Best Ladies SP

[TtonyV7]

With the new year, and after watching some old World Tapes, I thought it be nice to look back at the last 12 years of figure skating. I always thought it was truly amazing when a skater can create a magical program in just the span of 2 minutes and 15 seconds. And with the current era of the PCS, the artistry and innovation in programs in general is lacking especially in the SP.

So let's look back, and Rank the Top 12 Ladies SP for the Past 12 Years.

1. Vanessa Gusmeroli - The Mask (96) - Innovation, Innovation, Innovation
2. Michelle Kwan - Rachmanioff (98) - Her Iconic Program
3. Maria Butyrskaya - Scene d'Amour (00) - Great choice of music, costume, and choreography. It some how just worked out perfectly.
4. Lucinda Ruh - Lawrence of Arabia (98) - Great power in this program, + SPINS!
5. Angela Nikodinov - Just For You (00) - Her Classic SP
6. Michelle Kwan - Romanza (96) - That final spin shows what wonders good choreography can do
7. Tatiana Malinina - Libertango (99) - That final pose...With the Nails!! I still have nightmares...
8. Maria Butyrskaya - Fever (98) - Oh so sexy....
9. Miki Ando - Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (06) - We can all agree this is prob Ando best program ever, and one of the best in the PCS era
10. Michelle Kwan - Passion (03) - Still have not found a program that can match as well as this one, Kwan was a master at the Short Program!!
11. Diana Poth - Black Velvet (98) - Talk about a sexy, creative program
12. Lu Chen - Take Five (97) - We all know the story with Chen in 97, but to be able to have the audience clap for you in just the first 6 seconds of a program...


There are many other great SP's out there like Kostner Canon, or Rochette Dumka Trio, or Cohen Malaguena, but to me, these 12 are truly classic. Today, I still think there are still good SP's here and there, but not to same standard as it once was.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I agree that Michelle's Romanza was a feast of good choreography, also her rachmaninoff SP was iconic.
Of course Sasha's Malaguena was stunning, but I always felt that her "my sweet and tender beast" program was VERY underrated but packed fill with beautiful expression, lines and choreography.
Mao's SP from last year was fabulous. It has to be one of the best ever.
Yu-na's current SP, Dance Macarbe is a masterpiece.

 

[Tonichelle]

Angelina Nikodinov's Just For You comes to mind
As does Sasha Cohen's Dark Eyes

 

[cosmos]

YuNa's Tango de Roxanne is truly a classic.

 

[rain]

Angelina Nikodinov's Just For You comes to mind
As does Sasha Cohen's Dark Eyes

Love both of these, also Cohen's Malaguena.

 

[gio]

My all time favourites!!!

Some are also from COP period. But I agree once the SP were artistically more interesting!!!

-Michelle Kwan = The Feeling Begins, Romanza
-Sasha Cohen = Dark Eyes, Malaguena
-Irina Slutskaya = Serenade, Totentanz
-Maria Butyrskaya = Scene d'Amour, Fever
-Kristi Yamaguchi = Danube Waltz, Valencia
-Katarina Witt = Hello Dolly, 87 music program (title??)
-Debi Thomas = 88 music program (does anyabody know the title?), Relax
-Tonya Harding = La Tour, Two Tribes
-Midori Ito = Yotei no Matsuri (amazing!!!)
-Jill Trenary = Conga, Irma La Douce
-Caryn Cadavy = Another Cha Cha
-Lu Chen = Take Five, Spring Breeze
-Yu Na Kim = Tango De Roxanne
-Alissa Czisny = Quadukka Y Mayas

A special mention to Joannie Rochette, that did two very interesting programs on Little Wing and Like A Prayer, that were very underrated, unfortunately!

There are others, that now I don't remember...

 

[iluvtodd]

Michelle's Romanza
Sasha's Dark Eyes
I also really liked Bebe Liang's Firedance

 

[Wrlmy]

IOf course Sasha's Malaguena was stunning, but I always felt that her "my sweet and tender beast" program was VERY underrated but packed fill with beautiful expression, lines and choreography.

That's my favorite program of hers too! It was so beautiful I wanted to cry. Sasha looked so innocent and emotional as well.

 

[Kinga]

With the new year, and after watching some old World Tapes, I thought it be nice to look back at the last 12 years of figure skating. I always thought it was truly amazing when a skater can create a magical program in just the span of 2 minutes and 15 seconds. And with the current era of the PCS, the artistry and innovation in programs in general is lacking especially in the SP.

