Mao Asada | Page 27 | Golden Skate

Mao Asada

gotoschool

Medalist
Joined
Mar 5, 2014


Thanks so much for the link, figureskateobasan. The performance of Liebestraum begins at about 30 minutes. Here is a beautiful photo of Mao performing to Liebestraum. She is skating on one leg with the other lifted behind her, her chest stretched out in front and her arms spread wide- swan like- with her eyes looking longingly to the sky, as if she is about to take flight. Liebestraum means Love Poem or Dream of Love and Mao skates to the third piano solo work, which is about Mature Love.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_h3HborB6LT8/TMXQjUKQk3I/AAAAAAAAJyo/C756p0c1ojw/s1600/Asada+free+skate.jpg


I found this translation of the lyrics at the following website:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070923170705AAadUWk

O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst!
O lieb, so lang du lieben magst!
Die Stunde kommt, die Stunde kommt,
wo du an Gräbern stehst und klagst !

and this translation:

O love, so long as you can!
O love, so long as you may!
The time comes, the time comes,
Where you'll cry and weep on their graves!


Here is a longer prose translation:

"Oh, love, love for as long as you are able to love, for as long as you like to love.
The hour will come when you stand at gravesides and lament.
Ensure that your heart glows, and fosters and nurtures Love,
For as long as another heart beats warmly with love towards you.
And when that other closes the breast towards you, do what you can towards the other to love,
And make the other happy every hour, and for no moment make the other sad!
And guard your tongue well: all too soon a harsh word can escape from it.
O God -- it was not meant in malice -- but the other departs and weeps."

How fitting a piece for Mao to skate to with her mother about to pass away. So beautiful yet so sorrowful, entreating us to savor every fleeting moment we have with the ones we love, and Mao skates to this piece so soulfully and elegantly. I really love her performance of Liebestraum.

This is my favorite performance she did to this piece of music 4CC's 2011:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_fHcE4uFg4
 
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minze

Medalist
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
Thanks so much for the link, figureskateobasan. The performance of Liebestraum begins at about 30 minutes. Here is a beautiful photo of Mao performing to Liebestraum. She is skating on one leg with the other lifted behind her, her chest stretched out in front and her arms spread wide- swan like- with her eyes fixed longingly on the sky, as if she is about to take flight. Liebestraum means Love Poem or Dream of Love and Mao skates to the third piano solo work, which is about Mature Love.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_h3HborB6LT8/TMXQjUKQk3I/AAAAAAAAJyo/C756p0c1ojw/s1600/Asada+free+skate.jpg


I found this translation of the lyrics at the following website:
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070923170705AAadUWk

O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst!
O lieb, so lang du lieben magst!
Die Stunde kommt, die Stunde kommt,
wo du an Gräbern stehst und klagst !

and this translation:

O love, so long as you can!
O love, so long as you may!
The time comes, the time comes,
Where you'll cry and weep on their graves!


Here is a longer prose translation:

"Oh, love, love for as long as you are able to love, for as long as you like to love.
The hour will come when you stand at gravesides and lament.
Ensure that your heart glows, and fosters and nurtures Love,
For as long as another heart beats warmly with love towards you.
And when that other closes the breast towards you, do what you can towards the other to love,
And make the other happy every hour, and for no moment make the other sad!
And guard your tongue well: all too soon a harsh word can escape from it.
O God -- it was not meant in malice -- but the other departs and weeps."

How fitting a piece for Mao to skate to with her mother about to pass away. So beautiful yet so sorrowful, entreating us to savor every fleeting moment we have with the ones we love, and Mao skates to this piece so soulfully and elegantly. I really love her performance of Liebestraum.

I posted it earlier, but here it is again. My favorite performance of it. 4CC's 2011:

This is my favorite performance she did to this piece of music 4CC's 2011:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_fHcE4uFg4


Yes. Love that performance so much. To me it is one of her more elegant LP's Mao can skate to anything...
 

gotoschool

Medalist
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
This. :thumbsup:

She is lyrical and she is dramatic also. She's elegant and soft, as well as powerful and strong.

I agree with you Minze 2001 and Alba. It's amazing that Mao was able to express the light innocent holiday spirit of The Nutcracker and the sultry desperation of Bells of Moscow so effectively, almost as if she were two different people, the same with the stark contrast between Smile and Rach 2: from light-hearted innocence to melancholy and spiritual transcendence.

I was wondering what the rest of you think. What is your favorite move or element that Mao does?

