The worst part was her step sequence. My god, the girl couldn't do her step sequence for her life. She was underwhelming, but the crowd still cheered her on. She is much better on screen. I did, however, like her cute smile, but that's really the only nice thing I can say about her. Hae-jin skated better.
Min-jeong was rather disappointing. Her weaknesses as a skater & performer were accentuated because she was sandwiched between some of the best skaters in the history of the sport (seriously, this ice show's cast was ). She got a little faster (and seemed to have gained some muscle), but she was still painfully slow. She got dragged along by the music (esp. by Canon). She's definitely not a natural performer. Her jumps barely got off the ice. Her spins & spirals were nice, though. The worst part was her step sequence. My god, the girl couldn't do her step sequence for her life. She was underwhelming, but the crowd still cheered her on. She is much better on screen. I did, however, like her cute smile, but that's really the only nice thing I can say about her. Hae-jin skated better.
Yu-na's new program is MUCH MUCH better live. It's meant for the crowd. People were going bonkers. Someone talked about an "artistic bar" but that doesn't really go with what the Korean crowd wants. Skaters often comment that skating in Korea is like being a rock star. Well that's how Korean people think of it. Most American people think of ice shows as a high culture kind of thing, akin to a ballet show or a symphony concert, but the Koreans buy tickets to be entertained -- to have fun and interact with the skater. That's much easier with a program like "Bulletproof" than "Hallelujah." Well, going back to Yu-na, Yu-na is much, much better live. Her speed is stunning. Her jumps are so big, soft. She wasn't really on during "Thais", but for "Bulletproof" she was on fire! She, Michelle and Lambiel have the "it" factor, definitely. The crowd gets sucked up by their every move.
I really want to thank all the youtube uploaders, without whom I wouldn't have been able to see any of these programs!
Was the odd little cartoon of Yu Na dancing in the lower left corner broadcast with the program? I found it very distracting when trying to watch the performance.
My favorite so far is Lambiel's Let the Good Times Roll!
I also liked Sale & Pelletier's Scream a lot.
I have a feeling I would have liked a lot of the programs better in person. The TV station panned out so far from the skaters you could hardly see them in many shots, particularly annoying with Belbin & Agosto's "If It Kills Me".
I agree with you. Naturally, Western high culture (like ballet) is not a part of Korean culture. How many Koreans would enjoy ballet?Yu-na's new program is MUCH MUCH better live. It's meant for the crowd. People were going bonkers. Someone talked about an "artistic bar" but that doesn't really go with what the Korean crowd wants. Skaters often comment that skating in Korea is like being a rock star. Well that's how Korean people think of it. Most American people think of ice shows as a high culture kind of thing, akin to a ballet show or a symphony concert, but the Koreans buy tickets to be entertained -- to have fun and interact with the skater. That's much easier with a program like "Bulletproof" than "Hallelujah." Well, going back to Yu-na, Yu-na is much, much better live. Her speed is stunning. Her jumps are so big, soft. She wasn't really on during "Thais", but for "Bulletproof" she was on fire! She, Michelle and Lambiel have the "it" factor, definitely. The crowd gets sucked up by their every move.
I haven't seen all the performances yet, but I have a confession to make. My favourite YuNa is when she is doing something lyrical. I don't like her new "sexy, hot, cool" packaging as much. I also have a preference for the more classical skating displays over the pop-dance routines on ice (although, among the ladies, Shae-Lynn Bourne somehow manages to always be awesome in this category.) "Bulletproof" was better than I expected it to be based on when I first only heard the song, but it didn't have my heart leaping and left in awe. I hope she and her team go back to her roots, because I know it would be breathtaking with her higher level of polish and experience at this point.
I haven't seen all the performances yet, but I have a confession to make. My favourite YuNa is when she is doing something lyrical. I don't like her new "sexy, hot, cool" packaging as much. I also have a preference for the more classical skating displays over the pop-dance routines on ice (although, among the ladies, Shae-Lynn Bourne somehow manages to always be awesome in this category.) "Bulletproof" was better than I expected it to be based on when I first only heard the song, but it didn't have my heart leaping and left in awe. I hope she and her team go back to her roots, because I know it would be breathtaking with her higher level of polish and experience at this point.
Naturally, Western high culture (like ballet) is not a part of Korean culture. How many Koreans would enjoy ballet?
I totally agree with this post, there is a huge interest in Ballet, Classical Music etc. all over Asia, I would say those two are much bigger there than in Europe these days. (But I think Yo-Yo Ma is actually a US-American, born to Chinese parents in Paris / France)I would suspect that many Koreans do indeed enjoy ballet. I guess this by the popularity of European/Western classical music in Korea and in East Asia in general. Many of the world's best classical musicians are Korean (such as violinist Kyung-wha Chung and her two siblings, one a cellist and one a pianist/conductor), Chinese (such as cellist Yo-yo Ma and pianist Lang Lang), or Japanese (such as violinist Midori Goto). But it makes sense to have a skating program like this consist of lighter, "fun" music to draw an audience. After all, YuNa is a teenager herself, though old beyond her years because of the disciplined life she's chosen.
I did not see Brian Orser at all. Anyone know why he was not in Korea?
Why would he be? Yu-na does not need her coach there for an exhibition and he has other pupils who are training for the GP and summer competitions.
Why would he be? Yu-na does not need her coach there for an exhibition and he has other pupils who are training for the GP and summer competitions.
Dido about Lambiel. The guy is a true "dancer" and "artist" and I believe he could skate to anything. Sasha use to be like that. Yu-na never will.