The Ice 2014 - Japan

[gotoschool]

To those who find my "same old, same old" comment dismissive or lack of respect, you have every right to think so, but I don't agree. Do I not respect Mao or Gracie? I don't think so. But was I disappointed by their performances in THE ICE on Sunday? Yes. And I echo chapis's opinion of "expectation" - After the Worlds this is the 5th time I watched Mao's EX live, I was really expecting something new and special, especially being the de facto curator of THE ICE, and she won't compete in the new season. However, at least TO ME, I didn't find anything amazingly special, not necessarily new and "wow", and I really expected to see something more technical. So like I said in my previous post, I hate to say so but I couldn't remember any details. The performance didn't meet MY expectation, so I was not really impressed by THIS ONE. It is totally fine if someone disagrees with my opinion, and I am also glad that someone enjoy the program much better than me.

Similar to my comment to Gracie. I think she has great potential, and since this is the first time I watched her EX live (I watched her competition before, though) I also had certain expectation. But she didn't do well at all technically on Sunday, and didn't really connect to the audience (at least TO ME), so I was disappointed as well. I kind of doubted if she is prepared entering the new season. So again, it is about my expectation.

And to answer gotoschool's question “Were her performances in the LP at Sochi and the World Championships 2014 also the "same old, same old," since these are older performances? ” No, her Sochi LP was legendary and her Worlds SP was extraordinary (I was one of the standing ovation audience in Saitama). But I don't think this has anything to do with how I view her performance on Sunday. Or if it has anything to do, it only set my expectation higher. It seems TO ME, being one of the best single skaters in the world, if not the best, Mao's EX programs don't always match the same level of her competition programs. I am not saying she needs to do a 3A or level 4 steps, but the impressiveness (to me) of her EX programs is not always the top level, and that's where the disappointment came from.

If I may compare, although someone might disagree with this comparison, being one of the best single skaters in the world, if not the best, and not competing in the new season either, Patrick's Tango at the same day was one of the greatest EX I've seen this year, totally exceeding my expectation even towards a 3 times world champion. Not to mention how Adelina's Swan Lake and Je Suis Malade totally changed my negative thoughts about her. So I would really wish Mao's EX could be more special and memorable. If someone finds it dismissive, well then, I guess everyone can have his or her opinion which the others don't have to agree with.

Thank you for the in-depth explanation and context you provided. Now, I fully understand your reasoning, and to some extent I agree. Given Mao's recent stellar performances in the Sochi LP, at Worlds and her stunning and surreal Ballade performance in Astana, I would (like you) have liked a little more technical content in "Let It Shine:" more jumps and her trademark Biellmann. But once I looked at it as an inspirational dance performance, I was really impressed. No hard feelings I hope. If she decides to continue competitively, I hope to see Ballade as her SP.

 

[minze]

To those who find my "same old, same old" comment dismissive or lack of respect, you have every right to think so, but I don't agree. Do I not respect Mao or Gracie? I don't think so. But was I disappointed by their performances in THE ICE on Sunday? Yes. And I echo chapis's opinion of "expectation" - After the Worlds this is the 5th time I watched Mao's EX live, I was really expecting something new and special, especially being the de facto curator of THE ICE, and she won't compete in the new season. However, at least TO ME, I didn't find anything amazingly special, not necessarily new and "wow", and I really expected to see something more technical. So like I said in my previous post, I hate to say so but I couldn't remember any details. The performance didn't meet MY expectation, so I was not really impressed by THIS ONE. It is totally fine if someone disagrees with my opinion, and I am also glad that someone enjoy the program much better than me.

Similar to my comment to Gracie. I think she has great potential, and since this is the first time I watched her EX live (I watched her competition before, though) I also had certain expectation. But she didn't do well at all technically on Sunday, and didn't really connect to the audience (at least TO ME), so I was disappointed as well. I kind of doubted if she is prepared entering the new season. So again, it is about my expectation.

And to answer gotoschool's question “Were her performances in the LP at Sochi and the World Championships 2014 also the "same old, same old," since these are older performances? ” No, her Sochi LP was legendary and her Worlds SP was extraordinary (I was one of the standing ovation audience in Saitama). But I don't think this has anything to do with how I view her performance on Sunday. Or if it has anything to do, it only set my expectation higher. It seems TO ME, being one of the best single skaters in the world, if not the best, Mao's EX programs don't always match the same level of her competition programs. I am not saying she needs to do a 3A or level 4 steps, but the impressiveness (to me) of her EX programs is not always the top level, and that's where the disappointment came from.

