U.S. Ladies [#18]: These Boots Are Made for Skating

[alchemy void]

Starr looks great!

I can't believe we're advocating for her to skate to overused Swan Lake when she's giving us Whitney Houston One Moment in Time realness! Some good emoting in there and the backloading is impressive.

 

[tylersf]

I agree. Why do skaters and gymnasts keep using the same music over and over year after year?
There are so many beautiful pieces of music out there, but I keep hearing Carmen, Tosca, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Otonal, Malaguena, Firebird, etc..

Starr looks great!
I can't believe we're advocating for her to skate to overused Swan Lake when she's giving us Whitney Houston One Moment in Time realness! Some good emoting in there and the backloading is impressive.

 

[Dobre]

I agree. Why do skaters and gymnasts keep using the same music over and over year after year?
There are so many beautiful pieces of music out there, but I keep hearing Carmen, Tosca, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Otonal, Malaguena, Firebird, etc..

Here's how it works. The poor skaters can't afford to cut their own music. The skaters who win & collect better funding can. When music wins, other skaters are convinced the music can help them win so they use the music.

It's an ever-revolving funnel.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Is there a scale to the price of music? So, well known, music, or big star hits, are more expensive than lesser known pieces?

If that is the case, there is a heck of a lot of music out there to use.

 

[vesperholly]

I love Whitney but that's some elevator-quality early 90s muzak behind those fabulous vocals. It does build really nicely at the end, though. Starr is really coming into her own and getting past that gangly young quality she's had for the past few years. The 3axel try was fabulous.

 

[Debbie S]

I love Whitney but that's some elevator-quality early 90s muzak behind those fabulous vocals.

Actually, Whitney recorded the song in 1988. It was that year's Summer Olys theme song. (I guess I just dated myself, lol.)

 

[Frida80]

Actually, Whitney recorded the song in 1988. It was that year's Summer Olys theme song. (I guess I just dated myself, lol.)

Wow... I wondered why it sounded like song for the Olympics...

 

[Bellanca]

For the life of me, I'm just not getting why anyone would choose to skate to music w/ notes so high and piercing, that earplugs become a necessary item at the rink. ...Whitney, Mariah, Celine...

ETA: I'm not so sure this type of music is going to help anyone win. Never a good thing to make the judges wince and cringe. I've seen it -- not pretty!

 

[Vagabond]

Wow... I wondered why it sounded like song for the Olympics...

Not just any Olympics, but the Olympics in South Korea.

 

[Frida80]

Not just any Olympics, but the Olympics in South Korea.

Oohhhhhhhhhh...... Clever!

 

[ZilphaK]

I would just like to go on record as having been a Starr uber from waaaay back.

That program was amazing! Still thinking through it a bit, but it's going to be a knock-out.

(Let's all agree to beat up any media playing on the Starr name too soon. We need to envelop her in a protective cocoon of "develop at your own pace before becoming a punny headline.")

 

[Frida80]

I would just like to go on record as having been a Starr uber from waaaay back.

That program was amazing! Still thinking through it a bit, but it's going to be a knock-out.

(Let's all agree to beat up any media playing on the Starr name too soon. We need to envelop her in a protective cocoon of "develop at your own pace before becoming a punny headline.")

I'm confident that Starr will fly underneath the radar in terms of media unless she actually qualifies for the Olympics or wins Nationals at some point. Mass media just doesn't care unless your a winner. As for here, I expect her to be savaged as soon as the season starts. I'm bracing myself for it.

 

[ZilphaK]

As for here, I expect her to be savaged as soon as the season starts.

Well, they'll have to get through me, first. And I have a lot of time on my hands.

 

[ZilphaK]

Alexia Paganini has been removed from the ISP.

Did I miss something? Why would she be removed?

 

[Frida80]

Did I miss something? Why would she be removed?

Any number of reasons. Tyler and Vivian are gone too.

 

[alchemy void]

earplugs become a necessary item at the rink. ...Whitney, Mariah, Celine...

I'm moderately ambivalent about Mariah, but Whitney Houston and Celine Dion are (North) American treasures! It's better skating music than most of the limp boring music we get most of the time!

 

[mag]

Is there a scale to the price of music? So, well known, music, or big star hits, are more expensive than lesser known pieces?

If that is the case, there is a heck of a lot of music out there to use.

I have never paid for music. You pay for the cutting, but we use a professional and the most it has ever cost is $100. I don't think the cost of the music is the issue. I think lack of imagination, time, and musical education on the part of coaches and choreographers, and lack of early training in musical interpretation for skaters are more likely culprits that lead to overused pieces.

Also consider that for many skaters, what you see is what they can do. I know one international level skater who basically does the same SP and LP every year because that is what they can interpret decently well. Skaters who are not exposed to varying styles while they are developing, and skaters who do not take dance classes (and I don't mean those offered by a coach at the rink) or don't learn to play a musical instrument, can often be very limited in what they can reasonably be expected to learn to interpret in a season.

 

[kwanatic]

The 3A attempt was nowhere close to being even partially rotated BUT I admire the guts it took to put it out there.

I think Starr is adorable and I'm really hoping to see her get some love on the JGP this season. I'm crossing my fingers she'll be one of the main girls for the US in this upcoming quad.

