Kawaguti/Smirnov Cheer thread

[easilydistracte]

Here's a quote from Golden Skate's Pairs LP report:

"We skated good, beautifully and gently," said Smirnov. "It was hard to concentrate for this performance, but Yuko told me let's skate for us, for our coach, for the audience here, and so we did. I think we made what we wanted. We gave everybody this feeling of warmth. One element didn't come out, but we still have time until Sochi."

I, too, hope everyone stays until Sochi. I love pairs!!

[viv]

I think the Russian crowd showed that they want them to stay. Even on tv it was noticeable how much they were cheered after their LP, and Sigi Heinrich on Eurosport said something about the crowd "showed how grateful they are towards K&S for winning medals for Russia in the past year". With Gerbold&Enbert also eager to compete it will not be easy to qualify for the Russian team in the next years but at least I wish they would give it a try. I liked their programs this year a lot, I think they worked into the right direction, and it is sad that just this year it didn't work out for them.

[zizi]

Let's wait to see. I really think Pang/Tong will retire and never come back.
Hoping K/S and Z/Z have a chance in the future.

[Belinda]

I like Kavaguti & Smirnov; they have a unique charm. But when I stop to analyse I only see imperfections. The time they must have spent practising quad throws should have been spent improving triple throws and twists. Claire de Lune is a wonderful program. But they never skated it perfectly. Perhaps I like it because of the music and choreography. Can this piece be better performed by another pair? The answer probably is yes, but can you imagine any other pair performing this piece and creating the same impression as does K&S? This pair has certain fragility, ephemerality, unlikeliness about them. This may be because by now we all expect them to fail at some point, a fall here, a step out there etc, and we hold our breath hoping for a miracle of a clean skate. Do you know how many people have shed tears watching thier Claire de Lune and Gala performance this past week? So many people say they like Kavaguti & Smirnov. It is a mistery

[easilydistracte]

Here's Yuko & Sasha's Worlds exhibition. [They mix and match their costumes don't they? Her dress is from their "Love Story" LP from the 2007-08 season and his costume is from their LP early last season before they switched to different costumes.] I love the music from Spirited Away and am happy that they chose Japanese music. A couple of different versions of their music here and here. There's a short posting in their blog explaining the music choice. [I used to think that Yuko wrote this blog, but I think a Japanese journalist does the blog for them. It's usually written in Japanese and/or Russian with occasional postings in English. I use Google Translate to read it, so I probably miss a lot of the real meaning of what's written on the blog. Anyway, I think it's interesting. Just a thought: I wonder if Sasha understands/speaks Japanese? Would be neat if he does.]

I really like their exhibition number. I think they do better with simpler, quieter music than with something that's extremely convoluted (for want of a more appropriate word). Loved the grin on her face during their introduction and kind of "Aww"-ed at the end when they smiled at each other and hugged.

With the season over, I'm thinking positive thoughts that they will both be able to rest and recover and heal completely from their injuries and get stronger. Looking forward to their being 100% next season and able to skate their programs to their full potential. I wouldn't mind at all if they kept both programs. However, I've also been wondering how they'd do if they skated to a cut from this piece from the Departures soundtrack. (The ending credits music is great, too--up-tempo and orchestral. Tried to link it, but couldn't get the link to work.) [Maybe the slow parts are too slow and the fast parts (in the ending credits music) too fast?] Would be interesting to see, anyway.

[Kelvster]

I totally agree with Belinda's comments above. This pair has a v. special quality ...

Yuko's awkwardness and fiery character combined with Smirnov's gentle touch always creates magic for me. In fact, I like nearly all their long programmes in the past - Love story, Paliogacci (can't remember the spelling ) and this year's claire de lune (It's v. touching indeed ... there's so much LOVE in that programme ). It would be so sad to see them leave after the performances in Moscow. I am hoping they can stay until Sochi and sneak a bronze medal there, but I just don't know whether Yuko's body will allow her to do so .........

