2017-18 State of Russian Ladies skating

[Lily flowers]

You can always like a post and then unlike it

Or you can reply with a thumbs down as a post icon at the top. I chose the lightbulb for this post :think:

Oh my God, considering how petty I can be I would totally do that just to make a point.

 

[Shayuki]

If you count open mouth and some exaggerated gestures (as in the case where she starts the waltz in Anna Karenina) expressiveness yes, I agree she is very expressive.

Well, yes... But that's not the only thing. Watch the Anna Karenina program again, there's plenty of other stuff.

The point is that while she doesn't do all the expressiveness as well as might be possible, she at least does do it... Something essentially no one else does. Compare to a PCS beast like Kostner for example - Medvedeva's far more varied and interesting in this regard. Note, I'm not pretending that she's perfect at this. But she is, hmm, "revolutionary" in her own way. It's not like there is anyone to compare her to. No one else brings what she does at this point in time, like it or not.

 

[madison]

Well, yes... But that's not the only thing. Watch the Anna Karenina program again, there's plenty of other stuff.

The point is that while she doesn't do all the expressiveness as well as might be possible, she at least does do it... Something essentially no one else does.

I told you she's a really hard worker and I really appreciate that.

 

[puremagic]

300th page!

 

[Lily flowers]

Finally you get to celebrate didn’t take as long as I expected

 

[Shayuki]

For a Russian skater who would have stronger choreo'd expression than Medvedeva in the same style, I'm not even sure, hmm... Most would have a dramatic face for dramatic music or just be smiling and happy all the time, actually choreo'd varied facial expressions...

How many are there who can do that well? It's very hard to do convincingly. Medvedeva doesn't manage to do it that convincingly, but at least she does do it...

Well, probably Shcherbakova. She's shown some of that - But not to such an extent. Though, the part in the FS step sequence where she does smile and then frown to the music with the hand movements is very special.

 

[Lily flowers]

In my opinion, I find Zhenya’s expression wonderful. She expresses with her whole body, not just her face. Sure it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I find it very moving. Especially the look on her face at the end of her AK program.

 

[puremagic]

Though, the part in the FS step sequence where she does smile and then frown to the music with the hand movements is very special.

Hope she will have enough time to fully-recover, to be able to compete in August.

 

[Shayuki]

In my opinion, I find Zhenya’s expression wonderful. She expresses with her whole body, not just her face. Sure it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I find it very moving. Especially the look on her face at the end of her AK program.

I really don't agree. I've always found her rather dry inter-wise. Difficult program, nice transitions, beautiful positions with the body... But no musical sense of timing, musical expression, facial expression that I can ever find.

 

[dante]

What artistry? :shocked:

Do you like Beethoven's 9th? Or Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon? Or Jarre's Oxygene? There are no words in either Russian or English to describe this pure and abstract kind of beauty. Any attempt to describe it as "divine" or "unearthly" is a mere acceptance of one's inability to do it. You can't reduce our love for it to our instincts or human evolution. If there is something in this world capable to shake my materialism, it is the pure beauty like in these pieces of music.

And in Evgenia's skating.

I'm puzzled by the fact that everyone is still trying to pick out some specific artistic images in her skating, or some specific passions, or references. You don't need to spoil this art with everyday fuss. This open mouth or these arm movements don't need to mean something, it's enough what she expresses as a whole. I'm afraid even Averbukh himself didn't understand it yet, but even his programs can't spoil the skating of the girl who sometimes seems to be older and wiser than anyone around her, including her coaches.

 

[madison]

Do you like Beethoven's 9th? Or Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon? Or Jarre's Oxygene? There are no words in either Russian or English to describe this pure and abstract kind of beauty. Any attempt to describe it as "divine" or "unearthly" is a mere acceptance of one's inability to do it. You can't reduce our love for it to our instincts or human evolution. If there is something in this world capable to shake my materialism, it is the pure beauty like in these pieces of music.

And in Evgenia's skating.

I'm puzzled by the fact that everyone is still trying to pick out some specific artistic images in her skating, or some specific passions, or references. You don't need to spoil this art with everyday fuss. This open mouth or these arm movements don't need to mean something, it's enough what she expresses as a whole. I'm afraid even Averbukh himself didn't understand it yet, but even his programs can't spoil the skating of the girl who sometimes seems to be older and wiser than anyone around her, including her coaches.

