"No one knows Mirai's mirai" Nagasu cheer thread

[clairecloutier]

I think the new short program looks potentially great for Mirai. It's a different look and feel for her, more subtle and mature. I like it, and I am confident it will improve a lot during the season.

 

[maureenfarone]

In the warmup most of Mirai's jumps looked short of rotation. When SP started I really thought she was just going to mark the jumps as I've seen skaters do at National's practices. I liked the program and I vaguely remember the costume from last season. It was so weird hearing her slow down so much going into a jump and then trying to put the jump in and of course she fell on the 3F no combo and then set up the 3loop and popped to a single. The double axel looked ok and she didn't slow down going into it!

I'm slightly fearful for the FS!

 

[arakwafan2006]

Mirai suffered not having funding to pay a top tier choreographer the past two seasons. Her material last year was SO simple with barely any transitions whereas Jeff is the nuance prince and doesn't give her room to break character. GIVE HER TIME. unlike some she usually doesn't water down the intended choreography so by national's this should look great.

 

[Coco]

I hope she just goes for doubles in her FS as she is adjusting to a lot more choreo and it's only mid-July.

 

[arakwafan2006]

I hope she just goes for doubles in her FS as she is adjusting to a lot more choreo and it's only mid-July.

Does anyone know when she signed up for this event? I'm just wondering if she signed up for it in April thinking she would have programs in May etc. frankly , she probably had no way to gauge how demanding Jeff and David's work was going to be lol. Learning experience. Still, she looks good.

 

[icellist]

I like the SP, that footwork sequence is going to be great once she has mileage with it. I'm a bit worried about the timing for the first jump (most likely going to be the combination) which lead to the combo spin, followed by the camel. There doesnt seem to be a lot of time after the combo for her to get into the spin position.

 

[Sylvia]

Mirai debuted her "The Winner Takes It All" (performed by Sarah Dawn Finer and choreographed by David Wilson) at Skate Detroit today and finished 2nd overall in Group A 146.05, 1st in the FS with 98.04. She landed her opening 3F+2T, and later 2A+2T & 2A, attempted 3 other triples (Lz, Sal, Lo) and deliberately doubled a flip near the end - jumps were not the focus here, however. I'll be interested to see how this program looks with more mileage on it.

 

[rosewood]

Patiently waiting for a video.

 

[bardtoob]

I like the programs. Given it is JULY, Mirai's jumps will be fine in three (3), six (6), nine (9) months.

 

[Spun Silver]

Patiently waiting for a video.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4l90p6_2016-07-22-skate-detroit-mirai-nagasu-fs_sport

 

[Spun Silver]

I'm not worried about the jumps, but I'm underwhelmed by the FS at this point. The song lacks shape, that line just keeps coming over and over, and there's not much by way of David Wilson choreography that stood out to me. I am much more wowed by the SP, but I'm sure the FS will get better over time. She's just getting it under her blades right now.

 

[Karpenko]

If that's the worst this LP looks for Mirai this year.. This is a very powerful program.

My complaints are that the opening and ending need more definition, it's way too basic and she needs to be more statuesque and "victorious" at the end; but instead it's rather ho-hum, here's some basic poses. Oh and my head is thrown back, too. She should be on one knee (in despair) in the opening IMO.

This program is Mirai though, the lyrics are so well-suited to her skating career emotionally that I got goosebumps in the first minute thinking about how this program could look being performed at Nationals (and hopefully Worlds). .

I think the vocals are very beautiful and offer lots of emotional-nuance opportunities throughout the program. The way the choreography flows with the melody is very nice, and it's a program that she could really put her heart into (and potentially make the audience cry). It's a brilliant program for her IMO, but it needs a couple more highlights within it that say "winner". Overall I say mission accomplished though, these programs are a huge step up for Mirai and give her the opportunity to majorly improve her PCS.

 

[VGThuy]

I'm not worried about the jumps, but I'm underwhelmed by the FS at this point. The song lacks shape, that line just keeps coming over and over, and there's not much by way of David Wilson choreography that stood out to me. I am much more wowed by the SP, but I'm sure the FS will get better over time. She's just getting it under her blades right now.

