Your top 10 figure skating performances ever! (in order)

[cheerio2]

Pretty much all my faves have been mentioned, just wanted to add Yuna's 2011 Homage to Korea program, it's my favorite program of hers. It had such interesting choreo and layout (footwork, then spiral, then 3S and 2A close together before final spin). The music was so powerful and emotional. I read that Yuna was hesitant to use Korean music because of worry about global reception, but as an American, the music was a breath of fresh air over the usual Western music warhorses.

 

[lariko]

Sort of in order of my becoming intrigued with FS

Yulia Lipnitskaya Olympics 2014 team event
Shoma Uno Olympics 2018, SP
Alina Zagitova, Olympics 2018, SP
Carolina Kostner, Olympics 2018, SP
Zabiiako & Enbert 2018-19 Grand Prix SP
Alina Zagitova, 2018-19 exhibition throughout
Yuzuru Hanyu, 2018-19 Grand Prix Moscow
Shoma Uno, 2018-19 NKH exhibition
Shoma Uno, 2018-19, 4CC, FS
Alexandra Trusova, 2018-19, JW FS

...

To be continued...

 

[cabres]

1. Natalia Mishkutienok/Arthur Dmitriev, Liebestraum - Franz Liszt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGlG3Hus-KQ
2. Carolina Kostner, Ave Maria - Schubert -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaSfFYKrySE
3. Tessa Virtue/Scot Moir, Carmen - Bizet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Oa39Uojj0&t=
4. Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao, Turandot – Puccini
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kql3sf_crA
5. Elena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikuralidze, "The Dinner from La Califfa" - Ennio Morricone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqOd-Lx-xhQ
6. Yuko Kawaguti / Alexander Smirnov, Manfred - Tchaikovski
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy1Qx5g6S6Q
7. Gabriella Papadakis & Guilaume Cizeron, Piano Concerto No. 23, II. Adagio - Mozart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5eCJWdsW_A&t=
8. Alexei Yagudin, “Gladiator” - Hans Zimmer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYZYEaRKltM
9. Daisuke Takahasi, “La strada” - Nino Rota
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THUKSiFu92M
10. Stephane Lambiel, La Traviatta - Verdi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkkLAGKnv3o

 

[christinaskater]

1. Lyra Angelica 1998 US Nationals - Michelle Kwan Tied with Hope and legacy by Yuzuru Hanyu 2017 Worlds.
2. Turandot - Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao 2003 Worlds FS and La Terre Vu Deciel by Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot 2018 Olympics FS.
3. Les Miserables- Yu-Na Kim 2013 Worlds Free Skate
4. Concerto Aranjuez and Song Of The Black Swan- Michelle Kwan
5. Rachmaninoff- Mao Asada 2014 Olympics FS tied with Rainbow by Tara Lipinski 1998 Olympics FS and with Ave Maria by Carolina Kostner 2014 Olympic SP
6. Man In The Iron Mask- Alexei Yagudin 2002 Olympics and Worlds
7. Land of All by Nathan Chen 2019 Worlds FS
8. Schindler’s List - Julia Lipnitskaia - 2010 Europeans FS.
9. Swan Lake by Sasha Cohen (Marshall’s) , Planets by Satoko Miyahara and O by Akiko Suzuki (NHK Trophy).
10. East of Eden by Michelle Kwan, Rachmaninoff- Lu Chen. James Bond Medley - Wakaba Higuchi

 

[die Wolke]

1. Shoma Uno Worlds 2017 FS
2. Yuzuru Hanyu Olympics 2018 FS
3. Shoma Uno Olympics 2018 SP
4. Satoko Miyahara Olympics 2018 FS
5. Wakaba Higuchi Worlds 2018 FS
6. Daisuke Takahashi Worlds 2008 SP
7. Karolina Kostner Worlds 2018 SP

 

[Bcash]

Why are these lists made up of performances so recent? Have older generations of skating fans moved on?

 

[el henry]

Why are these lists made up of performances so recent? Have older generations of skating fans moved on?

Still here. I made my pitch earlier

We don't do lists

 

[anonymoose_au]

1. Hands down Plushy's 2003 Russian Nats LP Tribute to Njinsky I love this performance so much that if you told me I could only watch one skating performance for the rest of my life I'd pick that one without hesitation. - https://youtu.be/SEJXkfMYTX4

2. Plushy's Dark Eyes in the black costume from the 2000/2001 GPF. The contrast with the Dark Eyes in white program was intriguing! - https://youtu.be/oMlOauStH74

3. Liza's FS from the WTT 2019, It. Was. EPIC - https://youtu.be/PRJPZrWT76s

4. T/M's SP from World's this year, it was so perfect! The stats on that throw jump, daaang! https://youtu.be/sx1-9JHrZZ0

