U.S. Ladies [#27]: A Time to Reboot

[natsulian]

Mia Kalin, who will debut internationally this year as an Adv. Novice, answered some questions on her Instagram. She said she will be attempting a 4S when she is ready to put it in the program. She will be competing alongside Isabeau Levito at this year’s Asian Open.

 

[Jayar]

I have been rewatching some of Kwan's programs recently, and I am reminded why I love this sport. It was as if I was watching them for the first time-- I got nervous for her all over again. I can see Alysa being a Kwan-like skater, and wouldn't it be amazing if her Kwan 1995-96 transformation could happen at the same age?

 

[Dobre]

I don't think Alysa is like Michelle. I think Alysa is a more natural performer actually.

Kostornaia is the one that reminds me of Michelle. The same medium size relative to her peers, glide across the ice, and less of a natural extrovert.

 

[Coco]

Not a US Lady, but I had to rewatch Chen Lu's 1996 Worlds FS yesterday because real world news is so horrifying.

And I was thinking...hmm, Kostornaia's style reminds me a bit of Lu. LOL...

Liu seems more bubbly with energy for days, like Lipinski. Was very impressed when I saw Liu live at Nationals, given her age and size, her presentation was quite good.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Kostornaia is the one that reminds me of Michelle. The same medium size relative to her peers, glide across the ice, and less of a natural extrovert.

oh, Kostornaia is an extrovert x 10 and a diva and a talker and a show-off.... it's an acknowledged fact, by her coaches first of all..

 

[Finsta]

Alena’s skating reminds me of Kwan, but she has almost a leg wrap sometimes when she lands her jumps and I don’t see that in Kwan skating. She does have the grace and beauty. Her style is much different than the other Russian girls. Alyssa does remind me of Lipinskis personality but her skating at her age is more refined. Alyssa seems just to be Alyssa so far and very talented and likable

 

[aftershocks]

^^ Ummm, MK had an impact on ladies figure skating in many ways in terms of her movement style and her graceful, elegant use of her expressive arms. However, nobody really reminds me of the real deal. Michelle Kwan will not be repeated; she is her own remarkable phenomenon, and a legend in her own time.

For e.g., back-in-the-day, when Yu Na Kim first came on the scene, and I saw her skate for the first time, I was reminded of MK's skating. But that's because Kim was very much inspired by Michelle, and Kim I believe was in Juniors around the time Michelle's career was winding down. As I saw more of Kim, I realized she may have tried to pattern her movements on MK's example, but Kim was more of a bravura technician who never really fully tapped into her artistic possibilities. Kim had some wonderfully musical programs from choreographers, but it was her jumping ability and her willowy physique that were her greatest assets. She had a horrible layback position (which she tried to improve) and no stretch in her feet (which she never tried to improve).

I am generally in agreement with your views of Alysa Liu. Although Alysa has a confident, bubbly personality, other than that I don't think her personality resembles Lipinski's very much. Lipinski is also very much her own unique phenomenon and personality; especially that unforgettable, piercing scream. There was a graceful quality to Lipinski's skating, but I agree her skating was less refined and more juniorish when she won the OGM and subsequently retired. But she'd overdone the jumping and wouldn't have lasted competitively since she soon underwent hip surgery.

I can see Alysa being a Kwan-like skater, and wouldn't it be amazing if her Kwan 1995-96 transformation could happen at the same age?

Michelle was and is Michelle, Alysa is Alysa... Please let them be who they each are, in their own time, without any yearning for days and situations gone by being repeated.

I'm glad you experience such joy in looking back on MK's performances. Great performances never grow old.

Oh uh, as I now see reading more comments, everyone is having flashbacks: Chen Lu, Lipinski, Kwan...

LET THE SEASON BEGIN!

Kostornaia is Kostornaia; Alysa is Alysa; Ting is Ting, and so on... "To thine own self be true, and it must follow as the night the day. Thou canst not then be false to any[one]..."

 

[soogar]

^^ She had a horrible layback position (which she tried to improve) and no stretch in her feet (which she never tried to improve).

I'm just going to say that having seen many bodies, not many people are able to do a layback with a hip turned out or point their toes barefoot, let alone in ice skates. Not many people have the flexibility and mobility to do a layback and still maintain stability in the hips and back to withstand the pressures of jumping [added] which is why the young skaters have a huge advantage.

 

[Sylvia]

Bradie Tennell Enters 2019-20 Season with New Experience and New Mindset - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

Considering Bradie Tennell's status as one of the undisputed leading ladies of U.S. Figure Skating, it might be hard to believe that she's still figuring things

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

Excerpt:

Things were derailed a bit when Tennell broke her foot. She was in a boot for two months, forcing her to miss the Autumn Classic International, and only returning to full-throttle training in mid-September.
But she's pain-free, feeling good and looking forward to finally debuting her programs. In her short program, set to "Chronos/Mechanisms" by Kirill Richter, she hopes to show a different side of herself, while her free skate to "Cinema Paradiso" by Ennio Morricone is more wistful and elegant.
...
"I think this year I'm going to trust my process more and step on the ice and just be myself, because I'm most at home when I'm on the ice," Tennell said. "So I have to let that shine."

