www.princehotels.co.jp/iceshow/
Prince Ice World corps de ballet should tour internationally, more. Today I saw the same program that I saw in May, the one that the created for PIW 35th anniversary. But it was such a pleasure to enjoy this feast of youth, energy and optimism. With speed, triples, even trixels, creativity and huge desire to work. If most skaters worldwide woudn't take it lazy after getting major titles, and thinking that now they should be paid just for titles, who knows maybe the popularity of the sport wouldn't be where it is. Nanri with 3A, Junko with 2A at the age of 39. Who else among female skaters of 39yo does it? Great work, folks. In the morning show Honda did 3Tand 3S, good eagle and spin. In a finale he tried 3T-3T combo but the second jump was with two hands. In the afternoon show he skated Tosca with vocal, 3T with a step-out, 3S done. Arakawa did what she usualy does: 2A, 3S, spin, spiral, ina bauer. The set that she will be probably be doing until she is 45, I guess. In the afternoon show both jumps were with mistakes: 3S- fell, 2A- step out. Ota is one of the skaters who doesn't need any jumps to deliver. She did 2S in the morning and 2Loop in the afternoon but it wasn't her main forte. She still has one of the most magnificent layback spin with terrific posture and soft crystal arms. Her bielman spin with one hand is a never-come-true dream for a lot of competitive skaters.
Most of guest skaters did quite well today. Except that I am not sure what Chika Suguri showed. It was like an ice aerialists with a hoop or somesuch. Risa in the morning tried 2A-3T but the second jump was singled, then 3F, 2A, beautiful bielman, in a finale 2A-3T clean. In the afternoon everything was clean, including combo 2A-3T. She is beatiful on the ice, with clean lines and lightness, but she is a little slow I think. Kanako skated two different programs in two shows, in the second she tried to be lyrical but couldn't. And that's the thing that disturbs me the most. Her skating skills are not that beautiful in the first place, plus this lack of presentation makes things look even worse, which is quite upsetting. She is a very talanted hard-working girl who does need a good choreographer and a better coach who will polish her rough stuff. And she needs it now. In the morning she did 3T-3T, 3F, 3S-1Lo-1Lo, the spyral was awful. She also did rocking camel, the element that is not often performed nowdays, but both legs were < and ^ accordingly. In the finale she did a five-jump combo 3S+4 2Lo. In the afternoon the set of jumps were 3Flutz, 3S-2Lo-2Lo, 3F. Ando skated the same program with two diffrent musics: one in the morning and another one in the afternoon. If the arena technicians accidentally mixed the musics up, nobody would notice, including Miki. She did 2A, 3S, in the afternoon she fell on the second jump. In the morning finale she tried 2A-3T but it looked like she started falling down in the air on the second jump.
Tango duel. Plush and Dai. Both skated tango. Dai- passionate, sensual, mesmeric, with virtuoso legs and charisma of a man who expresses himself through art while staying shy and humble in real life. Plush- seductive conqueror who doesn't take "No" for an answer, powerful and controlling, with super command of ice. But he turns into gentle chevalier when he sees the object of his desire. What tango lover to choose is the matter of preference. Which means one thing- the fight for gold in Sochi will be in TES entirely. It also means that the zamboni-dude won't medal at all in Russia. My guess the podium will be shared between two Japanese and Plush. Yuzu will likely get a bronze. Who will get a gold- the TES will decide. Today Plush outskated Dai. Dai has been skating in shows non-stop since WTT with no holiday at all. At the same time Plush got a crack in his hand's bone in Italy and he was skating with a bandage. They were both fast, with fast spins: layback and ikebana for one guy and for another. Dai had better footsteps though with his virtuoso legs. Plush jumps in spins were at the height where Chika Suguri used a securty rod with her hoop. In jumps. Morning. Dai: 3F, 3A got doubled and step out, 3L. In a finale he tried 4Flip but heavily underotated and two-footed. Plush: 3T, 2A, 3Loop, 3A, 3L. In a finale he tried 3A but doubled it. Afternoon. Dai: 3F, 3A underotated and fell down, 3L. In a finale he tried 4Flip again and fell. Plush: 3T-3T, 3A, 3Loop, 2A, 3A, 3T, in a finale- 3T. The audience was louder, younger and genki-er for Plush. Dai stayed longer on the ice to collect more gifts/flowers. Go figure.
I am not available tomorrow. I will be on PIW on Monday for both shows too. Then I'l update you.
http://twitpic.com/e/2h3e
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, i love it!!!
