movements interpret the music and how the program continually builds. Her jumps all hit the music well and have good transitions (especially the last Triple Salchow...the turn into it and the high kick afterward both perfectly reflect the music), the footwork sequence goes exquisitely with that joyous segment of the music, and her awesome Spiral Sequence hits a beautiful crescendo that creates one of the most stunning choreographic highlights of all time. Even the changes of position in her spins reflect variations in the music. The only tiny choreographic flaw is the useless changes of edge she is forced to include in her spins to appease CoP (the beillmann position in the layback wasn't needed either).

I so agree. One of the most gorgeously choreophraphed pieces I have ever seen and no one could have performed it like Sasha. The ironic thing is that after the two falls she performed it even better than at nationals, although she did the change of spin positions to the music variations better at nationals.
 
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dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Here's the programs from Olympics that I actually haul out and rewatch. From 2010, they're the one's I expect to rewatch. There aren't a lot of ladies' programs there. I have found them less and less interesting to watch over time:


1968 Protopopovs LP Moonlight Sonata
1976 Pakhamova & Gorshkov FD
John Curry LP Don Quixote
Toller Cranston SP Graduation Ball
Dorothy Hamill LP

1980 Regoeczy & Sallay FD

1984 Brian Orser LP Pulstar by Vangelis, ?, Theme to the Canadian News show, the National
Gary Beacom LP
Elaine Zayak LP
Carruthers LP
Torvill & Dean OD Paso Doble
Blumberg & Seibert FD Scheherazade

1988 Midori Ito SP& LP
Debi Thomas SP
Brian Boitano LP Napoleon SP Les Patineurs
Wachsman & Waggoner SP
Gordeeva & Grinkov LP
Duchesnays OSP Tango
Duchesnays FD Savage Rite
Wilson & McCall FD Elite Syncopations

1992 Rahkamo & Kokko Finnish Polka OSP
Klimova & Ponamarenko FD Bach
Petr Barna SP, LP (Hamlet) & Chaplin EX

1994 Rahkamo & Kokko La Strada FD
Usova & Zhulin Fellini/Rota FD
Torvill & Dean Rhumba OSP

1998 Kwan SP Rach
Candeloro LP 3 Musketeers
Krylova & Ovsiannakov OD Jive
Krylova & Ovsiannakov FD Carmen

2002 Ina & Zimmerman SP Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Pink FLoyd)
Berezhnyah & Sikuralidze SP Lady Caliph
Yagudin SP Winter
Goebel LP American in Paris
Anissina & Peizerat EX Susanna
Anissina & Peizerat OD Flamenco, etc
Lang & Tchernychev OD Carmen

2006 Inoue & Baldin SP Adagio
Belbin & Agosto OD Let's Get Loud
Delobel & Schoenfelder FD Carnival in Venice
Johnny Weir SP The Swan
Shizuka Arakawa LP

2010 Davis White Bollywood OD, POTO FD
Virtue & Moir Flamenco OD, Mahler FD
Faiella & Scali Tarantella OD, The Immigrants FD
Johnny Weir SP & LP
Daisuke Takahashi SP
Shen & Zhao SP & LP, especially Who Wants to Live Forever SP
 

MissCleo

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 27, 2005
denkova/staviski Adagio '06:This was the first Olympics that I actually paid attention to ice dance (thanks Tanith & Ben!) Well, this was the first program of this team that I saw, and well I just fell in love. Love the speed/power the team had. Very dramatic without Denkova having to go all diva on us. (But I still cant stand the dripping chiffon)
K/P Bach '92: So, interest in ice dance grew since then, and I spent hours watching Youtube. I think this is so gorgeous, different from what they did at the previous Oly, but still gorgeous
johnny weir swan sp '06 He is such a clean/smooth skater, this program was just perfect for him without going too overboard
matt savoie the mission '06 Who ever choreographed this is a genius. every once in a while I get in the mood and will rewatch this (i just did last week)
M/D Rachmaninov '94 I love dmitriev with whoever he decides to skate with, but this is my favorite Rach program
 
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Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
I wish this thread had more participation, especially with regards to people giving detailed write-ups of their favorite programs.
 

tommyk75

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 19, 2004
I'll do mine in chronological order (I'm biased towards the ladies as they're the ones I enjoy watching the most)

1988 Calgary
Midori Ito, LP = My God, she was heads and shoulders above everyone else technically. She landed 7 triples, each of them with huge height and speed. She also did a great flying sit spin. Most of all, she had so much power and energy, even after the program when she hopped up and down in the Kiss And Cry.

