Mao Asada news

[Mrs. P]

For something more entertaining ... Aunt Joyce posted YT videos of Team Japan (including Mao!) playing.... table tennis?!

http://auntjoycesicecreamstand.blogspot.com/2011/01/this-and-that.html#more

 

[aftertherain]

Here is a translation of the interview with Nobuo Sato after the long program at Japanese nationals:
http://kuuchuu-sampo.blogspot.com/2010/12/japanese-nationals-2010-interview-with.html

He mostly talks about Mao and her progress, but he also talks a little about Kozuka at the end. Reading this makes me feel that Mao is in very good hands now.

Thanks for providing the translation!

By the way, does anyone know what he means by this?

Q. How was doing things a little differently, such as going to Canada by himself to train?
A. Up until now, he's ridden on things that people around him have created for him, but he ignored that, and instead of riding in a taxi with his parents, he rode on a bus by himself, and I think that he must have had a lot of fun experiences, but of course he struggled by himself as well. He worked hard and was encouraged and supported by many people, and I think he learned a lot. I think that in some ways this was been more of a plus than actually learning things in practice.

It's kinda cute though. I can imagine him being his adorable self on the bus.

 

[aftertherain]

For something more entertaining ... Aunt Joyce posted YT videos of Team Japan (including Mao!) playing.... table tennis?!

http://auntjoycesicecreamstand.blogspot.com/2011/01/this-and-that.html#more

Eeee! The Japanese team is so cute. Why isn't Akiko there? D:

I love how Miki and Mao had their make-up done here. It's clean and simple. They should consider doing that for their programs, i.e. Miki's SP and Mao's FS.

 

[feraina]

It's kinda cute though. I can imagine him being his adorable self on the bus.

I think it was figurative, not literal. Cute imagery indeed.

I love this coach, he's awesome! I think both Kozuka and Mao are in very good hands, and it's also clearly to both's advantage to be training mates.

 

[Olympia]

i can't tell you how hopeful it makes me for Mao to be studying with Mr. Sato. She doesn't have to commute to Russia. She's got one of the greatest coaches in the world, not just in Japan. If I want to see what kind of coach he is, I just look at his daughter, Yuka, one of the most compelling and delightful skaters of the last twenty years.

 

[Mathman]

Welcome, Picasso's light. Thanks for posting. I hope you like it here.

Post often, post long!

 

[miki88]

Some pictures of Mao at her "coming of age" ceremony.

http://photos.nikkansports.com/sports/figure/nk-mao-110106-02.jpg

http://photos.nikkansports.com/sports/figure/nk-mao-110106-08.jpg

News article with some pics of her new dress for Chopin's Ballad (It's adorable!)

http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/graph/2011/0106/index.html

Credited to Kirakira @ MaoAsadaforum

 

[feraina]

Thanks for sharing the photos of her ceremony. She's gorgeous in her kimono.

Not sure about her new Chopin dress though, makes her look 14, like Adelina Sotnikova's age... I hope she's not going to wear that dress to the WC. I know she wants to rediscover her youthful joy on ice, but it's time to showcase her more mature artistry to shine on ice, in contrast to the many youngsters who are now going to be chasing after her.

I just rewatched some of Mao's best performances over the years. I think although technically her skates at Japanese National's this year weren't the most impressive, artistically she has really matured. Although she has always been graceful and flowy, she always lacked a certain connection with the audience, which Michelle so much excelled in, and Yu-na has a natural instinct for as well. Even better than her jumps coming back, I feel like at National's this year she skated with much better connection with the audience. In the tango SP, especially, she's actually playful with the audience -- as we all knew she had that side of her, from her last couple of wonderful exhibition pieces, but she's never until now shown that side in competition yet. I think that connection comes with her maturing as a person and as an artist. Everyone matures at their own pace, and this year is Mao's year to blossom as a young woman. It seems apt that she should be having her coming of age ceremony now.

I look forward to many more awesome performances from her!

 

[Spun Silver]

Love the new dress for Chopin. Doesn't seem childish at all to me - more Audrey Heburnish. You can't beat black for elegance and definition against the ice, and I love the tulle skirt (if that's what that stuff is). Not sure how it's going to move with her movements, though.

 

[Meli_Huber]

Any pics of the new dress you are speaking about?

 

[Mirunna]

Any pics of the new dress you are speaking about?

Here: http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/graph/2011/0106/6.html

Miki88 posted a link with pictures of her new dress. I absolutely love it. I read somewhere it was a gift from Tarasova! She looked simply stunning, elegant, refined! I liked the white one too, but this has more personality. Mao's costumes are a hit or miss. But this one was such a hit!!

 

[roma]

^You can see from this clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMcIjgbNYiw

 

[Meli_Huber]

Thank you guys!
Ok, after seeing it, I can say, that I don´t like it!

 

[kiz_4Ever]

Thanx for the pics!
I like the dress, very nice cut and love the ballerina's skirt, but I will take away those fake white buttons (too school uniform IMO) and replace them with a little white belt

 

[Olympia]

I'm not sure. For me, the balletic aspect of the skirt fights with the "school yearbook photo" nature of the top. And both fight with the simplicity of the Chopin music. Maybe I've been spoiled by Vera Wang. For me, the simpler a skating dress is, the better. One of the few elaborate dresses I really enjoyed was Shizuka's Olympic dress, that high-necked affair with two different shades of blue, though I don't like the flesh-color pretend decolletage all the way down to the waist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6aSOpy2Z9g

 

[silverlake22]

^You can see from this clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMcIjgbNYiw

I like the dress but I'm not sure it's right for her Chopin Ballade piece. It would be better suited for Umbrellas of Cherbourg.

 

[aftertherain]

I'm not sure. For me, the balletic aspect of the skirt fights with the "school yearbook photo" nature of the top. And both fight with the simplicity of the Chopin music. Maybe I've been spoiled by Vera Wang. For me, the simpler a skating dress is, the better. One of the few elaborate dresses I really enjoyed was Shizuka's Olympic dress, that high-necked affair with two different shades of blue, though I don't like the flesh-color pretend decolletage all the way down to the waist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6aSOpy2Z9g

I agree. Her white dress was much simpler, clean-cut and suited her Chopin program to a T.

 

[SkateSkates]

I agree with the comments above that the white one goes better to the music. I honestly think the black one is a little distracting and it is harder to see her movements because she blends in with the background.

 

[seniorita]

I liked the white one but the new one is awesome and very original as well I would love it more if it was dark blue instead of black

 

[SkateSkates]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2H9S1rmZQs

This looks very similar to Mao's new costume...maybe it's why I think it's juniorish - I saw a junior skater wearing it first!