Best (or Favorite) Pairs Programs

[TripleAxelQueens3]

I've just started to get interested in Pairs skating and so far I really love a few teams, but I was hoping some experienced Pairs fans could suggest their favorite programs for me to watch. (I've just been watching Sui/Han on repeat, and don't get me wrong, I think I'll always be super impressed by them and their programs, but I really need to broaden my horizons). So far I like Sui/Han, Boikova/Kozlovskii, Peng/Jin and Panfilova/Rylov.

 

[Skatefan15]

One of my favorite pairs programs of all time is Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot’s freeskate from the 2018 Olympics. I get goosebumps every time! Another one is Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov’s free skate from the 2015-16 Grand Prix Final. The program was nice and it was also cool to see a pairs team do a 3-3-2. There’s many more I can name that have been great, but these are the ones I really enjoy.

 

[mrrice]

Well, I've only seen one pairs event live ( Worlds 2001 ) and though I liked Shen and Zhou's throw's the best. Sale' and Pelletier were the pair that stole the show.

 

[Amei]

I've just started to get interested in Pairs skating and so far I really love a few teams, but I was hoping some experienced Pairs fans could suggest their favorite programs for me to watch. (I've just been watching Sui/Han on repeat, and don't get me wrong, I think I'll always be super impressed by them and their programs, but I really need to broaden my horizons). So far I like Sui/Han, Boikova/Kozlovskii, Peng/Jin and Panfilova/Rylov.

I'm not hugely into Pairs skating as of late, some oldies but goodies:
For starters anything by Shen and Zhao, but a couple of my favorites: Turandot - to this day this beauty can bring tears to my eyes and Meditation

Gordeeva and Grinkov - Moonlight Sonata

 

[Seven Sisters]

Welcome to pairs fandom, TripleAxelQueens!

i also tear up every time I see Shen/Zhao’s Turandot

A few others that will knock the socks off those new to watching pairs—

Mishkutionok/Dimitriev’s Liebestraum
Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze’s Lady Caliph
Volosozhar/Trankov’s Masquerade Waltz

 

[anonymoose_au]

I'm a big fan of Tarasova/Morozov, I feel they're rather underappreciated so here are some of my fave performances from them:

Their Glam program was what drew me in: https://youtu.be/5Bv2ODSrAT8

Although somehow I missed their SP from the season before Lord of the Dance! When I discovered it later, it was instant fave!

2016 EC Tarasova & Morozov SP ESP

youtu.be

And their SP at 2019 Worlds was stunning, stunning I tells you

2019 WC Tarasova & Morozov SP ESP

youtu.be

Their Gala Ex at 2019 Worlds was awesome!

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

youtu.be

 

[Lamente Ariane]

Gordeeva and Grinkov, Vocalise

Gordeeva & Grinkov - 1994 World Pro AP - Vocalise

m.youtube.com

And it’s an exhibition, but Reverie is possibly my favorite

[HD] Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov 1994 Lillehammer Olympic - Exhibition "Rêverie"

Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov / ÐкаÑеÑина ÐоÑдеева и СеÑгей ÐÑинÑков / ã¨ã«ããªã¼ãã»ã´ã«ãã¼ã¯, ã»ã«ã²ã¤ã»ã°ãªã³ã³ãLillehammer Winter Olympic Games Figure Skating Gala E...

m.youtube.com

 

[readernick]

Most of my favorite pairs and pairs’ performances have already been mentioned. I would just add that pairs is wonderful discipline that often gets overlooked! If you want to see an old and yet less traditional pair team, I recommend Tai Babilonia/ Randy Gardner. They had almost no height difference which meant they had to emphasize other qualities as their pair elements weren’t as spectacular. They are a unique team.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Both of Aliona Savchenko's partnerships yielded some really great programmes.
With Massot:
2017-18 La terre vue du ciel
2016-17 Lighthouse
SPs: That Man, Ameksa
I also like many of her programmes during her long career with Szolkowy. Savchenko/Massot and Savchenko/Szolkowy are like apples vs oranges, stylistically different yet both so good.
Some examples:
2010-11 Pink Panther (the costumes are iconic )
2011-12 Pina Bausch (also see the Angels and Demons SP)
2006-07 The Mission

 

[yume]

Most of my favorite pairs and pairs’ performances have already been mentioned. I would just add that pairs is wonderful discipline that often gets overlooked!

They were the most competitive and interesting field of the last olympics imo. Basically evryone should have qualified for the free.

I like the Chinese pairs of the previous quads. And the fact that they were doing their twists so late in the program was cool.

My fave recent programs are:
Sui/Han blues for klook and rain in your black eyes.
Stolbova/Klimov man and shadow.
Tarasova/Morozov Rachmaninov.

