Greatest short programs in ladies' figure skating | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Greatest short programs in ladies' figure skating

Michelle Kwan's 1996 and 1998 short programs were exquisite - absolute pieces of perfection.

Katarina Witt's 1994 "Robin Hood" short program was a real crowd pleaser. I really enjoyed the performance - and her costume!

Midori Ito's 1989 and 1990 short programs were fantastic!!

Jill Trenary's 1990 short program was dynamic and flirtatious.
 
doubleflutz said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofbph3T6_xM Irina Slutskaya's SP from 2002 Olys in SLC. I know she doesn't get too much love here (or on any English-speaking/North American board, really!), but I think this is pretty great. Lots of speed, technical elements all spectacular (especially the footwork and the spiral sequences), and I think she did a very compelling job of conveying a kind of athletic, commanding grace. No, she wasn't a pretty pretty ballerina princess, but she had a clear sense of command and purpose that I think matched the music very well. If you listen, it's not quite the soft, gentle piano ballad that Sandra is trying to make it out to be! Pretty forceful, lots of confidence, just like Ira.
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I hope you're wrong about Irina not being popular on English-speaking sites. I like her immensely, though of course given a choice between her and Michelle, I'd choose Michelle most times. It's not for lack of admiration or respect for Irina, who was a wonderful refreshing presence on the ice, with great spring in her jumps and her own kind of artistry. I always thought she'd have done a grand job with the overture to Die Fledermaus, for example (used to such good effect by Jenny Kirk), or even something from Der Rosenkavalier. Her merry personality was infectious, and I also admired her consistency over a pretty long period of time. Her quality increased over time, as well.

Two Olympics in which she medaled...not too shabby. I'm always happy when someone praises her.
 
Tinymavy15 said:
Nobody mentioned the obvious: Yu-na's 007 SP in Vancouver.
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I mentioned it! Along with Dance Macabre from world 09. And yes, if that doesn't deserve to be on a greatest short program list nothing does.

I hope you're wrong about Irina not being popular on English-speaking sites. I like her immensely, though of course given a choice between her and Michelle, I'd choose Michelle most times. It's not for lack of admiration or respect for Irina, who was a wonderful refreshing presence on the ice, with great spring in her jumps and her own kind of artistry. I always thought she'd have done a grand job with the overture to Die Fledermaus, for example (used to such good effect by Jenny Kirk), or even something from Der Rosenkavalier. Her merry personality was infectious, and I also admired her consistency over a pretty long period of time. Her quality increased over time, as well.

Two Olympics in which she medaled...not too shabby. I'm always happy when someone praises her.
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Irina and Midori are my two favorite "jump" skaters. Along with with stunning jumps, they also had infectious personalities that came out on the ice, although with Irina it definitely depended on her choosing the right kind of music and choreo for her kind of energy. Then again, that is probably true for just about every skater.
 
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Here are what I consider the greatest SPs in Ladies FS:

Oksana Baiul: Black swan 94 Oly inspite of the slightly 2-footed 3Lutz, it was beautiful

Michelle Kwan- Rachmaninoff 98, East of Eden 2001 (?) inspite of the flutz, The feeling begins (03, 04)

Irina Slutskaya- 2005 worlds (Shostakovich) , 2006 Oly Loved her speed and power, Schubert serenade (2002)

Maria Butyrskaya- Scene d'mor (sp?)- I think this was at the 99 worlds

Mao Asada- Chopin SP (2007?)

Yu na Kim- 2010 Oly SP

Sasha Cohen- 2006 Oly Dark Eyes, earlier- Malaguena, Senitmental waltz 2002 (my most favorite Sasha SP)

Midori Ito- 88 Oly
 
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Here is a fantastic skate of Mao Asada to Fantasia for Violin and Orchestra.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1GfZW03lM4&feature=related

I saw this program live twice and it was pretty different from the ones I saw on screens. The images her live skating brought to me were: snow flowers, winter sky, chilly wind of early spring, snowflakes, spring thaw, crystal clear water, migrant birds flying away and something like ice passion and emotion. This is a really beautiful program when seen live.

When I watched this program at 2008 Worlds in Goteborg, a Swedish lady sitting next to me immediately fell in love with this program and talked to me for the first time, which was a surprise for me because she seemed to be a music lover (she often hummed music in a low voice) and to be a person who didn't like talking with other people much, particularly a foreigner. ;). It was start of us greeting each other and enjoying chatting and exchanging opinions through the competitions. I thought this program really suited the Scandinavian city in late March, suited there more than cities in Japan in winter. Something of it reminds me of Alexei Yagudin's "Winter" and Tottmianina/Malinin's "Snow Storm".

I think Mao Asada is a unique skater. She might not be much of an actress, but when she is on, she colors arenas with the music she is skating to, and she does it with her skating and body, and her interpretation of music looks truly natural and genuine.
 
Indeed, Mao's violin concerto SP as performed at worlds as a near masterpiece. I LOVE the turns on one foot going into the lutz...so hard and she makes it look effortless. And the step sequence is one of the best choreographed for a lady under CoP.
 
