U.S. Ladies [#22]: No More Carrots!

[eurodance2001]

Kinda surprised USFSA let this cut of it out with Adam doing some suggestive moves and someone else (I couldn't tell who) wall!twerking.

Either way, it's great to see them having fun. Also Gracie!

The twerker is Jean Luc Baker

 

[Wyliefan]

Who was that in the blue clown wig?

 

[giselle23]

Sorry, I didn't mean that skaters have any obligation to me or to other fans. It was more about the fact that some on FSU tend to label anyone who's critical of packaging as mean-spirited and think appearance has no effect. Sorry, but it does, and it's not out of line to talk about it on FSU.

I don't know how much weight packaging carries. I mean, Bradie was 6th in the world with Cinderella. Polina Edmunds won 4CC with her notorious Peter Pan ensemble. Alina won big with her tutus. So it isn't everything, but it still counts.

Polina only won because others faltered. The international judges never took to her like the US judges did. Her Peter Pan program with the frilly pink dress did her no favors. 6th in the World isn't good enough if the US wants to have a top ladies skater. Michelle's makeover came because she was 4th in World. If Bradie wants to move up, she needs better music, better choreography and more sophisticated styling. As others have said, those are easier things to fix than technique, so Bradie is actually in a good position.

 

[annie720]

Who was that in the blue clown wig?

In the first group? Isn't that Madison H.?

 

[Sylvia]

The Professional Skaters Association recently announced their annual Performance award winners from Nationals in San Jose, CA - congratulations to Mirai!

Best Performance Ladies
Mirai Nagasu – Championship Ladies Free Skate Program
PSA Coach – Tom Zakrajsek
Choreographer – Jeffrey Buttle Music Selection – Miss Saigon
Costume Designer – Pat Pearsall

 

[Debbie S]

In the first group? Isn't that Madison H.?

Yes. In an earlier shot, regular-haired Madison is wearing that same shirt.

 

[Lara111]

Polina only won because others faltered. The international judges never took to her like the US judges did. Her Peter Pan program with the frilly pink dress did her no favors. 6th in the World isn't good enough if the US wants to have a top ladies skater. Michelle's makeover came because she was 4th in World. If Bradie wants to move up, she needs better music, better choreography and more sophisticated styling. As others have said, those are easier things to fix than technique, so Bradie is actually in a good position.

She also need to learn to move a bit better and dance not just jump - ballet lessons may be?

 

[Willin]

The Professional Skaters Association recently announced their annual Performance award winners from Nationals in San Jose, CA - congratulations to Mirai!

Best Performance Ladies
Mirai Nagasu – Championship Ladies Free Skate Program
PSA Coach – Tom Zakrajsek
Choreographer – Jeffrey Buttle Music Selection – Miss Saigon
Costume Designer – Pat Pearsall

How tho? There was hardly any choreography in that program whatsoever... I mean, there was more at Worlds, but at Nationals?
Is this judged overall, like could she have gotten it by virtue of a somewhat clean 3A alone?

 

[VGThuy]

I guess there weren’t better alternatives to choose from.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Polina only won because others faltered. The international judges never took to her like the US judges did.

Polina won 4CC in 2014/15. The only top skaters that could not be present were the Russians....

 

[AYS]

TBH, I would have voted for Bradie for the EDI. While her style leaves quite a bit to be desired at this point, she was technically brilliant, and I thought the performance was a wow, "I've arrived!" moment.

That said, I'd give Mirai an award for US ladies performance of the year for her lp in the team event in Pyeongchang.

 

[wickedwitch]

I would have picked Angela Wang's SP. But nobody asked me.

 

[pairskatingfan]

Starr Andrews FS was the highlight of the ladies event for me.

 

[VGThuy]

I wonder if there's a list of past winners.

 

[Tinami Amori]

The twerker is Jean Luc Baker

if it was not him but any female, we would have had "harassment scandal" on our hands.

 

[Sylvia]

I wonder if there's a list of past winners.

Yes and I've started a separate thread for you here : https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...inners-through-the-years-criteria-etc.103733/

 

[VGThuy]

Yes and I've started a separate thread for you here : https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...inners-through-the-years-criteria-etc.103733/

Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 53443]

Kinda surprised USFSA let this cut of it out with Adam doing some suggestive moves and someone else (I couldn't tell who) wall!twerking.

If those moves were made by a straight man behind a young woman, there would probably be reactions to it. I think it's unnecessary. It's one of those moves that are fun when you are THERE and in the moment and people know each other, but when it's on camera it looks sans taste.

