Sasha's Wilson R&J

[Joesitz (RIP)]

This to give more room to Rgirl and her views on Sasha.

For me, there is a complete difference between TEB and Marshalls. The choreography has given her a further chance to show off her abilities. It doesn't center on the flexibilities. We all know that Sasha is flexible but there are other skaters out there that have the same flexibility and given time will rival Sasha"s.
The program, for me, no longer hinges on the stacotto pacing of the previous R&J. Look at this spiral and look at that spiral and for me yeah, yeah. Now it flows like Wilson knows how to make a skating performance flow. No longer are we caring about what she is doing but what the whole program is saying, not just the flexibility.

Sasha for me was absolutely divine in both numbers. Rain on My Parade was great fun - Not unlike her Hernando's Hideaway which was also a gem. I don't think she can use it for the SP. No singing allowed. Am I correct?

I conclude that she can give Irina a run for the money. And for those who do not like Wilson, take another look.

Joe

 

[BravesSkateFan]

I don't know, I preferred the Campbells/TEB version. But I"ve never been a fan of Wilson's choreo. So far I've only liked it on the Japanese skaters.

 

[R.D.]

Cohen's first performance was GREAT- no question about it. She had pizazz, and you could tell she was enjoying herself out there. THAT's what I like to see.

However, I did NOT feel the same way about her second piece. I don't know- maybe I just don't dig the style- but I found myself almost bored with that program. Granted, she skated it well (minus that jarring "fall" at the end), but it did not move me at all.

ETA: I believe this is the first time that exhibition (Parade) has been shown on national TV. The other times it was either on ESPN or chacked altogether.

 

[kemisha]

i was excited about this r&j program. it was beautiful and delicate. even elegant. she missed a couple things, like her split wasn't timed well, but overall i thought it was lovely.

 

[rjulie510]

Even though she only did a part of newly choreographed R&J LP with easier jumps, I did like what I saw. Music cut was better, and it had delicate emotions of her R&J Exhibition, which is my all-time favorite Sasha program. She did seem a bit shaky in her spiral sequence, but it is difficult and fits the program better. I'm hoping that there is enough choreography in her ENTIRE LP and she can perform all of it without falling in her jumps. Ever since it was known that Sasha was going to do R&J LP, everyone questions, can LP be great when 7 jumping passes are added? The answer hasn't been answered, but this version is definitely an improvement.

 

[orchid]

To me, no matter who is the choreographer, Romeo & Juliet, as skated by Sasha is an exhibition piece.

Can't explain why, but each time I see it, that's my feeling.

However, this iteration certainly was more calm and precise when compared to TEB. BUT she lands her jumps like a brick fallling from the 2nd story. Nothing is light and effortless with the jumps when compared to all the other elements. This stands out clear to me.

Seems as though the effort to land on the skate blade rather than on the bum, causes her to lunk back to the ice. Not pretty at all.

 

[Vash01]

I was not that impressed with this version of R&J. It seemed like an exhibition piece that says "I am flexible". May be if she had skated the whole program it would have created a different impression for me. However, she sells the R&J music better than any of her other programs.

Vash

 

[Eldredgefan2001]

I LOVED this version of R&J and can't wait to see all of the changes that Wilson did to the program. I like it before, but it's even more breathtaking now!!

 

[Rgirl]

This to give more room to Rgirl and her views on Sasha.

For me, there is a complete difference between TEB and Marshalls. The choreography has given her a further chance to show off her abilities. It doesn't center on the flexibilities. We all know that Sasha is flexible but there are other skaters out there that have the same flexibility and given time will rival Sasha"s.
The program, for me, no longer hinges on the stacotto pacing of the previous R&J. Look at this spiral and look at that spiral and for me yeah, yeah. Now it flows like Wilson knows how to make a skating performance flow. No longer are we caring about what she is doing but what the whole program is saying, not just the flexibility.

Sasha for me was absolutely divine in both numbers. Rain on My Parade was great fun - Not unlike her Hernando's Hideaway which was also a gem. I don't think she can use it for the SP. No singing allowed. Am I correct?

I conclude that she can give Irina a run for the money. And for those who do not like Wilson, take another look.
Joe

Aw, thanks, Joe. I know I never have to worry about having plenty of room to give my views on Michelle. Two posts on MK already!

Anyway, ITA. I like the different music cut Wilson used for the beginning much better. You're also right that "Rain on my Parade" can't be used as an SP because lyrics are only allowed in ice dance. Besides, at TEB Cohen used "Dark Eyes" from last season.

I was especially glad to see, as I would any skater on the "too unnaturally thin" bubble, that Sasha looked as if she's gained some muscle weight and is eating better.

I've really liked every Wilson piece I've seen except one, and I've LOVED the work he's done with Buttle. More than any other season, I'm really interested to see what Tarasova has done with Michelle's LP and Wilson with Sasha's.

But, save an iceberg, Irina is one amazing force to be reckoned with. (I first misspelled "reckoned" as "rockoned." I like the latter better. So I'll say instead...) Irina is one amazing force to be rock-oned with.

Rgirl

 

[jesslily]

Sasha's Wilson R&J is newer, but still has her old choreography. It's refreshinig, not as predictable as her old TT/Nicolai's programs. But I don't think this is a master piece.

 

[Rgirl]

Sasha's Wilson R&J is newer, but still has her old choreography. It's refreshinig, not as predictable as her old TT/Nicolai's programs. But I don't think this is a master piece.

IMO, you can't get a masterpiece "R&J" unless you use Prokofiev's scores. Not even Tchaikovsky works.

Actually the opening is both a different cut of the Rota "R&J" music and different choreography. Her spiral sequence is different too. She dropped the "famous" or "infamous" 180 degree panche arabesque chenge-edge spiral and now goes directly into the fan spiral, followed by the Y-position catch-foot spiral--the spiral no ladies skater can be seen without this season and be considered fashionable. Just kidding, it just reminds me of those 1950s and early '60s "and no wardrobe is complete without a poodle skirt" film shorts.

Anyway, instead of the Big Arabesque, Sasha added a Biellman spiral, which is followed by the Charlotte. It all makes perfect sense considering her back. Both the Big Arabesque and the Biellman would be killer on her lower back. I hope somebody said, "Do just the one you get more points for," which would be the Biellman. With the Charlotte, Sasha bends her body down to her skating leg, which takes the crunching pressue off her lower back.

Now if she could just get better edges into some and any edge at all into others. It would be soooo easy for her to get a nice deep BOE on the fan and catch-foot if she did what a few other skaters are doing and bent the supporting leg. With that leg straight, not even Irina was getting an edge. So Irina just bet her knee. She keeps up speed and has a killer edge to boot. Very smart!

Sasha, forget whether your standing knee is straight or not. Go for the edge. Actually, that might work for the Charlotte too. Hmm. Wish I could try it, but I'd have to call mine the Charnot.

Rgirl

 

[georgia]

IMO, you can't get a masterpiece "R&J" unless you use Prokofiev's scores. Not even Tchaikovsky works.

Is it the music or the combination of music and skating that makes a masterpiece?

The beginning of her program took my breath away. It was stunning. I have no words to describe it. I can't wait to see the complete program. We know that sooner than later Mr. Wilson will be everybody's choreographer.
I am glad Sasha went to him for help now. Very smart move.

 

[Doggygirl]

I will just say that I enjoyed this R&J more than the TEB version as well. However the changes are occuring, I like them.

Has anyone seen any actual confirmation (i.e. a Sasha interview or Wilson interview or anything) to confirm that she has worked with Wilson? I haven't, but could have missed that...... I'm just wondering if this is one of those board rumors that if it's said enough, it sort of becomes "fact." It doesn't really matter to me one way or the other - I'm just curious if this has been confirmed.

I hope Sasha can skate like that under competition pressure.

DG

 

[jesslily]

I still love the R&J Sasha skated very first time as an exibition while she was taking from TT. That program is not in standard format, not a lot of in-betweens, but the music cut, Sasha putting-her-heart-on-it just let you feel the program is magical. The newest version just let you feel the whole thing is for points, for judges.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I still love the R&J Sasha skated very first time as an exibition while she was taking from TT. That program is not in standard format, not a lot of in-betweens, but the music cut, Sasha putting-her-heart-on-it just let you feel the program is magical. The newest version just let you feel the whole thing is for points, for judges.

That's what the CoP is all about.

 

[emma]

Whether or not it is Wilson (although I would love to know if this rumor is factual), I'm hoping the new beginning stays and hoping the end (not the slip but the single crescendo into a spin as opposed to the crescendo sping - gasp for air- wait its not over - crescendo spin slowly again) stays too. I did think her performances were wonderful and look forward to seeing the full version of R&J revised at Nationals.

 

[euterpe]

You can't draw any conclusions from what was skated at Marshall's about Sasha's R&J program. Wilson is known for adding intricacy to a program such as unusual entrances into tough jumps, and different types of jump sequences. We sure didn't see any of that at Marshall's. What we saw was a reworked exhibition program, that's all.

 

[swannanoa54]

I'm with euterpe on this one.

I am just going to say this flat out, like that's different or something. You can't judge what was done or redone with this program because it wasn't her full R&J LP. She may have just changed to what she did in her exhibition R&J with her LP music. I don't like the cuts being used. I haven't liked R&J as a competition piece because I didn't realize she would use different types of music instead of the exhibition music she used (and I loved that).

Since I'm not a Wilson choreographer bandwagon person, I just don't get all the gushing over Sasha's "incredible" Marshall's skate. I'm not sorry I feel this way either. The one thing I did like is that the "oh the music isn't over" spinning is gone. But do we know it's gone for sure? I mean, she only had 2 or 3 minutes to skate to it, so maybe the spins are still there, she just didn't do them yesterday. Her fall, however unfortunate, was a very classy cover up and if it was still allowed for you to "die" on ice, I'd tell her to leave it in with a bit less "oomph" so as not to get hurt.

However, her first program was great! Well suited for her! But I still believe Irina's got her beat no matter what.

 

[Dee4707]

However, I did NOT feel the same way about her second piece. I don't know- maybe I just don't dig the style- but I found myself almost bored with that program. Granted, she skated it well (minus that jarring "fall" at the end), but it did not move me at all..

Red Dog, do we need to buy you glasses or a new prescription for contacts??

Dee

 

[Enero]

Though Sasha skated this program well, aside from the mishap at the end, like some others, I just wasn't feeling it. I don't like the new music cuts (I wasn't a big fan of the old ones either), and I don't particularly like the choregraphy. In fact, I wish that Sasha could drop R&J all together and just pick up one of her old longs (perhaps Rach or Swan Lake). But it's probably too late for that. Anyway, I think that R&J will probably win her Nationals, if Michelle is not there, but the Olympics, no way. Unless Irina implodes on the ice. She'll maybe get a silver or bronze, depending on how the other ladies skate.