2010-2011 Programs by Discipline | Page 30 | Golden Skate

2010-2011 Programs by Discipline

Not a fan of Suzuki's new LP. It's too obviously structured towards being all about the points. I don't see much choreography there. :frown:

Nice program for Savchenko/Szolkowy, although I wonder if they will be able to get that sbs spin coordinated. Side-by-side illusions is tough.

I've noticed a couple other programs that have included illusion spins. Did the ISU take my recommendation and change the rules so it counts as a difficult variation? I wasn't told about this if they did!
 
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Suzuki looks so fit and quite polished. I think she has the "It " factor. I always feel like skating after I watch her.
Im not sure about S/S The throw is awesome, but the rest seemed so so. It is so hard to really tell on you tube videos. I cant wait for Universal sports. I have a big screen and you can really see the skaters up close!
 
Not a fan of Suzuki's new LP. It's too obviously structured towards being all about the points. I don't see much choreography there. :frown:

Really? I think Akiko's program has a lot more choreography than most of the programs we've seen this year thus far...

There's definitely at least decent amount of chroeography, for the first minute or so, and from the step sequence on. And she's incorporating more choreography between jumps (remember last year's West Side Story FS, despite the energy, had a huge amount of telegraphing of jumps; she still does it, but it's cut down a lot and there's actually movements between jumps). I like her LP a lot. I'm particuarly partial to the step sequence (obviously) and :48 to :57 (that snap at the end... haha)
 
Really? I think Akiko's program has a lot more choreography than most of the programs we've seen this year thus far...

There's definitely at least decent amount of chroeography, for the first minute or so, and from the step sequence on. And she's incorporating more choreography between jumps (remember last year's West Side Story FS, despite the energy, had a huge amount of telegraphing of jumps; she still does it, but it's cut down a lot and there's actually movements between jumps). I like her LP a lot. I'm particuarly partial to the step sequence (obviously) and :48 to :57 (that snap at the end... haha)

Of the LP's I have seen so far this season I think I enjoyed Akiko's the most.
Maybe I like the spirit Akiko skates with - and we have to remember these programs are not necessarily being skated the way they will be skated at Worlds, or even Natls. Changes will be made , choreo added, more TR, etc.

I am glad Akiko returned as she is one of the skaters who at times can lift my spirits. Her "West Side Story" from last season was one of my favorites and her performance at the GPF was one of the years best.
 
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Apparently there was some issues with the music for S/S's program (wrong cut was played or something), so that might explain the lack of spin synchronization, though that's never been one of their strong suits. Russian folk is overdone, but they are doing it quite well and the choreography is good as always.

And that throw was amazing!
 
Really? I think Akiko's program has a lot more choreography than most of the programs we've seen this year thus far...

There's definitely at least decent amount of chroeography, for the first minute or so, and from the step sequence on. And she's incorporating more choreography between jumps (remember last year's West Side Story FS, despite the energy, had a huge amount of telegraphing of jumps; she still does it, but it's cut down a lot and there's actually movements between jumps). I like her LP a lot. I'm particuarly partial to the step sequence (obviously) and :48 to :57 (that snap at the end... haha)

The step sequence is one of the areas where the program annoys me (after the first part anyway, which was good). It starts travelling significantly back in the direction it started, cramming in extra steps and turns, which is one of the ways CoP has tried its best to ruin the flow of footwork sequences.

The other major CoP problem with the program is how she holds spin positions out for 8+ revolutions in every damn spin because the new rules have cut down the number of ways you can achieve levels...except for this way (every program this year has skaters annoyingly doing this). I counted 11 revolutions in the first part of Suzuki's flying camel spin here, which was 11 revolutions of staying in the same position before she went on to add two "difficult variations" to the spin and further detract from the feeling of the music. Unless you are spinning with incredible speed, or unless the music specifically calls for it (rare), that gets seriously repetitive.

I don't agree there is more movement between the jumps in this program than there was in her West Side Story program, nor do I see shorter preparations for any of the jumps. I don't believe it's inherently great choreography to try and cram transitions before as many jumps as possible anyway, although she could telegraph a little less. Since Suzuki is spending more time spinning in this program, it's (all things being about equal) pretty much mathematically impossible for this program to have more choreography. When you are forced to spend so much time executing technical elements in order to adhere to poorly conceived rules, you have less time to actually skate.

All that said, the basic problem with the program is that her choreography isn't nearly as evocative as it was for West Side Story. I saw a lot of willowy arm movements here, which isn't what this music needs. She did have some cute moments but overall the program doesn't have a strong flavor or build to something great.

Oh, one more thing...why oh why are girls still often doing ugly catch-foot spiral positions even though the rules no longer require them?!? Get that out of there Suzuki!
 
Not that I've analyzed Akiko's LP the way BOP has but I have to say that I had the exact same initial thought upon watching it: the choreo was just sort of there. I enjoyed it because she was pretty clean and I just really like her skating but I remember thinking, hmm this could be to ANY music.
 
Although I enjoyed Akiko's new LP debuted at Finlandia a lot, I do agree that there is a lot to be improved presentation / interpretation-wise. I would like to see her express the nuances of the music, emotions contained within it, (sometimes subtle) changes of tones, more clearly through her skate. But the season has just started and I am happy to wait and see. Spins are obviously her weak point - she can get levels but presentation-wise there's a lot to be wished for - but that's her and as always, not many skaters are perfect.

For those who are interested, she told in one of her interviews - when she went to Pasquale for her new LP, he originally proposed something more obviously 'danceable' (as we know she can really 'dance' to music), but she asked for a 'story-telling' programme instead, a bit like what Pasquale created for Takahashi last season. And she finds it a real challenge, which she's willing to take. I'm sure she's still working on it.

Compared to WSS, which was a collection of really catchy and well-known tunes, this programme perhaps needs connection with the music at deeper-level, in order to communicate the programme to the audience. It takes time and more practice to achieve that, I reckon. Hence, I'll wait to see - and I am full of expectations.

For Akko (as she is fondly known in her home country) the dancer, her new EX is fun, cool and exciting, and really shows off her ability to dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yka_pEfAPn4
 
Ah! One more thing - talking about Finlandia Trophy, I really liked Kiira's SP. It suits her style and brings out and plays to her strength. Shae-Lynn is always so good at it.
 
Not a fan of Suzuki's new LP. It's too obviously structured towards being all about the points. I don't see much choreography there. :frown:

Nice program for Savchenko/Szolkowy, although I wonder if they will be able to get that sbs spin coordinated. Side-by-side illusions is tough.

I've noticed a couple other programs that have included illusion spins. Did the ISU take my recommendation and change the rules so it counts as a difficult variation? I wasn't told about this if they did!

I feel the complete opposite of your regarding Akiko's program.....I love it and really think she's one of the most expressive skaters!!!!!
 
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