If I may compare, although someone might disagree with this comparison, being one of the best single skaters in the world, if not the best, and not competing in the new season either, Patrick's Tango at the same day was one of the greatest EX I've seen this year, totally exceeding my expectation even towards a 3 times world champion. Not to mention how Adelina's Swan Lake and Je Suis Malade totally changed my negative thoughts about her. So I would really wish Mao's EX could be more special and memorable. If someone finds it dismissive, well then, I guess everyone can have his or her opinion which the others don't have to agree with.

I undarstand. Jupiter is my favorite exhibition of Mao.

 

[yyyskate]

Patrick's Tango, dailymotion link please!

 

[Alain]

"Same old" CAN be said about Lori. I want Mao to try another choreographer.

 

[cohkaix]

I was in Osaka to attend one of the shows. I've watched Mao in competitions live for at least 5 times in the past, but only once in Ex when she performed her Ballade Ex. For me, her new Ex is not 'same old, same old'. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by Mao's attempt to challenge another music genre that she's never tried before: who'd have thought that she's welling to take on the gospel music? I remember watching her skated smoothly through the initial part of the music of the string, with a hint of gracefulness as of Caro's skating. Then with the vocal part of the EX, she skated through energetically, dancing all the way through. In the end I didn't even mind those recycled movements from her other Ex programs. And the way she danced so happily made me want to move along with the rhythm of the music. I remember in one of her pre-show interviews she said she wants to take on new challenges. If that's so, I think she carries out the challenge successfully. It was a well interpreted and performed Ex program, which brings out another side of her that I don't think I've seen in other (competitive) programs of hers.

 

[hurrah]

I was initially surprised by Mao's gospel. It is not a piece of music that I would have mentally connected with her. But I kinda like it. I love the costume and hair. And she exuberates a more womanly aura and she seems to be so, so comfortable with herself, and I love seeing that.

BTW, there were some terrible posters on a Japanese site that accused Mao of having gained too much weight!! Ha, ha to that. If Mao is now too fat, I wonder in what state Gracie would considered to be? Mao was waif-like before, and looking like a waif can be very appealing, too, when one is as attractive as Mao, but I personally find her more sensual now.

It is terrible that I cannot look forward to Mao competing in few months' time. I desperately hope she will decide to come back next season.

 

[starlight97]

BTW, there were some terrible posters on a Japanese site that accused Mao of having gained too much weight!! Ha, ha to that. If Mao is now too fat, I wonder in what state Gracie would considered to be? Mao was waif-like before, and looking like a waif can be very appealing, too, when one is as attractive as Mao, but I personally find her more sensual now.

I agree!!
I'm from Germany and there are many people here, who are complaining about Mao's, Ashley's and Gracie's weight as well.
They are constanly comparing them to Yuna ( who is an exeption rather than the standart in figure skating as for body proportions with her fairy/bird-like body, which she had as a teen and kept as an adult) !
I think people need to understand that 1. Genes always play a roll and 2. Most skating ladies develop so much muscle tissue in ther thighs and aboth them over the time that they just can't look like legs of a 14 year old say Elena Radionova anymore! Mao, Ashley, Gracie, Carolina, Katharina Witt, Slutskaya.. all of them, with the exeption of Yuna !
And they should be 'proud' of that rather than being insulted for it!

To talk a bit about the topic of this thread as well - LOVED Mao's performance, this was the frist time that I personally saw her really loosing up amd just having fun !

 

[Krunchii]

Yuna has a very beautiful body for skating but I think people need to remember that before Sochi Yuna had lost a lot of weight due to stress, she didn't have much of an appetite (poor girl) so I won't compare her to anyone. I think Mao looks fine, I don't really see much of a difference, she's also very tiny to me. On TV or the computer a skater could look bigger but if you see them in real life they're much smaller, Ashley and Gracie come off as very athletic and strong on ice (not so much Mao although I know she is a strong girl, her style is more balletic) but I'm sure if you see them in real life they're much more petite. I met Joannie Rochette before and on camera she comes off as very athletic and strong and bulkier than Asian skaters but she's quite petite herself in real life. That's why I take a lot of these weight comments with a grain of salt, I only talk about "getting into shape" if I know a skater hasn't been training as hard for a while. I think Gracie and Ashley are fine, it's off season and I'm sure coming fall when GPs start they'll be fit and ready.

Anyway I liked Mao's exhibition, I thought it was lots of fun and I liked her energy but everyone is entitled to their own opinion, the entire show looked fun and I can't wait for the youtube channel to upload everything in August, The Ice is one of my favourite shows.

