The Mao cheer thread #3 - "For the love of skating"

rosewood

rosewood

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We consumed the previous thread in one season. Now we are heading to the coming season with a new title which was quoted from the theme of her new exhibition program Cello Suit. Wish the best for US so that we can see at least a couple of good performances of her challenging programs in competitions and it gives us more chances to see the awesome EX live! :D Preferably it happens when it counts the most! :cheer2:

2016-2017 season's programs (all were choreographed by Lori Nichol)
SP: Ritual Dance from El amor brujo by Manuel Falla
LP: Ritual Dance from El amor brujo by Manuel Falla
EX: Cello Suit by Bach

SP videos from THE ICE 2016 in Nagoya
No commentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=486CiZo_Ko8
With Midori's commentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyDyfLi_PQ4
EX video from THE ICE 2016 in Osaka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuMCGGlPOUU

Related sites
Her official site
THE ICE 2016 thread in GSD

Coming season's schedule (known so far)
Finlandia Trophy, Oct 6-10, Espoo, Finland
SKAM(GPS #1), Oct 21-23, Chicago, IL, USA
Trophée de France(GPS #4), Nov 11-13, Paris, France
Japanese Nationals, Dec 22-25, Osaka, Japan

Previous cheer thread
Mao cheer thread #2
 
bartek said:
I believe that the place of the first two jumping passes will be different in a full-size rink (the same as in her previous shorts).
Click to expand...
Maybe yes but I'm not sure at this point. But that must be an important point to fans who wants to buy a seat which is just in front of the place where Mao does a 3A. I luuuuurve to watch THE curve with whispering "now now now Mao is comiiiiiiing to do THE jump in front of meeeeee" in my mind. :D People who can go to Finlandia Trophy should tell us the answer of this question. :) I wish I could travel around the world to follow her final two seasons. Usually JO has been the only competition-ish event that I can attend without traveling. But this year she doesn't participate in it so no chance to see her competitive programs in person. Ugh Anyways I wish she'll show good performances as many times as possible so that you guys can enjoy her skating at the competitions. We should share the impressions/info as a world-wide fan community. :cheer:
 
clairecloutier said:
@rosewood Perhaps you may see her if she competes at World Team Trophy??
Click to expand...
If it takes place around Tokyo area like Saitama Super Arena, yes. I'm torn between the two thoughts that I wish she'll keep her physical condition good (not too tired) and I selfishly wants to see her skating as many times as possible. I REALLY REALLY wants to watch Cello Suit too. It must be very special to see the program in person. So I'm thinking about going to JSOI in Tokyo or Shinyokohama if she skates.
 
Belated info:
A twitter report of Cello Suit at the first stop of THE ICE by a figure skating magazine WFS
(my rough translation)
It was the first showcase of Mao Asada's exhibition number for this season to "Cello Suit No3". This is the program by all means you must watch in person at least once. It's something like the essence of figure skating crystallized. Or the beauty you'll be in awe of it. It'll make you shiver!

I want to be a member of the crowd who shiver in awe of the crystallized essence of figure skating!! :rollin:
_____

Side note: As for the music for competitive programs, Mao said she fell in love with Ritual Dance immediately. And the feeling made her pick both of piano and orchestral versions of the same music for two programs. Lori said the new long program is so awesome that she even wanted to use it in Olympic season. :)
 
I hope Mao will be able to grow really well with her pros for this season. I was so hoping to see them this year live but everything has not gone as what I've wished: no Sapporo stop for The ICE and no Japan Open. And from watching her EX, even the flawed one they showed initially, it's something that made me wish I can really see live.

Do you think there will be a chance she'll go to the Asian Winter Games in February? That's probably the only other chance I got for this season.
 
^ I don't think Mao has ever participated in the Asian Winter Games and it'd be only a month away from Worlds. If she performs well this season she will be part of Worlds team again and JSF may not consider sending her to AWG.
 
It just hit me that if I make it to SA I will have to stay for the gala to see Mao's EX. (Another day of multi-petsitting for my not-animal-oriented hubby.)

Your expectations for Mao this season are too low, @rosewood dear. :)
 
I don't know if I have posted this before, but here are a lot of fairly high quality photos of Mao from past performances 2008-2010. In order to get the best quality, you can click on the images and they will get bigger or you can right click on the smaller images before, click save as, and then open and the quality comes out just as good.

