The Joshua and Jason Uber Thread!

[misskarne]

ITA there is definitely something special about how Rohene's choreo matches Jason's personality and enhances/ highlights Jason's unique movement style.

As for Josh, yes he too has his own unique qualities that seemingly were unleashed when he found new coaches. Josh seems to be soaking up inspiration and knowledge and opportunities like a sponge. I think he is still in the process of experimenting and finding his own identity/ personality on the ice.

Agreed with this. I can't wait to see the finished product, because the experimental stage is still wonderful.

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First JGP entries are out, and Jason is going to Courcheval again! (with Harrison Choate (sp?))

We have to wait til next week to find out the next ones

[misskarne]

So the entries for the second JGP at Lake Placid are up, and Josh is the one who gets to go for it in front of a home crowd!

[pinky166]

Looking at the field, I think Josh will really have a chance to shine! Not familiar with the 3rd men's entrant though! Should be a good event though with Joshua and Keiji Tanaka from Japan!

[dinakt]

A great icenetwork write-up for Jason and Joshua ( to give credit where it's due, I first saw it by Sylvia's link in the "US Men Updates" thread)
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news
Those two are soooo impressive ( and so expressive ), you gotta love them.
Farris choreographed his SP pretty much all by himself- Wow, just wow.

[aftershocks]

^^ Yes, I thought it was a good idea for the IN article to be posted here too.

Great to see that Josh and Jason are friendly rivals and I hope they are able to maintain their friendship, respect and camaraderie. Although Evan/Johnny (brought up in the article) were never close friends, they too respected each other as fellow skaters, and admired each other's talents when they skated against each other as juniors and early in their senior careers. It was largely outside forces that created rifts and faux enmity between Evan and Johnny, IMHO.

Very cute re Josh's and Jason's responses to being asked what advice they had for each other for improvement. Love the fact that Josh gave Jason some tips on mastering the 3-axel, and that Jason told Josh he practiced becoming more flexible from watching Josh when they were both younger. Looks like these two are partly as good as they are because they have had this friendly rivalry since the age of 10 and have pushed each other in different ways as a result of having great respect for each other's talent.

[misskarne]

A great icenetwork write-up for Jason and Joshua ( to give credit where it's due, I first saw it by Sylvia's link in the "US Men Updates" thread)
http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news
Those two are soooo impressive ( and so expressive ), you gotta love them.
Farris choreographed his SP pretty much all by himself- Wow, just wow.

I read this at work. Bad mistake. I was turning red holding the giggles in.

I love how they spend half of it fanboying each other

[misskarne]

Jason's new programs from Glacier Falls, brought to us by the magnificent UMBSgoblue

He finished 2nd overall behind Richard Dornbush.

Short Program - Prince's "The Question of U" (and Jason, honey, WHAT are you wearing?!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-bzqlaGk8Y

Long Program - Liebestraume (alas, the start is cut off)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy5VUPQ3Nvs



I like them both already! This is going to be a great season!

[pinky166]

Lovely programs, no 3a though . Wonder why he didn't at least try it in the FS? He's got to at least be trying it in competition at this point if he ever hopes to make it...

[aftershocks]

^^ It's my impression that Jason was likely attempting to perform a 3-axel in his sp, when he kind of held back too long going into the jump, didn't get enough height and ended up doing only a single axel.

Yes, he should make a point of trying to go for 3-axel, especially early in the season, so that he at least gets it out there (and maybe can dust off the jitters, and give himself a chance to master it in competition). I wonder where Jason's consistency level is with it? Josh tried to give him some tips -- hope Jason is able to work things out in training and start executing that jump. It is such a balance between height and rhythm and confidence. Also, the need to not lose rhythm and consistency on other jumps.

[misskarne]

Lovely programs, no 3a though . Wonder why he didn't at least try it in the FS? He's got to at least be trying it in competition at this point if he ever hopes to make it...

I wonder if they took it out so as not to risk anything, since it's just two weeks until Courchavel.

At least, that's what I'm hoping for!

He looked quite nervous going into it in the SP...

[aftershocks]

Jason Brown's Courcheval fp:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gyIw...1CD1839F045871

I love this Liebestraum program for Jason! (His sp is very good too, but the sp appears to need a bit more attention to some sections where Jason seems to lose a bit of control when transitioning from movement to movement).

