a) When and how did you get drowned with Daisuke/his skating? Or, if you had known him already and never liked him before, but came to admire him, then, at which point/program(s) have you changed your mind?
b) Pick up three performances of Daisuke for you: e.g. that are the best to you, most memorable to you, you got most mesmerized with, or from competition(s) you've attended/watched live, etc. You may also pick up three worst programs, even three night-marish costumes if you like. Just anything will do, as long as you have reasons, good memories or stories to share with us all!
c) What's your image that instantly comes to your mind when watching Dai/his skating?
Sorry for taking so long to post, in spite of me first asking you these questions... m(_ _)m Here goes mine. Finally.
a) As I've mentioned a couple of times here, I am a long time skating fan, and had known his name as a young very promising skater from my country since his junior title win in 2002, but didn't pay much attention actually (um, my heart was fully occupied with Alexei Yagudin and Sasha Abt back then.) until 2005 Skate America where Daisuke blew me off completely with his very lyrical skating to Rachmaninov piece:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWFbnnBIts8 I was so fascinated by his circular step sequence (from 3:25) that was pitch perfect blade work and body movements to every note of this piano music. And of course I was fascinated by commentaries of Mr Dick Button and Kurt Browning, such
legendary skaters themselves praising a young boy from my country, who was lesser known back then. Idk which one made me happier; his skating or their commentaries!
Dai with this program took me by surprise, because this circular steps, from 3:35 to 3:50 in particular, both of his whole body and blades KEEP picking up the gap/backside/in-betweens of musical notes (am not so sure if this makes sense to you... I hope you'll understand/guess what I'm trying to describe with my darn English). I never get tired of watching step sequences of this Rach program, as well as two step sq of his 2006-07 SP to Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (its music cut was just awful I admit and blame it to Nikolai, but his performance at 2006 Skate Canada where he also skated pitch perfect to the music!). By the time Tokyo Worlds in 2007 was over, I became one of deep fans of his.
b)
Let me pick up 3 performances which are rather not so popular among today's international skating fans, but to the eyes of a long time skating fan first, then a fan of Dai, they are definitely worthy of mentioning.
<1> 2004-05 SP Khachaturian's 'Sabre Dance' at TEB 2004:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leFAgGvCRxs
When I noticed about him, I started checking YouTube and looked for his old performances, just like many other Dai fans,
then younger Dai surprised me even more so. With this Sabre Dance, my jaws dropped and I had to watch it three times in a row because my eyes literally glued to him; to whole his body movements at first, then his expressions, and his blades finally. This is one of masterpieces by Madame Tatiana Tarasova, and the best choreography she's ever given to Dai I believe.
Dai was under Team Tarasova during 2003-04 and 2004-5 seasons IIRC. When TAT choreographing competitive programs for her skaters, she herslef does NOT skate normally but her assistant coaches do for her. By doing so, for example, Nikolai Morozov made his name as a world's top class choreographer, especially when he (literally) made two Olympic Champion-worthy programs "Winter" and "Man in the Iron Mask" for Alexei Yagudin in 2002. Evgeni Platov was also one of such assistant coaches of her when Dai was there and hepled her by demonstrating choreographies and various steps on ice as TAT ordered. And young Dai could copy/imitate/replicate every steps and body movements almost perfectly as soon as he saw what Platov demonstrated on ice, in spite of they were very difficult complicating actually. Because TAT didn't like how fast the little teen-age boy could instantly copy such steps full of her pride, she
demanded and
demanded again Platov to demonstrate even more difficult step sequences, until the legendary two times Olympic Champion stumbled and fell on ice, which must have startled TAT and embarrased himself, I would imagine. (I read somewhere else that Mr Platov denied that he fell but admitted that he
almost fell , though.
) I think this Sabre Dance should be the one.
I love love every bits of this program, esp. two gorgeous step sequences. I love even the costume. Such a shame we now watch only one step sequence in SP, and we don't very often see such hilarious/ridiculous costumes anymore. But Dai gave up this program in the middle of that season siting just hearing the music made him feel sick and almost throw up, thus his team decided to bring back the previous season's Nyah SP before Moscow Worlds in 2005
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jZ9uY0edME. This is one old program of his that I really really want Dai to skate again with his current skating skills, power, electricity and conviction, but it won't likely since he seems to hate this program/music so much...
<2> Secret Garden's 'Nocturn' at Medalists on Ice 2004 (Nats Gala):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3UpzkDTX_0
In 2003-04 that was his second season on the senior circuit, Dai showed a promise by his first podium finish at J Nats, then by placing 11th at his debuting senior Worlds. The next season, however, turned out to be a huge step back. 2004-05 is probably the worst season during his competitive career. Especially between his disastrous TEB LP and Nats was the worst of all; he attempted a runaway from his rink and stayed outside alone by the dark sea of Kobe harbor the whole night, which of course made Utako sensei worried very much. At TEB he placed 3rd with the above Sabre Dance SP, but he had a really really bad Free skate, 4 falls and bombing all 8 jumping passes, and dropped the standing to the dead last.
