Mariah Bell cheer thread: Rise Up

[DreamSkates]

Congratulations, Mariah! Well done.

I am looking forward to her success this season - brief as it may be - and her score when she lands everything as beautifully as she is capable of!

 

[Sylvia]

USFS' clip montage of Mariah at Skate America, ending with the awarding of medals backstage (everyone put on their own): https://www.instagram.com/p/CGv2JRbASrs/

Re-posting from the U.S. Ladies thread:

Sport24 interview with Mariah Bell after Skate America

«Я была бы счастлива быть старшей сестрой Алины Загитовой». Американка Белл выиграла 1-й этап Гран-при сезона-2020 - 26 октября 2020 - Sport24

Sport24 пообщался с Мэрайей после победы.

sport24.ru

Interview is in Russian, but google translator does a pretty good job

 

[Sylvia]

Team USA has posted a 3-minute IGTV video of Mariah giving some glimpses inside the Skate America bubble (hotel, outdoor pathway, arena) before the competition started: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CG0xx6DnWxv/

 

[Sylvia]

Short clip of Mariah speaking as the featured cover athlete of December 2020's SKATING Magazine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey7zha_Mu9k

Mariah's cover article (by Darci Miller) & photos (by Jay Adeff) span pages 24-29 in the online edition - currently available for all to read: https://www.usfigureskating.org/about/skating-magazine
Excerpt re. the primary coach's reaction to Mariah's Nationals free skate:

"I was smiling," Arutunian said. "Standing there and smiling. I don't smile much.
"When you work hard and reach a goal, that's a joy. I understand that type of joy, whenever you reach your goal that you were working toward for three or four months. And then after two years [of work], you're jumping around and crying. That's joy. That's why I was smiling."

Guardian U.S. edition article by Bryan A. Graham:

The most notable US athletes of 2020: No 2 – Mariah Bell, the edge of glory

After years of inconsistency in the biggest moments, the veteran skater put it all together in a career season and delivered the skate of her life at US nationals

www.theguardian.com

 

[Sylvia]

Happy 25th birthday to Mariah today!

From the #TTW thread - she recently acquired 2 more baby bunnies for her menagerie:

Bunny Girl got more bunnies? Check her IG-story.
Romain: “We’re turning into a rabbit rescue”

Re-posting from the U.S. Ladies thread:

Mariah is practicing the 3Lz+1Eu+3S combination that she last attempted (in competition, IIRC) at 2018 Nebelhorn Trophy - check out the 3rd & 4th clips from her post last month [early February]: https://www.instagram.com/p/CLNMHaSDPc7/

 

[Sylvia]

New article today by Megan Sauer:

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

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."

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."

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."

ETA: This article is cross-posted in the U.S. Ladies and Programs/Choreographers threads in GSD.

 

[Wyliefan]

Mariah just posted a clip from the short, filmed by Jordan Cowan. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPWHbYSD3uH/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[olympic]

Wow. Ru Paul’s Drag Race meets Figure Skating. I am verklemmt

 

[DreamSkates]

Mariah just posted a clip from the short, filmed by Jordan Cowan. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPWHbYSD3uH/?utm_medium=copy_link

Yowza this is going to be cool.

 

[Sylvia]

Jordan Cowan has posted a longer SP clip from the beginning of Mariah's SP (1 minute total): https://www.instagram.com/tv/CPfvpaMn1ap/

__? Chromatica I @ladygaga @officialsbubeats [re-mixed by SBU Beats]
Choreography: @denalifoxx @adaripp

First 2 jumps she marked: walley into 2A, entrance into 3F+3T, presumably

ETA - also on OIP’s YT channel (1:20): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VIe7w-RmcDI

Mariah won PSA's Sonja Henie EDI award for the first time - more info in this GSD thread (she showed up around the 31-minute mark of the awards video and apologized profusely for her messy hair & appearance due to having just come out of her Pilates class ): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...d-winners-u-s-open-pro-champs-results.108348/

 

[Sylvia]

Local Minnesota article (June 25):

Olympic hopeful speaks at Breezy Point figure skating camp

Mariah Bell gave insight into good luck charms, training and motivation.

www.brainerddispatch.com

American figure skater Mariah Bell was a guest speaker to a rapt audience of young skaters at the Point of Perfection Figure Skating Camp on Friday, June 18, at the Breezy Point Resort Convention Center.
The event was like a return to normal for the famous 25-year-old skater.
"It's been really fun," Bell said about the camp. "I haven't been able to travel anywhere for about a year. I usually do several shows or camps throughout a year and I haven't been able to do that. I'm really excited to be here. Everybody's been so nice. I'm excited to skate later and it kind of feels like things are getting back to normal."