Brian Boitano LP = Absolutely flawless. All the jumps were perfect, and I loved the majestic artistry. The spread eagles in the slow section were so beautiful. To this day, it remains my all-time favorite male performance.

Liz Manley, LP = She went out in front of her home crowd and nailed it. She was solid in all areas. She was the only one to even come to Midori technically, doing a solid triple lutz. She also showed beautiful spins, including the headbanging one near the end that I thought was the coolest spin I had ever seen.

Katarina Witt, LP = She only did the two easiest kinds of jumps (toe & salchow), but her Carmen remains the greatest program I've ever seen from a purely artistic and musical point of view. She moved to the music and carried herself as an actress, and it was mesmerizing and just plain HOT.

1992, Albertville
To be honest, it was not an Olympics to remember, with falls all over the place. The ladies program that I enjoyed the most was by an unheraled Lu Chen, who was very young but already had a special way of moving and skated a clean program including two triple lutzes.

1994, Lillehammer
Yuka Sato, LP = The three medalists were all good (Baiul, Kerrigan, Lu), but it was Yuka who was GREAT. She had messed up any chance for a medal with a terrible short program, but she came out for the long with an "I'll-show-them" attitude and proceeded to skate the best program in her career. Her step sequence was to die for.

1998, Nagano
Tara Lipinski, LP = As controversial a figure as she's become, there's no denying she won the gold that night fair and square. I don't think anyone's ever attacked the ice in an Olympic program like she did that night (aside from Ito in '88).

Lu Chen, LP = She stumbled on a couple of jumps (stepping out of the flip and 2-footing the second part of a triple-triple combo). But she stayed on her feet, and her choreography was easily the best of the night (and the best of Sandra Bezic's career). And the outpouring of emotions from Lu after she finished--bowing on the ice to her coach--made it all the more special.

2002, Salt Lake City
Again, not the best of Olympics. Sarah Hughes deserved to win, but despite the clean jumps, that special spark was missing, as it was with everyone else.

2006, Torino
Shizuka Arakawa, LP = It was just such a classy, well put together program. I do wish Shizuka showed a bit more emotion in her face while skating, but that Ina Bauer... words fail to describe.

2010, Vancouver
Yu-Na Kim, SP = I've said it before: Yu-Na's the best short program skater EVER. I actually prefer her Dance Macabre program just a tad more, but her 007 program was another triumph and easily the best Olympic short I've ever seen.
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
I wish this thread had more participation, especially with regards to people giving detailed write-ups of their favorite programs.

All right. I'll take a shot at explaining my choices for anyone who really wants to know...

10. Mirai Nagasu's Carmen LP, 2010. This one may be on my list only because it's so fresh on my mind but what a great first international competition for her. Skating last, knowing that you have almost zero chance a medal, following Kim Yuna and the emotional moment of Joannie Rochette, and still seizing the moment and capturing hearts.... She capped a great night of skating with gorgeous skating. Sure, her Carmen was more youthful and flirtatious than dramatic or tragic or sensual... but I just found her irresistible.

9. Midori Ito's LP, 1992. The last minute triple axle is just such a great Olympic moment. For that reason alone it's one my favorites. It was unforgettable.

8. Chen Lu's Butterfly Lovers LP, 1998. The choreography of course is exquisite and unique, perfect choice of music for her. But best of all was her comeback story and reaction at the end of the skate. How often do we see someone sob of joy when they win the bronze? It was heartwarming.

7. Paul Wylie's Henry V LP, 1992. It's not just that this is the original "Paul Wylie" moment. It's that few men skaters today skate with those gorgeous lines and carriage and poise. I love his series of split jumps. Probably COP doesn't leave as much room for such tricks. Too bad.

