2016-2017 Programs by Discipline

[Snow63]

What is this about? You don't like Queen/Freddie Mercury's singing, Bowie, or just this particular song? Continuing a previous theme, I can understand how this song could be a problem for those to whom Mercury's singing is just more "wailing", like Matthew Bellamy's vocals for some. And, of course, this is not the most genius of Bowie's works/songs. It's only a good pop song, not some "high" art. Others may just find the lyrics a bit banal. So which is it?

Wow. I just don't want them to use that song for a free dance, relax The pre-Olympic season is usually not very good time for expirements.

Edit: just to make myself more clear: I don't dislike the song, Queen/Freddie Mercury's singing or Bowie. And I think you're overreacting.

 

[honghe]

Mao's new EX will be a piece by Bach. She won't tell which one yet.

I'm really intrigued by this. She's probably one of the very few that could really do Bach justice. Looking forward to see it.

 

[Layback11]

Mao's new EX will be a piece by Bach. She won't tell which one yet.

Fingers crossed for the Double Violin Concerto! One of the most enjoyable pieces to play, and it seems very skateable.

 

[Daniel1998]

Fingers crossed for the Double Violin Concerto! One of the most enjoyable pieces to play, and it seems very skateable.

(ugh, the double concerto.) lol. I've played the cello for more than 10 years and while I admire Bach's composing ability I never once enjoyed playing his pieces- EVEN the Cello Suite. Bach is one of those composers that sound so easy to play but is actually very very hard. I guess I just prefer the romantics. I don't remember the last time I've seen Bach used as skating material, it should be interesting.

 

[cohkaix]

I'm really intrigued by this. She's probably one of the very few that could really do Bach justice. Looking forward to see it.

Similarly intrigued here. From the press conference/news report yesterday, Mao talked a little about how she made the choice on Bach in the end: usually Lori would offer several choices to pick from. But for this particular number (which is unlike her previous EXs that there are usually some stories behind), they invited a pianist to play the music on site. The pianist suggested: try to move naturally as the music flows and to skate through. In the end Mao decided:'then, (I'll pick) this one!' It's far more intriguing that she provides the description: sometimes floating, sometimes sinking; at times deep and others shallow. She also said she wants to express those aspects through the edge work from skating!

 

[honghe]

(ugh, the double concerto.) lol. I've played the cello for more than 10 years and while I admire Bach's composing ability I never once enjoyed playing his pieces- EVEN the Cello Suite. Bach is one of those composers that sound so easy to play but is actually very very hard. I guess I just prefer the romantics. I don't remember the last time I've seen Bach used as skating material, it should be interesting.

lol same here. I'd say Bach is probably one of the most difficult composers to play well. When I was a kid my piano teacher used to make sure that I was always playing some Bach, even when I was focusing on other stuff. I loathed Bach for a while because it seemed that I could never get it right lol. But now that I'm no longer forced to play Bach, I do enjoy listening to his works. And I for sure won't mind someone like Mao skating to his music.

IIRC Jeff Buttle once had a program that included some music by Bach, but Jeff didn't stick to that program for very long.

 

[lauravvv]

Wow. I just don't want them to use that song for a free dance, relax The pre-Olympic season is usually not very good time for expirements.

Edit: just to make myself more clear: I don't dislike the song, Queen/Freddie Mercury's singing or Bowie. And I think you're overreacting.

No, not overreacting. I just thought you disliked something about the music and was curious about what it was that you (supposedly) did not like about it. But I am still glad that you don't dislike the song itself, Bowie or Queen . So, thank you for explaining.

 

[Giselle]

Chock & Bates FD: Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie:

https://twitter.com/chockolate02

Evan posted a picture of him & Madison with Christopher Dean on instagram.
I hope we'll get see Dean's choreo not Igor's totally revamped version like what happened this year with the FD by Antonio Najarro.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Chock & Bates FD: Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie:

https://twitter.com/chockolate02

I like I like! I heard it a few times on my iphone (Well way back when I was in 8th grade when my younger brother and I got our first iTouches, we shared my dad's itunes account (He had an old dinosaur iPod he won at a raffle at my elementary's school's annual carnival back when I was in 4th grade) so of course there were going to be older songs. And then 10 months later I got my own itunes account and some of the songs that were on there went away but some stayed. Including it) 2 months ago when on the way back to campus from a women's basketball conference tournament (Me and my other cheer teammates from the all-girl team went down to cheer). And I liked it. So yeah, I feel like it could work for them. I like the route. Now let's see if the costumes they decide on match.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

I actually think the pre-Olympc season is the PERFECT season to experiment. We tend to get a skater's most ambitious programs that season, which I have consistently enjoyed. The Olympic programs tend to go more conservative.

