Rank the programs of the top 6 Ladies contenders going to Worlds this year

Rank the programs of the top 6 Ladies contenders going to Worlds this year

I thought this would be interesting to talk about and I wanted to share my opinions. Rank these programs based upon their choreography/interpretation/performance qualities. I've linked videos of what I feel are their best performances of the programs in major competition this season.

Short Program:
1. Akiko Suzuki - I love the almost seductive opening. I love how she does nearly an entire footwork sequence, the kind which would be seen by great skaters before CoP or during the early days of CoP, when the music changes tempo after the first spin. I like the usage of her arms during the spins and how well the spins go with the music for the most part. I love how she can express a nearly deadly seriousness at one moment and then suddenly be overcome with unbridled JOY the next. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w1WhfcEWus
2. Carolina Kostner - Very playful, with pretty good attention paid to hitting the accents of the music with steps and using strange arm movements that feel at home with this music. A few of the movements would benefit from being even more strange though, some of it feels a bit safe, and she should probably be less playful in tone when the very low piano notes and aggressive violin section of the music comes in. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30fmkWt1HP4
3. Alissa Czisny - The choreography is very thin but it's pleasant enough and the step sequence is wonderful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx_fj_6QgA0
4. Alena Leonova - This is very similar to Czisny's program in construction, just much different in style. Leonova makes more of an effort to build the character here than Czisny does but the footwork isn't as effective. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to17jalWLFA
5. Mao Asada - A bizarre musical arrangement that never finds its footing. None of the ideas ever form into something substantial. Mao's natural ability does a lot of heavy lifting here with giving the program any kind of appeal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKVVFyB8w94
6. Ashley Wagner - Great music, great dress, uninteresting choreography that has little connection with the music. The one good part of the program from earlier in the season has even been taken away because of the new timing of her solo triple jump. For super-detailed thoughts from me about this program, read here - http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...ner-Video&p=577730&highlight=works#post577730

Long Progam:
1. Ashley Wagner - This program could be so much more but she clearly has the required moxy and the choreography has improved since the start of the season and contains a couple highlights that are the probably best of the season among female Long Programs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq_Fgh4Qwb4 (yes I know her Four Continents performance is technically cleaner, but this one is a better performance showcase)
2. Mao Asada - I really wish they hadn't changed this program from what it was during the first half of the 2010-2011 season. Such a magic gem down the drain. Still, this version of the choreography remains worthwhile and Mao interprets the music so naturally and beautifully when she is on form. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH9vcInDAFY
3. Akiko Suzuki - Delightful, but there aren't any amazing highlights and it's rather one-note. The first two spins she does aren't a good fit for the music. She clearly relates to the music, though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCWa7-tsraI
4. Alena Leonova - I like what she is attempting here, and it keeps almost getting there at times, but doesn't ever really break through all the way. Definitely hindered by unnecessary CoP movements that are in the program just to gain the levels. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWgTNNfEMRQ
5. Carolina Kostner - The opening is gorgeous but after that (starting with the first Double Axel) it goes downhill in a big way for me. I don't see much connection to the music from that point. The "Mr. Roboto" arm movement she does during the resting section is distracting and completely goes against the tone here; it looks like it was carried over from her Short Program. The sudden spiral pose shortly after is similarly out of place. I really dislike how she does the two Salchow's back-to-back in the exact same spot on the ice. The footwork sequence and her final spins could have been taken from any program, they don't have much to do with this music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65TaOgZeXn4
6. Alissa Czisny - A big miss. The section where she goes into her Flying Camel is nice, but otherwise...yeah... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA158YOWQVE

And then my overall rankings would be 1. Akiko Suzuki, 2. Ashley Wagner, 3. Mao Asada, 4. Carolina Kostner, 5. Alena Leonova, 6. Alissa Czisny

Taking technical content into consideration, though, my ranking if all of them skate perfectly would be: 1. Mao Asada, 2. Akiko Suzuki, 3. Ashley Wagner, 4. Alena Leonova, 5. Carolina Kostner, 6. Alissa Czisny

Of course, the programs/performances can still be improved upon before Worlds. You never know for sure until they actually skate.

Short Program:
1. Asada - I'm strangely drawn to this SP. Right after the loop, she rushes a bit and it reminds me of the step sequence in Midori's 1988 SP. Her step seq is beautiful. Love the transitions before the triple flip double loop. Gorgeous!
2. Kostner - It's fun, a bit seductive, a bit pretentious, and very different from everyone else.
3. Suzuki - Love her. Her step seq isn't as fun as her West Side Story step.
4. Leonova - A lot going on. A bit eclectic for my taste. Like her energy through the step seq.
5. Wagner - Her program should be fun and flirty, and on paper I should like it, but I don't. Her step isn't memorable.
6. Alissa Czisny - The program is empty. Not much to see.

I'm starting to like step seq after watching dancing. Love single skaters who can jump and can do step effortlessly. It's the best of both world.

