Mao Asada's 'Thanks Tour' (Starting from May 2018)

[rosewood]

Another news clip from a dress rehearsal in which Mao blew a kiss to an announcer. Watch the reaction from the announcer!
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/992074363942854656/pu/vid/1280x720/pZhMOEUPrzIunnvk.mp4

A clip of a whole Rach 2 stsq and a glimpse from Bei Mir Bistu Shein.
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/992068493771067393/pu/vid/1280x720/i8OV83GKbYUBN0l4.mp4

ETA:
From when Mao became this playful?! (Mao actually blows a kiss to one of the audience as well as picks up every different male skater to dance with in Bei Mir Bistu Shein. Those arrangement/choreography of Bei Mir Bistu Shein (group number ver) was done by Mao herself.) Happy to see her enjoying herself!

 

[cohkaix]

Mao just updated two short clips of the 1st performance with her Instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BitWqSMATHJ/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BitV-XpgsZ5/

Her skating seems to be getting stronger and more powerful.

 

[babayaga]

Thank you very much for the reports and the links! I miss Mao so much.

 

[Spun Silver]

Mao looks wonderful and is skating like the living legend she is. This show was such a great idea and I love the way she's modified her programs to include other skaters. Does the show include any version of her Bach ex from her last season?

Hate seeing her cry though. It reminds me of her retirement press conference.

 

[cohkaix]

Does the show include any version of her Bach ex from her last season?

Yes, the Bach (Cello Suite) is included in the show. Actually of all the numbers performed, they are in form of medley and have been revised from the original versions, except for the Bach Ex. It's reported Mao skates to the Bach Ex in its original choreography (and the whole program)

 

[rosewood]

Musics list
1 This Little Light of Mine（Mao solo）
2 Smile/What a wonderful world（Mao＋whole cast）
3 Sheherazade（Mai solo）
4 Puttin' On the Ritz（Mao solo）
5 Bei Mir Bistu Shein（Mao＋male cast）
6 Clair de Lune（Mai＋female cast, choreo/arrangement by CRE８BOY）
7 Over the Rainbow（Mai＋female cast, choreo/arrangement by CRE８BOY）
8 Cello Suites（Mao solo, original version）
9 Por una Cabeza（Mai＋male cast, choreo/arrangement by DAZZLE）
10 Waltz from Masquerade Suite（whole cast except Mao/Mai, choreo/arrangement by DAZZLE）
11 Madame Butterfly（Mao＋ *Ernesto Martínez）
12 Bells of Moscow（Mura solo, including 3A-2T and 3A）
13 Jupiter -I Vow to Thee My Country （Mai＋female cast）
14 Ritual Fire Dance, black & red（black:Mao＋male cast, red: Mao＋female cast）
15 Rachmaninoff's Piano Conterto No.2（Mao+male cast）
16 Wind Beneath My Wings（Mao＋whole cast）

*Ernesto Martinez was a novice national champion of Spain. He met Mao in an international competition. He says it was the turning point for him to start learning Japanese language. Unfortunately he gave up skating due to injuries. Now he's studying fashion in Tokyo, Japan. Mao's been his hero and he applied audition for MTT. Happy he got a chance to skate with Mao! (here is an article of his story in Japanese)

Mao chose to skip all reverences and announcement of musics between programs. It's just lights turned off and skaters move on to next program. It makes the whole show look like a theater. It also makes it possible to cut extra time and finish within 80 minutes with 16 fulfilling programs. Shorter the time, easier for kids or elderly people to attend a show.

Another Mao's idea was that she wished audience to feel the wind made by skaters when they passed by the audience. So there are seats on the ice. She chose smaller rinks for MTT so that audience can feel the performances closer. It's kinda unexpected thing that Mao's such a skater who pays much attention to how the audience feel at a show, on the environment side. Anyhow, the show sounds awesome and unique. Off course I want to go. Luckily MTT comes to two cities within day-trip distance from my house. Please skate God give me a chance to win the ticketing battle! （・人・）

ETA:
I heard someone asked a TV crew when MTT will be aired. The crew answered they were recording the first stop of MTT just for news and documentary, but some TV company will aire MTT in June.

