Kim and Kwan to headline "All That Skate Summer 2010"

[Blades of Passion]

I immensely enjoyed the show. Although it's actually not trivial or inappropriate to talk about who/what was best. Performers/acts in professional shows get dropped/changed depending on how successful they are...

 

[silverlake22]

Just to lighten the mood....who else thinks Min-Jung is a cutie pahtootie ? I liked her programs very much and was shocked at how tall and grown up and pretty she looked :thumbsup: . Plus I actually like her SP music, even if it is boring/overused, she is very nice to watch, so long and lean.

 

[R.D.]

I immensely enjoyed the show. Although it's actually not trivial or inappropriate to talk about who/what was best. Performers/acts in professional shows get dropped/changed depending on how successful they are...

It's not always the performers themselves, but the production and crew behind the show as well. It's up to those folks to bring out the strengths in the performers while hiding their weaknesses as much as possible. and more importantly, to make sure the show goes on without any major issues.

 

[brownfox]

I immensely enjoyed the show. Although it's actually not trivial or inappropriate to talk about who/what was best. Performers/acts in professional shows get dropped/changed depending on how successful they are...

I understand but everyone should chill out already. LOL. If you can do ballet on the ice then it's good. If you want to dance in a cheesy pop music then it's good. It's all for entertainment. If this is a competition now that's a different story.

 

[bmelanie]

Just to lighten the mood....who else thinks Min-Jung is a cutie pahtootie ? I liked her programs very much and was shocked at how tall and grown up and pretty she looked :thumbsup: . Plus I actually like her SP music, even if it is boring/overused, she is very nice to watch, so long and lean.

AGREED, thank you, I was about to mention this myself - her 'Don't Rain On My Parade' (the GLEE VERSION! Barbara Streisand is fuming quietly somewhere haha) had this sweet, ingenuous debutante quality about it that I quite enjoyed. Of course, you could say that's a sign of lack of polish and depth, but hopefully with more competitions and more shows the polish will come in time. And she's a ballantine skater much like Yuna - perhaps even more slight, actually - so that does do wonders for her general grace and movement.

Whoa, what's all this hubbub with Michelle vs. Yuna (or Yuna vs. everyone, rather)? Actually what is rubbing me the wrong way is how people just STATE things as though they're not opinions but TRUE AND INDISPUTABLE FACTS. If you liked Michelle's Primitive more than Yuna's Thais, and it had more depth/nuance for you, that's fine. That's you. I 'saw a new world with Yuna's bulletproof' and I actually did - not saying anyone else did. (also, WTH random Mao insertion?) Michelle was great. Yuna was great. LAMBIEL WAS AWESOME BEYOND WORDS and I'm so glad for his standing ovation, totally deserved.

 

[Mrs. P]

Just to lighten the mood....who else thinks Min-Jung is a cutie pahtootie ? I liked her programs very much and was shocked at how tall and grown up and pretty she looked :thumbsup: . Plus I actually like her SP music, even if it is boring/overused, she is very nice to watch, so long and lean.

I knew I could count on you for a Min-Jung mention SL! And yes, I really enjoyed her programs and she seem quite grown up and graceful. And actually I think people think the music is overused because it's in so many weddings, but I honestly don't remember the last time it was used in FS. (I'm sure someone with more figure skating knowledge than I will chime in with the answer.)

 

[Blades of Passion]

Actually what is rubbing me the wrong way is how people just STATE things as though they're not opinions but TRUE AND INDISPUTABLE FACTS.

This is true, but I didn't want to bog the thread down with a critical examination of the performances. People don't want to read about that in a casual show thread. I pointed out my general feelings and left it at that. Whereas parma tried to get analytical but offered no substance (well, maybe a tiny bit after going back and editing the post) within his/her analysis.

 

[Tinymavy15]

Carolina Kostner skated to Canon in D recently as did Brandon Morz (I think). Fumie also used this music. Kwak is pretty average right now, I don't see anything special yet, she is cute and obviously has the same dress maker as Yu-na but ignores the music for the most part.

 

[silverlake22]

Carolina Kostner skated to Canon in D recently as did Brandon Morz (I think). Fumie also used this music. Kwak is pretty average right now, I don't see anything special yet, she is cute and obviously has the same dress maker as Yu-na but ignores the music for the most part.

