Team China is preparing for the new season in Canada | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Team China is preparing for the new season in Canada

jace93

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
About the construct and layout, I am sure the skaters decided on their own. It's true that DW couldn't decide which elements should be out in if the skaters don't want to.
However, it's true that his programs recently have been lackluster. DW's step sequences have been, admit it, very uninspiring. Comparing DW's step sequences to the ones the Russians do for their skaters, I think DW's step sequences have rather been empty and not enjoyable.

while I think R&J 2.0 isn't that great of a program I would say that the choreographic step sequence with the ina bauer high light is one of the best of the season... =) and regarding the first step sequence I would say it' more a question of stamina then everything else... if you see in some practice footage yuzuru practicing it it's usually much more energetic and charming, but in competition I think he tend to "save energy" before the remaining jumping passes
 

bunnychan

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
There was never an official announcement of Kexin retiring, but since she's not training in Canada I guess it's probably true. That actually makes me sad--I know Li had better potential, but Zhang's style was a lot more to my taste.

I'm also glad Nan is getting to go. In terms of his choreography being split between Lori and DW, I believe Lori did both his programs last year (guitar solo SP and "The Mission" LP), and the SP was terrible while the LP really suited him. By the end of the year, when he went to 4cc and kicked ***, he had switched his SP back to the one from two seasons ago, which Jeffrey Buttle had choreographed for him (music from The Middle East Side - prob the best choreo Nan has ever gotten). So I think maybe that's why they're getting the programs split this year, to see if maybe DW will fit his style better?
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
I thought Kexin was really under-rated. The GOE on some of her elements was held back... particularly her lutz - which actually had a delay, and certain elements like her back camel with her own unique variation. Her overall skating wasn't the cream of the crop, but I always thought she was an elegant skater and a hard worker. In a few competitions, she was the only one (or one of the only ones) to hit a 3-3 combination. In a way, she reminds me of Yan Liu ... has the technical goods but the judges never really thought to reward her for it, along with ho-hum PCS scores.
 

yqs100

On the Ice
Joined
May 21, 2009
They were at RTC in Richmond Hill last week.

Any updates?

Zijun Li said the SP and LP are done... she is really happy with them.
SP music is some piece she always wanted to skate to over the past 5 years~~



Yan Han's both programs are done too
Ex programs will be working with Kurt!
 

yqs100

On the Ice
Joined
May 21, 2009
I thought Kexin was really under-rated. The GOE on some of her elements was held back... particularly her lutz - which actually had a delay, and certain elements like her back camel with her own unique variation. Her overall skating wasn't the cream of the crop, but I always thought she was an elegant skater and a hard worker. In a few competitions, she was the only one (or one of the only ones) to hit a 3-3 combination. In a way, she reminds me of Yan Liu ... has the technical goods but the judges never really thought to reward her for it, along with ho-hum PCS scores.

I have a feeling that she will come back....as Coach Li left the team, probably Kexin will be back after a break~
 

Dreuf

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 12, 2014
I have a feeling that she will come back....as Coach Li left the team, probably Kexin will be back after a break~

Kexin is likely not to come back again, since she has seriously expressed her disgusts of Figure Skating (and any other performing sport) for many times.

She even wanted to retire before 2012/13 season though performed very well at 2012WC, but later she was persuded to take part in the OG as an important experience for an athlete at least. Accordingly after OWG, she won't skate any more.

It is regret that she dislike performance at all, so the departure may be the best choice for her.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Kexin is likely not to come back again, since she has seriously expressed her disgusts of Figure Skating (and any other performing sport) for many times.

She even wanted to retire before 2012/13 season though performed very well at 2012WC, but later she was persuded to take part in the OG as an important experience for an athlete at least. Accordingly after OWG, she won't skate any more.

It is regret that she dislike performance at all, so the departure may be the best choice for her.

I don't blame her. Many times she's been technically superb and not credited for it. And then given incredibly low PCS - I get she's not the most artistic, but her PCS scores could have been a bit higher. Especially when she delivers performances like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqc-PmpRsgA

I would have actually had her 6th ahead of Asada at 2012 Worlds. It's pretty demoralizing when you skate a clean SP and Asada falls on her 3A<< and errs on her 3L, and then you land 6 triples including a 3-3 in the FS and you're still placed behind Asada who does just 2 clean triples. I would certainly be disgusted.

Not to mention, she had a perfect SP in Sochi (3T+3T, 3Z, 2A) and that earned her 14th. :rolleye:
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
Record Breaker
Joined
May 19, 2011
Kexin is likely not to come back again, since she has seriously expressed her disgusts of Figure Skating (and any other performing sport) for many times.

That explains a lot, actually.

