MAO ASADA has now evolved into a super artist!

christinaskater · Nov 28, 2011

I have always admired Mao in the past for her beautiful skating but I always felt in the past that she was not connecting or being one with the music. She was holding back her emotions. But now, she has evolved to become one of my favorite skaters! I love Mao more that ever. She blends so beautifully with the music and she understands the music more than ever. She is also capable of selling and making the audience feel the music, a quality I thought was missing from her.

I am so happy for her. I could feel her renewed love and passion for the sport! She has for me evolved to become a combination of Michelle Kwan, Shizuka Arakawa and Oksana Baiul! Simply beautiful and exquisite.

christinaskater · Nov 28, 2011

She has had super performances in the past especially her Olympic SP

Nadine · Nov 28, 2011

At what price though, christina, at what price?

This said as I am about to finish the last chapter of Lucinda's book "Frozen Teardrop".

Bluebonnet · Nov 28, 2011

Why is there a thumb-down sign in front of the thread title? I thought this was a Mao bashing thread before I opened it.

By the way, I love Mao's LP this year.

lavender · Nov 28, 2011

Bluebonnet said:
Why is there a thumb-down sign in front of the thread title? I thought this was a Mao bashing thread before I opened it.

By the way, I love Mao's LP this year.

I was thinking the same thing.

mary01 · Nov 28, 2011

I LOOOVE MAO, she brings something magical to the ice, and when she skates I feel completely relaxed something I can't say about most other skaters. she actually is the only skater I always look forward to seing, and Mao is the skater that made me soo fall in love with this sport, not only because of her amazing technical ability and beautiful skating but even her personality totally draws you in... she just is such a great role model and such an exciting skater to be able to follow!

Olympia · Nov 28, 2011

To me, Mao has always been one in a million, so I know what you mean. She's so musical and light-footed--like Gordeyeva but of course with much better jumps. I savor every skate of hers I see. Magical is definitely the word for her.

Dragonlady · Nov 28, 2011

christinaskater said:
I have always admired Mao in the past for her beautiful skating but I always felt in the past that she was not connecting or being one with the music. She was holding back her emotions. But now, she has evolved to become one of my favorite skaters! I love Mao more that ever. She blends so beautifully with the music and she understands the music more than ever. She is also capable of selling and making the audience feel the music, a quality I thought was missing from her.

Mao was the most beautiful, etherial and delicate skater until she went to Tarasova who tried to make her into an over-the-top Russian diva. It was a disaster. Now she's back working with Lori Nichol and the beautiful, etherial and delicate skater is back. Mao hasn't "evolved", she's regressed and I'm overjoyed to see her back to herself again.

Mirunna · Nov 28, 2011

In terms of expressiveness she evolved, I mean she was light across the ice, elegant and delicate since she was a 15 year old but this season particularly she brought it to another level. She skates her heart out, even if the jumps don't always succeed. She grew a lot, as a skater, in the last couple of seasons, she looks mentally stronger because at 21 years old she knows how to win but also knows the taste of defeat. I'm sure this will be a successful season for her. She is my favorite skater and I wish her all the best

Dragonlady · Nov 28, 2011

Mirunna said:
In terms of expressiveness she evolved, I mean she was light across the ice, elegant and delicate since she was a 15 year old but this season particularly she brought it to another level. She skates her heart out, even if the jumps don't always succeed. She grew a lot, as a skater, in the last couple of seasons, she looks mentally stronger because at 21 years old she knows how to win but also knows the taste of defeat. I'm sure this will be a successful season for her. She is my favorite skater and I wish her all the best

Check out her programs from 2007/08. To me, she has yet to achieve the musicality in this program which she had in her programs that year when she won Worlds for the first time. Expressive at 15 yes, but in 2008, she was magical. At Skate Canada in Quebec City that year, my friend said he was coming to see Mao because he just "didn't get her". Watching her positively magical skate there (with fewer triples than those who finished below her), he said "Now I get her". She has yet to get that magic completely back, but she's closer than she's been since she left Artunian.

christinaskater · Nov 28, 2011

The body skated before for me but I was generally missing the emotions and I felt cold. She was indeed brilliant before she transferred to Tatiana but It's not the same level of musicality that I feel and see now. She has just become the total package! I still feel there is more to come from her. All I can say is she has now become a supreme artist in my opinion. I can see the love in her face and the passion for the music. I saw her in Skate Canada this year and I was blown away, I've seen her in the past live but this time it's more wow.

I get it that Mao has always had the lightness of Gordeeva, the angelic qualities and balletic skills made her a cut above the pack. Her elements have always been top notch especially with the triple axel and her non-jump elements and her phenomenal step sequences (fabulous extensions!).