I guess, I still prefer her to Flatt and Zhang even at this point though, she kind of floats on the ice. And compared to Sasha and Michelle her jumps looked pretty darn good . She's just a baby, she has time to get better, she likely won't ever be like Yuna but she's still a nice skater. Also enjoyed Hae-Jin Kim and her You Raise Me Up routine, I thought she was just about jumps before but she has some nice other qualities too .

 

[ashdustannie]

Try to relax and just enjoy what they offer instead of pulling out your inner "U.S.A! (pause) U.S.A.!"

I keep on hearing comments like this about American fans all over the net which I find quite comical..as if Mao or Yu-na's fanbases aren't hugely tied to their nationalities ...........................I mean seriously?? I could make an argument that nationalism plays an even bigger factor in those countries when it comes to skating

 

[bigsisjiejie]

Missed the live stream so having to make do with youtube excerpts. It's an exhibition not a competition, so using the criteria of what entertained me/"grabbed" me, as opposed to what was technically brilliant:

Yes Yes Yes!!!-- Lambiel (both programs) , Abbott , Kwan's Primitive. S/P "Scream."

Quite Good--Kim's Thais (agree the maturity/nuance of a Kwan isn't there yet, but if she keeps skating several more years, she'll likely make it).

Journeyman (= I'll forget about these programs in a day or so)--Sasha x 2 (could be good programs but her heart doesn't appear to be in it); B/A programs x 2, S/P "Try", S/S programs, Joubert being himself, though I thought Aerodynamic was likeable.

Meh--most else that I saw.

Special Mention 1--Kim's Bulletproof--watched this 4 times. Didn't like it first time around, and I dislike it more and more with every watching. Can't see how anybody calls this a "masterpiece." Give it ten years, and she'll be embarrassed when she looks back and watches this clip.

Special Mention 2--Kim/Kwan "Hero." Thought this was a missed opportunity. Was an OK number, but I've already forgotten the details and it's only been an hour since I watched it. Kim is not yet a match for Kwan in ability to present and interpret, but that is to be expected given age and experience difference.

 

[dlgpffps]

I've finally recovered from all the fatigue. Last night was amazing. I'll write more about it later, but I wanted to quickly give my impressions (before I go out for lunch).

Zimmerman's "I'm Gonna Crawl" was appropriate as the first performance of the night. It was HOT. It got everyone screaming for more. He's quite the performer. Fontana is gorgeous and chose the right music for her stunning looks ("Boom Boom Pow"), but I felt like she couldn't keep up with the music. Her moves were pretty much all awkward. They didn't go with the beat & looked a little forced. She hunches her back a bit, which cuts from the natural grace she could derive from her beauty. Their pair program wasn't memorable. I think I dozed off during it. I was up till 4 AM the other night, so I dozed off quite occasionally. I'm glad I have a Sunday ticket as well. I do remember, however, that I liked how the two were looking into each other's eyes. Very sweet.

Min-jeong was rather disappointing. Her weaknesses as a skater & performer were accentuated because she was sandwiched between some of the best skaters in the history of the sport (seriously, this ice show's cast was ). She got a little faster (and seemed to have gained some muscle), but she was still painfully slow. She got dragged along by the music (esp. by Canon). She's definitely not a natural performer. Her jumps barely got off the ice. Her spins & spirals were nice, though. The worst part was her step sequence. My god, the girl couldn't do her step sequence for her life. She was underwhelming, but the crowd still cheered her on. She is much better on screen. I did, however, like her cute smile, but that's really the only nice thing I can say about her. Hae-jin skated better.

Sale & Pelletier's first program "Try" didn't receive great audience reaction (there was that big mistake... and I think American skaters shouldn't bring American "country" type programs to Korea, e.g. Try, Hallelujah, At this Moment. They don't really work with the audience), but the roof came off with "Scream." It was very entertaining. The two were skating in great sync. The moves were hot.

Jeremy, Jeremy. One of my favorite skaters. On Sunday, I think I'll take with me a "Jeremazing" poster... you know, just to let him know that I'm there I loved "At this Moment" but the audience wasn't really eating it up. Like I said, I don't think the Korean audience really appreciates that kind of music. His tango ("Viejos Aires"), however, roused the crowd. It was the only performance that kept me perked the whole way through. Seeing it live gave me chills & I see a lot of potential in the program. Still, his moves were a little awkward. He could really work with his hand movement. But I think all he needs is time. The program has to be worn several times to make a perfect, comfortable fit. I don't think he has done a tango before, so that might take some getting used to. I think it will be in good shape by March. Jeremy really let himself go when he danced to Tik Tok. He seemed to have a lot of fun.

