2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating | Page 1031 | Golden Skate

2020-21 Russian Ladies' Figure Skating

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On one hand I love it too, but on the other... can you imagine how iconic it would be if she skated something like Game of Survival? I love Sasha (I think one can clearly tell) but I feel like in the romantic style, there are skaters who are a bit better naturally, like Anna or Mai or Marin or Eunsoo, and she'd be just a bit buried if she went for an elegant program. But if she went for something epic and powerful? Very few ladies can be as powerful as she was when she was fourteen in the Kill Bill SP!
I don't think so. In my opinion, Trusova's best program by far is Big Spender from 17-18. Not age appropriate, yes yes I know, but I still don't think any program of hers has come close. For one reason or another, they seem to like giving her big epic music when I think it suits her very poorly, it makes her seem distant.
 
It's funny, I just went and re-watched both the Big Spender from the 2018 JWC and the Kill Bill from the 2018 JGP in Kaunas. I got the Ted commentary for the latter one and the first thing he says when Sasha is done is that coaches want to give skaters a range of different styles over the course of the skater's development, for the very sake of the skater's development.

And that comment could apply to this year's SP.

Next year during the Olympic year why not give her one program that is "sassy" like Big Spender and one program that is "epic" like Kill Bill or Game of Thrones?

One thing both those early programs have in common: big jumps hitting at significant moments in the music. Not that that is uncommon in figure skating, but in those two programs it is very deliberately timed and very conspicuous. The 3Lz on the final chord of the first musical section of Big Spender, the 3Lz+3Lo when the brass hits and the drums start in Kill Bill. (OK, probably fake brass, but whatever.)

Although I have to admit I'm kind of seeing something of this "distance" that Shayuki mentions. Not sure how to come to terms with that...
 
Big agree that upbeat fun music seems to suit Sasha best. Of course this doesn't take into account that it's been three years since Big Spender, she isn't a 'kid' anymore and maybe her taste has changed since then, but based on what we've seen from her, she does great with fun jazzy pieces!

I think they tend to give Sasha dark, dramatic, 'epic' pieces, which isn't bad music at all and I generally find it more interesting than the typical softer/lyrical type of expression - but based on her level of performance in those pieces, I don't think that particularly suits her. I think those pieces are given to her more because of her branding as a quad queen, leader of the quad revolution, one of the men etc. But based on what might suit her artistically, I don't really see it. There are a few moments that do hit, like the cantilever in Game of Survival, or the 3Lz+3Lo combo in Kill Bill (and the cantilever into the layback!), but I can't say that she really expresses powerful, epic music outside of very specific moments, which are usually just singular elements or movements that could really just be attributed to the choreography, not the execution of it.

I think one reason why Unstoppable was really well-liked by everyone (I think it has millions of views on Youtube, far more than any of her competitive programs, though part of that owes to the Youtube algorithm boosting that video) was because it really struck the middle ground between upbeat/fun and dramatic/bad-ss. (I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say that on this forum and I'm not taking any chances.) Unstoppable gave her the opportunity to show off her power and strength and stamina, while also letting her just have fun and smile and perform and even be silly at certain times. And I think that suited her performance strengths really, really well. If you look at the comments, people are in love with how easy it all is to her. People love how much talent she has and how much fun she has showing it off. And in my opinion, at least part of that is because of how happy she looks throughout that program.

Even Sasha's resting face seems to be a :-D. She never seems to stop smiling. And I really wish they would capitalise on that more instead of giving her heavy, powerful music just because of her branding.

As for the lyrical pieces she's had recently, namely Appassionata and the middle of her R&J, I don't necessarily think they 'suit' her but I'm glad she did them. You can tell that she's been working hard on being more fluid and graceful and moving well with the music, and having to practise those programs that often for a whole season has really made a difference on her. And I get the impression that Sasha likes that softer image for herself, maybe to prove that she can be artistic and that's what art is to her, maybe to show she's grown up, maybe because she just likes that kind of music, I don't know - but if she likes it, I'm glad she's doing it. I just hope we can see a happy upbeat performance from Sasha at some point, because she really does perform those pieces well.
 
I think one reason why Unstoppable was really well-liked by everyone (I think it has millions of views on Youtube, far more than any of her competitive programs, though part of that owes to the Youtube algorithm boosting that video) was because it really struck the middle ground between upbeat/fun and dramatic/bad-ss.
Big agree with your entire post ! Glad you brought up the idea of swaying between fun and bad*ss, because I will not stop saying Play Destroy would be a perfect match for Sasha, and my biggest absolutely unrealistic wish would be this song as her Olympic SP along with a soft, blues/jazzy piece as a FS :love2: A girl can have dreams xD

I would definitely approve they do something with Game of Survival though, the song is cool. But I really wish they went for a piece where she can show how bubbly and smiley she is too.