5. V/M Olympics 2018 FD, it was fantastic! Love the Twizzle to Roxaaaannnnne. https://youtu.be/wOEKdWrtz6U

6. Torville and Dean's Bolero, I didn't see it live since I was born in 1984, but when I came across it it changed my view of ice dance! https://youtu.be/E8obUdxnTlc

7. Plushy's Olympics 2002 Carmen he had no chance at gold (even if he'd won the segment another man would have needed to beat Yags as well), but he threw. It. DOWN. That takes guts. Also, best Carmen Oh and he was half-looping before it was cool https://youtu.be/3auc9cPwD-c

8. Vanessa and Morgan's Sound of Silence FS at WTT 2017. Awesome! Epic! https://youtu.be/_279WWNbuv4

9. Peng/Jin's Ophelia take your pick of any event, I love that SP so much! Seriously watch it, it'll make your day! https://youtu.be/Hk-AyPa4PpY

10. Plushy's FS at the Sochi Team event, sure it wasn't his greatest ever skate but that quad, what. A. Legend. https://youtu.be/BeMoig-AJzk

 

[mau]

Yuna Kim’s Sochi FS
Shizuka Arakawa’s Turin FS (I remember watching this at 6 years old!)
Alexei Yagudin’s Salt Lake SP
Ilia Kulik’s Nagano FS (I just love everything Ilia did)
Oksana Baiul’s Lillehammer SP
Alina Zagitova’s Pyeongchang FS
Mao Asada’s Worlds 2016 FS
Yulia Lipnitskaya’s Sochi Team event FS
Javier Fernandez’s Worlds 2016 FS
Savchenko/Massot’s Pyeongchang FS

 

[Autumn Leaves]

1. Lipnitskaya, OG 2014, FS, team event
2. Lipnitskaya, GP Russia 2016, SP

 

[Charlotte 71]

Why are these lists made up of performances so recent? Have older generations of skating fans moved on?

B

Because it is impossible to reduce 30 or 40 years of watching skating to 10 performances - impossible! I did my list off the top of my head of the programs that I go back to again and again - the ones that just make me happy - and at the end I realized I did not have a single Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, Johnny Weir or Stephane Lambiel on there, and started the process of editing, only to realize I had totally overlooked Midori ITO... AND effing Gordeeva and Grinkov.

At that point, I gave up.

 

[iluvtodd]

I have a hard time doing this one, too. My #1 performance though would be Todd Eldredge's "First Knight" performance @ 1996 Worlds, though! :luv17:

In my top ten list, I would have to include Brian Orser's free skate in 1988 Calgary, Michelle Kwan's "Salome" @ 1996 Worlds & her "Lyra Angelica" @ 1998 US Nationals, Midori Ito's 1988 Olympic free skate, Javi Fernandez's "Guys & Dolls" @ 2016 Worlds, Shen & Zhao's "Turandot" @ 2003 Worlds, Aljona & Bruno's free skate @ the 2018 Olympics & Worlds, Paul Wylie's "Henry V" free skate @ the 1992 Olympics. I haven't figured out the order for all of these, but they are there in my heart!

 

[Rissa]

Well, to be honest, it'd be Yuzuru Hanyu performances and the 1998 Olympucs Dance top 5 but I'll try to switch it up.

1. Hanyu - Let's Go Crazy.
2. Hanyu - Seimei
3. Hanyu - Origin
4. Grishuk/Platov - Requiem
5. Bourne/Kraatz - Riverdance
6. Krylova/Ovsiannikov - Carmen
7. Anissina/Peizerat - Beethoven's Last Night
8. Yagudin - Winter
9. Savchenko/Massot - Olympic FS
10. Takahashi - Blues for Klook

11. Mao Asada - Rachmaninov
12. Higuchi - Skyfall

 

[zanadude]

1. Yuzuru Hanyu 2015 NHK Cup FS
2. Evgenia Medvedeva 2017 Russian Nationals SP
3. Mai Mihara 2017 Japan Nationals FS
4. Rika Kihira 2018 NHK Cup FS
5. Yuzuru Hanyu 2018 Olympics FS
6. Mai Mihara 2016 Japan Nationals FS
7. Mirai Nagasu 2017 Worlds SP
8. Rika Hongo 2016 Worlds FS
9. Ayaka Hosoda 2018 Japan Nationals FS
10. Shizuka Arakawa 2006 Olympics FS

Why are these lists made up of performances so recent? Have older generations of skating fans moved on?

Outside of ice dancing, most routines haven't aged well. The technical advancements over the past ten years have been huge.

 

[TontoK]

Still here. I made my pitch earlier

We don't do lists

I'm with you. Besides that, any "greatest" list that does not include John Curry 1976 Olympic FS isn't worth considering.