I think Kexin had the talent to be one of the top ladies but she is one of the dullest performers I've ever seen. She didn't have a very good poker face b/c her apparent disdain for what she was doing was written all over her performances. If she skated with life or energy I don't doubt her scores would have risen some. Maybe not enough to get her to the top of the podium but, given her relative consistency for a time and technical content, she probably could have landed on a few podiums or at least in the top 5.

She never looked like she wanted to be doing what she was doing. I had no idea she hated it that much but at least now I understand why she always performed so listlessly.
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
Kexin is likely not to come back again, since she has seriously expressed her disgusts of Figure Skating (and any other performing sport) for many times.

She even wanted to retire before 2012/13 season though performed very well at 2012WC, but later she was persuded to take part in the OG as an important experience for an athlete at least. Accordingly after OWG, she won't skate any more.

It is regret that she dislike performance at all, so the departure may be the best choice for her.
:eek: Well, as others said, you could actually see it very well in her performances but... Why was she a figure skater if she hated performing sports? :rolleye::disapp:
 

yqs100

On the Ice
Joined
May 21, 2009
:eek: Well, as others said, you could actually see it very well in her performances but... Why was she a figure skater if she hated performing sports? :rolleye::disapp:

Maybe its not up to her decision,,,, remember in china the Fed is more powerful than the athlete herself.

Plus,,,, if kexin can see this post,,,many fans appreciate her performance,,, maybe will light her flame again!
 

bunnychan

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
:eek: Well, as others said, you could actually see it very well in her performances but... Why was she a figure skater if she hated performing sports? :rolleye::disapp:

I actually have never seen her particularly say she hated performing, just that she didn't enjoy figure skating. Since many Chinese athletes are chosen based on their potential as children, not everyone does end up loving their sport.

And to be fair to her, I thought she looked really good in all of her 2011/2012 programs, especially the LP to the music from "Love, the Magician" with the super quirky outfit. And then her programs the next year might have been really good but she was out with injury and never did well that year. At which point, I feel like any enthusiasm she had gotten from being rewarded for her technical skill in 2011-2012 evaporated, and her programs got more generic, and overall by the end she just cared less and less.

P.S. I just want to say thank you all for all the Kexin love in this tag. I thought I was alone in appreciating her. :)
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
I actually have never seen her particularly say she hated performing, just that she didn't enjoy figure skating. Since many Chinese athletes are chosen based on their potential as children, not everyone does end up loving their sport.

And to be fair to her, I thought she looked really good in all of her 2011/2012 programs, especially the LP to the music from "Love, the Magician" with the super quirky outfit. And then her programs the next year might have been really good but she was out with injury and never did well that year. At which point, I feel like any enthusiasm she had gotten from being rewarded for her technical skill in 2011-2012 evaporated, and her programs got more generic, and overall by the end she just cared less and less.

P.S. I just want to say thank you all for all the Kexin love in this tag. I thought I was alone in appreciating her. :)
No, I did like Kexin a lot, too! :yes:
 

bunnychan

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Sorry, can I squee for one more post? (I promise I'll stop derailing the discussion with Kexin thoughts after this.)

I know she had a lot of places she needed to improve in terms of artistry, but there were definitely a lot of things I thought were good/unique about her:
- Biellman spins were excellent, and donut (horizontal Biellman) spins always looked easy with amazing placement of her free hand
- basically all of her spirals were really graceful. I liked the Y-spirals and Biellman-spirals a lot, but my favorite was her Arabesque spiral.
- she had a very different style (at least earlier on). Nothing against the other ladies, but there tends to be a trend of theming most programs as cutesy/princessy/sexy, and Kexin had a lot of quirky programs and a more mature (?) style. It's hard to explain, but I personally liked the quiet undramatic calm (but when she hadn't just given up) thing she did back in 2011-2012. Since she seems to be retiring, I really hope we'll see that kind of style in other skaters in China and just in general.
 

OS

Sedated by Modonium
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Nice to see Kexin get some love here.

She has good tech and one of the few to have true lutz when she hit it, she also makes an effort to include 2x lutz in her LP including the 3lz3T.
I personally think all Chinese skaters's mark were somewhat repressed and penalized at Sochi, but maybe that is just me.

I really don't like people describe her as dull. She might not be Kaetelyn Osmond, outward 'HERE I AM' smiles and winks, but she has her own subtle grace, it is there if you pay attention.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Not just a true lutz, but a lutz with a DELAY! :bow:

I wouldn't call her dull. But I wouldn't call her remarkable or engaging as many other skaters. Kexin has a quiet confidence, and some beautiful moves.

I actually think her flying camel is one of the loveliest things ever, especially the position where she tucks her arm under her leg.

I agree that she had a more mature style, but she didn't have the "fire" with it, so it might have come across as boring or par for the course at times.

She's also had some nice transitions and good speed. In the SP I posted above, look at the first part of her step sequence... she almost goes the entire length of the ice on one foot. Not many of the men even do that.
 
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