Also, since she's the Queen of Quads, and will probably go for a five quads free... why not skate to The Queen's Gambit ? Wouldn't that be absolutely epic ? :cheer::cheer::cheer:
 
I think one reason why Unstoppable was really well-liked by everyone (I think it has millions of views on Youtube, far more than any of her competitive programs, though part of that owes to the Youtube algorithm boosting that video) was because it really struck the middle ground between upbeat/fun and dramatic/bad-ss. (I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say that on this forum and I'm not taking any chances.) Unstoppable gave her the opportunity to show off her power and strength and stamina, while also letting her just have fun and smile and perform and even be silly at certain times. And I think that suited her performance strengths really, really well. If you look at the comments, people are in love with how easy it all is to her. People love how much talent she has and how much fun she has showing it off. And in my opinion, at least part of that is because of how happy she looks throughout that program.

Even Sasha's resting face seems to be a :-D. She never seems to stop smiling. And I really wish they would capitalise on that more instead of giving her heavy, powerful music just because of her branding.

As soon as I wrote my last post I was thinking of Unstoppable and wondering how to categorize it. Not "epic" or "serious" but certainly "powerful" (to use the word that I think Triple Axel Queens used). I agree it hits a kind of middle ground. And she definitely doesn't seem "distant" in that performance. But she's not really smiling in it, is she? But she definitely seems happy.


As for the lyrical pieces she's had recently, namely Appassionata and the middle of her R&J, I don't necessarily think they 'suit' her but I'm glad she did them. You can tell that she's been working hard on being more fluid and graceful and moving well with the music, and having to practise those programs that often for a whole season has really made a difference on her. And I get the impression that Sasha likes that softer image for herself, maybe to prove that she can be artistic and that's what art is to her, maybe to show she's grown up, maybe because she just likes that kind of music, I don't know - but if she likes it, I'm glad she's doing it. I just hope we can see a happy upbeat performance from Sasha at some point, because she really does perform those pieces well.

You know, there is one way in which Sasha has been graceful for a long time: I think people underrate her laybacks.
 
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In other words, that SP doesn't suit her at all.
Exactly. She ends up being a poor imitation of Kamila, Anna and Aloina. She has a masculine style that I've always loved, I wish she would embrace that and go back to things like "Kill Bill" and GOT.
 
Kill Bill and GoT were so poorly performed, especially GoT, I don't understand how people like them. Big spender is my favourite interpretation, and I liked her 4 seasons FS too, but her interpretation in her new programs is still better than her interpretation of the programs in seasons 2018/19 and 2019/20.
 
If Sasha kept the same SP, I think it would become stale. She should ride the wave and push with an emotional program like this but not necessarily romantic. Sasha being praised for this new style is exactly why she needs to give more. Even if Sasha performed Yuna-James Bond or Anna-Perfume style well (which would suit her too IMO), judges will never give her good PCS for it. Something like Daria's SP this year is what she should do - ironic. Or emotional and upbeat could be like River Flows in You.

Also the pink dress ended up being so much better than the unfitting green one, which made her look sloppy. I thought the green one looked good at the time, but the new one makes her more mature.

EDIT: I'm really liking something like Kung Fu Piano for her too.
 
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Big Spender is amazing, and she seems like she's having so much fun with it, it's just like Yulia's 2016 rusnats SP, I always go to it when I feel sad or bummed 💜 Kill Bill was nicely choreographed, and I like her interpretation, it's more subtle than Big Spender but she definitely is interpreting the character.

I'm not a fan of her Fifth Element, the costume plays a big part into that ^^' Didn't much like her SP last season either, it was kinda okay but to me it highlighted more of her weaknesses than her strenghts.

GOT really just feels like a waste of potential to me, the music choices had barely anything to do with Daenerys and were totally anticlimatic. I honestly don't see how better she could have performed it, there wasn't really a story to interpret. I hope someday she does another GOT program with her improved artistry, and a better music selection and choreo, she can truly rock it.

Her programs this year are good I think, they helped her try new things and improve a lot. I do hope she doesn't keep them for next year though, because I like novelty (except for Kaori's Matrix, that one I will never get tired of. ever.)
 
And I think Alyona still has that chance so long as she works for it. I don't even think the 3A is necessary, just more work on stamina and steps will already make her one of the most artistic skaters of this era.
Hmm, I don't think so. Besides, Aliona's 3A was not just this valuable element that brought extra points. As performed by Aliona, It became the eighth wonder of the world. The height and distance traveled were awe-inspiring! I haven't seen such a jump in men.

No, there was one skater whose axel was just as spectacular - Robin Cousins. https://youtu.be/MyNfo9JU9-s?t=133
 
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It's going to be United credible Olympic season and let's hope covid19 goes the hell away.