There are quite a few, so it's hard for me to decide. I will start with a picture of her cross grab Biellmann spiral. I have never seen anyone hold the position as long as Mao does or change directions skating as smoothly or elegantly as she does it. I liked the way she did it the best in Bells of Moscow and this program also has my favorite spiral sequence. I really miss her stunning spiral sequences. Unlike so many others, I also love her costume in this program; it's both fiery and classy. At the time I first watched her in the Worlds 2010 LP, it was my favorite artistic and technical performance.

http://www.olympic.org/Assets/Media...1/FIGURE SKATING/06-W_Mao_Asada_JPN_S-960.jpg
 
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Upnights

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
I would like to see a lady skate to the aria from La Rondine. I was trying to think of who could do that well. Of course it's Mao. (The only record I could find online of someone skating to that was Toller Cranston - & he could do it!)
 

minze

Medalist
Joined
Dec 22, 2012
I would like to see a lady skate to the aria from La Rondine. I was trying to think of who could do that well. Of course it's Mao. (The only record I could find online of someone skating to that was Toller Cranston - & he could do it!)

Do you have the link?
 

yuki

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 2, 2012

iceberg

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Actually this season both Nocturne and Rach 2 she carried a lot id speed

And also I love her last year's SP I got rhythm. Not just because of its upbeat tempo but you can really see her skating faster than usual and still very natural and she looked so happy. :)
 

gotoschool

Medalist
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
I have a question what program of Mao do you think that she had carried a lot of speed?

The fastest and most powerful I ever saw Mao skate was in her Worlds 2014 LP (all the way through) and the best pace I ever saw her keep with the music was in her Sochi LP because she did an outstanding job accelerating with the crescendo in the music. I also like the Rach 2 step sequence the best. I also think she was fast in a lighter flitting like a butterfly way in Fantasie Impromptu back in 2007 and 2008.

Here is an HD copy of Mao's Worlds 2014 LP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba26-VTUoz0


Here is a video of my favorite spiral sequence (arabesque, Cross grab Biellmann), with the two triple axels, and my favorite one handed Biellman spin in 2010 Bells of Moscow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCwCo3GID2E

Thanks Alba and Yuki for all the links and all the input on your favorite programs and moves by Mao.
 
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gotoschool

Medalist
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
That step+choreo is just crazy. So difficult and so perfectly with the music. Simply amazing.
That SP makes me cry. :cry:

I am a bit embarrassed, but I admit I cried most for the Sochi LP. That program seemed to open the floodgates to my tear ducts. Then, I cried some watching her Worlds SP and LP 2014, Bells of Moscow at Worlds, Csárdás at Worlds 2007 and Liebestraum 2011 at Four Continents.

One of my favorite posts on a forum I read about people watching Mao's Sochi LP was from two family members watching the program together. After the program was over, one looked at the other and asked, "Why are your crying?" The other replied, "Why aren't you crying?"
 
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Alba

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 26, 2014
I am a bit embarrassed, but I admit I cried most for the Sochi LP. That program seemed to open the floodgates to my tear ducts.

Ha. But you see, my crying over this program is because of Sochi. I see this performance at Worlds, and I can't help thinking what if...:hopelessness:
I know that an OGM doesn't add or take away anything from her greatness. But I'm an egoist, and I can't help but think why my two favorite and beautiful skaters like Kwan first, and Mao later didn't win that damn medal.
So that's why I cry when I see this performance right after Sochi.

One of my favorite posts on a forum I read about people watching Mao's Sochi LP was from two family members watching the program together. After the program was over, one looked at the other and asked, "Why are your crying?" The other replied, "Why aren't you crying?"

:laugh: That's one of the best comments indeed. Never read that before. Thanks. :)
 

Upnights

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Thank you, Alba! My linking skills are rusty.

Mao made me cry when I 1st got to see her in person, even though it was just a practice at the GPF Quebec, before she had to - tragically - rush back to Japan. Then, I cried when I saw her successful 3A & touching Chopin SP in Detroit. Then, like many, I watched her through tears (in realtime online), as she triumphed in her LP in Sochi. In Detroit, when she stopped at the skaters' entrance after practice to sign autographs, a Japanese woman was overcome with emotion. Mao has that effect, with her grace, sensitivity & courage.
 
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bebece

Rinkside
Joined
Jun 14, 2014
what about mao program in pairs

mao with Jeffrey Buttle or what people in tumbler like to call maobutt hahahahha
their bolero was great, soft n majestic but i hope it be a bit longer, like 4 minute longer
Unforgettable such a soft romantic love program
n skating in a show with dim light make it more beautiful
 
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