Alysa Liu Ready for Change (NEW ARTICLES)

[Tinami Amori]

The thought of a fifteen-year-old girl portraying the victim of human trafficking makes me very uneasy.

This is nuts. La Strada in its plot has no "victim of human trafficking". and yes, i saw the film multiple times.... Back in the days it was a norm for parents to send/to place their teenage children with various tradesmen, masters or performers to "learn a profession" so to say, the ones who succeeded usually "inherited the business".

 

[VGThuy]

She was basically sold as a slave and expected to give sex. The film doesn't really romanticize it at all considering how he treated the character and where she ended up. It was a fact of life, but there's a reason why that practice has died off in the mainstream and only exists in the underbelly of society, which people are trying to fight.

 

[Aerobicidal]

When Michelle Kwan first skated to East of Eden, she was younger than Alysa is now.

I would love to know which character from the text she was portraying so I can clutch my pearls over it.

 

[VGThuy]

When Michelle Kwan first skated to East of Eden, she was younger than Alysa is now.

I would love to know which character from the text she was portraying so I can clutch my pearls over it.

LOL. Now you got me imagining Michelle Kwan playing Kathy...especially after she drinks.

 

[giselle23]

When Michelle Kwan first skated to East of Eden, she was younger than Alysa is now.

I would love to know which character from the text she was portraying so I can clutch my pearls over it.

And Salome! You know, the one who danced the dance of the seven veils (ie, an early type of strip tease) and demanded the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

The real question is whether she was portraying people (still) having sex in her 1992 short program. I demand an authentic interpretation of that music!

The wedding night video with Jeff G. is probably still floating around the Interwebz somewhere.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

When Michelle Kwan first skated to East of Eden, she was younger than Alysa is now.

I would love to know which character from the text she was portraying so I can clutch my pearls over it.

Hey, even a skating master like four time World Champion Kurt Browning thought she was "sexy" when she skated to EoE at 12/13 y/o!!!

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

The licentious pornographic ventures of Miss Harding are best left in the locker room,not this figure skating forum.

-BB

 

[layman]

Back to Alysa...sounds like travel restrictions to Canada put a wrench in the teams plans. Reading between the lines (growth, no technical coach in-person...) it seems she has (temporarily) lost the 3 Axel and 4 Lutz. I am actually not that concerned...if she is able to stabilize her other jumps and increase her speed and flow...but that's a tall task in an ideal situation and this does not sound like an ideal situation. Brian Boitano is in the rink giving her advice, but I wish he would take over her technical coaching when she is skating in San Francisco. Does anyone know if Brian Boitano has ever coached before?

 

[meggonzo]

Does anyone know if Brian Boitano has ever coached before?

He was a consultant to Alissa Czisny circa 2009.

 

[meggonzo]

I like the music from La Strada. I would not have a problem with a twenty-year-old woman skating to it. I do have a problem with a fifteen-year-old skating to it.

If the skater is literally interpreting the movie, I'm not sure why a 20-year old skating to it wouldn't be problematic as well.

 

[layman]

He was a consultant to Alissa Czisny circa 2009.

Thanks for the info. Hopefully he can upgrade from consultant to coach.

If and when Alysa does make it to Canada, I would feel much more confident if she teamed up with Brian Orser. She has skated at the Cricket Club before and it looks like Brian Orser is not too busy right now.

 

[Sylvia]

Hopefully he can upgrade from consultant to coach.

Why would Boitano want to?

 

[layman]

Why would Boitano want to?

Because according to the article, he is already working with her. Why not make it official?

 

[Sylvia]

Hersh's article says:

Brian Boitano, the 1988 Olympic champion, skates twice a week at the San Francisco rink where Liu has been training for the last seven weeks. He gives her tips on jumps and moves like spread eagles.

Giving tips (or mentoring skaters) is one thing. Becoming an accredited coach is not for everyone and Boitano appears to lead a fulfilling life where skating is not the central focus (and good for him!).

 

[layman]

I forgot all about the accrediting that the coaches have to go through. I agree, he may not want to go that route. Still the "consulting" relationship worked for Mabel Fairbanks and Maribel Vinson Owen (even though we know now that Maribel actually did coach Mabel, but just in secret).

 

[overedge]

I forgot all about the accrediting that the coaches have to go through. I agree, he may not want to go that route. Still the "consulting" relationship worked for Mabel Fairbanks and Maribel Vinson Owen (even though we know now that Maribel actually did coach Mabel, but just in secret).

But the rules around coaching were very different then. There might not have even been any rules other than some kind of accreditation for the coach who was with the skater during a competition.

 

[skatfan]

Giving tips (or mentoring skaters) is one thing. Becoming an accredited coach is not for everyone and Boitano appears to lead a fulfilling life where skating is not the central focus (and good for him!).

Agreed. Boitano has never sought a formal coaching role, preferring to be an informal mentor (Yamaguchi, Kwan, etc). Boitano's technical approach to jumps (especially the 'tano lutz) is very different from what is needed to do a quad today.

 

[Vagabond]

If the skater is literally interpreting the movie, I'm not sure why a 20-year old skating to it wouldn't be problematic as well.

There is nothing "literal" about interpreting a character or music in a movie.

Have you ever seen the movie? Giulieta Massina, who was in her thirties when the movie was made, brings immense compassion and an adult understanding to her portrayal of Gelsomina. I can think of several female skaters who could have done that at twenty, but I can't think of any who would have done so at fifteen.

