I was meant to write something yesterday, but got kind of overwhelmed with emotions. And after re-watching Jason's FS today I am convinced that this is something that will stand the test of time, trends and preferences. Adding to his legacy of being able to create moments of a special, unique quality of remembrance.
Yesterday I think confirmed for me that there is so far no better choice of skater to take on this music, this whole baggage - and to lift it in extraordinary manner than crumble under its significance and just rely on dramatism/despair of story this music tells. Already saw certain source's comparison to Joshua Farris' SL FS and let me put this out there - to compare two or more programs with each other due to the same music used is totally fair, but to make it into a subjective contest of preference of emotional expression of sadness/sorrow and tragism made or not by these skaters is very cheap and does not suit theme SL is about. Flattening it to the tragic sense of events, deep sadness and dramatism, narrowing spectrum of acceptable expression to pain and a demand to portray it vividly, expressed by some people (and then utilized by lots of skaters who skated to this music) makes Jason's interpretation and methodology of approaching SL regarding emotional and creative layers possibly misunderstood or made as distant/strange. To be honest, I would never use Joshua's FS as a side of comparison - be cause for me, him and Jason approached the music and theme with different portrayal effect in mind and with different relation built to that piece/story, one being no less valid than the other, but BOTH with similar touch of sensibility and respect towards it.
I think that Jason did something extraordinary with that program, how he managed to curate it throughout the season with the effect we saw yesterday - he was able to put pure SPIRIT of that story, voiced by music, into centerpiece of his presence and let it speak through his body. The spirit that echoes people from the past, speaking to us today, especially today at 75th anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation; spirit of both those who died and who survived. For me, Jason encompassed the memory of that story in the most complex and poignant fashion I have ever seen a skater do - his interpretation , coexistence INSIDE this music, managed to express tragedy and sorrow in a very 'private' way, despite being showed as a skate in front of so many people watching; to develop such intricate depth of telling what this music relates to is really a feat - I have never seen SL music portrayed in a way I wanted to cry equally for the pain and beauty of it, because Jason managed to represent and balance both despite tragedy this music is about.
What really 'got' me was his face before performance started - in that moment I knew that no matter what will happen execution-wise, he just realizes the weight of what he wants to give us and how he wants to achieve it. I think that choreography so divinely presenting Jason and his movement with music, accentuating it is one thing - one that was taught, but the level of devotion Jason showed towards every single note and message to convey took the program and performance of it to entirely different level in my opinion. To make the moments of silence speaking the loudest and in the most defining way.
For me, Jason - regardless of skating so beautifully, strongly in execution - introduced kind of new dimension and quality standard for SL theme, being quite 'elusive' I think to look at it from some perspective. He captured the sense of story, the sensitivity of music, added the focus and finest of his skating, but in a way that not necessarily was designed to make people cry from these painful events that happen - it was more about bringing this story, these people on the pedestal, to honor them, to make us remember that and reflect on them on our own. I know, all of this written may sound silly (writing this I have my doubts if it makes a bit of sense), but it is incredibly hard to put the amount of everything I felt watching Jason into coherent post. Nonetheless, I am under BIG spell of that performance and salute to Jason for creating truly a SPECIAL moment.
