Best pairs programs of all time

Yamaguchi and Galindo were potentially as much of a threat to the status quo of pairs as Midori Ito was to Ladies Singles.

I have heard that getting Yamaguchi out of pairs might have been a motivation (among others) for eliminating figures. Yamaguchi could have been World Championship class in pairs during the compulsory era but not singles because she still was not better than Ternary, Ito, Lebeveda, Holly Cook, or even Harding in figures.
 
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I'm glad M&D's Liebestraum is getting the love it deserves, but their Don Quixote SP is also one of my favorites! Especially since Natalia struggled so much with nerves in the short programs but somehow always managed to nail this program when it REALLY counted!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYehy9pTNOQ

I also really enjoyed Savchenko/Massot's 2017 LP to Patrick Watson songs. Patrick Watson is one of my favorite artists so ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDeGZ9UjvXQ
 
Tony Wheeler said:
This one got worn out on my VHS copy for sure.
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Same. I also remember hopelessly searching for this music on Napster. :lol:

Michalle said:
omg this is amazing. I'll have nightmares tonight (jk) but totally worth it.
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My work here is done. ;)

Japanfan said:
That was :cheer2: - and surprising to me, as I the impression this pair was boring.
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I agree Shishkova/Naumov could be boring as eligible skaters, but their personalities really blossomed in their brief pro career. They also had a fantastic program to Figaro (sadly not on youtube).
 
alchemy void said:
Same. I also remember hopelessly searching for this music on Napster. :lol:



My work here is done. ;)



I agree Shishkova/Naumov could be boring as eligible skaters, but their personalities really blossomed in their brief pro career. They also had a fantastic program to Figaro (sadly not on youtube).
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Their Ave Maria SP was beautiful. Their basic skating was very good, very light.

Their SP skated to Take Five at the '92 Olympics was one of my faves.

I saw them skate live at SA in '93. I loved her postures and pointed toes, on lifts in particular. They were underscored at times. Their exhibitions were often humorous, and well skated.
 
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Jeschke said:
I totally loved both their programs.
Everything about Meditations from Thais.
The choreo, the costumes, the skating.
I just ignore the one axel from SLC ?
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Much has been done of Anton's step out of the 2A (thanks to our media who replayed it a million times). It happened in the blink of an eye, and they were right back on unison after it happened. No disruption in the performance. M&D's LP at the 92 Oly and G&G's at the 94 Oly had more mistakes (but those too were beautifully skated).

Yes, the choreography was superb, with different positions (my favorite was the Eternal Spring Rodin sculpture in the middle of the program) and transitions, and they skated it well, though not as flawless as Lady Caliph. I would have preferred a tighter top on Anton to showcase his straight back and lines. Elena's costume was perfect.

The exhibitions skated to Meditation from Thais were watered down, and without the added rhythm, but still beautiful. I liked the music better without those additions, but Tamara felt after the GPF that they needed more variation for the Oly. I liked it with the white/cream costumes also, but they were clearly still getting used to it at the GPF.

I saw them skate that exhibition at Sun Valley and at Valentine's day in Tucson. I also saw the SLC performance live, so I saw it three times, I think. Lucky me.
 
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It's great to see so much appreciation for M&D's Liebestraum. Their performance at the 1992 Olympics, even with its imperfections, is my favorite free skate ever. The music, coreography, Artur's passion, their costumes (I even had the guts to ask Natalia if she kept her iconic dress). I've tried to look for the exact version of Liebestraum they used, but I haven't been able to find it.
 
Jeschke said:
And with all the talk of 'Lady Caliph' and 'Mediatation de Thais' I totally forgot about Berezhnaya/Skiharulidze's 'City Lights' FS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFWPrWcNu-U
:love:
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I mentioned their 2001 COR performance of Citylights as one of the best. I also loved Dark eyes (GPF 98), Valse Sentimentale (2000 Euro), Citylights (2002 Euro) and Concert for Coloratura (99 worlds).
 
Vash01 said:
I mentioned their 2001 COR performance of Citylights as one of the best. I also loved Dark eyes (GPF 98), Valse Sentimentale (2000 Euro), Citylights (2002 Euro) and Concert for Coloratura (99 worlds).
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B&S' Valse Sentimentale is a fantastic program; such a shame it was the FS during their tough 1999-2000 season (imho, their worst). I wish they had won a world championship with this program instead of the Concert of Coloratura one.
 
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After 50+ years of following skating, year after year, this is the Pairs program to which I keep coming back as the shining example: 1983 Worlds, Underhill & Martini.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jXZMf05xS1I

I prefer this version of Gershwin Piano to the one a year later, with which they won Worlds. The 1983 just “moves” me more.
 
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loopey said:
Off topic, but whatever happened to them? They are no longer coaching in Simsbury?
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Re Shishkova/Naumov- I think they’re still in Simsbury. Their son, Maxim Naumov (now 17), was US Jr bronze medalist in 2018. I was expecting him to compete in Sr Men at US Natls this season but...??? injured ???
 
Before S/M's 2018 FS, my last favorite Pairs performance was B/S's City Lights at 2001 Cup of Russia. Their Lady Caliph SP was perfection in SLC, but despite his double mess on the SBS jump in their Swan Lake SP in Nagano four years earlier, their skating is exquisite. Watch it with sound turned off, too.

For SP's, I'll add Totmianina/Marinin's Grieg program from 2002-3. Who starts their SP with a Pairs spin and a spiral sequence?
 
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A bit off topic, re-watching M&D's programs made me realize how creative their lifts and spins were for that time. They kinda set up the stage for what we see now although the moves are now done to earn points whereas back then they were just "inventive". Natalia's "holding the blades" moves will always be the best and they were done in so many ways - lifts, spins and death spirals - amazing and so iconic. I (vaguely) remember hearing that under 6.0 such lifts/moves were not allowed in competition therefore they were only done in Exhibitions. I love their flow in this program
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZQC34u4AfQ
 
Speaking of SPs by B&S, I loved their 99 worlds SP, skated to ‘ Happy valley’ -the music played when Hongkong became a part of China. It showcased their speed and power (like in Meadowland and Radetzki March). The edging was magnificent. Despite the size difference their lines are so well matched. Great unison in their moves.
 
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