Repeating Programs - Pros and Cons

[msteach3]

Now what I can't stand is the massive amount of war horse music being used every Olympic season. Some of those music is so used and abused I just want to hit the mute button when I hear it. So if it's a repeated program to a war horse music... Get that thing away from me!

Agree! There are some pieces so overused, (Carmen comes to mind) that there is little to keep my interest once the music begins. Skating is evolving, so why shouldn't the music? I'm always appreciative of skaters that choose contemporary music and try something new.

 

[Ophelia]

Then what, exactly, is stopping Ashley from re-using Moulin Rouge? Or Javi from re-using Malaguena and Sinatra? Maybe Evgenia should've used the same music and choreography for both program from 2016 onwards?

Man, I hope Sui/Han use both of the same exact programs from last season - that will show everyone that they really want to win!

They can if they want to. But will those programs significantly boost those skaters' chances of winning? Do Moulin Rouge/Malaguena/Evegnia's pantomime programs have the potential to be legendary the way Seimei does? If so, then they should absolutely consider reusing their programs.

 

[largeman]

I love Seimei and I think it is brilliant that he chose it again for the Olympic season. It is among the top 5 best programs I have ever seen, and like many of you I'm thrilled that a wider audience will get to appreciate it.

It kinda bugs me when I hear "Seimei has unfinished business" though. I think the NHK and GPF outings have already cemented this program's legendary and iconic status.

 

[4everchan]

They can if they want to. But will those programs significantly boost those skaters' chances of winning? Do Moulin Rouge/Malaguena/Evegnia's pantomime programs have the potential to be legendary the way Seimei does? If so, then they should absolutely consider reusing their programs.

Legendary and Epic or Iconic : it needs a clean performance at the Olympics + emotional impact + good result.

I think that ANY skater can achieve this with ANY program. If Yuzu thinks Seimei is his best shot, fair enough but there is no guarantee... you can ask this Patrick fan we know... we have lived through it

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Competitive figure skating is about winning. Exhibitions and ice shows are about entertaining the crowd. Probably 98% of the global audience who tunes in wouldn't have seen the program performed 10 times before.

:sarcasm:

 

[msteach3]

It kinda bugs me when I hear "Seimei has unfinished business" though. I think the NHK and GPF outings have already cemented this program's legendary and iconic status.

Yes, but on the bigger stage in Boston it was a disappointment. Skating it well at the Olympics will be redemption for him. This will be exciting!

 

[4everchan]

Yes, but on the bigger stage in Boston it was a disappointment. Skating it well at the Olympics will be redemption for him. This will be exciting!

will be? how do you know?

i know I am annoying but nobody knows what will happen. And that's my point... it could be added pressure to come up with such an agenda, hoping that finally, on bigger stage Seimei is performed well... with 5 quads nevertheless. That's why I am not so sure it's a great strategy but let's wait and see...

 

[gkelly]

Also, does anyone know if judges actually watch performances from competitions they aren't judging themselves?

I imagine most judges are interested enough to keep up with what happens at Worlds and Olympics but exactly what they watch on TV or online would depend on what they have convenient access to and how busy they are with their own judging or with the rest of their lives.

They probably don't watch the same performances over and over again as many fans do.

I doubt they remember everything they've seen and that each judge in the ISU remembers every program

Agreed. They'll remember the memorable ones.

heck, even the commentators can barely remember correct skating history judging by the number of incorrect statements they tend to make, and they probably watch more skating than the judges do.

I'm sure it depends on the individual commentator or judge. On average, I'd expect that busy commentators may watch more televised events, including the same top skaters multiple times in a season, and busy judges watch more non-televised skating including a lot from junior and lower levels, which could mean a higher number of different skaters/different programs even if they end up watching the same number of skating hours per year.

 

[Barb]

Agree! There are some pieces so overused, (Carmen comes to mind) that there is little to keep my interest once the music begins. Skating is evolving, so why shouldn't the music? I'm always appreciative of skaters that choose contemporary music and try something new.

omg!! I can´t !!

 

[asiacheetah]

Surely you would think different if it were Yuzuru who was using warhorse music :sarcasm:. I remind you that he used POTO and R & J twice

And you would be wrong. You know what they say about assuming.

I didn't start following Yuzuru until the current season. However, I have seen all his programs since. I don't go back to see R&J #2 and POTO. R&J #1 isn't warhorse music. It's from the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack. There might be more skaters skating to it now, but it certainly isn't something I hear all the time during Olympic seasons. I've watched 5 Winter Olympics. That's a lot of warhorse music to sit through.

