Underappreciated programs | Page 4 | Golden Skate

Underappreciated programs

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
This was a LONG time ago, but I always loved this program. Angela Nikodinov 1997 Nationals. I thought she should have been at LEAST third in the LP, maybe even beating Bobek. I was in the audience here, and no one seemed to get into this program, and I'm looking around wondering "She's wonderful! What am I seeing that no one else is???" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7qKyUKtxoU
 

labgoat

I have no words
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Country
United-States
This was a LONG time ago, but I always loved this program. Angela Nikodinov 1997 Nationals. I thought she should have been at LEAST third in the LP, maybe even beating Bobek. I was in the audience here, and no one seemed to get into this program, and I'm looking around wondering "She's wonderful! What am I seeing that no one else is???" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7qKyUKtxoU

You are not alone I liked it too. She was Cinderella before the ball. Quiet and elegant, her technique was in good order. Subtlety isn't always appreciated in skating. Often the loudest, most attention grabbing skates win out over quiet elegance.
 

layman

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
I would put any program Emanuel Sandhu ever skated in this category. His genius was never appreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW4wjEV_q9w

Similarly, I would put any program that the Duchesnays ever skated in this category. The judges never "got" the Duchesnays and failed to reward their genius. The couple were way ahead of their time. I think that skating fans and other skaters were more appreciative but unfortunately we don't give out the marks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bO1mBvQP-o

Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev suffered a similar fate...ignored and underappreciated by the judges but always fan favorites. I savored their line and extension, the way they expressed music through their whole bodies, the maturity of their movement...I miss these qualities so much. I put every program they ever skated in the underappreciated category.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJxPgT15_hA

I would also add Michelle Kwan's "Miraculous Mandarin" program (to the underappreciated category). I consider it as her "lost" masterpiece because she only skated the program once, at the Grand Prix Final, the year that the competitors were required to have two different free-skates. Everyone else recycled the previous year's freeskate for their second freeskate but Michelle had an entirely original freeskate choreographed for this one competition. I wish that we had gotten a chance to see the program again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JgjgI2IBmk

I would put Michelle Kwan's "Dream of Desdemona" (short) program in the underappreciated category as well. That was the year Michelle struggled to defend her National and World titles and Tara Lipinski beat her at those Championships. Michelle may have (temporarily) lost her jumps that season but that program was so beautiful and moving but is rarely remembered today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtveDWakMFQ

I would also add Johnny Weir's (short) program "Valse triste." That was one of my favorite pieces of Tatiana Tarasova choreography.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRPwU8JjKww

Speaking of Tarasova, I loved the (short) program "Caravan" that she choreographed for Surya Bonaly. That was the (famous) year that Surya performed the (illegal) backflip at the Olympics and the "Caravan" program was lost in all the controversy. I find it one of the finest programs I have ever seen anyone perform and I was tickled that Nathan Chen used the same music for his (successful) version last season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbhKlV_29ww

Keeping with Tarasova, I thought the program she choreographed for Grishuk and Platov, "Memorial" with music by Michael Nyman, was underappreciated. Everyone got caught up in the scoring controversy at the Olympics and failed to appreciate the brilliance and difficulty of that program.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toZS4XzXPME

I found Ryan Jankhe's "Samba" program a breath of fresh air and a masterpiece. I thought he would win everything in sight with that program but the judges did not agree with me. Very underappreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbzfIXTm0Mw

Caroline Zhang's 2007 program "Meditation de Thais" took my breath away but I don't think the genius of that program was ever fully appreciated by the American skating public. Needless to say, I have never seen (either before or after) such a young skater, perform with so much artistic inspiration and musical understanding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSr9lNt7K8M

Lu Chen's SP set to Brubeck's "Take Five" was just spectacular but she was coming off an injury that season, missed the entire season prior to World's, missed all her jumps in the program and failed to qualify to skate her Long Program. That was the beginning and end of her season, that one Short Program. Her season was so brief that I don't think the genius of that program was ever fully appreciated. Lulu only skated "Take Five" that one time and I was sad that I never got to enjoy the program again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAfAbSWCPo0

I don't think Sarah Hughes' "La Bayadere" program was ever fully appreciated. She was struggling with injury and motivation that season (she had won the Olympics the previous season), but the choreography was so beautiful. I miss the incredible extension, the long lines in her skating, the way she skated deep in her knees, her speed and gorgeous musical expression and flow and the way she held her (perfect) spin positions and spiral positions forever, long enough to create a complete artistic impression. Many forget that Sarah skated another season after her Olympic Victory and I consider that season's programs overlooked and underappreciated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuc1FTi_Awg
 
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