Mao Asada
- Thread starter tulosai
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2014
In the China Open, Mao was outstanding at generating smooth, fluid speed purely from her deep edges with very little pumping of her shoulders or legs: one long flowing glide from each element to the next: her arms and legs extending deliberately and expressively in rhythmic movements that matched the moods in her music. It was obvious to me that she had the greatest speed and rink coverage of all the skaters, but it was deceptive because she seemed to exert so little effort.
In Madame Butterfly, I thought Mao's tear dropped shaped Biellmann was better than in the Japan Open and she hit her spread eagle right at the top of the soprano's note in the step sequence. Mao creates an incredible mood with this piece of music. I think of the commercial when Mao is flying in an airplane and puts on headphones to listen to Madame Butterfly and imagine that she dreams she is flying through the sky doing arabesques and pirouettes through the clouds instead of on the ice. Her skating has the same light floating feeling like being uplifted onto the pillows of clouds from which you don't want to come down because the view is so beautiful.
In Madame Butterfly, I thought Mao's tear dropped shaped Biellmann was better than in the Japan Open and she hit her spread eagle right at the top of the soprano's note in the step sequence. Mao creates an incredible mood with this piece of music. I think of the commercial when Mao is flying in an airplane and puts on headphones to listen to Madame Butterfly and imagine that she dreams she is flying through the sky doing arabesques and pirouettes through the clouds instead of on the ice. Her skating has the same light floating feeling like being uplifted onto the pillows of clouds from which you don't want to come down because the view is so beautiful.
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I was thinking the same thing when I saw it it was truly breathtaking, she just flied into it, and all her other jumps in generel looked light and effortless and it's soo beautiful to witness, the nerves may have gotten to her today, but it's her first competition of the season and we know that Mao usually peaks later
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- Joined
- Feb 12, 2015
Totally agree. I was very happy that Rika won silver and was 1st in FP. Even if Mao is my fav, Rika had also been amazing and was clean (I so love her FP). I really want to see them both in GPF, with Satoko. It's gonna be VERY though, but if they both keep working on their programs and do their best, that's totally possible.
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2004
Congratulations and Welcome Back Mao! :dance:
Mao's heavenly 3A in HD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tKB4wN5Dic
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
I love the grand opera music that accompanies it! Makes it even more dramatic and glorious
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2012
:luv17: thank you for posting
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2014
Indeed. It's been a long time coming and in my opinion her 3A is better than it has ever been. Compare the 3As this weekend to the ones in Vancouver: the entry - gone is that "lunge" at takeoff. So much more natural and aesthetically pleasing. The landing - so much better flow. And I don't need to mention the height and air position.
Another observation/question: when is the last time Mao fell on a jump that wasn't 3A?
Sure she popped and two-footed and UR'd jumps all over the place
hwell: But she doesn't really fall unless it's the 3A? Has she even fallen on a triple loop, ever? I guess it was the "I need to rotate this ************* triple loop" nerves getting to her... Same as the "I need to get a ! not an e again" nerves.Agreed. Look at her blade when she landed the 3lo. It looked like she was desperately trying to rotate it, but she was a little off.
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2014
Check out some cute tweets from this Chinese fan
https://twitter.com/renran226/status/663063248174870528 Mao posing for Coach Sato
https://twitter.com/renran226/status/663189530552369152 Lena instructing Mao and Rika to put down the Audi toys
https://twitter.com/renran226/status/663182537557041152 The ladies love 'em some Javier
https://twitter.com/renran226/status/663063248174870528 Mao posing for Coach Sato
https://twitter.com/renran226/status/663189530552369152 Lena instructing Mao and Rika to put down the Audi toys
https://twitter.com/renran226/status/663182537557041152 The ladies love 'em some Javier
Another observation/question: when is the last time Mao fell on a jump that wasn't 3A?
Sure she popped and two-footed and UR'd jumps all over the place
One of ISU Tech Specialists, Makoto Okazaki, analyses the same. The judging of SP probably affected the mistakes.
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20151108-00000067-spnannex-spo (in Japanese)
Also, Mao said the fall on 3-3 was totally unexpected and went to the next jump losing her calm.
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20151107-00000197-sph-spo (in Japanese)
Apart from the jump mistakes, I thought her FS at this competition was much better than JAPAN OPEN.
It was so beautiful.
Sorry Mao, but to me even that fall looked beautiful.:luv17: It was like expressing devastated Cio-Cio san.
Her coach, Mr Sato, used to say that he wants her to be a skater who can win even with one or two falls, meaning that he wants her to be able to make up for the mistakes by other elements.
I think Mao is getting closer to his ideal.
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