Least Favourite Programs By Your Favourite Skaters

Bonnie F · Apr 22, 2014

I guess its a good thing I recently picked my favorite skaters for a previous thread, makes it easier to answer this one

Plushenko - Crazy Bird (exhibition in the late 90s) - i just don't get into silly programs.
Grishuk and Platov - Latin long progam from 1995-96 - I loved their speed but they seemed too frantic in this program, plus i didn't like their costumes.
Mishkutenok and Dmitriev - I really liked all of their programs but I just wished they didn't repeat programs from year to year, I also never liked when Natalia wore tights.
Yamaguchi - Yankee Doodle 1992 exhibition - This program paled in comparison to her show programs as a professional and lacked the grace of her competitive Olympic programs.

Ryan O · Apr 22, 2014

Brian Joubert's LP this year -> it unfortunately was choreographed in a way that highlighted all of his weaknesses, and none of his strengths. Rather than showing off his energy, charisma and big jumps, it highlighted his lack of transitions and skating between the jumps. It robbed him of the opportunity to follow up his strong SP with a solid LP that he could have used to finish his career in style.

CarneAsada · Apr 22, 2014

CanadianSkaterGuy said:
Agreed! I mean, that suit...

I once said I would like Radionova to skate to Sex Bomb. I was not joking. And while we're at it, throw in Lipnitskaya.

mary01 said:
WHAAT!!! you have got to be kidding me Liebestraum is one of my absolute favorite programs of Mao it was soo beautiful and the choreography soo detailed and interpreted every note of the music
Mao's Scheherazade looked like something taken out of a fairytale or fantasy world, it was original and different from the usual Scheherazade, and the steps were just to die for.

Well, the thread is about least favorite programs from favorite skaters, and as Mao is a favorite, I have to pick my least favorite of her programs, don't I? :confused2: I picked the 2011-12 Liebestraume because it paled in comparison to the 2010 version which was truly breathtaking, and I picked Scheherazade to go with the Scheherazade themed choices. If you asked me again, then I might pick Agony Tango (yeah, I admit, Scheherazade probably is better) and Swan Lake (literally LP Czardas through 2010 Liebestraume is a million times better, and so is Rach 2).

Enero · Apr 22, 2014

Kim Yuna -Scheherazade. She skated it well and the choregraphy was descent, but I wasn't a fan of this program.

Anissina/Peizerat – Beethoven’s Last Night – I loved their costumes, but the program just didn’t work for me; Liberty – It had difficult choreography, but the music was horrible.

Plushenko – Sabre Dance - The program was descent, but the music was just terrible. I don’t know what possessed Mishin to use this kind of music for a skating program. It was very annoying. I’m surprised it didn’t drive the audience and judges batty. :slink:

Jean Michel Jarre – This program was pretty awful too.

Sasha Cohen – Carmen; España Cañí (the red costume she wore reminded me of something worn by the women who worked out of an early 20th century brothel. It didn’t help the program at all). :disapp:

Ilia Kulik – Romeo and Juliet

Grishuk/Platov – Muchachita/Mambo

swc0931 · Apr 22, 2014

Mao's Bells of Moscow...
Slow music...Slapping face choreography..This program just make me fall asleep..
I think Mao should not skating her program with a dark or powerful music.
I just want to recommend to her skating with a cheer or classic music.

Ophelia · Apr 22, 2014

Not to mention the costume Mao wore for Bells of Moscow was terrible. She looked liked a tacky demon child. That red ruffle choker around her neck needed to be burned.

hurrah · Apr 22, 2014

People either love or hate Bells of Moscow, it seems.

For me, my least favorite program of Mao's is SP Agony (Alfred Schnittke).

Though we did not know at the time, it was the time when her family was struggling with her mother's illness, and it coincided with her having just started reworking her jumps, and she didn't manage to land her new flip until well into the season.

She looked so unhappy and frail and the music did not help her at all.

Franklin99 · Apr 22, 2014

lilahozi said:
Not to mention the costume Mao wore for Bells of Moscow was terrible. She looked liked a tacky demon child. That red ruffle choker around her neck needed to be burned.

How I became a forever fan of Mao in 2010 during the Olympics while she was wearing such hideous outfits (the one from the SP was just as horrid) and dreadful music is a testament to what a positive, beautiful, and strong vibe Mao exudes inspite of having an attire and music that could have distracted me.

Mao needs to hire the person who makes her exhibition costumes for her competitions. Because they're always 10 times better than the ones used in competitions. And no more bra over top outfit. The black tango dress with the red fluffy bra on top was the absolute worst!!

Alba · Apr 22, 2014

hurrah said:
People either love or hate Bells of Moscow, it seems.

Yes! I love that program. :biggrin:

Franklin99 said:
and dreadful music

I understand the taste, but please don't call Rachmaninov music dreadful.

pointyourtoe · Apr 23, 2014

Michelle Kwan Bolero and Scheherazade

Olympia · Apr 23, 2014

Alba said:
I understand the taste, but please don't call Rachmaninov music dreadful.

I love Rachmaninoff, but that particular arrangement of the Prelude in C sharp minor was the most heavy-handed one I've ever heard. For one thing, it took just the "A" theme, which is droning and dirgelike, and it left out the "B" theme, which has a lot of variation in tempo and emotional shading. So in a way the music was made dreadful, though not by Rachmaninoff himself.

donezo · Apr 23, 2014

Mao's Bells of Moscow was a voidy masterpiece. We just all didn't realize it in 2010. I'm glad she won Worlds with it.