Yuko's life should be turned into a movie (all the sacrifices she made to move to Russia, to learn the lingo, dislocated shoulders, etc., etc.,)

And anyway, whatever happens, they will always be the 2010 European Champions and multiple time world medallists!!

[Kelvster]

And I like the Departures soundtrack too - think they can do a great job with it. I was hoping that Miki Ando would skate to it ...

[easilydistracte]

And I like the Departures soundtrack too - think they can do a great job with it. I was hoping that Miki Ando would skate to it ...

Here's the theme from the closing credits from Departures. I like the fast second part--it reminds me of flying high and free in the clear blue sky. So uplifting. Would love to see what Yuko & Sasha could do with this music.

[Proustable]

I think their "Claire de Lune" LP is the best program of last season and one of my all time favourite pairs programs.

[Belinda]

Apparently, Yuko told an interviewer from the Yomiuri newspaper (13 May) that they would skate Claire de Lune next season too. She wants to skate it to perfection. (I cannot find this article on the Yomiuri online web; I am quoting from Japanese bloggers). She also refers to the difficulties of the 10/11 season, with injuries & time out etc, which forced her to communicate with Sasha more off ice. Previously, she'd thought practising lovers on ice under Tamara's instruction was enough to create the image but she hadn't been happy with the results in the competitions. She also mentions a desire to try quad throws again. I rather worry about this; I want them to carry on safe & sound till Sochi. I hope she won't injure her sholders again.

[valpadana]

I totally agree with Belinda's comments above. This pair has a v. special quality ...

Yuko's awkwardness and fiery character combined with Smirnov's gentle touch always creates magic for me. In fact, I like nearly all their long programmes in the past - Love story, Paliogacci (can't remember the spelling ) and this year's claire de lune (It's v. touching indeed ... there's so much LOVE in that programme ). It would be so sad to see them leave after the performances in Moscow. I am hoping they can stay until Sochi and sneak a bronze medal there, but I just don't know whether Yuko's body will allow her to do so .........

Yuko's life should be turned into a movie (all the sacrifices she made to move to Russia, to learn the lingo, dislocated shoulders, etc., etc.,)

And anyway, whatever happens, they will always be the 2010 European Champions and multiple time world medallists!!

I agree with you...I like them very much !
By a stroke of luck I had a talk with them in Turin, they are so kind!! (And Yuko so shy)
For you, I am from Italy, exact spelling....PAGLIACCI !!

[Vash01]

I like K&S a lot. I think Claire de lune is their best LP so far. I think they skated it perfectly at either the Euro or GPF (can't remember which one). They have not really reached their true potential, so it is good to hear they plan to compete till Sochi.

After T&M's retirement, K&S was the only Russian pair that could have won better than just a bronze. They were the reason Russia had 3 spots at the Olympics, so I can see why the Russian crowd loves them.

I would just like to see them reach the top- win a world title in the next few years. There are a lot of very talented young pairs in Russia right now, and even making the world/Oly team will be a huge talent. I think next year may be their best chance of winning a world championship. Given how delicate Yuko is on the surface, and how strong inside, it will be nice to see her and Smirnov win a world championship.

[easilydistracte]

[Bumping this thread up since it hasn't been archived, yet.]

Yuko & Sasha's new SP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVa8purXUV4 . I think this is from the test skate a couple of weeks ago and maybe the third(?) time they performed it in public.

I'm really curious to see what kind of costumes K&S will have for this program. Is it sick of me to want them to be clad from tops to toes in black leather (or a reasonable facsimile thereof), with silver-studded accents/accessories, for this SP? (Don't think a unitard would look good on Yuko, though. Maybe a thigh-length long-sleeved tunic--with lacing up the back--over tight leggings?) Further, even though I think Yuko's new hairstyle is kind of a nice change for her, I think for this number I'd like to see her hair all jagged and a little spiky and streaked--with pink or purple or magenta--and her makeup dark, dark, dark. (What a contrast to their LP!)

