Favorite programs by your favorite skaters | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Favorite programs by your favorite skaters

lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
But Usova/Zhulin.... They're the rare ice dance team that you can't see a single ugly movement. Seriously - stop a youtube video and try to see if the image they create is ugly. Hint... it's not. Very few teams have that ability. Virtue/Moir. Klimova/Ponamarenko. It's so rare and so awesome to see two dancers so in tune with one another their bodies practically melt together .

That's one thing I noticed right away watching youtube clips of Usova & Zhulin's routines, especially in their Four Seasons free dance. One thing about Zhulin, he's one of the few male skating partners, along with Christopher Dean, Artur Dmitriev and John Zimmerman that really grabs your attention more than their female partners. Maya Usova had an lovely on ice presence, her lines and extensions are exquisite, but I always find my eyes focusing on Zhulin, and it has (almost nothing) to do with the tights. ;)


Earlier, I mentioned that I would have liked to have seen G&P revisit this music in 1996, 1997, 1998, when they were at their peak, but looking back at their performance, what made it so powerful was rawness of it. That same rawness and edgyness may not have been present when a more polished G&P skated.

What do you think of Usova & Zhulin's 1994 Free Dance? Stylistically, it is a departure from all of their previous free dances.
 
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Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Oh, man, I so wanted Usova/Zhulin to win in 1994. I can't believe this splendid duo never won an OGM. Well, life doesn't always arrange itself tidily.

I know what you mean about Zhulin being one of the male skaters one watches as much as or more than the female partner. He's so commanding. His musicality adds so much to the partnership. It's significant that he later became a coach and choreographer: he's plainly always had a deep understanding of every aspect of skating--very much like Christopher Dean.
 
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lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
Oh, man, I so wanted Usova/Zhulin to win in 1994. I can't believe this splendid duo never won an OGM. Well, life doesn't always arrange itself tidily.

I completely agree. U&Z's competitive accomplishments are impressive: 5 medals at Worlds, including the 1993 World Title and 2 Olympic medals; but even those accomplishments I feel don't fully reflect U&Z's strength as a team. But Usova & Zhulin also had the misfortune of having to compete during a very competitive period in ice dance. Klimova & Ponomarenko were one of the most balanced, well-rounded and technically flawless teams ever in ice dancing.
At the 1989-1990 season, the Duchesnays unveiled their transformative "Missing" FD. While the Duchesnays, or at least Isabelle, could not compete with the Russians in terms of technique, their free dance that year really was a watershed moment in ice dance. So now U&Z were the third team behind the Duchesnays & Klimova & Ponomarenko.
After both of those teams retired in 1992, U&Z dominated the 1992-1993 cycle. In 1993-1994, they were eclispsed by Grishuk & Platov, who would transform ice dancing with their speed and very difficult footwork. U&Z were an excellent team. They had the misfortune of competiting against K&P and G&P, who along with T&D, are probably the top three ice dance teams in history, and on top of that, competiting against the Duchesnays when they were at their creative peak.
That being said, I do think there are a few examples where Usova & Zhulin did not place as high as they should have. At the 1991 World Championships, they placed 3rd in free dance. I thought they should have won, although I would have had no problems with K&P placing 1st because of their overall difficulty. A more blatant example is the 1992 Olympics. K&P were in a class by themselves at this competition and deserved the OGM. Usova & Zhulin though should have won the silver medal over the Duchesnays. Their West Side Story program was nowhere near the same level as Missing or even Mirror Image and Savage Rites.

As for U&Z's 1994 FD, I go back and forth on it. If I'm watching U&Z's free dances in chronological order, I tend to like the 1994 free dance a lot more; it is different from their more intense and dramatic style, it's refreshing and I appreciate skaters who go outside their comfort zone. On the otherhand, if I'm ranking U&Z's free dances from most favorite to least favorite, that free dance is always towards the bottom of my list.
 
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ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Usova/Zhulin should've come second in 1991 because K/P were technically superior. Duchesnays should've been third.

Usova/Zhulin should've come second in 1992 Albertville - K/P basically had one of the greatest free dances ever (and they were underscored. How they didn't receive any sixes for that, I don't know) and they deserved their victory. You can make an argument for G/P in third over the Duchesnays, but we all know that wasn't happening.

U/Z deserved their world title and the 1992 silver medal at Worlds.

You know, lulu, watching the programs in Lillehammer again, I probably would give U/Z the gold but it's not highway robbery. I quite like the free dance (even more than their 1991 FD!), and even though their personal relationship had soured acrimoniously, I probably would've given it to them. No one really dominated the competition like K/P did in 1992 or G/P did in 1998.
 

lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
Usova/Zhulin should've come second in 1992 Albertville - K/P basically had one of the greatest free dances ever (and they were underscored. How they didn't receive any sixes for that, I don't know) and they deserved their victory. You can make an argument for G/P in third over the Duchesnays, but we all know that wasn't happening.

AND the Duchesnays almost won the gold medal! There was a 5/4 split for the gold. The French judge gave K&P a scandalously low score of 5.5 for technical merit for their free dance.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Snejina, I have a Bulgarian friend. Once when she went home to Sofia, she saw Denkova on the street. She isn't a skating fan, but she knew I would be thrilled when she told me. Alas, my friend was too shy to ask for an autograph on my behalf. Denkova/Staviskiy are probably in my top five of favorite ice dance teams. (Have to leave room for Klimova/Ponomarenko, Torville/Dean, and the current Canadian and American pairs, V/M and D/W. I can't decide on how to put them in order, except that K/P are probably at the top.)
 

Whitneyskates

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
I'll add a few.

K/O's 1998 Jive. I felt they captured the spirit of the jive better than anyone. I also loved their Masquerede Waltz FD.
A/P's Man in The Iron Mask. I still don't understand how they lost the world title that year.
D/W's Samson and Delilah,Eleanor Rigby Die Fleidermaus and Bollywood

S/P's "Orchid" FS as well as their Tristan and Isolde FS
B/S Lady Caliph and City Lights
G/G The Man I love

Matt Savoie's The Mission FS
Jeremy Abbott's Muse FS from last year as well as his 2010 FS
Daisuke Takahashi's Blues For Klook FS
Michelle Kwan's Lyra Angelica, The Feeling Begins, The Red Violin, Tosca and Solome
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
As for U&Z's 1994 FD, I go back and forth on it. If I'm watching U&Z's free dances in chronological order, I tend to like the 1994 free dance a lot more; it is different from their more intense and dramatic style, it's refreshing and I appreciate skaters who go outside their comfort zone. On the otherhand, if I'm ranking U&Z's free dances from most favorite to least favorite, that free dance is always towards the bottom of my list.

That FD was definitely a weaker one for them. I would have put them 3rd...

No one really dominated the competition like K/P did in 1992 or G/P did in 1998.

I can't see how it's fair to objectively say G/P dominated 1998 Olympics. Their compulsory dances were weak, they had a mistake in the OP, and their FD...well, I know opinions here can be mixed, but I really think the Americans should have been 1st in that FD (and overall) and I'd also put the Canadians over G/P in the FD (although not overall).
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Did G/P lose any dance in Nagano? Also, I thought you believe A/P won the FD and overall, not the Americans (I think you had them second in the FD)
 
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