Which Sasha? Fiery/Attitude or Graceful/Beautiful? | Golden Skate

Which Sasha? Fiery/Attitude or Graceful/Beautiful?

lil_icesk8er915

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Lately I can't decide which Sasha I like better! The fiery, competitive Sasha that we saw in her Malaguena program, or the "Porcelain Doll" graceful, beautiful Sasha that we saw in her Swan Lake program?

I think that both sides of her are equally strong! I don't think either one is better than the other, and I like both equally the same! What about all of you, which side do you like better and which side do you think is stronger?
 

Fossi

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
I think her attitude shines through the most. It's what she is known for having.
I didn't really like her Swan Lake program except for at the cheesefests when the pressure was off for her. That's really the only time I've ever seen her be graceful
 

Peggy

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 13, 2004
Sasha is stunning no matter what music she skates to. Swan Lake was beautiful, Romeo and Juliet was magic, and Malaguena was stunning and exciting. I love to watch her skate and she is wonderful no matter what the music is.
Other skaters do nice work too but Sasha has a God given gift that is heavenly to watch.
 

BronzeisGolden

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I'd have to say I definitely prefer the fiery/determined Sasha. My biggest complaint about her was that she never really seemed to showcase genuine emotion...it was more like she was going through the motions (although they were beautifully executed motions!). "Malaguena" was a huge step in the right direction and her 2004 Worlds performance of that program was awesome. She looked great as always and was stunning in so many positions...but she also added to that a lot of feeling and that made her stand out. She truly let it go and I haven't seen her do that very often. I sometimes feel the same about Michelle. She and Sasha are always beautiful to watch because they do everything so well, but without the fire/passion they can sometimes appear flat. I guess by being so good, people expect that much more from you....and I think that is a great compliment (if not sometimes a lot to live up to).
 

Chrystia Mee

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 31, 2004
lil_icesk8er915 said:
Lately I can't decide which Sasha I like better! The fiery, competitive Sasha that we saw in her Malaguena program, or the "Porcelain Doll" graceful, beautiful Sasha that we saw in her Swan Lake program?

I think that both sides of her are equally strong! I don't think either one is better than the other, and I like both equally the same! What about all of you, which side do you like better and which side do you think is stronger?


I definitely prefer Sasha as the fiery competitor. So I admit I'm disappointed in her music choices for this upcoming season. When Sasha has fiery music it shows in her eyes and in her skating. She is much stronger and that's what made her sp at Worlds so great. It fits her emotions as a competitor. Whereas in her slower elegant peices I think are a large part of the reason she's struggled with delivering clean lp's. The slow music restrains her competitive spirit because she's trying to be so graceful and soft with the music instead of letting her release it and deliver. And because she's so focused on her program and the music doesn't let her just let it out she starts thinking and she falls. I'm not thrilled with her choices this season but I hope she skates well nonetheless.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
Generally speaking I like Sasha as a fiery competitor, but would wish that she would not feel too fiery. I mean the way she was in the first minute of her LP in Dortmund. I hope she finds the right balance that works for her in competitions.

About her programmes, I would just say that Sasha is fortunate as she is able to interpret so many different kinds of music. I have aways prefered to watch skaters that are versatile.

Marjaana
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Fiery/Attitude definitely. She is a bravura ballerina and that is her forte.. Swan Lake btw, was a bravura piece of music, although she included a lyrical passage in her program, the Grand Pas de Deux of the Black Swan. It did not, for me, have the spark that most of the music had..

Malaguena, of course is just what she does best, and Dark Eyes will follow in that mode. She'll be ready for high scores this season with DE.

Just my opinion.

Joe
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
IMHO, Sasha Cohen needs to stop thinking so much during her program and just rely on muscle memory. She has the skills and talent to perform gorgeous programs, yet she always makes several major mistakes and misses winning major championships.

At last year's US Nationals, Dick Button made a comment (to paraphrase) that Cohen always looks angry and/or frightened when she skates and needs to relax and just let it go. I totally agree.
 

swannanoa54

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
I like her fiery attitude. Absolutely! I don't think romantic, soft or lyrical melodies suit her because she is such an outgoing, fiery person herself. She needs music that has pulsating rhythms not things like the Pas de Deux from the Nutcracker which is repetitive.

But I will enjoy whatever she skates to just as long as SHE enjoys it and it shows on her face. Swan Lake did not do that for her and I fear this won't either. Dark Eyes - well, I'll wait on that one. Until Sasha can lose herself in the music (as she did in both seasons that she used Malaguena), her emotions will always looked somewhat forced to me.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Just to be contrary, I'll vote for the beautiful, lyrical Sasha. To me, this side of her skating is just as genuine and heartfelt as her fiery, competitive side.

Mathman
 

berthes ghost

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
lil_icesk8er915 said:
Lately I can't decide which Sasha I like better! The fiery, competitive Sasha that we saw in her Malaguena program, or the "Porcelain Doll" graceful, beautiful Sasha that we saw in her Swan Lake program?
:confused: :( I have no idea what you guys are all talking about. I've seen two Sasha's skate live. Dortmund SP was a great example of lively Sasha who skates with vest and conviction. Dortmund LP was a great example of scared, nervous Sasha who is deperately trying to skate clean so she can win, but forgets to put any other emotion in her program. Lyrical Sasha? Never met her.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Here's my take on it (all IMO of course):

I think the former, "fiery", "determined", "aggressive" suits her better, because that's how she comes across, and that's her skating style. If she skates to anything else (such as an emotional song) she has to "force" her expressions. I think the key here is it isn't her style. She comes across to me a little too "cold" to really pull it off in my eyes. I don't think conveying emotion is her strong suit. That's Kwan's territory (well, sometimes :laugh: ).