Franklin99 · Apr 23, 2014

Alba said:
Yes! I love that program.

I understand the taste, but please don't call Rachmaninov music dreadful.

Alba, I should have been clear, but what I meant was, when I first heard the music (during her performance in Vancouver), I thought it and her outfit were dreadful. (still not a fan of those 2 outfits) but after some time, I began appreciating how beautiful Mao interpreted the music through her performances, and in turn, the song itself. I am not a fan of the Bell Of Moscow song outside of Mao's performance, but I do appreciate the meaning and Mao really did a wonderful job with it, especially considering how underscored she was, even when she skated that performance flawlessly at worlds.

gourry · Apr 23, 2014

The only program I didn't really care for from Yuna was the Vampire SP.
I also didn't really like V/M's Funny Face program.
I absolutely loved D/W's Indian Dance and Samson & Delilah programs and nothing really topped those programs for me and were kinda just okay.

Alba · Apr 23, 2014

Olympia said:
I love Rachmaninoff, but that particular arrangement of the Prelude in C sharp minor was the most heavy-handed one I've ever heard. For one thing, it took just the "A" theme, which is droning and dirgelike, and it left out the "B" theme, which has a lot of variation in tempo and emotional shading. So in a way the music was made dreadful, though not by Rachmaninoff himself.

Yes, she used the orchestral version but I would've loved the piano version (the original one) alone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXGSfJn3nKQ

I think the idea though was to make that program more powerful and haunting. I personally liked it, but I'm all for the drama. :biggrin:

Franklin99 said:
Alba, I should have been clear, but what I meant was, when I first heard the music (during her performance in Vancouver), I thought it and her outfit were dreadful. (still not a fan of those 2 outfits) but after some time, I began appreciating how beautiful Mao interpreted the music through her performances, and in turn, the song itself. I am not a fan of the Bell Of Moscow song outside of Mao's performance, but I do appreciate the meaning and Mao really did a wonderful job with it, especially considering how underscored she was, even when she skated that performance flawlessly at worlds.

:thumbsup:
Sorry, my mistake.

Neverdull45 · Apr 23, 2014

Gracie Gold - All That Jazz.
Why? It's an old, tired song. She's young, and should appeal to her generation. There are plenty of new songs that are beautiful and more fitting of her.

flutzy13 · Apr 23, 2014

Despite its technical brilliance, I never got into Die Fledermaus. I much prefer the programs where Meryl & Charlie are taking on characters and telling a story. I much preferred ND the following year even though it seemed like many people felt opposite.

I hated when Castelli & Shnapir did Concerto No. 2 in the gray costumes. It was so not them and they never looked comfortable skating it. I loved the tango they did the following year. They seemed to really figure out after 2012 who they were stylistically so maybe Concerto No. 2 and their disappointing finish at Nationals that year helped them get there.

I never could get fully behind Ashley's Shine On. I enjoy fiesty Ashley but it didn't say Olympic vehicle to me and felt like it was trying really hard to be edgy and modern...but wasn't

FSGMT · Apr 23, 2014

flutzy13 said:
Despite its technical brilliance, I never got into Die Fledermaus. I much prefer the programs where Meryl & Charlie are taking on characters and telling a story. I much preferred ND the following year even though it seemed like many people felt opposite.

I never could get fully behind Ashley's Shine On. I enjoy fiesty Ashley but it didn't say Olympic vehicle to me and felt like it was trying really hard to be edgy and modern...but wasn't

Another one of those cases when it is 100% a matter of personal taste, since these two are probably my favourite programs from D/W and Ashley :laugh:

skatedreamer · Apr 23, 2014

flutzy13 said:
Despite its technical brilliance, I never got into Die Fledermaus. I much prefer the programs where Meryl & Charlie are taking on characters and telling a story. I much preferred ND the following year even though it seemed like many people felt opposite.

Yikes, how could you not like "Die Fledermaus?" The music is so much fun and M & C captured the spirit so perfectly! JMO...

Olympia · Apr 23, 2014

flutzy13 said:
Despite its technical brilliance, I never got into Die Fledermaus. I much prefer the programs where Meryl & Charlie are taking on characters and telling a story. I much preferred ND the following year even though it seemed like many people felt opposite.

Whereas Fledermaus is one of my favorite programs ever, by anyone, in any discipline! In fact, I often link to it to show non-skate-fan friends what skaters can do with the right music and the right moves. (And many of my friends have reacted with great delight.) This just goes to show how subjective skating appreciation can be. There's something heartening about the diversity of our perceptions as skate fans, I think. It means that ninety-nine fans can swear up and down that Program X is the greatest piece ever skated, and you or I can still choose Program Y instead, with no need even to explain why. (Like Everest, I suppose...because it's there, and we were lucky enough to get to see it.)

Least Favourite Programs By Your Favourite Skaters

Bonnie F

Ryan O

CarneAsada

Enero

swc0931

Ophelia

hurrah

Franklin99

Alba

pointyourtoe

Olympia

donezo

Franklin99

gourry

Alba

Neverdull45

flutzy13

FSGMT

skatedreamer

Olympia

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