Japanese Figure Skating 2016/17 season news, national team, updates

[rosewood]

Vids from Prince Ice World in Sapporo:
Marin's new SP to Smile
Shoma's new LP to Buenos Aires Hora Cero
Yuna Aoki's new SP to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy / Sing Sing Sing

Shoma updated his official site with a message that he polished his LP just after finishing shows and then left Japan for training in the US. He stays there until the beginning of July. He says he works on strengthening his jumps as well as skating skills, dancing and ballet dancing in different ways from his usual daily training. I don't know where in the US he's training. Guys, tell me if you happen to see him in a rink somewhere in the US, please.

 

[Loves_Shizuka]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zlH8au-Rh4

Fumie Suguri at Adult Worlds, rocking a headband

 

[rosewood]

Seems Kozuka & his wife had a wedding today. You can see some photos here. Congrats to them!

 

[rosewood]

From Fantasy on Ice in Kobe:
Yuna Aoki's new LP to Les Miz
Marin Honda is in another costume for her new SP
____
Akiko Suzuki's Swan Lake

 

[kwanfan1818]

Seems Kozuka & his wife had a wedding today. You can see some photos here. Congrats to them!

I wish them a long, happy, and healthy life together!

 

[rosewood]

Amazing 3D micro copies of Kozuka & his wife on a welcome table in the entrance.

 

[Sylvia]

https://twitter.com/europeonice/status/744114665349853188
"Takahiko Kozuka & Yukari Oshima held their wedding reception today in Aichi following their marriage in February...."
Article in Japanese: http://www.hochi.co.jp/entertainment/20160618-OHT1T50144.html

 

[rosewood]

This person tweeted Yuka Nagai skated a program to a music from movie Ladies in Lavender (maybe it's Fantasia for Violin and Orchestra). There was a local event at her home rink today, and she skated the program as an exhibition program. The person reported Yuka did 3Lo, 2A, pearl spins, 2A-3T, sit spins, and the step seq looked like it's for a competitive program. Tell me your first impression of this info, @Jeschke.

 

[Jeschke]

thanks @rosewood , i am happy to hear the news.

i like the ladies in lavender ost, think it might fit quite well with nagais skating. can't wait to see it and i pray for a decent gp season, where she hopefully can make some impact!

#teamnagai

 

[rosewood]

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20160622-00000070-mai-spo
(my rough translation)
On June 22 Japanese Figure Skating Federation had a committee in Tokyo. They approved selection criteria for international competitions of this coming season.

In men's and ladies' field they send two skaters including the winner of the Nationals (at Towa Pharmaceutical RACTAB Dome in Osaka) in December to Winter Asian Games which take place in next February in Sapporo. That said, 4CC which is held at the rink for PyeonChang Olys (in Gangneung, South Korea) is scheduled just before WAG. Due to the schedule, Yoshiko Kobayashi, who is the head of strengthening section of figure skating in JSF, revealed their plan to take skaters' wishes into considerations in selections.

As for the skaters to be sent to Worlds which take place in next March in Finland, the first skater is to be the winner of the Nationals, and the second and the other skater will be selected based on the results in the Nationals and the GP final etc.

 

[Sylvia]

Shoma Uno announced his new programs on his official site:
http://www.shoma-uno.com/info/
SP: Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra
FS: Buenos Aires Hora Cero / Balada para un loco
Choreographer is not mentioned.

Golden Skate article by Wei Xiong (June 21): Shoma Uno raises bar for 2016-17

In past season, besides the quad toe and quad flip he already landed in competitions, Uno was observed doing quad Salchows and quad loops in practice sessions.
“For next season, I want to try other types of quads,” he offered, “but as of now, the landing rate of my quad loop is not as good as my flip. Maybe I will do the Salchow, I haven’t decided yet.”

“During the off-season, I will spend extra efforts on my performing and skating in training,” said Uno. “I hope that when the new season starts, I can make improvement in these areas.”
In order to do so, the skater from Nagoya will attend some classes in the U.S. until mid-July, including on-ice training and dance classes, and then return to Japan for ice shows.

 

[rosewood]

thanks @rosewood , i am happy to hear the news.

i like the ladies in lavender ost, think it might fit quite well with nagais skating. can't wait to see it and i pray for a decent gp season, where she hopefully can make some impact!

#teamnagai

#BreakThrough4Nagai
#teamstunningluzjumper

 

[midori]

JSF has updated the calender for the next season.
http://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/figure/event.php

World Team Trophy 2017 : Apr 20-23, Hokkaido (!)