 

[Dobre]

Oh, lighten up.

I thought the team-building dance video was great. Far more entertaining than watching everyone cook.

 

[Deleted member 53443]

"Oh, lighten up". Now that's a phrase so many women heard from men over the years.

Karen Chen should wear that make-up she has in the video more often, together with the free hair she goes from girl to real friggin hot.

 

[Marco]

I guess there weren’t better alternatives to choose from.

From a performance standpoint, definitely Ashley's La La Land.

 

[VGThuy]

From a performance standpoint, definitely Ashley's La La Land.

Well...reasonable minds can disagree.

 

[Marco]

Well...reasonable minds can disagree.

Sure. I personally just don't see much performance (or even effort in performing) from Mirai's Miss Saigon.

 

[Coco]

The Skate Detroit version was the best, imo. You could see the choreography at it's best in that rendition.

 

[Willin]

@VIETgrlTerifa @Marco My thing is that there were alternatives that could have been argued for. La La Land wasn't fully realized or developed, at least Ashley performed the heck outta that thing. Although Cinderella wasn't well-performed (as far as projection/expression), it did have a full concept and choreography. Karen's SP may have been reported, but it was still great. Starr's skating is small and her choreography isn't the most innovative thing out there, but she can perform.

On the other hand, Mirai didn't have choreography, her face was dead, and the program didn't have a concept beyond "Miss Saigon music" and "Miss Saigon costume" - there was none of the arm movements we saw at Worlds or Skate Detroit, none of the excited face we saw in the Olympic Team Event, not even a +GOE 3A. You could've put on any music, had her do the same skating, and it wouldn't have made any difference except maybe to clash with the costume.
From the credits for the award, it sounds like this is a whole package thing from performance to coaching to choreography to costume. And honestly, Mirai only had the costume part of that won at Nationals - and that's very debatable with there being many great and memorable dresses in the field.

I'd be fine if this was an award for a career of hard work and/or Mirai's relative success at the 3A, but they should admit it's that as opposed to an award about one single performance of one single program.

If those moves were made by a straight man behind a young woman, there would probably be reactions to it. I think it's unnecessary. It's one of those moves that are fun when you are THERE and in the moment and people know each other, but when it's on camera it looks sans taste.

Oh, lighten up.

I thought the team-building dance video was great. Far more entertaining than watching everyone cook.

I did find it funny and really enjoyable to see skaters feel free to do that (considering how squeaky clean the image USFS likes to portray of them is).
I'm just more surprised that USFSA - who goes really far to make sure that they have a good media image with political correctness and no sexy/inappropriate stuff related to them - would consider twerking and hip thrusting (well, off the ice hip thrusting right at someone's butt) okay to include in this video. Maybe they're loosening up on that "ice princess" image for their entire organization? Whether they were aware or not I'd love to see some of the crazy parent/fan complaints about the twerking that they have to be getting right about now...

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Would you prefer that we never say anything constructive or critical about elite skaters and instead praise all they do and hope they just go out, skate their best, and have fun?

Crying Girl: [reading from paper] I wish we could all get along like we used to in middle school... I wish I could bake a cake filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat and be happy...
[about to cry]
Damian: [shouting from back] She doesn't even go here!
Ms. Norbury: Do you even go to this school?
Crying Girl: No... I just have a lot of feelings...

 

[kwanatic]

Ms. Norbury: "Okay, go home."

 

[Sylvia]

I thought this was -- Karen posted this video on her Instagram earlier this month... apparently this drone footage of her skating outdoors in San Jose (eta: correct city is mentioned below) was filmed in December: https://www.instagram.com/p/BgXJgS_BB28/

 

[Willin]

@Sylvia That's actually in San Francisco! Right on the Embarcadero. I'm surprised it looked so empty around there - that's usually a pretty busy area with all the office buildings, condos, tourists, and commuters. I wonder when this would've been filmed? Maybe early morning?

 

[DreamSkates]

Why are people offended bc Bradie needs a make over/ reinvention? Look at what Ashley did in 2012. It wasn’t a bad thing, it was necessary to get her to the next level. Michelle’s reinvention won her the world championships. She wasn’t beating Chen with a pony tail and puffy sleeves.

She has had her Cinderella moment (multiple) and what a great year she had. I would guess she is ready to move on. I did like her sp program and music, so why would we think she can only be - or want to be - Cinderella?