 

[rosewood]

Someone uploaded a YT video of MTT musics in the order. Thanks! This video makes me feel like I'm re-experiencing my journey as her fan in my mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6XFCfMk3nU

 

[cohkaix]

Mao thanks tour: Stop 2 - Nagano; date: June 2~3

From Mao's IG:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjcQce9giVb/ (that fall looks scary and ouch!)
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bje-swOA_ef/ (later on in dress rehearsal: Mao wrote that she's fine from the fall and is in good condition)

The tour to the 2nd stop will start in 1 hr!

 

[livetoskate]

What a freak fall. Glad she's ok. Hopefully there will be some videos online of the show.

 

[rosewood]

5 Bei Mir Bistu Shein（Mao＋male cast） from Nagano show (maybe first day)

(starts from 04:02) http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6lgnky?playlist=x5o22e

Maaooo, I looove you!! She is new every time when she skates in front of people.

Shame camera angles are not good but I guess from the video that every boy makes an appeal by doing some trick and then Mao chooses one of them at the finish pose (reportedly every different boy in every show.)

Two documentaries of MTT are scheduled to be aired on June 17th (Fuji TV) & 29th (NBC Nagano TV). MTT is supposed to be a year long tour, so maybe the whole show will not be aired any soon. Anyways, I'm expecting we'll be able to see some of the programs on these scheduled two documentaries.

 

[cohkaix]

Some updates about MTT:

Mao was at Ibaraki to attend the opening ceremony to her own EX 'Smile Forever' and to PR the upcoming MTT at Ibaraki in mid-Aug. The Ex at Ibaraki this time includes about 70 items of costumes, medals, skates, and photos of Mao...and they can be photographed. Among the photos, they also include a couple from MTT, so these are the close-up photos (from twitter):

Madame Butterfly - https://twitter.com/sakemove/status/1005040609248174080
(For M. Butterfly's new dress, the designer Yasuno said it was Mao's idea/request to make such type of costume, with long sleeves and skirt. She says Mao's aware that it can be heavy but would like to take on the challenge and skate in the heavier costume)

Ritual Fire Dance, black - https://twitter.com/kijitorashiro42/status/1005069141785493506
(The new costume simply looks COOL!)

Also, Mura was on the program FigureSkate-TV for an interview, and they play the video of the whole number of 'Bei Mir Bistu Shein': Starting around 4:10

Finally, a documentary will be aired on Jun 17th, about the process of producing MTT. We may be able to get some more videos of the numbers from MTT by then: http://tokai-tv.com/asadamao2018/

NB: The next stop of MTT will be Jul 21-22 at Hokkaido.

 

[rosewood]

Tour members:
ガンスフ マラル エレデン

The only member whose name I didn't know how to spell was a student from Mongol who studies and skates in Chukyo University where Mao used to study and skate as well. Her name is Maral Erdene GANSUKH. I found her name on a bag for high function matless which was given all cast as a present from Mao's sponsor company Air Weave.

Here is her twitter account.
https://twitter.com/marachika8
And instagram account.
https://instagram.com/mararunrun

Seems May 31st was her 22nd birthday. Belated happy BD from me.
https://twitter.com/NAGIHsk8/status/1002186361485459457

I found Asashoryu who was a former sumo champion (yokozuna) from Mongol recently tweeted a message for celebrating her skating as a regular member in MTT.
https://twitter.com/Asashoryu/status/1004690373921259520

Японы уран гулгалтын олимпийн аварга Асада маогийн мөсний шоунд Монгол охин шалгарсан бн @marachika8 дүүдээ халуун баяр хүргэе! Lets go Beijing 2022 Mongolia First Gold medali winter olympic game

I don't know Maral has intention to go for Beijin 2022 but sincerely wish she will be a lovely seed for prosperity of figure skating in her country.

Her twitter profile says モンゴルにフィギュアスケートを広めたい = "I hope to spread figure skating in Mongol."

Go Maral!

 

[rosewood]

Someone posted a preview clip of Fuji TV's documentary(June 17th). Seems Mao cried and smiled. (((Mao))) Thanks to the twitter user!
https://twitter.com/solar_caoleen/status/1006158984175181830

 

[livetoskate]

Thank you! I loved seeing these little snippets of the show!

