What's your favorite skater's best performance?

[Jenna]

Haha, love it, although it was definitely not her best performance jump-wise.

That was hilarious. I had forgotten about that classic. The back flip and the waves goodbye were ingenious, not to mention the creepy, discordant music at the beginning.

Props to the US Judge for putting her into 15th place.

[iarispiralllyof]

tried to limit these to my absolute favorite programs from michelle kwan. it's missing a lot of performances I love, but these are my favorites

1995 world championships lp rondo capriccioso (the youthfulness and glee, especially at the end after she lands 7 triples is just heartwarming. and it's baby michelle!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHsorCH-690

1998 nationals, 1998 olympics, 2002 nationals and 2002 olympics sp rachmaninoff piano concerto no. 3 (the most elegantly choreographed program of all time, every note of the music is played to. other programs have had excellent choreography but often to some cheesy soundtrack or inferior music, this is beautiful, complex music). the 98 and 02 performances are very different in nature despite it being a recycled program.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH6z-gwiSRc

1998 nationals, olympics lp lyra angelica. just transcendent. there was also a performance of this at a grand prix event where the ending was different than at nationals and olympics, she seemed to thrust herself forward as if she was about to take flight, I forgot which event this was.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okPRcajUQrM

1998 exhibition dante's prayer. perfect music and delicacy in her movements. programs like these are why michelle did the "floaty pretty ice princess" role best, whether in competitions or exhibitions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEtWPqeF3UA

2000 japan open hands, stunning, for similar reasons as above. her movements were so fluid and easy, she floated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqVXK8xdpV0

2001 nationals, world championships sp east of eden, imo the culmination of many years of perfecting this program and fixing details here and there. it's even better than her well-loved 98 pro version, although that version had nice little details of its own, the footwork section during 2001 was extremely improved and embodied "flight", she was skipping through the clouds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHEf22tIclE

2001 world championships lp song of the black swan. complex, unique music, gorgeous and intricate choreography (not only hands and feet but her entire body including her head were used to great effect). a beautiful triple-triple combination and imo michelle was at her most beautiful during this year (physically).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFp7R...eature=related

2002 US nationals lp scheherazade. I know a lot of people think she declined by this time and I do think the choreography was a bit empty at parts, but overall loved this performance, I loved the music and the costume is one of her most beautiful. at US nationals she did two gorgeous split jumps in succession at the end, just gorgeous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdnZ8NAE3_4

2002 olympics exhibition, 2003 worlds exhibition fields of gold. heartbreaking, emotional, lovely, gorgeous. what more could be said. she does an amazing backwards spiral that twists around before her ending pose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wazOhkRuySI

2003 world championships lp concierto de aranjuez. not her most difficult or choreographically interesting programs but the emotion and joy is palpable. especially at the footwork section. the audience rising at the end makes me cry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfluAux0Sf0

2004 nationals lp tosca. again, the storyline of the opera could've been utilized much more to make a very choreographically interesting program, instead it was quite empty. yet her jumps were so sure, so confident. the emotion was insane, the crowd was insane, the dress was stunning, and the footwork her best of all time. as dick button said she had the crowd in her hand by the footwork section.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWQSoIEAxns

[blue_idealist]

Just thought of another one I have to add: Navarro & Bommentre's FD at the 2010 US Nationals. It was so much better than their performance at Worlds. Also, Bourne & Kraatz's 2001 Worlds OD, and 2002 Olympics FD.

[shine]

Krylova & Ovsyannikov - 99 Worlds La Traviata OD, 98 Worlds Carmen FD, 97 Worlds Tango OD

When will we see a team like that again? Maybe I/K?

[blue_idealist]

Kryolova & Ovsyannikov - 99 Worlds La Traviata OD, 98 Worlds Carmen FD, 97 Worlds Tango OD

K&O Carmen = amazing.

[shine]

K&O Carmen = amazing.

Yeah, especially loved it at 98 Worlds. Those in attendance in Minneapolis were so lucky to have seen it live. That performance never stops giving me the chills.

[Crazy4G&G]

Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze: 2001 Charlie Chaplin LP, 2002 Olympics SP
Shen/Zhao: 2003 Worlds Turandot LP, 2007 Worlds SP & LP
Gordeeva/Grinkov: Vocalise, both Olympic LPs, 1994 Olympic SP, Reverie, 1985 SC Chaplin SP, 1986 SC Katyusha SP, Liebestram, Porgy and Bess
Mishkutenok/Dmitriev: 1992 Liebestraum FP
Yamaguchi and Petrov's (only program) 2001 SOI One Day I'll Fly Away

Kurt Browning: 1993/94 Casablanca LP, Singin in the Rain tv special
John Curry: 1976 Olympic LP
Ilia Kulik: 1997 Romeo and Juliet LP, Liebestraum exhibition
Alexei Yagudin: 2002 Olympics SP & LP

Michelle Kwan: 1997-98 SP & LP
Mao Asada: 2007 Czardas LP, 2008 So Deep is the Night exhibition
Yuna Kim: 2007 Lark Ascending LP, 2009 Danse Macabre SP
Katia Gordeeva: Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Giselle
Janet Lynn: Afternoon of a Faun

Virtue/Moir: 2008 Umbrellas LP, Flamenco OD at Olympics
Davis/White: 2009 Samson and Delilah FD, 2010 Bollywood OD
Torvill/Dean: Oscar Tango, Bolero, Mack & Mabel
Usova/Zhulin: 1992 Four Seasons FD
Klimova/Ponomarenko: 1984 Olympics FD, 1990 FD, 1992 Olympics FD
Moiseeva/Minenkov: 1977 FD


I know its a long list (and not exhaustive by any means!) but all of these performances are some of the most mesmerizing skating programs I have ever seen. From the music and costumes to the arm movements and footwork, I think these are some of the essentials of figure skating and are basically the programs I watch over and over again on YouTube

[shady82]

That was hilarious. I had forgotten about that classic. The back flip and the waves goodbye were ingenious, not to mention the creepy, discordant music at the beginning.

Props to the US Judge for putting her into 15th place.

The music at the beginning was ridiculous. I really doubt it was actually in Four Seasons, so where did she even get that music?

[let`s talk]

K&O Carmen = amazing.

So true! They should have won in Nagano. They were better than G/P, in my opinion.

[Tarasirius]

Katarina Witt: WOrlds 1987