Belbin & Agosto were very cute. They came in with these cute school bags on for "If It Kills Me" & skated as two kids liking each other in that elementary way of pulling at each other's hair. The audience loved that. "Bleeding Love" was very nice as well, but not very memorable.

Brian Joubert is gorgeous Sorry, couldn't help it. That was the first thought that came to mind. I never really appreciate his competition programs, but I do often enjoy his exhibition ones. They really show off his playful personality. He really knows how to work the crowd. The girls surrounding me (ok, yeah, me included) were eating up every single booty shake & screaming for more. "Love is All" was very cute. "Aerodynamics" was powerful & entertaining. I do think he's coming to limit himself in terms of "expression" but his choices were appropriate given that the Korean audience is more into entertaining, then subtle artistic.

Sasha wasn't on tonight. She was falling here and there, but I didn't really mind that. The ice rink is small & the Korean audience a little scary to a newbie. Mistakes often happen. What did disappoint was how Sasha wasn't really into her programs. "Hallelujah" was a little better, but "Mein Herr" didn't really go with her. Her moves were awkward. Her facial expressions rather forced. She seemed undertrained as well. Sasha seemed really disappointed after her performance. I'm hoping that will push her to do better on Sunday. I want to see the "Real Sasha."

Savchenko & Szolkowy were impressive. "Barbie Girl" was extremely cute. Aliona had this Barbie kit inside the inflatable, complete with a mini-brush, lipstick and hairdryer. She would skate, go back, fix her hair or something. The two had these Barbie faces on (reminded me of their clown SP) & seemed to really enjoy the performance. They skated to "Gee" (a super popular Korean song) and the audience started to sing along. Great music choice. It has probably made them the most popular pair in Korea.

Lambiel was SO ON TONIGHT! He went clean both times. The crowd couldn't get enough of him. He had his goofball smile on, was sending kisses everywhere. I sent kisses back He was so pleased after Wilhem that he really couldn't stop smiling. He got the greatest applause from the crowd (except for Yu-na, of course... she could skate to Sex Bomb a la Plushenko and still receive the greatest applause) and was the only person other than the Korean Queen to receive a standing ovation. He really relished all that love and took the longest to leave after his program was over. His programs were AMAZING. His jumps were on. His artistic self was so, so on. He was gliding across the ice, having so much fun at the same time. He's such an amazing performer. His moves were natural, really fluid.

MICHELLE ! I can't believe I got to see her skate. Aren't you guys so jealous? I almost cried when I saw her spread eagle. It is so, so beautiful. Frankly, last year's programs were better, but that didn't really matter. I GOT TO SEE THE KWEEN LIVE AND SHE BLEW KISSES MY WAY! She was all smiles the whole evening. She seemed to really enjoy herself. I gave her a SO for "Primitive" and yelled out "MICHELLE I LOVE YOU" really loudly right before "No One." I hope she heard this little Kween bot. I don't really remember the performances. I'll look at them more closely on Sunday. I was too busy just staring at her face.

Yu-na's new program is MUCH MUCH better live. It's meant for the crowd. People were going bonkers. Someone talked about an "artistic bar" but that doesn't really go with what the Korean crowd wants. Skaters often comment that skating in Korea is like being a rock star. Well that's how Korean people think of it. Most American people think of ice shows as a high culture kind of thing, akin to a ballet show or a symphony concert, but the Koreans buy tickets to be entertained -- to have fun and interact with the skater. That's much easier with a program like "Bulletproof" than "Hallelujah." Well, going back to Yu-na, Yu-na is much, much better live. Her speed is stunning. Her jumps are so big, soft. She wasn't really on during "Thais", but for "Bulletproof" she was on fire! She, Michelle and Lambiel have the "it" factor, definitely. The crowd gets sucked up by their every move.

Yeah, I loved the show. I'm so glad I have first row tickets for Sunday.

After the show was over, the huge screen played photos that were taken during rehearsals. Wilson the and skaters were standing there on the rink, near the edge, laughing and fooling around while looking at the photos. There was this huge candid shot of Wilson. He gasped and hid into Yu-na's arms. Everyone cracked up. It was all very cute.

OK NVM this is probably enough. I have to leave to meet up with a friend. I think I'm already late. Got carried away

 

[R.D.]

