There is no doubt in my mind that Mao is extremely versatile in her skating and performance ability...but Bells of Moscow I agree was a general failure of a program. I did not hate it because "it was convincing"; I hated it because the mismatch with Mao was too strong and impossible for me to overcome. There is something majestic about the music (even if the version of the piece of music is not everyone's favourite), but I honestly can't think of any female skaters who could have pulled it off properly... maybe Plushenko might have made it good. Mao's skating is top-notch; that won't change with music. But as far as chameleon-ability goes, Bells is not a good example. And as for parts of its choreography...no one knows its significance, or why and how the music called for it. It's just there. :sheesh:
Anyway, with Mao's Tango, you can add "whimsical" to "lyrical" and "cutesy". The thing about it, is that I wouldn't even classify it as acting. These seem to be things that Mao just is. I think that's the best part of it all.
I agree, and I especially agree with your last paragraph. By "acting," I meant that she is able to portray something, not that she's putting it on--but you've gotten much closer to what she does. She doesn't act, she becomes.
