Programs with the best Choreography?

[gkelly]

Some of my favorite European men's programs from the 1990s, with good concepts, originality, interesting use of the body and blades between the elements, good phrasing to the music . . . some of these guys also have good body line, but I consider that more an aspect of the execution than the choreography:

Candeloro the Barbarian

Millot tango

Dmitrenko 1995

Zagorodniuk 1995

Urmanov 1995

Pashkevich 1996

Vlascenko 1996

Kulik's SP take on the same music in 1997

Pashkevich 1997

Tyllesen 1998 SP

Tyllesen 1998 LP

 

[plushyfan]

Two stunningly gorgeous routines:



Klimova & Ponomarenko, Air: http://youtu.be/cRNgq4cQIU8

This is perfect example of why I prefer the old system.. the programs were very various.

 

[snejina]

I'd like also to add some performances I had forgotten - V/M's Valse Triste 2008 Worlds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9neFDuwjyc;
2010 Farrukas - Olympics OD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6mge7uZbLo; 2009 Pink FLoyd LP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7vsQKRIP2M;
the beautiful exhibition on Festa on Ice- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CVc5QbzAUA

Annissina/Peizerat Romeo and Juliet Olympics 1998 FD - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4Wqpc4xL5Q; Olympics 2002 FD - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlgTnsd5Dqo and OD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bewtUDrpaI

Drobiazko-Vanagas - Phantom of the Opera FD 2002 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldTE29nre2Q

Mishkutenok-Dmitriev - LP 1994 Olympics Rachmaninoff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNDqZuQVcQg

Savchenko/Szolkowy - "Send in the Clowns" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqHanXJt9MY&playnext=1&list=PLE0FC5AC855FE774A&feature=results_main - simply a masterpiece created by Ingo Steuer

Ilinykh Katsalapov - 2010 Jrs Worlds Shindler's List https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vjobRSN3Sk
and 2011 Don Quixote FD (when they trained with Zhulin their programs were far better choreographed)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ7r4rfYN6g

 

[kimganos]

I love almost everything Michelle did, but Salome was the one I still think is incredible.

Love Yuna Kim's Gershwin LP (really sophisticated and sublime), Danse SP and Tango SP

I still love Alexei Yagudin's Winter SP. We'll never see such step again tho.

Hanyu's Romeo & Juliet LP

Almost everything done by Dai, but then he can make the most drab choreography look like the most electrifying thing you've ever seen. (So this is in a way very biased. I really liked his Oly LP)

:agree:

 

[Butterscotch17]

I think the choreography in Daisuke's "Blues For Klook" is really great, because it was so perfectly connected to the music.

Also, I know Javier Fernanadez is known for being a jumper more than an artist, but I really like the choreography of his Charlie Chaplin FS this year. It's so charming, and suits him perfectly. I wish it would be his Olympic program, because I think people would fall in love with it as well as him.

 

[FSGMT]

Ilinykh Katsalapov - 2010 Jrs Worlds Shindler's List https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vjobRSN3Sk
and 2011 Don Quixote FD (when they trained with Zhulin their programs were far better choreographed)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ7r4rfYN6g

:agree:

 

[loveskating]

Matt Savoie, short program choreographed by Tom Dickson!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFAsNpBJbk0
Still gives me chills!

 

[WeakAnkles]

Thank you for reminding me of the Matt Savoie short. Just beautiful. You want transitions? You want difficult and interesting entries into jumps? He's got 'em. And to *start* a program off with a spin? Oh just lovely.

 

[Ilvskating]

I just love so much of Mao's program. She looks stunning in the white dress! I can just watch it all day long! Such elegance and lightness and great lines of a balerina.

I recently came across this article from 1996:

Michelle Kwan: World Champion Skates to Azerbaijani Symphonic Music
http://www.azer.com/aiweb/categories/magazine/44_folder/44_articles/44_michellekwan.html



And it got me thinking about programs (both competitive and exhibitions) that are meant to be artistically well-constructed, tell a story, etc.

Now, I don't necessarily mean programs that have scored the most 6.0s or highest scores (MK got a 6.0 for presentation at 2003 Worlds for her long program, but let's face it; "Aranjuez" wasn't exactly brilliant in terms of choreography)-- but "what makes a well-constructed program, in terms of aesthetic principles".

Some of my favorites:
~ Michelle Kwan - 1995-1996 LP - Salome (Lori Nichol)
~ Lu Chen - 1995-1996 SP - Spring Breeze (Sandra Bezic)
~ Sasha Cohen - 2005-2006 LP - Romeo & Juliet (David Wilson)
~ Phillipe Candeloro - 1997-1998 LP - D'Artagnan (Natacha Dabadie?)
~ Mao Asada - 2010-2011 EX - Ballade No. 1 (Tatiana Tarasova)
~ Alissa Czisny - 2011-2012 SP - La vie en rose (Yuka Sato, Pasquale Camerlengo)

~Bonus: The beginnings of a flirtatious Daisuke Takahashi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcAr91dhaD4
(2003-2004 SP - Nyah - Tatiana Tarasova)

What do you guys think? What do you think makes a balanced and well-constructed program and who are some of the best choreographers in the world?