What's your favorite Sasha Cohen SP and Sasha Cohen Free Skate?

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

OK, I admit I do miss me some Sasha Cohen on the ice. I also admired her attempted comeback in '10.

I also quite enjoyed her music selections (like I did Michelle's).

When Sasha announced her music I never once said to myself, "really, girl?" like I do so much these days.

So of these 4 SPs and 6 Frees which one is your Fav SP and Free? 1-4 are SPs and 5-10 are Frees.

 

[Wyliefan]

It was very close for me between R&J and Rachmaninoff. I ultimately went with the former, but I'm a big fan of both.

 

[berthesghost]

I went with SL but def the version. Wagner’s was a travesty.

I also went with Mal for the SP. To me her skating was best with Just the ice coverage aspect of Mal compared to her previous SP was a big step forward to me but the grandness of her programs really had the skating meet the hype even if the results didn’t show it.

 

[danibellerika]

There are too many to choose, but if you're going to force me I'd say Malaguena 1.0 (mainly Skate Canada's because I loved how musical the first combo was and she had little accents that disappeared in later version) and Swan Lake 1.0 she skated at Campbell's. That layback and the forward scratch spin looking like a bird were ALL the things!! But I loved Sentimental Waltz and Dark Eyes almost as much. I miss seeing split jumps in the middle of footwork.

 

[briancoogaert]

Sentimental Waltz or Malaguena for the SP, and Rachmaninoff for the LP !
Swan Lake 1st version was also very nice.

 

[alchemy void]

I wish she would have trained properly for the 2010 season because Espana Cani could have been absolutely legendary.

 

[IceAlisa]

I went with the Moonlight Sonata for the LP but it was a struggle for the SP. So many great ones. Mal, Beast Waltz, Dark Eyes...sniff...but ultimately the Sentimental Waltz won for sentimental reasons. That was the first time ever I saw Sasha skating (at the 2002 Nationals, on TV) and the rest is history.

 

[VGThuy]

The first time I truly can say I loved Sasha's skating was actually at the 2006 Olympics because I was emotionally touched by her skating and felt she really skating with the music and material. Before, I appreciated aspects of her skating, but I never felt Sasha had good flow and her skating had beautiful positions but she never was able to connect them organically or with intricacy. It was like she could hit A and then B but the in-between wasn't there. I don't mean transitions but something else. I also thought she never seemed fully invested with the music as it always seemed that she skated above the music. I know that's not a popular opinion, but that's how it came off to me. In retrospect, what I wouldn't kill for somebody with Sasha's carriage and line these days.

 

[IceAlisa]

@VIETgrlTerifa and this is relevant to the thread how?

 

[VGThuy]

Answering the question of the thread. For me, it was specifically her 2006 Olympic programs. The rest of it is my rationale why I love those the best as everybody else in this thread has done.

 

[IceAlisa]

Answering the question of the thread. For me, it was specifically her 2006 Olympic programs. The rest of it is my rationale why I love those the best as everybody else in this thread has done.

Right, just like everyone else on the thread, aha

 

[avivadawn]

Both programs that I loved most aren't on the poll: Vivaldi SP and Mendelssohn LP from 1999-00 season.

 

[Wyliefan]

Both programs that I loved most aren't on the poll: Vivaldi SP and Mendelssohn LP from 1999-00 season.

Oh yes, I loved those too. Especially Mendelssohn.

 

[binbinwinwin]

I think I have at least 3 SPs I prefer to Malaguena actually but she's had some great performances of Malaguena. I think my favourite by far is Sentimental Waltz/My Sweet and Tender Beast and my fav LP would have to be R&J because I connected with her emotionally there. I used to think her Swan Lake was the best but on a more recent watch I felt like I only liked the spiral portion and brilliant forward scratch at the end.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Both programs that I loved most aren't on the poll: Vivaldi SP and Mendelssohn LP from 1999-00 season.

I know... you're only allowed 10 spots.. so using Wiki, and my memory I selected her most used and seen progams and then verified titles with Wiki.

 

[Japanfan]

Before, I appreciated aspects of her skating, but I never felt Sasha had good flow and her skating had beautiful positions but she never was able to connect them organically or with intricacy. It was like she could hit A and then B but the in-between wasn't there. I don't mean transitions but something else.

I think a lack of transitions were an aspect of her overall skating.

Sasha always had many picture-perfect moments in her skating. IMO, striking those poses was her favorite thing to do, but she didn't care to much about connecting them.

I also thought her edges were a bit shallow.

I also thought she never seemed fully invested with the music as it always seemed that she skated above the music. I know that's not a popular opinion, but that's how it came off to me. In retrospect, what I wouldn't kill for somebody with Sasha's carriage and line these days.

I agree with you about investment in the music, but think the reason for that was the focus on creating pretty shapes and flexible poses.

Also, her spiral was to die for. I got so sick of hearing the commentators gush endlessly about it.

But I would love to see a skater today do a spiral like Kwan or Cohen used to. Spirals seem to have become a lost art under IJS. Skaters just don't hold them for any length of time, and IJS obviously doesn't reward them for doing so.

I'd actually be in favor of a spiral sequence being mandatory for the ladies in the SP again, although I know how fast that gets boring.

 

[IceAlisa]

People still say “pretty shapes” and “flexible poses” like it’s a bad thing.
Totally disagree about the lack of connections. Her musicality is what caught my eye in the first place. She could do drama, she could do sass and sell it like the rent was due.

