2015-2016 Programs by Discipline

[Spiral]

I agree that Liza may well do well as Carmen, but I would prefer her to do something more original. Actually I think that there's little danger of her skating to Carmen, let alone to Phantom, since Mishin said that they have several other LP choices they could use. So I hope that they either come back to Lambiel's original choreography; or decide that it doesn't work for Liza either technically, with everything else that she has to do, or artistically, and settle on something else. I wouldn't mind this something else being Spanish or some Eastern music, but I think Liza could probably also do fine in passionate classical music or passionate songs (but decent ones, please, and with a real strong voice).

Reg. Kavaguchi and Smirnov, they're my favorite of the currently competing pairs, but I'm afraid I don't like either their choice for the SP or the idea of using any of their previous LPs, no matter how exquisite. I think if skaters perform a program for an entire season, they should create new programs for the next one if they want to continue competing. Otherwise it's like for a writer who once wrote a successful book to keep publishing new editions of the same thing, just with different covers. As with Liza, I'd be in happy - in fact, blissfully happy - if they continued to skate to classical music for the rest of their career (and there's so much beautiful classical music out there, why repeat?), but if they want to skate to something else every now and then, why can't this something else be equally outstanding in its field?

 

[Pippuripihvi]

Wow, some people are really mean and harsh towards Liza. It's so obvious it is't even 20% ready version of the LP, but I guess some people just wanted to spit out their venom. And what a better way to do it when your opponent can't even respond.

 

[oriquey]

Wow, some people are really mean and harsh towards Liza. It's so obvious it is't even 20% ready version of the LP, but I guess some people just wanted to spit out their venom. And what a better way to do it when your opponent can't even respond.

Yeah. It is still too early to tell how the FS is going to turn out.

 

[adelia]

Wow, some people are really mean and harsh towards Liza. It's so obvious it is't even 20% ready version of the LP, but I guess some people just wanted to spit out their venom. And what a better way to do it when your opponent can't even respond.

:agree:

 

[hurrah]

I think someone in her team decided to show this program at this point when there's hardly anything great that could be said about it so that Mishin or whoever thinks this is okay will understand that they really need to change it.

It's not necessarily disservice to tell her team now, rather than later.

 

[adelia]

I think someone in her team decided to show this program at this point when there's hardly anything great that could be said about it so that Mishin or whoever thinks this is okay will understand that they really need to change it.

It's not necessarily disservice to tell her team now, rather than later.

It was a gala for Mishin and Moskvina's masterclass during their training camp. All the students that they brought there showed their new competition programs. They did the same thing last year at Igora too.
Your comments are very "imaginative", I'll give you that.

 

[oriquey]

I might have missed it in the earlier pages of this thread, but is there any word on Julia's programmes?

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I might have missed it in the earlier pages of this thread, but is there any word on Julia's programmes?

All we know is that she came to the USA (Canton, Michigan) and Marina Zueva choreographed three programs for her (SP, FS, EX). This was over a month ago and they've managed to keep the music for all three secret.

There has been a few Instagram clips.

https://instagram.com/p/4Uh8X3kLT8/

https://instagram.com/p/2WW3HEELcF/ (Adian also went but only got a FS)

https://instagram.com/p/1NJY7CkLfj/

 

[oriquey]

All we know is that she came to the USA (Canton, Michigan) and Marina Zueva choreographed three programs for her (SP, FS, EX). This was over a month ago and they've managed to keep the music for all three secret.

There has been a few Instagram clips.

https://instagram.com/p/4Uh8X3kLT8/

https://instagram.com/p/2WW3HEELcF/ (Adian also went but only got a FS)

https://instagram.com/p/1NJY7CkLfj/

Thanks for sharing the links I'm impatient to know what Julia will be skating to next season. Guess I will have to exercise more patience

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Thanks for sharing the links I'm impatient to know what Julia will be skating to next season. Guess I will have to exercise more patience

Interesting note: I'm pretty certain that Adidas, her main sponsor, funded the trip to the states and paid for the Choreography.