My Best Ladies SP's (so many of them)

I give you my overall best in terms of technicality, muscality, overall artistry, that is

Yu Na Kim SP 007 James Bond Medley from 2010 season, the rest are:

Tonya Harding SP 91 Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Nancy Kerrigan SP 94 Desperate Love- Mark Militano

Josee Chouinard SP 94 La Fille Mal Gardee

Oksana Baiul SP 94 Black Swan

Surya Bonaly SP 94 Cries Of Beirut

Olga Markova SP 95 Harlem Nocturne

Nicole BobeK SP 95 Russian Dance

Michelle Kwan SP 96 Romanza

Michelle Kwan SP 97 Dream of Desdemona

Vanessa Gusmeroli SP 97 The Mask

Michelle Kwan SP 98 & 02 Trio/Alla Breve

Tara Lipinski SP 98 Once Upon a December

Laetitia Hubert SP 98 The Piano

Lenka Kulovana SP 98 Romance for Lenka

Michelle Kwan SP 99 Fate Of Carmen

Maria Butyrskaya SP 00 Scene D'Amour

Sarah Hughes SP 00 Serenade fur Klara

Michelle Kwan SP 01 East Of Eden

Angela Nikodinov SP 01 Just for You

Irina Slutskaya SP 01 Culture

Silvia Fontana SP 01 Duende Flamenco

Jennifer Robinson SP 01 Moon Ghosts

Galina Manaiachenko SP 02 Schindlers List

Fumie Suguri SP 02 Ave Maria

Sasha Cohen SP 02 Tender Beast

Laetitia Hubert SP 02 The Giving

Irina Slutskaya SP 02 Serenade

Maria Butyrskaya SP 02 Tune of the White nights

Elena Liashenko SP 03 Appasionata (her rendition was bettter than Sluts)

Shizuka Arakawa SP 03 & 04 Swan Lake (modern version)

Joannie Rochette SP 04 Metamorphoses

Fumie Suguri SP 04 Paint It Black

Yukina Ota SP 04 Picasso's Dance

Fleur Maxwell SP 05 In the Mood

Carolina Kostner SP 05 Sunday

Shizuka Arakawa SP 06 Fantasie Impromptu (Olympics)

Elene Gedevanishvili SP 06 Granada

Sasha Cohen SP 06 Dark Eyes

Yan Liu Sp 06 Valley of the Red River

Tugba karademir SP 06 Coeres a Cordes

Carolina Kostner SP 07 (also was 03) Canon by Pachebel (George Winston)

Yu Na Kim SP 07 Tango De Roxanne

Yukari Nakano SP 07 Geisha

Valentina Marchei SP 07 Carmen & L'Alesienne

Sarah Meier SP 07 Aranjuez

Kiira Korpi SP 08 Triunfal

Carolina Kostner SP 08 Riders on the Storm

Mao Asada SP 08 Ladies In Lavender

Ksenia Doronina SP 08 Flamenco

Yukari Nakano SP 08 Fantasie Impromptu

Anastasia Gimazetdinova SP 08 Yes I loved you

Sarah Meier SP 08 Patch Adams

Laura Lepisto SP 08 Legend of 1900

Jenni Vahamaa SP 08 O Mio

Cynthia Phaneuf SP 09 & 10 Nocturne

Yu Na Kim SP 09 Danse Macabre

Mao Asada SP 09 Claire De Lune

Joannie Rochette SP 09 Summertime

Miki Ando SP 09 Chairmans Waltz

Susanna Poykio SP 09 Leeloos Tune

Rachael Flatt SP 09 Moon River

Alissa Czisny SP 09 The Swan

Sarah Meier SP 09 Samba, Brazilliance

Fumie Suguri SP 09 Fanfan

Ksenia Makarova SP 10 Ladies In Lavender

Joannie Rochette SP 10 La Cumparsita

Akiko Suzuki SP 10 Andalucia

Laura Lepisto SP 10 Imagined Oceans

Carolina Kostner SP 10 Nocturne and Violin concerto

Mirai Nagasu SP 10 Pirates

Kiira Korpi Sp 10 Caravan

Yukari Nakano SP 10 Phantom

Kiira Korpi SP 11 Over the Rainbow

Mao Asada SP 11 Tango Agony

Yu Na kim SP 11 Giselle

Miki Ando SP 11 The Mission

Viktoria Helgesson SP 11 Fuori Del Mondo

Sarah Meier SP 11 Samba

Romy Buhler SP 11 Summertime

Carolina Kostner SP 11 Galicia Flamenca

Ksenia Makarova SP 11 Jasmine

Alissa Czisny SP 11 Romance

Cynthia Phaneuf SP 11 Spanish Guitar

Myriane Samson SP 11 Il Postino
 
russell30 said:
My Best Ladies SP's (so many of them)...Yu Na kim SP 11 Giselle
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Glad to see someone mentioning Yuna's Giselle. I think this is a brilliant program. It is intensely dramatic, mature, and has a definite plot line depicting Giselle's changing inner state before death (the ending pose). Very rare for a short program to have a plot. Although it was only performed once in a competitive setting and did not receive spotlights as Yuna's other short programs did in the past, to me this program is definitely a hidden gem.

Below is Yuna's Giselle performance at her ice show earlier this year. A show version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVzYwhUBRF0
 
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I totally forgot to mention this. Silly me!

This is the first short program in Olympic history where a woman landed 3A and got ratified. However, she had to make it into 3A-2T combination due to the regulation of weird rule applied until the 2010 Olympic season was over. I don't know how many years it will take another lady to show up and break this record (maybe one of those Russian girls?) but I think it can fall into this category.

Mao Asada 2010 Olympics SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrEZgoPpCAI

I think her "Clair de Lune" which I introduced in #7 was the SP where a woman landed a 3A(-2T) in SP for the first time in history.
in ISU competition. If there was someone who had landed 3A in SP in ISU competion before her, could you please enlighten me?
 
- Yu-Na Kim´s sp in Vancouver Olympics
- nearly ALL Sasha Cohen´s sp performances... She was a fantastic sp skater!!!
- Oksana Baiul in 1994 Olympics
 
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