So let's look back, and Rank the Top 12 Ladies SP for the Past 12 Years.

1. Vanessa Gusmeroli - The Mask (96) - Innovation, Innovation, Innovation
2. Michelle Kwan - Rachmanioff (98) - Her Iconic Program
3. Maria Butyrskaya - Scene d'Amour (00) - Great choice of music, costume, and choreography. It some how just worked out perfectly.
4. Lucinda Ruh - Lawrence of Arabia (98) - Great power in this program, + SPINS!
5. Angela Nikodinov - Just For You (00) - Her Classic SP
6. Michelle Kwan - Romanza (96) - That final spin shows what wonders good choreography can do
7. Tatiana Malinina - Libertango (99) - That final pose...With the Nails!! I still have nightmares...
8. Maria Butyrskaya - Fever (98) - Oh so sexy....
9. Miki Ando - Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (06) - We can all agree this is prob Ando best program ever, and one of the best in the PCS era
10. Michelle Kwan - Passion (03) - Still have not found a program that can match as well as this one, Kwan was a master at the Short Program!!
11. Diana Poth - Black Velvet (98) - Talk about a sexy, creative program
12. Lu Chen - Take Five (97) - We all know the story with Chen in 97, but to be able to have the audience clap for you in just the first 6 seconds of a program...

Quite opposite, I find SPs to be generally more interesting than LPs. And some of them are masterpieces that even good LPs are not able to overshadow.

Any way, back to the topic, I wanted to add two SPs from Anna Rechnio, 1998 at Worlds and 1999 at Worlds (especially 1999 was great). Also, she did a wonderful SP in 1992 at Olympics. A little pearl.

 

[rain]

My all time favourites!!!

Lu Chen = Spring Breeze

Thankyou so much for reminding me of this one. This was an absolute masterpiece, a total joy to watch.

 

[KayMil01]

-Alissa Czisny = Quadukka Y Mayas

Loved that program!

 

[ks777]

mine are

Yuka Sato - Railway children
Kristi Yamaguchi - Danube Waltz
Yukina Ota - Picaso's dance
Josee Chouinard 1991-1992 Original program
Mao Asada - Nocturne
Yuna Kim - Danse Macabre
Oksana Baiul - 1994 SP
Irina Slutskaya - Serenade

 

[gio]

Thankyou so much for reminding me of this one. This was an absolute masterpiece, a total joy to watch.

You're welcome!

Oksana Baiul - 1994 SP

That was Swan Lake.

-Katarina Witt = 87 music program
-Debi Thomas = 88 music program

Can someone help me with those titles?

 

[lmarie086]

Michelle Kwan (in order of my favorites from her)
Romanza
Dream of Desdemona
East of Eden
Rach (oddly enough her most famous is only my 4th favorite)

Sasha Cohen
My Sweet and Tender Beast
Dark Eyes

Carolina Kostner
Pachelbel's Canon

Yu-Na Kim
Danse Macabre

Angela Nikidinov
Just For You

 

[100yen]

-Yu Na Kim = Tango De Roxanne

I also agree with this! Though I don't know if it can quite be considered a "classic" yet, this performance was amazing. I was starting to get worried when no one mentioned Yu-Na's Tango.
And I have to agree with Lu Chen's 97 performance, the audience really didstart clapping within the first 6 seconds! :yes:

 

[Dee4707]

Sasha's Swan Lake from Tatianna T.

Dee

 

[catanet]

Sasha's Swan Lake from Tatianna T.

Dee

Isn't it Sasha's LP? Anyway, it's a masterpiece. My favorite "Swan Lake"!

My favorite SPs are pretty much all of Sasha's, Michelle's and Mao's.

Sasha: Sentimental Walts, Malaguena, Dark Eyes
Michelle: Romanza, East of Eden, DOD, Rachmaninoff
Mao: Nocturne, Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra, Clair de Lune

 

[gocaroline]

:agree:

YuNa's Tango de Roxanne is truly a classic.

That's my top favorite too!

 

[PolymerBob]

I really liked Katy Taylor's "Legends of the Fall" SP at the 2007 US Nationals.

 

[tarotx]

I loved all of Sasha's and I liked Bebe's Harry Potter.