My last post in this thread was at 3:08 PM on Saturday. I checked the thread again approximately 48 hours later and discovered FIVE more pages of posts!
arty: Welcome to all the new people!
Now there’s two more pages on top of that! Yay!
I’m so happy for Patrick! I went straight to the video with no commentary. Who needs commentary when the program is this good? It speaks for itself. I’ve gotten in the habit of posting here what Tara and Johnny say about Patrick’s programs on NBC, but I don’t know if I will bother this time. We’ll see.
At first I liked the new shirt, but now I think it’s too gray. But it shows up better on the ice/on camera than the white one. I miss the blue of Le Boheme and the red of Aranjuez – he’s worn too much gray/silver/white for his last two LPs (I never could decide exactly what color the 2014 Four Seasons shirt was). He needs a little COLOR back in his LP costumes. Then again, it’s a melancholy LP, so the melancholy color works. I don’t know. He could have done black with little dashes of color and maybe we would be happier about it. Who knows.
I do have one question. Was the LP 3T intentional or not? He’s done that for two LPs in a row and neither of the 3Ts has “looked” like a typical pop. If someone didn’t know his layout beforehand, it looks so good they wouldn’t know it was a mistake. Why do you think he popped both of them when the 4T+3T was so successful both times? The solo quad should be “easier” after all. Is it a lack of concentration after getting the 3A out of the way?
With my costume ramblings and my 3T question out of the way, I want to say: OH MY GOODNESS, PATRICK, YOU DID IT AGAIN!!! Two LPs in a row performed with exactly the same technical outcome! Has that ever happened in his career before? I am sad that he was so frustrated and down on himself and apparently shared another one of those “moments” with Kathy (the picture someone posted here earlier makes me feel for him so much), but whatever Kathy is telling him/doing for him, it’s working.
There’s a vulnerability about his skating in this LP that hasn’t been there with any of his other programs. His movement is SO sophisticated here, simple and yet complex. In the E Minor Prelude section, the left hand sounds like a beating heart and Patrick matches EVERY ONE of those heartbeats in his body movement. To quote
4everchan:
omg... watching this without commentary, just listening to the emotion in the crowd made me tear up... i knew i was in love already... but yeah.... for those who say that chan doesn't emote.... watch him throughout the e minor prelude section... every single part of his body is connected to the music and projecting the perfect melancholic nature of the piece. I love you Patrick.
I also like
Jombi’s observation about the inevitability of each carefully-chosen movement:
I just want to add that in this LP there's a sense of certainty and inevitability that confers an aura of gravitas to his performance: it appears like every step and movement needs to be inevitably followed by the exact next step/movement Patrick actually does and that is the only right possibility contempled (...otherwise we are lost).
There are no many programs that made me feel this way.
And
MIM gave me another way to appreciate the program by not only describing it as someone writing a love letter, but also sharing how the love letter can change in tone/presentation with each writing (i.e. performance). The true artist is able to make their art seem fresh every time. I love your analysis of the LP. Thank you so much!
Patrick brings the sincere joy and respect for the figure skating. I keep watching his FP over and over. His blades are just a marvelous work or art. He is an extraordinary skater.
He doesn't need to prove anything. I don't need him to be the winner to enjoy his skating. He can keep his tech contents and still skate beautifully. I applaud for his vision of incorporating modern dance into the skating. I get manic with those throughly studied, controlled body movements to the nuance of the music. He is just one step closer to what he set out to do. Maybe the circumstance helped him reach deep down to his emotional self and bring it to the life/performance.
I am sorry that TEB was canceled. Otherwise, I could have seen another version of this Chopin. His performance seems to vary per his emotional status- all very precious and brilliant.
Oh, thank you for seeing me as a knowledgable viewer. Sorry I have to disappoint you. It is hard to be objective with his performance. I will try my silly best.
At the SC, he was like writing a love letter first time. He's bright, dominant, absolutely brilliant. Sometimes showing off with pedantic expressions, but you can feel sincere love and passion for someone.
At the Final, the love has ripen. In the letter, he means every single word and you can feel it. It gets complex; his emotion turns into dark, deep, and sorrowful, yet he still sings with dear love and passion. He is not afraid of showing how much he loves someone. He finally feels free of what he is writing. Because whatever he says, it is true.
And thank you also to
VB for saying this:
I always feel fans who feel Patrick's skating are very sophisticated, connecting to music and noticing the nuances in expression of feelings via his movements and timing, even the control and the varying of his speed in every little move like no one else could. No need to be knocked over the head with exaggerated facial expressions and overtly suggestive motions, like declaring one's love with a bullhorn.
and this:
No one in the world can do what Patrick does on ice even if they can do better in the air above the ice. With incredible blade control, turning, twisting, shifting, often on one foot with deep deep edges, he does not just generate speed but varies it with precision and perfect timing with the music and exquisite dance moves. No one, absolutely no one, combines such powerful and intricate blade work with the total body musical and artistic expression. The great John Curry did his ballet with simple steps and glides, some can skate with speed and fancy footwork with much simpler or meaningless arm and body movements, some slow down or even stand still for artistic expression. No one, absolutely no one, marries the master blade work with such deep felt musical interpretation. When an artist masters the skills, they are just part of the total expression. A performance artist becomes one with his art, thus the subtly different nuances in each performance as who he is at the time, as MIM so beautifully and appreciatively noted and expressed. Each viewing reveals something new with more to discover.
All of the posts I’ve quoted (sorry for the outrageous length of this post
are why I love Patrick’s skating SO SO SO MUCH!!!!! I also love Dear Prudence/Blackbird because there’s so much nuance in it. It is a true exhibition, as in, a special work of art, not just easier jumps and spins set to different music. I’m thrilled to finally see the program not from a fan cam, although I had to use a VPN to do it. It appears to only be blocked in the U.S. though. And it was great to see him so happy at the gala.
To quote
VB yet again:
This thread is more than a retreat from the often unpleasant bias and even hostility, it is a fest, a celebration of Patrick Chan.
Yes indeed. And it’s never felt more like that than this season. What a joy it is for me to be a part of this thread. It's my favorite thread on GS.
But I want to tell you that reading your posts is like feeling at home! Patrick is not so appreciated in my country and I can’t understand why… his skating in something unbelievable… really unbelievable. It’s a privilege for figure skating world to have someone like him. And it has been a privilege for me being there in Barcelona to see his performances and practice sessions. I’ve never suffered so much during a competition, really. 
I almost couldn’t sleep at night. Watching his practice was so painful… I’ve never seen Patrick so sad, so frustrated.. It looked like he wanted to give up. :sad4: I don’t know where he found the power, the strength to skate that superb free program. But he is a champion. I think is hard for him to deal this situation: this is his coming back season and the level in male figure skating is so high. He needs to take time, no hurry. His plan is a long term one. But when you are a champion and you won so much in your career is hard to not be on the podium, to not be there to fight with the top skaters. Very hard. I had the opportunity to talk to him at the hotel after the free program. I told him what I think about his skating, how amazing he is on ice and that I’m so grateful for his coming back and that we need someone like him. He was relaxed in the end of the day, after a so difficult week. I really hope he can find self confidence again and I most of all I wish him to be happy, whatever happens.
