Mirai Nagasu

[janetfan]

Mirai never skated her programs this past season to the their full potential until her LP at 4CC. Up until then i was ambivalent about her LP but loved it at 4CC. I was never crazy about her SP though especially the music cuts.

Lori seems hit and miss anymore. I think her lobbying is basically worth points more than her choreo at times.

Evan's programs from 2010 did not impress me but Lori did a good job selling it to the judges.

Same thing with Flatt who is getting levels she does not deserve and her choreo is close to unwatchable IMO.

 

[Tinymavy15]

yes, Mirai needs to try another chreographer for at least one program next season. A David Wilson freeskate would be great. I liked Lori's SP this past season and also the pirates program last season, I think Lori is just a better short program choreographer.

 

[Layfan]

yes, Mirai needs to try another chreographer for at least one program next season. A David Wilson freeskate would be great. I liked Lori's SP this past season and also the pirates program last season, I think Lori is just a better short program choreographer.

Pirates was good. Maybe you're right about Lori being better SP choreographer, although I didn't like Mirai's SP this season. I hated that flower thing she had to do in the middle of it. I actually liked Carmen and thought Mirai's charisma sold it when she skated the program well. The same might have been true for this year's LP if there had been more times she skated it well. But even at 4CC I didn't fall in love with it although it certainly had nice moments and it was nice to see the thing skated well for once.

I wish Mirai would try David Wilson too but I doubt she will. Does Frank every work with other choreographers? Maybe he does but off the top of my head I can't think of a time recently.

 

[janetfan]

Pirates was good. Maybe you're right about Lori being better SP choreographer, although I didn't like Mirai's SP this season. I hated that flower thing she had to do in the middle of it. I actually liked Carmen and thought Mirai's charisma sold it when she skated the program well. The same might have been true for this year's LP if there had been more times she skated it well. But even at 4CC I didn't fall in love with it although it certainly had nice moments and it was nice to see the thing skated well for once.

I wish Mirai would try David Wilson too but I doubt she will. Does Frank every work with other choreographers? Maybe he does but off the top of my head I can't think of a time recently.

Do we really want Mirai looking like Yuna/Kira/Christina?

Mirai does not need to use some of Wilson's trademark moves because she has such good posture and stretch the "bendy" look Wilson uses to disguise certain shortcomings would be wasted on her and even take her down a notch IMO.

Most will disagree and I am one of the few who did NOT like Kira's "bendy "Rainbow" program. I am bothered alot seeing Christina at times because she uses so many of the same gestures we see from Yuna.

Recycled choreo is a fact of life in the CoP era. They all are trying to do the same things which is to score points.

As Chen-Lu said "a little originality would be a big help because they all look the same."

 

[Tinymavy15]

I wish Mirai would try David Wilson too but I doubt she will. Does Frank every work with other choreographers? Maybe he does but off the top of my head I can't think of a time recently.

Frank was ok with Evan going to Terosova in the summer of 2008. I don't know what is relationship to Wilson is though. Bebe was Frank's student and had many of her programs choreographed by the amazing Sarah Kawarawa. It would be awesome if Mirai worked with her.

 

[Layfan]

Frank was ok with Evan going to Terosova in the summer of 2008. I don't know what is relationship to Wilson is though. Bebe was Frank's student and had many of her programs choreographed by the amazing Sarah Kawarawa. It would be awesome if Mirai worked with her.

Thanks, Tinymavy!

Hernando: Maybe you are right and if Wilson takes on too many a-listers they will start to look the same, like with Lori. But Wilson also choreographed for Sasha Cohen - who certainly did not need help with bendiness. I loved his Romeo and Juliet for her. And Yuna doesn't remind me at all of Sasha. I don't know. All in all, I think there is still more freshness to David's choreo than Lori's these days.

 

[kalle]

I have not seen her Olympics LP for a while but when I finally did, It really came across how light she were on her feet, just flying over the ice!
I was not sure what to think about her Carmen program in the beginning of the season but I have to admit Lori did a good job with this piece..it suited Mirai very well and I hope they will come up with something similar for next season (assuming they will work together again..)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mrGVfNO-Jo

 

[Krislite]

Do we really want Mirai looking like Yuna/Kira/Christina?

Mirai does not need to use some of Wilson's trademark moves because she has such good posture and stretch the "bendy" look Wilson uses to disguise certain shortcomings would be wasted on her and even take her down a notch IMO.

Most will disagree and I am one of the few who did NOT like Kira's "bendy "Rainbow" program. I am bothered alot seeing Christina at times because she uses so many of the same gestures we see from Yuna.

Recycled choreo is a fact of life in the CoP era. They all are trying to do the same things which is to score points.

As Chen-Lu said "a little originality would be a big help because they all look the same."

FYI, Kiira's "Over the Rainbow" SP was choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne, not Wilson.

 

[janetfan]

FYI, Kiira's "Over the Rainbow" SP was choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne, not Wilson.

Thanks for the info.

I still don't like the program except maybe for a 12 year old. To borrow a word from Joesitz, I find it much too "sugary."

I did like Kiira's LP much better and I believe Wilson did do the "Evita" choreo for Kiira.

I still think Lori and David are doing too much choreo forthe top skaters and I see too much of the same thing.

