CTV: Rochette issues Olympic edict | Golden Skate

CTV: Rochette issues Olympic edict

Phoenix347

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 24, 2009
A news story from CTV:

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/figure-skating/news/newsid=26399.html

"I'm ready. I'm back,'' she said after completely overwhelming all of her opponents and winning with a score of 208.23, only a couple of points behind the world record set by Kim Yu-Na of South Korea earlier this year.

Rochette said she was almost "robotic.''
"That was kind of in the plan,'' Rochette said. "After the season I've had, I just wanted to do one element at a time, take it one step at a time. It was really important for my own confidence to do this. Of course, the program can be so much more.''
 
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Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Congrats to Joannie!:rock:

But, just like Abbott, let's hope that she didn't peak too soon.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
I have very mixed feelings about her.

At her best (which I've only seen 2 or 3 times) she is fabulous and I'd be happy to see her on the podium. But often she lacks personality and grace on the ice. I've loved her as Firebird and as ice princess (in a gala) but she seems totally miscast as Dalilah to me. Does anyone think she looks seductive in that FP?

She doesn't have the natural grace and fluidity of someone like (to avoid the obvious) Tugba Karademir or Patrick Chan, and her rather blocky build doesn't help.

All this is to say that if she brings fire and style to the ice, I'll applaud if she medals, but if she gets it for what she herself admits is "robotic" skating, I won't. I feel the same way about Rachael Flatt.
 

i love to skate

Medalist
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
She doesn't have the natural grace and fluidity of someone like (to avoid the obvious) Tugba Karademir or Patrick Chan, and her rather blocky build doesn't help.

I wish people would shut up about her so called "blocky build". The girl weighs 110 lbs for goodness sake. She's got muscles and with those muscles she is able to consistently rotate her triples unlike the large majority of the other female skaters.
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
I wish people would shut up about her so called "blocky build".

It is what it is.

Spun Silver is correct - Joannie does not have natural grace and fluidity. Her body type isn't bad, but it does add to the feeling of lacking softness in her skating when she tries to skate to that kind of music.
 

i love to skate

Medalist
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
It is what it is.

Spun Silver is correct - Joannie does not have natural grace and fluidity. Her body type isn't bad, but it does add to the feeling of lacking softness in her skating when she tries to skate to that kind of music.

That's your opinion. I feel differently. I find it incredbily annoying when people discuss skater's body shapes and sizes as it is completely unnessecary.
 

Phoenix347

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 24, 2009
I have very mixed feelings about her.

At her best (which I've only seen 2 or 3 times) she is fabulous and I'd be happy to see her on the podium. But often she lacks personality and grace on the ice. I've loved her as Firebird and as ice princess (in a gala) but she seems totally miscast as Dalilah to me. Does anyone think she looks seductive in that FP?

She doesn't have the natural grace and fluidity of someone like (to avoid the obvious) Tugba Karademir or Patrick Chan, and her rather blocky build doesn't help.

All this is to say that if she brings fire and style to the ice, I'll applaud if she medals, but if she gets it for what she herself admits is "robotic" skating, I won't. I feel the same way about Rachael Flatt.

I think when she said she was robotic, I think she meant this particular competition. I think she felt she had a rough season, especially at the GPF, so she wanted to focus on her elements so she could execute each of them as well as she could. She needed to do that to regain confidence in herself. I think what she's saying is that now she'll work on the the other parts of the programs so the program can be more passionate.
 

miki88

Medalist
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
She is not the most graceful on ice, but I think she gave good performances. I just wish she had a different costume for her LP. :cool:
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
That's your opinion. I feel differently. I find it incredbily annoying when people discuss skater's body shapes and sizes as it is completely unnessecary.

ITA. I also think Joannie is not only attractive but also a great skater and a really good person.

I love her programs this year and although she struggled some this season, next month is what matters.

GP's are meaningless. Neither the Men's or Ladie's GPF champion last season even made the Worlds podium.

Let's see what happens in Vancouver. I would bet that Joannie will be on the podium and if she skates her best anything is possible.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
That's your opinion. I feel differently. I find it incredbily annoying when people discuss skater's body shapes and sizes as it is completely unnessecary.
And I find it incredibly annoying when people want to ban comments on something as basic to an athlete's sport as their body! Especially in figure skating where all eyes are directed to one or two skaters'... bodies! There seems to be a quasi-platonic theory of skating around here that you can separate the skating from the skater and discuss it in the abstract. Nonsense. Every skater is different and it's not their beautiful minds that we're watching.

The amount of would-be censorship about such matters on skating boards (or at least this one) is ridiculous. And it's unnecessary anyway as every critical comment provokes at least two or three defenses of the body in question.

