A masterpiece of Miki Ando, the exhibition program, “Concierto de Aranjuez”

[Akira Andrea]

This is an article in a personal blog, “The life style of mizumizu” in Japan.
Translated from Japanese.
A masterpiece of Miki Ando, the exhibition program, “Concierto de Aranjuez”
August 15th, 2010 JST

By mizumizu
As for the exhibition program of Miki Ando, "Requiem" in last season was splendid, too, but "Concierto de Aranjuez" which is one of the exhibition programs in this season is wonderful still more.
It is the masterpiece which not only has an athletic forcefulness but also is full of womanly feeling.

The TV commentator, who may be aiming at livening up the audience, is apt to admire saying, “This player is evolving year by year” easily, but, in fact, for example, if a player made a impressive program in a certain season, it is difficult that the player makes the program which is same or more impressive than it in the next season.

However, the expressive power of Ando is undoubtedly increasing mellowness every year. The feminine beauty which she originally has, including the fascinating body shape, and then the attractiveness as athlete which is derived from the high athletic ability. Such an advantage in each part is being combined excellently in the program of this season.

If talking of Miki Ando, there is an image as the player with the dynamic jump, but in this program, the audience will forget that she has not jumped except a double Axel. While adopting many elements of the ice dance, it is the performance by Miki Ando, which nobody can perform except Miki Ando and which possesses a fascination which Ice Dance does not have. It is only one performance in the world. It is really splendid.

It is very novel while the design of the costume, too, introduces classical elements. As for the costume of Ando, we was surprised all the time in last season, but the fully worked-out design, too, in this time is worth seeing. Specifically, the contrast of the feel of a material is chic.

As for the collar, it draws a curve to the chest from the standing collar, but the material there gives off glossy brilliance and is somewhat solemn. But then arranging the race of the delicate pattern boldly so as to become a form of triangle from the under part of the widely opened back to the front part of the body, it is creating a light atmosphere.
The skirt of the see-through material consists of two colors with an irregular cut. The inside of the collar and the under part of the skirt are red. Then, the point putting red also in the hair ornament indirectly is smart. The cutting of the skirt which lengthened the backside makes her look like an adult more and is beautiful.
Because, moreover, she shows a thigh till the considerable upper part by the high-leg-cutting, the leg with a sexual feeling can see like a more long leg, is a good balance and is very beautiful, such as when she rotated a spin.

When Ando gathers hair up tightly, parting her hair in the middle or at the side, her Oriental features look attractive.
I felt so when she acted as a model of VOGUE but the hairstyle also of this time suits Ando well.

"Concierto de Aranjuez" is Takeshi Honda's magnum opus program and it is difficult to forget Yukina Oota's program, too, but “Concierto de Aranjuez” of Miki Ando develops in the freer world where was released from the restriction of the program for the competition.

The word of "Mon Amour" is repeated persistently. The performance of Miki Ando dyes those same phrases to a different color respectively.

Ando is skillful especially at the emotion expression being as if she craves something to someone. But, in this " Concierto de Aranjuez", Miki Ando is full of an adult attractiveness and confidence with attempting to tempt also herself while seeking love. There is no player who is wonderful like Ando when performing "woman" itself, but the charm of Miki Ando is not only that. The movement etc which she moves a shoulder with big back and forth according to the rhythm looks like the first indications itself of the energy which the life which transcended ones like the emotion and the feelings, has.

Nevertheless, a smiling face which she now and then shows is even artless and innocent, as if it is not one which was turned toward someone but one which a girl who enjoys the world of only her own, shows. For performing such a body expression which the lively youthfulness and the matured composure intermingle strangely, the teens have not sufficient experience yet. Even if saying so, but if they are its second half even if being their twenties, the tint will come different also. It may be the "taste" which she can flavor because the generation of present Ando is the first half of her twenties. I am sure that present Miki Ando has the self-confidence to herself, which she could not have even if wanting to have it in her teen ages.

At the time before the Turin Olympics when the media had been inciting her, saying, "the quadruple jump!, the quadruple jump!", she used to say, "I intend to retire from eligible skater in about 20 years old because I think that I can not win to Mao or Yu-Na Kim after 4 years".
In those days, saying honestly, I had not imagined at all that such a girl who was good at the jumps becomes a fascinating adult performer like this. Because the fact like this happens, it is difficult to know the figure skating. The player sometimes achieves the transformation which exceeded the expectation of the fan. Of course, it sometimes becomes a result which disappoints one's expectations, too, in fact there are much more such cases than the good cases, but as for Miki Ando, the flower bloomed bigly in the direction where a lot of Japanese fans didn't expect.