 

[bardtoob]

https://youtu.be/N_393_vt4j4

 

[danibellerika]

People still say “pretty shapes” and “flexible poses” like it’s a bad thing.
Totally disagree about the lack of connections. Her musicality is what caught my eye in the first place. She could do drama, she could do sass and sell it like the rent was due.

Here here!! And it was usually placed very well with the music. Girl had all the goods for World and Olympic gold except the nerves and the commentators knew it, hence the gushing which was well deserved. There's no perfect skater anyway if you want to point out flaws . Either way, she got me into this sport and it took until Hanyu for me to be as enthralled and emotionally invested in a skater again. I miss her to this day.

 

[Maximillian]

I voted for Sentimental Waltz because it was the first time I saw her and she just blew me away, but after voting I watched the clip of her Malaguena SP from SC and I change my vote. I actually saw that live and it was incredible to see (as you can hear by the crowd's response) and the fall at the end was like a punch in the gut.

 

[giselle23]

People still say “pretty shapes” and “flexible poses” like it’s a bad thing.
Totally disagree about the lack of connections. Her musicality is what caught my eye in the first place. She could do drama, she could do sass and sell it like the rent was due.

Agree. And if Sasha lacked transitions, it shows how meaningless transitions are to overall artistry or presentation. I wasn't even a Sasha fan back in the day but no skater today can match her artistry and the overall impact her skating had on the viewers.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I voted for Sentimental Waltz because it was the first time I saw her and she just blew me away, but after voting I watched the clip of her Malaguena SP from SC and I change my vote. I actually saw that live and it was incredible to see (as you can hear by the crowd's response) and the fall at the end was like a punch in the gut.

Thats why I voted for Sentimental Waltz (Sweet/Tender Beast) too!

Dark Eyes and Malaguena were great too.

Looks like Romeo & Juliet is winning the free. I voted Rachmaninoff.

Regarding Malaguena: Just wasnt a fan of that yellow dress. Much like Im not a fan of Tarasova's yellow dress.

 

[danibellerika]

Regarding Malaguena: Just wasnt a fan of that yellow dress. Much like Im not a fan of Tarasova's yellow dress.

I didn't care for the yellow one much but I loved the original one.

 

[IceAlisa]

IIRC, TAT was against the yellow dress. She said it was the color of egg yolk. But also IIRC, yellow is not an uncommon color when Spanish dancing is referenced. I am not a 100% sure though.

 

[UGG]

I swear the downfall to US Skating was all the juniors trying to emulate Sasha's flexibility and not focusing on actual skating. Caroline Zhang comes immediately to mind. Sasha put a stamp on her style that can be recognized even today and I think that is a huge accomplishment. And I don't think it will ever be matched. She was a very special skater.

 

[Japanfan]

People still say “pretty shapes” and “flexible poses” like it’s a bad thing.

I don't think it's a bad thing, and didn't mean to infer that. For me, there was just too much of both with Sasha.

But to be fair, it was the commentators' constant gushing over the pretty shapes and flexible poses that got on my nerves, much more than Sasha's skating itself.

And as I've said before, I miss the beautiful spirals that Kwan and Sasha used to do.

Agree. And if Sasha lacked transitions, it shows how meaningless transitions are to overall artistry or presentation. I wasn't even a Sasha fan back in the day but no skater today can match her artistry and the overall impact her skating had on the viewers.

Well, that would be in your opinion. And although I was never a fan of Yuna, she arguably had a greater impact. Commentators gushed even more over her than they did of Sasha. After her FP at Sochi, Kurt Browning made the statement that "she had no equals".

 

[IceAlisa]

Of course, Yuna is way more titled than Sasha. She also had a 3z/3t that was truly amazing. But so far Sasha has had no equals for me as a fan.

 

[danibellerika]

Of course, Yuna is way more titled than Sasha. She also had a 3z/3t that was truly amazing. But so far Sasha has had no equals for me as a fan.

Yeah, and no loop (my favorite jump). Yuna, despite her success, will never do anything for me. It's just not about that for me. I'm a Yuzuber and he is obviously incredibly talented, popular, and has accomplished incredible things, but I understand that not everybody is going to love his skating like I do, so I'm not in the business of trying to convince anybody or make any kind of points. Either he's your kinda skater or he isn't. There is no skater that everybody loves. But that's fine with me because it allows others to bring something different to the table.

But back to Sasha, sure I would have loved for her to seal the deal and maintain her SP leads from 2 Worlds and Torino, but if titles were all that mattered to me I'd be a fan of Kimmie Meissner, Sarah Hughes and the like. I don't care about impact she's made on anybody but ME. I wouldn't trade anything she was able to do for her to have those titles. And with that I am happy that Sasha still has her uniqueness.

 

[giselle23]

Well, that would be in your opinion. And although I was never a fan of Yuna, she arguably had a greater impact. Commentators gushed even more over her than they did of Sasha. After her FP at Sochi, Kurt Browning made the statement that "she had no equals".

No equals at what? Yes, she was a superior jumper. But she never had the line, the stretch or the flexibility that Sasha did. Her overall artistry is seriously over-rated in my opinion. She usually looks like she is in pain when she is trying to "emote." And by the way, you are taking issue with something I never said. I said no skater today can match her artistic impression, meaning no currently competitive skater.

 

[giselle23]

I went with the Moonlight Sonata for the LP but it was a struggle for the SP. So many great ones. Mal, Beast Waltz, Dark Eyes...sniff...but ultimately the Sentimental Waltz won for sentimental reasons. That was the first time ever I saw Sasha skating (at the 2002 Nationals, on TV) and the rest is history.

Sentimental Waltz was my choice, too. Here it is, at Salt Lake City. https://youtu.be/JDWCrlkloPA?t=145