Kristi Yamaguchi's 2017 "Golden Moment" shows in San Jose, CA (Sept. 3) & Hawaii (Sept. 9-10)

Melissa said:
This show is fabulous so far!! It's currently intermission.

Biggest standouts have been Mirai and Vincent. Mirai did her triple axel!!! And looked fabulous. Vincent landed 6 out of 7 triples (doubled the other) and performed his new long program. The amount of improvement from Nationals to today is incredible. I LOVE him program and he completely feels the music and hits every note and moment.

If people are interested, I can do a full write up once the show is over. So far, the performers have been Rudy Galindo's Ice Angels, Polina, Ryan, Yuka, Katia, Vincent, Jeremy, Shibs, and Kristi and Emma.

Also heads up to La La Land haters, Polina did a medley of music from the film.
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Thank you for your report on the show! I'm way on the other side of the country - wish I could have been there! :)

AWESOME that Mirai went for her 3A again! I love it!! Imo the more she goes for it be in exhibition or competitions, the more comfortable she will be with it.

Melissa said:
I took notes!! So it's gonna be a long recap haha. I'll compile it when I get home.
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Looking forward to your notes! Much appreciated! :respec:
 
Overall, this show was wonderful!! I went to the last Golden Moment and had an absolute blast as well. It is much more laid back, low key, and interactive than Stars On Ice. This is a crazy long recap but if anybody wants any clarification or has any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

On to the skaters!! I will try and note the music is I know it or remember it.

Polina - Oh Polina. She skated to a La La Land medley and the Glee version of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do.” Ugh. Polina looked fine but not amazing. Polina is an interesting and fascinating skater becasue she commands and demands attention when she is on the ice. She has the power to be completely captivating but for some reason doesn’t allow herself to be. For her first program, the opening music and choreography right before the La La Land was lovely but overall, the choreography is weak and juniorish. Her second program was MUCH better but still not what I personally think she is capable of. She only did double axels (a total of 4 between the programs) and her spins were very slow. A thing of note, I actually watched Polina at practice a few weeks ago at Sharks Ice. I watched for roughly 45 minutes and she was focusing on either her flip or toe (I can’t remember) and she didn’t land it once. However, I would take that with a grain of salt because it’s possible that she was having a bad day or was getting extra frustrated and had a hard time getting to it. A very very special quality that Polina has and that shined brightly today was her posture and her arms. Whenever she moves her arms, she leads with her wrists and it shows that she has a lot of ballet training. I am not ready to write Polina off at the moment but she didn’t impress me.

Mirai - Oh. My. Goodness. Skated to “Body Language” and her short program. She landed 3 triples in her Body Language program including her STUNNING triple axle! Overall in this program, she was sassy and gave great face. It was a fun and well choreographed program. Now her short. Mirai went for the axle again and stayed on her feet but she two-footed and understated it. The short program is a little underdeveloped but it has the makings of being a glorious program for her. Needs a little more choreography. She did a triple-triple and another triple in addition to the axle and they were all underrated. I love her and I am so impressed and proud of her. She also is the most fit I have seen her. She has worked very very hard for this season and it is showing.

Vincent - Vincent is a star! He skated to his long program and his short program. Overall, he attempted 9 or 10 triples, including a triple-triple, and did well on all but 1. His Moulin Rouge program is told from Christian’s point of view. This program is wonderful. It is brilliantly choreographed and highlights his strengths. His musicality is wonderful and very impressive. He performs like he is much bigger and taller than he actually is. I LOVE his footwork sequences. His short program needs work. It’s very good but it doesn’t come close to his freeskate. I still really like it though!! Vincent may be one of the most complete US mens skater in a long long time.

Yuka - Simply stunning. The choreography was a little generic but she is lovely and beautiful. During her performance, the crowd was mostly silent just because we were all in awe of her! She also did a duet with Jeremy and it was fantastic and lovely!!

Katia - Katia is one of the most elegant and aww-inspiring skaters ever. I especially loved her Hometown Glory choreography but her I Dreamed A Dream program was wonderful. Current skaters need to study her flow out of jumps because when she jumps, everything is so seamless in and out.

