Favorite programs by your favorite skaters | Golden Skate

Favorite programs by your favorite skaters

lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
I'm not going to lie, this post is basically just a self-indulgent excuse to post videos & gush about my favorite skaters. ;) What are some of your all time favorite skating routines, the ones that you can watch over and over again until *you* probably know every nuance better than the skater?

I'm going to limit myself to no more than 4 routines per skater, just because for some of the skaters I'll end up listing every single routine they ever skated to.:slink:

For the sake of space I'm also going to limit myself more or less to retired teams, as oppose to current ones.
Ice Dance

Grishuk & Platov:
Libertango O.D.
St. James Infirmary Blues
Memorial
The Feeling Begins

Usova & Zhulin:
The Four Seasons
Blues for Klook
Summertime O.D.
1991 Free Dance

Anissina & Peizerat
Carmina Burana
Romeo & Juliet
2002 Flameco O.D.


Delobel & Schonfelder
Frida
2007 Free Dance

Klimova & Ponomarenko
Bach FD
Tchaikovsky Program
Romeo & Juliet
Dracula

Bestimova & Bukin
Rasputin
1988 F.D.

Denkova & Staviski:
Handel
Cirque de Soleil

H.M.: Krylova & Ovsiannikov 1998 O.D. ; Duchesnays: Missing (Part 1), T&D: Bolero, Barnum, Navka: Carmen
 
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lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
Pairs ;)

Pairs

Mishkutenok & Dmitriev:
Piano Concerto # 2
Liebestraum
Don Quixote
Pan Flute Music Ex

Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze
Lady Caliph
City Lights
Meditation from Thais
Valse Sentimentale

Selezneva & Makarov
Michael Jackson SP
Night on Bald Mountain Professional Routine
1986 LP
1990 Folk LP

Gordeeva & Grinkov
Requiem
Vocalise
Out of Tears
Scheherazade

Kazakova & Dmitriev
The Matrix
Spente Le Stelle
Passacagalia

Valova & Vasiliev:
Professional routine where she skates with one slipper & one skate
1988 LP
1987 LP

H.M: Abitbol & Bernadis: 1998 SP & LP, Ina & Zimmerman: 2002 SP & LP, Shishkova & Naumov: Take Five SP, Hartshorn & Sweiding 1492
 

Kitt

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2007
Country
United-States
I am going to agree with lulu that B & S Lady Caliph is the most sublime example of pairs skating ever.
 

DianaSelene

Medalist
Joined
Aug 2, 2011
I am going to agree with lulu that B & S Lady Caliph is the most sublime example of pairs skating ever.

Absolutely agree. Just as people call Torvill/Dean's Bolero a legendary ice dance performance, I would say B/S Lady Caliph is the epitome of figure skating - the most legendary short program.

P.S. No surprise. Everyone can see my avatar. :p
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Even my tolerant (but not enthusiastic) husband Mr. Ski said Lady Caliph was the best pairs routine ever!

His other favorite is
Torville & Dean Paso Doble OSP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwXTYlsynM8

I'm more than on board with both his choices!

For my picks, I'm going to concentrate on ones others might not have, except when I can't restrain myself.



My choices Dance:
Of course, I could include most of T&D's dances, including their pro routines :) but limited to 4
Torvill & Dean Paso OSP
Mack and Mable FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNJQXCQt7Ek
Torvill & Dean Blues OSP (Summertime)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmztHpSIT4E
Torvill & Dean Rock n Roll (1950's style)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEHsR679g1M

I'm good with your choices for U&Z, other favorites of mine, except one of my favorites of theirs is the 1988 FD to Indian Temple Dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qho2DLoqbZk
I wish there were a better version on youtube.