Anyway, back to Joannie, it's like Blades said. It's not that there's anything wrong with her build, but she's taken on iconic temptress music and it's not the most obvious choice for her body type or style. It's casting against type, if you will. People can do fabulous work when they're cast against type but it surely takes great effort. You see it in opera all the time - butterball Luciano Pavarotti as a "starving artist" in La Boheme, a middle-aged Tatiana Troyanos playing a 17-year-old boy or for that matter an ageless seductress (Kundry). Such singing actors convince your ears and heart (even your eyes, in a way) that they are those characters.

I hope Phoenix47 is right that Joannie plans to put more effort into interpretation before Vancouver. Like I said, if she can add some passion to her technical ability I'll be cheering for her.
 

Sk8n Mama

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
I wish people would shut up about her so called "blocky build". The girl weighs 110 lbs for goodness sake.

I'm not going to fan the fire here. I only wanted to say that I have seen Joannie in person a few years ago (not on the ice, talking to her) and she was teeny tiny. She was wearing pants like yoga pants and a halter tank to skate that day, and she had a little fitted jacket over it. There is something about her that makes her look "blocky" on tv. In person, no one would ever use the term "blocky" to describe her.
 

i love to skate

Medalist
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
And I find it incredibly annoying when people want to ban comments on something as basic to an athlete's sport as their body! Especially in figure skating where all eyes are directed to one or two skaters'... bodies! There seems to be a quasi-platonic theory of skating around here that you can separate the skating from the skater and discuss it in the abstract. Nonsense. Every skater is different and it's not their beautiful minds that we're watching.

The amount of would-be censorship about such matters on skating boards (or at least this one) is ridiculous. And it's unnecessary anyway as every critical comment provokes at least two or three defenses of the body in question.

Are you aware of the amount of eating disorders that exist in figure skating and the pressure that is put on the skaters to look a certain way? Good for Joannie for not caving to this way of thinking. There is nothing wrong with having muscle mass. Joannie's body has been made fun of numerous times this year and frankly I am sick of it. As a fan of hers, I of course am going to stick up for her when people use the words "blocky" "masculine" or "unattractive" - when talking about a woman who weighs 110 lbs.

She isn't any bigger than any of the other skaters - she is in fact smaller, as you can see in this picture, for example:
http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/vGNs...e+Skating+Championships/2ci3yeoLSwv/Yu-Na+Kim

http://www.skatecanada.ca/en/images/content/ACGM09/Sharon-Dahl.jpg
 

adamlondon

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 7, 2004
I have very mixed feelings about her.

At her best (which I've only seen 2 or 3 times) she is fabulous and I'd be happy to see her on the podium. But often she lacks personality and grace on the ice. I've loved her as Firebird and as ice princess (in a gala) but she seems totally miscast as Dalilah to me. Does anyone think she looks seductive in that FP?

She doesn't have the natural grace and fluidity of someone like (to avoid the obvious) Tugba Karademir or Patrick Chan, and her rather blocky build doesn't help.

I agree with the above to a great extent. I have been watching her for ages and always feel that she is locked up in herself and doing things that others have asked her to do. There seems to be no personality and nothing to move you. If you are talking about podium places in Olys you have to be really picky and say that many of the other girls draw you in to want to watch more but she doesn;t. And she said it herself really.... robotic is a good term! I guess she reads like a science journal rather than a romantic novel.... rather emotionless and hardly any phrasing to the music. I dont get her 'amazing' PCS this year also. Delilah is a miscast for her for sure. I dont see anything to suggest she is that character.
 

katia

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 20, 2006
I don't agree that Rochette is "robotic" and to tell the truth I am not particular fan of Rochette.
I watched her many times and although at the beginning (couple of years ago) I did not like her skating, she improved and now I enjoy watching her very much.
I believe that robotic is far from how she skates.
 

Ginask8s

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 27, 2008
I have very mixed feelings about her.

At her best (which I've only seen 2 or 3 times) she is fabulous and I'd be happy to see her on the podium. But often she lacks personality and grace on the ice. I've loved her as Firebird and as ice princess (in a gala) but she seems totally miscast as Dalilah to me. Does anyone think she looks seductive in that FP?

She doesn't have the natural grace and fluidity of someone like (to avoid the obvious) Tugba Karademir or Patrick Chan, and her rather blocky build doesn't help.

All this is to say that if she brings fire and style to the ice, I'll applaud if she medals, but if she gets it for what she herself admits is "robotic" skating, I won't. I feel the same way about Rachael Flatt.


Tugba Chan and Rochette in the same breath??????
Not for nothing, but you must have thought Dorothy Hamill, Janet Lynn ,Nancy Kerrigan, Debi Thomas, Rosalyn Sumner , Katarina Witt , Tonia Kwiatkowski and Angela Nikodinov just to name a few , were OBESE.

Im all about body type and line on the ice and proportion is the key. Joannie has a beautifully propotioned body and looks strong. I love how she uses her head. I also think she has a very nice back,which I heard she had to develop. I hope she has a good day in Vancouver.
 

Phoenix347

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 24, 2009
I think Joannie might just push one of the Asian ladies off the podium at Vancouver. As to whom, who knows...
 
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