 

[cohkaix]

Someone posted a preview clip of Fuji TV's documentary(June 17th). Seems Mao cried and smiled. (((Mao))) Thanks to the twitter user!
https://twitter.com/solar_caoleen/status/1006158984175181830

I just finished watching the documentary...it didn't include a lot of the actual performances from 1st and 2nd stops of the tour; but the 80-min documentary includes A LOT about how the tour has come to its formation, and lots of details about the production behind the scenes. It's a wonderful documentary about Mao's second skating life, and how she gets through it. I hope there'll be a video clip coming up soon. Just a wonderful documentary to see the real side of Mao....

Adding: video of the documentary (not of the best quality, and there are other videos that can be found)

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/k5ZOHbzKO5hU3rr3Wwi

 

[rosewood]

The Fuji TV's documentary:
1/2 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k6gt9e676hQ4EIr3Wg0
2/2 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k6PqjbG37GlasCr3Wwi

Seems the TV program scheduled on 29th will more focus on the performances than backstage scenes. Hopefully they'll show Madame Butterfly and Cello Suite!
https://twitter.com/vividviolet3513/status/1008264365772976129?s=21

 

[livetoskate]

How wonderful! Thank you for the links to the documentary. It is interesting to see all the hard work that went on behind the scenes to put Mao's show into fruition.

Once again, I have to ask- what was Mao crying about at the 14 minute mark in part 2 of the documentary? It looked like an older lady was scolding her harshly, then Mao walked to the other rink where the castmembers were and went on a long crying tirade, while everyone quietly listened. I enjoyed seeing all the other skaters talking, doing skating moves, and doing some group activities. I assume eventually more of the show will be available online and can't wait to see it all. Ernesto Martinez, a skater I'd never heard of before, was shown doing some edgework and turns with Mao, and it looked so impressive! I also would like to see Takahito Mura's Bells of Moscow program.

 

[rosewood]

How wonderful! Thank you for the links to the documentary. It is interesting to see all the hard work that went on behind the scenes to put Mao's show into fruition.

Once again, I have to ask- what was Mao crying about at the 14 minute mark in part 2 of the documentary? It looked like an older lady was scolding her harshly, then Mao walked to the other rink where the castmembers were and went on a long crying tirade, while everyone quietly listened. I enjoyed seeing all the other skaters talking, doing skating moves, and doing some group activities. I assume eventually more of the show will be available online and can't wait to see it all. Ernesto Martinez, a skater I'd never heard of before, was shown doing some edgework and turns with Mao, and it looked so impressive! I also would like to see Takahito Mura's Bells of Moscow program.

The woman you mentioned is her manager Ms Mariko Wada from IMG Japan. She's been working with Asada sisters from the very early days. After her mom passed away, Wada is kind of her mom-ish existence to Mao, who's been supporting and encouraging.

I'm thinking about summarize the video but can't promise since video summarizing/translating needs lots of time.

During the scene you mentioned Mao was disappointed by the performance the cast did. She was frustrated but hesitating to tell straightforward how she was feeling to the cast. So Wada told her to say so to the cast rather than just stay frustrated by herself.

Mao said they have only two weeks ahead so they should be more focused. It's no good that they repeat exactly the same mistakes today which they fixed yesterday. Audience have their own life. They work hard in their real life and then they come to the show to have a fun time. So MTT team should show good performance which can meet the audience's expectations.

I was impressed by the scene very much. It's very professional of Mao. The scene also made me understand deeper why Mao cried during the
interview on the rehearsal day saying "Everyone really did his/her best for this show. (wiping her tears) I'm glad it's taking a shape." See my post #16.

Her words moved the cast's heart and they got more focused. Mura and Hashimoto said Mao's words moved the cast's heart. Mao took a short break and then re-started the practice with making jokes. After the practice she left the rink for an interview and photo shoots for a magazine for PR MTT. I got the reason why she was on several fashion magazines this spring. She really did everything, as a star for PR the show, producer who drew money from 10 sponsor companies, show director, choreographer, and she even taught edge works and polished the lines of young members, and a leading skater who skated 10 numbers out of the 17.