I would not care if I ever saw anything from Bestemianova & Bukin again, except possibly their 1986 Carmen, which is not on your list:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iju_RarH3rk

Grishuk & Platov,
The Feeling Begins, definitely, (previous linked)
Their Yankee Polka CD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFyzNp-0IEQ
Their Quickstep OSP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EqTmB96Jbk

Virtue & Moir
Farrucas OD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WDXmqBqXYQ
Pink Floyd FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A_vEYd9QVk

Davis & White
2009 Samson & Delilah FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68OsUDopjyQ
2012 Die Fledermaus FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZzXJw12vnA
2010 Bollywood OD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT-o2xS4cck
2008 Eleanor Rigby FD (I would prever the US Nationals version, but it is not on youtube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzA2cAvQXQo

Rahkamo & Kokko
La Strada FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRiX1wPC7ok
Beyong the Invisible offical video by Enigma pro routine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8mMWh62XpU

Domnina & Shabalin
Tango Romantica CD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6uDrkm-D1g

Delobel & Schoenfelder (I have never understood the universal joy surrounding Frida, and wonder whether it has something to do with the fact that I never saw the movie.)

Loved their Cowboy Yankee Polka
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxPqA0GOMgw
And their Breton Gavotte OD in 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBr5m1_qHJQ
and 2005-2006 Carnival in Venice FD, especially the earlier versions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LWdhkrs1nQ

Belbin & Agosto
I find I like their Amelie...after I watched the movie...a lot more than before ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqVzf2_kad8
 
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lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
Mr. Ski has great taste in figure skating. :) I enjoy B&B's Carmen and their Cabaret routine from 1987 as well.

Sublime is a perfect word to describe Lady Caliph.
 
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lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
Also wanted to add Chait & Sakhoviski's 1492 & Bolero and Kerr & Kerr The Matrix to my list. Once I start, I really can't stop. :slink:
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I'm at work so I don't have time to make an extensive list, but I'm so glad you mentioned Bestemianova and Bukhin's 'Rasputin." What a tour de force. Of other programs you mention, I especially love B/S's "City Lights" as you do. I know that both of these programs are narrative pieces with character acting; that's not to say that I prefer narratives, but these seem especially compelling.

I so love Davis and White's "Die Fledermaus" that I'm going to single it out here.

Of course I have to mention my two favorite pieces of Michelle's, Lyra Angelica and Song of the Black Swan, and Kurt's Singin' in the Rain (the original one from the TV show). These three pieces are so obvious, but since Michelle and Kurt are my two favorite skaters ever, I will bring them up.
 

lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
Kurt Browning's Singing in the Rain is a masterpiece, as is his Cassablanca, Nyah, and Antares programs.
B&B's Rasputin is absolutely brilliant, Andrei makes a very convincing Rasputin.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
He does! but I can never decide whether I love their Rasputin program or detest it ...so I watch it often ;)
 

lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
He does! but I can never decide whether I love their Rasputin program or detest it ...so I watch it often ;)

:laugh: Some people probably felt the same way about the real Rasputin. ;)

The thing about B&B for me is that I really enjoy the eligible free dances, bestisquats and all. I like the over the top drama :slink:. Even Cabaret, which isn't dramatic by their standards is so entertaining. I think their Rasputin piece is brilliant.

WRT K&P, as much as I admire their incredible skills, their earlier free dances: Beatles, Mack the Knife, My Fair Lady, do absolutely nothing for me. The first free dance of theirs that I enjoyed was Lawrence of Arabia. Their 1992 Free Dance to Bach was an absolute masterpiece and one of the best programs ever put to ice. I love them as professionals: R&J, Dracula, Spartacus, etc. I felt the 1992 Bach program was a turning point for them creatively, and as professionals they were able to expand and reach new heights, while maintaining their skills. This isn't in my top 4 K&P routines, but I also enjoyed their 1986-1987 exhibition: "At the barre"
 
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lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
Casi di Bolero with Gordeeva & Kulik :bow: I could gush and rhapsodize about this program all day.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Casi di Bolero with Gordeeva & Kulik :bow: I could gush and rhapsodize about this program all day.

I'm SOOOO glad you mentioned this. It's something I return to again and again. Gorgeous movement, splendid choreography, stirring emotional depth. When I watch it, I want to say grace for YouTube, because all I had of this program was a scratchy half-focused video from the days when I had a TV with an antenna.

