Favorite IJS step sequences

[CrazyKittenLady]

This is a wonderful idea for a thread! Watching all the videos got me in exactly the right mood for the season start with JGP Bangkok next week.

And now I hope everyone forgives me when I postulate that nobody can skate step sequences quite like Javi Fernandez could anymore. He was always fully immersed and in character, the step sequences not only integrated in his performances but enhancing the programs.

A favourite, Guys and Dolls, FS at 2016 Worlds:

Javier Fernandez Worlds 2016 FS (CBC)

No copyright infringement intended.

youtu.be

And for all the feels, Man of la Mancha, his last competitive skate at Euros 2019:

Javier FERNANDEZ ESP Free Skate 2019 European Championships

Javier FERNANDEZ ESP Free Skate 2019 European Championships

youtu.be

 

[4everchan]

LOL I had to go back and repost b/c it posted to the board before I was done listing programs!

all your other picks are @4everchan approved LOL

 

[el henry]

I feel our friend @gkelly is taking some undue heat here. So for background...

On another thread, I stated my belief that there were fewer really entertaining step sequences under IJS... intending to mean real crowd-pleasers. Not merely intricate or lovely or worthy of a Level 4 or anything like that... I meant just flat out fun to watch.

Our friend thought that was worthy of more discussion, and started a new thread so others could remind me of some crowd-pleasing IJS steps that I'd forgotten. I'm grateful for it, because it turns out that I had indeed forgotten some really good ones.

This is meant to be a light-hearted reminiscence of individual favorites. It's not squabble-worthy.

Jumping off, this thread has in fact reminded me of good ones I had forgotten, particularly:

Florent Amodio and Happy. That costume, that step sequence, that performance. Thanks @gkelly for reminding me!

 

[mikeko666]

Suzuki's bird program and Sui/Han's Spanish Romance come to mind, in addition to many Daisuke Takahashi programs, but this stands out for me and I was fortunate to be in the audience in Bratislava:

2016 EC Giada Russo FS ESP

youtu.be

I loved Giada's Red Violin, too. Such a genius choreography.
This is Akiko's O.

Akiko SUZUKI (JPN) FS - NHK Trophy 2012

youtu.be

I also love Rika Hongo's Riverdance.

Rika HONGO - 2016 World Championships - LP (BBC)

Rika HONGO - 2016 World Championships - LP (BBC)

youtu.be

 

[eppen]

And speaking of Javier Fernandez... The budding character actor doing the drunken pirate steps in 2011 (the ChSq swashbuckling at the end is also worthwhile)


And the flamenco dancer Javi with the step sequence that on first viewing made me drop off my chair, Malaguena 2015 version (I always liked the end in the short side, which was changed to mid ice later)


There were also lots of faves posted. From last season, I would say Adam Siao Him Fa's steps in his SP and FS were just extraordinary. Some of the best I have ever seen and live somehow even better than ever on TV (you don't get the size of his movement or the speed at all).

Also, almost anything Alexandr Selevko has done - his body movement is extraordinary!

E

 

[eppen]

Here's two more with some girl power!

Josefin Taljegård's brilliant Ready or Not short and its hiphop inspired steps ny Nikolai Morozov:


Loved also Loena Hendrickx's SP steps last season, the way her upper body turns in any and every direction is just brilliant to watch! (Adam Solya is her choreographer.)

 

[gkelly]

By the way, are we mainly focusing on singles step sequences here? Just wondering, since pairs and ice dance step sequences are a rather different kettle of fish...

Feel free to add pair and/or ice dance examples if you like.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Feel free to add pair and/or ice dance examples if you like.

Oh that's dangerous!I'll be back later!

 

[Blades of Passion]

Step sequences don't exist anymore, seeing as actual steps are literally banned from counting for anything and only turns matter now (and only when utilized in a simultaneously predictable and aesthetically nonsensical manner).

There have been zero choreographically perfect footwork sequences after 2014, and not many that are artistically relevant. There are plenty that can be described as technically capable, but doing technically difficult movements with little sense of artistic purpose is not dance. That's just a workout routine.

IJS footwork sequences were generally most pleasing in the 2005-2007 era. There are some great ones after, but they started losing shape and purpose after the formative years, instead cramming in turns for the level. 2011 is when it started getting bad, with the removal of an entire element from SP's and people instead doing one big formless footwork. The early IJS sequences had a better sense of body movement, rhythm, musicality, showmanship, and speed.