I posted a fan cam of Mariah's exhibition performance of her SP last week in the U.S. Ladies thread here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/u-s-ladies-30-cover-girls.108059/page-14#post-6012560

 

[Sylvia]

An update 4+ months later ....

Just saw that a Mariah fan account on YT recently uploaded her new "River Flows In You" SP -- streamed by Peacock -- that she debuted in Henderson, NV last month (she skated this program at Champs Camp in August): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnF6E9ea8Go

She scored 69.73; jumps were 2A, 3F+2T & 3Lz; all level 4 spins & level 3 steps.

ETA that she has incorporated Pilates into her training (video from Oct. 1): https://www.instagram.com/p/CUgK_UoIaUl/

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

An update 4+ months later ....

Just saw that a Mariah fan account on YT recently uploaded her new "River Flows In You" SP -- streamed by Peacock -- that she debuted in Henderson, NV last month (she skated this program at Champs Camp in August): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnF6E9ea8Go

She scored 69.73; jumps were 2A, 3F+2T & 3Lz; all level 4 spins & level 3 steps.

ETA that she has incorporated Pilates into her training (video from Oct. 1): https://www.instagram.com/p/CUgK_UoIaUl/

Can’t wait to see her Grand Prix performances

 

[Sylvia]

Almost 70 points and there is only a triple double?

It was a domestic panel - no need to get up in arms in Mariah's FAN thread please.

Glad you enjoyed Mariah's performance, @Lacey :

Beautiful Program, Beautiful Skater.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

?? New programs

 

[DreamSkates]

Can’t wait to see her Grand Prix performances

Soft, flowing, beautiful, genuine SP. Feels like she's being true to herself.

 

[Sylvia]

Coach Adam posted this photo of the two of them after Mariah's 4th place FS in Grenoble moved her up to 6th overall: https://www.instagram.com/p/CWoJBD1rIov/

Mariah Bell's free skate to "Hallelujah" - 2021 IDF

Mariah skated a clean free skate to "Hallelujah" by k.d. lang at the 2021 Internationaux de France ❤️ She placed 4th in the free skate and had the highest ...

www.youtube.com

Fan Zone article by @Jayar before Rostelecom Cup in Sochi: https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...-leans-on-experience-as-she-eyes-beijing.aspx
Excerpts:

... "After skating 'Hallelujah' so well at the U.S. Championships, I thought that I would never skate it again when the World Championships were canceled. To be able to see it all the way through this year was the right thing to do."
Acknowledging that there are few choreographic changes in the program, Bell realizes that recycling a program comes with the risk of it becoming stale. In this case, however, she sees the opportunity to further explore the emotional side of the program which she believes will make it new again.
"I'm a different person than I was two years ago," Bell shared. "The world has been through a lot of heavy emotions, and I think because of that I can interpret this program with a deeper meaning. I have almost a new gratitude for it, and I am even more excited to share that with people."

Bell is currently scheduled to compete at the Golden Spin of Zagreb in early December and will then shift her focus on preparing for the U.S. Championships in January.
"I'll try to maximize my time on and off the ice and will make sure that I am focusing on proper recovery and nutrition," she explained. "Four years ago, I think that I got a little too much into the chatter of the Olympic season, and I learned a lot from that. I am focusing on what I can control and less on those things that I cannot. It has definitely made competing much more enjoyable."

ETA:

The teammariahbell YT channel uploaded Mariah's IdF FS (without commentary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IvxLtZoAYI

Also her gala performance to Shania Twain (choreographed, IIRC, by her older sister Morgan who was a U.S. senior national competitor in 2012 & 2013): https://www.instagram.com/tv/CWjOFiBp3AS/

 

[Vagabond]

I am thankful that Mariah Bell finally has two suitable programs again! With any luck, we will get to watch her do them three or four more times this season. ?

I lurve me some Karen Chen and some Alysa Liu, but this iteration of Mariah Bell makes her my favorite U.S. woman since .... I don't know who ... Kristi Yamaguchi? Tiffany Chin? Janet Lynn?

 

[DreamSkates]

Kudos to Mariah for her results at RC! Looking good for Nationals.

 

[Karen-W]

Kudos to Mariah for her results at RC! Looking good for Nationals.

