U.S. Ladies [#30]: Cover Girls

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Japanese article by Akiko Tamura published by webronza.asahi.com on Bradie when she was in the NYC area working with Benoit Richaud:
Translated excerpt from page 3:
"Since he [Richaud] first choreographed me in 2017, my skating style has changed completely. Every year I try something different, new and fresh. I can carry over the program to the next season. I don't. I feel like my growth is limited. I like to always try things that exceed my expectations and challenge myself."
In this year's SP "Moderation", we tried to change the image with a luxurious black bodysuit costume.
"I'm shy by nature, so I'm consciously trying to express myself more. The process of becoming an adult helped me, and Benoa, from my usual comfortable place, even more. It will push you."
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Bradie shared this spread eagle photo from the rink in Brig SUI: https://www.instagram.com/p/COhk2P5MHc9/
Sylvia said:
Violeta Ushakova (2018 U.S. novice bronze medalist & 15th in her senior national debut earlier this year) is skating to "Circles" for her FS, choreo. by Olga Ganicheva: https://www.instagram.com/p/CN2xEzzLFst/
She previously had thanked Ilona Melnichenko in February for choreographing her SP in Colorado Springs.
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Ushakova's SP music is to Alicia Keys' Fallin' (clip via SC of Boston's account yesterday): https://www.instagram.com/p/COkttwegsjV/
(She's currently listed in the ISP but, since she hasn't competed internationally yet, I'm posting her music here rather than in the 2021-22 Programs & Choreographers thread.)

New video today from On Ice Perspectives' Jordan Cowan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PbxpDESyQM
Sofia Frank is a Junior Lady training in Colorado Springs. She grew up skating in Los Angeles. This piece is about coming back to her roots and revisiting places and memories of her past. In the end realizing all the moments and experiences she's been through has led her to where she is today." - Choreographer Crystalrose Sanders
I also grew up skating in Los Angeles, and I relocated to train for most of my competitive career in Michigan. Coach Crystal is one of my oldest skating friends from the Culver City Ice Arena days. It's super fitting that we got together to film this piece with Sofia in our hometown last month. Sofia learned this choreography completely the day before we shot it! Great job!
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Sofia Frank was added to USFS' ISP for the first time last August (link to her 2020-21 profile in USFS' Fan Zone). I assume she's since been removed due to not having qualified for 2021 Nationals in Junior (placed 14th in the FS virtual qualifying comp. & top 12 qualified).
 
Bradie's photo with Richaud in Brig, Switzerland: https://www.instagram.com/p/COvQBbBskRI/
So grateful to have worked with @benoitrichaud on two more amazing programs for this season. I absolutely love them both and I can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been creating. But until then, I’m excited to announce my free skate music this year will be Nuvole Bianche by Ludovico Einaudi and arranged by @cedric__tour ❤️

Stay tuned for my SP music 😉
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ETA: Thanks @Wyliefan for posting Bradie's FS music in the Programs & Choreographers thread!
 
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Sylvia said:
(She's [Ushakova] currently listed in the ISP but, since she hasn't competed internationally yet, I'm posting her music here rather than in the 2021-22 Programs & Choreographers thread.)

New video today from On Ice Perspectives' Jordan Cowan:
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1.5 minute clip of Violeta Ushakova's "Circles" FS filmed by OIP at the SC of Boston in April: https://www.instagram.com/tv/COspoySHKwc/
 
I checked earlier in this thread and discovered that this clip from February of Ting Cui practicing her SP ("This Bitter Earth" by Dinah Washington and Max Richter; choreo. by Colin McManus last year) from Lake Placid was never posted here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CLQAqEpHWo7/

Great to see Ting performing in public again! :) She has posted 2 clips in her latest Instagram stories from her SP performance under spotlights at IceWorks in Aston, PA.
 
Kanon Smith (13) attempted a 3A for the first time in competition today. Although it was deemed downgraded, I’m excited to see her try it out in competition. I’m hopeful that as her training progresses throughout the year, she will be able to land a clean one.