Lambiel, Takahashi, Savoie, Weir, Buttle, Plushenko were some of the best. Sasha Cohen's 2006 Olympic footwork also fits the bill, and yes she did have edges. Not deep edges, but that's not needed. Interpretation, momentum, and creating interesting shapes is what the goal should be for footwork.

Dick Button's analysis of Yu-Na Kim's underwhelming footwork sequence from her 2008 LP is spot on, and applies to most footwork these days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwgqIso3ZEs&t=324s

"That footwork was really not aggressively fast or terrific. It had a lot of different moves, all the changes, the brackets, the rockers, the turns, that sort of thing. But it did not inspire as a straight line footwork."

Yu-Na Kim's footwork in her 2007 programs was excellent, with both fast pace (the SP) and slower pace (the LP). Those footworks interpreted the music and had a clear purpose and form. They existed to look good and bring texture to the programs. Not to do random turns for superficial technical requirement. Her footwork choreography got better again after 2008, particularly in her 2011, 2013, and 2014 Long Programs, but the relative brevity of those 2007 sequences is more frequently how a footwork sequence should operate.

Patrick Chan's best footwork is seen in his 2010 Worlds SP. It has an unbroken driving momentum that goes exactly with the music, masking his lesser expressive capability with a "barrage of edges and sound" as Kurt put it, but still having the most outright attack he ever showed. His 2011 SP footwork is so overrated. The pattern is a mess, there's a lack of leg extension, a lack of using different planes of movement, an ignorance to the highlights of the music, little cohesive concept in the turns and steps used, and not enough joy. There are a couple hints of playfulness thrown into that footwork, I like those parts, but the rest is a NO.

 

[el henry]

... Interpretation, momentum, and creating interesting shapes is what the goal should be for footwork. ....

The perfect description of Sinnerman, if one is familiar with the work of Alvin Ailey.

 

[Zora]

My favorites by the king of step sequences, Daisuke Takahashi:

Daisuke Takahashi's Free Program to 'La Strada' at Vancouver 2010 | Music Monday

📲 Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe The Japanese Figure Skater Daisuke Takahashi won the Bronze Medal at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Van...

youtu.be

Takahashi Daisuke 🇯🇵Short Program to "Eye" at Vancouver 2010

📲 Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe Let's dance with Japanese Figure Skater Daisuke Takahashi who won Bronze at the 2010 Winter Olympics in V...

youtu.be

2008 WC Daisuke Takahashi SP ESP

youtu.be

By the queen of step sequences, Mao Asada:

2013 Worlds Ladies SP Mao Asada I Got Rhythm by George Gershwin

youtu.be

Mao Asada - Free program - 2012 ISU Grand Prix Final in Sochi - 8.12.2012

Mao Asada - Free program - 2012 ISU Grand Prix GP Final in Sochi - Mao Asada Gold medal - Ashley Wagner second - Akiko Suzuki third placeCommentator: Laura L...

youtu.be

Mao Asada skates to Sergei Rachmaninoff in Sochi 2014 | Music Monday

📲 Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe Japan's World Champion and Olympic silver medal winner Mao Asada performs to Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Piano...

youtu.be

2015 CoC - Mao Asada SP B.ESP2

youtu.be

And I loved some of Brian Joubert's step sequences, even if not that difficult, but because of the energy level.

CUP OF RUSSIA 2008 Brian Joubert

Brian Joubert

youtu.be

Brian JOUBERT - 2007 Worlds - SP

youtu.be

Brian Joubert, WC,2008, SP

youtu.be

 

[Blades of Passion]

The perfect description of Sinnerman, if one is familiar with the work of Alvin Ailey.

Jason's footwork in the Sinnerman program is too convoluted, does not match the beat of the music, and does not have a clear shape. It moves unevenly across the ice trying to do a bunch of different turns for the sake of it, not because those turns specifically look good together. Nobody can tell me the ridiculous turn clusters are the ideal way to interpret this music. The hitchkick at the start is also out of place and those fast turning steps with the arms held at a frozen 90 degree angle would be better on a straight line and needs the faster piano notes to be appropriate, but it's out of time with that part of the music, coming too early. There's a pause in this footwork to pose that doesn't have much to do with the music and is just saying "look at how glamorous I am". Then look at what he's doing when the "Power, Power!" wailing of the music happens. It's basically ignored, there's no suitable movement of the body and face directly in relation to the music. That's what skating should be, especially footwork. Your body should move because the music is making you want to move that way. The music should run through you, it should dictate the movement. It's not happening here. Also I hate those arms at the very end of the sequence where he pulls in and out while running forward. It looks like something that should be done to Fiddler on the Roof, not here.

