Your favorite step sequence

[Zemgirl]

Petr Barna's name in this thread made me think about this other step sequ. from 1992 Olympics.
A beautiful one : David Liu 1992 Olympics SP

That was lovely - thanks!

[Macassar88]

Navka and Kostomarov's non-touching midline steps were to die for. I also loved Virtue and Moir's original second step sequence in Carmen.

[elif]

2008 Daisuke Takahashi SP
http://youtu.be/O4ItQq5q5x8?t=1m28s

[Nours]

I made a mistake I think because even though they both (circular and straight) express the music very well, they are not outstanding (Barna's 1990-1992 SP). The overall program is delightfull though. Here it is :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU9Gq_EnRJ0
The 3/3 is huuuge !

This is his straight line for 89 SP Euro, the one from worlds is even better but I couldn't find it on YT, for me it's his best SP, I could watch it all day long :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFiCaXo5dxs

The one from his 84 SP also includes difficult turns on both sides, no video available too.

It's not the real topic here but Anissina Peizerat 3rd 2001 OD was very strong and skated very well, very quickstep feeling and included a wonderful straight line, reminding of ice dancing from the old days. Too bad it was too late. It's a general feeling that FP/M that years were better on that portion but I strongly disagree, maybe at euro (and still, for me Drobiazko Vanagas should have won it) but that's it. Looking back on the judging for the OD at 2001 worlds I realise how wrong the judging was. I'd had the french easily in 1st, the lituanians 2nd with the canadians 3rd (close call here with the seconds) and Chait Sakhnovski 4th. The Italians skated tentative and let's be real, she does all the work. L/A were very close to ugliness during their whole program (plus the end is so strange).

[CantALoop]

This adult figure skater's. Werk it!

[kwanette]

2008 Daisuke Takahashi SP
http://youtu.be/O4ItQq5q5x8?t=1m28s

I'm with ya!

[aftershocks]

Petr Barna's name in this thread made me think about this other step sequ. from 1992 Olympics.
A beautiful one : David Liu 1992 Olympics SP

...

That was very special. Thanks for posting!


Thanks also to Nours (and to floskate) re the trip down memory lane with Petr Barna Petr was very lovely and charming in person too. I remember fondly his sweet smile and wonderful sense of humor. I wonder how Petr is doing these days? It would be nice if manleywoman could interview him for her podcast.

[maatTheViking]

Takahashi's techno swan
Kostner's The Doors program - 2007 SP. I don't necessarily like the whole program, but the steps are great.
Lambiel's flamenco program - 2008 LP. This whole program is amazing

Yagudin before I really followed figure skating, must have been 2000? 2001?

[Jun Y]

2006 Matt Savoie's free skate circular steps:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-zsY...utu.be&t=1m19s
This program is full of tension and shadows mixed with light. The circular steps provide a bright and tender spot in the middle of darkness.

2013 Wesley Campbell's free skate (Ave Maria) has the best choreographic step sequence I have ever seen since the rule for choreo steps was implemented. Long, smooth edges seamlessly matched to the music, sweeping the entirely surface and back. This is what choreo steps SHOULD look like. (Kudos to Sheryl Franks!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJCF...utu.be&t=4m07s

[iarispiralllyof]

oh yes, daisuke takahashi's swan lake hip hop is AMAZING

[Proustable]

Jeff Buttle: Naqoyqaatsi. Those little disjointed jerks he does fascinate me.

Patrick Chan: Virtually all of them, but his second Aranjuez sequence is just glorious. Though that whole program might as well be described as a footwork sequence interrupted with spins and jumps it's so complex.

Stephane Lambiel: Poeta. Both of them. Amazing.

Virtue/Moir: Their non-touching sequences in their 2007 OD, 2010 OD and 2011 SD were just sublime pieces of skatecraft.

Takahashi/Tran: "Feeling Good."

Takahashi: His "Eye" Tango SP steps were jawdroppingly good.

[gkelly]

Too many to name.

A few memorable ones from IJS era:

Cohen Dark Eyes

Suzuki WSS

Abbott A Day in the Life

[aftershocks]

Thanks Jun Y, Nours, floskate, briancoogaert, and others (especially for the links to programs and step sequences). These wonderful examples (David Liu, Petr Barna, Robin Cousins, Dai Takahashi, Matt Savoie, and Jeremy Abbott in particular) of lovely performances and transcendent moments in time are truly what makes figure skating exciting, and its what figure skating is all about at its best. Kudos to the skaters and to the coaches, and last but not least, to the choreographers!

