I am missing that grandeur presence of Yuna Kim on ice... (For Yuna fans)
I'll miss Yuna for a very long time, possibly forever, for two reasons;
1. Yuna's natural talent with interpretation of the music & connection with the music.
Yuna has been and will be remembered as a truly unique figure skater - she has that untouchable workmanship-like interpretation of, and interaction with, the music she chooses for her programs - Filled with choreography from start to finish (maybe except Mao, all other skaters like Caro, Sotnikova and Lipnitkaya spend way too much time in the intro before starting elements - Yuna down right starts her beginning choreo and then goes straight into the first triple-triple with massive ice coverage - now that's what you call a difficult program), her elements are (freakishly - goosebumps) perfectly in sync the music - and Yuna captures the very essence of the emotions behind the music. And all that only comes after her consistently strong and textbook-based jumping techniques, rich & clean/deep use of edge during the steps, and overall comfortableness on ice and mad skating skills (massive ice coverage). She has never repeated any of her programs since she entered senior competitions - and every time she puts on a new character with new music choice during her skate, she has the magic of having the music come alive and she herself merits from the synergy that the music creates with her performance. She becomes the music. And the music becomes her - It's like she's DRAWING the music for the audience, in 3D. She has evolved to the next level in this aspect since Vancouver, so it bothers me when people say she's not as good as she used to be.
Some say Caro tops Yuna in artistry department, but could anyone truly picture Mao, Caro, and any other veteran skaters who could have interpreted Adios Nonino (very difficult to interpret Tango by the way) the way Yuna did? What about Gershin? 007? Danse Macambre? Les Miserables, Send in the clowns?
I'm actually offended by people who undermine Yuna's performance of send in the clown at the Olympics - because it was a heavenly perfection with a mix of ever-so-strong technical skills on her elements and probably one of her best workmanship ever - and they rewarded her with 7's and 8's for PCS... I don't even want say anything about Sochi, but take a look at any other version of camera work (especially the raw ones filmed by the audience) - anything other than Sochi broadcating (their camera work simply ruined Yuna's performance)
http://youtu.be/K23m2QUOHvY
(Send in the Clowns/sochi2014 HD NBC version - may only be available in Canada)
http://vimeo.com/87981057#at=0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl4_W5Sv_xE
Send in the clown fan cam
https://vimeo.com/89582610
(Yuna kim in Sochi Olympic2014 * Adios Nonino/HD) (NBC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXf_ntww6vU
adios nonino fancam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf7V6DTHuhw
sotnikova fancam
2. Yuna's textbook skating skills & techniques
For those, who say Yuna lacked speed, and her jumps were low, and her performance was boring... watch the fancam or NBC version first before getting worked up about what I'm about to say. Yuna's specialty in technical aspect is her jumps - They say Yuna's jumps are so clear (entry, edge use etc...) that it's doesn't take any effort to recognize which jump is which. - Textbook jumper, indeed...
http://gall.dcinside.com/board/view/?id=yeona&no=547379
http://mydearkorea.blogspot.ca/2014/...g-scandal.html (scroll down a little bit)
- images and GIFs to help explain my point - no matter how much I explain in words, how Yuna's jumps are textbook, some will just brush it off.
The images are pretty self-explanatory - Yuna's jumps - Crazy speed/distance going into the jumps, correct/clean entry (right edge use before take-off - Out edge for 3Lz, only toe for 3T etc.), no pre-rotation (she starts rotating in the air, after the take off), Great in-air position/axis (symmetry btw face and torso - meaning head not sideways and straight in line with torso, no twisted upper body - straight torso), stable and clean landing... not many skaters can do the jumps by the book like Yuna...
STEP SEQUENCE/FOOTWORK
Yuna's step sequence... The step sequences in Adios Nonino (Free program) was said to be the most difficult and technically challenging out of all of Yuna’s programs in the past – but only got level 3. Adelina's chreographer seems to have added a lot of free legging routine that ice dancers do for her step sequence, to make it look more colorful. But when you are not a skilled skater with good deep edge use, it will not be a plus for the routine - with Adelina's Juniorish skating, it only made it messy, although it looked like Adelina's doing more stuff so people think, wow she was much more skilled. Just because Yuna makes it look so easy and effortless, it doesn't mean she's doing less. Yuna's footwork and deep edge use in this competition was at top level. I really wish ISU would show how they graded Yuna on the step sequence – compared to how they graded Adelina. Considering Yuna had bigger ice usage and had almost no time for rest, her step sequence should have been highly acclaimed.