 

[kwanatic]

I don't have any expectations for Gracie.

This and the whole post @Dobre.

I feel like the people who are most disappointed/aggravated by Gracie's recent results are operating under the assumption that she was back to her old form. You can argue she looked more prepared than she was based on her coach's posts...but that's not her fault people assumed she was firing on all cylinders. Did she ever say she was 100% back/ready? I don't recall seeing it...

My whole approach for Gracie's comeback is meeting her where she is...not where she was in 2016 or where I expect her to be in this comeback. It's clear she has plenty of work to do but the fact that she went out there at all and produced two programs is a victory IMO.

Is she competitive right now? We can be honest and say no, she is not...and don't doubt for a second she's unaware of that. However, she has to start somewhere. Whether or not she's able to get herself where she needs to be to make a legitimate run at the team for 2022 is TBD. The point is she's doing this for herself, for her own motivations, and she owes no one anything.

 

[Stephanie]

Hanna Harrell has withdrawn from the Asian Open per the USFS site

 

[Maximillian]

This and the whole post @Dobre.

I feel like the people who are most disappointed/aggravated by Gracie's recent results are operating under the assumption that she was back to her old form. You can argue she looked more prepared than she was based on her coach's posts...but that's not her fault people assumed she was firing on all cylinders. Did she ever say she was 100% back/ready? I don't recall seeing it...

My whole approach for Gracie's comeback is meeting her where she is...not where she was in 2016 or where I expect her to be in this comeback. It's clear she has plenty of work to do but the fact that she went out there at all and produced two programs is a victory IMO.

Is she competitive right now? We can be honest and say no, she is not...and don't doubt for a second she's unaware of that. However, she has to start somewhere. Whether or not she's able to get herself where she needs to be to make a legitimate run at the team for 2022 is TBD. The point is she's doing this for herself, for her own motivations, and she owes no one anything.

ITA with the above, I'd also like to add that Gracie has been very clear in stating that she has had some 'dysfunctional' coaches in the past and never wants to go down that path again, so I implicitly trust her judgement with regards to her current situation. In other words, GG is all too familiar with effed up coaches and not having that situation in her comeback would probably be her number one priority. If in fact it happens to also be the reason she isn't at her old level yet, then that's for the best.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

ITA with the above, I'd also like to add that Gracie has been very clear in stating that she has had some 'dysfunctional' coaches in the past and never wants to go down that path again, so I implicitly trust her judgement with regards to her current situation. In other words, GG is all too familiar with effed up coaches and not having that situation in her comeback would probably be her number one priority. If in fact it happens to also be the reason she isn't at her old level yet, then that's for the best.

I'm just happy that Gold appears to be the one calling the shots with her skating now.

When she went to Frank Carroll and skated to warhorses like POTO, Sleeping Beauty, and Firebird, Gracie wasn't given any say in the coaching change or music selection, decision making process.

 

[aftershocks]

I'm just going to say that having seen many bodies, not many people are able to do a layback with a hip turned out or point their toes barefoot, let alone in ice skates. Not many people have the flexibility and mobility to do a layback and still maintain stability in the hips and back to withstand the pressures of jumping [added] which is why the young skaters have a huge advantage.

Right. Doing a proper layback is not easy. Figure skating in and of itself is not easy in so many ways. Simply because it's not easy to do a proper layback does not mean it's impossible to make a better effort to attempt doing a layback with improved positions. Even Michelle Kwan did not have the best layback leg position because it is very difficult to learn it properly.

I took ballet classes years ago, so I understand what you are talking about. Not everyone has great flexibility. But skaters today have to work hard on stretching and other exercises in order to become more flexible if they wish to excel at the highest levels.

Michelle worked with a spin specialist and she made an effort one season to perfect her leg position in the layback, but she didn't manage to maintain proper leg position throughout her career. In fact, she fudged by employing the dropped leg layback position as a variation.

Figure skating altogether is rough on the body. Jumping on hard ice in the boots that are made today is simply murder on the joints of every athlete who engages in the sport. The physics of what's involved in jumping and landing on hard ice so repeatedly is something that no one wants to think about too closely in this sport. So, doctors, physical therapists, massage therapists and trainers are employed as well as nutritionists and psychologists in order to lessen or at best try to manage the detriments and disadvantages involved in competing in this difficult sport.

Athletes decide what they wish to focus on. And if proper layback positions and stretching one's feet is too hard, but there are other weapons and assets that will help a skater to advance to the highest levels without paying attention to the more aesthetic details, so be it.

