Should Mirai change programs?

[IceAlisa]

I want to start a crusade against over the boot tights! Who invented that?
I know it is supposed to make you leg line look longer.........but to my eye, it makes you look crippled and deformed where the boot starts!

The difference it has made in Alissa's look should convince other skaters to tuck in those tights!! It is not like we don't know they have a boot on.

[Yazmeen]

I want to start a crusade against over the boot tights! Who invented that?
I know it is supposed to make you leg line look longer.........but to my eye, it makes you look crippled and deformed where the boot starts!

The difference it has made in Alissa's look should convince other skaters to tuck in those tights!! It is not like we don't know they have a boot on.

The tight in boot look is fabulous if you are built like Alissa; however, as one who is built more like Rachael Flatt, I agree with my coach that tights over boot gives me a little more length to my body and lines and frankly looks better. Sorry for those who don't like it, but as a skater, I understand why so many wear it.

[Sasha'sSpins]

It really was. Mirai seemed so happy performing it-it was definitely her taste. And I knew after Worlds that she'd found a good style for her. Movie music suits her well, but even though I love the music from WoE, I'm just not a huge fan of the medley she has. I think it has something to do with the fact that she's never seen the movie/read the book (so she's less familiar with the story).

I would love to see Mirai skate to the theme from the film Sabrina. I went to a John Williams concert where the orchestra played that theme, and it had a Mirai feel to me.

Otherwise, I think she's got to stick with what she has this year. Heck, she seems happy, so that's the important part.

True. She does seem to love her programs.

The Sabrina theme music would absolutely fit Mirai! Oh well-I'm warming slowly to her new programs after watching them a few times on yt. I'm sure by Nationals I'll think they're near-devine.

[icellist]

i loved the joe hisaishi part of her SP last season. wish she used more of his music. heck, he's japanese too!

[Sylvia]

Her Gala for example was just so charming!

Thanks for the heads up! I found and posted links to Nagasu's new exhibition program ("Fireflies" by Owl City) in the Nagasu news & fluff thread in the Trash Can: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...&postcount=172
Does anyone happen to know who choreographed it?

[pinky166]

The tight in boot look is fabulous if you are built like Alissa; however, as one who is built more like Rachael Flatt, I agree with my coach that tights over boot gives me a little more length to my body and lines and frankly looks better. Sorry for those who don't like it, but as a skater, I understand why so many wear it.

I disagree. Rachael used to wear white boots without tights over them and it looked much better. I think it's just a better look in general, regardless of one's build.

[Jammers]

I wish that Mirai had a more fun uptempo program at least in the SP to take advantage of her speed and personality. Quite frankly both her programs this year bore me and that's a first for me.

[loulou]

Yuna always has nice dresses , Ashley too. Mirai has filled out but that's likely just due to her age, she looks much more mature now compared to previous seasons.

Wagner's? No thank you. Some of her dresses were so ugly to my eyes.
Like this: http://www.usfigureskating.org/conte...wagner-fs2.jpg
Or this: http://www.lifeskate.com/.a/6a00e54f...b51a970b-300wi
Or this: http://www3.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/I...8KBCCY2zAl.jpg
Or this: http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-...0011803785.jpg

Kim did much better. But still.
I don't like this, for example: http://www.sottozeronews.com/images/...m-yu-na-01.jpg
Many of her other competition costumes were fine, but I can't think of a single one I actually really liked.
Plus, I generally don't like her exibition costumes. The trousers have a weird cut. While the dresses look like gowns.

That's of course to my eye. I'm picky.
I usually like plain. No asimetricalities. No patches. No wrappings. No holes.
Yet, sometitmes I like complicated. I didn't really mind this one http://www.flickr.com/photos/43143551@N02/4016122621/, that everybody else hated.
And I loved the yellow malguena Cohen's costume. Which I'm not sure how popular it was.

[IceAlisa]

And I loved the yellow malguena Cohen's costume. Which I'm not sure how popular it was.