(If you want an objective analysis on Yuna's step sequence, visit;
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sho...l=1#post884523 - on page 42, there an analysis on Yuna's short program step sequence as well)
SPINS
Yuna's spins are easily undermined by those who are critical of Yuna. And her spins are shadowed under her jump specialties and her unbeatable interpretation & artistry. Her spins are not as special as her jumps, but very true to the textbook, and with great use of edge change and variations that fulfill the requirements. That being said, it's not her weak point at all. Besides, it's not just about flexable posture or just speed. It's about how one executes spin with great stability (least range of axis) by maintaining the position. Yuna is very stable and maintains her posture till the end.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater
The rubber-band flexibility is not all about spins. Of course, Julia Lipnitskaya spins like Sasha Cohen since both are former gymnasts. Of course, Lipnitskaya and Adelina Sotnikova spin faster as they are smaller and younger than Yuna. But their spins have one very fatal weakness: "Traveling". Spinning with less flexibility or a little less speed is NOT an error while traveling in a spin definitely IS. And both Lipnitskaya and Sotnikova travel too far, too much, too long when they spin. But did they ever receive a deduction on that? As far as I remember, unceasing praises were all they received. New York Times had an image of travelling - Adelina with such small range and Yuna with big range. But it wasn't even a measure of the same time frame...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVvRd4WSVRQ
Besides, if we are talking how difficult bielmann spin is (that Russian skaters do), then Yuna has her own variation of camel spin called "Yuna Camel spin" - it requires great flexibility and balance because she maintains her free leg in 90 degrees position as she looks up & folds her upper body backwards - it's hard to maintain the posture - but Yuna's posture never collapsed during her camel spins. No other skaters ever attempted this spin, because it is very difficult.
Sigh... Will we ever see a skater like Yuna any time soon?? I feel a terrible loss...
I'll miss Yuna for a very long time, possibly forever, for two reasons;
1. Yuna's natural talent with interpretation of the music & connection with the music.
Yuna has been and will be remembered as a truly unique figure skater - she has that untouchable workmanship-like interpretation of, and interaction with, the music she chooses for her programs - Filled with choreography from start to finish (maybe except Mao, all other skaters like Caro, Sotnikova and Lipnitkaya spend way too much time in the intro before starting elements - Yuna down right starts her beginning choreo and then goes straight into the first triple-triple with massive ice coverage - now that's what you call a difficult program), her elements are (freakishly - goosebumps) perfectly in sync the music - and Yuna captures the very essence of the emotions behind the music. And all that only comes after her consistently strong and textbook-based jumping techniques, rich & clean/deep use of edge during the steps, and overall comfortableness on ice and mad skating skills (massive ice coverage). She has never repeated any of her programs since she entered senior competitions - and every time she puts on a new character with new music choice during her skate, she has the magic of having the music come alive and she herself merits from the synergy that the music creates with her performance. She becomes the music. And the music becomes her - It's like she's DRAWING the music for the audience, in 3D. She has evolved to the next level in this aspect since Vancouver, so it bothers me when people say she's not as good as she used to be.
Some say Caro tops Yuna in artistry department, but could anyone truly picture Mao, Caro, and any other veteran skaters who could have interpreted Adios Nonino (very difficult to interpret Tango by the way) the way Yuna did? What about Gershin? 007? Danse Macambre? Les Miserables, Send in the clowns?
