What do you want to see at Worlds ...Ladies | Page 14 | Golden Skate

What do you want to see at Worlds ...Ladies

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lowtherlore

Guest
OK, I hope everybody stay healthy and bring her A-game to the Worlds!

My wish list:

Rachael and Alissa to skate well and bring the 3rd spot back for the Americans;

Kiira to keep her momentum going and help the Finns keep 2 spots;

Ira Vannut (liked her skating at JWC) and Juulia Turkkila (another Finnish beauty!) to have successful Worlds debut;

Yu-Na to deliver another set of magnificent and inspiring performances, and let the naysayers forget about nit-picking at least for a moment;

Min-Jeong Kwak to skate solid SP and LP, and better her PB.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
ITA, Two of the most exciting things to "want to see" at Worlds in ladies is Yu Na Kim's SP & LP!

OK, I know I am going to get in trouble again, but...

Short program. While hoping for the best, I do not see how Giselle can possibly rival Bond. Yu-na can skate for the next twenty years and do every song in the canon, but she will always be Bond Girl to me. :love:

http://th04.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE..._kim___bond_girl_by_ayamesakura61-d2vf146.jpg

Long program. It is very tricky, these programs that honor national culture and appeal to national pride. Like when American skaters perform to God Bless America or the Battle Hymn of the Republic. It's not just whistling Dixie. Blending the emotions of patriotism with a competitive skating performance is, as I say, tricky.
 

OS

Sedated by Modonium
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Lol never say never. I wouldn't think it was possible to top Danse Macabre, but look how she managed to stop everyone talking about it, and have them doing her Bond Pose instead.

I'd consider her Long program is more like the folk song Danny Boy for the Irish. I don't consider it as a battle hymn, except people will read whatever they want to at the end of the day because everyone naturally have pre-built agendas and political biases (I know I certainly do, but that has nothing to do the artist intention surely). On its own, the music is beautiful, and sweet natured folk song about missing home and reuniting love ones.

The greatest songs/music means different things to different people at different point of their lives with a simple message. How they are performed and received can also impact the landscape of how one feels the music and its cultural history.

May be after her performance in March, Arirang will be known as something entirely different from its sad history, and have a more positive connotation for the new generations of Koreans, in which Yuna seems to represent. For me, I just feel privileged to see someone went out of their way to do something personally meaningful to them as a gesture of thanks rather than for the medals. It also feels like she felt she has finally earned her way to be able to express her own unique voice; something I hope she do more often if the pursuit of artistry is her ultimate goal.
 
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L

lowtherlore

Guest
OK, I know I am going to get in trouble again, but...

Short program. While hoping for the best, I do not see how Giselle can possibly rival Bond. Yu-na can skate for the next twenty years and do every song in the canon, but she will always be Bond Girl to me. :love:

Long program. It is very tricky, these programs that honor national culture and appeal to national pride. Like when American skaters perform to God Bless America or the Battle Hymn of the Republic. It's not just whistling Dixie. Blending the emotions of patriotism with a competitive skating performance is, as I say, tricky.

No doubt that Yu-Na’s Bond SP made a lasting impression to the new fans and other casual viewers who watched the event during the Olympics, as the program was undeniably catchy. But for me her Danse Macabre and to a lesser degree the Tango de Roxanne were better SPs from her.

I think her Giselle program is actually a wise choice as it would be a significant departure from her SPs of the previous two seasons. Her interviews over the past several months consistently indicate that she is motivated to improve her skating and her performance level. I agree it would be tough for her new Giselle to top the Bond in popularity among the public, but I feel it could well be another milestone SP in her career.

About the LP, I think those examples – God Bless America or the Battle Hymn of the Republic – are not exactly right. The song, Arirang (which I guess would be the main theme of her LP music), is essentially an ancient love song, and has none of nationalistic or jingoistic connotations, though it’s true it never fails to stir up certain profound emotions among Koreans. I don’t see Yu-Na performing to Arirang would cause a situation, even if it’s happening in Tokyo. If some people find it uncomfortable, I think it’s mostly overreacting.

It’s true Western music is usually the predominant choice for the Asian skaters too, but I’ve never felt any tricky nationalistic or cultural ramifications present when a Chinese skater skates to a Chinese theme or a Japanese skater to a Japanese theme. Same as, although these things have cultural and emotional aspects to some degree, I don’t feel any particular cultural or nationalistic propaganda at work when, say, an American skater does a Gershwin number or a Russian does a Rachmaninoff. Why would Yu-Na’s skating to a Korean theme be fundamentally different?
 
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prettykeys

Medalist
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
dorispulaski's post #249 is a perfect blend of expressing critique, praise, personal preference, and relating it all to an understanding of the current judging system.
 

Serious Business

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 7, 2011
Long program. It is very tricky, these programs that honor national culture and appeal to national pride. Like when American skaters perform to God Bless America or the Battle Hymn of the Republic. It's not just whistling Dixie. Blending the emotions of patriotism with a competitive skating performance is, as I say, tricky.

It's also tricky when you take it international. However, we don't know if Yuna's program is more rah rah GOOOO KOREA patriotic, or more of a display of its culture and folk dance. Based on the music choice I would guess it's the latter. In which case it wouldn't be that different from a Russian ice dancing team doing a Russian folk dance.
 

cosmos

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 2, 2007
I do not understand this at all. Mao's sit spin is usually well centered and keeps very tidy low position.
Can't you see it on the video?