 

[her grace]

I'm impressed USFS is sending FOUR ladies to Hong Kong! Harrell (age 13) and Ciarochi (eta: 14 now) both are coached by Aleksey Letov in Dallas; Shin (age 13) is coached by Arutunian & Co. in Lakewood, CA; Liu (will turn 12 in August after Asian Open) is coached by Laura Lipetsky in Northern California.

Is Ciarochi the first rising novice skater to be sent to a fall (non-NACS) international? I can't recall any single skater who was only an intermediate the season prior getting an international the following fall.

It seems like USFS is using a lot more discretion in its strategy for assignments rather than the national placement lockstep system of the past.

 

[Frida80]

The 3A attempt was nowhere close to being even partially rotated BUT I admire the guts it took to put it out there.

I think Starr is adorable and I'm really hoping to see her get some love on the JGP this season. I'm crossing my fingers she'll be one of the main girls for the US in this upcoming quad.

Starr's pattern for years with jumps is to struggle with it for a season and the next season it becomes rock solid. So just getting it out there is a really good sign.

 

[dinakt]

Starr Andrews new LP "One moment in time" video https://youtu.be/s9viWhCmHR4

Tries a 3a (fall and under).

That was great. Starr is a captivating performer, the song is easy to skate to and, actually, to get inspired from. Cheesy, but capable of making us all choke up if performed well at Nationals.
Great to see her jumping so well so early in the season. GOOOO Starr!

 

[Karpenko]

New Golden Skate video interview with Ted Flett and Mirai Nagasu:

https://youtu.be/P4WlMw_WTIQ

Mirai is super animated and cute, she talks about the upcoming season and her thoughts on Evgenia Medvedeva having the same SP music.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

^^^^ Loved the video.

I hope now that she gets a costume with 2/3 less rhinestones and a MUCH different bust line than she has been doing. Something.. more edited with more sophistication..IN THE DRESS, not the program.

 

[tylersf]

I agree with both of you. However, I would like to think that it wasn't that hard to find music. Yamaguchi's mom used to help Kristi find music. Fans are always willing to help out skaters with music. I've heard Mirai has asked fans for suggestions as well.

I have never paid for music. You pay for the cutting, but we use a professional and the most it has ever cost is $100. I don't think the cost of the music is the issue. I think lack of imagination, time, and musical education on the part of coaches and choreographers, and lack of early training in musical interpretation for skaters are more likely culprits that lead to overused pieces.
Also consider that for many skaters, what you see is what they can do. I know one international level skater who basically does the same SP and LP every year because that is what they can interpret decently well. Skaters who are not exposed to varying styles while they are developing, and skaters who do not take dance classes (and I don't mean those offered by a coach at the rink) or don't learn to play a musical instrument, can often be very limited in what they can reasonably be expected to learn to interpret in a season.

Here's how it works. The poor skaters can't afford to cut their own music. The skaters who win & collect better funding can. When music wins, other skaters are convinced the music can help them win so they use the music.
It's an ever-revolving funnel.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Fans are always willing to help out skaters with music. I've heard Mirai has asked fans for suggestions as well.

True!

4 or 5 yrs ago I was emailing back and forth a few times with Alissa Czisny. I had told her about some pieces Id love for her to do since it was the year she was trying to make comeback after the WI accident.

She liked what I had offered and suggested. 2 of them being Nocturne and Adagio by Secret Garden

I remember I also told her that she could seriously do justice to "Somewhere In Time." She said she always liked it and used to play it on her piano.

Sadly, she was not able to return.

 

[Sylvia]

Is Ciarochi the first rising novice skater to be sent to a fall (non-NACS) international? I can't recall any single skater who was only an intermediate the season prior getting an international the following fall.

Yes, I'm pretty sure. Stephanie Ciarochi (who has won consecutive national titles in Juvenile and Intermediate) landed 3Lz+3T in her Novice SP and FS at Broadmoor Open from what I recall watching the webcast.

Last year was the first time USFS sent out skaters to a fall developmental international -- Starr Andrews and Ashley Kim (Junior) and Kaitlyn Nguyen, Audrey Shin and Pooja Kalyan (Adv. Novice) to Golden Bear in Zagreb in late October. It may have been partly due to the reduced number of JGP ladies' spots, but it ended up being helpful for Andrews to get her minimum technical scores for Junior Worlds before Nationals.

 

[ZilphaK]

Any word on Haley Beavers? I don't think she's competed yet this season. Not sure where she's training right now.

 

[concorde]

Any word on Haley Beavers? I don't think she's competed yet this season. Not sure where she's training right now.

Rumor is she had to take the year off. If she doesn't compete at Philly, then I assume the rumor is true.

 

[concorde]

Is Ciarochi the first rising novice skater to be sent to a fall (non-NACS) international? I can't recall any single skater who was only an intermediate the season prior getting an international the following fall.

Since USFS started its bonus system, the skaters are getting big jumps earlier and earlier. That is why you are now seeing skaters getting the ISP slots at lower and lower levels.

Back when Gracie was a Junior, she was the only Junior doing 3 3. Now top ladies are doing them into their Novice season.

 

[Sylvia]

I believe the Athlete High Performance Development Pool (AHPDP) was created by USFS last season for (younger) skaters not in the ISP -- like Ciarochi & Alysa Liu (and Harrell and Shin who have since been promoted to the ISP).