Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani | Page 74 | Golden Skate

Maia Shibutani & Alex Shibutani

Sam-Skwantch

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I'm pretty disappointed in their choice. Can't help but feel it's a step backwards.

I'm anything but a fan of Cold Play but it's a safe choice in a season where maximizing your ability is the first goal. I think it's rather uninspiring myself and yet hold on to a belief that it's maybe exactly what judges look for :eek:hwell:
 

Mrs. P

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Actually, I'm intrigued by the choice. I think it's easy to reduce this to fix you 2.0, but I think it's a different type of song. Also in an Olympic year with every 4 year fans watching I can see this having broad appeal.

Also at the very least it's not a warhorse or La La Land.
 
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TMC

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I'm anything but a fan of Cold Play but it's a safe choice in a season where maximizing your ability is the first goal. I think it's rather uninspiring myself and yet hold on to a belief that it's maybe exactly what judges look for :eek:hwell:

My first feeling was disappointment, but now I've decided I'm going to wait and see what they come up with before clutching pearls. I could have wished for something different, but who knows, they may surprise me. And probably will :)
 

Sam-Skwantch

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What the :curse: is La La Land? I keep seeing posted that people are doing it but have no clue what it is? In my mind I'm picturing Baby Dinosaurs who sing their adventures. Is this a Broadway play or something?
 

Mrs. P

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What the :curse: is La La Land? I keep seeing posted that people are doing it but have no clue what it is? In my mind I'm picturing Baby Dinosaurs who sing their adventures. Is this a Broadway play or something?

Movie musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gossling. Won Emma Stone best actress. Had best picture for 5 minutes before the presenters realized they read the card wrong.

Back to the Shibs, it's probably worth nothing that Paradise is likely a theme and not only a song. Thy might include it but I don't see them giving away all their cards like that.

Fwiw, I had not realized it was a Coldplay song, but actually thought they were sharing a theme. Basically, rising from disappointment in Fix You, evolving last year to reaching paradise/pinnacle. It could be interesting.
 
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TMC

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Movie musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gossling. Won Emma Stone best actress. Had best picture for 5 minutes before the presenters realized they read the card wrong.

Back to the Shibs, it's probably worth nothing that Paradise is likely a theme and not only a song. Thy might include it but I don't see them giving away all their cards like that.

Still one of my favourite moments this year :laugh:

I kind of hope you're right, but since Maia quoted the lyrics on her tweet, I'm pretty sure they're using Paradise. But yeah it will probably be just one of several songs. Here's hoping!
 

Mrs. P

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Still one of my favourite moments this year :laugh:

I kind of hope you're right, but since Maia quoted the lyrics on her tweet, I'm pretty sure they're using Paradise. But yeah it will probably be just one of several songs. Here's hoping!

Oh yeah I think they're going to use the song, but I don't see them using it for the entire FD.

Also I realized something, didn't Alex say they have been working on FD music for a while? I feel like their work on Evolution might have spurred this choice.

I think the choice, knowing them, is far more deliberate that results at Worlds or something (ie wanting Fix You 2.0).

ETA: The more I think about the more I like it. For one, it's going to contrast their SD. And I think after the quiet celebral nature of last season's dance, a more uplifting FD is going to feel fresh. Also they know a lot of people DID like Fix You, so it does seem to pay homage to that. (Of course I don't know if there's other music, but just including paradise alone will be a contrast to last year.)
 
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VIETgrlTerifa

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I like the theme and idea behind it, but am still not quite sold. Maybe this will be seen in the future as the "Peter Tchernyshev Sessions" of the Shibs programography, :laugh:. Once we see the final product, maybe I'll watch all three FDs consecutively as a trilogy and the entire impact will be incredible.
 

Mrs. P

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It's okay not to be sold, we haven't seen the dance yet.

But that song has a kind of uplifting epicness that seems appropriate for an Olympic year...
 

Barb

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They are doing exactly what I was expecting. I love their ex (Do you remember) I hope they will work with Lambiel for a competitive program in 2018-19.
I can´t believe that I never heard ¨Paradise¨ before, the official video has +700,000,000 views
 

Mrs. P

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They are doing exactly what I was expecting. I love their ex (Do you remember) I hope they will work with Lambiel for a competitive program in 2018-19.
I can´t believe that I never heard ¨Paradise¨ before, the official video has +700,000,000 views

I've heard it in passing.

But the point I bolded below is exactly why this song (or part of it or whatever) makes sense for this season. The Olympic season is a key opportunity to grab the attention of casual viewers and I think they know this.
 

Anyasnake

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I've heard it in passing.

But the point I bolded below is exactly why this song (or part of it or whatever) makes sense for this season. The Olympic season is a key opportunity to grab the attention of casual viewers and I think they know this.

The first time I heart it was in 2011 and I've loved it ever since.

