Akiko Suzuki's Programs for this season | Golden Skate

Akiko Suzuki's Programs for this season

christinaskater

Medalist
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
After watching her programs, I think there is so much potential.

My 3 favourite free skates are from Mao, Akiko and Ashley!
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I've seen Mao's and Akiko's long programs, and I agree with you that they're lovely. Haven't seen Ashley's yet.
 

clairecloutier

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 27, 2003
Akiko is looking great this season. I really like both her new programs, especially the LP. I just enjoyed every moment of it while watching Skate Canada. I felt her PCS in the LP was too low and didn't at all reflect the quality of what she put out on the ice. Her PCS was only 1 point higher than Murakami's, for example, and she was obviously much better than Murakami in detail, choreographic quality, musicality, and delivery of the program. Hopefully Akiko's scores will improve at the next competition. Also, I love her costumes this year!
 

wonderlen3000

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Love Love Love Akiko programs. Especially the long. Don't know why the judges keep lowballing her. Her PCS at Skate Canada was such a travesty.
 

christinaskater

Medalist
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
She deserves 8-9 for the PCS scores. She is one of the best in the world.

She is a supreme skater! I do hope judges would give her the scores she deserve.

Her "O" program is one of the best I've ever seen. The artistry just leaves me breathless!

A friend of mine suggested a high profile coaching change will help her in the politics of the sport :(
 

Kalina

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
For those interested, the music cuts of her free program include the songs Jeux d'eau (the beginning and the slow part in the middle) Africa (step sequence) and Desert (the end), all from O by Cirque du Soleil.
 

jaylee

Medalist
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
A friend of mine suggested a high profile coaching change will help her in the politics of the sport :(

Or winning Japan Nationals.

I'm not so keen on her programs this year. I loved her FS last season; loved her SP from the season before last. But her FS this year seems very cold and unsuited for her; it works against her effervescent personality. Can't stand her SP this year at all, I think the packaging is all wrong and way beneath her. There's a better way to do a Kill Bill program than that...
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
Record Breaker
Joined
May 19, 2011
I'm not too much a fan of her SP. I think the edit of music throws it off. I like that she's trying something different but I'm not sure it's working.

Her LP is probably the best she's ever had. Her arms and hands are so lovely in this program; it's a weird thing to focus in on but she really tells the story especially in the footwork. I love how the music speeds up and then slows down and I love the sweeping quality the last minute has. After the salchow to the end is just gorgeous! The spiral sequence is wonderful! I love the speed and the steps into her arabesque spiral, which has really improved over the years.

The music is different and new; I don't think anyone has skated to those selections so it really sets the program apart from Mao and Ashley (who are both using well-known pieces). It's a different style and I love it.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
I'm not too much a fan of her SP. I think the edit of music throws it off. I like that she's trying something different but I'm not sure it's working.

Her LP is probably the best she's ever had. Her arms and hands are so lovely in this program; it's a weird thing to focus in on but she really tells the story especially in the footwork. I love how the music speeds up and then slows down and I love the sweeping quality the last minute has. After the salchow to the end is just gorgeous! The spiral sequence is wonderful! I love the speed and the steps into her arabesque spiral, which has really improved over the years.

The music is different and new; I don't think anyone has skated to those selections so it really sets the program apart from Mao and Ashley (who are both using well-known pieces). It's a different style and I love it.

I like her SP actually -- and so does my non-fan husband. :) I can see how the music cuts seem a bit off-putting, but I sort of like the mix between tough and gentle music, kind of describes Akiko pretty well actually!

And yes the LP as an absolute masterpiece. I think it's good for Akiko to challenge herself with pieces that aren't as dramatic or performance oriented like her West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Dark Eyes or Die Fidermaus. I think it's more of a subtle, nuanced piece that I think is hard for judges to warm up to at first. In a sense, I can see why she was lowballed on PCS -- it doesn't have"in your face" performance quality like Ashley's FS, for example. It's the same reason, IMO, that Kozuka was underscored in PCS for his Exodus SP at SKAM.
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
Record Breaker
Joined
May 19, 2011
I like her SP actually -- and so does my non-fan husband. :) I can see how the music cuts seem a bit off-putting, but I sort of like the mix between tough and gentle music, kind of describes Akiko pretty well actually!

And yes the LP as an absolute masterpiece. I think it's good for Akiko to challenge herself with pieces that aren't as dramatic or performance oriented like her West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Dark Eyes or Die Fidermaus. I think it's more of a subtle, nuanced piece that I think is hard for judges to warm up to at first. In a sense, I can see why she was lowballed on PCS -- it doesn't have"in your face" performance quality like Ashley's FS, for example. It's the same reason, IMO, that Kozuka was underscored in PCS for his Exodus SP at SKAM.


Maybe the SP will grown on me...I love the footwork section and the hydro-blade move. Maybe a stronger performance of it will change my mind.