Look, for example, at this GPF I found divine Savchenko/Massot free program. I watched it and again watched it and it's unearthly indeed.
And there are some others programs like that of course, I would not name them here.
But in Medvedeva's case, I didn't feel once the same... none of her programs made me say:
it's divine and I want to watch it again and again.

 

[dante]

Every soul has its own strings.

 

[Shayuki]

Look, for example, at this GPF I found divine Savchenko/Massot free program. I watched it and again watched it and it's unearthly indeed.
And there are some others programs like that of course, I would not name them here.
But in Medvedeva's case, I didn't feel once the same... none of her programs made me say:
it's divine and I want to watch it again and again.

Well, I don't disagree in this regard. I might rewatch a skate by Medvedeva once or twice. But she doesn't make me want to repeatedly watch a performance until I can remember every single detail and predict whenever everything happens and exactly how, at which point rewatching becomes pretty boring for me. But really, it very rarely happens for me these days. Yuzuru Hanyu's 2015 GPF performance did that, for example. And Anna Shcherbakova's last season's FS does that. That's all. Thank you to some pre-juniors for giving me just a few programs that I feel like rewatching so I don't have to go through every single Anna Shcherbakova skate every time when I want to rewatch figure skating.

I think it's accurate that the pair disciplines are in a stronger state right now. It's too bad that I'm not really that into them as concepts. At least Ladies skating is in a better shape than Men.

Hope she will have enough time to fully-recover, to be able to compete in August.

Yeah... Kind of holding out hope that we get to see her competing somewhere this season but I'm trying to make myself accept that that's very unlikely at this point. Well, at least she'll come out of nowhere to the general JGP audience.

 

[silverfoxes]

So, only two competitions before the Russian Nationals 2018:

Istanbul Bosphorous Cup, 12-16 dec
Grand Prix of Bratislava, 15-17 dec

Maybe at one of those events we will see Katia Kurakova. Especially in Bratislava, because there are only Juniors and Novices.

I doubt it since she is going to be starring in Averbukh's Alice in Wonderland ice show. Her next competition is supposed to be Junior Nationals, according to him.

 

[tars]

Check out this glide! :yes:

(notice how tired she is in the end)

 

[Lily flowers]

I really don't agree. I've always found her rather dry inter-wise. Difficult program, nice transitions, beautiful positions with the body... But no musical sense of timing, musical expression, facial expression that I can ever find.

Well I guess it is what it is. That’s why I added “in my opinion”, I’m not stating it as a fact. But my view on her expression remains.

 

[russianfan]

I have a challenge for you guys....if the tech caller were ultra strict at the Olys for URs, which skater will lose more points, Med or Zagi?

I think it would be equal, Evgenia sometimes has unclear edge, Alina sometimes tend to underrotate her 3Lo in combo. Other than that i don't see any serious problems there.


By the way i find it strange that Kostornaya's programs have less amount of views than Trusova. I find Alena's programs very enjoyable and rewatchable, there is a lot of incredible moments from both artistical and skating perspectives. She is mesmeric on the ice and this is a very rare skill in figure skating.

 

[Shayuki]

I think it would be equal, Evgenia sometimes has unclear edge, Alina sometimes tend to underrotate her 3Lo in combo. Other than that i don't see any serious problems there.

By the way i find it strange that Kostornaya's programs have less amount of views than Trusova. I find Alena's programs very enjoyable, there is a lot of incredible moments from both artistical and skating perspectives. She is mesmeric on the ice and this is a very rare skill in figure skating.

Hmm, yeah. I don't really feel a lot of incentive to rewatch Trusova's programs. She's improved in it but the musicality and artistry isn't quite there. She doesn't have that... hmm, I find it tough to explain. In fact, that video with both Shcherbakova and Trusova dancing shows quite clearly what she lacks / Shcherbakova has. Decisiveness, throwing your entire being into every movement? I'm not sure how to describe it.

(This one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqnUPRC5ewo )

 

[[email protected]]

How is Scherbakova doing these days? Any hope to see her this season?

 

[Shayuki]

How is Scherbakova doing these days? Any hope to see her this season?

Apparently she's been able to train some triple jumps but I too would like to know some more. Almost no updates after there being frequent ones in October.