2021 US Nationals Ladies SP: All Mariah Wants for 2021 is Liu

[PRlady]

I totally agree. I was shocked (pleasantly) at how much she had improved since the last time I saw her live in Turin. Not easy to do so massive respect to her for that.

I think she's going to be a champion because mentally, it's all there. She's aware, she's committed, she's willing to take direction and get better and she clearly loves skating. I don't understand enough of the mechanics of skating to know how she improved her speed and glide so much but man, what an obvious difference.

And she's going to work with the body she has. She looks incredibly healthy and like puberty was a friend, not a monster. It makes for a much longer career.

 

[Carolla5501]

Tennell 3T called clean, GOE positive according to Weir. This was a VERY < jump.

Weir really hates Bradie, it's so funny.

Of course he does. She's not overly made up, she is not a drama queen, she appears to be the exact opposite of "Diva Weir"

So GLAD I watched on Peacock. Although my "Smart" TV apparently is an idiot. Kept just "stalling" wound up watching the last group on my ipad so I don't think it was Peacock or my internet

 

[VGThuy]

I think she's going to be a champion because mentally, it's all there. She's aware, she's committed, she's willing to take direction and get better and she clearly loves skating. I don't understand enough of the mechanics of skating to know how she improved her speed and glide so much but man, what an obvious difference.

And she's going to work with the body she has. She looks incredibly healthy and like puberty was a friend, not a monster. It makes for a much longer career.

That's what I'm loving about seeing Liu right now. She clearly has a very level head and a healthy perspective of herself and her career. She's also doing what she needs to bridge the gap that is within her capabilities. I hope she keeps having this healthy outlook. I don't doubt her ability, but just the fact that skating is a rough world and the people in it can bring you down, even if unintentionally.

I wonder how much Junior Worlds played a part in her seeking the help of Scali and changing her team up. She had the big jumps but lost to two Russians who didn't have them but clearly outskated her and had better foundations to build up from. The fact that she and others in her team saw this and decided to make a change was risky but may have been the right choice all along despite a lot of nay-sayers who had a point once the crud hit.

 

[mtnskater]

Was there a ladies press conference after the short? (Pandemic style?) I’ve been searching for it with no luck.

 

[allezfred]

Was there a ladies press conference after the short? (********* style?) I’ve been searching for it with no luck.

Jackie Wong posted some comments from it on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/rockerskating/status/1349945591799967744?s=21

 

[skatfan]

Was there a ladies press conference after the short? (********* style?) I’ve been searching for it with no luck.

Yes there was. Rocker skating tweeted quotes

 

[Kateri]

Liu was my favourite, so much improved!

Sorry, but Tennell's SP is what happened when I wished on a monkey's paw for more people to skate to Florence.

 

[sk9tingfan]

I think she's going to be a champion because mentally, it's all there. She's aware, she's committed, she's willing to take direction and get better and she clearly loves skating. I don't understand enough of the mechanics of skating to know how she improved her speed and glide so much but man, what an obvious difference.

And she's going to work with the body she has. She looks incredibly healthy and like puberty was a friend, not a monster. It makes for a much longer career.

She is incredibly level-headed, un-neurotic and appears to be healthy and happy. What a gamer she is! And her skating looks so much stronger and faster. Her interpretation of the music was so much fun to watch! Add to this that she will graduate from high school at the age of 15!

 

[her grace]

The callers really didn't do their job here. Some of those uncalled jumps looked possibly <<. Sad that Tennell, Bell, and Chen all struggled rotating.

Tennell: great competitive spirit. Detailed choreography. Now rotate, rotate, rotate.
Liu: I'm impressed. Fantastic improvement on her basics. Jumps looked solid. Not gonna compete with the world without the bigger jumps, but certainly able to hold her own here. And maybe she can add back the 3A?
Bell: seemed very off. Better luck in the LP.
Chen: lovely basic skating
Glenn: very nice 3-3, and good to try the 3A.

 

[Jammers]

Does anyone know if Alysa is still planning to be coached by Lee Barkell or is she going to keep Jeremy Abbott onboard as one of her coaches? I think along with Massimo Scali Alysa has a perfect coaching team now Scali can continue to work on her skating skills and speed and Jeremy can work on the jumps and also her basics as well.

 

[Frau Muller]

Music Rant Alert!

As much as I enjoyed the skating last night...boy, did I hate most of the music, mostly consisting of contemporary sappy troubled-female ballads...”oooo, feeeeelings....I ache with scaaaaars...awooooo...”

It’s easier to count who did NOT skate to a contemp female vocal. I counted only THREE (3) skaters who opted for instrumental music:

Liu (La Strada)
Ikenishi (Tango Jalousie)
Shin (The Giving)

And don’t get me going on the absolute lack of classical music, with or without vocals! For tonight, we have at least a Samson and Delilah (Thorngren) and Havasy’s Storm-modern classical (Liu)...and Bradie with NewAge non-vocal. Oh, let’s not forget Amber’s Rain in Black Eyes instrumental by modern cl composer Bosso. Yay!

 

[PRlady]

This quote from Alysa in the press conference has me PML:

Liu (about her maturity from last year): I don't know - mentally, I'm like 7. Maybe last year I was like 6. <laughs>

 

[just tuned in]

Of all the programs, the ones I want to see again are Alyssa Liu's and Karen Chen's.