[miki88]

I usually like all of Mao's step sequences but there was one that included lots of twizzles in all different directions (I think it might have even been an exhibition program). I can't seem to find the video but I really, really liked that one.

I think you are referring to her Chopin Ballade Exhibition. Here is a video of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4jXbjQL45U

I also really like Mao's step sequence in her Clair De Lune SP.

Takahashi always have exciting step sequences.

Under 6.0 system, I loved the step sequences from Michelle's Romanza program (fast and great ice coverage) and Lu Chen's Spring Breeze SP, which beautifully conveyed the theme of her program.

[falling_dance]

two from the 6.0 era:

3:41-4:00 in this video of John Curry's Olympic free skate

the choreographic steps in Chen Lu's Last Emperor program (3:16-3:30; 3:48-4:10)

[Cherub721]

Interesting discussion of 6.0 vs. IJS. Almost all of the examples that immediately sprang to my mind were 6.0 programs, because of the creativity and emphasis on musicality. I remember them because of how they fit into an overall program. I remember the exact part of the music that was playing. Also, speed! Some IJS skaters like Takahashi and Kostner have difficult footwork with great speed, but some skaters are painfully slow and I hate that thing where they stop, and like, are going to head in the other direction, and then come back, and stop again, and finally get on with it. So ugly. Going through these youtube videos, the old ones seem sooo much shorter!


In addition to many already mentioned (Candeloro's D'Artagnan, Yagudin's Winter), here are some other favorites:

Oksana Baiul's Swan Lake http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6zKf...ailpage#t=123s - The steps are simple, but it's the most musical ever... the energy, expression, and excitement The spiral sequence here is also exquisite.

Surya - Caravan... again simple, but fun, fierce, fantastic interp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5G8r...ailpage#t=148s

Kostner's one foot sequence from her 2003 SP... her early days... light and unpretentious http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...7juIsg4#t=108s

Abt - Artsakh... such a dancer http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...pCnbnxp4#t=66s
the second sequence is even better http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...Cnbnxp4#t=133s (please disregard the jackass Hamilton talking about Eldredge's quad)

I think it was Dmitrenko who had a lovely circular step on one foot to Albinoni's Adagio circa 2000, which I can't find

youtube is slow for me, so I'll just post names...

N&K - Ain't No Sunshine

DenSta - Baroque with the lovely interweaving straightline steps

G&P - 1995 OD And FD

A&P and L&A - 2002 ODs, flamenco

[LilJen]

2006 Matt Savoie's free skate circular steps:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-zsY...utu.be&t=1m19s
This program is full of tension and shadows mixed with light. The circular steps provide a bright and tender spot in the middle of darkness.

Jeff Buttle: Naqoyqaatsi. Those little disjointed jerks he does fascinate me.

Stephane Lambiel: Poeta. Both of them. Amazing.

Abbott A Day in the Life

YES YES YES to all these. I would add:
The original and best drunken pirate footwork, from Braden Overett

Footwork in Jeremy Abbott's Santana SP choreographed by Kurt Browning (heck, I love the whole program too)

Jeremy's 2011 LP Footwork (whole program, really) so delightfully reflective of the music and the film. Compare the two step sequences with the sound muted and see how utterly different they are in style. Now this is a skater with RANGE (and thank you, Pasquale Camerlengo).

Jeremy 2012 LP The second sequence especially. Of COURSE.

[johndockley92]

How about in pairs? I find that most pairs step sequences are not good, but perhaps you all know of some good ones?

[gkelly]

90s boys

Speaking of Alexander Abt and one-foot step sequences, this isn't a competitive program, but it is pretty incredible

Couldn't find Dmitrenko's one-foot sequences, but this one is fun, starting from the double axel

Two great step sequences and a double axel-steps sequence from Sebastien Britten

Amazing ice coverage with good complexity and what's that right at the end of the circle? Second sequence is good as well

Let's up the ante on that circle into double axel

I love a good serpentine step sequence with a fun theme or effortless speed


I love the energy (and the 1.5 toe loop) in this sequence from Andrejs Vlascenko here

another sequence with 1.5 jump from Michael Weiss

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Hanae Yokoya's step sequence in her 1996 LP was very memorable for me as it's incredibly musical:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gy-N...ailpage#t=153s

Even Uncle Dickie and Peggy commented on it.