About the only Warhorse song I don't automatically hit the mute button is Scheherazade. I love that piece of music. I think it has to do with my classical music background. So not only do I hear it every 4 years during the Olympics, I hear it all the time. I've already stated previously my opinion on Shoma's SP music. As in I turn it on mute, walked away, changed the channel, take your pick.

 

[asiacheetah]

To add to this, I'm also envious of the many people who watch Figure Skating only during the Olympics, (like me watching so many other sports) who get to see Yuzu's Chopin and SEIMEI for the first time. As a front runner and someone who will be in the spotlight as a favorite to medal, I'm glad that potential fans get to see these programs. They are complex, interesting and highlight some of the best parts of figure skating.

I still remember the first time I saw Seimei. It was the GPF record breaking effort and I watched that on repeat for months. I became a fan of his that day. It's probably why I'm so chill with him repeating that LP even though H&L is now my favorite.

 

[Ophelia]

Legendary and Epic or Iconic : it needs a clean performance at the Olympics + emotional impact + good result.

I think that ANY skater can achieve this with ANY program. If Yuzu thinks Seimei is his best shot, fair enough but there is no guarantee... you can ask this Patrick fan we know... we have lived through it

Disagree. Some programs out there are mediocre at best, travesties at worst. Strategy should be about optimization.

 

[andromache]

Yes, but on the bigger stage in Boston it was a disappointment. Skating it well at the Olympics will be redemption for him. This will be exciting!

So any skater with a program that didn't win the world championships (in Yuzu's case, despite being a REIGNING world champion going into the Olympics) needs redemption of some kind? Doubt it. He doesn't need it either.

 

[4everchan]

sure fair enough... but honest question, and if you have read my previous comments, I think Seimei is yuzuru's best program, do you think that if he doesn't go clean this will qualify as legendary? I don't think so.. he will need a clean performance.. he already won sochi's splatfest and nobody really think about that performance as legendary... and on top of that, Seimei was already performed to its max in 2015... so it will need something spectacular from him...

someone else from the top 5-6 guys could upstage him with a stellar performance and that program could become legendary, even if it's not as wonderful or groundbreaking as Seimei... that's what I meant here.

Disagree. Some programs out there are mediocre at best, travesties at worst. Strategy should be about optimization.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I don't think it matters what program Yuzuru skates to honestly. He can compete technically with anyone and I think in most judge's opinion his component scores are probably going to be the highest of the skaters putting out the highest technical marks. He may not win Gold but it is his to lose in my opinion.

I'm glad he's skating Seimei again because I like it and I think he'll find a way to make it even better. This is the dude that almost fell out of an axel and made it look like he meant to land in a spin. He'll find a way

 

[Ophelia]

sure fair enough... but honest question, and if you have read my previous comments, I think Seimei is yuzuru's best program, do you think that if he doesn't go clean this will qualify as legendary? I don't think so.. he will need a clean performance.. he already won sochi's splatfest and nobody really think about that performance as legendary... and on top of that, Seimei was already performed to its max in 2015... so it will need something spectacular from him...

someone else from the top 5-6 guys could upstage him with a stellar performance and that program could become legendary, even if it's not as wonderful or groundbreaking as Seimei... that's what I meant here.

No, I don't think it'll be legendary if he splats (e.g. Worlds 2016). But so what? No skater goes into the Olympics striving to skate unclean. Seimei is THE best program for him to skate to assuming he goes clean. The program itself is a piece de resistance and deserves to be shown at the Olympics.

Yeah other guys might win and their performance might be remembered, but not their program might not be lauded as much.

 

[Mango]

I have to say I never thought Patrick would be heading to the Olympic season with two new programs, while Yuzuru would be reusing two programs. Both have a tendency to keep one. I really believe Yuzuru meant to use Let's Go Crazy as his Olympic SP but it was...not what he wanted it to be.

 

[4everchan]

No, I don't think it'll be legendary if he splats (e.g. Worlds 2016). But so what? No skater goes into the Olympics striving to skate unclean. Seimei is THE best program for him to skate to assuming he goes clean. The program itself is a piece de resistance and deserves to be shown at the Olympics.

Yeah other guys might win and their performance might be remembered, but not their program might not be lauded as much.

well... i reserve the right to comment after having seen all the programs...

 

[Ophelia]

I have to say I never thought Patrick would be heading to the Olympic season with two new programs, while Yuzuru would be reusing two programs. Both have a tendency to keep one. I really believe Yuzuru meant to use Let's Go Crazy as his Olympic SP but it was...not what he wanted it to be.

Well...it is Chan's last season...

 

[Mango]

Well...it is Chan's last season...

And what does that have to do with reusing programs?