6. Tara Lipinski's The Rainbow, 1998. This is still the definition of a gold medal performance for me. I love the way her joy and emotional skating made it impossible for the judges to place her lower than first. Priceless reaction at the end. Tommy said it best - no Olympic gold medal winner has ever attacked a performance this way.

5. Oksana Baiul's The Swan SP, 1994. Her jumps look awkward in the air but, oh my god, this was pure fantasy on ice, from her delicate head and arm movements to her costume. I remembered specific moments from this skate - her ending pose, her gentle imitation of a bird shaking its head, her donut spin, for years to come before I ever had the chance to re-watch it. Not something I can say about many programs. Oskana's skating transported me.

4. Kim Yuna's James Bond SP, 2010. Thank you, Yuna, for giving us an original and memorable program when everyone says it's impossible under COP. For me, what makes Yuna's skating so wonderful is that she has speed and power and yet incredible control and lightness. And James Bond was a great vehicle for showing off those qualities - her skating is just so ... cool. And the best costume of the night. :love:

3. Kim Yuna's George Gershwin, Piano Concerto, 2010. Both of Kim Yuna's programs are my list because I never saw an Olympic gold medal favorite live up to such high expectations the way she did. That doesn't even get into the sublimity of her musicality, which I thought was wonderfully demonstrated with this music.

2. Alexei Yagudin's Man in the Iron Mask LP, 2002. The intensity of the performance matched the intensity of his technical ability. So rare. And so exciting to watch.

But if I could only watch one for the rest of my life, it would be this one:

1. Sasha Cohen's Dark Eyes SP, 2006. I'll just say that I'm a sucker for Sasha's skating and when she delivers like this I find her the most perfect thing to ever have taken the ice, flutz or no.
 

BlackAxel

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Anissina/Peizerat - 1998 FP "Romeo and Juliet" - Quite, simply this is what ice dance is about! Forget the skating reputation and the country and federation politiks, and you will see that Anissina/Peizerat's program was the everything that ice skating should be. While I wont go as far as to put this ahead of Torvill/Dean's Bolero, I really think it comes in a close second. Anissina was truly JULIET and Peizerat was ROMEO. This is my favorite ICE program!!! :love::love::love::love:

Anissina/Peizerat - 2002 FP "Liberta" - They skated with such inhibited emotion with skill and ease! Their music had a message and I really believe that they performed and lived to their performance. This is one of my favorite programs!


Stephane Lambiel - 2006 SP "Dralion" - quite simple one of the best choreographed programs that he has ever done. This program had everything from the interpretation, footwork, jumps, and of course spins :love:

Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze - 2002 SP "Lady Caliph" - This is the ESSENCE of a pairs short program. Beautiful sweeping music and emotion and choreography, I simply love it!

Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze - 2002 LP "Meditation from Thais" - Dont want to get into the controversy over this program and Sale/Pelletier's, BUT I was in love with their performance. Sans their minuscule mistake on one of their jumps, they exuded a sense of superiority that Russian pair skating has never failed us with.

Shizuka Arakawa - 2006 LP "Turandot" - She won the Worlds with this music in 2004 and she won the Olympics with this program in 2006. This music is purely MAGIC, and as Button said, "This is a LADY skating!" Wonderful performance that deserved the gold medal.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Wow I'll try:

1.) Sasha's Romeo and Juliet
2.) G&G'S Moonlight Sonata
3.) Katarina Witt's "Carmen"
4.) Sasha's My Sweet and Tender Beast
5.) Tara's "Rainbow"
6.) Virtue and Moir's "Allegittieto"
7.) Sasha' Dark Eyes
8.) Michelle's "Lyra Angelica"
9.) Tanith and Ben "Lets Get Loud"
10.) Shen and Zhao "Who Wants to Live Forever"
5.)
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Stephane Lambiel - 2006 SP "Dralion" - quite simple one of the best choreographed programs that he has ever done. This program had everything from the interpretation, footwork, jumps, and of course spins :love:

Oh wow, yeah, I'm officially adding that one to my list. Sensational footwork and the best spins the world has ever seen.
 
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