Two Time Olympian! Karen Chen Cheer Thread

[VGThuy]

Oh geez, another thing to make me worry about her consistency, but it's also very exciting and if she hits, it'll be amazing.

 

[kwanatic]

^^If there was one US lady (other than Mirai) capable of hit a 3A I'd say it's Karen. She gets excellent lift, height and coverage on her 2A so I could see it.

However, if she's still on a harness, I'm wondering if she's far along enough to be putting the jump into a competitive program. Usually skaters practice for several months once they get off the harness before they ever debut the jump. Maybe she's farther along than we know? If she could add that jump to her arsenal it would be amazing.

Personally I think she should focus on hitting her current layout for now. It's the Olympic season; she doesn't have a lot of room to play fast and loose with her shaky position in the US lineup right now. Yes she's the champion, but nothing about her skating post winning that title has anyone convinced that she's a lock for the team next season. She needs to skate cleanly and consistently to really build her international reputation next season. She can't do that if she's tanking on 3A attempts.

I think it's exciting and I'd hope that it is a jump she can add in the future, but I don't think next season is the season to test it out...just my opinion.

 

[Sylvia]

Karen posted this photo from Vancouver/Richmond Olympic Oval yesterday - (just guessing) perhaps one of her programs has been choreographed by Mark Pillay? https://www.instagram.com/p/BU2t6_Djwrn/?taken-by=karebearsk8&hl=en
Pillay choreographed her 2013-14 FS to Miss Saigon.

It looks like Misha Ge may be choreographing a competitive program for Karen (he did her "Rise"/Katy Perry SOI program): https://www.instagram.com/p/BVVvHMiB2Vv/?taken-by=mishage8&hl=en

 

[Sylvia]

Misha Ge confirmed he is Karen's FS choreographer: https://www.instagram.com/p/BVaRCBqhcES/?hl=en&taken-by=mishage8

Karen will compete at the Japan Open (FS) on October 7, 2017 for the first time: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/in...n-open-october-7-carnival-on-ice-gala.101408/

 

[Bellanca]

Misha Ge confirmed he is Karen's FS choreographer: https://www.instagram.com/p/BVaRCBqhcES/?hl=en&taken-by=mishage8

Karen will compete at the Japan Open (FS) on October 7, 2017 for the first time: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/in...n-open-october-7-carnival-on-ice-gala.101408/

This is great! I love the fact that Karen is working w/ Misha! Looking forward to the Japan Open, and wishing Karen Chen her very best season, yet! Go get 'em, Karen!!

 

[Karpenko]

I'm really excited about Misha + Karen as well. She's such a lil' sweetheart personality too, but also brings the sass and attack, and I don't think she fully realizes just how talented she is yet. Once she does it'll be a revelation. She has absolutely everything, she just needs to start hitting more often and keep making progress. I think if she plays her cards right she could stay in the top 4 next year.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Where it all began for Karen Chen and Kristi Yamaguchi
Figure skating champions have come out of Fremont 25 years apart

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/05/30/karen-chen-hopes-to-join-kristi-yamaguchi-on-olympic-stage/

Though separated by almost three decades, the women have formed a tightly knit bond that strings together the Bay Area’s rich skating tradition, which is enjoying a rebirth with 2014 Olympian Polina Edmunds of San Jose, current junior world champion Vincent Zhou of Palo Alto and Chen.

 

[Sylvia]

Karen writes about her new programs here: http://figureskatersonline.com/karenchen/2017/07/20/ready-olympic-season/

My short program is to “El Tango de Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge sung by Jose Feliciano. It was choreographed by Mark Pillay.
< her explanation > ...
My free program is to Carmen Suite after Bizet’s Opera by Rodion Shchedrin. It was also choreographed by Mark Pillay.

 

[Frida80]

Karen writes about her new programs here: http://figureskatersonline.com/karenchen/2017/07/20/ready-olympic-season/

Looks like Karen has found two programs that speak to her. I can't wait to see her bring them to life on the ice.

Good call with dropping Tosca. No US woman should ever try that piece. Other wise we'd hear, 'Michelle was better' for the entire season.

 

[Bellanca]

Well, I'm in the minority, but I support and respect Karen's SP/FS music selections. Go , Karen!

 

[asdf334]

I guess she hasn't said which cuts, but I really wish people would be a little more outside of the box when it comes to Carmen because there is some great stuff that has never been/minimally used like Parle-moi de ma mère, Près des remparts de Séville, and C'est les contrabandiers le refuge ordinaire.

 

[Sylvia]

Karen has an autobiography (juvenile nonfiction) coming out next month: https://www.instagram.com/p/BYLdz65Hls6/?hl=en&taken-by=karebearsk8

https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062822680/finding-the-edge-my-life-on-the-ice

ETA that I've started a thread in GSD: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-to-publish-karen-chens-autobiography.101741/

 

[VGThuy]

Whoa, when was the last time any American figure skater had an autobiography come out? Having this one come out months before the Olympics is very Tara Lipinski/Michelle Kwan.

 

[Sylvia]

Time to bump up this thread with significant news!

As first posted in the Programs/Choreographers thread yesterday by @Wyliefan, Karen tweeted that she was switching her FS music from Carmen to Slow Dancing in the Big City (1978 film soundtrack by Bill Conti) and choreographing herself: https://twitter.com/Karebearsk8/status/920367985318957056

UPDATE:

"It's time to take a risk and trust my instincts."