It's so wonderful to see Jason perfoming to Liebestraum (makes up for Johnny not going forward with it during 2005 - 2006). I really enjoy seeing Jason using color with his costuming too (which breaks up the unrelieved black that so many men are wearing these days). This Liebestraum program already has such wonderful nuances -- it can only get better and better throughout the season. It seems that Jason has packed the last half of his program with jumps, but the layout overall appears to be well-paced and designed to accumulate the necessary points, especially if Jason is still not comfortable with performing the 3-axel. Obviously tho' Jason would be winning more comps with a successful 3-axel to combine with his already out-sized musicality, style and artistic expression. JB is such a delight to watch. Having viewed the talented but juniorish-looking winner (China's Boyang Jin) who landed difficult jumps to get the win, it is clear that Jason's overall talent is at a higher level. The protocols also show Jason scoring higher in all categories except TES. I think Jason deserved to be in second over Riyo Hino of Japan after the sp too, altho' Hino was placed ahead of JB there.

Next step is Jason trying to incorporate the more difficult jump revolutions into his repertoire.

ETA:
One report I read stated that JB was marked down for "underrotating 3 of his triples." Attention needs to be paid to that fast -- JB can't afford to lose points that way. Which of his triples and were they clearly underrotated?

[misskarne]

He was actually called UR on four jumps - the 3Lo, 3S, and the two toeloops (3T and 2T) of his three-jump combo. I didn't notice immediately (although I twigged the 3S didn't look quite right) but that doesn't mean anything. The tech panel at Courchevel were super harsh on everybody. It's not a normal problem for him I don't think.

Combined with the edge calls on both Lutzes...

All that said, I do love his Liebestraume. His beautiful skating just makes it . I literally zone out of everything else watching it.

His costumes this season are one extreme to the other in the effort to present him as a more "mature" skater. (I can't remember who said that they were trying to do that - Jason, Rohene or Kori. I think it was Jason.) The Prince one is hideous. I cannot believe that his costumer, who he's worked with since he was little, could produce something that in one smooth movement completely destroys his lines and figure and makes him look like "George Washington". But the same costumer has produced that beautiful pale blue shirt, with my favourite high-collar, v-neck combo. THAT makes him look much older and more mature IMO.

(Maybe they decided, well, pale blue with flappy arm worked for Josh last year...?)

I have no idea what went wrong for Jason in Courchevel but the errors in the SP were very uncharacteristic. I would not be at all surprised to see the 3A attempted in Slovenia.

[aftershocks]

Oh, thanks for your input, misskarne. JB did appear to be attempting a 3-axel in his sp at Glacier Falls, but it turned into a single axel. I actually love those old-style gorgeous single delayed axel jumps that were so high and effortless. Of course, when you intend to do a 3-axel and it doesn't happen, it doesn't look pretty. I suppose they call those kind "waxels."

Anyways, I understand what you mean by JB's sp costume, but I think it is an homage to the rock Prince. I like the edginess of that program, and the costume is okay as long as it isn't weighing JB down. Perhaps they can rethink and make some slight changes to enhance the look and fit of that costume. They might want to take a look (or another look) at some of Prince's designs (ha ha, an image just came to mind of Prince's chest hair ) -- but maybe there is something else that Prince wore/wears that they could be inspired by that would look less heavy on JB, and actually add to and not detract from the beauty and cool edginess of JB's performance.

I too love the sleek refined quality of the fp top, and the light blue color is a gem as well. (At Courcheval, the color of JB's top matched the cloud color backdrop against one wall). You are so right misskarne that his fp costume makes JB look more mature. But in comparison to some of the juniors he's skating against these days, JB already looks and skates more mature, and he obviously is more mature.

ETA:
Here are some webshots of Prince in costume (birth name: Prince Rogers Nelson).

http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/554192699jPrAMk

Perhaps JB could streamline his sp costume a bit by losing the jacket and overly ruffly shirt, and wearing a sleeker-styled red shirt or purple shirt with tighter-fitting black pants that also still have give for all the athletic moves. I do like the studs down the side of his pants. Just some ideas ...

[Sylvia]

I very much enjoyed reading Jason Brown's blog about his first JGP experience of the season (his second time in Courchevel): http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

Brown's photos from Courchevel: http://web.icenetwork.com/photos/gal...nt_id=37257316

ETA: I don't believe this photo gallery link was posted in conjunction with the Joshua/Jason interview earlier this month (refer to post #104) : http://web.icenetwork.com/photos/gal...nt_id=35949456

[aftershocks]

Thanks so much, Sylvia! Love the pics and Jason's blog.

I took another look at JB's Courcheval sp. On third look, I think the style and cut of the vest (not jacket) he wears is pretty cool. Maybe a more colorful top underneath the vest would break up the drabness of the black (especially since the maroon-colored vest is not bright at all).