I don't think not understanding the program was the reason she was underscored. On reputation alone her scores should have been higher, never mind the fact she put out a clean program and Kaetlyn had mistakes. That was purposeful lowballing IMO. I don't think it had anything to do with the program...they wanted Kaetlyn to win and to do so, Akiko got held back. Sad but true...
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Maybe the SP will grown on me...I love the footwork section and the hydro-blade move. Maybe a stronger performance of it will change my mind.

I don't think not understanding the program was the reason she was underscored. On reputation alone her scores should have been higher, never mind the fact she put out a clean program and Kaetlyn had mistakes. That was purposeful lowballing IMO. I don't think it had anything to do with the program...they wanted Kaetlyn to win and to do so, Akiko got held back. Sad but true...

The reason I say that is that the comments among those who were at Skate Canada was that Kaetlyn had a bigger presence on the ice and I think a lot of that was driven by her outgoing personality skating to Carmen, which lends itself to some in-your-face type performing. I don't think it's a stretch to say that perhaps the judges were influenced in the same way.

So perhaps the reasons you list were the driving factor, but combine it with the fact that Akiko continues to be underscored and a reward toward over-performing mediocre-packaged programs (see Alena Leonova) and you got a perfect storm.
 

jaylee

Medalist
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
After the salchow to the end is just gorgeous! The spiral sequence is wonderful!

I actually really enjoy everything after the salchow as well. For me, though, it's just not enough to make me love this program, given that the first two-thirds left me cold (Akiko just feels muted during the step sequence--which is a criminal waste of Akiko's footwork and performance ability). And I don't understand why, in the choreographed sequence, moves like the knee lunge and the spiral are buried in the corner of the rink--those are moves that should be shown off in the center of the ice.

Die Fleidermaus and West Side story are her two best programs, IMO. :)
 

OS

Sedated by Modonium
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Akiko is not considered as Japan's No.1 therefore do not have the full weight of JSF behind her maybe is the main reason she will never get good PCS when she couldn't even get it at home!

I have been an admirer or Akiko for sometime, especially her West Side Story Olympic program, and I was overjoyed hearing she was going to do 'Kill bill' and 'O' this year. What inspiring choices and great challenge for her! But having seen the actual work, I just wasn't as impressed as I thought I'd be.

These programs feel gimmicky, and it was skating by numbers with little correlation to do with the theme she has chosen. Her FS music edit simply does not flow, and between the transition of music changes there were little style references or acknowledgement in the choreography or interpretation. The whole program therefore felt generic, flat, emotionally removed rather than something special or even memorable. It is a shame, because I do love her peacock FS costume, but she might as well be performing to Carmen, and it would hardly make any difference.

Just what so 'O' about it? Was there any style reference to water, fluidity, the show even once other than the peacock feather recalls birds in her costume? Cirque du soleil 'O' show is one of the most imaginative avant garde extravaganza experiences in the world, I expect the program to do it justice, even 5% of it would be enough. I saw the Cirque du soleil Michael Jackson show a few weeks ago in London, I'd bet Florent's version of that show would be infinitely more lively, interesting and more relevant than this one.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Akiko is not considered as Japan's No.1 therefore do not have the full weight of JSF behind her maybe is the main reason she will never get good PCS when she couldn't even get it at home!

I have been an admirer or Akiko for sometime, especially her West Side Story Olympic program, and I was overjoyed hearing she was going to do 'Kill bill' and 'O' this year. What inspiring choices and great challenge for her! But having seen the actual work, I just wasn't as impressed as I thought I'd be.

These programs feel gimmicky, and it was skating by numbers with little correlation to do with the theme she has chosen. Her FS music edit simply does not flow, and between the transition of music changes there were little style references or acknowledgement in the choreography or interpretation. The whole program therefore felt generic, flat, emotionally removed rather than something special or even memorable. It is a shame, because I do love her peacock FS costume, but she might as well be performing to Carmen, and it would hardly make any difference.

Just what so 'O' about it? Was there any style reference to water, fluidity, the show even once other than the peacock feather recalls birds in her costume? Cirque du soleil 'O' show is one of the most imaginative avant garde extravaganza experiences in the world, I expect the program to do it justice, even 5% of it would be enough. I saw the Cirque du soleil Michael Jackson show a few weeks ago in London, I'd bet Florent's version of that show would be infinitely more lively, interesting and more relevant than this one.

Different opinions, I suppose! I really enjoyed her FS and really feel that she showed that fluidity though her arm movements through the ice and the way she placed different jump and non-jump elements in the program.

Consider that after the fact we learned she was playing COP calculator for parts of the program, perhaps the full-power of the FS has not been realized. But regardless I love it. But it's OK if you don't, you're entitled to enjoy what you want!

And considering that two of the winners at Skate Canada DID skate to Carmen, well....
 
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