She still has Golden Spin in 2 weeks!

 

[Vash01]

I was happy to see Mariah skate well today. I hope this gives her the confidence needed for the nationals. Loved her costume.

 

[Sylvia]

NBC Sports' video of Mariah's 3rd place SP in Sochi : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1CDf98Mhes

Her 210.35 total score at Rostelecom Cup has moved her up to #17 on the ISU SB list.

She has withdrawn from Golden Spin (3 competitions in 4 weeks is a lot) and hopefully will have productive training time leading up to Nationals in 5+ weeks time.

 

[Sylvia]

SO GLAD to have been in the Nashville audience to witness Mariah win 2022 Nationals in person ... I hadn't seen her post-FS interview with Andrea Joyce until now: https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics/status/1479666350624804864

The moment backstage with Adam when she found out she had won the gold (including a shot of her parents & older sister Morgan in the audience): https://twitter.com/TeamUSA/status/1479666751608606721

"Dreams come true!! Unreal to be an Olympian! Can’t wait to compete in Beijing alongside my amazing teammates! GO USA ??" (her Jan. 9th Instagram post): https://www.instagram.com/p/CYfzlj2t4Qr/

 

[cheremary]

Also enjoyed this interview Mariah gave after her Nationals win, which really shows how much this Olympic berth means to her and how much she’s gone through to get there:

https://twitter.com/olympics/status/1480670484534800395?s=21

I loved seeing her Hallelujah program in person and posted some photos from her skate: https://www.instagram.com/patinartphoto/p/CYdbLe9OC7J/

 

[Sylvia]

Mariah shared USFS' video of her Nashville Nationals FS "with Adam mic'd up": https://www.instagram.com/tv/CY7ZEdwoj5M/

Philadephia Inquirer article republished in the Scranton Times with Adam's quotes about Mariah excerpted below: https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/ad...cle_a7745b3e-f9b9-54ec-b05d-c47cfcba3ec3.html

“That’s really crazy,” Rippon said, the day after Bell’s win. “We had our little team briefing this morning. And they gave me my credential to the Olympic Games. And I got back to my room, and I got a little emotional. I was like, ‘I can’t believe that four years later I get to have this opportunity to hold this next credential that says, like, coach,’ and I owe that to like Mariah trusting me.”

“When we get home, I’m going to be talking with Rafael and with Mariah, and we’ll kind of see, like, what is the best plan for her? And how will she get the most out of her Olympic experience? And that’s a decision that we’ll make together as a team.
“I’ve made her do so many different kinds of runthroughs. She’s done long programs where she’s had to do a triple toe at the end of everything. She’s done long programs where she’s had to do a double toe-double loop at the end of everything, a double axel at the end of everything. So maybe it’s never something she’s done in competition, but she’s prepared to make a clutch decision if she has to, and yesterday [adding 2A to 3Lz for her 3rd combo] she made absolutely the right call.”

ETA that the video also can be viewed on Twitter: https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1483900822425464833

A Jan. 19th People article mentions that next month Rippon will be "in Beijing for the Winter Olympics, where he's coaching national champion Mariah Bell."

 

[Messalina]

SO GLAD to have been in the Nashville audience to witness Mariah win 2022 Nationals in person ... I hadn't seen her post-FS interview with Andrea Joyce until now: https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics/status/1479666350624804864

The moment backstage with Adam when she found out she had won the gold (including a shot of her parents & older sister Morgan in the audience): https://twitter.com/TeamUSA/status/1479666751608606721

"Dreams come true!! Unreal to be an Olympian! Can’t wait to compete in Beijing alongside my amazing teammates! GO USA ??" (her Jan. 9th Instagram post): https://www.instagram.com/p/CYfzlj2t4Qr/

Even though I watched this live myself (not in person), I still teared up all over again just reading this. This has been my wish for her for a long time. How satisfying to see it play out like this. I could not be happier for her. I hope she shows everything she's capable of in Beijing. The signs look promising (but I'll stop before I jinx her )!

 

[Sylvia]

Associated Press article by Barry Wilner (Jan. 24): https://sports.yahoo.com/rippon-boosts-bells-olympic-chase-055323491.html
Excerpts:

“When you really buckle down, you ask, `Can I be better and work harder and be smarter, and still achieve what I set out to achieve? And then you go for it,” says Rippon ... “Mariah is a huge testament to that in a sport that is very hard to be competitive as you grow older. She has not lost sight of her main goal for one second. She is a tough competitor, she will pull things out in competition. She has done all the work, so when that adrenaline hits, she is ready for it.”

