Favorite Mens Singles Program of All-Time (Amateur)?

[wordsworthgirl]

Totally forgot Yagudin's programs - both the short and long in the 2002 Olys.

I also remember a show program that Kurt did to guitar music - possibly in Stars on Ice - and there were no jumps. He interprets music better IMO than any other man has ever done. His programs have been innovative and exciting to watch. His facial expressions are priceless.

I very much miss the pro competitions and the original years of Stars on Ice and the World Champions Tour. I lived in the SF Bay Area in California for quite a long time and we always got stops on the tours. It was so amazing to see the best skaters finally free of judges and just able to skate their hearts out. It's too bad SOI's popularity has waned. I also think the ticket prices have become outrageous. It's no wonder attendance has fallen off. Don't know how a family of 4 could justify spending nearly $400 for a 2 hour show. I would love to see some of the current competitors in a show situation.

I remember that Kurt program too, noskates! I will start another thread in a few days abt best "pro"/exhibition/show programs- make sure to weigh in there!

and I could not agree with you more about how sad it is that there is no more Champions on Ice or Pro Competitions. I used to go to Champions every year at MSG in NYC and it was always a thrill. To see the skaters you love in person is such a delight because you can really see the speed and flow and power in a totally different way. and it did encourage them to stretch and try new things, take risks, and grow artistically. I am a writer and hope to start writing about skating in the mainstream media soon so we can get folks interested again. We do also need some great Olympic champions that can sell tickets in North America- here's hoping Meryl and Charlie can do it, and possibly Gracie in the future (not this time around I'm afraid).

 

[wordsworthgirl]

I didn't start skating until 1980. In 1985 I met John curry and I had never seen him skate, no YouTube back but, I knew about his greatness. A few months later I ran into him again and in his very quiet voice he told me that he was impress with my skating. That tiny compliment meant the world to me and I will never forget it. Years later I finally got to see his Quixote program and to me it was a masterpiece.


There are too many great programs to pick from but, for me Johns is my genesis.

This is beautiful, MasterB. are you by any chance a Balanchine fan? I thought of him when I read MasterB. In any case, how amazing that John Curry told you he was impressed with your skating. That is one of the greatest compliments imaginable!

 

[wordsworthgirl]

Imagine a young boy in 1976. He's in rural Mississippi, watching the Olympics with his family. They are crowded around a small/medium television, watching the Olympics with the assistance of a rabbit-ear antenna.

Seeing John Curry skate was like watching something from another planet. Even through the static, the sheer beauty of what Curry was achieving lit up the small living room. He made instant figure skating fans of people who had no business enjoying a sport like that. The family was hardworking, honest, but not what you'd think of as "cultured."

Never in the 40+ years that I've followed the sport since I have seen anything to rival it.

Curry's 1976 Olympic LP is, without doubt, the finest moment in figure skating history.

PS. We also cheered for Dorothy Hamill like she was family, and she remains one of my sentimental favorites.

TontoK, I just loved this. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Tonichelle]

The Kurt no jump Guitar program was Nyah and it was for Stars On Ice. It was one of the few Sandra Bezic did not choreograph, but she had wanted him to the music even before she knew he'd picked it.

He later added jumps to compete in the "World Pro"-Am championship, and the program was not as good IMO.

 

[Olympia]

The Kurt no jump Guitar program was Nyah and it was for Stars On Ice. It was one of the few Sandra Bezic did not choreograph, but she had wanted him to the music even before she knew he'd picked it.

He later added jumps to compete in the "World Pro"-Am championship, and the program was not as good IMO.

That was some splendid program! And I agree with the poster who said that Kurt is the best male interpreter of music ever in skating. Takahashi comes close, which is why I also adore Takahashi.

 

[Mathman]

Nyah.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zOoV9QsjRQ

Is the last footwork sequence a level four?

 

[Olympia]

Nyah.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zOoV9QsjRQ

Is the last footwork sequence a level four?

Angels and ministers of grace defend us! What mortal can skate like that?

Level four, baloney. Level eight or nine at least. Or maybe Mach 1.

 

[iluvtodd]

Angels and ministers of grace defend us! What mortal can skate like that?

Level four, baloney. Level eight or nine at least. Or maybe Mach 1.

:agree:

 

[Ladskater]

Kurt Browning's "Casablanca" program and of course my all time favorite "Singing in the Rain."

 

[msteach3]

Johnny Weir - The Swan SP - Also my vote for best male costume; don't care who thinks it was tacky, it was brilliant
Daisuke Takahashi - Eye and Garden of Souls SP's
Stephane Lambiel - Poeta LP
Yuzuru Hanyu - Romeo & Juliet LP

Some of my favorites as well! I'd add Weir's Otonal to the list. These skaters have have the ability to feel and actually become the music.

 

[lcd]

Jeff Buttle had many brilliant and exceptional programs. Was (and still is) a skater that I could watch endlessly.

 

[Big Deal]

My favs:
1. John Curry , Don Quixote
.
.
.
(after a VERRRRY long distance both in time and in perfectionism)
2. Stefan Lambiel, Poeta (could be 3rd, because it never had been performed flawlessly, but as a program...wow...)
3. Alexei Yagudin, Olympic Long

and than
waiting
waiting
and waiting for the same good old feeling to come again.

 

[Olympia]

My favs:
1. John Curry , Don Quixote
.
.
.
(after a VERRRRY long distance both in time and in perfectionism)
2. Stefan Lambiel, Poeta (could be 3rd, because it never had been performed flawlessly, but as a program...wow...)
3. Alexei Yagudin, Olympic Long

and than
waiting
waiting
and waiting for the same good old feeling to come again.

I hope you get that feeling from at least one skater this season (and for me, I hope it's from Takahashi.)

 

[Big Deal]

I hope you get that feeling from at least one skater this season (and for me, I hope it's from Takahashi.)

I'm ready for that at anytime

 

[skatingfan4ever]

To answer the question, his short was Revolutions, which is my personal favourite of all his eligible programs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcEdneOh_Ew

I apologize for going off topic, but I had to laugh about Scott Hamilton's comment after the last footwork sequence. He said the men didn't do difficult footwork anymore and that it was "a dying art." Scott had no idea back in 1998 (and neither did we) that COP would come along and make footwork MUCH busier and MUCH more difficult Now it's sort of gone in the other direction and many people yearn for the simpler footwork to return. It could be argued that footwork is still a dying art because it's about levels now so it all looks similar. Some skaters have fantastic COP footwork, but many don't.

 

[IcyEdges]

I just watched The Skating Lesson interview with Yuka Sato, and she said that Jeremy will use the Exogenesis program FS again this Olympic year!

Thanks for the mention, but I knew about this a long, long time before TSL brought it up with Yuka.

 

[karne]

Thanks for the mention, but I knew about this a long, long time before TSL brought it up with Yuka.

Actually, I believe Jeremy himself mentioned it to his Japanese fans as early as July.