Mao Asada news

**feraina** · 07-31-2010, 02:27 AM

I just found Mao Asada's new exhibition program to a Chopin piece:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMzd-...eature=related

It's beeeeeeeeeautiful!

Does anyone have any news about her?

**aftertherain** · 07-31-2010, 03:27 AM

Oh! How beautiful! Very nice exhibition! (:

P.S. Was that a forward/inside-edge Ina Bauer at around 2:30?

**colleen o'neill** · 07-31-2010, 12:48 PM

Oh boy , that's stunning ! Who's choreography, again ? There certainly looks to be some great Exhibition programs this year.

**Iscariot** · 07-31-2010, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by colleen o'neill

Oh boy , that's stunning ! Who's choreography, again ? There certainly looks to be some great Exhibition programs this year.

Tatiana Tarasova

**i love to skate** · 07-31-2010, 03:38 PM

Wow, that was amazing! She skates like a feather - so delicate, light, and airy!! She looks so much more relaxed and happy this year and her musicality has really developed. I absolutely adored that twizzle sequence that started at 1:16

I really hope Mao has an excellent year!

To the poster who asked about the move at 2:30 - yes that was a inside edge Ina Bauer

**colleen o'neill** · 07-31-2010, 04:12 PM

Tat! ... This is one of those moments when I can almost forgive her for all the programs I haven't liked ( Oh, the freedom of an exhibition program !)...and if Tessa inspired the simple little floaty dress...Bravo!

I particularly love the series of turns in the alternating directions ( were they all twizzles..have to look again ) with the different arm positions, and not one ugly spiral position, not an I-spin in sight..This is the Mao I've been missing. ( We've been having a heat wave , here in Vancouver, and this was very refreshing on another stultifying day.)

**demarinis5** · 07-31-2010, 05:19 PM

Our heat wave has finally left us here in the Northeast. After nearly 30 days of heat and humidity I am enjoying a comfortable 72 degrees right now with a refreshing sea breeze. Mao's program is stunning. All of the little nuances, her spiral sequence and the inside edge Ina Bauer were spot on. Not many skaters can project the feeling of flight, Mao does that in this exhibition. Thanks for sharing.

**feraina** · 07-31-2010, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by colleen o'neill

Tat! ... This is one of those moments when I can almost forgive her for all the programs I haven't liked ( Oh, the freedom of an exhibition program !)... I particularly love the series of turns in the alternating directions ( were they all twizzles..have to look again ) with the different arm positions, and not one ugly spiral position, not an I-spin in sight..This is the Mao I've been missing.

This program is brilliantly choreographed, and Mao's skating it very well given that it's a new program. She's bringing out all the little nuances in this piece, really stunning! And I think those are all twizzles -- all four kinds actually.

But I think this is not the Mao "we have been missing", but a more mature, elegant, musical, balletic Mao that we've never really seen before. She still floats across the ice like she always did, but she's lost the bouncy bubbliness of her earlier years. Now she skates like a mature young lady and an *artist*. And she's still only 19, this is so exciting!

**miki88** · 07-31-2010, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by feraina

This program is brilliantly choreographed, and Mao's skating it very well given that it's a new program. She's bringing out all the little nuances in this piece, really stunning! And I think those are all twizzles -- all four kinds actually.

But I think this is not the Mao "we have been missing", but a more mature, elegant, musical, balletic Mao that we've never really seen before. She still floats across the ice like she always did, but she's lost the bouncy bubbliness of her earlier years. Now she skates like a mature young lady and an *artist*. And she's still only 19, this is so exciting!

I agree.

There's an added intensity to the ethereal and balletic style of her Nocturne days. Perhaps that's due to maturity that comes with age or the effects of working with darker programs these past few years.

**colleen o'neill** · 07-31-2010, 07:11 PM

Yes, I do agree with you , Miki and feraina... I suppose what I wanted to convey was that this is the sort of thing I always felt she was developing toward, from her younger days. I think I've been pretty vocal , here, about not liking the direction her programs have taken the last few years, so I won't re-hash all that. But I suppose I've been missing 'What might have been ' , so for me, this is not only growth ,but a return as well .