I am super super lucky to be able to work with Adam," she says. "I trained with him for a couple years and he always was such a leader in the rink. For him to kind of come in and help me with my training, he’s been so helpful.
“He gives me really great perspective, staying mature and professional, and he’s the best at that." [...]
Rippon ... only agreed to work with Bell because his coach, Rafael Arutyunyan, was guiding her. That provided a comfort level for all three of them, something critical in such a technical and artistic sport.

Knowing how Arutyunyan mentors his students, his approach to training, building programs and competition itself was a must for Rippon. Otherwise, he might have declined.
“One of the things he does well,” Rippon says of Arutyunyan, "he can see when a student needs something in addition. He could see Mariah and I worked well together and were able to get a lot of good work with Mariah, and completely under the guidance of Rafael. The team Mariah has put together very smartly was exactly what she needed.
"I am so proud of her being able to figure out what you need and voicing that. It's a big part of that battle."

 

[Sylvia]

Mariah's Instagram post on Tuesday night (Jan. 25): https://www.instagram.com/p/CZLYK4Wr3nB/

One of my most favorite quotes that has been a part of my fridge for months? DO NOT GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS P.S. can’t believe I am leaving for the Olympics in 4 days!!

Article by Nick Zaccardi on the working relationship between Mariah and Adam (Jan. 27):

Mariah Bell goes to the Olympics with her fairy godmother -- Adam Rippon

Mariah Bell and Adam Rippon's figure skating relationship as coach and student began with Dunkin' Donuts and will climax at the Beijing Olympics.

olympics.nbcsports.com

Excerpt:

In a typical week, he’s there two or three days (but more often in this Olympic year).
“His schedule really doesn’t allow him to work with many other people,” Bell told NBC Sports’ On Her Turf. “But he’s also like, I don’t really want to coach. I just want to help you, which I’m so fortunate for.”
Arutunian focuses on the technical work, including jumps. There are ancillary benefits.
“The reason that this works out so well is that Rafael is our guiding light. He is our team captain,” Rippon said. “He’s also coaching me on how to be a good coach.”
Rippon, known for his work ethic to make the 2018 Olympics over younger skaters, helps with her training plan and conditioning.
“I basically treated her like I was Cesar Millan, and she was a troubled dog that needed direction,” he said. “I was super tough on her and made her do a million more things than she was used to doing in practice.”

ETA that Mariah is scheduled to perform in Art on Ice's Dinner Show after the Olympics, March 3-5, in Zurich, Switzerland: https://www.artonice.com/programm-dinner-show

 

[Sylvia]

First photos of Mariah on practice ice at the Capital Indoor Stadium competition rink on February 1, 2022: Getty Images link

Mariah's club got together to wish her well at the Olympics - Rocky Mountain FSC's Instagram clip & photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZUzMo6vKeC/

Related local article & news video (Jan. 28) that includes many skaters and Mariah's former coach, Cindy Sullivan:

Colorado Olympian inspires young figure skaters who train at her rink

Mariah Bell is on her way to Beijing to compete in the Olympics. Not too long ago, she was skating in Westminster.

www.9news.com

Mariah was with Sullivan from age 12 (2008) through her her U.S. national medals (Novice bronze in 2011, Junior silver in 2013) and junior international years (2 JGPs in 2013) until she graduated from high school in 2014.

Ashley C-G made a video during team processing in Los Angeles to show just how excited they (she, Timothy, Mariah & Jason) were the day they got their Team USA gear: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZTI4TyqkGj/
Same video is also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/icegirlash/status/1487305674107207682

Mariah flew to China with the 3 of them and coach Adam on 1/29 and a NBC San Diego reporter on her flight tweeted this clip of her doing leg squats during the flight : https://twitter.com/stevenlukenbc/status/1487622531779551232

Adam's Jan. 30th tweet: https://twitter.com/AdamRippon/status/1487783589722873856

Four years ago I had the honor of becoming an Olympian. Four years later, I have the honor of being a coach to my friend who will now live out her own Olympic dream. I can’t wait for the world to meet @MariahBell96

ETA that Adam shared more photos & clips of Mariah on his Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/p/CZXD6rspv_z/

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Mariah looks fantastic in these photographs of the commercials on the Olympic channel for the Olympics, I quite like her hair down. Shout out to Karen as well

Now can we get rid of these commercials with the dang dinosaurs