 

[el henry]

Jason's footwork in the Sinnerman program is too convoluted, does not match the beat of the music, and does not have a clear shape. It moves unevenly across the ice trying to do a bunch of different turns for the sake of it, not because those turns specifically look good together. Nobody can tell me the ridiculous turn clusters are the ideal way to interpret this music. The hitchkick at the start is also out of place and those fast turning steps with the arms held at a frozen 90 degree angle would be better on a straight line and needs the faster piano notes to be appropriate, but it's out of time with that part of the music, coming too early. There's a pause in this footwork to pose that doesn't have much to do with the music and is just saying "look at how glamorous I am". Then look at what he's doing when the "Power, Power!" wailing of the music happens. It's basically ignored, there's no suitable movement of the body and face directly in relation to the music. That's what skating should be, especially footwork. Your body should move because the music is making you want to move that way. The music should run through you, it should dictate the movement. It's not happening here. Also I hate those arms at the very end of the sequence where he pulls in and out while running forward. It looks like something that should be done to Fiddler on the Roof, not here.

Have you watched "Revelations" by Alvin Ailey, either on video, or live? I have done both.

I can assure you that Jason's skating is faithful to the ballet, as is Rohene's choreo. (including the "Fiddler on the Roof" move, which, if you had ever seen the ballet, you would recognize and not show how little you know about the ballet by calling it such).

Your issue is with Alvin Ailey, not with the program. And if you believe that you should talk about Alvin Ailey's work in such a deprecating manner, more power to you. But to me, all you are showing is your unfamiliarity with that piece. And thus inability to cogently criticize the program.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Loena Hendrickx 2018 Euros: "Frozen" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7XA4nvM0Wc

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Also, this is a thread about favourite IJS sequences... not so much about defining the 'best' or criticising other people's choice of favourites. For example, I may not think as highly of a certain step sequence as others do, but as long as someone likes it, it belongs here. People have diverse tastes.

Perhaps the debate on what a good step sequence is (or discussion of how IJS has impacted step sequences) can take place in another thread.

 

[eppen]

Went back the thread and realized that these two were not actually posted. So, here, Adam Siao Him Fa and Benoit Richaud. Some of the best ever.

And as I said earlier, TV flattens his speed, the size and intensity of his movement, but what I love in this broadcast is the close-up of his face when he goes into the steps in the short: the despair and sadness and maybe anger feels (and looks) real. (These I had the honor to watch live at Angers last fall.)



The free continues with the style and theme, but instead of sadness and despair and regret the program ends with exhaltaion and happiness, the steps here are joined seamlessly with the ChSq. Adam's interpretation is filled with positive energy (perhaps heightened by the fact that this was a clean free?)....



Each era and style of figure skating has produced excellent step sequences, but in the ocean of figure skating of each era they are IMO usually only drops. The rest of the massive ocean just wallows on, being grey, ordinary and all the same. (Meaning that the truly good skaters and interpreters have always been [very] rare and whatever they did always surpassed the limitations set by the rules and conventions of the times. These skaters would have probably have been able to make any set of steps in any era look good.)

E

 

[DancingCactus]

When I hear step sequences under IJS, I think of Daisuke. There are many other great ones, but in my mind nobody has yet surpassed his sheer brilliance and speed as well as the way he engaged the audience. Hip hop Swan Lake was jaw dropping.

 

[DoubleBass]

I don't really like her, but my favorite stsq of all time has to be Zagitova's Black Swan, everytime I rewatch that program i only rewatch the first half, because I don't care about the jumps, her arm movements are 100% at one with the music, absolutely genius.

 

[icewhite]

About Jason, I think he's a fabulous skater but the scores he's been getting recently have been a bit too much imo.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

About Jason, I think he's a fabulous skater but the scores he's been getting recently have been a bit too much imo.

Have you ever seen him skate in person? He's worth every bit of his scores and then some.

Now let's get this thread back on topic and stop the negativity towards skaters.