Glad that Peter Tchernyshev is continuing to choreograph for them and love how the choreography goes so well with the music. Even though this program still needs some work, I think his programs seem to bring out the best in them. Really looking forward to seeing how this SP develops ["More speed!! More attitude!!!"] throughout the season, and also whether and how much their "Clair de Lune" changes for this year.

(Oh, yeah, found this article earlier this summer but didn't bother to post a link to it [lazy]. I think the interview was conducted and the article was written prior to worlds even though it was not published until June. Interesting comments from them both.)

Really hoping that they stay healthy [no illnesses or injuries, please!] and that they have a tremendously successful season! Should be interesting.

[Vash01]

[Bumping this thread up since it hasn't been archived, yet.]

Yuko & Sasha's new SP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVa8purXUV4 . I think this is from the test skate a couple of weeks ago and maybe the third(?) time they performed it in public.

Really hoping that they stay healthy [no illnesses or injuries, please!] and that they have a tremendously successful season! Should be interesting.

I like this program. Didn't care much for the music though. I hope they have great success this season.

[Miriam246]

Thank you for posting the new SP! I adore them.

[Belinda]

Hi,
I stumbled on these photos (see bottom of page 45), which look as if taken from a Clair de Lune test skate recently (see Yuko's hair). Does anyone know where to find the video?
http://figureskating.ipb.su/lofivers.../t65-2200.html

[Frau Muller]

[....Yuko & Sasha's new SP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVa8purXUV4 . I think this is from the test skate a couple of weeks ago and maybe the third(?) time they performed it in public......

I'm not sold, sorry. The pounding blues music is not only headache-inducing but serves to accentuate their push-push-push style. A step backwards in artistry and audience appeal, IMO. Then again, maybe K/S were purposely seeking music that goes with general sloppiness? (Sloppiness looks ten-times worse with classical music...but is somewhat part of blues and jazz...carefree attitude??? Just guessing why the chose the pounding blues.)

That said, I'll CHEER for Claire de Lune!

[julieann]

Hi,
I stumbled on these photos (see bottom of page 45), which look as if taken from a Clair de Lune test skate recently (see Yuko's hair). Does anyone know where to find the video?
http://figureskating.ipb.su/lofivers.../t65-2200.html

I think that was from the Cup of St. Petersburg but I don't know what day it was, nor have I seen any videos posted yet. They didn't do their long at the test skate.

[julieann]

I'm not sold, sorry. The pounding blues music is not only headache-inducing but serves to accentuate their push-push-push style. A step backwards in artistry and audience appeal, IMO. Then again, maybe K/S were purposely seeking music that goes with general sloppiness? (Sloppiness looks ten-times worse with classical music...but is somewhat part of blues and jazz...carefree attitude??? Just guessing why the chose the pounding blues.)

That said, I'll CHEER for Claire de Lune!

I don't think they looked any more sloppy than the rest of the test skaters, they are all just getting use to a program at the beginning of the season. I'm sure many changes will happen by worlds. I'm glad they chose to skate to an actual song than a Muzak version of a pop song.

I wish they had performed their long. I'm hoping for changes especially in difficulty.

[easilydistracte]

Hi,
I stumbled on these photos (see bottom of page 45), which look as if taken from a Clair de Lune test skate recently (see Yuko's hair). Does anyone know where to find the video?
http://figureskating.ipb.su/lofivers.../t65-2200.html

Thanks for the link Belinda! Nice pics. The photo at the bottom of the page of them in their exhibition costumes is very interesting. I kind of envision how Yuko's hair and makeup are done in that photo as how she should have it done in their new SP.

Also, the interview with Moskvina at the very bottom of the page is informative, too. [Used Google Translate to read it.] Yuko got stung by a bee and had to spend a week in the hospital because of an allergic reaction?!! Jeez, what next?!