I'm actually offended by people who undermine Yuna's performance of send in the clown at the Olympics - because it was a heavenly perfection with a mix of ever-so-strong technical skills on her elements and probably one of her best workmanship ever - and they rewarded her with 7's and 8's for PCS... I don't even want say anything about Sochi, but take a look at any other version of camera work (especially the raw ones filmed by the audience) - anything other than Sochi broadcating (their camera work simply ruined Yuna's performance)
http://youtu.be/K23m2QUOHvY
(Send in the Clowns/sochi2014 HD NBC version - may only be available in Canada)
http://vimeo.com/87981057#at=0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl4_W5Sv_xE
Send in the clown fan cam
https://vimeo.com/89582610
(Yuna kim in Sochi Olympic2014 * Adios Nonino/HD) (NBC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXf_ntww6vU
adios nonino fancam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf7V6DTHuhw
sotnikova fancam
2. Yuna's textbook skating skills & techniques
For those, who say Yuna lacked speed, and her jumps were low, and her performance was boring... watch the fancam or NBC version first before getting worked up about what I'm about to say. Yuna's specialty in technical aspect is her jumps - They say Yuna's jumps are so clear (entry, edge use etc...) that it's doesn't take any effort to recognize which jump is which. - Textbook jumper, indeed...
http://gall.dcinside.com/board/view/?id=yeona&no=547379
http://mydearkorea.blogspot.ca/2014/...g-scandal.html (scroll down a little bit)
- images and GIFs to help explain my point - no matter how much I explain in words, how Yuna's jumps are textbook, some will just brush it off.
The images are pretty self-explanatory - Yuna's jumps - Crazy speed/distance going into the jumps, correct/clean entry (right edge use before take-off - Out edge for 3Lz, only toe for 3T etc.), no pre-rotation (she starts rotating in the air, after the take off), Great in-air position/axis (symmetry btw face and torso - meaning head not sideways and straight in line with torso, no twisted upper body - straight torso), stable and clean landing... not many skaters can do the jumps by the book like Yuna...
STEP SEQUENCE/FOOTWORK
Yuna's step sequence... The step sequences in Adios Nonino (Free program) was said to be the most difficult and technically challenging out of all of Yuna’s programs in the past – but only got level 3. Adelina's chreographer seems to have added a lot of free legging routine that ice dancers do for her step sequence, to make it look more colorful. But when you are not a skilled skater with good deep edge use, it will not be a plus for the routine - with Adelina's Juniorish skating, it only made it messy, although it looked like Adelina's doing more stuff so people think, wow she was much more skilled. Just because Yuna makes it look so easy and effortless, it doesn't mean she's doing less. Yuna's footwork and deep edge use in this competition was at top level. I really wish ISU would show how they graded Yuna on the step sequence – compared to how they graded Adelina. Considering Yuna had bigger ice usage and had almost no time for rest, her step sequence should have been highly acclaimed.
(If you want an objective analysis on Yuna's step sequence, visit;
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sho...l=1#post884523 - on page 42, there an analysis on Yuna's short program step sequence as well)
SPINS
Yuna's spins are easily undermined by those who are critical of Yuna. And her spins are shadowed under her jump specialties and her unbeatable interpretation & artistry. Her spins are not as special as her jumps, but very true to the textbook, and with great use of edge change and variations that fulfill the requirements. That being said, it's not her weak point at all. Besides, it's not just about flexable posture or just speed. It's about how one executes spin with great stability (least range of axis) by maintaining the position. Yuna is very stable and maintains her posture till the end.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater
The rubber-band flexibility is not all about spins. Of course, Julia Lipnitskaya spins like Sasha Cohen since both are former gymnasts. Of course, Lipnitskaya and Adelina Sotnikova spin faster as they are smaller and younger than Yuna. But their spins have one very fatal weakness: "Traveling". Spinning with less flexibility or a little less speed is NOT an error while traveling in a spin definitely IS. And both Lipnitskaya and Sotnikova travel too far, too much, too long when they spin. But did they ever receive a deduction on that? As far as I remember, unceasing praises were all they received. New York Times had an image of travelling - Adelina with such small range and Yuna with big range. But it wasn't even a measure of the same time frame...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVvRd4WSVRQ
Besides, if we are talking how difficult bielmann spin is (that Russian skaters do), then Yuna has her own variation of camel spin called "Yuna Camel spin" - it requires great flexibility and balance because she maintains her free leg in 90 degrees position as she looks up & folds her upper body backwards - it's hard to maintain the posture - but Yuna's posture never collapsed during her camel spins. No other skaters ever attempted this spin, because it is very difficult.
Sigh... Will we ever see a skater like Yuna any time soon?? I feel a terrible loss...