IIRC, it wasn't at all popular with TAT.

[MikiAndoFan#1]

Or this: http://www.lifeskate.com/.a/6a00e54f...b51a970b-300wi

I think that one is gorgeous!

Kim did much better. But still.
I don't like this, for example: http://www.sottozeronews.com/images/...m-yu-na-01.jpg

Or this one. But most of Yu-Na's costumes are very pretty, in my opinion.

[DickButtonFan]

IIRC, it wasn't at all popular with TAT.

Are you sure? After all it did have a choker.

[IceAlisa]

Are you sure? After all it did have a choker.

Yes, she didn't like the color, saying it looks like egg yolk. In all fairness to Sasha, yellow is a good color to have when you skate to a Spanish-style program.

TAT is used to controlling every aspect of her student's skating, including costumes but Sasha did what she wanted. That dress was one example of insubordination.

[loulou]

IIRC, it wasn't at all popular with TAT.

Oh, that I knew.
TAT was wrong. As she was wrong when she wanted Cohen to wear more fluffly parts in her first swan lake dress (the white and the black swan).
I think TAT did a great job with Cohen, who was never so refined under any other coach (well, leave the jumps alone).
But for costumes, oh, for costumes no one is as good as Cohen is.

-- Sadly, once she left competitions, I discovered I don't like her touring style, nor the way she dresses at non-skating events.
Oh well.

I think that one is gorgeous!

I expected this kind of reactions to that link.

The colour is indeed nice.
The beading, on the other hand, is not that pretty.
The shoulder cut and the level where the skirt starts are disturbing.
And the overall thing is topped with a fugly ugly hole in the midldle.

To me: it fails, big time. As do most of Wagner's costumes.


ETA
I also quite hate nude fabric.

[loulou]

Mirai has filled out but that's likely just due to her age, she looks much more mature now compared to previous seasons.

I wanted to reply to this, then I forgot.

I don't think Mirai's filling because of age.
She was like she's now already two years ago (I think it was two years ago), after her ankle injury, when she was touring in Japan.
Then she lost weight again last season.

So, I'm thinking it has more to do with injury rest (combined with off season).
But I might be wrong (time will tell).

[os168]

Kim did much better. But still.
I don't like this, for example: http://www.sottozeronews.com/images/...m-yu-na-01.jpg

Heh.. many Yuna fans would agree with you, that and her
http://www.fets.com/lycra/news/Spand...8_World-01.jpg
costumes were the least favourites (what's with the lavender/purple feathers?). To me, Mirai's Memoir of a Geisha this year shares remarkable similarities to Yuna's 2nd year program Miss Saigon.

They are similar in subject matter, shares similar false representation bordered on icky western fictitious/fetishtisation of the Asian submissive exotic tragic female stereotype (I am speaking as an Asian female), and most of all - bland program, cheesy costumes (kitsch imitation rather than authentic), and hardly suite the aura of the skater. These are young girls and world's best young athletes, strong, powerful, and full of life's vigour in their mere teens. These conflict with the tone of the program and makes it really hard bring out an honest and truthful performance (never mind the audience reading of the material), on par with what we know the skaters themselves are capable of.

The best program in my opinion should have some aspect of complementary quality that can bring out the best spirit/aura/knowledge/life experience of the skater. They should have meanings which they can relate to, or have the aptitude to interpret and process. Have something else they'd want to express themselves beyond the mechanics of the skating and the choreography movements. They will need all these things to be able to perform with conviction or authenticity.

[os168]

True. She does seem to love her programs.

The Sabrina theme music would absolutely fit Mirai! Oh well-I'm warming slowly to her new programs after watching them a few times on yt. I'm sure by Nationals I'll think they're near-devine.