Spun Silver · Nov 28, 2011

I seem to have a very different view of Mao from most, closest to Dragonlady. I don't think she has evolved all that much artistically - she was astounding from the first time I ever saw her and has had innumerable skates that showcased her trademark lightness and flow. However, IMO the pressures of competition are wearing her down in more ways than one, and I only enjoy her exhibitions now. Which is saying a lot, because I don't really care for show skating (all cheese and watered-down tech content). But Mao's show skates have a lot of tech content and she looks so much happier in them. The Jupiter exhibition, as she first did it over the summer, is a masterpiece. I love Mao and wish her the best, and for that reason I will be relieved when she stops competing.

skateluvr · Nov 28, 2011

Spun Silver said:
I seem to have a very different view of Mao from most, closest to Dragonlady. I don't think she has evolved all that much artistically - she was astounding from the first time I ever saw her and has had innumerable skates that showcased her trademark lightness and flow. However, IMO the pressures of competition are wearing her down in more ways than one, and I only enjoy her exhibitions now. Which is saying a lot, because I don't really care for show skating (all cheese and watered-down tech content). But Mao's show skates have a lot of tech content and she looks so much happier in them. The Jupiter exhibition, as she first did it over the summer, is a masterpiece. I love Mao and wish her the best, and for that reason I will be relieved when she stops competing.

Oh no, never! She will skate to Sochi, or she will try.... I am amazed she did not simply take a yr off from comp after Olys. She is divine. Tarasova weighed her down with those damn bells. She should have been the Mao all loved with the 3axel and the gold could easily have been hers. No offense to all the Yuna ubers here-she is special, too.

camion · Nov 28, 2011

Mirunna said:
In terms of expressiveness she evolved, I mean she was light across the ice, elegant and delicate since she was a 15 year old but this season particularly she brought it to another level. She skates her heart out, even if the jumps don't always succeed. She grew a lot, as a skater, in the last couple of seasons, she looks mentally stronger because at 21 years old she knows how to win but also knows the taste of defeat. I'm sure this will be a successful season for her. She is my favorite skater and I wish her all the best

ITA with your entire post. Mao was and has always been an ethereal skater, but this years she's been really emoting each and every note of the music. Even with the jump errors she had in Liebestraum, she didn't dwell on them like she had done so in the past and let that dictate the rest of her program. She skated with joy and the smile & neck tilt at the end of the program really made me feel like she grew as an athlete and as a person. I think she's a wonderful role model with great fight and tenacity.

Blades of Passion · Nov 29, 2011

Dragonlady said:
Check out her programs from 2007/08. To me, she has yet to achieve the musicality in this program which she had in her programs that year when she won Worlds for the first time.

Her best SP ever is easily the one from 2006-2007, IMO, and the next best is her 2008-2009 SP. Mao's 2007-2008 SP was a Tarasova creation that had some strong moments but was unbalanced and did not show her most magical qualities. For Long Programs, her performance at Japanese Nationals last season was definitely her best ever for me. I do think Worlds 2008 was her best LP performance up to that point in time, though. After missing the opening jump she skated as if it was the last time she'd ever get to set foot on ice.

christinaskater · Nov 29, 2011

I think she will go for Sochi! Winning that gold is her dream and she will seize that opportunity to win.
I see her though like Michelle with 4-5 World titles under her belt and a possible OGM???

christinaskater · Nov 29, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_p02kPSg1g
2006/2007 Japanese Nationals SP

christinaskater · Nov 29, 2011

2006/2007 Japanese Nationals LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TejVKsatBLk

christinaskater · Nov 29, 2011

2007-2008 GPF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYJ_mG6Qvno

2008 Worlds SP!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz-AktwtDfs&feature=related

WTT: Claire de Lune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56hdpfuw36E

Mao has been a stunning skater ever since but the level of her artistry before was different compared to now in terms of feel and emotion. Her skating was more ethereal during the Artunian era rather than the Tarasova era. I love the Sato era right now, I feel that Mao will technically up the ante more with the triple axels

I reckon, if she does 2 triple axels and a 7 triple program with double axels and double axel combinations, she is capable of racking Yu-Na olympic levels. The judges finally give her the PCS she deserves because they feel her more now. If she combines that feel and that technical excellence, she is capable of breaking records I tell you! I have felt in the past that she has been under marked in spite the difficulty of her jumps , spins, extension, footwork and other elements.

The problem was judges preferred the "Queenly" and regal presentation of Yu-Na! Yu-Na evolved earlier in terms of artistry and her earlier phase of mature artistry made her a judges favorite plus her text book perfect jumps (with perfect technique, amplitude and distance travelled).

christinaskater · Nov 29, 2011

I know Mao is a very lyrical and effortless type of skater and I really admired her for trying to be versatile by taking on Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto during the Olys!

MAO ASADA has now evolved into a super artist!

christinaskater

christinaskater

Nadine

Bluebonnet

lavender

mary01

Olympia

Dragonlady

Mirunna

Dragonlady

christinaskater

Spun Silver

skateluvr

camion

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be

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