Jeremy - Lol. His first program was interesting. I love him to pieces but I hated the program. It was a weird attempt at being avant garde and I didn’t like it. He also wore a weird pillow case that tied on the sides that I didn’t understand. I hope people out there liked it because I wasn’t a fan. His second piece, something about peanut butter and jelly, was great!! It was well choreographed and beyond fun and interesting! Loved it!

Ryan - Ryan is a gem. He should be part of every cast because he takes his job so seriously. I have yet to see him perform and not be entertained by him. He always has a complete and well-choreographed program. The first was a cowboy themed program that was fun and his second was a moody and intense piece. I don’t know who choreographs his programs but I often see him perform very creative moves and elements and I continue to adore him.

Kristi and Emma -They skated to Reflection and it was adorable!! Emma had a weird spill in the middle of the performance and they were both cracking up about it. Emma’s layback looks so much like her mom’s that it’s eerie!! I LOVED this program.

Maia and Alex - They performed their “That’s Life” short dance. The funny thing about this performance is that because Alex and Maia are always so top notch and impressive, it is rare to see them make mistakes. I have seen this program so many times at this point so I probably have it memorized by now. So because I know the program so well, I know that it was a uniquely sloppy performance for them. Though even with a few small mistakes, they are so good that it didn't matter! Plus, I only know about the mistakes because I am such a big fan and have seen their program so much. Most people wouldn't know that they even came close to a non-perfect performance. Always a delight.

Karen - Skated to “Rise” by Katy Perry. This song was PERFECT for her. It was well choreographed and she performs the heck out of it. My biggest criticism was that it was too short!! I was so into it and all of the sudden it was done. She performed 2 triples and both were underrated and rough but she didn’t fall. An overall note I have about Karen is about her arms. I don’t know how to describe this so let me know if you need more clarification. She does this move constantly in all of her programs and it looks like she is using it to fill dead time and it makes her look sloppy. Sloppy isn’t a word I would use to describe Karen so it drives me nuts. It’s almost like she puts her arms parallel to the ice, brings her hands to her heart, and then slides her hands to her shoulders to open up her arms. It sounds lovely but the problem is that she doesn’t fully complete the motion so it looks like it isn’t meant to be. I studied for a long time to be an actress and one of the things they enforced was to make all arm motions mean something. If the motion is going to be incomplete, it will be better to not do it. Because Karen has such lovely arms and hands, it is very strange to see her do this. I will try and find a video of it. The great thing about this comment is that it is me 100% nit picking because she is so lovely and impressive. I REALLY hope she makes the Olympic team. Love her!!

The highlight of the night was the trio of Kristi, Katia, and Yuka skating to “Landslide.” This was BEAUTIFUL. They have such great chemistry and very obviously love each other so much. I really hope somebody recorded this because I want all of you to watch. Kristi remains one of best skaters to have the magical It factor. It is impossible to not watch her. She is my favorite skater of all time and will always be. I just love her so much.
 
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@Melissa thanks for the update! I guessing that Polina was working on her Lutz and Flip, since those were the jumps she couldn't do because of her bone bruise.

I wish I could see Vincent's FS. It sounds amazing.
 
Melissa said:
Overall, this show was wonderful!! I went to the last Golden Moment and had an absolute blast as well. It is much more laid back, low key, and interactive than Stars On Ice. This is a crazy long recap but if anybody wants any clarification or has any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

On to the skaters!! I will try and note the music is I know it or remember it.

Polina - Oh Polina. She skated to a La La Land medley and the Glee version of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do.” Ugh. Polina looked fine but not amazing. Polina is an interesting and fascinating skater becasue she commands and demands attention when she is on the ice. She has the power to be completely captivating but for some reason doesn’t allow herself to be. For her first program, the opening music and choreography right before the La La Land was lovely but overall, the choreography is weak and juniorish. Her second program was MUCH better but still not what I personally think she is capable of. She only did double axels (a total of 4 between the programs) and her spins were very slow. A thing of note, I actually watched Polina at practice a few weeks ago at Sharks Ice. I watched for roughly 45 minutes and she was focusing on either her flip or toe (I can’t remember) and she didn’t land it once. However, I would take that with a grain of salt because it’s possible that she was having a bad day or was getting extra frustrated and had a hard time getting to it. A very very special quality that Polina has and that shined brightly today was her posture and her arms. Whenever she moves her arms, she leads with her wrists and it shows that she has a lot of ballet training. I am not ready to write Polina off at the moment but she didn’t impress me.

