Mao and Nerves

[californiea]

"And like you mentioned, Yuna seems to be little disconnected with the music when she's nervous. That does affect her overall presentation, even Yuna said she was not happy at all with her presentation after scoring big at CoR. And I expect Yuna to overcome this since she knows it better than anybody else that she should sell the program."

I do agree with you here that Yu-na appear a bit less in sync with the music then last season, but it may perhaps be due to the more complex and sophiscated k(ch)oreagraphy as demanded by, especially, Miss Saigon.

However, when she is in unison, in the "zone" with the music, watch out, this lady is just breathtaking, as in her Worlds 2007 SP:

HD version(view and/or download) here:

http://www.stage6.com/Figure-Skating/video/1165663/2007/03/23-Yu-Na-KIM-(KOR)-Ladies-Short-Program

Please notice her attention to detail(easy to see in HD 856x480), the extraordinary articulation of the arms, fingertips, the beaming expressions on her lovely face, .. After seeing this, I would have to say, that you just can't teach these delicate expressions that fits so well with the music. You are either born with it, thanks to some divine grace, or you just gonna have to work like heck to get it. In Yu-na's case her natural talent is obvious.

I hope she can deliver more of these(COR LP was close) figure skating revelations, soon.

 

[fourclover]

"And like you mentioned, Yuna seems to be little disconnected with the music when she's nervous. That does affect her overall presentation, even Yuna said she was not happy at all with her presentation after scoring big at CoR. And I expect Yuna to overcome this since she knows it better than anybody else that she should sell the program."

I do agree with you here that Yu-na appear a bit less in sync with the music then last season, but it may perhaps be due to the more complex and sophiscated k(ch)oreagraphy as demanded by, especially, Miss Saigon.

However, when she is in unison, in the "zone" with the music, watch out, this lady is just breathtaking, as in her Worlds 2007 SP:

HD version(view and/or download) here:

http://www.stage6.com/Figure-Skating/video/1165663/2007/03/23-Yu-Na-KIM-(KOR)-Ladies-Short-Program

Please notice her attention to detail(easy to see in HD 856x480), the extraordinary articulation of the arms, fingertips, the beaming expressions on her lovely face, .. After seeing this, I would have to say, that you just can't teach these delicate expressions that fits so well with the music. You are either born with it, thanks to some divine grace, or you just gonna have to work like heck to get it. In Yu-na's case her natural talent is obvious.

I hope she can deliver more of these(COR LP was close) figure skating revelations, soon.

I thought Yu-na's GPF LP in Torino was totally in sync with the music and the best out of all three Grand Prix wins this year. I'm in the minority here but I didn't like Yu-na's Tango SP at World's that much. I thought she'd gained weight and appeared less flexible than when she skated to the Tango at Skate Canada (my favorite performance of her Tango).

 

[demarinis5]

I thought Yu-na's GPF LP in Torino was totally in sync with the music and the best out of all three Grand Prix wins this year. I'm in the minority here but I didn't like Yu-na's Tango SP at World's that much. I thought she'd gained weight and appeared less flexible than when she skated to the Tango at Skate Canada (my favorite performance of her Tango).

Good lord if you think YuNa gained weight at all at anytime in the past my eyesight must be failing me. She has always looked very thin to me.

 

[Bennett]

maybe it is the terosova effect. A few people on this board have said that terosova makes inconsistant jumpers, and here is Mao proving them right. Tataian chreographed Moa's SP, not her LP. The SP is a beautiful program... on e of my favorites if not thee favorite of the year. But perhaps the deatil and copmlicted steps distract the skater from the jumps. .

Yeah, Mao has all complicated steps, which could be distracting. But it would be great if she could get level 4:agree:

Also Mao seems to like that program. She says that she would like to beautifully skate the beautiful program that Tarasova made for her A lot of people like that program. It would be great if she could skate clean.

 

[californiea]

I thought Yu-na's GPF LP in Torino was totally in sync with the music and the best out of all three Grand Prix wins this year. I'm in the minority here but I didn't like Yu-na's Tango SP at World's that much. I thought she'd gained weight and appeared less flexible than when she skated to the Tango at Skate Canada (my favorite performance of her Tango).

