And Evan is known for his versatility??? Thanks for the laugh!
I didn't respond to this before because I didn't like the tone of it and wanted some time to think before speaking.
Yes I believe Evan has versatility. Evan is good at skating character driven programs, such as Singin' in the Rain, Grease, Carmen. He wasn't just skating to music, he was portraying a character. Carmen, he was skating as Don Jose. Zorro is obvious, and he is being criticized for having Latin music again and for it being recycled Espana Cani, but, if you pay attention it is not. The same with Tosca. If you know anything about the opera, Evan is not just skating to the music. He is portraying the main character, Mario, in the second act. The music he is skating too is the tenor's part, not the female, Tosca's part. Mario was a painter, hence the cream colored shirt in the style he is wearing. His ending pose is very theatrical, portraying the tragedy of the opera when Mario is taken off to his death, Tosca being betrayed by Scarpio that he would save Mario's life if she would give up Mario for him. So that shows Evan's versatitlity and theatrical ability.
Lori Nichol choreographed both of Evan's programs and selected the music. She made Evan do his homework on Tosca before skating it so he would be able to interpret the music. However, as seems apparent, not enough people know beans about the actual opera to pick up on what Evan is trying to interpret. No one who has ever skated to Tosca has ever tried to that. Nor has anyone who has ever skated to Carmen ever tried to portray Carmen as the character except, perhaps, Katarina Witt with her death scene at the end. I believe Evan's Carmen will become a classic.
As far as recycled programs, Joubert used James Bond for at least 2 seasons as well as recycled Matrix. Long ago, Viktor Petrinko used the same FS for at least two years. Many skaters do it. It is not a crime. Evan's Carmen was first debuted at NHK in 2005 and I think it was among the best he ever did. It was executed perfectly. And National's Carmen will be among one of the best programs ever skated at a US Nationals.
The first Grease, done at the Campbell's Classic was a disaster because he wore this leather jacket which was so heavy he couldn't breathe. Two weeks later, after trashing the jacket, he skated it at SA and won his first GP medal, a silver. After that they decided it wasn't an Olympic program and started over.
Last season's, The Feeling Begins, was also a different type of program for Evan. He didn't particularly care for it very much, but it was good.
That is what I mean when I say that Evan's programs are different. You will see different characters portrayed and that is what I happen to like about his skating. He reminds me of Paul Wylie who used to portray different movie themes each season when he turned pro. Some of those are my absolute favorites are some of the all time best performances ever because Paul Wylie was a truly gifted artist who really brought joy to his skating.
Sorry for the long post. I am too verbal.
I forgot all about the "Swan" thing. You are right, Evan was into calling Johnny, "the Swan," particularly after the Olympics during the COI tour. That was pre-Nationals before the snarkiness began, and they both thought it was funny.
Maybe because people don't like that "Evan being Evan"?
Well people don't like "Johnny being Johnny" either.
Johnny vs.Evan has replaced Michelle vs Sasha regarding mutl page threads.
And doesn't it make skating just that much more interesting? What would there be to discuss otherwise?