It was amazing Ernesto Martinez copied perfectly Mao's program. Mao was surprised too and said he momorizes her program better than herself. lol He's such a big fan of Mao. And, yes, I want to see Mura's Bells of Moscow too!

 

[cohkaix]

After the practice she left the rink for an interview and photo shoots for a magazine for PR MTT. I got the reason why she was on several fashion magazines this spring. She really did everything, as a star for PR the show, producer who drew money from 10 sponsor companies, show director, choreographer, and she even taught edge works and polished the lines of young members, and a leading skater who skated 10 numbers out of the 17.

Exactly! I'm recalling for The ICE 2017 last year, Mao was actually not doing lots of PR for the show, definitely not as much effort as what she's been doing for MTT. And after reading some interviews from early Spring this year, I think Mao was seriously taking The ICE 2017 as her last performance with the show (so coming to the thinking of this, I can make it out and totally understand why she's not in The ICE 2018 this year! It's just easy for us to associate Mao with The ICE as she's been in that for such a long time, but perhaps the equation has been...more on the surface?) And now MTT is her own creation, MTT is the 'real' ice show from Mao Asada. It's just great that she's able to make that leap from the comfort zone to challenge things that help to develop her abilities and dimensions.

(Adding: I'm not surprised AT ALL that they didn't arrange for the 1st or 2nd shows from MTT to be broadcast early on. I think MTT is still quite experimental for them and they want to make sure the tour actually works. Also, to consider the ticketing for a show that's going on touring for a longer term, they wouldn't want to reveal everything just right after the 1st show. But Mao's team is really doing some smart moves on the PR sides...now after the broadcasting of the documentary, everyone will end up with the thought: 'Wow, that's interesting and I really want to go and have fun with the show from MTT!)

 

[rosewood]

20 minutes video of the glimpses from Nagano show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy3RHhszyrc

Madame Butterfly is just . Seems she changed some of the choreo after finishing the first stop in Niigata. She's great in dealing with the long sleeves and the skirt. I always can't help but shouting "Ditch your man ASAP!" The quick costume change from Ritual Dance SP(black) to FS(red) is amazing. What a gorgeous poise she shows in the red costume! And I don't have a word to explain what I feel when I see her skating Rach 2 with max smiles and lion eyes.

Next stop is Hokkaido. Since it's been too slim chance to win the ticketing battle, MTT added two more shows to Saitama stop as well as two more shows to Yamanashi stop. (schedule)

Here's a video of glimpses from their visit to Karuizawa in Nagano. Karuizawa is a popular place to go for a vacation in summer. Mao promotes delicious local foods everywhere she visits. It's a win-win relation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svL-EMxaWuE

ETA:
Being free from IJS rules, Mao now can hold her gorgeous postures as long as she wants. As her fan my heart is filled with joy of appreciating her skates. I was just drawn to her skates. I'm also excited about Mura's Bells of Moscow. Shame it was just a glimpse. I really hope I'll see Mao (or anyone I know) will skate to TAT's program someday. BTW, the commentator of the video is Mura himself.

 

[cohkaix]

20 minutess video of the glimpses from Nagano show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy3RHhszyrc

Thank you! @rosewood! I just finished watching the same video. I just can't come up with better words to describe Mao's performance of Madame Butterfly, and I absolutely adore this version with long sleeves and long skirt!

I think it was in another FS forum, during the discussion of invited skaters to the upcoming Japan Open, someone suggested to invite Mao. I laughed at that idea and replied that it's simply impossible. But now I regret that comment and I do wish Mao can skate openly to this version of Madame Butterfly, even in form of an EX will do ...the original Stsq in the new costume is just

 

[rosewood]

Got goosebumps with the beauty and the madness of Madame Butterfly!
High quality video of Madame Butterfly & Ritual Dance on Dailymotion.

My beautiful Mao is not gone, she's there on the ice.

 

[rosewood]

Thank you! @rosewood! I just finished watching the same video. I just can't come up with better words to describe Mao's performance of Madame Butterfly, and I absolutely adore this version with long sleeves and long skirt!