 

[iluvtodd]

Gordeeva & Grinkov's Mozart free skate (Marriage of Figaro Overture) - 1988 Olympics
Shen & Zhou - Turnadot - 2003 Worlds
Aliona & Bruno - That Man SP & their free skate 2018 Olympics & Worlds
Pang & Tong - The Impossible Dream - 2010 Olympics

 

[ladyjane]

My absolute favourites (by Savchenko/Massot) have already been mentioned a few times, while there are many excellent suggestions above (like Shen & Zhou's Turandot at 2003 Worlds and quite a few others) of great programmes I would also recommend highly. Not mentioned yet is Mishkutionok/Dmitriev's silver medal performance of Rachmaninov's Piano concerto nr. 2 at the 1994 Olympic Games. Very powerful. More recently I also enjoyed Duhamel/Radford's Home Town Glory at the world championships in 2016 (they repeated that programme with some small differences at the 2018 Olympics - and that was also a great performance- but I like the 2016 one better). I also enjoyed quite a few programmes by James/Cipres but theirs have become tainted due to certain actions by Cipres (which is a shame, as the programmes were original).

 

[TontoK]

Check out this exhibition program.

Legends of Soviet figure skating: Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov

www.youtube.com

 

[lesnar001]

M&D - Liebestraum - 1992 Worlds
M&D - Rachmaninoff - 1994 Olympics

 

[MGstyle]

Although the standards have changed over the years, Gordeeva and Grinkov's Moonlight Sonata transcends everything and remains one of the masterpieces of all time. Also somewhat overshadowed by this program, personally Mishkutenok & Dmitriev's Rachmaninov at Lillehammer 1994 was just equally iconic, definitely not to be missed.
Berezhnaia & Sikharulidze produced some gems as well, especially Lady Caliph (2001-02 SP) and Chaplin (2000-01 FP).
There are also splendid programs while Savchenko skated with Robin Szolkowy. Pink Panther from 2010-2011 was sheer fun, and the Nutcracker Suite (2013-2014) was enchanting. Also Leningrad Ex is a must see.

 

[TontoK]

Check out this exhibition program.

Legends of Soviet figure skating: Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov

www.youtube.com

I think this exhibition was at the Euro Championships in Moscow, 1965. The costumes and arena look similar to this video of their free skate.

Aside from the beautiful skating, this video is interesting from a historical perspective. After their performance, the judges walked out onto the ice to show their scores to the crowd. I can't read what the marks are, but they must have been high. The crowd seems to concur.

Ludmilla Belousova & Oleg Protopopov 1965 Europeans LP

Beautiful skating from the Protopopov's in front of their home crowd to win the European title for the first time. Artistically light years ahead of their co...

www.youtube.com

 

[labgoat]

Gordeeva & Grinkov's Mozart free skate (Marriage of Figaro Overture) - 1988 Olympics
Shen & Zhou - Turnadot - 2003 Worlds
Aliona & Bruno - That Man SP & their free skate 2018 Olympics & Worlds
Pang & Tong - The Impossible Dream - 2010 Olympics

I love the program, but think the G & G program was skated to Mendelssohn though.

 

[labgoat]

May I add Mishkutionok & Dmitriev Dream of Love 1991 Worlds & 1992 Olympics and their Rachmaninoff from 1994. Loved G & G Die Fliedermaus from 1989 Worlds and 1990 Romeo & Juliet. Meno & Sand Nessum Dorma. So many to choose from..

 

[mrrice]

I think this exhibition was at the Euro Championships in Moscow, 1965. The costumes and arena look similar to this video of their free skate.

Aside from the beautiful skating, this video is interesting from a historical perspective. After their performance, the judges walked out onto the ice to show their scores to the crowd. I can't read what the marks are, but they must have been high. The crowd seems to concur.

Ludmilla Belousova & Oleg Protopopov 1965 Europeans LP

Beautiful skating from the Protopopov's in front of their home crowd to win the European title for the first time. Artistically light years ahead of their co...

www.youtube.com

You know, when you're young and having fun, you make up games. We had a game where we would play around as pair skaters. We called it "The Protopopov-Offs" We were dorks.......

 

[cabres]

Oh, Pairs is my favorite category and I have so many preferences:
- Natalia Mishkutienok/Arthur Dmitriev, Liebestraum
- Natalia Mishkutienok/Arthur Dmitriev, Rachmaninoff
- Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao, Turandot
- Elena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikuralidze, "The Dinner from La Califfa"
- Yuko Kawaguti / Alexander Smirnov, Manfred
- Yuko Kawaguti / Alexander Smirnov, Clair De Lune
- Savchenko / Szolkowy - L'Oiseau (from Cirque du Soleil)
- Savchenko / Massot - La terre vue du ciel and That Man
- Totmianina / Marinin - Snow storm
- Voloszozsar / Trankov - Masquerade Valtz
- Wenjing Sui / Cong Han, "Blues Deluxe"