Favorite Ladies LP this season

[koheikun90]

Mao's LP! I love the transitions and linking steps. Overused music, but well interpreted. I was surprised that it was choreographed by Tarasova considering the programs she gave her while she was her coach. If she skates it clean, then IMO it will be one of the greatest LP's of all time.

 

[Bdan]

Wagner has my fav for the season. I really don't tend to root for her as a skater but this program is very musical. The choreography has a definitive beginning, middle and end. That arc almost gives it a 6.0 feel that is missing nowadays.

 

[figuristka]

I agree. I love Adelina so I wanted to like her programs. For 2 seasons in the row I'm just not thrilled but she's still my fav Russian. Not a Ksenia fan but I loved last years short program (hated the long).

All the top Russian men's programs look the same to me. I just don't get them.

Really liked Adelina more than the other russian girls but although she performs to the music well i cannot stand watching the whole program as the music is annoying for me. I don't usually feel that way. I agree alot of the top russian men seem similar and i don't sense their emotion or enjoy the choreography. The japanese men at Nationals i found to be far more interesting.

 

[TelmoFe]

Without doubt Mao Asada!

 

[sather]

I like Mao's and Kanako's. Mao's LP is the best among programs from her in recent years and I think it's the kind that suits her. Soft and gentle. (I've never thought Swan' lake by Tarasova would be like that.) Kanako's LP was astonishing too and it has potential to get better if performed well. Not considering the performance by the skater, I prefer Kanako's.

Yuna's LP was disappointing. It is really surprising because I rarely get disappointed by Yuna and David Wilson.(Actually it's the first time that I find her competitive program this boring other than exhibition programs.) Maybe it's because I had such a high expectations from them.:disapp: Yuna was Yuna and her performance was great as usual but the choreography and the arrangement of music was neither sophisticated nor impressive unlike typical Wilson's programs.

 

[plushyfan]

Mao Asada!!!!!


Akiko, and maybe surprisingly Caro

 

[lavender]

I like Mao's and Kanako's. Mao's LP is the best among programs from her in recent years and I think it's the kind that suits her. Soft and gentle. (I've never thought Swan' lake by Tarasova would be like that.) Kanako's LP was astonishing too and it has potential to get better if performed well. Not considering the performance by the skater, I prefer Kanako's.

Yuna's LP was disappointing. It is really surprising because I rarely get disappointed by Yuna and David Wilson.(Actually it's the first time that I find her competitive program this boring other than exhibition programs.) Maybe it's because I had such a high expectations from them.:disapp: Yuna was Yuna and her performance was great as usual but the choreography and the arrangement of music was neither sophisticated nor impressive unlike typical Wilson's programs.

ITA agree about Mao's and Yuna's programs. I was kind surprised by Yuna's program and how it was put together. I would hope they get some feedback but I doubt the program will change. Who knows maybe it will click later.

Just watched Carolina's program. Well it is a good program and I think she skated so well. I'm proud of her. However I hate Bolero for anyone but Torvill and Dean. When someone else skates to it I always can't wait til that music is over. I don't know what it is. I can watch T and D skate to it all day. I even hated when my ultimate fav Michelle skated to it. However I have to say Carolina's program for me is a much better one than my Michelle.

 

[enzet]

Mao's Swan Lake, absolutely!:thumbsup:

 

[emma]

thanks to the original poster for the links to these programs. I really have been in love with Ashley's and Akiko's programs all season; but to see them again just makes me smile.

This is the first time I viewed Carolina's LP to Bolero - I feel that Bolero is super hard to skate too and/or as a fan, super hard to enjoy watching someone skate to with a few notable exceptions. Of course, T/D for me are a huge exception and I still love watching their Bolero from time to time. Anyway, I was delighted to find myself really 'into' and enjoying Kostner's program - she has such lovely lines and long arms and legs with which she creates beautiful shapes. I think this music somehow forces her to really take her time with each movement and I enjoyed watching that.

Mao is lovely, of course. Off to watch some others now...

 

[pitterpatter]

Akiko's 'O' program for me. Everything from the choreography to her very skating style fits together perfectly. She's swift and clean across the ice, yet not overwhelmingly powerful - there's a delicacy to everything she does. 'O' doesn't rely on a ton of content in the choreo to make an impression, the quality of her movement and the pacing of the program to the music is enough to make an impact.

I also really like Ashley's LP this year, it suits her to a tee. I wasn't all that entranced by her Black Swan LP last season, but her 'Samson and Delilah' program is powerful, confident and commanding, qualities she carries extremely well. I also feel that the program helps to differentiate her from the other elite ladies, her LP stands out from the programs choreographed to softer ballet/classical music (or otherwise tangos).