Most of the general fans are thinking at heart that the figure skating is not pleasant, if there is not a jump. However an expert says, "The jump is no more than a part of the figure skating ", the jump is most splendid flower in the figure skating after all. However, the most of what crosses our mind is not always a jump, but a slight movement, a gesture, a blink-of-an-eye pose, etc, when imagining "the impressive scene" of the past able skater who went down in history of the figure skating after the time passes. Miki Ando who had been famous as the genius jumper, too, is going to take part in the family of such the able skaters. By this exhibition program, Ando showed to the audience that she has such ability.

Because the coach who made the charm of Miki Ando flower, was not a Japanese but Nikolai Morozov who came from Russia, I have complicated feelings a little. However, it is not a very active feelings.
If the Japanese has raised Ando while taking a leading part in the project without Morozov, she may have been remaining the player of the natural ability of jumps who is challenging the quadruple Salchow as ever.
I become such a feelings all the more, when I remember an attitude of the media. They ask her a question, saying, "Do you attempt the quad jump in the free skating?", every time doing an interview, and they had made only the story of the big skill like the quad an article still, without losing interest, although the rule of ISU had been laying siege to the jumper.

As the performer to express with the body, including the charming looks, Ando emits the feeling of the one and only existence. As for her, there is nothing to complain of as far as the expressive power is concerned, but there is somewhat dissatisfied part, too, yet as for "the skating skill" of the basics.
For example, in the first part, she is coming skating all along in the spiral position of the one leg, then replaces a leg and enters spin.
This part is just part which can appreciate "the skating skill".
Of course, it is stunning even to be only able to perform such an element, but I feel uneasy because the blade is unstable somewhat when she is skating with the spiral.

The commentator sometimes praises well, saying, "He is skating relaxedly as if he is being united with the ice" as for the skating of the Takahashi or Kozuka, but I wish that she mastered a skating skill to catch ice tightly like that.

In case of the competition program, it may be to satisfy the requirement of the element but her body is often apt to become a posture leaned forward extremely in the spiral, but, as for this exhibition program, there is not such the defect at all and the posture and the pose are very beautiful.

I can recognize that she is skating to the music politely, but, if, as for the part where she is merely skating, she had a suitable contrast moreover in the speed as well as her blade was stable, I had nothing to say...

However, it may be too demanding somewhat. As for the basic technique of such a skating, it is not always the one "to make progress if training for a long time". As for the player who is good at a basic skating, mostly the skill is pretty complete already in about 17 years old. No, actually, it may be younger. It may be just similar to the technique of the musical instrument like a violin that "the technical peak" is early.

The taste may deepen if playing the violin for many years, but, if there is a gap between the basic techniques, it may not close even if any year spends. As for the figure skating, too, it may be the same.

Of course, I don't aim at discussing that Miki Ando who had won the Worlds Champion is poor at the basic skill. In some cases, the part which is not at the textbook becomes taste, too, and Miki Ando is greeting a ripening stage as Miki Ando. A lot of persons may think that there is not any kind of problem as for Ando's skating. Even as for the part of the very basic skating however, I think that she still may be able to improve herself, because she has the ability to have polished the quality of various elements so far.

The video:
Miki Ando; Concierto de Aranjuez
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ImBRGjZ44w

The article:
Ａ masterpiece of Miki Ando, the exhibition program "Concierto de Aranjez"
http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/mizumizu4.../201008150000/

[kittyjake5]

^^ Thank you for the translation and video. Miki looked and skated beautifully .

[MikiAndoFan#1]

Thank you so much for the translation, Akira Andrea!



Miki's Concierto de Aranjuez is indeed very beautiful!

[kwanfan1818]

Many thanks for the link and translation.

I loved the opening transition from the spiral to the flying camel, and the entrance into the I-spin. Is this really a Morozov program?

She looks so

[peibeck]

Miki looks completely stunning and really seemed to be enjoying skating. I wish she could be that happy and relaxed in competition.

It's too bad that version of "Aranjuez" is so god-awful though.

[kwanfan1818]

I took me two minutes to realize that she was wailing in English.

At 4 minutes the crowd is getting its money's worth.

[Cmyru]

I wish she would perform quad in new season.