However, I think she CAN look great doing a slower song (R&J comes to my mind here). It's the fiery, aggressive tone though that sells her most.

Just my 2 cents.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
berthes ghost said:
:confused: :( I have no idea what you guys are all talking about. I've seen two Sasha's skate live. Dortmund SP was a great example of lively Sasha who skates with vest and conviction. Dortmund LP was a great example of scared, nervous Sasha who is deperately trying to skate clean so she can win, but forgets to put any other emotion in her program. Lyrical Sasha? Never met her.

I would say that Sasha was not scared, she was way too strongly fiery, with a too strong will to do her skating perfectly. She approached her two first jumps (supposed to be combinations?) with such attack, that she got them only as single triple. She still has to find the right balance to work for her in competitions.

About lyrical Sasha, I seem to remember some piano music (?) that she skated to in US Nationals years ago? As far as I remember that was a lyrical Sasha and that was what won me over to become a fan.

Marjaana
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Jaana said:
About lyrical Sasha, I seem to remember some piano music (?) that she skated to in US Nationals years ago? As far as I remember that was a lyrical Sasha and that was what won me over to become a fan. Marjaana

It may have been a lyrical piece of music but that doesn't mean it was well skated. If a dancer or a skater are accenting their technique, they are attempting to be virtuosos. If a skater is involved with the flow of the music rather than the tricks they are attempting lyricism.

Nothing wrong with being a virtuoso or a lyrical skater. In Sasha's case I believe the virtuoso path is the way to go. It's also the path that gets audience reaction and that can have some influence in the judging. Bebe Liang is another example of virtuouso skating.

Other than MK, Yukina Ota is easily seen as a lyrical skater. The skating becomes part of the music rather than the tricks. Muscle memory is very important for this type of skater because some lyrical skaters get lost in the music and they falter on difficult tricks.

After Aranjuez, I now believe MK is both lyrical and virtuoso. She is what we call in ballet, a Prima Ballerina Assoluta.

The lyricism in Sasha's skating for me is fair to midlin. That will improve in time but for now she remains, imo, the top virtuoso in figure skating.

Joe
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
Joesitz said:
It may have been a lyrical piece of music but that doesn't mean it was well skated. If a dancer or a skater are accenting their technique, they are attempting to be virtuosos. If a skater is involved with the flow of the music rather than the tricks they are attempting lyricism.

Joe

Oh, I would say that that Sasha´s short programme (a few years ago) was just wonderfully skated and interpreted. Definetely she was involved with the flow of the music. Hmm, about tricks and skaters, that is again one of those things depending on the eye of the beholder, LOL.

Marjaana
 

berthes ghost

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
Jaana said:
About lyrical Sasha, I seem to remember some piano music (?) that she skated to in US Nationals years ago? As far as I remember that was a lyrical Sasha and that was what won me over to become a fan.
I don't know the 1st thing about music, which is why MKF and GSF are so informative for me, there are a lot of musicians on both boards.

Jaana, did you mean "My Sweet and Tender Beast" By Doga SP from 00-01 and 01-02, or "Violin Concerto" By Mendelsson LP from 99-00, or "Barouqe Selections" By Vivaldi & Albinoni SP from 99-00? None seemed especially lyrical to me, except the Doga piece.

I tend to agree with Joe. I think that the "bravura" he speaks of is the same thing people talk about when they keep complaining that Sasha's delivery is too "ta da!" or "Hey everyone, look at me!" . I'm not saying that it's a bad thing that she's not "soft", I just think that either she's on or she not, but either way it's always meant as a more firery interpretation.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
berthes ghost said:
I don't know the 1st thing about music, which is why MKF and GSF are so informative for me, there are a lot of musicians on both boards.

Jaana, did you mean "My Sweet and Tender Beast" By Doga SP from 00-01 and 01-02, or "Violin Concerto" By Mendelsson LP from 99-00, or "Barouqe Selections" By Vivaldi & Albinoni SP from 99-00? None seemed especially lyrical to me, except the Doga piece.

I don´t remember what it was called, it just remained in my mind as a beautiful and lyrical performance. She may have had a white costume and it definetely was a short programme. Sasha got silver medal in US nationals that year, I believe. As far as I remember she won with that short programme over Kwan. Next season she was injured and did not participate in US Nationals.

Marjaana
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Jaana said:
Oh, I would say that that Sasha´s short programme (a few years ago) was just wonderfully skated and interpreted. Definetely she was involved with the flow of the music. Hmm, about tricks and skaters, that is again one of those things depending on the eye of the beholder, LOL. Marjaana

I don't remember the skate but if she did have a one time fling with lyrical passages, I haven't seen it. Her R&J was strictly by the numbers for me.

Tricks and skaters are not dependent on the eye of the beholder. Tricks are evaluated, and with crisp definition accomplished they are virtuostic (is that a word?).

In the dance world, the ballerina who executes her tricks brilliantly is called a bravura ballerina. She is the very essence of Russian Ballet. The ballerina who flows with the music and understates the difficulty of the tricks is a lyric ballerina. She is the essence of Italian Ballet.

There is nothing wrong with either style but I notice that some fans of SC get so worked up over others calling her a non lyric skater. Sasha's vituosity is a credit to hard work and deserving of praise. Her lyricism will come later in her career. Just moving arms in a ballet like fashion does not make a lyric skater. A skater must execute her tricks without fanfare and flow flow flow inside the music.

A lyric skater gets a huge applause after he/she completes his/her program while a bravura skaters gets 'wows' during the program.

Joe
 
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