Mao's hip is too low. It should be like YuNa's, straight line from foot to hip.
 

YunaBliss

On the Ice
Joined
May 11, 2010
The trouble with Yu Na's spiral esthetically to me is that she really, really does not like to point her toe, and the rules do not require her to do so to get great scores on the element, so she doesn't. Also she has not needed to develop turn out, so her butt sticks up. And she does not fully extend her leg, so it's not straight.

I am not sure I agree entirely with your factual analysis, but in any event, even if it is true that she doesn't do any of those things, it does not mean her spiral cannot be aesthetically beautiful.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to me, these look aesthetically beautiful.. they are stunning!

http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab219/YunaBliss/spiral.jpg
http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab219/YunaBliss/spiral2.jpg
http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab219/YunaBliss/spiral1.jpg
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Rats! It stinks that Laura can't compete.

As for the rest of it, I have favorite aspects of both YuNa's and Mao's skating. I wouldn't want to do without either of them! I still don't know how to look at edges the right way, I think, so I miss that unless someone kindly points it out to me (thanks, Doris!). In terms of spirals, I prefer Mao's, because of her posture. It was really interesting to see them skating side by side, despite the distraction of both music selections playing simultaneously. They really both turned it on for that long program. I hope they're both able to skate at that level of excellence in the upcoming Worlds.
 

miki88

Medalist
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Mao's hip is too low. It should be like YuNa's, straight line from foot to hip.

No, according to the rules, in a sit spin, it is actually preferrable for the hip to be lower than the knee. A straight line is actually the minimun requirement. It can't be above it, but there's no rule against going below it.

"A sit position is obtained when the angle of the skating leg in the knee is not more than 90°; if this angle is more than 90°, the position is considered as an upright.
If the buttocks are higher than the knee, there must be a GOE Reduction from -1 to -3 (depending on the height and the duration of such position)." ( ISU communication 1396)
 
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Lookingood78

Spectator
Joined
Nov 11, 2010
you should know how to respect people, do not just see yu-na

I didnt even mention Yuna in my post, where is your word comes out from "do not just see Yu-na"?
Dont even bother telling me how to respect people i dont think you know me at all.
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003

gourry

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
I don't mind Mao's sit spin but I'm aware of what they are talking about.
I think some people have problem with Mao's sit spin because her hip kind of slides down as she spins. Her free leg starts parallel with ice level then her hip slides down to lower position as she spins whereas her foot remains at same height as before when she does her first sit position. So her free leg kind of changes from -- position to slight / position while she spins. She doesn't exactly 'hold' her position for certain amount of revolution. It's not really about position but about 'holding' it IMO because you need to hold it to get higher level.

I know some skaters like Lambiel and Oda do deep sit position(their hips are very close to their skating leg ankle) but their free legs always looked steady and parallel to the ice and they 'hold' it.

Anyway, it is very disappointiong that Laura is not gonna be there. Poor thing...:no: I really wish her fast recovery.
And I can't wait to see Yuna's new programs!!

BTW, Yuna's spirals are definately not 'average at best'. Actually it is one of the WOW factor if you see her live.;)
 

jatale

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
For the sake of discussion, if Yu-Na and Mao were not in the competition, which ladies do you think would most likely win medals at Worlds?
 

babayaga

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 27, 2010
Most of all, I want Mao to skate two clean programs and be happy with her performance. She went through a lot this year and I think it is pretty awesome that she is going to the World championship and is being considered as one of the top contenders. In the beginning of the season that didn't even seem possible.

Second, I want Alissa to skate like she can and take our breath away. She is such a beautiful skater, and I was heartbroken for her last year. And now this is the most amazing season for her, hope she finishes on a high note and stays motivated to skate for several more years.

Third, my favorite Russian girl Alena Leonova. I wouldn't mind if she won :p

I am very curious to see Yuna's new programs too. It is really a shame we will only see them once this season. Hopefully she will skate some modified versions of them during her summer shows. And I really want her to come back to the full competitive schedule next season. She is so young and talented and she still has so much to give.

Overall my feeling about this championship: as people before said, too many great skaters to cheer for and too few places on the podium..
 

miki88

Medalist
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
I don't mind Mao's sit spin but I'm aware of what they are talking about.
I think some people have problem with Mao's sit spin because her hip kind of slides down as she spins. Her free leg starts parallel with ice level then her hip slides down to lower position as she spins whereas her foot remains at same height as before when she does her first sit position. So her free leg kind of changes from -- position to slight / position while she spins. She doesn't exactly 'hold' her position for certain amount of revolution. It's not really about position but about 'holding' it IMO because you need to hold it to get higher level.

I guess it's due to preference but it's still not against the rules per se. I actually liked it when she didn't do those deep sit spins.
 

oksanafan

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
For the sake of discussion, if Yu-Na and Mao were not in the competition, which ladies do you think would most likely win medals at Worlds?

I don't think Kim will even appear. She hasn't skated competitively for a year now and to go into a world championships cold is too much of an ask. I think she will either retire or start from scratch again next season - probably the latter (otherwise she would already retired).

As Mao is still going through her transition period and rejigging her jumps, I think her skating is still too fragile at the moment for her to win.

Hence, I think Miki Ando will win. She is the person in form and she already has a world title. Definitely not Kostner or Czisny - it only takes a modicum of pressure and they are on the floor. They simply haven't got the temperament to win a world title. I think Mao will come second and Flatt third.
 
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