The TSL guys say the PA charges to alyona were $560000. Lol. I don't believe that but why not shoot for the moon if you are Yana?

I think Sunday is a-day off at TT so I hope alyona enjoyed her day off because this is going to be a tough week for her she's going to have to get back into TT type shape.

This is crazy 😱 but I know it costs a lot to break a contract and we don’t know the clauses.
 
Tsiskaridze was a great dancer (nice feet and all, my former ballet teacher loves him) but his involvement in Bolshoi politics turns me off a bit. The whole thing with the acid attack on Filin and Tsiskaridze made to go on quasi-leave because the defendant was in 'his' political faction, resulting in Asylmuratova being kicked out and replaced by him at Vaganova by order of the government... I guess if he wanted to ever venture into figure skating choreo, at least he's cut his teeth on the real drama that is Russian ballet 😅

This article might be a bit biased (Ratmansky/Filin/Lunkina/Osipova were on the opposite 'faction' to Tsiskaridze) but shows early indications of the atmosphere leading up to that mess: https://theartsdesk.com/dance/how-ratmansky-exited-bolshoi-flames
It's also interesting if you want to know more about historical reconstruction of ballet (something that Ratmansky is known for).
Yes, there was a whole campaign of vilification of him, well prepared, with photos of him made-up as Rothbart (the only part where I don't find him convincing, by the way)!
A spoiler hide because it is really becoming out-of-topic, though it may help put the figure skating "Russian drama" into perspective.
I followed it more closely and while I was somehow sorry that preservation of his sanity forbade him to mentally switch Sergei Filin from the bully category (after 1½ year of the worst sort of harassment for a protective character like Tsiskaridze : the proxy one) to the victim one, facts are facts. There were embezzlements and the rebuilding of the Bolshoi didn't go well at all, and Tsiskaridze both loving his theatre and being "a born whistleblower" (as wrote Joy Womack who was at first rank though she dared to say little) said it aloud; he was already an enemy because, along with Svetlana Zakharova he had opposed in 2009 the establishment of a policy of modern/classical ballet which would be detrimental both to the company and to dancers' health, but then he became an arch-enemy, an "abcess" said Iksanov (very telling, from a theatre director). There had been also an awful campaign against the chosen artistic director, Guennadi Yanin, previously troop manager, and a great admirer of Nikolai Tsiskaridze. (When Iksanov later accused Tsiskaridze of this smear campaign, I understood many things.) And still Tsiskaridze was unmovable in his popularity, and a new member of the Presidential Culture Council. (Let's not politicise too much though, the said president being known for his total absence of liking for ballet.) Then there was all this harassment, it didn't deter him (it heavily distressed him though), and then that acid attack. When Filin then had that awful accusation "It is Tsiskaridze's fault", at first I thought he was so blinded by his hatred that he shouted the name of the man he hated most (after having appeared "the good fellow" at his side for many years, until he got power on him, then bullied him during 1½ year). But later, after having understood what meant that so very implausible accusation from Iksanov regarding Guennady Yanin, I guessed that Filin had, say, suspicions about who may be its real authors (at least, patrons), and may have considered the feud of the Bolshoi direction and patrons against Tsiskaridze, as the motivation behind the attack which made him suffer so much.
The acid attack, the vilification campaign, and the accusation and sentence of Pavel Dmitrichenko (the very vocal Union leader) "allowed" Iksanov to get rid of both Tsiskaridze and Dmitrichenko, but exposed him to be fired a few weeks later.
As I have found no other logical explanation to all the events, I am keeping with this one.
As to Tsiskaridze's nomination at the Vaganova Academy, he said the job had been proposed to him long before, but he was reluctant because of the strong Moscow/St Petersburg prejudice, which didn't fail to show when he accepted the position at last. The position was considered available because it had been years that Fateev (like him or not), the Mariinsky artistic director (and recruiter) had been complaining about the poor training of Vaganova graduates, one year of "preparation for ballet" had been added to no avail, and just a few months before (months after the acid attack), Sergei Filin himself had said the same! And indeed, when you watch graduation videos of the time, there was great talent and schooling but "something was lacking" and I couldn't say what.
So Vera Dorofeeva (not Altinai Asylmuratova, whose resignation was clearly not planned at all) was fired (later Tsiskaridze uncovered embezzlement by the way, and more wrongdoings have been suspected) and replaced by Nikolai Tsiskaridze, and very clearly he managed to "put back on track" the institution (which was not very much astray anyway, but it takes a great professional to do it so fast).
It was probably ordered by the Kremlin, some may not like it or even oppose it for no other motive, but as the decision was the right one, it's fine with me.
 
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