I also thought her GPF LP was excellent like other performances this season, but a sense of perfection(well reflected in the score, just shy of 200), that she is capable of, escapes me.

Of all the ladies skaters competitively active today, only Yu-na and Mao(Caroline Z to watch and anticipate her develpment) seem to have that rare wow factor, as Peggy Flemming commented at the Worlds 2007.

For Yu-na, given the universal crtical accolades, and her envious accomplishments at such a young age, I think it is only natural to expect more from her, the ultimate figure skating perfection that we all crave.

As for any skaters, it would be a shame for Yu-na or Mao to win because of mistakes by the other, It would be wonderful to see them win without any mistakes, no falls, no wrong edge takeoff, no emotional breakdowns, but then again, I realize it is easy for me to keep wishing.

 

[zephyrskates]

"And like you mentioned, Yuna seems to be little disconnected with the music when she's nervous. That does affect her overall presentation, even Yuna said she was not happy at all with her presentation after scoring big at CoR. And I expect Yuna to overcome this since she knows it better than anybody else that she should sell the program."

I do agree with you here that Yu-na appear a bit less in sync with the music then last season, but it may perhaps be due to the more complex and sophiscated k(ch)oreagraphy as demanded by, especially, Miss Saigon.

However, when she is in unison, in the "zone" with the music, watch out, this lady is just breathtaking, as in her Worlds 2007 SP:

HD version(view and/or download) here:

http://www.stage6.com/Figure-Skating/video/1165663/2007/03/23-Yu-Na-KIM-(KOR)-Ladies-Short-Program

Please notice her attention to detail(easy to see in HD 856x480), the extraordinary articulation of the arms, fingertips, the beaming expressions on her lovely face, .. After seeing this, I would have to say, that you just can't teach these delicate expressions that fits so well with the music. You are either born with it, thanks to some divine grace, or you just gonna have to work like heck to get it. In Yu-na's case her natural talent is obvious.

I hope she can deliver more of these(COR LP was close) figure skating revelations, soon.

omg. that was just orgasmic. the detail in HD is just.. i'm speechless. i can't wait to watch US nationals in HD!! now, if only i can wrangle my folks in getting ESPN HD, we'll be in business.

back to yuna.. i do think that she has not performed to the level of that SP. you also have to remember that she performed her tango SP for two years, so i think that she knows it by heart. that's why i'm so disappointed when she scrapped lark ascending, and she hasn't performed it clean yet. i can only hope that she brings it back for the olympics(just like what shizuka did!!) and performs it perfectly, for that program was just a masterpiece!

 

[californiea]

omg. that was just orgasmic. the detail in HD is just.. i'm speechless. i can't wait to watch US nationals in HD!! now, if only i can wrangle my folks in getting ESPN HD, we'll be in business.

back to yuna.. i do think that she has not performed to the level of that SP. you also have to remember that she performed her tango SP for two years, so i think that she knows it by heart. that's why i'm so disappointed when she scrapped lark ascending, and she hasn't performed it clean yet. i can only hope that she brings it back for the olympics(just like what shizuka did!!) and performs it perfectly, for that program was just a masterpiece!

Yes, HD really brings out the details and puts you nearer to the skater then the judges or the spectators around the rink. Not like the youtube quality rough sketch of the skaters motions, we can really see the fine details that allows us to differentiate differing styles of the skaters. Wobbly edge control, wrong spin mechnics(fast frame rate of 60fps is a must), mis-timed takeoff, landing, etc. But most of all, apart from the 3F-3T, 3LZ, the Bielmanns, etc, the more subtle attrbutes of skaters presentation quality, facial expressions, connection with the music and the audience, etc, are so clearly evident in HD.

As far as "Lark Ascending" goes, I also think it is a masterpiece of a program that unfortunately was close, but not perfect in terms of her skating. I believe it is the work of the same choreographer, David Wilson, who I think is masterful in bringing out Yu-na's best qualities. I am sure Yu-na's team can come up with another masterpiece to surpass it for the future seasons. Besides, I think a true artist does not dwell on one, but moves on to other work to surpass them.