2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

[Skatesocs]

Didn't Kamila just do exactly this combo in practise?

Yes, only we Kamila truthers remember!

 

[Tolstoj]

To be completely honest I would have had an all Sofia podium (if we just considered the FS). Adelya skated extremely well and out of everyone in the last group, she performed her program the best, but her jump landings were rough and they were off axis in the air. But I can see the argument for any side.

Yeah her jumping technique is not as good as we're all pretending.

The position in the air, the change of edge in between the combos (not as pronounced as Valieva), the height also is not great. She landed everything, the speed was there and she was happy about it, performed a bit towards the end.

But it's almost irrelevant to discuss, Valeria Ovchinnikova had the best jumping technique of this event (correct edges, actual toe pick, height and distance) and she got very low GOE in both segments.

Tsibinova saw her components reduced by 3-5 points in a month coming from Senior Nationals to Juniors.

 

[anonymoose_au]

Why risk your health for a fun competition that ultimately doesn‘t matter, if there‘s Worlds (and later on OG) on the line?

The problem is I don't think this is a "fun competition" at least not to Sasha (and possibly Liza), she doesn't have the support Aliona has from the Russian Figure Skating Fed. If she pulls out, they'll use at as excuse to push her down even more. As Russian Nats proves it's not enough for her to be clean with two different quads, she has to be clean AND have twice the content of Anna and Kamila to even get a look in at gold.

I'm not sure when Maia K's birthday is, but if she really can do those quads then Sasha is even bigger trouble with regards to next season.

Honestly, this competition is an awful idea, there's no such thing as a "for fun" competition in Russia. Withdrawing is not an option for Sasha, not now, the powers-that-be will just think she's running scared

 

[flanker]

Press conference (together with some other interviews, incl. Veronika):

 

[Ziotic]

Will they let Sinistra and her 4t< at cup finals?

 

[Blades of Passion]

For me personally, comparing to the other programmes we see today, it is.

Comparing to other current programs does not make something avant-garde. What's possible in skating is much more expansive than that. Giada Russo's program to The Red Violin is not so long ago either. That was far more unusual, explorative, and in time with the music than what Valieva is doing with Bolero.

I don't think that movements should be refined necessarily and i don't think that movements should serve some greater purpose

LOL, well that says it all.

At the very least, the "greater purpose" of movements in a program should be that it creates an impactful picture/emotion, along with other moves, while going with the music. If you don't see how the snake theme in that program could be more complete, or how it can be more musical, then perhaps you need a broader perspective. Only quoting a recent ice dance program (which has moves that are impossible to transfer to a singles program) does not show an understanding either. Nor is that Chock/Bates program trying for the same kind of thing either, it's meant to be more of seduction. It was certainly more with the music than Valieva's program, regardless of any "snake" aspects.

 

[Skatesocs]

Personally just think Valieva's Bolero program's biggest issue is missing a climax. It built to... two spins.

I do like the idea of her ChSq though.

 

[Baron Vladimir]

Comparing to other current programs does not make something avant-garde. What's possible in skating is much more expansive than that. Giada Russo's program to The Red Violin is not so long ago either. That was far more unusual, explorative, and in time with the music than what Valieva is doing with Bolero.



LOL, well that says it all.

At the very least, the "greater purpose" of movements in a program should be that it creates an impactful picture/emotion, along with other moves, while going with the music. If you don't see how the snake theme in that program could be more complete, or how it can be more musical, then perhaps you need a broader perspective. Only quoting a recent ice dance program (which has moves that are impossible to transfer to a singles program) does not show an understanding either. Nor is that Chock/Bates program trying for the same kind of thing either, it's meant to be more of seduction. It was certainly more with the music than Valieva's program, regardless of any "snake" aspects.

It creates emotion/mood of monotony, which is exactly what Bolero is. And it creates a felling/mood of a snake crawling being monotone as snake's crawling is. And that, throughout the whole programme (comparing to Caro's Bolero and majority of old programmes as it is The Red Violine programme you mentioned, which comes alive only during the step sequence and choreo sequence).

 

[Skatesocs]

The Red Violine programme you mentioned, which comes alive only during the step sequence and choreo sequence

 

[brakes]

These have been great junior nats, but they also made me aware how exceptional Sasha/Anna/Aliona trio has been.

I kinda feel sorry for all present Russian juniors and novices as like Ted said in commentary - Trusova, Shcherbakova and Kostornaia set the bar so high for them. Even if some of them can reach it technically and physically, it's still very, very hard to attain magnificient trio's psychological toughness letting them shine in the greatest moments.

 

[Baron Vladimir]

Yeah, i mix it with another programme. I see i watched that EC but now my point is that i didn't remember the programme to these days. I see again how interpretation is superb, but interpretation does not create the whole picture of a skating programme, obviously.

 

[Skatesocs]

Yeah, i mix it with another programme. I see i watched that EC and now my point is that i didn't remember that programme to these days. I see interpretation is superb, but interpretation does not create the whole picture of a skating programme, obviously.

It has everything you talk about though? Complex transitions and constant choreography, and variety of skating movement. It's a very CoP, artsy program.

It's okay if one doesn't remember a program. But it's not just interpretation in that case.

 

[Baron Vladimir]

It has everything you talk about though? Complex transitions and constant choreography, and variety of skating movement. It's a very CoP-artsy program.

It's okay if one doesn't remember a program. But it's not just interpretation in that case.

Which doesn't make it especially unique for me today. Just more oriented on the interpretation of the music (and a very good example of it). Probably Kamila's Bolero won't be unique anymore after four years (actually i'm pretty sure i will find another 'more unique' programme in that time), as we will see so many programmes and different takes on figure skating after it.

 

[flanker]

Medallists:

 

[Jontor]

Samo didn't

What Samo didn't make the podium again? Didn't she just make one mistake in the free skate and she has Ultra so jumps Sofyav M doesnt?

I think she got pinched in the free skate and then skating first in the last group is never beneficial.

I also think someone who skates a Clean Program without the ultra jumps should not beat someone who has the ultra jumps who makes one mistake. I mean can you imagine aliona without her 3A beating Sasha or Anna who make maybe one mistake? It wouldn't happen but it happened here with the Juniors.

On a positive note even without KV Dasha and Maya the depth of the Russian Junior ladies is amazing.

Congratulations to the Medalists.

It doesn't work like that anymore Scott. The new +5 GOE system supports clean skates. Samodelkina didn't just have one mistake. It was a bit shaky here and there and she lost it really in the short anyway where she was overscored and shouldn't have gotten the points she got for the messed up combo. And Muravieva, although without ultra c elements, was super clean with very high technical content.

I feel for Samodelkina though. 4th - again!!!

I think this shows perfectly that quads are overrated. People seem to think that if you have a quad you'll win. That is not the case. Trusova has been proof of that for a long time now. Note though that Trusova scored her best ever score at RusNats with a clean program and only 2 quads.

 

[Jontor]

Sofia Muravyova podium-ing despite no one expecting it is the best moment of the event!

And she got the place as the 1st alternate, because Maria Zakharova wasn't there!!

To be fair though, Muravieva had it tough at the group stages as she had to withdraw from her second event.
Had she competed in both stages she would probably have qualified as Top 3-5.

 

[brakes]

Yet another simplistic and incorrect take.

Valieva's Bolero program is hardly avant-garde. The spins and footwork and transitions are all the same things she does to begin with, and the overall expression and attempt to move her body is not doing things that are highly unusual. She starts the program by just letting the music run and then contorting her arms for a couple seconds, not in time with the music, and without moving her actual body. Her very first arm movement is too soft actually and doesn't make sense with the next movements she does. This doesn't show a full engagement into a theme or an understanding of the music. All it shows is a superficial applied idea. Just putting a brief "showy" movement on top of the music. Not moving TO the music.

Throughout the program it's much of the same thing. Even after the very first movements there's already another faulty instance that can be seen, she does a rocky turning-3 and then randomly juts her arms forward into a position that isn't held and doesn't make sense with the next arm movement she does. It's just this rushed and uncompleted kind of movement that's meant to say "look, I'm moving, somehow, so give me points." This is the problem with so many current programs. It's just constant movement without refinement, without sustainment, without real purpose.

There's far more possibility for even just "moving like a snake" in a figure skating program, regardless of it being in time with the music or not. The concept of Valieva's program is not complete, it doesn't maintain the idea throughout, doesn't try to push boundaries.

Agreed, her movements look disconnected to the music and artificial, what is a shame if you recall her choreography classes with Zheleznyakov, where she beautifully interpreted the music. "Girl On The Ball" was much better as well, there was less moving and ornaments, so the program had time to 'breathe' and sink in the viewers minds.

 

[Jontor]

If I understood correctly, Daniil said Bolero will be Kamila‘s Olympic program. (Don‘t know why my automatic translations says something about Don Quixote, though?)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK4CSDEpyaZ/?igshid=1x3erfpukn5fu

Can‘t say I‘m too happy about that tbh, I kind of hate that program. Would have loved for her to repeat the SP, it deserves to be seen on the international scene.

As expected. And I agree, I don't like that program either. Firstly, I can't stand Bolero so that might have something to with it, but I do think that it is a poor fit for Kamila. Not her style at all. She performed it beautifully at RusNats but I was still cold about it. And unlike others, I usually don't mind Daniil's choreography, but here I think it just over the top and makes Kamila look like a robot.

 

[Jontor]

I’m ecstatic. I’ve watched the Nationals performance more times than I can count.

My favorite performance from Nationals. I was giving it a standing ovation along with everyone in the arena.

Really?

She performed it well, yes, but it is so out of her league IMO, perhaps she will grow into it next year.

And Bolero, it's sooo overused it's like being forced to listen to Céline Dion on repeat for 48 hours. Pure torture.

 

[Jontor]

Agreed, it's not a very good program. But meh, it's not the worst program imaginable. Definitely not worth a repeat in my eyes, but that's not a disaster.

Yeah, definitely mega meh.

But I am more worried about Anna's and Sasha's free programs. Those are also meh and should NOT be shown in an Olympic Arena (if they get the chance).