I think it was in another FS forum, during the discussion of invited skaters to the upcoming Japan Open, someone suggested to invite Mao. I laughed at that idea and replied that it's simply impossible. But now I regret that comment and I do wish Mao can skate openly to this version of Madame Butterfly, even in form of an EX will do ...the original Stsq in the new costume is just

I rather agree with your first thought. Maybe she can't afford to take her time for JO since Yamanashi stop (Sep 22-23) and Fukushima stop (Oct 13-14) are too close to JO (Oct 6).

(This is just my take but Mao has left Japanese federation after the retirement from competition. So my guess is that it's unlikely that Mao will be invited to events that the fed organizes. Or she'll be way below on the name list among the many retired skaters. I'm rather happy with Mao's leaving the fed since she can do whatever she wants now free from the fed, if it's true she's left them.)

 

[livetoskate]

That was cute seeing all the skaters hard at work painting plates and showing their masterpieces! Great to see even more bits of the show. I'd love to see both Mao and Takahito Mura skating in the Japan Open. Mura has posted videos of him landing a quad toe and triple axel-triple toes on Instagram and his Facebook fanpage.

 

[cohkaix]

Great to see even more bits of the show. I'd love to see both Mao and Takahito Mura skating in the Japan Open. Mura has posted videos of him landing a quad toe and triple axel-triple toes on Instagram and his Facebook fanpage.

Since it's less possible for Mao to attend (as explained), I'll be all for Mura to go and would be happy if he'll skate to Bell of Moscow (there's only a small part of this in the 20-min broadcasting but I love his re-interpretation of the piece!)

 

[rosewood]

Seems two of her sponsor companies and Chukyo University (where she studied and trained) bought MTT shows for inviting their customers/students and their related people. Happy Mao's loved by her sponsor companies & school that she graduated from.

Kirara (a product from MTG) presents Mao Asada's special ice show
Aug 14th, afternoon show, at Chukyo University's ice rink

Mao Asada's special ice show exclusively for Chukyo University's related people
Aug 14th, evening show, at Chukyo University's ice rink

Airweave presents Mao Asada's special ice show
Aug 15th, afternoon show, at Chukyo University's ice rink

 

[CaliSteve]

Im glad that Mirai Nagasu and Mirah Bell were invited to perform.

 

[Sylvia]

Im glad that Mirai Nagasu and Mirah Bell were invited to perform.

They are both scheduled to perform in THE ICE shows, not Mao's Thanks Tour (THE ICE is no longer affiliated with Mao): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ummer-japanese-ice-shows.103745/#post-5367333

Thanks @rosewood for this video from June (still plays!):

20 minutes video of the glimpses from Nagano show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy3RHhszyrc

http://www.maotour.jp

Coming up next is Hokkaido, July 21 (Sat), 22 (Sun).

 

[rosewood]

The Fuji TV's documentary:
1/2 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k6gt9e676hQ4EIr3Wg0
2/2 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k6PqjbG37GlasCr3Wwi

Seems the TV program scheduled on 29th will more focus on the performances than backstage scenes. Hopefully they'll show Madame Butterfly and Cello Suite!
https://twitter.com/vividviolet3513/status/1008264365772976129?s=21

1/2 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k6gt9e676hQ4EIr3Wg0
(my rough summary)
First half-post 1

Title: Happiness is in a rink

Interview with Shiho Ochi from Superfly (*a singer who made a comeback from a break of 1 year and 8 months, and Mao went to the comeback concert last November. This interview was arranged by this documentary's producer who's followed Mao since she was a novice skater. Shiho was the person Mao wanted to meet.)

Mao: I was able to go to your concert for the first time last November. You sang lots of songs. You built up the whole context of the concert on your own on the stage. I was inspired by you. I started a new ice show from this past May too. Since it was about a month later after I decided to skate lots of programs in my own ice show when I went to your concert, it made me wish to be like you.