He left his hometown in Kurashiki to enter Kansai University in spring that season, and started living with Utako sensei's family. He met many friends at college. First time in his life to live in a big city. Parties, shopping, drinking, movies, etc... everything was new, exciting and dazzling to an 18yo boy from countryside. He found out there were many things outside of skating world he hadn't known yet. He seemed to be losing his focus on skating and training. Sprained his ankle. Couldn't get back big jumps by the time J Nats was around.... Even worse was he couldn't get back his competitive spirit. Dai placed very dissapointing 6th place which was the lowest in his 12 appearances at the Nats.
If the season's over for him with such a regrettable way, he might give up on skating..., Utako sensei feared. She approached JSF after free skate and asked if he could be added to the Nats Gala as an exception. Got its endorsement and told Daisuke to skate there. We all knowing his nature/character, no wonder that he said no to her proposal believeing his results dissapointed many people and doesn't deserve such hornor to skate at Gala as a member of the national team. 'No.''No, I won't.'''No and No!' He refused time and time again. But Utako sensei is one tough resilient woman (as we all know!), at the end of the day she somehow made him agree to skate there. He picked up the music, did all choreo by himself and prepared it with just one day. You can see it from his costume not appropriate/best suited for this type of music (costume was of his Aranjuez free). This was the only program that Dai did the choreo by himself. They knew his bad resutls at the Nats, so the atmosphere among the crowds at the beginning must have been like
'takahashi next. okay. but what to expect...?' Then they realized how beautifully he could skate with such flow and speed under pressure/nerve-free situations. His performance to Nocturn wowed a number of the crowds and was greeted with some nice applaude at the end. Dai himself also felt how fun and how comfortable on ice when skating freely. The Gala performance reminded him how much he loves skating, how happy he would feel to skate in front of the crowds, and most of all, how much he can feel 'welcomed' and proud of what he does by getting such warm clapps with admiration. First time out here he skated this Nocturn with rather vulnerability and uncertainty. Two years later he skated it again at the Nats Gala in a more matured and sophisticated style:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAm-TWStya8 Choreos very simple, basic skating with lots of crossovers, not much transitions thruout maybe yes, but the reason I love this program is we can see the way he is; sensitiveness, fragility, synchro to the music, etc., thru its choreo (especially at 0:50 where as if he was touching the high wall/mountain before him and trying to open it/break out of his old frail self), a born skater. Whenever he skates this, I always think he relects/projects his own feelings and at the same time he looks at himself in the mirror.
Visiting YouTube and watch it today I still wonder sometimes; if he hadn't had any chance to do choreo and skate this program, hadn't had such warm welcome/favorable reactions from the crowds, hadn't felt happy and 'accepted', at this particular point of his competitive career, Dai might have given it up much earlier, never had showed up at the Olympic Games, and/or could never have made it to the top level of the sport.... One short piece of the beautiful music, one small piece of EX program, one small but steady step forward for him. Thus this Nocturn forever is a very very special program among his old fans, including Utako-sensei who is his biggest fan as we all assume, with some bittersweet memory.
<3> Hip Hop Swan Lake at EX, Int'l Counter-Match US vs Japan 2007:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuxAgWATuQ0
This season-opening competition used to be called Campbell's Cup (IIRC), in 2006 was in Ohio, then was called as Int'l Counter-Match, and now it's called as 'Japan Open'. In Ohio he had poor Pantom of the Opera free with 2 falls:
http://www.usfsa.org/content/events/200607/campbell/results.htm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVSSy2o_-Qk. In 2007 in Yokohama he had another poor Romeo-Juliet free with only 56.63 TES:
http://www.skatingjapan.jp/InterNational/2007-2008/usavsjpn/data0505.pdf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKS5HKKhgu4. But what surprised all judges and crowds the most was at EX after the competition where Dai debuted his signature hip hop Swan program for the first time (the balck feather costume was not ready yet so he used Bachelorette's). Many of those who attended complained TV volume did NOT properly on-air the actual shock from the audience at the beginning of circular steps, all excitement and huuuge screams thruout and endless buzz after finish. Here was very raw as a competitive program, a work in progress. Some fans with more knowledge on CoP rules worried if his straightline step sequence would be able to get a level 4. What was my reaction? I already read online news while at office that something
very crazy Dai did. I hurried home and saw it on TV that night. With my eyes
popping out, 'what the hell is he doing on ice???' I talked to my husband.
A few weeks later at Skate America he did skate it much better and got preferable reaction from both the crowds and judges ( I remember
doris was one of them):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRkdoLxPdD8 Mr Tech specialist however gave level 1 to StSq as some worried. Nikolai barked at the tech panel after SP, as many expected!
wonder what did they talk about