Soho Lee (12) placed second, landing a 3Lz+Eu+3S and scoring above 90 in the Free. Lee recently got her 3Lz, so I’m glad she’s already putting it in combination. Lee is not eligible for the Junior Grand Prix until next season.

Protocol for junior ladies: https://ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/nonqual_results/2021/29957/SEGM027.html

Starr also made her summer competition debut, performing her short program yesterday. She landed all her jumps including a clean 3T3T.
 
Cross-posting today's Mariah Bell article here too:
usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Mariah Bell’s Music Goes Vogue for the 2022 Olympic Season - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Since the last Olympic cycle, 25-year-old Mariah Bell has experienced both sides of skating — that of triumph and failure.
usfigureskatingfanzone.com usfigureskatingfanzone.com
Her bold, electric short program is set to music from Lady Gaga's Chromatica album, while her free skate — "Both Sides Now," by Joni Mitchell — will showcase a more reflective and melodic skating style.
As a skater whose reputation is built around lyrical movements and bursts of joy conveyed on powerful crescendos, connecting with music has always been Bell's strength. So, when friend and coach Adam Rippon brought up the idea of a Chromatica mashup for a short program, she was immediately enthusiastic. The cut features a mix of instrumental tracks, sound effects and crowd favorites like "911" and "Rain on Me."
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Fans of RuPaul's Drag Race are already vastly familiar with Voguing. Choreographer Cordero Zuckerman — also known to viewers as Denali Foxx — worked with Bell to pay homage to the Black trans women who invented staccato dance style in the 1970s. (Think: Madonna music video energy with exaggerated, tight upper body movements.)
"In this community, Voguing is a form of expression, an escape," Bell said. "So it's been a challenge to train, but incredibly empowering to pick music that's not only fun, but has such a rich history." [...]
"My short is fast and dynamic, while my free skate is drastically different, almost haunting," Bell said. "It's less about the music and more about how powerful her words are."
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To Bell, the song ['Both Sides Now"] does not feel pessimistic. Rather, it illustrates how both of her performances at the 2020 and 2021 Toyota U.S. Championships made her a stronger athlete and person.
"It's all up to interpretation, and I see it as if you have both perspectives, you can choose how and who to be moving forward," Bell said. "When I look back on my career, I'm always going to remember the once-in-a-lifetime skates, but I'm going to be more connected to the days that were harder."
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ETA that Mariah has shared a 20-second SP clip filmed by OIP's Jordan Cowan (2nd is a photo with Cordero Zuckerman & Adam at what looks like the Anaheim rink): https://www.instagram.com/p/CPWHbYSD3uH/
 
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I'm a huge fan of the song 'Both Sides Now', am intrigued as to whether she's doing Mitchell's more recent version with her much more damaged sounding vocals or the original version with a much more clear and pristine sound. The differing sound of the vocals have a significant effect on the impact of the song...I also believe the more recent version has a more experimental, orchestral sound, which allows for a bit more variation in tempo which would be helpful for a LP.

With regards to the SP: I'm old and am exhausted just thinking about another Rippon 'Rupaul Drag Race' inspired' SP.
 
Sylvia said:
Cross-posting today's Mariah Bell article here too:
usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Mariah Bell’s Music Goes Vogue for the 2022 Olympic Season - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Since the last Olympic cycle, 25-year-old Mariah Bell has experienced both sides of skating — that of triumph and failure.
usfigureskatingfanzone.com usfigureskatingfanzone.com



ETA that Mariah has shared a 20-second SP clip filmed by OIP's Jordan Cowan (2nd is a photo with Cordero Zuckerman & Adam at what looks like the Anaheim rink): https://www.instagram.com/p/CPWHbYSD3uH/
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SP looks fantastic and original idea using Chromatica since it has not been used yet. Also who doesn’t love Denali from RPDR13?!?!

I will hold off on my decision for the free program. But I’m generally not a big fan at all when someone uses an original piece of music like Piper and Paul did and made it their own and then some other skater uses it the next year for their own.. I’m usually more in the mindset to find music that Is special to you. Like the short program music.
 
