So I have a thought about Chan's fs this year after seeing his performance at Nationals. The way I feel about this program is the same as how I felt about it at the Japan Open. It's a masterpiece as far as choreography and composition goes. For my money it's one of the best crafted skates I've ever seen. But I wonder if it will be like Michelle's Taj Mahal.
Taj Mahal is arguably one of Michelle's most intricate and stunning programs. For a lot of Michelle's fans it may even be a dark horse favorite. It was so intricate and specific and VERY special. The thing is we never really got to see it at it's full potential until arguably at worlds. But even then it wasn't perfect, but there was something about the air of redemption and desperation she brought to it that was just stunning. What she was skating about was so real... suddenly it was transcending the movement and literally become about that moment in that arena. But I digress...
Anyway the point I'm trying to make, is we still have at least one more chance to see Patrick skate La Boheme, but I wonder if this routine might be destined to see the same fate as Taj Mahal. Respected but not iconic because it simply wasn't that skaters year. I think La Boheme is my favorite Patrick freeskate but I feel like we haven't been able to see him really skate it the way he's capable.
I wonder how other people feel about this assessment. For comparison here is Michelle at '97 worlds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE0Blj2A0x4
And Chan at '12 Rostelecom Cup, his strongest international performance so far:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFon3qNt3Fs
And who knows. He could come out at worlds with it all figured out and just blow us away. But does anyone else see what I'm saying? Am I crazy? What are some other routines done by skaters that you feel might have been masterpieces but we never got to see at the skater's fullest potential.
Taj Mahal is arguably one of Michelle's most intricate and stunning programs. For a lot of Michelle's fans it may even be a dark horse favorite. It was so intricate and specific and VERY special. The thing is we never really got to see it at it's full potential until arguably at worlds. But even then it wasn't perfect, but there was something about the air of redemption and desperation she brought to it that was just stunning. What she was skating about was so real... suddenly it was transcending the movement and literally become about that moment in that arena. But I digress...
Anyway the point I'm trying to make, is we still have at least one more chance to see Patrick skate La Boheme, but I wonder if this routine might be destined to see the same fate as Taj Mahal. Respected but not iconic because it simply wasn't that skaters year. I think La Boheme is my favorite Patrick freeskate but I feel like we haven't been able to see him really skate it the way he's capable.
I wonder how other people feel about this assessment. For comparison here is Michelle at '97 worlds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE0Blj2A0x4
And Chan at '12 Rostelecom Cup, his strongest international performance so far:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFon3qNt3Fs
And who knows. He could come out at worlds with it all figured out and just blow us away. But does anyone else see what I'm saying? Am I crazy? What are some other routines done by skaters that you feel might have been masterpieces but we never got to see at the skater's fullest potential.