You all know they weren't going to do egyptian this year right ? It's Olympic season :laugh: This is absolutely predictable, yet, I'm really happy they're going down this road. I hope they get a program that is going to live up to this song. I'm sure they can !!
 

Tallorder

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Reposting the gist/most of my comments from the Program thread, figuring a more productive dialogue on the Maia/Alex fan thread:

A Trilogy is defined as a SERIES OF THREE RELATED WORKS. Trilogy does not mean combining three works into one.
The connection between the 3 Free Dances is in how they relate to Maia and Alex's own journey.

Part 1, Fix You was brutally honest. About vulnerability and struggle. It started with "When you try your best but you don't succeed" and ended with the uplift of "Lights will guide you home."

Part 2 "Evolution" was about their evolution as artists after "lights have guided them home." They took ownership of their music and choreography to an extent they had not before and that none of their peers do. That in itself is evolution. The program also "evolved" throughout the season. It began with peace and ended with power. There were no lyrics. The middle part of a trilogy structurally is a transition to Part 3.

Part 3 is "Paradise." Maia tweeted lyrics. "When she was just a girl, she expected the world, but it flew away from her reach, so she ran away in her sleep, and dreamed of paradise..." From being down and out, then fixing each other, gathering confidence and strength. Now they "dream of Paradise" with their goal of the Olympics.

I'm optimistic because it is obviously going to once again be deeply personal to them. Coldplay music has been "the soundtrack to their souls." Fans want to see them "let it all hang out" more. I can see that happening in an authentic way.

I think the Olympic audience will LOVE it.
 
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VIETgrlTerifa

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Great post! It's making me more excited about their choice. I wish they could some how work Madonna's "Paradise" (Is Not for Me)" into the program. It's one of my fave songs of hers but I'm sure it's not for everyone.
 

NoNameFace

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since I've already stated my point in 2017/18 thread at The Edge, I'll re-post it there and add only that with Shibutanis' thoughfulness and re-discovered confidence and identity over past 2 seasons for me there is always anticipation about the story they'll tell and how they'll do it, evolving it in the process:

my two little cents...well, I do get those who are disappointed by possible 'trilogy' of previous programs + 'Paradise'/or 'Paradise' alone - after all, it's nothing shocking, ground-breaking or very much out of the box/innovative when we take the possibility to incorporate music from 2 previous FDs; there goes also 'Paradise' alone which is not everyone's favourite aesthetic. But at the same time - both concepts (trilogy and 'Paradise' solo) are sure thoughtful from Maia and Alex's side: if we take a combination of 'Fix you', 'Evolution' and 'Paradise' - either used together or only as phases of development season after season - I personally can see a full picture and see the initial message they want to send. As always since 2 seasons ago - they have their own concept over their image, how they want to create it, make a vision into real stuff; it's very refreshing from them to see after this period of their competitive career when they seemed to struggle a lot with this sense of 'identity', creating their own space and owning it in their own, independent way, through multiple factors: skills, experience, personality, way of expression, relationship dynamics. Since 'Fix you' FD, they stopped for me with producing pleasant picture only by their skating, being disconnected with them emotionally, mechanical and unpersonal and showed how powerful their skating could be, how moving and rich.

All those three FDs, including upcoming one, are truly making a 'full circle' of re-discovering themselves as skaters, as artists, in terms of finding their voice inside material, not only competition and technical stuff. I really appreciate thoughtfulness of that choice and going with it. Saying that, I do reserve my judgement of the actual program, its composition, expression and vibe until I see it in action. What I do sense for now is that there will be a room for musical alterations/'experimenting' with versions or mixing regarding 'Paradise' - as we already seen it with 'Fix you' when they made it more accessible due to introducing in the middle of the season an instrumental part of 'The Scientist' in their FD.

For now, I can just only say that as their past 2 seasons helped me re-discover them, get to know them more personally as skaters/artists and understand where they came for and with what -that 'capital' they created for me personally builds on a hope and anticipation on what's going to come.
 

NoNameFace

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apologies to post after myself, but realized something else in the meantime - I do think that Olympic season is not exactly a point in time and a place to break new grounds or to deliberately change your image and identity just for sake of 'being versatile' or 'original'. Saying that I get what Maia and Alex are doing by their choice of FD - it is a reflection of the past quad and the change made in them, their skating and how it evolved; Coldplay music playing a very important role in that process - it was 'Fix you' FD that opened them to so many people and made them feel something.

This Olympic season's FD is going to be more of a confirmation of identity and all work they've done over past 4 years to get to the point they are now. And for me, it makes a perfect sense since they really discovered themselves and establish their own kind of skating 'signature' during that time, why doing another makeover, pursure another change if they are so 'complete' and fulfilled as for now? The most important change was already made, not only on ice, but mostly in people's perception of Maia and Alex, I think that the continuation of that, this special chapter is going to surprise us
 
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