2017-18 State of U.S. Ladies Skating | Page 68 | Golden Skate

2017-18 State of U.S. Ladies Skating

andromache said:
The idea that Evgenia stepped on Mirai's toes by selecting Nocturne is, quite frankly, absurd to me. An idea of "dibs" is probably smart to consider within your own country, and/or within the group of your international peers/skaters of your own level. Mirai isn't a world medalist, former medal threat at Worlds (within the past four years), GPF qualifier, or alternate GPF qualifier. I don't think anybody would be clutching their pearls if Ashley Wagner or Karen Chen picked the same music as Rika Hongo or Alena Leonova.
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I think in the case of Mirai and Max, it might make sense from a how-many-times-do-I-really-want-to-hear-this-music stand point since they skate at the same rink.
 
Blades of Passion said:
Emoting doesn't mean "unnecessary facial expression".

If you don't want to listen to anything, then I'm not sure why you go to a forum in the first place. I'm not an anonymous poster either and I never said you have to agree with me, that is just you negatively projecting onto me. I'm trying to discuss specifics and provide reasoning; I would expect people to engage in this reasoning. I await any reasoning you might have to share as well. For example, you finally brought up something we can discuss:

Can you please point out where in the program this is displayed - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA_aWlBj8Ws

Nothing in the program shows great extension or balletic positions from what I see, nor great musicality. The program opens with a deep, fluttering violin and her movement is a limp looking hand position and a slow turn on the ice. As the music builds she does nothing relevant with her body or expression to represent it, instead just doing some very slight arm movements and a single random turn. After the first jump combo the music again echoes this and there's no sense of shape in her movement to the music or purpose in her carriage, she again just does a random turn on the ice and then goes into a spin. After the spin ends it's the exact same thing again - the music is intense and her movement does virtually nothing. Then she does another spin, where the last position is held out longer then it should be for what the music is doing (because she's doing that to get a spin level of course). After that second spin the music is rapidly progressing onward until a pause, and the movement we get from her is toe-stop in the middle of it and some generic skating in a semi circle.

As the music builds again and has a mournful tone, she has no expression at all while she skates around the corner, and eventually doing a quite happy looking ina bauer with her arms opening over her head before going into a jump. After the jump we get the quick violin coming back into the melody but look at what she is doing - just one small forward swing of the free leg and a slight dip of the upper body. Then comes another jump, without much impact at all. So now after that we are into the footwork sequence, where there's a real lack of ability to reflect the gravitas of the music in her movement. At one point she does a forward lunge and it looks far more like than exaltation than any kind of representation of remorse. There's a very short forward spiral stretch in here and sideways leg lift into an attempting crouching kind of position and it truly looks clunky and far removed from what should be happening. Finally we end with a wholly unsurprising layback spin, where she does a weak illusion turn into sideways position, then haircutter, than beillmann. No usage of the arms or hands anywhere here to add extra texture or meaning, and immediately going into a vanilla final ending pose.

So, where is it? These great balletic positions and skating moves you spoke of? Where is the burning need in the performance from Mirai to express the starkly sorrowful aspect of the music? It's not there and she has never shown the desire or ability to express such a thing in a performance. "Ingmar Bergman on Ice" is never where she's been at. When you look at the clarity of Medvedeva's movements in comparison and her ability to have a serious and solemn expression, this program from Mirai is logically going to look worse and make it easier for the judges to score her down on PCS. Particularly if Russia feels threatened by the 3Axel potential from Mirai. "All she has is the 3Axel, her other movements don't compare to Medvedeva". That will be the politicking and it will stick.

I am trying to have a conversation, while you are only trying to shut down conversation, and at the same time trying to downgrade someone's well informed and considered opinion as "armchair". You have yet to give any real counterpoints or analysis, acting like it's an atrocity to question a skater and to think about what would provide the best competition results.

When did Ryan Bradley get good or even decent PCS internationally? Never.

Those other two skaters left Tom Z, precisely because of his misjudgements. They were naturally talented artistically, nothing to do with him.
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Every word of this is...precise and correct. Every word. I make this statement as a classical pianist who studied at conservatory who is also quite sensitive to "music and choreography issues." I make this statement as a general fan of Mirai. I make this statement as a person who can skate around in a circle but is more of an "educated observer." I make this statement as more of a lurking reader of GS forums; I usually don't comment unless I feel a burning desire to do so.

I would love to see Mirai do well this season, but Blades' analysis and criticism here is spot on.
 
Well, I like Mirai's program and also Karen Chen's. Both choreographers did a good job bringing out their strengths. I hope both ladies do well this season.
Mirai and Karen are strong skaters and can rack up the points if they land all the jumps and skate with speed.
 
breadstal said:
Mirai's 3A at practice :clapper: https://twitter.com/hiroko_0221/status/908448274683543552
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I honestly find her progress on the 3A unbelievable and inspiring at this late stage in her career!! Go Mirai!!!


As for Mirai's Chopin. I am just going to say great performances don't happen over night, to surpass one's potential is an organic process and never routine and always work in progress. Some people can take longer to get there than others on unfamiliar ground, afterall, it took Jason 1-2 seasons until he got his Piano/Scent of Love just right, but it was well worth the wait.

The importance is potential and this program is decent enough.
 
Had never heard of Bradie Tennel, but by god she looks like something out of the Ice Princess movie, with that outfit. Wouldn't be surprised if she made it into the US Olympics team. But god those ticking sounds in her FP are annoying. Need ear plugs or mute button for that section.:unsure:
 
Bradie did it indeed. She just made me an instant fan. Her FS finished 3rd at Lombardia, and she's 4th overall.:hap10:

The Cinderella program was perfectly cut and choreographed, to use the divergent moods from pieces of music, to stopping the clock !!:drama:, on to the swelling drama of the dance. Later I must see who choreographed. There was no resemblance to Mai Mihara's Cinderella last year.

BTW, if anyone thinks the most recent Cinderella movie, from whence this music came, is juniorish, I advise you to see it right away. What Kenneth Branagh did with the story is adult, gentle, inspiring. Can't recall the writer's name, Branagh directed. A really nice episode with a stag. :)
 
hippomoomin said:
Bradie did it~~ What a pleasant surprise. She is becoming more and more consistent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olpq8AJ-X_U
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I don't think she's missed a 3Z-3T or 2A-3T in some time... I think she hit both combos at every summer comp. She pretty much affirmed USFS "unofficial" decision to send her to SkAm.

Also, go GRANNY BRADIE. (Again, not everyone has to come to form at age 15 to matter...)
 
Bradie Tennell is in fine form, indeed. She's certainly peaking at the right time in her career - and it just might result in her nabbing a spot on a post-nationals team. Dare I say, even the Olympics? If she proves herself at Skate America and in San Jose, and others falter, she will definitely be in the conversation. Exciting!
 
I just watched Nagasu's short with the Chopin, and it really grew on me. A sort of introvert, understated poetry, really quite beautiful.
 
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