 

[Snow63]

I actually think the pre-Olympc season is the PERFECT season to experiment. We tend to get a skater's most ambitious programs that season, which I have consistently enjoyed. The Olympic programs tend to go more conservative.

It's perfect if the expirement is successful. If not, the team will only lose its momentum. I'm not saying the program will be bad, of course. But I don't like the choice. We'll see, I guess.
Last season Queen's songs didn't help the teams who used their music.

P.S. But I hope they will slay Yay for diversity!

 

[nocturnalis]

I actually think the pre-Olympc season is the PERFECT season to experiment. We tend to get a skater's most ambitious programs that season, which I have consistently enjoyed. The Olympic programs tend to go more conservative.

IMO, skaters should set stage during the pre-Olympic year. In the first year of a quadrennial in introductory/show your consistency, year two is experimentation, year three is establishing yourself for the Olympic year, and the Olympic year is being consistent at good programs (time to breakout the war horse).

 

[Mango]

Rika Hongo's FS will be to Lawrence of Arabia, choreographed by Akiko Suzuki.

 

[Layback11]

Rika Hongo's FS will be to Lawrence of Arabia, choreographed by Akiko Suzuki.

Wow, that sounds like it could be amazing! :agree:

Actually, it sounds like it will either be amazing or a huge flop. Hoping for amazing, obviously.

 

[VIETgrlTerifa]

IMO, skaters should set stage during the pre-Olympic year. In the first year of a quadrennial in introductory/show your consistency, year two is experimentation, year three is establishing yourself for the Olympic year, and the Olympic year is being consistent at good programs (time to breakout the war horse).

I'm going by memory and think we tend to see skaters who have either experimented and went really ambitious the year before the Olympics to great acclaim (or not) or have went for programs that seemed to be "establishing" themselves by taking the first step in the direction they are going to go with for the following year. For my personal enjoyment, I think I enjoy it when a skater does the former (though if they are wildly successful, it may make me more disappointed when they go personality-less in the Olympic year thinking they're giving the judges what they want). I just remember thinking for a while that the pre-Olympic year programs tend to be much better than the Olympic ones. I think when I said "experiment" I don't really mean going crazy (though it's nice when they do and do it well), but rather, the skaters were a bit more daring and all-in with the concept/theme compared to Olympic programs. Of course, I could just be selectively remembering as well. Sometimes with getting out of one's comfort zone it makes the skaters more comfortable and even better with a more traditional direction the next season as well.

 

[Mathman]

I'm going by memory and think we tend to see skaters who have either experimented and went really ambitious the year before the Olympics to great acclaim (or not)…

Virtue and Moir, Carmen?

As for Chock and Bates, I think they lost some momentum in the season just past, losing Nationals to Shib & Shib and giving ground to Papadakis and Cizeron. They need a jolt to jump-start next season.

 

[Ice Dance]

Virtue and Moir, Carmen?

As for Chock and Bates, I think they lost some momentum in the season just past, losing Nationals to Shib & Shib and giving ground to Papadakis and Cizeron. They need a jolt to jump-start next season.

As the third seed, I would guess there's a pretty decent chance they will wind up competing at Skate Canada. Prime ground for some kind of jolt at the beginning of next season. (No, I'm not making predictions about positive or negative). I think the American teams are pushing each other. I don't think this is necessarily about the year during the quadrennium or the rest of the World. The Shibs took the national title, and a lot of the credit went to their stepping outside their box. Hubbell & Donahue got a lot of credit for changing coaches & stepping outside their box. C&B seem to be attempting to step outside theirs. I think it is good for U.S. ice dance.

 

[Tutto]

Mao's new EX will be a piece by Bach. She won't tell which one yet.

Bravo Mao! It is been a long time I waited for someone to pick up Bach's music I still remember Yuri Ovchinnikov's program in the 80s.
I wish only she would make it a competitive program.

I am probably in minority but I am so tired of pop music since the vocals allowed it totally overtook FS.

 

[WeakAnkles]

As the third seed, I would guess there's a pretty decent chance they will wind up competing at Skate Canada. Prime ground for some kind of jolt at the beginning of next season. (No, I'm not making predictions about positive or negative). I think the American teams are pushing each other. I don't think this is necessarily about the year during the quadrennium or the rest of the World. The Shibs took the national title, and a lot of the credit went to their stepping outside their box. Hubbell & Donahue got a lot of credit for changing coaches & stepping outside their box. C&B seem to be attempting to step outside theirs. I think it is good for U.S. ice dance.

Spot on.

 

[bramweld]

Given the pace at which the Americans are going I can see all three in the top five come Olympics with P/C of course and V/M. I have no idea about final placement except maybe for P/C. This is an extremely important year for the Russians in terms of music choices and desired impact. They have a whole lot of catching up to do. Next season is going to be very interesting.