I love William's Sabrina OST, it is just lovely and it would be great when Mirai becomes a lady This music may suit Alissa more right now for, or even Ashley Wagner? But hey you never know 1 year can make all the difference - depends if she decide fall in love...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btMob-eJjNU

Actually it is a pity John William's didn't quite work out for Mirai this time. His music usually has the high emotional octane that is capable bring out the best of Mirai's young gutso (kinder carmen style) bravado performance. Unfortunately she picked a piece that is rather monotone along with her choreographed program which is equally monotone.

As alternative to John William's memoir of a geisha to the Japanese exotism, May be she can consider some Joe Hisashi music Particularly his Nausicaä - vally of the wind suite OST.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtv3-x5D99M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngy6d8K-T0Y
(Story about a young girl warrior in a foreign land same age as Mirai.)

Or his Laputa suite (his less known but superb work)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy8MEO_2AYo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt0Ek5LZPBA

Mirai would be 18 next year. It is the fringe of girl/lady. I would love her do an americana, and something by Joe Hisashi, even non - Miyasaki theme.

For example, I really like his sound track for Kikujiro. It has an innocent, modern, uplifting spirit suitable for Mirai.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjXvptz3pW8

I can totally imagine her skating to this with pure adulated joy!

[pinky166]

I wanted to reply to this, then I forgot.

I don't think Mirai's filling because of age.
She was like she's now already two years ago (I think it was two years ago), after her ankle injury, when she was touring in Japan.
Then she lost weight again last season.

So, I'm thinking it has more to do with injury rest (combined with off season).
But I might be wrong (time will tell).

Mirai had no hips 2 seasons ago, so I actually do think her body type has changed in those years. Her weight may have stayed about the same, but it has definitely shifted. She also didn't have quite as broad shoulders back then either. I actually thinks she looks thinner now than she did in 08-09, but with a bigger frame and more grown up shape. Last season I think she was extra thin as she was probably on a very strict diet heading into the Olympics.

[icellist]

As alternative to John William's memoir of a geisha to the Japanese exotism, May be she can consider some Joe Hisashi music Particularly his Nausicaä - vally of the wind suite OST.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtv3-x5D99M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngy6d8K-T0Y
(Story about a young girl warrior in a foreign land same age as Mirai.)

Or his Laputa suite (his less known but superb work)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy8MEO_2AYo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt0Ek5LZPBA

For example, I really like his sound track for Kikujiro. It has an innocent, modern, uplifting spirit suitable for Mirai.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjXvptz3pW8

I can totally imagine her skating to this with pure adulated joy!

Yay!!! somebody who agrees with me that joe hisaishi would be perfect for her. He's the japanese side of mirai that has a beautiful western artistry to it. I would say thru movies laputa, kiki's, and howl's. But some of hisaishi's non-movie works have a strong impression too like fragile dreams (the beginning of mirai's sp last season) maybe oriental wind, hana-bi, or madness.

and get kawahara! the whole dickson, wilson, and nichol dominating the choreography department is ridiculous. there are recycled moves everywhere and no shining programs anymore. at least choosing kawahara would seem more like an original choice nowadays.

and this is a post about mirai's program not about the costume. it would make sense if it was about how the costume did not fit the program but it that conversation sort of got out of hand

[burntBREAD]

I love William's Sabrina OST, it is just lovely and it would be great when Mirai becomes a lady This music may suit Alissa more right now for, or even Ashley Wagner? But hey you never know 1 year can make all the difference - depends if she decide fall in love...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btMob-eJjNU

Actually it is a pity John William's didn't quite work out for Mirai this time. His music usually has the high emotional octane that is capable bring out the best of Mirai's young gutso (kinder carmen style) bravado performance. Unfortunately she picked a piece that is rather monotone along with her choreographed program which is equally monotone.

IIRC, Alissa has already skated to Sabrina, quite a few years ago.

[Sylvia]

IIRC, Alissa has already skated to Sabrina, quite a few years ago.

Her 2007 US Nationals winning free skate, choreographed by David Wilson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KsUNC4cMb8