New Sasha journal ... 8/24/05

[nymkfan51]

She confirms R&J ... here's the link:
http://www.sashacohen.com/journal.shtml

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Thanks NYMKfanI51 - It's official. Praise to be. We've said a lot about it already. Now let's get on with our lives.

Joe

 

[mzheng]

And there is a dedicating article at USFSA site front page:

http://usfsa.org/

 

[Ptichka]

Hmmm, has Morozov changed his name from Nikolai to Nikoli?

 

[Doggygirl]

Is anyone from Goldenskate going to be at Sun Valley this weekend to give us a report? Even though it will be an "easy version" (understandable at this stage of the pre-season) it should be an interesting preview. Hope we get some first hand reports!! I'm curious about the "new moves" she mentions, and also the difficult spins she mentions.


DG

 

[dwiggin3]

New Music ARGH!

All I cans say is *sigh*, such talent but so little creativity or individuality.

Darby

 

[R.D.]

She confirms R&J ... here's the link:
http://www.sashacohen.com/journal.shtml

I knew it. It was so obvious all along.

 

[CDMM1991]

Yay! Finally a journal entry everybody isn't criticizing for being too 'fluffy'. Haha this has what everybody has been asking for all along. So ... it sounds like she is stepping it up a bit more than we were expecting. Hopefully it isn't all talk, and I also dearly hope that SOMEONE from Golden Skate is going to Sun Valley so that they can see the preliminary version, and describe it for us.

 

[gezando]

All I cans say is *sigh*, such talent but so little creativity or individuality.

Darby

Cohen is just too comfortable with over exposed and over used music

 

[R.D.]

Yay! Finally a journal entry everybody isn't criticizing for being too 'fluffy'.

Yes. Why? Because, for goodness' sake, it gets to the point. Of course, she has to expand and give some background info for her more interested fans, but a simple note confirming her music would have been good enough for most of us.

Cohen is just too comfortable with over exposed and over used music

Yes, but really, at this point in time, who isn't?

 

[gezando]

Yes, but really, at this point in time, who isn't?

By overused, I mean overused relative to herself. She overused these pieces in the past few years

 

[R.D.]

By overused, I mean overused relative to herself. She overused these pieces in the past few years

OK, I get what you mean now. With this I'd have to agree. There hasn't been much variety in her musical choices, but really, if you look at it from a more objective standpoint, what does it matter? She's not being penalized for it, and if it makes her feel more comfortable, good for her. She'll just have to be prepared to take a bigger beating from the fans who want to see more from her (which is pretty much everybody, go figure).

 

[gracefulswan]

exactly... who isn't skating to old warhorses? even kwan is rumored to be skating to...oh wow! 'rachmaninov'! so original! and some think it could be a version that's been done a gazillion times. so i guess i'm going to roll my eyes at these 2 favored to win gold next year skating to overused, overdone music. let's see what 'original' music slutskaya comes up with as she's very known for her unique long program music choices (NOT). well hey, now's the time to show a bit of originality for her last olympic games, don't ya think?

i hope cohen plans some nice varied cuts in her R&J version. it needs it along with a lot of choreography too.

now all we need to do is see them come out with guns a blazin'... 3/3s galore per practice reports, LOL. kwan is supposedly going to up the ante with 2 3/3s... she'll do them, well, at least in practice...

 

[gracefulswan]

By overused, I mean overused relative to herself. She overused these pieces in the past few years

well, yea, in that case, you're right. she's also going to keep her short program! :scratch: she really wants to stay in a good comfort zone for this year it seems... and we all know that rarely does the gold medal winner stay in a comfort zone without taking at least some risk, imo.

 

[R.D.]

well, yea, in that case, you're right. she's also going to keep her short program! :scratch: she really wants to stay in a good comfort zone for this year it seems... and we all know that rarely does the gold medal winner stay in a comfort zone without taking at least some risk, imo.

You're right in a sense, but not about the right thing IMO (lol, pardon me here).

The gold medal winner is virtually always a risk-taker, and I believe it will be the risk taker (or the most successful one, if there are many) that will walk away with the 2006 FS OGM. I've stressed this point in about 20 other posts, but I'll do it again: Playing it safe will NOT win you a gold medal! IMO, that's a very important point.

However, the issue is where the risk is taken. IMO It's NOT so much the musical choice (if you can make it work, what does it matter?) as it is the content of the program. With the advent of the NJS this will become more important than ever. You've got to make sure you can bring out the big guns if you're challenged. This means a 3-3, or more difficult (insert name of element your skater is weakest at). The biggest thing here is not only understanding the scoring system but being able to maximize it and tailor it to your strengths. Irina has the strongest command here, followed somewhat by Cohen.

 

[gracefulswan]

i fully concur that the OGM will not go to a conservative skate.. or skater... he/she will need to skate like they are the hunter not the hunted(unless their closest competitors falter too). all the ladies champions in the past have skated with risk and verve... and won gold outright..grabbed it... and didn't skate like they were afraid to lose..(course the psychological pressure is different for all the top skaters and could make it easier or harder for some to just skate with the abandon and risk they need)

 

[SkateFan4Life]

Thanks NYMKfanI51 - It's official. Praise to be. We've said a lot about it already. Now let's get on with our lives.

Joe

Amen! Now the great mystery is over. "Romeo and Juliet" is great music, although it's been skated to by a number of other top skaters over the years.

Without being critical, I would really, really like Sasha to find a piece of music that has NOT been skated by any of the top skaters in, say, 20 years or so, and make that piece of music her signature piece.

Now all that has to happen is for another top woman skater to also skate to "Romeo and Juliet". Remember 1988 in which both Katarina Witt and Debi Thomas skated to "Carmen"? It made for great comparisons in style, choreography, costumes, etc. This could be called the "Battle of the RJs".

 

[jesslily]

Finding a piece of music that nobody has skated to is a very very hard work. It needs many people's many hours and days reasearch. And you still not sure if the judges and audience will open their eyes to watch and listen by the time you debut the program.
So everybody plays it safe, from beginner to elite skaters. Most top skaters just use that few pieces for the past 20 years. And lower lever coaches have their own set of music for youngsters for many many years.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I agree Jess but TT was able to eke out unused music in the warhorse Swan Lake for Sasha which, imo, was spectacular. Also, there is a standard use for Sleeping Beauty but Emilie Hughe's version was new and refreshing, imo.

Depending on how strong a skater is motivated for a good skate, the search for unused music is well worth it. JMO.

It's tough to find music to skate to. Dance (without skates) is much easier because feet have the use of the instep and skating is limited by the blade.

Joe

 

[Dee4707]

R&J is beautiful music. For me, it is the kind of music that you can listen to over and over. I don't know for some reason I was surprised that she was working with Nikolai. I wonder what she is doing for her SP. I hope it is something hot and fiery!!!

Dee