Exactly my feelings. I sort of hope she does a Shibs and replace a lot of the singing parts with an instrumental version. Honestly, I liked it the most when that horrible wailing stopped, but I did like the part where the singer was taking us home and Mirai hit that spiral. For me, it doesn't build yet.

 

[arakwafan2006]

If you're expecting to be overwhelmed by anything you see in July, you're foolish. The bones of this program are strong as hell. Done with freedom this is going to be glorious. This material is solid. Mirai has bitten off a huge hunk. David gave her a massive challenge, maybe too big but too soon to tell. I love that she is embarking on this journey.

I see where David is going with this. My concern is that Tom z typically is not helpful with helping to continue the progress of this work. David strategically gave her pulse checks throughout this because he loaded this with choreography. I truly hope she gets lost in the music and the mood of this. No way in hell this was going to be clean. Lori Nichols work usually looks good early on because she's minimalistic in her work... It's by no means easier choreography it's just that people who don't understand progression of choreography and performers taking on something challenging can't tell.

This has potential to be terrific. So mature , beautiful and redefining. I'm here for it. It's just sooooooo early.

 

[arakwafan2006]

If that's the worst this LP looks for Mirai this year.. This is a very powerful program.

My complaints are that the opening and ending need more definition, it's way too basic and she needs to be more statuesque and "victorious" at the end; but instead it's rather ho-hum, here's some basic poses. Oh and my head is thrown back, too. She should be on one knee (in despair) in the opening IMO.

This program is Mirai though, the lyrics are so well-suited to her skating career emotionally that I got goosebumps in the first minute thinking about how this program could look being performed at Nationals (and hopefully Worlds). .

I think the vocals are very beautiful and offer lots of emotional-nuance opportunities throughout the program. The way the choreography flows with the melody is very nice, and it's a program that she could really put her heart into (and potentially make the audience cry). It's a brilliant program for her IMO, but it needs a couple more highlights within it that say "winner". Overall I say mission accomplished though, these programs are a huge step up for Mirai and give her the opportunity to majorly improve her PCS.

This!!!! You see what will be! David did a great job here. Show tune vocalists are usually not gonna sound like Whitney Houston or Celibe Dion. That's ok. The rawness serves a purpose. I SOOOO hope she gives this time to gel. She stepped her game up majorly. She will have to work to the point of exhaustion to pull this off but that's the point.

 

[VGThuy]

I do think the SP is probably the best work she's done in a long time. Having a really good choreographer has done a lot for her movement and look.

Is Sarah Dawn Finer a showtune vocalist? I only know she competed at Eurovision. I'm a huge musical theatre fan, and not all showtune vocalists sound like that. Her voice sounded more American Idol like to me.

 

[rosewood]

I agree with @Karpenko and @arakwafan2006. The house could get goose skinned at Nationals when Mirai's heart barks in the program. I agree the finish pose is anti-climatic. I wish it'll be a more glorious moment. And the beginning needs some more memorable choreo. But all in all people would see Mirai as a looser in the beginning and a glorious winner in the end when she skates well. I'm excited about her journey this season. All the best for her.

 

[Sylvia]

Part 2 of IN article series is up:

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2016/07/14/189648118

The day after completing the choreography, Nagasu said that she particularly likes the opening pose.
"But I dislike it at the same time," she admitted. "It's a very cool shape, but it's hard to hold and breathe to. I'm standing with one toe in the ice and my head is back, as if in exasperation, and then I tilt my head forward. I'm not used to a lot of head rolls, and David loves them. He had to teach me a lot of different styles of head rolls. He told me at the beginning of the week that my neck was going to be sore, and it is!

"I loved the whole process," Nagasu continued. "I love how the program feels very natural. I wouldn't say it's easy to skate to, but I don't feel like I'm forcing myself into any of the jumps. I'm sure I'll feel different when I'm training the jumps; I'm sure I'll fall."
Nagasu will debut the program at Skate Detroit later this month, but it won't be in competition shape by then. It takes months to get all of the elements of a routine in place and trained.

 

[dinakt]

I expected to be blah about the LP, but I like it quite a bit. As posters above said, the "bones" of the program are there; a few more highlights would be nice, but the program flows. With clean jumps, speed and emotional content it could be extremely effective.

