Committed to details (read: super-particular Yuzuru XD)
In the 2014 - 2015 season, Yuzuru became a super star who overcame extreme hardship, in addition to his title of Olympic champion. With that came great responsibility
(his? Brian's? Not sure...), in the next season, as to figuring out how to grow both as a human being and as an athlete. In making his new program, it was important to select songs that would bring out
(original text was explode! 
) the magma within Yuzuru. What kind of song would draw out new abilities in Yuzuru, and excite him and bring growth?
I first talked with the inspirational Shae-lynn Bourne, who choreographed "Phantom of the Opera" in the previous season.. Yuzuru has great chemistry with both Jeff Buttle and Shae-lynn. Or you could say it’d be difficult for him to work with people other than these two
(good job DW with Notte Stellata, finally! 
). Yuzuru has his own unique entries to jumps and timing in the way his movements are composed, so it’s very important for him to be comfortable with the timing of the choreography. Even with his quads coming out of steps, Yuzuru has an ideal form in his head, down to the speed of that step and the angle of the curve. He really needs a choreographer who can share that “commitment to details” that is unique to such top skaters.
hpull: in short. 
)
As for choreographers, there is the artistic type that prioritizes their own inspiration as a choreographer over the the movement of the skater. Indeed, there are cases where you end up with an great artistic program that way. But in the case of Yuzuru, he cherishes his own sensibility — to breathe naturally, to skate with feeling to the music. In that sense, Shae-lynn understands the movements of Yuzuru and Yuzuru understands Shae-lynn’s choreographic moves, and thus the best collaboration is born.
In the off season of 2015, none of the songs that Shae-lynn and I first picked up as candidates for the free program had a tempo that quite matched the timing of Yuzuru’s quad toe loop. There is a breath and tempo in his series of action—"going into the setup of the jump, turning, bending his knees, toe pick hits the ice and jumping up
(shuu—?)". It becomes difficult to jump unless the pitch of the music matches with Yuzuru's internal beat. On the contrary, if the tempo matches, Yuzuru can jump the quad naturally while keeping to the music. For the audience as well, the jumping and the music becomes one. Most skaters don't choose songs thinking about such details. But Yuzuru is one that is very particular to such details.
Then Yuzuru came up with the idea of Seimei and sent it to us. Our original choices didn’t include Japanese music, an I was really happy that he proposed to do it. I loved the music from the moment I heard it. Yuzuru and Shae-lynn choreographed at the Cricket Club, and I was visibly excited as I—
stealing glances from the corner of my eyes—gradually saw to the completion of the program. I thought, “this surely will be a masterpiece."
This program contains a world view that Yuzuru had never shown before. It is not a dramatic or passionate dance. But rather,
one that conveys silence and magnificence, but also simmering strength. The program was interspersed with movements that were completely different from what he had done up till that point, but Yuzuru was able to digest and make it his own.
And this song was perfect for Yuzuru of this season. It was a time of overcoming injury and illness, of bursting motivation to improve not only on his jumping skills but also his skating and expression. It was the song for such a time.
To put it more directly, it would have been an extremely difficult song to master, generally speaking. There is little distinct melody, and the rhythm from the percussion is the main driver. If it were a dramatic and famous song, the music could help the performance even if the skater makes a mistake. But this song doesn’t do that. So we simply must wait for the moment when Yuzuru becomes the music. That is what it is. An excellent skater’s skating can be music on its own. Does it make sense? When someone like that skates, you can hear music from his whole body. On the contrary, for a skater with poor skating, the result would be disastrous. Both the music and the program would drag, and the skater’s poor technique becomes visible to all.
Anyway, even though it was hard to start with, it was a program destined to be a masterpiece, and it was perfect for Yuzuru.
. Note: the t-shirt photo collages belong to Manami and cannot be reproduced without her permission. Thanks.
Well I'll keep my fingers crossed for practice videos and reports on Tuesday... Monday night my time I guess, so soon 
)