 

[OS]

It's not because I doubt her abilities to channel Carmen or do a good POTO program, it's just that it's too soon. I need to recover from last season.

She can always do a Swan lake, or specifically be the black swan. It is bit of a cliche but it seems any Russian doing Swan lake, or anything by Russian composers like Firebird get gazillion of PCS points on auto pilot. Carmen would be an easier choice, but it is too cliched. Liza is a world champion now, she need to lead by example. Patrick/Hanyu effect brought back tons of POTO, i dread to think 2017/2018 we get 10+ Carmens again and again and again!!!

I dislike predictable programs, lazy choices like any Asian female pigeonholed doing any of the following: Miss Saigon, Madam Butterfly, Memoir of a Geisha - all essentially the same unoriginal western stereotype that doesn't require too much effort by the choreographer, performer, but admit I'd get so impressed if Liza or say someone like Ashley/Gracie decide to one of the Miss Saigon, Madam Butterfly, Memoir of a Geisha, because they are not natural fit, and they'd stretch themselves to really pay attention to perform. Just as if if I discover if one day say, Mao or Zijun decide to do something like a European folk dance, or something like a Samba... not a kiddie princess samba that is still in their comfort zone, but like hot blooded rich flirtateous adult Samba on a hot summer day.

 

[moriel]

A real brazillian samba challenge =)
(not that whatever ballroom thing)

 

[andromache]

Wow, some people are really mean and harsh towards Liza. It's so obvious it is't even 20% ready version of the LP, but I guess some people just wanted to spit out their venom. And what a better way to do it when your opponent can't even respond.

I don't think anyone has been particularly mean or venomous about Liza's program, though some of us are certainly being critical. I don't see the harm in making critiques of our favorite skaters. Just about every new program from all of the top skaters this season have received criticism this far, and that's okay. Some programs so far have really impressed me, like Jason Brown, and others have not like Liza. But all of the Jason Brown critiques I'm seeing aren't unfair, venomous, or mean. Please don't try to shut down reasonable opinions and critiques.

 

[hurrah]

I dislike predictable programs, lazy choices like any Asian female pigeonholed doing any of the following: Miss Saigon, Madam Butterfly, Memoir of a Geisha - all essentially the same unoriginal western stereotype that doesn't require too much effort by the choreographer, performer, .... Just as if if I discover if one day say, Mao or Zijun decide to do something like a European folk dance, or something like a Samba... not a kiddie princess samba that is still in their comfort zone, but like hot blooded rich flirtateous adult Samba on a hot summer day.

Well, Mao is doing Madame Butterfly for FS this year! And normally, I would totally agree with you that seeing a combination of Mao and Madame Butterfly is bad, and when few years ago, rumors surfaced that Mao was doing Madame Butterfly as an exhibition, I went on this board and complained about what a terrible idea that was, but... to be honest, this time around, I admit that I am guilty looking forward to seeing it! I think it's okay now because Mao's skating is no longer soft and pretty in a floaty butterfly kind of way, and, while still fluid, is now quite dramatic and strong, so while that story is totally *****, her version of Madame Butterfly is bound to show a divaesque Asian woman. Or so I imagine. And if you divorce the story from the music, the music is glorious and beautiful, so I will tolerate the storyline this time.

And Lori did combine Madame Butterfly with a somewhat carnal song sung from the point of view of a Yiddish woman, so I think it's okay to do Madame Butterfly this time.

Plus, Mao has been really pristine about not whoring herself on the ice until now. No winking, blowing kisses, waving to judges, licking one's fingers, pumping hips, shaking boobs/reveaing boobs, etc., etc. Mao is three times World champion and Olympic silver medalist without ever having done any of that, so now, maybe she can afford to indulge herself and show she's a woman!

 

[TheCzar]

It's not really a matter of predictability or taste- I mean as soon as Mao skated to Chopin, everyone had since expected a similar tone. Yuna skating to Roxanne had fans expecting subsequent programs full of power and sensuality. The same goes for Liza, however, unfortunately, her and her team's musical and choreographical choices have never been aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps that's just Liza as a skater? Who knows. We all know she has power on the ice, but unfortunately it is a very rare occurrence when power and beauty collide and form a wonderful skater.