I agree with you about Klimova and Ponomarenko. They started out with very superficial, though correct, skating. I think she was so much younger that they weren't able to access their own emotional core at that point. Look at how they grew from their Olympic bronze in 1984 to their gold in 1992, and then to their pro career. (That Tchaikovsky Fifth Symphony program...out of this world.)
 

lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
I'm SOOOO glad you mentioned this. It's something I return to again and again. Gorgeous movement, splendid choreography, stirring emotional depth. When I watch it, I want to say grace for YouTube, because all I had of this program was a scratchy half-focused video from the days when I had a TV with an antenna.

I agree with you about Klimova and Ponomarenko. They started out with very superficial, though correct, skating. I think she was so much younger that they weren't able to access their own emotional core at that point. Look at how they grew from their Olympic bronze in 1984 to their gold in 1992, and then to their pro career. (That Tchaikovsky Fifth Symphony program...out of this world.)


That's a good point about Klimova, she was only 17 when she won the Olympic bronze medal in Sarajevo. Everything came together for their Bach 1992 Free Dance: technique, artistry, presentation, costume and of course, the hair :p

It is the same way with Gordeeva & Grinkov for me as well. I admire G&G's excellent technique and superb pairs skills. Katia was so charismatic on the ice. But, their eligible programs don't do much for me. I like Romeo & Juliet, Moonlight Sonata and Jazzy Piano Music, but I'd much rather watch Ina & Zimmerman's Paganini LP, even if the latter are no where near the same class technically. Some of their professional programs are among my favorite skating programs of all time though. Requiem is such a deep and emotionally rich piece of skating. I really felt that they were reaching new heights with that program. Vocalise is lovely as well.

Glad someone else likes di Bolero as well. :) I was thinking of how I would rank these routines as well, with the caveat that I change my mind fairly often ;) :

If I was to rank my top 5 favorite pairs professional/exhibition programs I would rank them:
1. Gordeeva & Kulik: di Bolero
2. Gordeeva & Grinkov: Requiem
3. Mishkutenok & Dmitriev: Pan Flute
4. Selezneva & Makarov: Night on Bald Mountain
5. A three way tie between Valova & Vasiliev's Swan, Kazakova & Dmitriev's Matrix and G&G's Vocalise


For short programs I would rank them, as of today,
1. Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze: Lady Caliph
2. S&M: Michael Jackson
3. M&D: Don Quixote
4. Shishkova & Naumov: Take Five
5. Two-way tie between T&M's Ave Maria & M&D's The Dying Swan

Long Programs
1. M&D: Piano Concerto # 2
2. M&D: Liebestraum
3. B&S: City Lights
4.B&S: Meditation
5. Tie between V&V's 1988 LP and S&M's 1986 LP

As you can clearly see, I can't even limit myself to just 5 routines. :biggrin:
 
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Kitt

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2007
Country
United-States
I also love Casa di Bolero.

But I am going to go out on a limb and mention G&G's Pocahontas number for Disney, one of their last professional appearances. Beautiful and poignant, especially if you have read Katia's book, you will find out that Sergei had already lost feeling in his leg, but not suspecting it was due to a cardiovascular condition. Heartbreaking.
 

lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
Virtue & Moir
Farrucas OD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WDXmqBqXYQ
Pink Floyd FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A_vEYd9QVk

Davis & White
2009 Samson & Delilah FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68OsUDopjyQ
2012 Die Fledermaus FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZzXJw12vnA
2010 Bollywood OD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT-o2xS4cck
2008 Eleanor Rigby FD (I would prever the US Nationals version, but it is not on youtube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzA2cAvQXQo


Domnina & Shabalin
Tango Romantica CD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6uDrkm-D1g


Delobel & Schoenfelder (I have never understood the universal joy surrounding Frida, and wonder whether it has something to do with the fact that I never saw the movie.)