4CC's 2010 SP and LP

http://figuregallery.tistory.com/ent...2010-in-Jeonju


Grand Prix Final Finale Exhibition Por Una Cabeza

http://figuregallery.tistory.com/ent...inal-Gala-Show

Waltz Masquerade Medalists on Ice

http://figuregallery.tistory.com/ent...edalist-on-Ice

Here is the search page results for Mao Asada at the site with all of the photos from different competitions:

http://figuregallery.tistory.com/search/Mao Asada
 
Question: are we attributing Mao's slow spins to new positions and the program being new and it being an exhibition or are we concerned? I thought they were slow last season and in Sochi though her positions are superior.
 
arakwafan2006 said:
Question: are we attributing Mao's slow spins to new positions and the program being new and it being an exhibition or are we concerned? I thought they were slow last season and in Sochi though her positions are superior.
Click to expand...

Probably related to age. Her spins were never super fast. I thought she had good speed on them in Sochi except the catch-foot one; I didnt like the position on that one either. They were much better at Worlds that year.
I thought her spins were pretty good in her new Bach ex. She seems to be continuously spinning in that program. Her spins in the new SP needs more work. What I like about her spins besides the beautiful positions is that they usually are well-matched to the phrasing of the music. This actually happens far less often than it should in programs. For example, her spins in her LP last season went well with the tempo of that piece.
 
Miki89 said:
Probably related to age. Her spins were never super fast. I thought she had good speed on them in Sochi except the catch-foot one; I didnt like the position on that one either. They were much better at Worlds that year.
I thought her spins were pretty good in her new Bach ex. She seems to be continuously spinning in that program. Her spins in the new SP needs more work. What I like about her spins besides the beautiful positions is that they usually are well-matched to the phrasing of the music. This actually happens far less often than it should in programs. For example, her spins in her LP last season went well with the tempo of that piece.
Click to expand...

Mao understands music and Lori understands it all. Medvitava on the other hand placed them wherever the hell. Lol. The catch foot position in the short I'm not sold on. It's truthfully unfair to even assess them at this point in the season
 
Mao's tear shaped Biellmann and even more her I spin had really picturesque positions in Ritual Dance. I was surprised at how many revolutions she had in her I spin. Even though I don't think Mao ever got the kind of advantage in scores she deserved for her spectacular spiral sequences, when I see her wonderful I spin, I still wish very much that the spiral sequence had not been eliminated because it reminds me of how she uses her outstanding frontal extension to do magnificent fan spirals and from the back the cross grab Biellmann spiral with her skates carving serpentine arcs while she maintained prima ballerina positions. In addition to these, I think it would be really beautiful to see Mao do a frontal extension in her program. I am thinking of the one she did on the entrance to her double axel in Caprice, though I would love to see it last longer like a spiral with a change of edge. If Mao doesn't use one of these elements in her LP, I hope that she includes an arabesque with an edge change like the lovely one she did in Madame Butterfly at Worlds.

My true feelings about the removal of the spiral sequence are much more ill-tempered, so in the interest of civility I will refrain from expressing them publicly.
 
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Re. spins in Mao's new SP: I was lucky to watch the new SP LIVE twice in Nagoya shows. Her spins were all fine and matched quite well with the tempo of the music: they were well centred, of above average speed. Of course Mao at her age now can never spin and speed up in the spin (as Yulia does). But at least I'd say she's in quite good physical conditions to execute those spin elements to the formal competition standard. We have remember this is from a summer show, and I've seen much worse and unsuccessful spins from other skaters during the same show (such as: oh, no...Kanako, not those spins, or else I actually don't remember much about Satoko's spins to say if they stood out.)
 
arakwafan2006 said:
Question: are we attributing Mao's slow spins to new positions and the program being new and it being an exhibition or are we concerned? I thought they were slow last season and in Sochi though her positions are superior.
Click to expand...
To me spins are always barometer of her physical conditions. I found her knee bent in sit spins is deeper than last season (especially second half of the season), so I'm relieved her knee must be recovering. I'm not 100% sure about her back pains judging by the new position of the catch foot spins. I'm not a fan of the new position of the catch foot spin either, but she can improve in executing it, so I'll reserve my judging till Finlandia Trophy. Biellmann position looks OK, though. I'm sure she'll work on spins before Finlandia and Mr Sato is kinda expert on teaching spins. As for the speed of spins, I was a bit concerned at first, but, when I compared the first showing of Nocturne No2 at THE ICE 2013 to her performance at Worlds of the season, I came to think I'll attribute it to being at the very early stage of a season. It's very rare for her to skate a competitive program this early. I actually can't remember her skating a SP at THE ICE other than Sochi Olys season.

Watch this. Her spins are slower and raw here when you compare them to the spins done at competitions later in the season.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21yrwk_mao-asada-short-program-浅田真央-ショートプログラム-the-ice-2013完全版_sport

This DM user posted lots of videos from THE ICE in the past including other skaters. You can enjoy watching them too. It's a shame Chukyo TV ditched their official YT channel of THE ICE.
 
