Meanwhile, Doshisha released the second part of their enormous article about Kazuki:
https://twitter.com/atom_doshisha/status/1341685202263785472
Page 1 of Doshisha Atom interview ②, which is a continuation of ①
--You realized again how young he was once you learned his age.
Yes, exactly. When I first met him he didn’t talk to me at all. I don’t blame him for being nervous [laughter]. Recently we meet frequently at the same competitions and he speaks to me. But come to think of it, he is so much younger than I am [laughter]. I was struck again by how amazing he was.
--Then, it took you awhile to be friends with him.
Yes, he is more or less shy… the first time we met he said something like “Pleased to meet you. [small voice]” [laughter] But once we got to know each other, he is an adorable 17-year old. Yet, he is quite driven when it comes to skating, and he is saying that he would go for a gold medal. It is a valuable experience for me to witness the growth of such a skater. It is invaluable for me to learn by watching someone who will be the world’s top-ranked skater.
--What did you two talk about during the medal ceremony?
Just a silly talk. For example, we were told to pick up a medal and flowers, so I said to him, “Yuma-kun, after receiving the flowers, do something.”[laughter] Things like, “Shall we eat them?” We were just kidding around.
Weapon of my Own
--Please tell us about the positive GOE you received for your choreo sequence in FS..
Well, it was indeed the first time I had seen 5 on my score sheet. I worked really hard on the choreo sequence. It is towards the end and it can transform the program, and I also believed I could take full advantage of my special qualities there with confidence, and I am glad it helped me get a good score. Now that I received the score almost as high as one clean jump, it has become my powerful weapon. Personally, I was really proud to be given 5 among steps, jumps and everything, and I was glad I did my best and my hard work paid off. I was honestly elated [laughter].
--What helped you to skate so fast even in the last half?
I did run-throughs repeatedly in practice so that I could build enough stamina. I didn’t want to slow down towards the end, as I would have looked uncool if I had run out of energy. More than anything, I made it through by willpower. The last part was very hard as my legs were killing me [laughter]. Every time in the end, my legs get sore [laughter]. But I think that by performing with all I’ve got I can engage viewers. I am glad I was given good choreography, which is easy for me. I will be overjoyed at the last moment if I pull off a clean performance.
Valuing Expressive Presentation
--Your FS was passionate. What are the points you pay attention to when it comes to being expressive?
Let me see. I keep in mind to clearly vary the tempo, to look beautiful when it counts, and to form each position precisely…I may look like I just power through it but I pay careful attention to every move including my fingertips. Also, I want to make sure not to be careless...knowing when to relax and when to be sharp. I feel like I have a blueprint to follow. That said, in short, the last part is where I give all I’ve got, as the choreography calls for it. Still, halfway through the program I try holding each position correctly.
--Your program is photogenic.
Thank you very much. After all it is important to pour my emotions into the form I've created. But I have to make sure that emotions don’t get overwhelming. Otherwise, my program will come apart into pieces. I pay attention to create beautiful positions with solid form.
--Your goal for the gala was to be the “God of Expressions.”
I was told to write something goofy [laughter]. Oh, well, my forte is expressive stage presence and it is where I have confidence that I absolutely have what no one else has. I want to keep my good quality going forward. My No. 1 goal is to become a winner, but aside from that it is also important to have much charm, so I want to put a high value on expressive quality.
--How have you developed your expressive artistry which is your forte?
I wonder how [laughter]. I suppose my personality helped. For ages I’ve always wanted to charm people. I’ve always enjoyed standing out, and I was never shy. I’ve always wanted very much to spread something to get people to look at me. I would say I turned that desire into skills to express emotions. I started off with only my desire to show off, but I’ve since taken ballet lessons and developed a sense of timing. In any case I suppose the underlying factor is my personality.
-- to be cont'd to page 2 of ②
I love what he said about transforming his personality into skills.