Thanks for the report. It's definitely different actually being at a show than watching it on TV. There are the performances that underwhelm on TV, but seen live it's a totally different story. The opposite is true as well. Then, there are those that "what you see is what you get".

 

[Blades of Passion]

Special Mention 1--Kim's Bulletproof--watched this 4 times. Didn't like it first time around, and I dislike it more and more with every watching. Can't see how anybody calls this a "masterpiece." Give it ten years, and she'll be embarrassed when she looks back and watches this clip.

I think this is an overly harsh look at the program, although I too am less impressed after watching it again. The choreography gets repetitive at the end and there is one point when the lyrics of the song go "your time is running out" where Yu-Na points to her wrist (as if it signify a watch she's wearing - ie. TIME IS RUNNING OUT, omg?!?!) that annoys me because I dislike blatant and obvious emoting. She also did a face stroke at another point which was pretty unnecessary, LOL.

But, still, her energy is excellent and some of her poses are just phenomenal. She exudes the feeling of a confident, powerful, and overtly sexual woman. This is what the song is about and it's the niche Yu-Na has taken over in the skating world these days.

 

[YunaBliss]

I would love to offer my Sunday show ticket to those of you "arm-chair traditionalists" to see Yuna's Bulletproof live - and see how your opinion changes.

Her presence on the ice is something to behold, and her movements are so fluid and flow like water. I can't see anyone else in the world right now who could perform a program like this, and Bulletproof is a landmark EX that raises the bar of figure skating higher (yet again).

 

[Olympia]

All I can say is my deepest thanks to all who put YouTube videos up, so I could watch Kwan, Kim, and the others and not feel deprived. How lovely to see Michelle skating! There wasn't much content, but just to see her on the ice is a treat and a treasure. I haven't watched all of Kim's programs, just the duet with Kwan, which is charming. I agree that Sasha is a bit tentative, though I like the choreography. My favorite so far is Lambiel. What wonderful choreography! It isn't a competitive program, but it's dynamic and creative and musical. That one-armed handstand, and the way he almost rolls over in the air, and that amazing spin...this guy is a diamond. Of the guys skating competitively these days, he and Takahashi are at the top of my list, and Lambiel just proved why.

I can't wait to see the others, but I had to see my faves first.

 

[aftertherain]

Sale & Pelletier's first program "Try" didn't receive great audience reaction (there was that big mistake... and I think American skaters shouldn't bring American "country" type programs to Korea, e.g. Try, Hallelujah, At this Moment. They don't really work with the audience), but the roof came off with "Scream." It was very entertaining. The two were skating in great sync. The moves were hot.

Just a comment. They're CANADIAN. There are such things are Canadian Country music artists too, by the way.

But IA about 'Scream'. LOOOOOOVED it.

 

[Blades of Passion]

I can't see anyone else in the world right now who could perform a program like this, and Bulletproof is a landmark EX that raises the bar of figure skating higher (yet again).

LOL, such exaggeration.

But, still, I do agree Yu-Na is the best in the World right now at performing this kind of role. That doesn't mean it's the only role to play or automatically the best, however.

Also, a rabid Yu-Na fan should never, Never, NEVER use the term "arm-chair", seeing as how 99.9% of the overzealous Yu-Na fans are people who rarely (if ever) watched skating before she came onto the scene and don't actually have much knowledge about figure skating.

 

[dorispulaski]

I really want to thank all the youtube uploaders, without whom I wouldn't have been able to see any of these programs!

Was the odd little cartoon of Yu Na dancing in the lower left corner broadcast with the program? I found it very distracting when trying to watch the performance.

My favorite so far is Lambiel's Let the Good Times Roll!

I also liked Sale & Pelletier's Scream a lot.

I have a feeling I would have liked a lot of the programs better in person. The TV station panned out so far from the skaters you could hardly see them in many shots, particularly annoying with Belbin & Agosto's "If It Kills Me".

 

[Basics]

Min-jeong was rather disappointing.

Don't be too harsh on our little cutie MJ. She's still learning and growing.

American skaters shouldn't bring American "country" type programs to Korea, e.g. Try, Hallelujah, At this Moment. They don't really work with the audience.

Well, I personally thought this show had a good mix of music choices. At least these kinds of soft music give Korean crowd a time to rest.

Savchenko & Szolkowy were impressive. They skated to "Gee" (a super popular Korean song) and the audience started to sing along. Great music choice. It has probably made them the most popular pair in Korea.

It was a little disappointing. They didn't do the original dance move.