I never saw Frida either, but I still love the routine. So glad you mentioned the DomShabs CD. Absolutely love V&M's Pink Floyd, D&W's Bollywood OD & Samson & Delilah as well. Another team that I enjoyed was Jana Khokhlova & Sergei Novitski.
 
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ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Didn't care for the movie, liked the routine re "Frida" but didn't love it.

lulu, I've gotta ask. You're a judge in 1993. You watch both Grishuk/Platov and Usova/Zhulin's FD back to back. Which do you go for? I've been watching these two free dances (St. James Infirmary and Blues for Klook) obsessively these past two weeks. On the one hand, U/Z were the better skaters at the time and get the blues on a far more primal level than G/P. But G/P have a dark, fascinating interpretation to go along with their technical audacity.
 

lulu

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
Didn't care for the movie, liked the routine re "Frida" but didn't love it.

lulu, I've gotta ask. You're a judge in 1993. You watch both Grishuk/Platov and Usova/Zhulin's FD back to back. Which do you go for? I've been watching these two free dances (St. James Infirmary and Blues for Klook) obsessively these past two weeks. On the one hand, U/Z were the better skaters at the time and get the blues on a far more primal level than G/P. But G/P have a dark, fascinating interpretation to go along with their technical audacity.

What a good question, and I have the feeling that if someone asks me the exact same question a week from now, I'll probably have a different answer ;) My gut feeling after rewatching the two clips is to go with Usova & Zhulin, but it's close. I think both of these teams did an excellent job of interpreting the blues. I love the, as you aptly phrased it, darker interpretation of the blues of G&P's free dance. There is an incredible intensity about the free dance, and I would have loved to have seen them revisit this same piece of music a few years later when they were at their peak.
But I was completely transfixed by Usova & Zhulin's routine. Their free dance really is incredible. I think you put it right, they really seemed to "get" the blues. I love the sensuality and underlying intensity (different from the darker, more overt intensity of G&P's routine). This is probably going to sound a bit bizzare, but there's something almost "trance" like about their performance. I prefer their lifts as well.

I think both teams did justice to their music. Rewatching these great blues routines, and I would also include U&Z's "Summertime" OD to the list, I would have loved to have seen M&D interpret the blues as well. IMO, they were one of the few top pair teams (along perhaps with Selezneva & Makarov) that I can see doing a brilliant job skating to the blues.

What about you? :)
 
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Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Usova and Zhulin have such a beautiful fluidity, both in terms of physical movement and of emotional projection. I always found G/P a bit hectic and melodramatic by comparison. I'll have to go back and watch those two programs.
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
G/P's surprised me more, I think. I didn't revisit it much - I idolize "Memorial" (speaking of intensity), love "Libertango" and "The Feeling Begins." I didn't revisit much of their early programs, truth be told. I don't like their first OGM FD all that much (a little too cluttered) and as Olympia said, their earlier programs were a bit hectic (the more Tarasova took over their choreography, the better they got, if I have my chronology correct). But this is really a fierce program. I like programs that explore the darker emotions: Jeffrey Buttle's "Naqoyqaatsi" or Carolina Kostner's Shostakovitch are examples. But this is much more violent than figure skating usually gets. It gets me on a gut level. And the program is so technically challenging - the way their bodies are constantly shifting in relation to each other. Very powerful stuff.

But Usova/Zhulin.... okay, so what's the word when you add grace with sensuality? And technical difficulty. Because that's what this is. It's a graceful performance - movements merge into each other with sublime ease. There's very little telegraphing of movements, so everything seems both a surprise but perfectly in tune with the music - like you can't imagine any other movement ever working as well. But some of the movements are really unusually too, which is what makes it such an original piece of choreography. 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. Oh, and this program is quite hot. Sensual, definitely. The final pose alone has more carnality than most ice dance careers. If I hear "Blues for Klook" I think of this interpretation. If I'm moving to this music, I'm trying to emulate Zhulin (and failing miserably :D)

So I guess Usova/Zhulin. But the truth? Whichever one I'm watching at that exact moment.
 
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