The Evolution of La Terre vue du ciel

[MaiKatze]

Since many people say this is their favourite LP of the season, or their favourite LP period, let's have a closer look at the evolution of La Terre vue de Ciel (The Earth from above) and say Goodbye to this amazing program.

I only saw it live at Nebelhorn Trophy, probably still in its most basic form and pretty faulty with the mistakes, but it was already an amazing program! The choreography is still different especially the ending pose had been worked on. I loved Aljona's dress here more than the more conservative version she began to wear at Skate America.

For me personally the best performance of it was at the GPF, because it was the first clean performance and the emotions were riding high. Olympics was also great, but since it was the first skate they didn't know if they'd won. Worlds just seemed like the cherry on top, like Aljona always says. Not exactly that surprising anymore. I think they began to ride the wave at Skate America, with a little low during the German Nationals, but that is generally a unimportant competition anyway and they just returned from Japan.

What's your favourite La Terre vue du ciel and why?

1. Nebelhorn Trophy
2. Skate Canada
3. Skate America
4. Grand Prix Final
5. German Nationals
6. Olympic Games
7. World Championships

 

[ejnsofi]

Olympic Games.

It was carrying such an emotional message and finally Aljona got her well deserved gold. I could really feel heart and soul being left on ice.

 

[MaiKatze]

It's a really good idea to watch the videos in chronological order. For example, the Skate Canada video, and Bruno's sad face at the end and the way Aljona comforted him afterwards. And then the progress of it steadily getting better and more uplifting and dramatic. Very moving.

 

[Erin9]

I was so looking forward to watching these.....and I can’t watch them at the W.C.

It’s hard to argue with the Olympic skate though. Brilliant and executed beautifully under such pressure. Masterful. It’s a stunning program all by itself, but those circumstances take it up a notch.

This goes on my short list of all time fave pairs programs. I think That Man does too. They sell the heck out of both programs, and they are so different stylistically. Very impressive.

 

[ladyjane]

Thank you MaiKatze for this...you can see how the programme evolves during the season...it was good at the start, than became excellent and finally legendary - both at the Olympics and Worlds. wow, just wow. It's just so beautiful at the end of the season, Talking about a legendary programmes. This one's on the list for me.

 

[ladyjane]

Haha, I didn't answer the question. First (to me) is the Olympic one, although the one at Worlds was even better according to the judges (and in certain parts for me too) But to be honest the GPF got me hooked on this programme.

 

[Moment]

I'd go with the Olympic one as well. The new ending pose works better, and the landings of the throws and the triple twist were cleaner than they were from Worlds. I think timings of the choreography were better at Worlds, though.

 

[libecha]

I enjoyed watching the Worlds one the most because it was exquisitely performed but the level of pressure was much lower so I was able to relax more and get lost in it. The crowd energy was better, too.

But I think the Olympics one was executed slightly better. The throw jumps were definitely better and the twist was also very slightly better. The score difference, meh--there was a little bit of OGM GOE inflation going on at Worlds (not only for them, and whatever, but it was there) and I thought their PCS at the Olympics should have been what it was at Worlds.

Both fabulous, though, and so was the GPF save that one throw 3S landing where she had to really hang on. That was the moment at which you could tell this was going somewhere BIG.

 

[perspicuosity]

1) Olympics. Perfect execution, infinite pressure, lots of happy tears.
2) GPF. Beautiful skate that appeared out of nowhere, beat Sui and Han's best, and proved all the talking heads wrong.
3) WC. Also beautiful, but much lower stakes. Also (sorry guys) a bit of OGM GOE inflation. Their WC SP was more special.

::giant gap::

4) Skate America. Don't like the opening and closing poses, but good score!

::giant gap::

Everything else.

 

[xeyra]

Olympics was my favorite rendition of the program for sure, and then Worlds.

Interesting seeing the program at Nebelhorn and now. The best thing they ever did was get rid of the 3ATh.

 

[MissBeeFarm]

Olympics is my favourite: a spectacular skate and all those emotions.

GPF and Worlds tie for second for me. They are like two sides of the same coin: after their GPF performance it was the first time you could really imagine them becoming Olympic Champions with this program, you could tell this could be huge. At Worlds they come in with this program being exactly that - huge - and their final performance of this program backs it up once again. GPF and Worlds frame the Olympic success for me.

On a side note, I'm so glad Aljona changed her dress. The old one is just too much for me, too much glitter, too much mesh, I don't like it. The new one is so much more subtle and fits the tone of the programme much better.

 

[NoNameFace]

Watching live this FS - and them both in general - I am biased to put Worlds' performance as my favourite. But re-watching them all in a row, for me it's not even a story of how the program developed - it is much bigger, much more emotionally invested in my opinion. The program definitely posed a challenge to them in terms of catching that vibe, flow, reflecting this music into movement and all elements required - and it took a bit of time to work out kinks and issues to make it shine to its fullest. Moreover, they became more and more invested into each performance of that program in my opinion - it surpassed just a competitive drive and was more of an unique experience for them, every time they skated it.

Like last year's 'Lighthouse', this FS introduced for me a totally new quality of how Pairs' competitive program could look and feel like - it can hold attention not by big elements, but visuals, emotions created, the shape of their bodies and how they both work together. I will be forever grateful to have witnessed this program's performance in person, as it was a bit of 'out-of-body' experience, watching it unravel like a beautiful ribbon; their FS from last and this season seems to be some form of paying a homage to how beautiful human body can work, how beautiful can it look and shape up, how its strength can impact those who are watching. Bruno's strength was really mind-blowing to see in person when we take into account how effortlessly the performance was looking - and Aljona's landings on some of jumps were save-able only for her probably, what a champion.

 

[MaiKatze]

On a side note, I'm so glad Aljona changed her dress. The old one is just too much for me, too much glitter, too much mesh, I don't like it. The new one is so much more subtle and fits the tone of the programme much better.

I guess that's personal taste with dress. I liked the less saturated violet and the sparkles more, also, I felt like the skirt was too long later, it actually got caught up at some skates at the end. But this is nitpicking.

Like last year's 'Lighthouse', this FS introduced for me a totally new quality of how Pairs' competitive program could look and feel like - it can hold attention not by big elements, but visuals, emotions created, the shape of their bodies and how they both work together. I will be forever grateful to have witnessed this program's performance in person, as it was a bit of 'out-of-body' experience, watching it unravel like a beautiful ribbon; their FS from last and this season seems to be some form of paying a homage to how beautiful human body can work, how beautiful can it look and shape up, how its strength can impact those who are watching. Bruno's strength was really mind-blowing to see in person when we take into account how effortlessly the performance was looking - and Aljona's landings on some of jumps were save-able only for her probably, what a champion.

Lighthouse last year was so amazing it was hard to think how it could be topped. But they did it, every year they came back with stronger programs. I know Bruno said he didn't like the fiery short they had until the GPF, but I also think that it was a good short and I was sad to see it go. I think all the time "I wonder what they'll come up with next" but then realize there probably isn't going to be a 'next' and get sad. There is just not as much excitement left for me if they are gone. *sigh*