What are Yuna Kim's strongest points as a skater? | Page 18 | Golden Skate

What are Yuna Kim's strongest points as a skater?

Nadia01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
Thanks for the clarification :)

Is that a serious injury? Would 6 weeks be enough time to heal and come back?

I read that it's not a serious injury, but she must rest and let it heal in order for her foot to be healthy by Sochi.

I believe she needs at least 4 weeks for it to heal, plus she needs to do rehab therapy.
 

lcd

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 11, 2007
The closer we get to the actual events, the more such announcements could become a reality. I truly truly hope not, but it only makes sense that we learn of difficult decisions as events approach. Here's to hoping for good health amongst all of the competitors this season. And of course, in particular given what we know, to recoveries for Yuna, Kiira, Evan, etc.
 

RABID

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
The best West Coast mascot is the Evergreen University geoducks (pronounced gooey-ducks). This is what they look like.

http://www.antiquark.com/img/geoduck_clam_2.jpg

Tonichelle's college, the University of Alaska Anchorage, is the sea wolves. This is an Inuit mythological sea serpent sort of thing, perhaps originating from some sort of whale. Here is a Raven-Seawolf totem pole.

http://tresham.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/product/Totems and figures - 10.jpg

The Detroit Tigers' triple A team is the Toledo Mud Hens.

I guess I am giving away my gender when I tell you that back in the 80's I worked for about 4 years diving off the west coast for geoducks. :)
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ :rock: http://www.neilmcdaniel.com/images/geoducker.jpg

How do you define "musicality," and its importance to skating?

I think dancing to rhythmic music requires more skating skill than emoting to lyrical music.

What requires more "musical skill" or "musicality," whatever that is irrespective of skating skill, i.e., what one could demonstrate standing on the floor, might be more subject to debate.

Then it's another question as to which skaters best demonstrate it.

Of the top ladies I think Mao Asada has the best sense of rhythm and musical phrasing. But she does not skate as fast as Carolina Kostner and Yuna Kim. I imagine it is hard to show artistic subtlety when you are whizzing along at a mile a minute.

Tp me, what is emotionally satisfying is the sports thrill. A clean program with triple jump piled on triple jump all the way to end, building to a grand climax in time to the music, that's like a football plater bursting through the line and streaking toward the end zone. He's to the 20 (triple flip), the 15 (triple Salchow), the 10....!!!

And here comes Yuna Kim making her move on the rail. Now she's ahead by a nose, a neck, a length...

It's a sharp hit to right. Yuna takes off from second, the third base coach windmills her on, "go, go, go," she rounds third digging for the plate, here's the throw, she slides!

Now pick music that has cymbal crashes at the right place and you've got it. :yes:
 

Krislite

Medalist
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
How do you define "musicality," and its importance to skating?

I think dancing to rhythmic music requires more skating skill than emoting to lyrical music.

What requires more "musical skill" or "musicality," whatever that is irrespective of skating skill, i.e., what one could demonstrate standing on the floor, might be more subject to debate.

Then it's another question as to which skaters best demonstrate it.

True, if only because fast rhythmic music is interpreted with fast turns and steps, but is that more "musical"? Is skating and dancing to a beat or rhythm what constitutes musicality? Plenty of ordinary folks can "shake their groove" to music--dance pop in particular. Are you telling me all those people at night clubs dancing away to rhythmic pulsing songs are exhibiting "musicality"?

"Emoting" to lyrical music isn't really what I have in mind. It's hard for me to articulate since this isn't my turf, but I could point to, say, Michelle's "East of Eden" for an example. That program is not punctuated with fast, rhythmic moves to a musical beat--just pure fluid motion and smooth choreography, the sort of movement that figure skating is most naturally suited to, with skates gliding uninterrupted on the ice surface.

On the other hand, music with a tempo/beat can be great skating music as well. But it has to be a certain type and I'm not sure dance pop is a suitable one. Latin dances like Tango are excellent, and some of the most "musical" skates I can think of are programs to Latin music.
 

Krislite

Medalist
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
How do you define "musicality," and its importance to skating?

