Xela M
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Absolutely any program that Tarasova & Morozov did/do fits this bill ALL their programs are unsuitable and always put them on a disadvantage
Thank you. Sarah Kawahara is an AMAZING choreographer. It's chock full of transitions, quick moves, and is high energy. Think Beatrisa Liang's best programs. Definitely NOT the Kwan "style". There was as much Kawahara in Kwan's Scheherazade program as there was Christopher Dean in her Bolero program, which Dean made sure to repeat that he had no part in after she watered down the choreo to only her typical overused Kwan moves.About Michelle Kwan, I don't share your opinion because her Olympics LP was so different from what Sarah Kawahara choreographed at the begining. Michelle changed the program so much, and this LP was similar to her previous LP from 2000 or 2001. Plus, had she landed the 3Flip, she would have been Olympic Champion. I don't think it has anything to do with the choreography.
I in general agree, but not all of the programs have been bad. The Rach SP fit them like a glove. I think Glam was a good one as was Bolero. The “Winter” FS was lovely too.Absolutely any program that Tarasova & Morozov did/do fits this bill ALL their programs are unsuitable and always put them on a disadvantage
That may be true for some of their programs, but I liked their Chopin LP in 2016. It lacked the difficulty however. Last year Both Bolero and Albinone suited their style. I didn't care for TiAmo LP in 2020 but it was not terrible. Their SP was Bolero which absolutely fit them.Absolutely any program that Tarasova & Morozov did/do fits this bill ALL their programs are unsuitable and always put them on a disadvantage
I remember that Isabelle had lost her brother from cancer in the summer before the Olympics and it was obviously devastating for the family. Tough for that not to effect you but who knows what happened.Sometimes I wonder if a wrong choice of music or program may have cost a skater a better placement? Particularly when they went away from what had worked for them over time, it seems like it often did not work in their favor.
Usova- Zhulin, who are being discussed in the ice dance thread could be an example. Their FD in 1994 probably kept them from winning the gold. They went away from their classical style.
Duschenays used a traditional FD (WSS) in 1992 and they too went away from what had worked for them. Their originality was their strength. I think K&P would have won regardless with their Bach FD but it would have been much closer, had D&D had stuck with their strength.
Tarasova-Morozov's Candyman LP was a terrible choice. They did make major mistakes in the LP and that was the main reason they did not win a medal, but still a better choice of program might have helped them.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I felt for a long time that Michelle Kwan should have stuck with Lori Nichol's choreography in 2002. I didn't feel that Scheherazade was the right music or program for her. Nothing personal against Kawahara. She is a good choreographer. Michelle wanted to try something different (including going coachless). It was a bad time to make such big changes.
There May be more Examples.
I remember that now. It came up in their interview. I know from personal experience how devastating it is to lose a brother. However, their choice of the music was not related to this tragedy, as far as I know.I remember that Isabelle had lost her brother from cancer in the summer before the Olympics and it was obviously devastating for the family. Tough for that not to effect you but who knows what happened.
''I actually met him at Canadians one year .. such a nice guy.
Didnt she also have some elastic belt on her costume to lift her ?D/S made the best decision! The most brilliant decision! His knee problems were so bad they needed to protect him for the FD. So they couldn’t do Russian folk dance they did. Too much knee usage! So they had to invent something that used limited knee. So they called what they invented aboriginal. It was so something with no knee or not medal or drop out
Re Torvill and Dean's Face The Music FD, in my view the overhauled programme at the Olympics was worse than the Euros/Nationals version.
Agree.The euros version didn't have the wow or performance factor but it had complex steps and hand holds.They were all taken out and replaced with the tricks. They pulled it off on the night great performance but it didn't help them.
That was another innovation they did! I believe they said it wasn’t using her costume so it was ok. It’s possible If someone else was in charge if could have been blocked. But it was either invent an aboriginal dance and use ropes or not medal or compete at allDidnt she also have some elastic belt on her costume to lift her ?
I lost a brother too, sorry that we share that. I remember the tv commentators mentioning it.I remember that now. It came up in their interview. I know from personal experience how devastating it is to lose a brother. However, their choice of the music was not related to this tragedy, as far as I know.
Agree.Ok about to get heat for this but ... I thought V/M's "The Seasons" hurt them. I know the judges wanted a classic style, but I think by that point they had outgrown that sort of romantic, classical program. They were stronger when they had a program that showcased their speed and dynamic lifts. In that sense, Moulin Rouge was perfect for them.
The Seasons is probably my least favorite V/M program of all time so ...
Ok about to get heat for this but ... I thought V/M's "The Seasons" hurt them. I know the judges wanted a classic style, but I think by that point they had outgrown that sort of romantic, classical program. They were stronger when they had a program that showcased their speed and dynamic lifts. In that sense, Moulin Rouge was perfect for them.
The Seasons is probably my least favorite V/M program of all time so ...
I am not even sure that was about it being another "soft and romantic" program, honestly. It was just a bad program. It really lacked in perspective and cohesiveness compared to earlier programs. I think if you watch Mahler and Seasons side by side, the problems with Seasons are pretty obvious. Certainly going in a different direction could have helped, too, but it also just wasn't a good program in the style they chose.
I don't know why Marina thought that would be a good vehicle for them. It was awful. It paled in comparison to what she gave to her future daughter in law and Charlie. V/M could have been 3 time Olympic Champions if she was more objective. It's the one program of theirs that I never review. Snoozefest.The music cuts were horrendous.
Kwan worked with Kawahara before for tv specials and exhibitions. She did choreograph her Fields of Gold exhibition as well. The issue was that Kwan started out trying to make the program work but she ended up streamlining the program….The program was pretty rough early on in the Goodwill Games and Kwan kept tweaking it but made minimal changes during the GP. Then it changed big time by the GPF where she got rid of the interesting opening and streamlined her jump order to what became her usual jumping order….
As for Bolero…that program was never the same every time she performed it. She debuted it at some Fall season pro-am and it started interestingly but it didn’t seem that different from her Aranjuez/Tosca. Then in December she performed a truly choreographically busy version with an even more difficult and long footwork sequence with different spin positions. I wondered if that version was the closest to Dean’s work…
Or a farewell tour? I just find it so difficult to watch that program because you know that they know it's beneath them.I was rooting for V&M in 2014. I actually thought their Seasons FD evoked feelings of nostalgia, in a slightly melancholic way.
To me, the choreography and music made me think about a couple looking back on their lives together, reliving the moments of glory, reliving loss, reliving what was. So, yes, in a way it was “romantic”, but only in that nostalgic “remember all the times we shared” type of way. I really like the concept of the FD. It had subtlety. It required maturity to skate to.
The one issue I have about choosing such a concept is that it was an Olympic year. The program, to me, was more about their saying goodbye, than about trying to be champions. This was the type of FD you choose if you’re retiring in the year after the Olympics.
Or a farewell tour? I just find it so difficult to watch that program because you know that they know it's beneath them.
Slutskaya in 2006. She should've stuck with her 2005 Worlds winning free program. Her Flamenco free was totally forgettable, whereas her "Totentanz" SP was a hit.