Mirai - Oh. My. Goodness. Skated to “Body Language” and her short program. She landed 3 triples in her Body Language program including her STUNNING triple axle! Overall in this program, she was sassy and gave great face. It was a fun and well choreographed program. Now her short. Mirai went for the axle again and stayed on her feet but she two-footed and understated it. The short program is a little underdeveloped but it has the makings of being a glorious program for her. Needs a little more choreography. She did a triple-triple and another triple in addition to the axle and they were all underrated. I love her and I am so impressed and proud of her. She also is the most fit I have seen her. She has worked very very hard for this season and it is showing.

Vincent - Vincent is a star! He skated to his long program and his short program. Overall, he attempted 9 or 10 triples, including a triple-triple, and did well on all but 1. His Moulin Rouge program is told from Christian’s point of view. This program is wonderful. It is brilliantly choreographed and highlights his strengths. His musicality is wonderful and very impressive. He performs like he is much bigger and taller than he actually is. I LOVE his footwork sequences. His short program needs work. It’s very good but it doesn’t come close to his freeskate. I still really like it though!! Vincent may be one of the most complete US mens skater in a long long time.

Yuka - Simply stunning. The choreography was a little generic but she is lovely and beautiful. During her performance, the crowd was mostly silent just because we were all in awe of her! She also did a duet with Jeremy and it was fantastic and lovely!!

Katia - Katia is one of the most elegant and aww-inspiring skaters ever. I especially loved her Hometown Glory choreography but her I Dreamed A Dream program was wonderful. Current skaters need to study her flow out of jumps because when she jumps, everything is so seamless in and out.

Jeremy - Lol. His first program was interesting. I love him to pieces but I hated the program. It was a weird attempt at being avant garde and I didn’t like it. He also wore a weird pillow case that tied on the sides that I didn’t understand. I hope people out there liked it because I wasn’t a fan. His second piece, something about peanut butter and jelly, was great!! It was well choreographed and beyond fun and interesting! Loved it!

Ryan - Ryan is a gem. He should be part of every cast because he takes his job so seriously. I have yet to see him perform and not be entertained by him. He always has a complete and well-choreographed program. The first was a cowboy themed program that was fun and his second was a moody and intense piece. I don’t know who choreographs his programs but I often see him perform very creative moves and elements and I continue to adore him.

Kristi and Emma -They skated to Reflection and it was adorable!! Emma had a weird spill in the middle of the performance and they were both cracking up about it. Emma’s layback looks so much like her mom’s that it’s eerie!! I LOVED this program.

Maia and Alex - They performed their “That’s Life” short dance. The funny thing about this performance is that because Alex and Maia are always so top notch and impressive, it is rare to see them make mistakes. I have seen this program so many times at this point so I probably have it memorized by now. So because I know the program so well, I know that it was a uniquely sloppy performance for them. Though even with a few small mistakes, they are so good that it didn't matter! Plus, I only know about the mistakes because I am such a big fan and have seen their program so much. Most people wouldn't know that they even came close to a non-perfect performance. Always a delight.

Karen - Skated to “Rise” by Katy Perry. This song was PERFECT for her. It was well choreographed and she performs the heck out of it. My biggest criticism was that it was too short!! I was so into it and all of the sudden it was done. She performed 2 triples and both were underrated and rough but she didn’t fall. An overall note I have about Karen is about her arms. I don’t know how to describe this so let me know if you need more clarification. She does this move constantly in all of her programs and it looks like she is using it to fill dead time and it makes her look sloppy. Sloppy isn’t a word I would use to describe Karen so it drives me nuts. It’s almost like she puts her arms parallel to the ice, brings her hands to her heart, and then slides her hands to her shoulders to open up her arms. It sounds lovely but the problem is that she doesn’t fully complete the motion so it looks like it isn’t meant to be. I studied for a long time to be an actress and one of the things they enforced was to make all arm motions mean something. If the motion is going to be incomplete, it will be better to not do it. Because Karen has such lovely arms and hands, it is very strange to see her do this. I will try and find a video of it. The great thing about this comment is that it is me 100% nit picking because she is so lovely and impressive. I REALLY hope she makes the Olympic team. Love her!!