I'm not going to get all blah blah blah about it, I'm just going to list 1-4 in the order that I like them, period:

SPs

1 & 2.) Ashley Wagner & Alissa tied, I love them both, each program fits each skater perfectly. In fact if Alissa does well at Worlds, I would associate "La Vie en Rose" as her signature piece. Jmho.
3.) Mao Asada
4.) Carolina Kostner



LPs

1.) Ashley Wagner by far! If she wins at Worlds, this will be her signature piece, guaranteed.
2 & 3.) Mao Asada & Alissa Czisny tied.
4.) Carolina Kostner

Short

1. Suzuki When skated well there's nothing not to like
2. Czisny It could use more transitions and the choreography is admittedly a little empty at times but she really brings it alive for me and the sep sequence and spins are amazing
3/4. Kostner or Asada Honestly it depends on the day. Both are very graceful programs. Slight edge to Kostner. Mao is great but has been better.
5.Leonova I actually really like her choreography and spirit but the program always feels a little out of control to me and she desperately needs to stop with the sexy gyrating before/during the step sequence. Actually up to here I think all of them are great programs.
6. Wagner This program feels always very empty and uninspired to me despite showing her off to her best advantage.

Long

1. Wagner Love all the details!
2. Carolina
3. Mao
4. Akiko
5. Leonova I also get what she is going for but to me it's slightly off.
6. Czisny I think this is a terrible program for her. Period.

Short program:

1. Suzuki - From the beginning to end the program responds to the music's speed, drama, and seductiveness, all of which happen to match Akiko's gifts. I especially love the timing of the 2A and the spirited footwork.
2. Mao - Her program gets the edge over Kostner's for me because of the more intricate, yet sinuous and flowing footwork section. I detest the muzak version of Scheherezade, and the arm movements are a bit overdone, but on the whole the way the program hangs together for me with little themes like the running steps, hops, and dips so that it does feel like a Middle Eastern dance.
3. Kostner - I love the clarity of this program and Carolina's performance (and costume), and she gets bonus points in my book for the interesting music choice, but it's less challenging than Mao's or Akiko's.
4. Wagner - I find the music irritating along with the intentionally robotic movements that Mills has used to match it. It hangs together, though, and Ashley sells it.
5. Leonova - It fits her style and stands out from the crowd, and heaven knows she rips it off. That's about all I can say for it. Note: Leonova skates as though she has bricks in her skates. Heavy feet!
6. Czisny - It's another pretty pretty program. It fits Alissa's soft style, but it's not distinctive in any way.

Blades, thanks so much for your perceptive and thorough evaluations, and for posting the links so we could see for ourselves. That took a lot of work!

Thanks also to the rest of you for your contributions. Put all together, this will give me a lot of background for when I follow the proceedings at Worlds. I hope to read them all in the detail they deserve when I get home from work (if I ever get home from work: my in box keeps filling up).

SP:
1. Czisny: Alissa embodies the character of the music perfectly. Choreography (and transitions) are pretty minimal but when Czisny is on, as she was at Skate America, she doesn't need to do more than what she does with this program. Don't like how it's frontloaded and it's not a departure in style, but it works beautifully for Alissa.
2. Kostner: It's quirky, unique, and Kostner sells it. I like it.
3. Wagner: This program is growing on me and it's very close behind Kostner. I really enjoyed her performances at Nationals and 4CCs with this.
4. Akiko: I actually don't rank this higher for the reasons that other people do like this program--Akiko goes from somber and serious one moment to over-the-top lighthearted in the next. Love Akiko's energy, but this doesn't form a cohesive whole for me--I thought her SP last year was a better program than this one.
5. Leonova: Bleh. And I liked her programs last year, just don't think the move to Morosov was good for her.
6. Asada: My problem is with the orchestration that she chose, and way too many Egyptian arm movements. I just don't get the story of Scheherazade that she's telling. On the positive side, it's one of the better SPs Tarasova has done for her.

FS:

1. Akiko: This program is just perfect for Akiko's style and showcases her footwork perfectly. I preferred her blue-and-white dress--it fit the soaring nature of the music. Nope, not a huge amount of range shown within this program, but I don't think she needs to. It's just wonderful.
2. Wagner: When I first saw this, i thought it was just an ordinary Swan Lake program. But since then, it's really grown on me. She's more comfortable and committed to the choreography, she sells it, and the spiral sequence is a highlight. She's added transitions and all in all, it's a very complete program.
3. Kostner: As with the SP, very close between Wagner and Kostner.
4. Mao: The performance of hers that I watched multiple times was 2010 Japan Nationals. Since then, though, every performance has lacked a little something for me. She's made changes (replacing the Ina Bauer after the lutz with a very brief spread eagle), and I just think the previous program was stronger.
5. Leonova: Miki's backloaded FS is not one that should be emulated by other skaters.
6. Czisny: Zzz.