FS Music: Slow Dancing in the Big City

Choreographer:

Karen later spoke to Elliott Almond, a Bay Area News group Olympic sports reporter, for this article: http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/10/17/karen-chen-on-her-carmen-routine-i-trashed-it/

Chen, her mother and coach Tammy Gambill thought “Carmen” would fit because it is a classic skating piece. But Chen, who trains in Riverside, had doubts that were confirmed during the Japan Open team competition 10 days ago.
“I didn’t do the music justice so I made that bold decision,” Chen said.
The music from “Slow Dancing” “just popped up in my head,” the skater added. “There is no one who can do this for me so I have to figure it out by myself.”
Although it’s a big gamble to try a new program so close to the season’s start, Chen said, “This is what I needed. This is what I want.”

"The Ovation" is the only track from the 1978 film soundtrack that seems to be on YT (and is pretty close to the right length for a FS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKBDe3OxWWw

Karen wrote back in July (before she debuted her programs at Glacier Falls): "At first I was skeptical, but I really feel that I could make this special and interpret it my way so that it would be my own version of Carmen."

My guess is that Karen tweeted yesterday "time to ... trust my instincts" because she had hoped to convince herself and overcome her initial skepticism that she could make Carmen her own after competing it a few times... which apparently didn't happen.

I liked the contrast between her two competitive programs last year and am glad she appears to be headed in that direction again.

The 14-second clip (from "The Ovation" track) that Karen shared in her Instagram story today was "captured" on Twitter and posted by @VIETgrlTerifa in the U.S. Ladies thread today, along with the other posts quoted below:

Here's a little preview of Karen's new LP:

https://t.co/duCqbryAua

What do you guys think so far?

As Tony Wheeler stated, this has the same vibe as On Golden Pond, and as that was the program that made me fall in love with her, I'm incredibly excited for this LP. I hope there are more transitions and MITF throughout the LP to make it seem like a full program.

so far, based on few moves, i think she is much more "into it", "feels it" and her full-stretches and "tension" show her enthusiasm...

Yeah, even if the program choreographically isn't that much better than Carmen objectively-speaking, the fact that she's obviously more into it and feels it makes all the difference in the world. Execution is like half (or more than half) the battle when it comes to making a program successful.

 

[Sylvia]

Karen graces the cover of the October 2017 issue of SKATING magazine: http://www.usfigureskatingfanzone.c...ating-magazine-karen-chen-talking-herself-up/

This issue currently can be read online - her article begins on page 22: http://content.digitalpub.blue-soho...SKATING/html/index.html?page=24&origin=reader

Behind-the-scenes shoot for her cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtqpMjsinfE

 

[chapis]

Obviously she had problems but her new LP is beautiful https://youtu.be/lxBH-FO9Tyw?t=37, IMO much better than Carmen

 

[aftershocks]

Now if Karen could get into her Quiet Assassin mode!

 

[Sylvia]

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ggF-xsyJ8g Karen Chen: Quiet Assassin on a Mission...

The YT version of this feature, uploaded today, originated from NBC News (Asian America) yesterday: https://www.nbcnews.com/video/karen-chen-is-on-a-mission-to-reach-the-winter-olympics-1085516867929

 

[Bellanca]

Congratulations, Karen Chen! What determination and grit to step up and fight the good fight when it counted the most! Inspiring!

 

[chapis]

Congrats Karen!!!

 

[BlueRidge]

Good luck to Karen at the Olys!

 

[worldsnice12]

I was impressed with Karen at Nationals
Performance wise, she and Ashley stood out from the rest and good to see she hold it together and fighted right through to the very end. She is such a terrific skater when she is "on" and I have high hopes she will deliver at the top of her capacities at the Olympics.
Of course Bradie was absolutely fantastic in San Jose but performance wise, she is not yet anywhere close to Karen and to some extent Mirai. Karen has always been an exciting skater and I am sure medalling here gave her good confidence heading into the Olympics.

 

[Bellanca]

To all Karen Chen fans and supporters, as of roughly 18hrs ago and every week leading up to when Karen leaves for the Olympics, she will be randomly selecting three lucky donors on her go fund me page that will receive a personalized signed copy of her book, FINDING THE EDGE! Check out Karen's latest Instagram post for the details!

Go!! Karen!!

 

[Sylvia]

To all Karen Chen fans and supporters, as of roughly 18hrs ago and every week leading up to when Karen leaves for the Olympics, she will be randomly selecting three lucky donors on her go fund me page that will receive a personalized signed copy of her book, FINDING THE EDGE! Check out Karen's latest Instagram post for the details!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeL1-biHf-j/?hl=en&taken-by=karebearsk8

Karen wrote the "mission statement" of her and her brother's GoFundMe herself: https://www.gofundme.com/our-olympic-dream

 

[Bellanca]

My apologies to anyone who may have already linked this #UpwardsAndOnwards hashtag contribution by Karen Chen, either here in her cheer thread, or, possibly, somewhere else, but I figured why not share it once again!

PyeongChang Olympian and artist Karen Chen shares a lovely painting of inspiration and dreams: https://twitter.com/Karebearsk8/status/958845112062103552

Go Karen!!

 

[Bellanca]

https://twitter.com/Karebearsk8/status/961473036539998209

 

[volturemean]

I think Karen is really being underrated since she has had a bad season, and since she controversially made the team at all. I think if she skates great, which she hasnt all season, she has as good a shot at the bronze medal as anyone else. She skated much better at U.S Nationals than she had before that, and I could see her at the Olympics making a similar jump from Nationals as she made from the prior season to Nationals.

 

[chapis]

I just saw her TIME video, she looks so precious!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jKZKe6PL0k Good luck Karen!!!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I wonder since Karen isn't getting much hype and press (in comparison to others) if she will now just blow it outta the park and serve us all!!!!!!

 

[Bellanca]

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2018/02/19/266678170/bulgogi-bites-chen-content-to-be-out-of-spotlight: