Should Wagner return to Black Swan for OLY?

[skateluvr]

I really loved that music/program. What should/could she change to make it stronger?

 

[Blades of Passion]

NO!

She needs new programs.

 

[Moment]

Nope, it's not like she can't top it.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

No. Somebody please take all the Black/White/Purple/etc. Swans out back. She might as well be skating to Turandot.

And agreed, while that was a great program that really propelled her upwards, she can do something way better I'm thinking.

 

[deedee1]

No! I don't like it when elite/top skaters go for same programs for consecutive seasons. I agree with Blades of Passion she NEEDS new programs, as one of top skaters/medal contenders.
However, if they are not going to work very well, I mean, hard to skate cleanly, can't get enough points/judges' love as expected, or she feels rather uncomfortable to skate them during Grand Prix season, then she can of course go back to the Balck Swan at US Nats and/or just for Sochi! Shizuka with Turandot at Torino, remember?

 

[clairecloutier]

No. Ashley needs new and even better programs this season so she can show continued artistic improvement. International judges are not going to be impressed with a 2-year-old recycled program that was good, but never great anyway. Only very top skaters like Chan or Sale/Pelletier can get away with repeating a program, and even then I think it's a bit risky. Like everyone else, the judges want to see something new. True, there have been cases like Arakawa 2006 or Mishkuteniok/Dmitriev 1992 when a repeated program won the OGM, but you have to consider the fields they were competing against. Quite honestly it didn't really take that much to beat Sasha's and Irina's mistake-filled, lackluster long programs in Torino. And in 1992, M/D were quite far above the rest of the competition, with only B/P even threatening. Ashley's situation in Sochi is quite different, she is trying to compete with three skaters who are all strong performers and renowned both artistically and technically.

 

[Cherryy]

She probably shouldn't but if her new program doesn't suit her than it can be a good move and this way she would repeat Swan, not Samson and Dalilah.

 

[Olympia]

No! I don't like it when elite/top skaters go for same programs for consecutive seasons. I agree with Blades of Passion she NEEDS new programs, as one of top skaters/medal contenders.
However, if they are not going to work very well, I mean, hard to skate cleanly, can't get enough points/judges' love as expected, or she feels rather uncomfortable to skate them during Grand Prix season, then she can of course go back to the Balck Swan at US Nats and/or just for Sochi! Shizuka with Turandot at Torino, remember?

I agree in general terms that it's better to have something new for the Olympic year. One notable exception was Sale and Pelletier's "Love Story." In my heart of hearts, I'd love for Davis/White to revive "Die Fledermaus" for the Olympic season, because it's so sublime. But they should try for something fresh and innovative first. After all, a new classic might be in the making.

 

[WeakAnkles]

No no no no a thousand times no. I still wish she'd consider some film noir music--it's very theatrical and she has already proven she can project a femme fatale character on ice.

 

[BlackAxel]

Oh God no. While the 2011-2012 was clearly a breakout season for Ashley, her black swan LP just seemed so ... awkward.

 

[FlattFan]

No. Not that it wasn't good. It just wasn't good enough a vehicle to get her on the podium.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Probably not. I was a proponent of her using the program again this past season, but I agree with others that she should come to the next season with fresh programs. I might have had a different opinion if the music wasn't already so overused.

 

[Olympia]

Oh God no. While the 2011-2012 was clearly a breakout season for Ashley, her black swan LP just seemed so ... awkward.

Yes, I think it wasn't the choreography itself that made her season so memorable. It was that she finally handled the pressure and stood her ground. She could have done that with other programs.

 

[TontoK]

I hope she doesn't go with generic "pretty music" or a retread of classical tunes by Bizet, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, or Tchaikovsky.

I'm a moderate fan of Ashley's, and admit to some home-team rooting on her behalf, but "boring" and "referential" are sins that are getting tough to forgive.

PS. That statement applies to all skaters from all countries.

 

[flying camel]

I would say yes if she can't come up with nothing better. But I would like for her to come up with something memorable and fantastic. This is the Olympic year.

 

[sequinsgalore]

She would have to rechoreograph it quite a bit though in order to recycle it:

- spiral seq has to be changed into a choreo seq
- choreo seq moved behind step seq

I don't think that would work to well with the music, so I'm saying "No"

 

[ffionhanathomas]

No.
It's a good program which really helped her but I think she could come up with something even better for the Olympic season!

 

[mskater93]

She would have to rechoreograph it quite a bit though in order to recycle it:

- spiral seq has to be changed into a choreo seq
- choreo seq moved behind step seq

Spiral sequence had to be after the step sequence in the interim rule season, so a choreo sequence could go where the spiral sequence was, but I still agree with everyone who is saying "no".

 

[noskates]

I really don't like to see repeat programs. I think Ashley should have all new programs and not dredge one up from the past.....although I did prefer 2012 over 2013.

 

[Skater Boy]

I think she has to think what works best for her? Did she love the Black Swan? It was a different time with different rules as pointed out. There have been many hold overs that have done well for ie. Petrenko, Butyrskaya, Sale and Pelletier, M and D in pairs,