Is Yu-Na more similar to Katarina rather than Michelle? | Golden Skate

Is Yu-Na more similar to Katarina rather than Michelle?

christinaskater

Medalist
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
There have been many people who compare Yu-Na skating style to Katarina Witt, but for me her style is more reminiscent of Michelle's.

What do you think?
 

dizzydi7

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 31, 2004
Yu-Na is not similar to either Katarina nor Michelle. She is unique and has a quality and style that neither of the other two ladies possess.

Dizzy
 

Wrlmy

Medalist
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
She does have little bit of MK-like qualities and little bit of KW-like qualities. But if I have to compare her to someone right now, it would be Kristi Yamaguchi.
 

kyla2

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
Yu Na

After Worlds was over, I went back and looked at Michelle on Youtube. Yu Na incorporates her choreography and arm movements in a way that is reminiscent of Michelle in her earlier years. However, the way Michelle moved to the music is still in a class by itself. Yu Na's movements don't always seem finished; sometimes like she is just going through the move to get it over with. I don't sense that she is "feeling" the music in the way that Michelle did. However, Yu Na's choreography was wonderful and I applaud her for not just going from jump to jump. Her program was lovely. She is also tough like Michelle and she doesn't give up. In no way do I see Katarina Witt in Yu Na.
 

Kwanford Wife

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
The thing I like about Yu-Na is that she's a unique skater and in a catergory by herself... like Michelle and Kat vs. being simmilar to anybody else on the ice... that's what makes all three special.
 

xoxo

Spectator
Joined
Jun 9, 2009
Yuna's LP was really like Kwan, but i think she is really different from Witt.
 

sunrock

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 24, 2009
Yuna's LP was really like Kwan, but i think she is really different from Witt.
It was pretty much an unofficial homage to her idol. She even told the media she purposely made the final pose the same as Michelle's.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
i think every skater is different from one another.

I agree, but this seems to be a normal discussion. I'm fairly sure (but can't verify) that Kwan drew comparisons to earlier skaters until she developed a style of her own. Same with Witt, etc. Until Yu Na develops a distinct style (if she does) then I expect these comparison threads to continue.
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
Last year I used to think Yuna was somewhat like Michelle and that Mao was reminiscent of Irina. It has been a while since I have watched much of Katerina so she wasn't one I was thinking about.
Like Michelle, Yuna seems a little more musical and expressive to me and like Irina, Mao seems to be more focused on her jumps and executing her elements without as much expression.
But I have changed my opinion (I do that alot :). As others have said the great skaters are pretty individualistic. I would have a hard time saying who is like Sasha - maybe Caroline because of her flexibility? But they are really not very similar imo. Caroline is still so young and who knows which direction her skating will follow as it developes.
What about Oksana? Who is like her today? And what about Shizuka? She seems totally different than the other Japanese skaters and maybe she is more like Katerina than Yuna. But that is also probably not true either.
By the end of her great career Irina had become much more expressive. Mao is not really skating like anybody but Mao and I imagine she will make her competitve programs more expressive and dramatic, especially if she stays with Tat. Yuna is skating under a different scoring system than Michelle did for most of her career and that also effects the way a skater presents themselves. In general, Yuna's choreos seem much busier than Michelle's. She is doing more but is it necessarily better or even so similar? Sure the jumps are much bigger but what about the other aspects of Yuna's skating? For me Yuna is Yuna just as Miki is Miki and so forth. But I will probably change my mind about some of these thoughst as next season unfolds.
 
Last edited:

cosmos

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 2, 2007
In a recent interview with a Korean news paper, Orser said that his favorite lady skater was Katarina. Maybe, he has a dream to make YuNa Katarina-like (style or status).
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
In a recent interview with a Korean news paper, Orser said that his favorite lady skater was Katarina. Maybe, he has a dream to make YuNa Katarina-like (style or status).

Well that is not surprising when you consider Brian and Kat were both at '84 and '88 Olympics and many WC's together.
I still have a hunch Yuna may be doing Carmen for her LP this season. But I have no information on that - just a hunch.
 

soogar

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Neither. Katarina had personality and sex appeal and Yu Na is just plain boring and sexless (at least to me.) I don't see any Michelle in her either because Yu Na has some really sloppy movements on the ice (esp in her spiral) and while Michelle was not a very exciting skater (IMO), Michelle was always neat and polished in her presentation.
 

Wrlmy

Medalist
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Well that is not surprising when you consider Brian and Kat were both at '84 and '88 Olympics and many WC's together.
I still have a hunch Yuna may be doing Carmen for her LP this season. But I have no information on that - just a hunch.

You make me really nervous. Are you sure you have no secret source? God I hope Yuna picked anything but Carmen.
 
Top