[LilJen]

Jason's new programs from Glacier Falls, brought to us by the magnificent UMBSgoblue

He finished 2nd overall behind Richard Dornbush.

Um, Jason finished behind Boyang Jin of China. Dornbush isn't there. Brain fart?

[aftershocks]

^^ At Glacier Falls early season comp, Jason did finish 2nd behind Richard Dornbush.

It is at the recent JGP Courcheval event that JB placed second behind Boyang Jin of China.

[misskarne]

I very much enjoyed reading Jason Brown's blog about his first JGP experience of the season (his second time in Courchevel): http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

Brown's photos from Courchevel: http://web.icenetwork.com/photos/gal...nt_id=37257316

ETA: I don't believe this photo gallery link was posted in conjunction with the Joshua/Jason interview earlier this month (refer to post #104) : http://web.icenetwork.com/photos/gal...nt_id=35949456

Jason's blog was wonderful! He seems so down-to-earth and nice. I'm so pleased that he seemed really positive about the competition. A lot of skaters would get really down about it, but I like that he says he's learned some lessons. at the chocolate brownie thing. Proving he's only human.

Loving the photos and of course will always adore pipsqueak!Jason and tiny!Josh. I wonder how many times pipsqeak!Jason got mistaken for a girl? It's not hard to see how that would happen. Love the tree pic. Jason does love that grey t-shirt.

Thanks so much, Sylvia! Love the pics and Jason's blog.

I took another look at JB's Courcheval sp. On third look, I think the style and cut of the vest (not jacket) he wears is pretty cool. Maybe a more colorful top underneath the vest would break up the drabness of the black (especially since the maroon-colored vest is not bright at all).

I really don't like the vest. I mean, the colour is okay, even the pattern, but it's too long and the asymmetrical bit doesn't work, because it makes Jason's torso look longer than it is. Jason's body is already quite proportioned, he doesn't have really long legs, so to make his torso look longer (and take away the visible shape, too, making it look straight up and down) is really not flattering on him.

I would probably go for the vest, even the uneven bottom, if it was shorter. That could be a better look.

Um, Jason finished behind Boyang Jin of China. Dornbush isn't there. Brain fart?

I think maybe the brain fart is yours, read my post again

[dinakt]

I don't think Courchevel videos are in sync. And the more musical a skater, the more difference it makes. With Jason, it really bugs me, and I will wait for a competition video that is synched to form an opinion about his LP.
About the short:
It feels like a "grow into" kind of program. It requires not only an attitude, but a certain sensuality and projection. It is the first of Jason's programs where I imagine Rohene more than Jason, though I like the choreography a great deal. Jason has lots of charisma and might grow into his material, or slightly reimagine it to be projecting himself. But the costume, IMO, has to go. It is also "too big" at this point; and the combination of required "in your face" attitude and elaborate costume somewhat drown the treasure that is Jason Brown. I hope his team adjusts a bit.

[misskarne]

I don't think Courchevel videos are in sync. And the more musical a skater, the more difference it makes. With Jason, it really bugs me, and I will wait for a competition video that is synched to form an opinion about his LP.

I did wonder about that. I hope that's all it was. You're right, with Jason's level of musicality, it can be quite jarring.

About the short:
It feels like a "grow into" kind of program. It requires not only an attitude, but a certain sensuality and projection. It is the first of Jason's programs where I imagine Rohene more than Jason, though I like the choreography a great deal. Jason has lots of charisma and might grow into his material, or slightly reimagine it to be projecting himself. But the costume, IMO, has to go. It is also "too big" at this point; and the combination of required "in your face" attitude and elaborate costume somewhat drown the treasure that is Jason Brown. I hope his team adjusts a bit.

I think you're probably right - give this a few more outings and it will become much better. I noticed (on the theme of sensuality) that the hip-roll mentioned in the Josh/Jason interview and spotted at Glacier Falls was toned right down, almost to the point of no longer being there by Courchevel. I'm not quite sure if that was a deliberate decision or a symptom of his visible unsettledness.

I actually do love the skating, the little details such as the flicking hand in the opening crossover sequence. I still don't like the music and I think most people agree that the costume has to go. If he can plug into the attitude he needs to really pull this off, it will be awesome.

There's quite a few weeks until Turkey, I'm sure they can regroup and I'm sure they've been studying what went wrong in Courchevel. Here's hoping we see an even more awesome than usual Jason in Turkey

*

And speaking of 2nd assignments, Joshua has received his - Slovenia. With Han Yan and Boyang Jin. Well, I guess the idea of keeping Jason, Josh and Han apart didn't quite work...