One of my favorite songs of yours is 'Wild Flower'. (Mao starts playing the music she has in her phone.) At the moment when I met this song for the first time I thought it really fits me. The lyrics which ,I thought, overlap my journey the most were in the part that is "When I was little, I went straight forward for no reasons. Then you find yourself, when you grow up, with lots of difficulties in front of you. Even so I've come straight forward to the place where I'm now." And then you sing "May you be in full bloom like a wild flower!" and the lyrics go like "I'll stay strong and walk with my power." I LOVE this part. I thought it's a magnificent music.
*Wild Flower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-US5jNFAUM

Shiho: Happy to hear that. It's funny but, to tell the truth, it's a song of rice flowers. It was made inspired by flowers of rice. (*Flowers of rice are tiny and never a wild flower.) It's a story of growing rice. My dad is a farmer who grows rice. hahaha

Mao: OMG haha So your father is a farmer? Me too is interested in agriculture. When I've done everything that I want to do, and when I left skating, in the [far] future, I'd love to go somewhere such as into a forest and live on vegetables etc that I myself grow. It's my ultimate goal."

Shiho: Sounds it's similar to my taste! Me too is a person who wants to return to nature.

Mao: Let's live together in mother nature! haha

Subscription shows lyrics of 'Wild Flower'
When I was little, I walked straight forward for no reasons
Dunno since when, but I found why I did so
Is it a destiny, a dream or a mission? Dunno
From time to time I tried hard to find the answer
And came to understand myself deeper
May you be in full bloom, wild flowers! In the center of the wilderness!
Every day passes by and you live spreading your roots
You look for the single tear forever until you find it
You take a deep silent breath
And you start walking again

First meeting for discussing what to skate in MTT with Mai and their manager Wada (at a hotel room in November)
(Mai did a big yawn and Wada laughed loud.)
Mai: Our Camera has not started shooting, has it?
Mao: It's already started!
Cameraman: It's already started.
Mao: hahaha
Wada: Let's broadcast this scene.
Mai: (for changing the topic) Now it's 11:00pm. This is the first meeting for our new project.
Mao: (whispered to their manager) She just gave a yawn and yet [started talking as a MC suddenly].
Mai: hahaha
____
Mai: Personally I've wished to skate programs such as Sheherazade since before.
Wada: Sounds good.
____
Mao: At a point I was going to quit skating. But since there were lots of people who told me they want to see more skates from me, I decided to go to places that I was not able to visit so far for skating close to them so that I can deliver my gratitude to them. That's the reason I started this show.

 

[rosewood]

First half- post 2

It's fun to see she's super enthusiastic when she taught the little kids. It's very Mao.

A surprise skating lesson
(for a small elementary school students at an outside rink of the school whose students sent a letter to Mao for asking her to come when she was still competing)

Kids: wow wow wow
Mao: hahaha
Mao & Mai: Good morning.
_____
Mao: Stretch your arms!
Mai: Hold your right arm ahead of your body.
Mao: Good. Good. Good. Don't forget your right arm! Right arm. Right arm. Good!
_____
Mao: Cross your legs and put your foot inside of your another foot. It's OK if it's only a slight margin [at first]. (showing how to do it) Cross your legs. Try your best to cross your legs.
Mao: (to a kid) Good! Look forward! Look forward! Stretch your arms. Good!
_____
Mao: (to a kid doing spins) Good! You made two-rotations spins. Try three-rotations next time!
Kid: OK, three-rotations.
Mao: (to another kid doing a spin) You can't spin when you are looking up [at the sky]. Look straight forward! Look at the direction where Mao-chan is!
_____
Mao: I have a plan in my mind to skate lots of programs that I've skated until now. I'm grateful to lots of people who supported me. Thanks to them I was able to run such a long career. I want to return the favor to them. I want to do so by my own skates at various places.

Audition of the cast
(at Saitama Ice Arena in the middle of January)
Mao: (to the skaters who came to the audition) Don't afraid of making mistakes. If you can't remember the choreography, you can arrange it by yourself.
Sei Kawahara: I heard Mao Asada starts a new show. When I retired from competitions, I decided inside of me that I'll challenge various things. I'm taking this audition since I thought it will give me various inspirations.
Maral Erdene GANSUKH: My name is Maral Erdene Gansukh. I'm training in Chukyo University as Mao-chan did. I took this audition wishing I'll be able to practice together with Mao-chan once again.