 

[LadyB]

Why are these lists made up of performances so recent? Have older generations of skating fans moved on?

Still here. I made my pitch earlier

So did I and dorispulaski as well. :agree:

 

[dorispulaski]

Why are these lists made up of performances so recent? Have older generations of skating fans moved on?

I found it very hard to do long programs, because I have loved so many! I refuse to rank these, but I will keep it down to 10. I am deliberately skipping others I love because they have been mentioned by many others.

Torvill & Dean, 1982 Europeans, FD Mack and Mabel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aEgunvUYVg

Davis & White 2008 Skate Canada FD Samson & Delilah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cavcCtIVurk

Krylova & Ovsiannakov 1998 Olympics FD Carmen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgXUkYCbAgk

Wilson & McCall 1988 Olympics FD Elite Syncopations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWO4eG_EwG8

Rudi Galindo 1996 Nationals FS Swan Lake. Best ever Baron Rothbart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lH9mg_ZneA

Brian Boitano 1988 Olympics FS Napoleon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8p3EhqI94s

Daisuke Takahashi 2012 Worlds FS Blues for Klook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EBx7zfN-Uo

John Curry 1976 Olympics FS Don Quixote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LpULZwvjcA

Elaine Zayak 1981 Worlds FS
That closing double axel -triple toe combination sequence in the final seconds!! Incredible. Worth watching for it alone. This is 1981 people
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdHorxKW-mw

Midori Ito 1988 Olympics FS Le Corsaire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L609BnXwz3I

Shen & Zhao 2003 Worlds FS Turandot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEfR8ikAQ_g

Berezhnaya & Sikuradlidze 2001 Cup of Russia FS Chaplin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpbTftcW9jY

James & Cipres 2018 Skate Canada FS Wicked Games
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u09pLTv3m4

 

[TontoK]

I found it very hard to do long programs, because I have loved so many! I refuse to rank these, but I will keep it down to 10. I am deliberately skipping others I love because they have been mentioned by many others.

Torvill & Dean, 1982 Europeans, FD Mack and Mabel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aEgunvUYVg

Davis & White 2008 Skate Canada FD Samson & Delilah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cavcCtIVurk

Krylova & Ovsiannakov 1998 Olympics FD Carmen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgXUkYCbAgk

Wilson & McCall 1988 Olympics FD Elite Syncopations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWO4eG_EwG8

Rudi Galindo 1996 Nationals FS Swan Lake. Best ever Baron Rothbart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lH9mg_ZneA

Brian Boitano 1988 Olympics FS Napoleon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8p3EhqI94s

Daisuke Takahashi 2012 Worlds FS Blues for Klook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EBx7zfN-Uo

John Curry 1976 Olympics FS Don Quixote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LpULZwvjcA

Elaine Zayak 1981 Worlds FS
That closing double axel -triple toe combination sequence in the final seconds!! Incredible. Worth watching for it alone. This is 1981 people
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdHorxKW-mw

Midori Ito 1988 Olympics FS Le Corsaire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L609BnXwz3I

Shen & Zhao 2003 Worlds FS Turandot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEfR8ikAQ_g

Berezhnaya & Sikuradlidze 2001 Cup of Russia FS Chaplin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpbTftcW9jY

James & Cipres 2018 Skate Canada FS Wicked Games
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u09pLTv3m4

See, young people. This is how you define greatness.

When a performance is so groundbreaking or so sublime it is still discussed in reverent tones - 20, 30, even 40 years later - that's when you know it was great.

Even though I smile patronizingly at your limited perspective, I envy you anyway. Right now, you're viewing performances that will be etched in your memories when you are old and gray like I am. These programs you list will be wonderful memories - the ones that made you lifelong fans.

 

[dorispulaski]

Hey James & Cipres Wicked Games FS will be mentioned reverently many years from now

But guys, do watch the four ice dances in my list!

 

[Triple loop]

This was very difficult to do quickly. I've watched skating since 1981 and these are my eleven favorite programs of all time. They are not in any certain order either.
1. Torvill and Dean '84 Olympics FS
2. Elaine Zayak '84 Worlds FS
3. Peter and Kitty Carruthers '84 Olympics FS
4. Midori Ito '89 Worlds FS
5. Paul Wylie '92 Olympics FS
6. Elaine Zayak '94 Nationals FS
7. Lu Chen '96 Worlds FS
8. Gordeeva &Grinkov '94 Olympics FS
9. Ilia Kulik '98 Olympics FS
10. Michelle Kwan 2001 Worlds FS
11. Mao Asada 2014 Olympics FS

These programs weren't all about winning the gold medals. They were about skating with heart. Glad I can share this. If you haven't watched these yet, please do because they conjur such great emotion.