"Artistic" Performances from known "Technical" Skaters | Golden Skate

"Artistic" Performances from known "Technical" Skaters

aftertherain

aftertherain

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Jan 15, 2010
"Artistic" Performances from known "Technical" Skaters

So I was looking for Joannie Rochette's performance of Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix (Samson et Dalila) at the 2010 Canadian Nationals and I found this instead:

Samson and Delilah by Irina Slutskaya at 2003 Hallmark

I was pleasantly surprised. I honestly think that this is the best "artistic" performance she's done. Her jumps are superb (beautiful opening triple lutz) in this program and for once, she kinda flows across the ice. I wasn't too fond of her rolling on the ice in the middle of the program, but the rest of it was actually quite nice.

Another performance would be:
Midori Ito 1993 World Pro "Rose of Pain"
Midori really upped her performance skills in this one, imo. She obviously wasn't too convincing, but I liked it. That opening triple axel was nice too. :)

And the expression at the end of the video when she got three "10s" was really cute too!


So my question is, are there any other "artistic" performances from known "technical" skaters that you've been surprised about/liked before?
 
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Layfan

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Nov 5, 2009
This is a nice thread.

The first one that comes to mind is Midori Ito's 1989 worlds performance. Honestly, I think it was so musical and splendidly performed. Obviously, the wow factor in this performance is her 3a and all her other jumps for that matter and her 3-3. But she also feels and skates to the music and holds out her moves.

With the 3a hype, it's easy to forget that Midori got nothing but 5.8s and 5.9s for artistic impression for this performance. (Scott thought she should have gotten all 5.9s. :) )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKGasODrAcU


But wow! That Rose of Pain program fours years later is every bit as impressive, if not more! Midori put such joy into her skating.

aftertherain, that was also a lovely program from Irina and I had never seen it before. Thanks for sharing it :)
I wonder why she didn't do the Kerrigan spiral in competition? Heh, her artistic impression marks were higher than her tech marks.
 
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herro

On the Ice
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Oct 17, 2009
Great thread, aftertherain.

I have to say, when I first saw Carolina Kostner skate (I think it was back during her major debut at Europeans a couple of years ago when she landed two triple-triples - both in her qualifying and long program) I was generally bored. And artistically, she's continued to underwhelm me for awhile, but now, I don't know what's happened but I actually enjoy her skating. The lack of difficult triples and combinations have done wonders for her and I actually love her skating for what it is, on its own. I like both her programs this season. Hopefully putting those jumps back in won't take away the developments in her artistry. I'm now a Carolina fan, haha; which is pretty surprising even to myself because I was really angry at her during 2005 worlds.

Oh! And Layfan! Is that quote under your name, from Dick Button? Or maybe Peggy? Can't remember, but I vaguely remember it being about Kwan a couple years ago? haha
 
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jaylee

Medalist
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Feb 21, 2010
herro said:
Oh! And Layfan! Is that quote under your name, from Dick Button? Or maybe Peggy? Can't remember, but I vaguely remember it being about Kwan a couple years ago? haha
Click to expand...

I'm not Layfan, but I'd recognize that quote anywhere--Peggy Fleming from 1998 Nationals, Michelle's Lyra Angelica, at about 0:30. :yay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okPRcajUQrM

I love Midori's 1993 performance too. I also think Midori was artistic in her 1992 Olympics EX:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE5ojtzx8ko

She was buoyant and delightful in the first half, and skated with a fitting kind of serenity during "Over the Rainbow."

During the Olympics I rooted for Kristi to win and I wanted Midori to land her triple axel (when she did, I got up to my feet in my living room and screeched). I got both of my wishes, but years later, it was hard for me too remember anything about Kristi's performances at all, but I've always remembered Midori's fantastic 3A and her charming exhibition.
 
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pangtongfan

Match Penalty
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Jun 16, 2010
Nearly every performance Midori Ito did from 1988 onwards. She was insanely underrated artistically. She is infinitely more artistic than someone like Irina Slutskaya who ended up getting much higher artistic scores from the judges in later years, go figure.
 
demarinis5

demarinis5

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Jan 23, 2004
Loved that performance of S&D from Irina. Thanks for posting.
 
blue dog

blue dog

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Dec 16, 2006
Layfan said:
Yes, I thought of that one too. Someone pointed it out in another thread, I think it was gkelly, and it was the first time I had seen it. I was impressed. I love the opening spin sequence.
Click to expand...

To this day, I have to turn off the music and just watch her skate. Not that she was horribly non-musical (Tonya was fairly musical), but I cannot stand the slow section! It sounds like music for a "film."
 
aftertherain

aftertherain

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Jan 15, 2010
Layfan said:
Yes, I thought of that one too. Someone pointed it out in another thread, I think it was gkelly, and it was the first time I had seen it. I was impressed. I love the opening spin sequence.
Click to expand...

IA. Spinning on one leg and then switching to another non-stop/not in a sit spin? Awesome. The spin was a bit slow, but it was cool nonetheless.

I still think Midori's jumps are better though. :p
 
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Layfan

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Nov 5, 2009
^ Thanks you guys. What an interesting competition! I just love discovering these past events.

I can't believe Katarina got higher technical marks than Tonya :laugh: The higher presentation marks she definitely deserved, although I agree that Tonya displayed artistry in hers. It was a treat to see such a young Tonya - even though you have to watch it with a sense of tragedy and frustration knowing what is to come. The commentator (who was that?) said Tonya hadn't even competed at a worlds at that point. But she was formidable already.

ETA: Here's Nancy Kerrigan's performance at the same event. I know, off topic but it's just so interesting. She's 18 but the commentator says it's her very first international competition at the senior level! It was a rocky performance for sure but some very nice moments. One thing I never loved about Nancy's style was her abrupt music changes for the (sort of cheezy) footwork. Anyway. You can see her potential but also how much she improved as a skater by the 1994 games!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUQIc0crk5o&feature=related
 
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gkelly

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Jul 26, 2003
blue dog said:
Ah...the competition where she and Midori skated perfectly, and somehow still lost to Katarina Witt (no school figures were ever contested at NHK).
Click to expand...

Well, not perfectly. Errors on the triple lutz and triple flip landings, and also the double flip, and some of the spins were a little shaky as well.

So "clean" jump count was one each of the easier three triples, two double axels, and a bunch of double toes.

Those first two jumps were spectacular, though.
 
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hikki

Final Flight
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Dec 18, 2007
Country
Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1WMW6ZQWnQ&t=4m50s

Tonya's Moon River SP at '92 Worlds. She'd made a 'transformation' by going back to her former coaches, dropping the short program she'd used at the Olympics. Her strokes and lines weren't all that great, but I do think she skated nicely to the music (I always thought, despite her rather strange choices, that she was musical) with her beautiful Ina Bauer into 2flip etc.

*There's an interesting segment earlier in the clip by people who seemed to really care about her.
 
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