In the past, when Alysa Liu's age or younger have skated to Big Spender and Tango de Roxane, many people on FSU have expressed disagreement with having those girls portray prostitutes. And yet, now, when it appears that Liu is going to be portraying a sex slave, people not only disagree with my concerns but say that I have no right to express them here.

This forum belongs to @SHARPIE. If she doesn't want me to express my concerns with the program here, then I won't. Until then -- or until it turns out that Liu isn't portraying a sex slave -- I will let my conscience dictate what I choose to post here.

 

[gkelly]

Unless a skater announces that they are going to portray a specific character from whatever movie, ballet, opera, musical, etc., that their music comes from, I think it's safest to assume that they intend to skate to the music as abstract music or to make up their own story.

There are a lot of wrinkles we could discuss regarding what music "means" or what are appropriate or correct or incorrect interpretations. Is it worth a separate thread to discuss those kinds of topics in more general terms?

 

[sk9tingfan]

Unless a skater announces that they are going to portray a specific character from whatever movie, ballet, opera, musical, etc., that their music comes from, I think it's safest to assume that they intend to skate to the music as abstract music or to make up their own story.

There are a lot of wrinkles we could discuss regarding what music "means" or what are appropriate or correct or incorrect interpretations. Is it worth a separate thread to discuss those kinds of topics in more general terms?

Since likes is not working, I'll second this with a yep!

 

[Sylvia]

Unless a skater announces that they are going to portray a specific character from whatever movie, ballet, opera, musical, etc., that their music comes from, I think it's safest to assume that they intend to skate to the music as abstract music or to make up their own story.

Another 'LIKE' from me.

There are a lot of wrinkles we could discuss regarding what music "means" or what are appropriate or correct or incorrect interpretations. Is it worth a separate thread to discuss those kinds of topics in more general terms?

Yes please.

 

[layman]

Boitano's technical approach to jumps (especially the 'tano lutz) is very different from what is needed to do a quad today.

I am not so sure. Alysa already has rocket rotations (the ability to pull in very tightly and efficiently). That's half the battle but she is taller now, so she is going to need more power, more spring, more distance (more hang-time) to land those quads successfully. Those are precisely the qualities that Boitano shows in his jumps. If he can teach any of what he was taught, then I think Alysa is in good hands.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

This forum belongs to @SHARPIE. If she doesn't want me to express my concerns with the program here, then I won't. Until then -- or until it turns out that Liu isn't portraying a sex slave -- I will let my conscience dictate what I choose to post here.

Vag, has Alysa said she is portraying an underaged sex slave? Or is she just skating to Kurt Browning's "fun" music from his Casablanca program? She described her SP was fun and more 'her'. Or do you think Alysa Liu, one of the most immature 15 y/os on the planet, is intentionally playing a child sex slave? For what, higher PCS?? Let's hear it.

 

[4rkidz]

I often listen to music that i have no idea what movie or musical it was created for. I don’t think the music has to reflect its original source, its totally open for interpretation imho.

 

[Frau Muller]

I often listen to music that i have no idea what movie or musical it was created for. I don’t think the music has to reflect its original source, its totally open for interpretation imho.

Just like Nathan Chen’s happy mariachi music. The drinking lyrics hardly matter. Great skating music.

 

[allezfred]

In the past, when Alysa Liu's age or younger have skated to Big Spender and Tango de Roxane, many people on FSU have expressed disagreement with having those girls portray prostitutes.

Both those songs have lyrics so it’s pretty hard to put your own interpretation on something when you can hear someone singing “I don’t pop my cork for every guy I see” or “You don’t have to put on that red light”.

 

[Japanfan]

I often listen to music that i have no idea what movie or musical it was created for. I don’t think the music has to reflect its original source, its totally open for interpretation imho.

I often listen to music that i have no idea what movie or musical it was created for. I don’t think the music has to reflect its original source, its totally open for interpretation imho.

Both of these posts being true, it is also true that an awareness of the original source of the music can bring depth to a performance. Just like ice dancers often take guidance from traditional ballet/folk dances on the floor. Lipitsaya's SL as the first in the red dress in the film is an example of that, IMO, and there are many other examples.

Converesly, think of the mess that D&S made of their 'aboriginal' or 'cave people' dance at the 2010 Olympics. Not only would consulting with Indigenous dancers have improved their work, but it would have the respectful thing to do.

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

It's not a free pass to chose to emote to something other than the original story. In the movie Fantasia, they specifically had one segment where they did that while other segments did not. It was very interesting to see a completely different interpretation to the piece of music they picked rather than what people normally do.

I am familiar with the concept known as "artistic license." However, artistic license doesn't allow every kind of inaccuracy or reinterpretation. There is still a general expectation that characters/themes/concepts/movements are going to be consistent. Otherwise it would be difficult to understand what's happening on the ice at all. I highly doubt a majority of skaters/choreos/coaches are approaching choreography or music from a postmodern viewpoint.

(Postmodernism is a valid a conceptual framework for movement, expression, and reinterpreting source materials, BTW! But these are conversations not necessarily happening in competitive circles, but you do encounter them in more creative outlets for skating, like ITNY and likeminded folks/orgs.)

 

[gkelly]

I started a new thread for ongoing discussion of how and what music means in a skating performance.