As for her current free programme, i just roll my eyes and throw my hands up in the air. She doesn't need to skate to the bloody Mariinsky catalogue to prove and show she has musicality. Her arms are gauche, her posture terrible, and her music horrendous. If she likes the feel of the Slavic folk music or anything exotic, then my god, listen to Bartok or skate to Czardas! They would work with Liza's musical tendencies. Or samba as has been suggested. Anything that would evoke wearing mumu as a costume should be a no-no.

And as far as os168 is concerned, sometimes Asian skaters skating to Asian themed pieces work- the same way Khachaturian worked for V/T. Lu Chen's Butterfly Lovers and Miyahara's Miss Saigon being prime examples of programs that work. They may not even have been pigeonholed, maybe the skaters were just proud of the Asian heritage. Does that make them lazy?

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Anything that would evoke wearing mumu as a costume should be a no-no.

Seriously though....what kind of music would inspire a mumu

I'm not making any wagers that we'll see anything new from Liza this season. That goes for Choreography and Costuming. I'm not sure there is any need to change anything. I think it's silly to expect skaters to be dynamic and change things up every season. Sure it's a nice quality in a skater but hardly a necessity. It works for some but I think it's more important to be yourself and skate to your strengths first and foremost. Even if it ruffles a few figure skating fans feathers. I'm not so sure all of those feathers were very secure to begin with

 

[dorispulaski]

Seriously though....what kind of music would inspire a mumu
)

Aloha Oe

and this one
http://www.google.com/url?q=http://...yCkwAA&usg=AFQjCNFIIzqDOQH0sQTdFWjfL5t2Z_zf4g

 

[Layback11]

I want to see somebody skate to Jaws (playing the shark).

And because I'm a staunch supporter of anything involving wildlife conservation, I'd love it even more if they donated a certain amount of money to help sharks every time they landed a clean triple/quad in it! (Depends on if it was a guy or a girl-obviously, few if any ladies try quads.) Maybe if it was Liza or Mao they'd do a 3A donation? Now that's a program Liza would kill! Especially a literal interpretation!

 

[OS]

And as far as os168 is concerned, sometimes Asian skaters skating to Asian themed pieces work- the same way Khachaturian worked for V/T. Lu Chen's Butterfly Lovers and Miyahara's Miss Saigon being prime examples of programs that work. They may not even have been pigeonholed, maybe the skaters were just proud of the Asian heritage. Does that make them lazy?

I'd love Mao skate something from her own culture written by a Japanese composer, there are tons of lovely Japanese folk song that can be done into beautiful programs but for some reason are rarely used. And having thought about it, actually there has always been a very fine line between a cliche vs a classic. A classic has all the best symphonic execution of cliches, while what makes a cliched program is just one or two badly/lazily executed tricks done predictably. Mao is a classical kind of skater, who knows, may be she can perhaps make this her signature program so no one can ever dare to attempt Madam butterfly again because they will just sabotage themselves when compare with Mao I am certainly open to the idea! She afterall did Jupiter wonderfully. With Kostner 'retiring', may be Mao get promoted to be Lori's #1 muse.

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I'd love Liza do a Bollywood dance program complete with full on make up, half sari instead of mumu. It can complement her arm/hands/finger movements she like so much and complement her big cat eyes, blew kisses to the audience kind of 'performing'. It can be wonderful and fun (beside make a wonderful viral video for the sport, complete with 3A)

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I am still not convinced by Satoko's Miss Saigon actually even though it was well choreographed and studiously executed. I never got the sense she understood the musical, other than performing it on point, there's a insular quality that is a bit off putting. Miss Saigon is suppose to be vulnerable, innocent, emotional volatile, unsophisticated, uncultivated, lovable, self sacrificing, worth dying for. The performance felt a little bit opposite. The only bit she got right is single minded, unwavering exoticism.

 

[Barb]

I think Liza should work with Morozov for coreography. He does not do the most difficult coreography but can get cool movements. Definitly Mishin is seeing to Liza like another Plushy.