Any way you look at it , it's lovely.

**hikki** · 07-31-2010, 09:22 PM

feraina , thanks for bringing attention to this. More programs on Dream on Ice thread.

This Chopin really suits Mao, doesn't it! I also loved the nuance of her movements, the twizzle turns that depict the mood & melody so well, gorgeous spins/ spiral posture, and her simple costume. The music is in her skin rather than fighting against/ 'going for something big'. And Nocturne maybe the music happened to suit Mao, but with this I feel that she's more expressive, more aware of what she wants to do.

Sorry Tarasova for bagging you last season!

This, along with the Lavender program, is Mao's masterpiece.

Having said that, some things I don't like:

Her jumps worry me! A bit heavy still.
That charlotte is just not pretty enough to throw in the program I don't think!
Ditto spread eagle (but then again not many women do this well)/ falling leaf (? the jump in the spread eagle position)

And here's news on her coaching situation. An article from last week.
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/new.../07/25/19.html

Basically Mr Nagakubo (Akiko Suzuki's coach) is a part-time jump coach, and she hasn't found a full-time coach yet and Mao is quoted saying "(on jumps) They're picking up, but still have a lot to go. I'll try to put things together in my head. I should keep cool ("I'm feeling hasty" is the direct translation)"

I hope she takes time to do whatever she has to do!

**miki88** · 07-31-2010, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by hikki

feraina , thanks for bringing attention to this. More programs on Dream on Ice thread.

This Chopin really suits Mao, doesn't it! I also loved the nuance of her movements, the twizzle turns that depict the mood & melody so well, gorgeous spins and posture. The music is in her skin rather than fighting against/ 'going for something big'. And unlike with Nocturne I feel that she's more expressive, more aware of what's going on.

Having said that, some things I don't like:

Her jumps worry me! A bit heavy still.
That charlotte is just not pretty to throw in the program I don't think!
Ditto spread eagle (but then again not many women do this well)/ falling leaf (? the jump in the spread eagle position)

And here's news on her caching situation. An article from last week.
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/new.../07/25/19.html

Basically Mr Nagakubo (Akiko Suzuki's coach) is a part-time jump coach, and she hasn't found a full-time coach yet and Mao is quoted saying "(on jumps) They're picking up, but still have a lot to go. I'll try to put things together in my head. I should keep cool ("I'm feeling hasty" is the direct translation)"

I hope she takes time to do whatever she has to do!

I think the long length of her dress may be a factor in the landing of her jumps here. I did think she had nice height in her flip and loop. I thought her falling leaf was very pretty. It would have been better if she hold her charlotte longer but it's the first time she has done it in a program so she'll get better.

**Tinymavy15** · 07-31-2010, 11:12 PM

This is Mao at her graceful, charming, musical, happy best. Watching her skate this piece is a joyful experience. She looks happy and beautiful and she seems to have been working on her under rotations. the jumps look cleaner on the landings. I wish this was her freeskate, but Libenstraum should be charming as well.

**Olympia** · 07-31-2010, 11:29 PM

This is so lovely and musical. The turns in opposite directions are spectacular. I love her posture and her arms--two aspects of her skating I've always found superior.

I hope this is a harbinger of things to come in the approaching season!

I love your description, Hikki: "The music is in her skin rather than fighting against it." That's a wonderfully eloquent way of putting it.

**LeCygne** · 08-01-2010, 01:16 AM

Her expression and musicality are wonderful. She makes Chopin sound like it was made for her to skate to. I can't wait to see her competitive programs.

But her coaching situation does not sound too promising. Her jumps are still iffy, and a part-time jump coach is not enough at this point. I don't know why, but she seems to lose all speed in the air - there's no flow out of her landings. I don't think the issue is height because she seems to get plenty of it, and she enters all her jumps with considerable speed..

I have no worries that she'll do great this season, especially with Yu-Na out of the picture for the time being. But if not this year, she really needs to get working soon on her flutz, 3axel, and getting back the 3-3 because those problems aren't going to go away..