Favorite skate to Swan Lake

[Cherub721]

My all time favorite is Baiul's 94 SP.

My favorite pairs version is Valova & Vassiliev's pro routine with one skate and one slipper. Can't find it on youtube though. As much as I love B&S, their program to me was just a beautiful skate to beautiful music but without the swan character.

Bonus is the Protopopovs Dying Swan (not Swan Lake, but gorgeous): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amlhlyKN9QE

[fsfan22]

Here's another of my favorites:

Lucinda Ruh (SUI) - Black Swan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zF-p...4&feature=plcp

Her years of training and understanding of the role are apparent.

I didn't know this existed. Thanks for sharing! I love it!!

[pollyanna]

Here's another of my favorites:

Lucinda Ruh (SUI) - Black Swan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zF-p...4&feature=plcp

Her years of training and understanding of the role are apparent.

GORGEOUS! Thank you for posting this!

Which reminds me, Tiffany Chin's LP in 1984.

[skatesindreams]

GORGEOUS! Thank you for posting this!

Which reminds me, Tiffany Chin's LP in 1984.

Thanks for that, pollyanna!
Lucinda's program is from 2003 "German Stars on Ice".

[falling_dance]

Kay Thomson's 1984 Canadians FS is one of my favorites.

[sk8ingcoach]

Here's another of my favorites:

Lucinda Ruh (SUI) - Black Swan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zF-p...4&feature=plcp

Her years of training and understanding of the role are apparent.

BRILLIANT

[skatesindreams]

I believe that "Swan Lake" is one of the best programs/performances Lucinda ever did.

[Nomad]

Oh, shoot I voted for Oksana and then I realized there's an option for Rudy!




That was quite a performance!

I still get a bit emotional watching that performance. Definitely one of the most gratifying wins at US Nats I've ever seen. (Kwan in 98 was another.)

[magicpixie]

Here's another of my favorites:

Lucinda Ruh (SUI) - Black Swan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zF-p...4&feature=plcp

Her years of training and understanding of the role are apparent.

Wow! This just became my favorite. I had never seen this before, but the interpretation, the arms!, it's the best. thanks for posting it.

My other favorites are Baiul and Galindo. Cohen's I just liked her spins in the TT version, somehow I expected more from Cohen doing Swan Lake.

[jlai]

I think Butyrskaya's 2000 EUro performance was better than her world LP

[casken]

As much as I love B&S, their program to me was just a beautiful skate to beautiful music but without the swan character.

I understand that totally, but I think that's what makes it my favorite Swan Lake. I've never actually been big on the actual story of Swan Lake, I just love the power of the music, particularly the section B&S used. For me their program, and the way they skate it, does the best job of capturing the power of the that piece of music.

No matter where i hear it, I always associate the part that plays during the footwork sequence with that particular footwork sequence. The flow and movement are just so perfect.

[Karpenko]

I wasn't huge on the choreography at the time (and then fast-forward to skating now) but for me this is the ultimate Swan Lake:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouNL5ux17c4

The choreography in this version was way better though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsEFGq9uW5U

But then again, the way she moves is suited perfectly to this music, and this is the only clean program of hers that I've ever seen. When I hear Swan Lake I want to see someone skate like a Swan - this kind of a musical, extended, finished off version. The others are beautiful, but this one is my top choice.

[Alex Forrest]

But then again, the way she moves is suited perfectly to this music, and this is the only clean program of hers that I've ever seen. When I hear Swan Lake I want to see someone skate like a Swan - this kind of a musical, extended, finished off version. The others are beautiful, but this one is my top choice.

I agree. Rudy's SL was a triumph but he could have skated to any music that day. My top three SL's were Baiul, 'Robin Lake' by Cohen, and uber-voidy dominatrix lake by Arakawa.

It's so sad when you see Cohen pop off all these jumps so easily. I think this is her only 7 triple program ever. She made it look easy. Too bad she couldn't get into this place ever at Worlds or Olympics.

[eurodance2001]

I voted Rudy, daisuke and Oksana.. Amazing Swans!!

[magicpixie]

I wasn't huge on the choreography at the time (and then fast-forward to skating now) but for me this is the ultimate Swan Lake:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouNL5ux17c4

Watching this again, there's just nothing about this that says Swan Lake. If you watch just her movement there no Swan Lake in it. The choreography is terrible. Her Tarasova program was miles better mainly because the spins, which are Sasha's greatest strength IMO, are highlighted and perfectly tailored to the Swan Lake character. Also, it may just be me but that all white dress completely ruined the program for me. I loved the black and white dress, it fit the music and the character. The all white dress was just so generic and could be used for any program.

[satchelpooch318]

Kay Thomson's 1984 Canadians FS is one of my favorites.

This program is rife with laybacks! Me likey!

[SkateBlades17]

My personal favorite is Oksana Baiul's beacause of her beautiful artistry.

[PashaFan]

I think Butyrskaya's 2000 EUro performance was better than her world LP

That's what I said. It's a shame she had such a poor SP in that event.

[l'etoile]

This is a really neck-and-neck poll. That means we'd enjoyed so many wonderful performances to Swan-lake, so no biggie

[Lansi]

I like rudy galindo in 1996.