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Spun Silver said:
It just hit me that if I make it to SA I will have to stay for the gala to see Mao's EX. (Another day of multi-petsitting for my not-animal-oriented hubby.)

Your expectations for Mao this season are too low, @rosewood dear. :)
Click to expand...
haha Do you remember I was even wondering whether she'll win a spot for Worlds at the beginning of last season? My expectations are higher this time than that at least. :D I would say you should watch Cello Suit in person if things allows. Re pets. You are so sweet. Your cats are lucky ones.
cohkaix said:
Re. spins in Mao's new SP: I was lucky to watch the new SP LIVE twice in Nagoya shows. Her spins were all fine and matched quite well with the tempo of the music: they were well centred, of above average speed. Of course Mao at her age now can never spin and speed up in the spin (as Yulia does). But at least I'd say she's in quite good physical conditions to execute those spin elements to the formal competition standard. We have remember this is from a summer show, and I've seen much worse and unsuccessful spins from other skaters during the same show (such as: oh, no...Kanako, not those spins, or else I actually don't remember much about Satoko's spins to say if they stood out.)
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing your impressions from THE ICE!
 
gotoschool said:
Mao's tear shaped Biellmann and even more her I spin had really picturesque positions in Ritual Dance. I was surprised at how many revolutions she had in her I spin. Even though I don't think Mao ever got the kind of advantage in scores she deserved for her spectacular spiral sequences, when I see her wonderful I spin, I still wish very much that the spiral sequence had not been eliminated because it reminds me of how she uses her outstanding frontal extension to do magnificent fan spirals and from the back the cross grab Biellmann spiral with her skates carving serpentine arcs while she maintained prima ballerina positions. In addition to these, I think it would be really beautiful to see Mao do a frontal extension in her program. I am thinking of the one she did on the entrance to her double axel in Caprice, though I would love to see it last longer like a spiral with a change of edge. If Mao doesn't use one of these elements in her LP, I hope that she includes an arabesque with an edge change like the lovely one she did in Madame Butterfly at Worlds.

My true feelings about the removal of the spiral sequence are much more ill-tempered, so in the interest of civility I will refrain from expressing them publicly.
Click to expand...
Wasn't it in the next season when ISU ditched spirals that TAT choreographed Chopin's Ballade No1 with impressive spirals/glide for Mao as if TAT was shouting "See what Mao can do!" LOL
 
Shame no one posted videos from THE ICE Nagoya show on YT. I found a DM user who posted them with passwords. You can see the opening, Mao&Mai backstage video, Mao&Mai new collaboration program to Going Home (in impressive orange costumes and with a beautiful cloth), a digest of the 10 year's of history of THE ICE, Kanako to Seven Nation Army, Mura to Farrucas, Jeffery to Cry Me a River, Satoko to One More Try, Shoma to Buenos Aires Cero & a short collaboration number with Jason, Jason to Canned Heart, Patrick to Sunday Morning, Mao & Jeffery to Bolero, Mao to Ritual Dance. Click on this link. The password is
愛知県体育館
(just copy and paste). Then click on THE ICE 2016 on the upper right on your screen.
 
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rosewood said:
Shame no one posted videos from THE ICE Nagoya show on YT. I found a DM user who posted them with passwords. You can see the opening, Mao&Mai backstage video, Mao&Mai new collaboration program to Going Home (in impressive orange costumes and with a beautiful cloth), a digest of the 10 year's of history of THE ICE, Kanako to Seven Nation Army, Mura to Farrucas, Jeffery to Cry Me a River, Satoko to One More Try, Shoma to Buenos Aires Cero & a short collaboration number with Jason, Jason to Canned Heart, Patrick to Sunday Morning, Mao & Jeffery to Bolero, Mao to Ritual Dance. Click on this link. The password is
愛知県体育館
(just copy and paste). Then click on THE ICE 2016 on the upper right on your screen.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, rosewood, though I can't get the videos to play. Perhaps it is because of the part of the world that I am in. I just see a black screen under the name of each video.
 
gotoschool said:
Thanks for the link, rosewood, though I can't get the videos to play. Perhaps it is because of the part of the world that I am in. I just see a black screen under the name of each video.
Click to expand...
Ah maybe it's so if you can't open the dailymotion videos. I feel sorry for you.

BTW, it seems Sato Pharmaceutical is gonna release another commercial soon on this page.
http://www.stona.jp/
 
I gave into temptation and bought some tickets to see Mao skate her new long program at the Finlandia Trophy on Friday, October 7th, because it just happened to be perfect timing so I wouldn't have to miss a day of work, which may never happen again, because I have to fly quite a ways to get to the places where she skates. But getting off work for the SP seemed a bit too risky and more costly than it already is. I will be rooting my hardest for Mao and know she will skate with all her heart and spirit because that is what she always gives in her performances.
 
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