[Pratfall]

second worst version of Aranjuez I've ever heard, next to the Dennis Ten agony-inducing version.

Miki did indeed look pretty, and relaxed. But I'd never call this program a masterpiece.

[GoldenMichelle]

I took me two minutes to realize that she was wailing in English.

At 4 minutes the crowd is getting it's money's worth.

That was English? Its funny you said that becuase when she stated singing the first thing I thought was "is this Italian? Aranjuez is Spanish." lol I'm gonna have to go back and listen, I blocked it out after the first minute or so.

[barbk]

That was English? Its funny you said that becuase when she stated singing the first thing I thought was "is this Italian? Aranjuez is Spanish." lol I'm gonna have to go back and listen, I blocked it out after the first minute or so.

I just watched that whole routine and never figured that out. what an awful rendition. Not quite as bad as Swan Lake with Lyrics, but pretty awful. I'm sorry for those who have to hear it when she practices.

[Akira Andrea]

I heard that the sound source of this exhibition program is "Mon Amour" by Operatica with the lyrics by Inva Mula who is a soprano singer of opera from Albania.

I think that "Mon Amour" of the music title is French language, but...

Reference:
Inva Mula: Maruata, Mon Amour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCUOPZs-FMc

At Amazon com
http://www.amazon.com/Operatica-Shin.../dp/B000060OXN

“Inva Mula” on wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inva_Mula

“Operatica” on wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operatica

[mrinalini]

Miki looks great and she's very expressive, but yes, this version of Aranjuez is dreadful. And I'm not too crazy over the choreography - to my mind, this looks very much like a Morozov programme.

Ikuko Kawai's rendition of Aranjuez is really the best one I've ever heard (I've got it playing on my MP3 player 24/7) - no skater should be allowed to use any other version.

[millyskate]

It's French

Well at least some of it is... whatever language she's trying to speak in the accent is beyond terrible and most of it unintelligible.
There are some fragments that are definitely in French though.

[Artifice]

This is for sure a program that can be skated only by an experienced and mature skater. This is a good thing that Miki can be both athletic and feminin, teens skaters can't do that.
And this is a technically difficult program eventhough there is not much of jumping, only a double axel. And IMO an axel is not "enough" for a world champion to put in a program, even if it's not a competitive program.
Miki is a figure skater, not an ice dancer, she should do jumps, this is part of her sport. This is more of an ice dance program than a figure skating program. If Morozov wants to create solo ice dance routines he should take an ice dancer and presents the program as such. Miki Ando should also be given fullier programs, with steps AND jumps.
By the way maybe Miki herself didn't want to jump much in this program and wanted to focus on the steps and interpretative part. IMO she is just doing another sport here (except for the spins).

As for the choreography I admit this is intense and original for some parts (like the beginning of the program which is really beautifull and original, the spins entrance...). But I wouldn't call it a master piece, this is too "hysteric" for my taste, classic Morozov. He sees and puts drama and intensity everywhere ! lol

[orientalplane]

I love Miki, but don't like the choreography at all and the music is truly scary. I always feel that Miki has never had the kind of programmes to bring out the best in her. And at this stage in her career, given that she sticks to Morozov like a limpet, quite likely she never will.

[inskate]

Bwah. Haters gonna hate!

I loved the program, the music (I'm not a big fan of 'electronic' versions, but this one worked), and the outfit. Very dance-y. Great use of body movements in tune with the music. Even spins matched the beats.
I loved Miki's Galas were excellent since Bolero - I think Miki's programs looks much better when she isn't forced to do CoP-spins and spirals. They actually look great as long as she doesn't have to do the catchfoot position.

[VarBar]

I think I can agree that she was skating just politely, I'm not sure she understood that music. Not that it would be a piece really worth understanding though.

Thanks for the translation and videos.

[MikiAndoFan#1]

Miki is a figure skater, not an ice dancer, she should do jumps, this is part of her sport.

This is an exhibition program, Miki (and any other skater) can do what ever they want, including not jumping.

[kwanfan1818]

It's French

Well at least some of it is... whatever language she's trying to speak in the accent is beyond terrible and most of it unintelligible.
There are some fragments that are definitely in French though.

Somewhere about 2:06 she sings "sweet melody" and at 2:14 she sings "my dear", so it must be a linguistic montage.

[renachow]

miki is stunning.
I'd like to call "Requiem" a masterpiece, though