The highlight of the night was the trio of Kristi, Katia, and Yuka skating to “Landslide.” This was BEAUTIFUL. They have such great chemistry and very obviously love each other so much. I really hope somebody recorded this because I want all of you to watch. Kristi remains one of best skaters to have the magical It factor. It is impossible to not watch her. She is my favorite skater of all time and will always be. I just love her so much.
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Thanks for taking the time to type a detailed report.
 
Thank you @Melissa! The Jeremy programs you referred to were "In This Shirt" choreographed by Benoit Richaud, the other was Peanut Butter Jelly choreographed by Benji Schwimmer.

Ryan OTOH was "Cowboy Medley" and "Unsteady."

And I agree that Ryan is a total gem and ultimate performer.:respec:

I was a little disappointed that Polina chose to skate to Glee again. She did a different Glee cover in Stars on Ice last year. :(
 
Frida80 said:
@Melissa thanks for the update! I guessing that Polina was working on her Lutz and Flip, since those were the jumps she couldn't do because of her bone bruise.

I wish I could see Vincent's FS. It sounds amazing.
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I took a video of part of his FS. Sorry it's not the best quality since I didn't have close seats. It's the first program he skated in the show. I haven't seen him skate before but now seeing him skate in person, I can see how talented he is and super proud that he is from my home area~
 
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sandi said:
I took a video of part of his FS. Sorry it's not the best quality since I didn't have close seats. It's the first program he skated in the show. I haven't seen him skate before but now seeing him skate in person, I can see how talented he is and super proud that he is from my home area~
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OMG, I Love you! Thank you so much!
 
Many thanks for your report, @Melissa! :)

Melissa said:
Kristi and Emma -They skated to Reflection and it was adorable!! Emma had a weird spill in the middle of the performance and they were both cracking up about it. Emma’s layback looks so much like her mom’s that it’s eerie!! I LOVED this program.
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Kristi Yamaguchi & daughter Emma performing "Reflection" (from Mulan) together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKkxdHgLwpM

Group finale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeNJN7z0_VI

Promo for Hawaii show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsKc-jF8ui8
Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi talks about her upcoming Golden Moment skating show and how it benefits her early childhood reading program in Hawaii.
 
I seriously like Vincent Zhou's programs. His Moulin Rouge is great and uses different music cuts for the most part and he's surprisingly very convincing in it. His SP was a perfect music choice. He simply has the look that lends itself well to teenaged boy internalized angst. Perfect choice and the choreographer should be commended for recognizing that early on. Was it Buttle who did both programs?
 
chapis said:
Another video of San Jose, this includes a bit of every skater https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXXI1-AUVBQ
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Thanks, this person usually does the same compilation of clips for the San Jose Stars on Ice shows.

@chapis also found this link to the rehearsal of the opening number in San Jose:
chapis said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRKK-hvDWfI
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"Rudy's Ice Angels" / Galindo's students' group number to music from the Titanic film soundtrack, plus the retired Senior national pair team of Cali Fujimoto & Nick Barsi-Rhyne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcvv4LuEz8E

2 rehearsal clips from Galindo:
~1 minute of Kristi, Katia Gordeeva & Yuka Sato: https://www.instagram.com/p/BYlzym8nL4T/
Jeremy & Yuka: https://www.instagram.com/p/BYlwl01nlzF/

6 action shots (Kristi, Karen, Vincent, Maia & Alex, Polina, finale group pose): https://www.instagram.com/p/BYmwzJXns94/?taken-by=sapcenter
ETA - plus a photo of Gordeeva mid-jump here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/SAPCenter/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10154998631597406
 
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Thanks for the reviews. :) I will have to catch some clips.

Regarding your assessment of Polina @Melissa, shouldn't we take into consideration that she's coming back from surgery post a nagging injury that interrupted her competitive career at a crucial moment? I doubt that Polina's training so far has been sufficient to help her get back into tip-top shape, particularly in the intensity and overwhelming rush of an Olympic season. She's inevitably behind physically as well as in her momentum and her overall development as a skater. It can take time to rebuild both physically and mentally.

I would imagine that any imperfection you detected from Maia and Alex could be due to any number of factors, including the fact that they have been focusing on training their new programs, and sometimes going back to an old one for an exhibition is not easy to pull off flawlessly.

I'm glad you enjoyed the show, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your impressions! Thanks again. :cheer2:
 
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