Karen announced on Instagram that she’s revamping her Butterfly Lovers LP for the Olympic season. I for one am happy because I think there’s more mileage on that one and revamped choreo will keep it fresh. Also, her mother was the one who designed her lavender dress.
 
Karen-W said:
Is Mariah trying to put us to sleep the way Gilles/Poirier have done in dance the last two seasons? What an awful piece of dreck for her FS.
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Karen W!! LOL
I loved Piper and Paul's programs!!!!! lol

I scrolled up and didnt realize y'all were already discussing this topic.

Id MUCH rather have a slower paced piece of music like this than Firebird for the 1,206th time. lol

As I said earlier today my beef is find your own unique piece of music not someone else's unique piece from just last season. Its like taking "East Of Eden" the year after Kween used it or Bolero after T&D. I wish choreographers or coaches would point out to them that there are literally millions of pieces of music.
 
AngieNikodinovLove said:
Karen W!! LOL
I loved Piper and Paul's programs!!!!! lol

I scrolled up and didnt realize y'all were already discussing this topic.

Id MUCH rather have a slower paced piece of music like this than Firebird for the 1,206th time. lol

As I said earlier today my beef is find your own unique piece of music not someone else's unique piece from just last season. Its like taking "East Of Eden" the year after Kween used it or Bolero after T&D. I wish choreographers or coaches would point out to them that there are literally millions of pieces of music.
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Um...let's not get carried away, Piper and Paul are not Kwan OR T&D by a LONG shot, nor was their program EoE or Bolero. Perhaps a better analogy might be...skating to Don Quixote the year after Slutskaya skated to it...
 
I had a total facepalm moment when I found out Mariah was skating to Britney Spears but I ended up really loving the program. I like that she's stepping out of the box and choosing something unconventional, especially in an Olympic season. She sold the hell outta of the Britney program so I'm expecting something similar for this Gaga/vogueing inspired SP.

I listened to a bit of "Both Sides Now" and I'm not as confident in this choice. I don't know how much of an impact she'll be able to make with such a low energy song but I suppose I'll reserve judgement until after I see it. If by chance it doesn't work my hope is she'll go back to Hallelujah or her Experience FS from the year before, even though that music is so overused now.
 
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AngieNikodinovLove said:
Karen W!! LOL
I loved Piper and Paul's programs!!!!! lol

I scrolled up and didnt realize y'all were already discussing this topic.

Id MUCH rather have a slower paced piece of music like this than Firebird for the 1,206th time. lol

As I said earlier today my beef is find your own unique piece of music not someone else's unique piece from just last season. Its like taking "East Of Eden" the year after Kween used it or Bolero after T&D. I wish choreographers or coaches would point out to them that there are literally millions of pieces of music.
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It's not anyone's unique piece of music. Sarah Hughes skated to it 10 years ago in exhibitions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-8W4vOO5sw
 
What is Chromatica?

It would be nice if Miss Bell could advocate for Tchaikovsky or Liszt or Brahms instead of reality television starlets.

-BB
 
Maximillian said:
Um...let's not get carried away, Piper and Paul are not Kwan OR T&D by a LONG shot, nor was their program EoE or Bolero. Perhaps a better analogy might be...skating to Don Quixote the year after Slutskaya skated to it...
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LOL

When I’ve been fighting for Paul to win PORNY for the last four years I can take whatever position I need to

🤣😜
 
Brenda_Bottems said:
What is Chromatica?

It would be nice if Miss Bell could advocate for Tchaikovsky or Liszt or Brahms instead of reality television starlets.

-BB
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giselle23 said:
It's not anyone's unique piece of music. Sarah Hughes skated to it 10 years ago in exhibitions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-8W4vOO5sw
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After 10 years all is forgiven. (unless your names are Jane or Christopher. Bolero should never be touched)

Exhibitions don’t count. I haven’t watched an exhibition since Dorothy Hamill was skating figure eights
 
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