Thanks to those who have shared their thoughts! One thing I have to respond to:

jaylee said:

SP:
4. Akiko: I actually don't rank this higher for the reasons that other people do like this program--Akiko goes from somber and serious one moment to over-the-top lighthearted in the next. Love Akiko's energy, but this doesn't form a cohesive whole for me

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The music dictates that she go from serious to lighthearted, though? She is following that story and I don't believe this music cut is poorly thought out. There is a clear duality of emotions going on in this piece and they are interplayed throughout in a meaningful manner. I think it's an amazing credit to this program and Akiko's talent that her every movement and demeanor and style of steps is always interpreting the music in an interesting fashion. I'm so impressed by her footwork sequence where the music is serious and her movements are angular and extended, and then the melody suddenly changes and she is immediately not only smiling and taking on a softer tone, but her steps also change to utilizing toepick work and leg swings. Other movements I haven't talked about yet such as the dramatic swing of her arm to finish off the flying camel spin (during a more weighty part of the music) and the playful usage of hands and arms after the double axel (during a lighter part of the music) continue to differentiate each section and give each of them character.

Spun Silver said:

Short program:

1. Suzuki - From the beginning to end the program responds to the music's speed, drama, and seductiveness, all of which happen to match Akiko's gifts. I especially love the timing of the 2A and the spirited footwork.
2. Mao - Her program gets the edge over Kostner's for me because of the more intricate, yet sinuous and flowing footwork section. I detest the muzak version of Scheherezade, and the arm movements are a bit overdone, but on the whole the way the program hangs together for me with little themes like the running steps, hops, and dips so that it does feel like a Middle Eastern dance.
3. Kostner - I love the clarity of this program and Carolina's performance (and costume), and she gets bonus points in my book for the interesting music choice, but it's less challenging than Mao's or Akiko's.
4. Wagner - I find the music irritating along with the intentionally robotic movements that Mills has used to match it. It hangs together, though, and Ashley sells it.
5. Leonova - It fits her style and stands out from the crowd, and heaven knows she rips it off. That's about all I can say for it. Note: Leonova skates as though she has bricks in her skates. Heavy feet!
6. Czisny - It's another pretty pretty program. It fits Alissa's soft style, but it's not distinctive in any way.

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I agree with most of your interpretation and most of the ranking. Akiko when skating well can outperform anyone with the most intricate, fast footwork. She is amazing and likely would have won a WC by now had she not lost time to the illness/eating disorder. I think Caro is so stunning and so dominant this year, they will continue to give her the scores to win if she skates as she has. This is Europe and imho, maybe her last chance to be WC. They see two very balanced programs, but I think Akiko is the better skater, harder choreo, and she is so fast and her musicality is bar none.

Wagner's SP music is delightful and different. I really enjoy it. Why the 4 second pose? Clearly she wants to leave stunning picture in our minds. As for her just good, not great blade to ice skills, she is the youngest of this crew, and I hope she will improve, as she has been in all aspects. Her hands and arms are so beautiful and precise, her bottom half doesn't measure up to be general. But I sometimes felt that about Yuna Kim, despite the speed, humongous jumps, her flexed feet, leg line were sub par for me.

Alisa is always working hard to keep the jumps, and hesitant and stalks her jumps, so we don't see her total grace in competition programs. Vie en Rose is lovely. I wish she'd let go of her stiffness and desire for perfection and just relax, perform the music. She has it, she just is too frightened to compete to show us her relaxed side. Her performance suffers from fear. When she skates with joy and abandon like Caro does now, she will be the best. Her SP isn't near what Leonova does technically but It's far prettier, more memorable. It is an SP, and it is vintage Czisny. It is what they expect of a lady, frankly, she is the epitome always of pwetty pwincess, as is Mao (except when you see those axels done well-or just landed thrills me).

Alena I respect for her attack, technical acumen and her performance ability, but I don't like either program. Hot mess comes to mind sometimes. Kesenia's classic lines are more my taste, though she can't do what Leonova does. I suspect she (Alena) will be over by Sochi with the babies coming up and if they survive puberty it will be Elena who?

But for now Requiem is challenging, she's a powerful skater...do you prefer power and attack, or gentle flow? I can't say one is better, they are different, like watching Irina power through whatever, (tho I prefer Alena) then watching Sasha. One is an Athlete, the other an artist.

I can't remember enough SPs this season to judge. I do like Mao's. I think it is her best since her Nocturne program. I also like Alissa's. Those are the only ones I remember well enough to judge.

As for the long program:

Mao--I love this program The music is perfect for her and Lori did good job on the choreo. I especially love the spiral at the end.
Ashley--A blogger called this an atrocity, but I like it. It's very dramatic, which this music demands.
Akiko--Very nice. She sells it.
Carolina--not that memorable to me.
Alissa--I might rank it higher if she could skate it clean.
Leonova-No.

I think Ksenia Makarova has one of the best shorts this season . I don’t really like Ksenia’s skating overall but that short is pretty great. That long program she has though totally sets her back.

Alena I respect for her attack, technical acumen and her performance ability, but I don't like either program. Hot mess comes to mind sometimes.

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I feel the same way. I don't like any of her programs.

I do agree with Mao, Akiko, Carolina, Alissa and Ashley being on the list with the top short and longs this season in general.