 

[Meoima]

Yuna has a very beautiful body for skating but I think people need to remember that before Sochi Yuna had lost a lot of weight due to stress, she didn't have much of an appetite (poor girl) so I won't compare her to anyone. I think Mao looks fine, I don't really see much of a difference, she's also very tiny to me. On TV or the computer a skater could look bigger but if you see them in real life they're much smaller, Ashley and Gracie come off as very athletic and strong on ice (not so much Mao although I know she is a strong girl, her style is more balletic) but I'm sure if you see them in real life they're much more petite. I met Joannie Rochette before and on camera she comes off as very athletic and strong and bulkier than Asian skaters but she's quite petite herself in real life. That's why I take a lot of these weight comments with a grain of salt, I only talk about "getting into shape" if I know a skater hasn't been training as hard for a while. I think Gracie and Ashley are fine, it's off season and I'm sure coming fall when GPs start they'll be fit and ready.

Agree, they say camera adds 10 pounds and apparently it's true, sometimes I feel like it adds more. I have watched photographers worked with fashion models before. In real life some models look like walking zombies. They looked painfully thin that it seemed a strong wind could knock them down easily. But when I see the photos they took, pretty much normal, in photos they looked much healthier than real life.

 

[cruzceleste]

Agree, they say camera adds 10 pounds and apparently it's true, sometimes I feel like it adds more. I have watched photographers worked with fashion models before. In real life some models look like walking zombies. They looked painfully thin that it seemed a strong wind could knock them down easily. But when I see the photos they took, pretty much normal, in photos they looked much healthier than real life.

Photoshop is your friend. Specially true for models.

I don´t see neither Grace or Mao (or Adelina) , any more heavier than before, maybe my eyes are not that good.

 

[Brenda]

Gracie looks noticeably heavier than her Olympic form, but that was after she slimmed down a lot after moving to California/Frank Carroll. Many people observed that when she lost weight, her jumps got smaller and lost a lot of their explosive power and height. Right now Gracie looks to have returned to her pre-Carroll body, so hopefully she's been putting on some muscle to get the power back into her jumps.

 

[GGoldberg]

Maia and Alex's new program choreographed by Peter Tchernyshev. Gorgeous and captivating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8aBPy9udvM&list=UUn0jt61Kcp5aY7HDiOOrhlQ&index=6

 

[Barb]

Gracie looks noticeably heavier than her Olympic form, but that was after she slimmed down a lot after moving to California/Frank Carroll. Many people observed that when she lost weight, her jumps got smaller and lost a lot of their explosive power and height. Right now Gracie looks to have returned to her pre-Carroll body, so hopefully she's been putting on some muscle to get the power back into her jumps.

I wonder what is thinking sky_fly20 about this , you know, she is her favorite but she is too much obsessed with weight.

Yes, Maia and Alex ex is so beautiful

 

[satine]

Not to be rude, but I agree Gracie looks like she has gained a teensy bit of weight. She's still healthy-looking, but I worry how that will effect her jumps.
Adelina looks like she has lost a few pounds though.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Adelina looks like she has lost a few pounds though.

It hasn't been easy.

http://cs617329.vk.me/v617329067/d467/AlScoSmCRko.jpg

With a little help from her friends...right. I could use a few of those

 

[chloepoco]

Maia and Alex's new program choreographed by Peter Tchernyshev. Gorgeous and captivating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8aBPy9udvM&list=UUn0jt61Kcp5aY7HDiOOrhlQ&index=6

That was absolutely gorgeous from Alex & Maia!! That may just be my favorite program yet!!

 

[Mathman]

It hasn't been easy.

http://cs617329.vk.me/v617329067/d467/AlScoSmCRko.jpg

With a little help from her friends...right. I could use a few of those

 

[Jammers]

Not to be rude, but I agree Gracie looks like she has gained a teensy bit of weight. She's still healthy-looking, but I worry how that will effect her jumps.
Adelina looks like she has lost a few pounds though.

Gracie was no waif back in 2011-12 when she started making a name for herself as a Junior. She was built solid but she was probably at her most explosive back then with her 3-3's.

 

[96skiluvr]

I wonder what is thinking sky_fly20 about this , you know, she is her favorite but she is too much obsessed with weight.

sky_fly20 got banned, so I guess we'll never find out

 

[Meoima]

sky_fly20 got banned, so I guess we'll never find out

Oh really... I miss her, though. : I wish to know her recent thoughts about Gracie's weight.