 

[barbk]

Amazing 3D micro copies of Kozuka & his wife on a welcome table in the entrance.

There was a store that made these in Tribeca or Chelsea (NYC) -- all kinds of creepy. The window display was loaded with them.

They're called doobs https://www.doob3d.com/

 

[rosewood]

There was a store that made these in Tribeca or Chelsea (NYC) -- all kinds of creepy. The window display was loaded with them.

They're called doobs https://www.doob3d.com/

I found doob-3d has their stores in Shibuya and Ginza, Tokyo.
http://jp.doob-3d.com/connect/locations/

 

[rosewood]

JSF has updated the calender for the next season.
http://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/figure/event.php

World Team Trophy 2017 : Apr 20-23, Hokkaido (!)

Thanks.

Domestic competitions:
Sep 23-25, Chu-Shikoku-Kyushu Regionals, in Okayama
Sep 23-25, Tokyo Regionals, in Tokyo
Sep 30-Oct 2, Kanto Regionals, in Ibaraki
Sep 30-Oct 2, Chubu Regionals, in Aichi
Oct 8-10, Kinki Regionals, in Osaka
Oct 8-10, Tohoku-Hokkaido Regionals, in Aomori
Oct 15-16, East Japan Students Figure Skating Championships, in Tokyo
Oct 21-23, Novice Nationals, in Hyogo
Oct 22-23, West Japan Students Figure Skating Championships, in Osaka
Oct 28-30, West Japan Jr & Sr Sectionals, in Kyoto
Nov 4-6, East Japan Jr & Sr Sectionals, in Tokyo
Nov 18-20, Jr Nationals, in Hokkaido
Dec 10-11, National Winter Games (figure skating pre-round), in Gunma
Dec 22-25, Sr Nationals, at Towa Pharmaceutical RACTAB Dome in Osaka
2017
Jan 6-9, National Students Ice Sports Championships, in Hokkaido
Jan 19-23, National Sr High School Skating Championships, in Tochigi
Jan 27-31, National Winter Games (skating final-round), in Nagano
Feb 4-7, National Jr High School Skating Championships, in Nagano
March 4-5, Synchro Nationals, in Shiga

International competitions which take place in Japan
Oct 1, Japan Open, at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama
Nov 25-27, NHK Trophy, at Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena in Sapporo, Hokkaido
2017
Feb 19-26, Asian Winter Games, at Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena in Sapporo, Hokkaido
April 20-23, World Team Trophy, in Hokkaido (updated and now it's TBD)

 

[rosewood]

Asian Winter Games in Sapporo
Date and place (figure skating): Feb 23-26, at Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena in Sapporo, Hokkaido
Official site https://sapporo2017.org/
What to see & eat in Hokkaido http://sapporo2017.org/areas/
PR Ambassadors: Mai Asada(figure skating) & Hiroyasu Shimizu(speed skating)
PR videos: http://sapporo2017.org/theme-song/
Volunteer application: http://sapporo2017.org/volunteer/

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20160622-00000070-mai-spo
(my rough translation)
.....
In men's and ladies' field they send two skaters including the winner of the Nationals (at Towa Pharmaceutical RACTAB Dome in Osaka) in December to Asian Winter Games which take place in next February in Sapporo. That said, 4CC which is held at the rink for PyeonChang Olys (in Gangneung, South Korea) is scheduled just before AWG. Due to the schedule, Yoshiko Kobayashi, who is the head of strengthening section of figure skating in JSF, revealed their plan to take skaters' wishes into considerations in selections.
.....

 

[midori]

JSF has updated the calender for the next season.
http://www.skatingjapan.or.jp/figure/event.php

World Team Trophy 2017 : Apr 20-23, Hokkaido (!)

It was updated again and now the location of the WTT is T.B.D.

 

[rosewood]

It was updated again and now the location of the WTT is T.B.D.

OMG When I posted the coming season's schedule above, the location was still Hokkaido.

 

[rosewood]

Sota Yamamoto is invited to Dreams on Ice as of June 23. It must be a good sign of his recovery from the injury. As of June 13 it was announced organizers had contacted with Hanyu, but it turned out to conclude that he's impossible to skate in DOI due to the injury in the lisfranc joint ligament in his left foot.
http://www.onice.jp/top.html

Average of skaters' age on Team Japan who skate in DOI looks much younger than it was before Sochi Olys. (DOI is the show where Team Japan skaters show their new programs for the new season.)