I think dancing to rhythmic music requires more skating skill than emoting to lyrical music.

What requires more "musical skill" or "musicality," whatever that is irrespective of skating skill, i.e., what one could demonstrate standing on the floor, might be more subject to debate.

Then it's another question as to which skaters best demonstrate it.

Thinking about this some more and looking back over Yuna's exhibitions, the ones that I think worked really well for her musically are:

1. All of Me
2. Reflections
3. Meditation de Thais
4. Once Upon a Dream
5. Ben
6. Imagine

A lot of it may be due to my personal tastes as far music goes, though. Again, I'm no expert at music theory and interpretation. When I look back at Yuna's programs to include competitive programs, I cannot pinpoint any particularly type of music she does best as it seems she expresses them all rather well. Her soft and lyrical "Lark Ascending" was just as good as the fast tempo of "Tango de Roxanne"; the jazzy sophisticated "Concerto in F" vs. her sexy/flirty and dramatic James Bond theme were also quite the contrast. For this season she's skating to fiery "Adios Nonino" in the LP and the softer "Send in the Clowns" in the SP, which I'm pretty sure will show off her versatility.
 

yyyskate

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
...... Mao Asada has the best sense of rhythm and musical phrasing......


Come on , I just can NOT agree with you on this one! Mao has the best sense rhythm and musical phrasing?! Who apparently slow down before a jump and resume whatever she is doing only after the anxiety. When I watch her program, the flow of the whole program just has to be interrupted so many times, what a shame....
Lots of skater has far superior musicality than Mao......
Speaking of music phrasing. please watch Yuna's Les mis or imagine. that is text-book example of musical phrasing.
Also, please watch Yuna's jumps and spins, which really shows sense of rhythm, jumping with the rhythm of music, spins automatically synchronize with the rhythm of music. according to Kurt Browing " even the jumps seems to be taking on the essence of the program..." That is real musicality.

I felt so sad that Yuna is injured. All my best wishes and prayers goes to you Yuna. Please become well soon.
 

yyyskate

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Yuna's strongest point as a good skater is actually she has really good ears. She has superb innate musicality and body coordination ,hence natural, comfortable, effortless jumping technique and great sense of balance. Both musicality and body coordination are somehow related to ear function.
Further she was helped by her long limbs. elegant neck, shoulder and upper body lines. She probably has the best upper body movements in the business. And the last, She is really a great great DANCER on ice (but not from ice dance discipline).
 

McIce

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Come on , I just can NOT agree with you on this one! Mao has the best sense rhythm and musical phrasing?! Who apparently slow down before a jump and resume whatever she is doing only after the anxiety. When I watch her program, the flow of the whole program just has to be interrupted so many times, what a shame....

To be fair, what you said is not musical phrasing issue. It's the technical issues which prenvented her from flying to the jump takeoffs. That's nothing to do with sense of rhythm and muscial phrasing.
 

OS

Sedated by Modonium
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
To be fair, what you said is not musical phrasing issue. It's the technical issues which prenvented her from flying to the jump takeoffs. That's nothing to do with sense of rhythm and muscial phrasing.

Yeah right. Because the ability to execute has nothing to do with sense of rhythm and musical phrasing in the real world.

If that is the case I should have been 10 times international Tchaikovsky pianist winner already, since my problem is only technical, but apart from that I have the greatest sense of rhythm and musical phrasing in the world - all in my head (+ my tiger mum). The easy bits comes natural to me ;)
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ You lost the Tchaikovsky contest because you hit a bunch of wrong notes, not because your sense of rhythm and musical phrasing was deficient.
 

OS

Sedated by Modonium
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
^ You lost the Tchaikovsky contest because you hit a bunch of wrong notes, not because your sense of rhythm and musical phrasing was deficient.

Yet on the score sheet the comment was your sense of rhythm and phrasing were totally off when you hit a bunch of wrong notes and were not able to pick yourself back into the rhythm of the music again without looking like you are worried and think you've lost. So how do you explain THAT?!
 