 

[Allskate]

I'm someone who always has respected Bradie but didn't particularly enjoy her skating. So, I'm surprised by how much I really, really like her short program this season.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

OH-MY-GOD..

lemme just...

can I just....

lemme just...

Lemme go find the Bradie fan page!

 

[annie720]

Bradie's SP is unique and it works for her. Good going, girl!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

If Amber didnt get the < she would be in 4th place I believe......

I for real, legit, do not understand how her choreo and interpretation scores are not top 3!!!!! How? Why? She made me feel something more than anyone..... Good choreo too.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Looking over the scores at the end of last season I'm not surprised Tennel has done so well here. Her short is complex which the judges like and the elements were near flawless. I hope she can smooth out the program so it feels more a piece and not individual bits.

I expect Scher to win. But Tennel can outscore the others.

 

[Jarrett]

Bradie's short was great. I really enjoyed her short program last year but this one is even better. She really sold it and seemed to be enjoying herself throughout.

 

[Coco]

Curious about Karen having a 1.15 advantage in PCS over Amber. I honestly don't know who should be better here, but would love to hear technical explanations for the difference. Thanks!

 

[olympic]

U.S. ladies gutting it out. Color me happy. Bradie consistently stands up (normally) under pressure. Something I'm not used to seeing in US ladies

 

[Teamgracie]

If Amber didnt get the < she would be in 4th place I believe......

I for real, legit, do not understand how her choreo and interpretation scores are not top 3!!!!! How? Why? She made me feel something more than anyone..... Good choreo too.

Agree! I love her programs. I’m so tired of her being underscored but I have to remember to ff through scoring and just enjoy the beauty.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Curious about Karen having a 1.15 advantage in PCS over Amber. I honestly don't know who should be better here, but would love to hear technical explanations for the difference. Thanks!

I posed this same question last night......

 

[Frau Muller]

If Amber didnt get the < she would be in 4th place I believe......

I for real, legit, do not understand how her choreo and interpretation scores are not top 3!!!!! How? Why? She made me feel something more than anyone..... Good choreo too.

I don’t know...while a fine skater, Amber doesn’t have the traditional “pulled together” look that judging panels prefer. The opposite of a sophisticated look. Crude makeup (for such a natural beauty) and crazy dangling earrings. Amber gives out an air of “WTF...I Skate for myself & do what I want...” like Tuk used to do for a while but is a bit more “playing along” now. Amber’s musical choices are also too “generic female ballad.” Hopefully she’ll have a more “pulled together” look in the LP, so as to not sabotage her abilities.

 

[Teamgracie]

Wow, it’s funny how people can watch the same skater and have such totally different reactions. I love Amber’s programs. They are the only ones I wanted to keep going and watch over again. She comes across in interviews as quiet and not wtf at all. Guess that’s why this crazy sport is so subjective.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Amber doesn’t have the traditional “pulled together” look that judging panels prefer. The opposite of a sophisticated look. Crude makeup (for such a natural beauty) and crazy dangling earrings. Amber gives out an air of “WTF...I Skate for myself & do what I want.

huh?????????

Amber Glenn from Texas? The figure skater?

lol, I dunno what you talking about Willis.. I disagree and left bewildered...

crude makeup? Child, I live in Hollywood, CA ... come walk down my streets and maybe thats what you mean by crude makeup...... dangling earrings????

an air of "WTF?"

I think you're talking about a different figure skater..... Im so perplexed by your thoughts that Im gonna focus on other things at the moment.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Wow, it’s funny how people can watch the same skater and have such totally different reactions. I love Amber’s programs.

Thats what Im talking about... Im all for disagreeing.... but not stuff like that.. You can not like a figure skater but saying they are unsophisticated and have an air of WTF is like listening to trump.. nothing is true.

 

[Jarrett]

Amber is an interesting case. She reminds me of Nicole Bobek. She skates very free and is an emotional skater, which to me, sometimes get the better of her. I agree with Fran that Amber does give off the impression that she is skating for herself and the audience, not really the judges. She is not a cookie cutter skater at all but she does skate to a lot of generic female ballads and sometimes looks on the verge of tears. I enjoy her a lot as a skater because does not hide her emotions. It is up to her what she wants to portray out there so I can't get mad at her. It always a spectacle of some sort.

 

[Carolla5501]

huh?????????

Amber Glenn from Texas? The figure skater?

lol, I dunno what you talking about Willis.. I disagree and left bewildered...

crude makeup? Child, I live in Hollywood, CA ... come walk down my streets and maybe thats what you mean by crude makeup...... dangling earrings????

an air of "WTF?"

I think you're talking about a different figure skater..... Im so perplexed by your thoughts that Im gonna focus on other things at the moment.

There are some poster the ignore feature was made for. You were trying to reason with one of them. If you put them on ignore it’s a much nicer board