Interview with Shiho (part 2)
Shiho: How long do you skate?
Mao: The show is a bit longer than an hour. (*80 minutes) I skate about a half of it.
Shiho: Great stamina is needed.
Mao: Yes. So I'm training hard right now. The show starts from May. It'll be about a year since I skated in a show last time.
Shiho: So you are excited?
Mao: Until I made up my mind to hold this show, I was not sure whether I can manage to skate or not. "I'm looking forward to it" is more suitable word to my feelings right now than "Can I do this?"

Practice
(in January at Osu rink where she trained under Yamada when she was little)
Producer: You look tired today.
Mao: I'm tired.
P: Is it different from usual?
Mao: It's the same as usual... these days. I'm still in the middle of the practice for the show. And I'm already this tired.
P: Awesome spins from you.
Mao: Nah. If I did such spins, [Sato] Nobuo-sensei will get angry and say "[Your spins are] noisy!"
P: Ah, making noises is no good.
Mao: Yes. It's no good to make noises.
Mao: (not satisfied with another try of spins) Nah.
Mao: Since I do spins in my show, I have to push them up to good enough level.

Group practice
(at Saitama Ice Arena in February)
Mao: (explaining the choreography of the group number to the cast) Now [Kawahara] Sei finished his part, and then I go to this direction, so please change the group formation from a big circle into a half circle.
Mao: (showing the choreography and explaining the meanings of them) Twinkle, twinkle and shine! Right, left, right, left, up and down. OK?
___
Takahito Mura: I'll think about how to skate inbetween these parts. I mean from the 50 seconds of the music (=Bells of Moscow).
Mao: Please tell me when you have something to talk about the choreography.
___
Mura: I'm grateful to what Mao did for years when I was competing. I want to pay it back. I'm glad if I can help her for making her wish come true. I'll practice hard. She has a great leadership. It makes our group work easier. It's so helpful.
Nagisa Hayashi: I haven't memorized the choreography, and yet we have to start working on group formations. I'm not accustomed yet. Kind of hard.
Narration: Nagisa is at the same age as Mai's. She's been in touch with Asada sisters since long before. She's a skating coach as well as a mother of two children. Mura is almost the same age as Mao. They both were good advisers for Mao.
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Producer: (to the three youngest members of the cast, Mari Yamamoto & Risa Kawauchi & Maral, who are university students) Are you tired? Are you OK?
Mari/Risa/Maral: I'm not tired.
Producer: Are you enjoying the practice?
Maral: Yes, I'm having fun.
Narration: Those three belong to the generation who started skating inspired by Mao. They are not on Nationals level nor skated in any shows. Mao thought it was one of her jobs to lead them up to the level where they can skate in MTT with good self-confidence.
Narration: What Mao talked about first of all was the importance of each posture.
Mao: (to the three) When you're standing still like this and if you take a careless deep breath, it shows more than you think.
Mao: (to all) [The first pose of reaching out an arm means] "Thanks" to the audience. And again you say thanks [by reaching out both hands]. Please try [these poses with understanding the meanings of them].
Narration: She talked about the way how to make yourself look beautiful even if you don't have difficult techniques.
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Ernesto Martinez: My name is Ernesto Martinez. I'm in MTT.
Narration: His nickname is Erni. He was a member of team Spain in the Jr field. When he was 17 yo, he gave up competing due to an injury. He liked Mao a lot and it inspired him to study Japanese to talk with her. He came to Japan to study fashion. And then he got a chance to take the audition of MTT. He used to copy Mao's programs for fun and he memorized all of her programs.
Mao: He remember the choreography better than me.
Producer: Awesome!
Mao: He's perfect.
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Narration: In the middle of February at a dance studio in Tokyo they had a practice of group numbers except the ones where Mao skates. Mai was the main member of them. She was busy with TV programs traveling around the country but she tried her best to join the practice. Mai also tried to talk with other members as much as possible. She thought it would lighten the burden on Mao's shoulders. It was 3 months before the ice show starts.
Mai: (to other members) We need more practice of this part. That said, we did well except the ribbon part. hehe Let's do our best!