Christina, IMO needs to change choreographers or else she will forever look like a "B" version of Yuna.

 

[aftertherain]

Christina, IMO needs to change choreographers or else she will forever look like a "B" version of Yuna.

This! I haven't seen many of her programs, but I remember right after watching her one of her Nationals' programs, I thought she was like an unrefined/kind-of awkward Yuna with slightly faster spins. But I honestly hope she'll grow outta that "B-version of Yuna" thing because her skating really isn't that much like Yuna's, just slightly.

 

[janetfan]

This! I haven't seen many of her programs, but I remember right after watching her one of her Nationals' programs, I thought she was like an unrefined/kind-of awkward Yuna with slightly faster spins. But I honestly hope she'll grow outta that "B-version of Yuna" thing because her skating really isn't that much like Yuna's, just slightly.

It's not a matter of Yuna or Christina and I like both of these girls. I see Yuna as the best lady skater in the World, without peer when she skates well.

I do recall reading many posts here that referred to Christina as "mini-Yuna." I think that is 100% on Wilson.

I happen to really like Wilson's choreo for Yuna. But when he gives Christina so many of the same gestures I am left thinking Wilson is "stealing" money from Christina's family.

For pete's sake, Christina does not have that much in common with Yuna's skating......except for Wilson's recycled "copycat" choreo.

If he can't be more original then maybe he should charge more and do fewer ladies programs.

In the case of Flatt, I think Lori owes her parents a humongous refund for some of the worst choreo seen in recent years for a supposedly "top skater."

Rachael will never be my favorite skater but if I see one more "Betty Boop" program from her I will consider walking away from skating. :sheesh:

 

[kwanatic]

Yeah, I'm definitely hoping Mirai will give another choreographer a shot this season, though I doubt she will. I didn't like either of her programs this year though, when skated well, they achieved the desired effect. Her SP performance from nationals really sparkled, as did her LP from 4CC. A lot of it depends on how clean the delivery is because mistakes disrupt the flow of the program...and with the program being not that great to begin with, any disruption makes it fall a bit flat.

I'd love to see Mirai give Shaye Lynn Bourne a shot, along with Sarah Kawahara...or Tom Dickson. I love David Wilson's choreography but it's a bit signature for Yu-Na. I agree with the recycling of the movements and the fact that Christina Gao comes off like a C-version of Yu-Na. I definitely think David should work with Christina and help her develop her own style because right now the choreography style is 100% Yu-Na.

As for Mirai, her style seems to be more her own IMO. She's never reminded me of Yu-Na in her movements which is good. Her personality comes out when she skates which is also good. It gives a different level of depth to her programs...unless Lori gives her choreography that completely stifles her personality which, IMO, her Geisha program did. If she sticks with Lori I really hope Lori tries harder this year...b/c last year those programs look like they were thrown together in 15 minutes...

 

[silverlake22]

Thanks for the info.

I still don't like the program except maybe for a 12 year old. To borrow a word from Joesitz, I find it much too "sugary."

I did like Kiira's LP much better and I believe Wilson did do the "Evita" choreo for Kiira.

I still think Lori and David are doing too much choreo forthe top skaters and I see too much of the same thing.

Christina, IMO needs to change choreographers or else she will forever look like a "B" version of Yuna.

Wilson choreo on anyone else, not just Christina, reminds me of Yuna. It's all those arm movements and pained facial expressions, which were definitely present in Christina's programs (esp the SP), but also Kiira's Evita, Min-Jeong's Caprice, and even in the male programs he's choreographed like Jeremy's Life is Beautiful and both of Adam's programs this season. Wilson needs to get more creative with his choreo, IMO. These skaters are not all the same so don't make them all do the same poses and make the same expressions!

 

[jenaj]

I wish Mirai would ditch the boot covers! She would look so good in beautiful white boots.

 

[Tinymavy15]

I wish Mirai would ditch the boot covers! She would look so good in beautiful white boots.

she does have long legs so could get away with exposing the boot, but for me the longer the lines, the better!

 

[skfan]

she does have long legs so could get away with exposing the boot, but for me the longer the lines, the better!

they don't look longer to me, they just look like bunchy socks over which the skater forgot to put on shoes. but to each his or her own--and if i were to campaign for bans, i'd ban first the blade grabs on death spirals, heck, all blade grabs by anybody but rory flack burghardt

mirai needs to fix her layback--that's a bigger issue than bunchy socks to me.

 

[aftertherain]

mirai needs to fix her layback--that's a bigger issue than bunchy socks to me.

Really? Why?

 

[Tinymavy15]

mirai needs to fix her layback--that's a bigger issue than bunchy socks to me.

? really? Mirai has one the best lay backs in skating today.

 

[dorispulaski]

Maybe he's referring to the two spins she got no credit for this year?

I don't think the problem was spin technique, myself.

 

[kwanatic]

mirai needs to fix her layback--that's a bigger issue than bunchy socks to me.

I think she could improve her layback, but you know that old saying: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Mirai's layback is top 3 in world, easily. Her back position is mind-boggling, great speed, wonderful centering and very distinct and difficult positions...the only improvement I would suggest (and what I'm assuming you mean) is her extending her free leg. That could be something that would improve the spin, but it's fine without it IMO...