Mao Asada | Page 37 | Golden Skate

Mao Asada

Minze2001 said:
Than you. This will be epic. I wonder how they managed to get two headliners to be on the same show. For what I undarstand this show is by Dai's management. I think it speaks about their friendship to be able to share the spotlight together.
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oh its by dai management, this is the first year right, hope that this became annual show, n i see sumimoto (mao sponsor) in board
cuz this show is so close to the national, so there is no competitive skater that participated ?
 
bebece said:
oh its by dai management, this is the first year right, hope that this became annual show, n i see sumimoto (mao sponsor) in board
cuz this show is so close to the national, so there is no competitive skater that participated ?
Click to expand...

This is not the first year, Christmas On Ice was held between 2006-2008 and they brought it back.
 
From the promo clip, what attracted Mao to participate was because of the cast. She wanted to join Dai, Nobu andAkko after seeing them work together.
 
gotoschool, your use of the words " unobtrusive beauty " to define Shibumi is not only elegant but appropriate and germane to the concept.
It is an unfamiliar word to most but I ascribe it to the way Mao exhibits its meaning on the ice and off the ice.

yyyskate, I first encountered this word many years ago. It was in a novel where the author describes one of the characters as
living and exhibiting the qualities and concepts of Shibumi. It resonated deeply within me that I wrote the quotes down.

It says:

Shibumi has to do with great refinement underlying commonplace appearances. It is a statement so correct it does not have to be bold, so poignant it does not have to be pretty, so true it does not have to be real. Shibumi is understanding rather than knowledge. Eloquent silence. In demeanor, it is modesty without prudence. In art, where the spirit of shibumi takes the form of sabi, it is elegant simplicity, articulate brevity. In philosophy, where Shibumi emerges as wabi, it is spiritual tranquility that is not passive; it is being without the angst of becoming.

This is Mao. I always think of her in this manner
 
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yyyskate said:
Another similarity I wanna point out is ,how they carry themselves (balletic posture and arms)all the way through, such as their cross-overs and even in spins (as I mentioned before). and choreographically, combines figure skating turns with upper body, balletic arms and carriage, this is very prominent in Mao's swan Lake and SoYoun's R&J program, and I think it is really good choreo, and respect for ballet as a dance form. it is much better than just 1 or 2 balletic pose.
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I also think SoYoun is a very interesting and promising skater, but I find her skating to be very different from Mao's except for the fact, which you focused on, that they both have excellent back posture.

In terms of what happens below the waist, I find that they are completely distinct. SoYoun has more dramatic and interesting variation in speed, while Mao has more fluid knee action, greater control of the weight over the blade, and more detailed edge work. I even find their use of the arms to be very different in that SoYoun has more overtly expressive arm movements while Mao has more subtle movements which extend from the shoulder to the finger tips (see 2:48-3:00 in the video below). I do not find SoYoun's choreography lacking in terms of blade work but do not think her Romeo and Juliet program is as focused on "figure skating turns" as Mao's Swan Lake program.

This is an interesting comparison you raised! I think that SoYoun will turn out to be a very different skater from Mao though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_FDAEKGgLs
 
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BounceAround said:
I also think SoYoun is a very interesting and promising skater, but I find her skating to be very different from Mao's except for the fact, which you focused on, that they both have excellent back posture.

In terms of what happens below the waist, I find that they are completely distinct. SoYoun has more dramatic and interesting variation in speed, while Mao has more fluid knee action, greater control of the weight over the blade, and more detailed edge work. I even find their use of the arms to be very different in that SoYoun has more overtly expressive arm movements while Mao has more subtle movements which extend from the shoulder to the finger tips (see 2:48-3:00 in the video below). I do not find SoYoun's choreography lacking in terms of blade work but do not think her Romeo and Juliet program is as focused on "figure skating turns" as Mao's Swan Lake program.

This is an interesting comparison you raised! I think that SoYoun will turn out to be a very different skater from Mao though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_FDAEKGgLs
Click to expand...
I agree with mostly what you said here, SoYoun's balletic style to me has always mixed a little bit of Asian dance flavour in it, whereas Mao's is very classic ballet. "Waist down" your comment is spot on. The similarity is both SoYoun and Mao carried their balletic style all the way through their program (in turns, spins etc.). But speak of nuances, they are different. Just like all ballerina have their personal touch and distinct flavor. Speaking of movement "extend from shoulder to finger tips", I think SoYoun's gala program is the best example from her. And Mao's "swan lake" is a splendid display of "figure skating turns" (fused with balletic style), no doubt!
I also believe SoYoun will become an unique skater different from Mao or anyone else.:)
 
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ShibumiMao said:
gotoschool, your use of the words " unobtrusive beauty " to define Shibumi is not only elegant but appropriate and germane to the concept.
It is an unfamiliar word to most but I ascribe it to the way Mao exhibits its meaning on the ice and off the ice.

yyyskate, I first encountered this word many years ago. It was in a novel where the author describes one of the characters as
living and exhibiting the qualities and concepts of Shibumi. It resonated deeply within me that I wrote the quotes down.

It says:

Shibumi has to do with great refinement underlying commonplace appearances. It is a statement so correct it does not have to be bold, so poignant it does not have to be pretty, so true it does not have to be real. Shibumi is understanding rather than knowledge. Eloquent silence. In demeanor, it is modesty without prudence. In art, where the spirit of shibumi takes the form of sabi, it is elegant simplicity, articulate brevity. In philosophy, where Shibumi emerges as wabi, it is spiritual tranquility that is not passive; it is being without the angst of becoming.

This is Mao. I always think of her in this manner
Click to expand...

Thanks for your explanation of Shibumi.:)
 
ShibumiMao said:
gotoschool, your use of the words " unobtrusive beauty " to define Shibumi is not only elegant but appropriate and germane to the concept.
It is an unfamiliar word to most but I ascribe it to the way Mao exhibits its meaning on the ice and off the ice.

yyyskate, I first encountered this word many years ago. It was in a novel where the author describes one of the characters as
living and exhibiting the qualities and concepts of Shibumi. It resonated deeply within me that I wrote the quotes down.

It says:

Shibumi has to do with great refinement underlying commonplace appearances. It is a statement so correct it does not have to be bold, so poignant it does not have to be pretty, so true it does not have to be real. Shibumi is understanding rather than knowledge. Eloquent silence. In demeanor, it is modesty without prudence. In art, where the spirit of shibumi takes the form of sabi, it is elegant simplicity, articulate brevity. In philosophy, where Shibumi emerges as wabi, it is spiritual tranquility that is not passive; it is being without the angst of becoming.

This is Mao. I always think of her in this manner
Click to expand...

My head has a heavenly hurt trying to get a grasp of these eloquent posts, Shibumi Mao, bouncearound and yyyskate.

In my opinion, Mao balances the elegant reserve and the tranquility of a gurgling brook seen in her wave like flow and lithe extensions with an inner fire that ignites the emotions: a combustible composure that mounts into an eruption, especially in the Bells of Moscow and Rach 2 step sequences. While I agree that Mao was made to skate to Chopin, I think she reaches her most profound depth with Rachmaninoff.

About Sochi:

I waited my whole life to see such acrobatics, artistry and inspirational emotion and still didn't believe my eyes when it ended in a stream of tears. So, I had to watch it over and over again to assure myself that something this magical actually happened. Then, I remembered its genesis in the Bells of Moscow performance and it all made sense. It's a 4 minute visit to paradise that exorcises all the pain and sorrow that the hardships of this tumultuous life can throw at me. 
 
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