Programs from the 2001-2002 Season

[blue_idealist]

IMO, the Michael Jackson FD was Bourne and Kraatz's best FD ever. It was much more technically difficult than Riverdance, and fit their personalities much better than some of the others they've done, like Adagio or Meet Her At The Love Parade. Drobiazko and Vanagas' FD in 2002 was good. They probably should have been 3rd or 4th ahead of Fusar-Poli and Margaglio. My order for the FD at least would have been 1 - A&P, 2 - L&A, 3 - B&K, 4 - D&V, 5 - FP & M.. or maybe bump FP & M further down the list; I can't remember all the FDs from 6th place on.

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

I ask myself if it's the movements themselves that I find interesting (choreography), or if it's the mood and feelings created by the music and movements together that sparks my emotion (interpretation), or if it's the skater's expression that I find enthralling (performance), or if it's their flow over the ice that I enjoy (skating skills).

As you mentioned with N/K's, it can be hard to separate the four. For me, it's almost impossible. Which means I'd be a bad judge. shrug

Delobel/Schoenfelder's program to "The Piano" was the masterful Freedance that year (seeing them lose to Dom/Shab throughout that season was incredibly annoying; thankfully fate was kind and they deservedly won the World Title).

Hmm..., I wonder what the V/M fanbot will cite as his favourite FD of that season? That stated, "The Piano" was exquisite and I was quite glad DelShos won. Now if we could just take back G/G's bronze and hand that over to them as well....

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

So, I let this thread die a little death.

Jumping back in with....

Alexei Yagudin
Short Program
Long Program

Yagudin was a rare bird. He had the unique ability to have every move be beautiful and complete in and of themselves but skate programs that were more than the sum of their parts. These two are two examples of that. His purity of movement and expression were peerless. Are they perfect programs? No. Both are a little corny (the snow throwing, the sword fighting), but he invests them with every ounce of feeling he’s got, so they work. I can’t imagine anyone else pulling it off. I love COP footwork and would love to see what he could do that, but there’s no denying the simple elegance of his work here (particularly the straight line sequences in each). Another way of putting it: I have bits of the Man of the Iron Mask on my iPod and whenever it comes up, Yagudin flashes into my mind (as do Anissina/Peizarat, fwiw). His (forced) early retirement remains one of the biggest shames in figure skating history, imo.

Sale/Pelletier’s Long Program

I’d forgotten how beautiful that was. Wow. I read on a blog that you don’t skate to “Love Story” unless you believe it – the movie is mediocre and the music isn’t much better. But my goodness were they awesome. I’d forgotten just how good every move was (the TES on this would’ve been massive), and the program is so jaw-droppingly well put together – and such harmony of body line and movement (pairs is about two-skating-as-one and I think that’s displayed incredibly well here). You know, it’s hard to create a program that’s clean and uncluttered without appearing empty, but Nichol managed to do just that. Every moment was just wrought with feeling; nothing seemed rushed and every just flowed together. A masterpiece.

Shen/Zhao’s Long Program

Dammit skate gods? Why’d you have to change the ice right after she landed the quad. You tricked her!!!!!! Otherwise.... this program is good. Because we know just how good it’s going to get, my enthusiasm is a little reserved. Partially because they weren’t as good as they were a year later, where their expression is in full bloom. One thing I really like about this team is that they have that “two as one” quality even when they’re doing the same motions.

Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze’s Long Program

Okay. There’s elegance of body line and then there’s what B/S were able to achieve here, which is beyond amazing. The communion of body and music is something marvellous to behold. My eyes widened at some of the poses which seemed to be just the perfect expression required for that beat of music at that time. It’s so gently emotional. Just an exquisite program.

More. "Eventually"