CarneAsada

Medalist
Joined
Sep 17, 2011
Yet on the score sheet the comment was your sense of rhythm and phrasing were totally off when you hit a bunch of wrong notes and were not able to pick yourself back into the rhythm of the music again without looking like you are worried and think you've lost. So how do you explain THAT?!

:laugh: Can you please start using analogies that would make sense in this universe? The comment sheet would most likely not talk about "you are worried and think you've lost" (LOL) - it would just say that you can't (or didn't) handle the technical demands. And it would be an interesting situation where a tiger mum could beat phrasing and musicality into her child yet not the technical prowess. If "your problem is technical" and in terms of technical ability you have no business anywhere near the piece, you most likely don't have the ability to do the phrasing either.
 

OS

Sedated by Modonium
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
:laugh: Can you please start using analogies that would make sense in this universe? The comment sheet would most likely not talk about "you are worried and think you've lost" (LOL) - it would just say that you can't (or didn't) handle the technical demands. And it would be an interesting situation where a tiger mum could beat phrasing and musicality into her child yet not the technical prowess. If "your problem is technical" and in terms of technical ability you have no business anywhere near the piece, you most likely don't have the ability to do the phrasing either.

Oh wonderful, thank goodness you are here, I feel truly blessed. It is none other than my dearest GS friend who is guaranteed to misunderstand/mistranslate everything I have ever expressed with glee; the Ying to my Yang, except I am pleased to say at least we agreed on the same matter this time even though one again you appear to have misunderstood.

Go back to a few more post... take the whole in. I was clearly being sarcastic with my comments. I hope someone as smart as you don't need to rely on emoticons or :laugh:

In the real world. The ability to execute everything when it COUNT.. IS the only legitimate indicator on whether someone can do something properly (the bolded part). Even if they are able to do it 100% in practice/rehearsal, not able to deliver it at competitions, or live performances in front of audiences and judges means officially pianist/musician/performer is severely handicapped.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ Well, that's obvious. But that wasn't the question. The question was whether Mao Asada has a good sense of rhythm and musical phrasing.
 

Nadia01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
^ Well, that's obvious. But that wasn't the question. The question was whether Mao Asada has a good sense of rhythm and musical phrasing.

She does w/ a very narrow range of music when she has to do any difficult stuff.

When she doesn't have to do difficult stuff, her range increases somewhat.
 

CarneAsada

Medalist
Joined
Sep 17, 2011
In the real world. The ability to execute everything when it COUNT.. IS the only legitimate indicator on whether someone can do something properly (the bolded part). Even if they are able to do it 100% in practice/rehearsal, not able to deliver it at competitions, or live performances in front of audiences and judges means officially pianist/musician/performer is severely handicapped.

Is it, though? Are you familiar with a Chinese gymnast named Yang Bo? Wonderful gymnast who had all the beauty and technique in the world, but she has nothing in World or Olympic gold medals to show for it due to her unfortunate inability to hit anything when it counted. Yet who would disagree that she was the best balance beam worker of her era?

P.S. I can't deny that I always enjoy seeing your hysterically over-the-top posts (whether they are serious or "just being sarcastic" - they're hilarious either way). GS just wouldn't be the same without them.
 

RABID

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Is it, though? Are you familiar with a Chinese gymnast named ? Wonderful gymnast who had all the beauty and technique in the world, but she has nothing in World or Olympic gold medals to show for it due to her unfortunate inability to hit anything when it counted. Yet who would disagree that she was the best balance beam worker of her era?

P.S. I can't deny that I always enjoy seeing your hysterically over-the-top posts (whether they are serious or "just being sarcastic" - they're hilarious either way). GS just wouldn't be the same without them.

The author of the book, "The Right Stuff", Thomas Wolf would disagree with you. If Yu-Na is unable to win in Sochi it might well be because of this latest injury of hers, DUE TO THE APPROACH AND RESULT OF HER TRAINING. But at the end of the day the hard truth will be she didn't have the "right stuff" (ALL that is needed to win); it's ALL included no matter how unfair it might seem. So, you can't say Yang Bo was the "best balance beam worker of her era", IF SHE DIDN'T WIN. You can SAY she had the most promise or the best form, but that is all.:)
 
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