 

[VGThuy]

Haha, love her.

 

[mtnskater]

Music Rant Alert!

As much as I enjoyed the skating last night...boy, did I hate most of the music, mostly consisting of contemporary sappy troubled-female ballads...”oooo, feeeeelings....I ache with scaaaaars...awooooo...”

It’s easier to count who did NOT skate to a contemp female vocal. I counted only THREE (3) skaters who opted for instrumental music:

Liu (La Strada)
Ikenishi (Tango Jalousie)
Shin (The Giving)

And don’t get me going on the absolute lack of classical music, with or without vocals! For tonight, we have at least a Samson and Delilah (Thorngren) and Havasy’s Storm-modern classical (Liu)...and Bradie with NewAge non-vocal. Oh, let’s not forget Amber’s Rain in Black Eyes instrumental by modern cl composer Bosso. Yay!

I agree. I miss classical music, though I do get tired of the same classics used over and over. Not many ladies look well trained in ballet either....although I can tell some of the ladies study at least some ballet. I still miss my Sasha Cohen! Line, stretch and beautiful positions. She brought the classics to life. Michelle Kwan too.

A couple of the men have beautiful classical music programs this year. Check out Senior Eric Sjoberg and Junior Lucas Broussard.

 

[Frau Muller]

I agree. I miss classical music, though I do get tired of the same classics used over and over. Not many ladies look well trained in ballet either....although I can tell some of the ladies study at least some ballet. I still miss my Sasha Cohen! Line, stretch and beautiful positions. She brought the classics to life. Michelle Kwan too.

A couple of the men have beautiful classical music programs this year. Check out Senior Eric Sjoberg and Junior Lucas Broussard.

Yes!!! While watching the Men’s late-night practices, I almost fainted when I heard a Tchaikovsky Symphony!!!

 

[mtnskater]

Yes!!! While watching the Men’s late-night practices, I almost fainted when I heard a Tchaikovsky Symphony!!!

Me too. I was literally swooning

 

[MacMadame]

Trying to think when did I watch something more boring than Thorngren's SP. I think birds watching (aka sitting in the rain in the middle of the forest and doing nothing but freezing and getting wet) was more fascinating

How does it compare to fishing?

 

[Frau Muller]

Oh, Starr. No.... fishnets partially over white boots, whyyyyyy?

I agree - Hideous! Since I watched on Peacock...does anyone watching the NBCSN coverage recall if Terry Gannon et al mentioned Starr’s viral kiddie video yet again? (Drink once, if so.) And (gulp), did they show a clip of it??? (Drink the bottle, if so.)

 

[ross_hy]

I didn't know Tom Z had ***** until reading this recap article on Bradie from Lynn Rutherford:

https://www.teamusa.org/News/2021/January/15/Bradie-Tennells-Record-Setting-Short-Program-Puts-Her-In-Lead-At-US-Champs

 

[Frau Muller]

So is Alysa doing a clown program? Or a mime? WEIRD.

In the film La Stada, the main female character is a street urchin working in a circus. The striped shirt is part of the costume. A very sad film; sad end. I always cry.

 

[Rukia]

USFSA posted Amber's warm-up 3A. Looks a wee bit under, but she's going to get it one of these days. Hope she keeps going for it.

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1350140504650878977

 

[Frau Muller]

Gracie looked tense and nervous during the program, and she looks unhappy at the end. I know she fell, but it's a heck of a lot better than her last few short programs. But this looks more unhappy than with the skate. I hope I'm reading something into her expression that isn't there, or she spends some time figuring out what she wants to do with her life.

Did Gracie have family & friends on the Kiss n Cry screen? I didn’t see any in the Peacock coverage. Sad, overall...

 

[Frau Muller]

I want to thank Alysa for not skating to vocal music. Listening to all the vocals was brutal (for me).

I just checked the various ladies’ LP music choices. I believe that Alysa is the only one among the 17 competitors who does NOT skate to vocals in either program. Two instrumental musical choices. How very refreshing!

 

[Yazmeen]

I just checked the various ladies’ LP music choices. I believe that Alysa is the only one among the 17 competitors who does NOT skate to vocals in either program. Two instrumental musical choices. How very refreshing!

I have to smile a bit after all of our years of complaining about skaters reusing Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Carmen, etc., ad nauseum...

 

[Frau Muller]

I have to smile a bit after all of our years of complaining about skaters reusing Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Carmen, Don Quixote, etc., ad nauseum...

You’re right, although I never complained about anything classical. Blues for Klook is another matter, my least favorite semi-warhorse pre-vocals!!!

 

[Yazmeen]

You’re right, although I never complained about anything classical. Blues for Klook is another matter, my least favorite semi-warhorse pre-vocals!!!

The Red Violin also got quite old after the Kween used it.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Was it choreographed by Danny G? To me, Thorngren is the most “Russian” of US Ladies in many respects...which may bode well in the next year or two.

Whatever is choreographed by Danny G. is always scored higher, earns gold medals and sweeps podiums at international competitions, with that "Russian style"...

 

[Tinami Amori]

In the film La Stada, the main female character is a street urchin working in a circus. The striped shirt is part of the costume.

 

[Frau Muller]

It’s an undershirt (t-shirt), like Russian military guys wear everywhere, even when they retire. Sometimes it’s the only shirt that they own (the less fortunate). In Italy too? I don’t know.