PAIRS: Best Program ever??

[abaka]

Pairs skating is mostly emotion, as much the viewer's as the pair's, perhaps, when it comes to choosing the "best ever". So, for me, it was Martini and Underhill in the 1984 worlds. It looks very old-fashioned now, in elements, execution and even basic skating style, but what can I say.

 

[skatingbc]

Dube and Davison - Blower's Daughter
Sale and Pelletier - Love Story

 

[Star85]

Um..... I hate these "Best Ever" questions! There's too many options to choose from. I'm pretty young, and I haven't even seen most of the older skaters skate, so I can't really make a fair assessment. Plus, I can't even remember all the ones I have seen. Although, I guess if a program didn't even make a lasting impression with me, I don't have to worry about it being in the running for my favorite program ever. lol. Shen and Zhao must get my vote, as they are my favorite pairs team. I'd have to think even harder to decide which of their programs I like best. That would be a really hard one... A close second would have to be Jamie and David's "Love Story", which I don't even see on here as an option... That's a very memorable one for me, and it's definitely one of my favorite ones of all time.

 

[Kasey]

Replace M/T's "Rachmaninoff" with their short program from this season, and that would get my vote

 

[lasaslav]

Tristan and Isolde

I was a very big fan of Sale & Pelletier, and I'd rank their Tristan and Isolde at 2001 Worlds (where they won Gold) as one of my very favorite of theirs.

Take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELys8PkIjEM

One word: WOW!

 

[mwood]

Fave from the past: Shen & Zhao 2003 LP a breakthrough for them and for China--courage, commitment, emotional content, solid athleticism all in one program. Today, this minute, the German pair is definitely the team to beat at Worlds, IMHO.

 

[lcd]

G&G - too many to choose from
Mishkutenok & Dmitriev's Liebestraum
S&P Love Story
Babilonia & Gardner - Gold medal, Worlds in Vienna 1978

 

[Tonichelle]

Pairs skating is mostly emotion, as much the viewer's as the pair's, perhaps, when it comes to choosing the "best ever". So, for me, it was Martini and Underhill in the 1984 worlds. It looks very old-fashioned now, in elements, execution and even basic skating style, but what can I say.

I could watch Barbie and Paul skate all day long...

 

[Olympia]

There's a dynamic when two people skate that's lacking in just one, and it's not merely the lifts and throws. I agree that Underhill and Martini have to be on anyone's list of top ten (narrower than that I don't think I can go), but I'd choose one of their pro routines above their winning Worlds program. Probably "Unchained Melody." To them I'd add Gordeyeva and Grinkov, Dmitriev and either of his partners, Shen and Zhao, Sale and Pelletier, and B and S. I can't argue the merits of one over the other. By the time you get to any of these remarkable performers, you can't quantify their excellence. Oh, and I'd add Rodnina and either of her partners. Did anyone see her special sixtieth birthday tribute? She actually skated, with Tikhonov. She did lifts and a death spiral. She's got to go on everyone's list!

 

[wewe008]

Shen/Zhao's Turandot

 

[Ilona&Philipp]

+1 for Turandot
and
S/S L'Oiseau
S/S The Mission

 

[katha]

Voted for G/G because every movement is at the right place, everything flows seamlessly. The plain "monk costumes" add to the effect. It's just them in their simple outfits and the piano sonatas without orchestration. A study in minimalism you could say.

But I hate polls like this, because B/S' "City Lights" as skated at CoR 2001 was magical as well. And their "Thais" version made me always reserved about the one S/Z did, even though it was also very well done. There was a depth to B/S that IMO S/Z didn't have in their performance. Oh, and I nominate "Lady Caliph" for best SP ever.

S/Z's "Turandot" for the sheer abandon and emotion they performed it with at Worlds 2003. A truly special moment in skating history IMO.

All the other performances in that poll are great as well, making people chose is just cruel.

 

[100yen]

I'm going with both Shen/Zhao programs. Thrilling, graceful, powerful and moving.
I can't possibly choose between the two listed.

 

[Big Deal]

Why you didnot mention Shen/Zhao Turandot, Mishkutionok/Dmitriev Liebestarum and Sale /Pelletier Love Story????? Havent you seen them?

 

[evangeline]

Why you didnot mention Shen/Zhao Turandot, Mishkutionok/Dmitriev Liebestarum and Sale /Pelletier Love Story????? Havent you seen them?

Hence the "other" option....

But I concur with Mishkutenok/Dmitriev's Liebestraum, that was an excellent LP.

 

[n_halifax]

My vote is for Hartshorn and Sweiding's Enigma program.

 

[BlackAxel]

Ahhh!! This is a hard one....I absolutely love B/S's Mediation and City Lights to DEATH!! I also love S/Z's Turandot and Nutcracker AND D/M's Liebrestraum......but decision, descion.....ok I am at an absolute standstill with B/S Mediation and City Lights, but I give the edge to City Lights. Their lp was simply innoventive, comedic, and yet so fluid and graceful (plus it doesnt hurt that their "Kid" exhibition to Charlie Chaplin is without a doubt the best pairs' exhibition ever)

 

[zhuzhu]

I watch Nutcracker almost every week, it's very beautful.

 

[jozmen01]

The Pas De Deux music from The Nutcracker is my most favorite music. It is so emotional. Loved Shen & Zhao's version - G/G had a version they did on a Disney special that was also excellent.

 

[blue_idealist]

S&P - Love Story
Pang & Tong - The Impossible Dream
Savchenko and Szolkowy - You'll Never Walk Alone (sad that they ditched it)