 

[Karpenko]

Watching it again, there's so many subtle little things with the lyrics/music that they did right (that don't hit you over the head unless you're paying attention to them). "I've played all my cards.." 3/3 combo. (Maybe a 3axel at some point) "The loser standing small..." Her usually huge 3lutz. Then the lyrics explain her post 2010 career, she's doing footwork to take you through the ups and downs. (The elements are so well-placed! ) footwork finishes and judges enter GOE on it - "the judges will decide.." ( ) then there's 4 jumping passes in the 10% bonus. I'd like to see the lunge move that she did in her "demons" SP footwork used at 3:47 in that vid with the music (as a highlight move), there needs to be something there before the 2axel IMO. After the 2nd 3flip the lyrics describe her career from 2014-to the end of the program. I love this program very much.

 

[rosewood]

I'm relieved Wilson didn't place 3Lz or 3S in the silent part following "the looser has to fall."

Agree with @Karpenko this program (as well as her SP in a different way) has quite a few nice little things. I wish she'll make them shine with season progresses.

And I love the step seq part so much. I wish she'll spend lots of time for the footwork part during training. Show us your blade works of your soul, Mirai. I'm starving for singing-like edge works from skaters who have good flow.

One thing, I wish she'll differentiate the pose where she puts her hand on her head between the two programs. It looks angsty so it's OK in her LP but the same way of doing it doesn't suit in her SP of elegance. (1:22)

 

[clairecloutier]

I'm not quite as excited about Mirai's LP as the SP, but I like it. When she skates it full out, it could be really amazing. She's going to have to bring it emotionally, more so than with the SP, as well as have good speed.

 

[Spun Silver]

Does it look like Mirai lost a lot of weight or is it just a distorted vid? She looks really skinny.

 

[Karpenko]

^ I had the same impression. Not as a negative though, she looks healthy and more fit than usual for this part of the season. Endurance didn't seem to be an issue here so much as lack of training full-out/muscle/power IMO. She didn't seem on empty at the end, and the speed of her spins is also pretty good for this early on.

What she needs to do from here is add some Courtney Hicks/Gabby Daleman/Max Aaron leg power (not the refinement just the power, she already knows how to do refinement without any role models, but the refinement also needs work) to her skating IMO.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Love that program(FS)! She looks lovely.

 

[arakwafan2006]

Does it look like Mirai lost a lot of weight or is it just a distorted vid? She looks really skinny.

She looks FIT! She looks like she's got better endurance. You can just tell she had every intention of trying every triple jump. She also looks like
She's back to skating faster and quicker. The DSC rink she's on isn't small at all and she was end to end no problem.

 

[Spun Silver]

She seems determined this season! Go, Mirai!

 

[arakwafan2006]

She seems determined this season! Go, Mirai!

Ohhhh yeah

 

[aftershocks]

Here's Jackie Wong's Rocker Skating site where Mirai's and Adam's new free skates and sps are linked, among programs from other skaters.

http://www.rockerskating.com/news/2016/6/5/sneak-peek-2016-17-new-program-compilation

ETA:
Ah, very nice from Mirai (and Buttle/Wilson). In some of it's lyrical qualities, and the way the music melds with the moves, Mirai's sp reminds me of this iconic program:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCRaoNfU0r8 1996 Worlds (Chen/Bezic)

Even though the above is a fp, there is a similar style of movement to Mirai's sp. Mirai is definitely stepping it up re being challenged with good work that will help her continue to grow. She seems ready.

I agree that Mirai's fp is right now the bare bones of what should grow into a very emotionally affecting program. The leg split in the falling leaf needs more amplitude and stretch. And, ITA that the ending perhaps could build better into something more triumphant and cathartic. Plus obviously a lot more fine-tuning and filling out, along with strengthening her technical elements over the course of the season. She is growing into both programs. I think that perhaps the preference some have for Mirai's sp may have something to do with preferring the sp music over the show tune ballad. IMO, there's great potential for both programs.

The opening of Mirai's fp and some of the moves throughout remind me of some of MKwan's programs/ movement qualities. Although, Mirai surely will be finding her own flavor and full expressiveness as the season progresses. Mirai's fp brings to mind this from MK (Mills):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QTh84DbWCo

 

[Coco]