Apart from Team Japan skaters, adding to Medvedeva who was already invited, Elizaveta Nugumanova and Petr Gumennik were invited to DOI as guest skaters.
http://www.onice.jp/DOI16/guests.html

 

[ostile17]

I posted my interview with Daisuke Takahashi together with a gallery on Daisuke Takahashi Road to Sochi.


DAISUKE TAKAHASHI: I Am Still Looking for What I Want, but Figure Skating Will Always Be There
Read all...

 

[rosewood]

I just noticed Artistry on Ice was kind of parted into two shows which are Asian Stars on Ice (July 15, Taipei) and Amazing on Ice (July 17, Beijin), and they are totally different shows this year. Seems AoI remains as usual Artistry on Ice, and ASoI invites Asian skaters only.
ASoI https://www.facebook.com/AsianStarsOnIce/
AoI http://www.weibo.com/artistryonice?is_hot=1

Here is the official site of ASoI. Seems Japanese skaters are invited. They are Takahito Mura, Sei Kawahara, Mariko Kihara and Marin Honda, Sumire Suto /Francis Boudreau, Kana Muramoto /Chris Reed.
http://event.udn.com/ulive/onice/
And here is a PR video of ASoI.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAoNcXXyL5c

It's great now Taiwan created their own show.

 

[rosewood]

Mao announced her new programs:
SP Ritual Dance by Falla
LP Ritual Dance by Falla
EX Cello Suit (Sarabande & Bourree I/II) by Bach
Choreo by Lori Nichol

ETA;
Shoma is in Chicago for summer training.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHGMQZTjD69/

 

[floskate]

So excited by Mao's choices

 

[reut]

So Mao is going to take the same idea Lori already used with Denis Ten? (continuing same music for two programs)

 

[rosewood]

So Mao is going to take the same idea Lori already used with Denis Ten? (continuing same music for two programs)

I'm not sure at this point. She described her SP as "black" and "silent", LP as "red" and "passionate" prior to today. She's going to appear on TV programs tonight. Maybe she'll give us further info about her new programs during them.

 

[rosewood]

Judging based on the interview with Mao on TV which was aired yesterday, I think her challenge and Denis's are different. As @reut posted above, Denis started the story in the SP and finished the story in the LP. He used different musics from the story, or used different parts from a music in the two programs. Both of his programs were great. While, Mao seems to use the same piece of music in both programs. Ritual Dance is not a long music. (The length is 4-5 minutes depending on the versions). She uses piano version in SP, and orchestral version in LP. She tries to deliver two different expressions by using one same music. It looks Lori is challenging a more risky attempt with Mao this time than she did with Denis in the past. My fingers, toes and everything else are crossed for their success. And I'm thrilled! That's how I've been staying as a core Mao fan for over a decade.
_____

In this connection, Mao did a same type of challenge in the past. She showed two different faces in SP and LP to Masquerade Waltz in the past. But those two were not in the same season. So it was much safer for her.
2008 GPF LP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2wy6HyXcxI
2010 Olys SP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcKWfHDD0fg

 

[analia]

I assume it's El Amor Brujo. Plenty to work with. Saw a version with Seville Symphony Orchestra and flamenco dancers earlier this year that was sublime. But the piece seems more of a Tarasova vehicle, not Lori Nichol.

 

[rosewood]

I assume it's El Amor Brujo. Plenty to work with. Saw a version with Seville Symphony Orchestra and flamenco dancers earlier this year that was sublime. But the piece seems more of a Tarasova vehicle, not Lori Nichol.

Exactly my thought re Fire Dance with flamenco choreo is a vehicle. I wish Lori gave Mao A-game programs this time FINALLY. She's given her top notch programs to Carolina then to Gracie who are/were Carroll's students as well as who can stay with her for longer term for choreography than Mao. But this time Mao stayed with her for about two weeks, so I hope they had good discussions during the time and created interesting programs.

 

[MAXSwagg]

Exactly my thought re Fire Dance with flamenco choreo is a vehicle. I wish Lori gave Mao A-game programs this time FINALLY. She's given her top notch programs to Carolina then to Gracie who are/were Carroll's students as well as who can stay with her for longer term for choreography than Mao. But this time Mao stayed with her for about two weeks, so I hope they had good discussions during the time and created interesting programs.

What top-notch program for Gracie??