Lastly, wanted to throw in Makarova and Li Zijun's LPs. Makarova has amazing programs this year, I can't believe the change from last season to this season. Li Zijun's 'Sleeping Beauty' is super sweet and a total fit. I'm a big fan of programs that play up skaters' strengths and showcase their best qualities - you don't have to have the best skating skills in town or amazing interpretive ability, the program just needs to fit.

 

[snejina]

AKiko's "O" is the best program for me this season. I also liked very much Mao's Swan Lake, Wagner's Samson and Delilah, Kim's "Les Miserables", Kostner's Bolero, Osmond's Carmen and Tuktamisheva's LP. But Akiko's "O" has the best choreography among all of them.

 

[Cherryy]

Lastly, wanted to throw in Makarova and Li Zijun's LPs. Makarova has amazing programs this year, I can't believe the change from last season to this season. Li Zijun's 'Nutcracker' is super sweet and a total fit. I'm a big fan of programs that play up skaters' strengths and showcase their best qualities - you don't have to have the best skating skills in town or amazing interpretive ability, the program just needs to fit.

Li Zijun is actually skating to The Sleeping Beauty, also by Tchaikovsky. And I agree with everything you said

 

[pitterpatter]

Li Zijun is actually skating to The Sleeping Beauty, also by Tchaikovsky. And I agree with everything you said

Thanks, fixed it Shows how much I know about Tchaikovsky but I love the LP nonetheless.

 

[WeakAnkles]

If I had to be totally honest, I would say None. I guess by default I would say Akiko's "O" program because at least it has some interesting choreography, but on the whole I find the women's programs this year kinda meh.

 

[britebells]

Just watched Carolina's program. Well it is a good program and I think she skated so well. I'm proud of her. However I hate Bolero for anyone but Torvill and Dean. When someone else skates to it I always can't wait til that music is over. I don't know what it is. I can watch T and D skate to it all day. I even hated when my ultimate fav Michelle skated to it. However I have to say Carolina's program for me is a much better one than my Michelle.

Agree about Bolero... so repetitive, it's very difficult to make the music interesting. She is excellent, but I wish it was to a different piece.

Also, I agree about Mao's choreo finally fitting her. There were a few Tarasova years when I just couldn't watch her, the music/choreo was so plodding. She's a much lighter skater, and I think that these programs really suit her.

 

[OS]

Agree about Bolero... so repetitive, it's very difficult to make the music interesting. She is excellent, but I wish it was to a different piece.

Also, I agree about Mao's choreo finally fitting her. There were a few Tarasova years when I just couldn't watch her, the music/choreo was so plodding. She's a much lighter skater, and I think that these programs really suit her.

Bolero is composed as a dance music so it is already set for movement choreography. It is up to the performer to make it work, if they can't do it, then they are not listening or do it right. Carolina's LP program doesn't work for me as a well rounded program or performance (I like her SP better), because it is like there's like not much going on for the first half (minus some stop poses - what so bolero about it), except the step sequences which works great as a sequence on its own (to any music), but then again, what so bolero about it. It lacks the big payoff consider the lack of consistent build up to it, which certainly demand consistent emotional investment throughout the whole performance as well as adequate play with the nuances of the music particularly the highlight motifs. I may change my mind when I see the matured version of it. All programs need time to evolve before maturity to fully realise potentials.

I don't get Mao. She is the only skater who's program whenever it doesn't work, they blame the music, the choreographer etc., anyone but her. It is like blaming the composer and the backing band if the singer can't sing, it is really strange. This is Mao in her comfort zone, doing the ballet Swanlake with the grand dame of Russian figure skating showcase one of the greatest Russian masterwork ever that defined the ballet genre.

It should be Best + Best + Best = VERY BEST, instead we got Best + Best + Best = huh?!

The question should be why is it not better? Why is the black and white swan still having identity crisis? Remain so artistically dishonest and confused (to the intention of composer, the ballet etc), why so unemotional, wrong in tone, pace, lacks the ballet polish, so totally not Swan lake that it feels like diluted champagne with lots of ice and a cocktail umbrella at the end that remind you that you are suppose to enjoy it in the form of a step sequence? Again, I reserve my right to reappraise this at worlds, hopefully she will improve the performance aspect of things.

 

[christinaskater]

1. Akiko Suzuki "O" from NHK Trophy
2. Yu-Na Kim "Les Miserables" from Korean Nationals.
3. Ashley Wagner "Samson and Delilah" from Trophy Lalique
4. Mao Asada "Swan Lake" Japan Open