yogurtslinger
11-29-2003, 11:05 PM
Wow, this event reminded me how much I love the pros-- and what attracts me about skating. Don't get me wrong, I do love following the Sasha saga and the Grand Prix, etc. ;)... but really many of my favorite skaters are the old pros-- their performances are so emotional, and many are also highly personal, for the audiences as well as for themselves.
Highlights for the night:
1. Oksana-- she looked great-- radiant. I was sooo happy simply to see her take the ice. She looked fitter than I expected, albeit a little shakey, and the choreography didn't really stand out to me. But that old Oksana magic was still on hand because it really didn't matter what the choreography was to an extent, because her presence just took and held your attention. She said in an interview earlier in the year that when she takes the ice again, you'll see the newfound support she has in her life show up in her skating... and that was so true-- she seemed so calm, balanced, and joyful out there. At the same time, she lost none of her attack; it's weird, she had this strange combination of calmness and attack. She's just proving to herself that she can do it... and I love that attitude, that competitive spirit within her. She's such an inspiring figure. (Okay, enough Oksana propaganda ;)... can you tell she's my favorite skater?)
2. B&S-- actually, their technical program performance was my favorite performance of the evening (from a purely skating perspective). What was their music? It was dark, dramatic and just really fresh and powerful. I liked their costumes and their overall look on the ice... their skating is pure Olympic Gold caliber-- their technique, their speed, their line.. I mean, it's just like, as soon as they take the ice, you're just struck by the "quality" of their skating and their talent. I enjoyed their artistic program as well, although the music didn't really build for me. But it had a nice romantic look and I like many of the poses they struck throughout the program.
3. S&P-- Crying was a really emotional performance and exemplified this couple's strengths. Really simple, effective movements (especially the spinning dance lifts... okay, the technical term is eluding me right now). The Queen performance was really interesting choreographically.. and once again, both pairs really demonstrated just the sheer quality of their skating and of their potential. To use a really bad analogy, it's like driving a luxury BMW- even if it's an older model, a little weathered perhaps, the quality is still there, and everytime these pairs take the ice, it's so plainly obvious. As pros, they are even more enjoyable to watch I think, as their performances have become more emotional and more inventive.
4. Victor-- I liked his Hotel California performance. Vintage Victor, with all the delayed arm movements, tango flourishes (or whatnot), and those come hither eyes ;). Yum. Did he do a triple axel? He looks better than he did the last time I saw him.
5. Brian-- hey, what is there to say? Can anyone believe this guy is forty? What athleticism. That said, I'm not sure what to think about his film noir programs.. didn't quite work for me. It was like watching one of Michelle Kwan's more obscure programs-- may improve upon rewatching; there were some interesting elements.
6. Kurt-- his artistic program really showcased his strengths. He's typically one of my favorite male performers, but this particular night he seemed a little sluggish; although good enough to trump Victor solidly. I knew he would too when I saw Victor's music choice... just not going to fly with this audience.
7. Nichole-- hmm.. I guess the matchup of these two ladies was really suitable.. they seem to be at the same stage of their careers, sort of, although Oksana still has her spark and also her competitive drive. Nichole... watching her is just a little sad-- although her double axel was beautiful. Wow, she must have really lost it in her technical program for them to omit her performance.
8. Kulik-- another one of those pros who just exemplify quality skating. I don't think he's really challenging himself though.. spins are still a little weak, and Susie was right when she said there's an unrefined quality about him... but what beautiful jumps! Dick would be raving about his soft landings as well, still. Side note, it was funny the way Susie was going on about his jumps, and his powerful gliding movements on the ice, etc... it sounded like she had a little crush on him or something lol. That said, I really really want to see him do pair work with Katia again; those two had a really interesting chemistry, and Katya really shines as a mature woman when they are together. It's a side of her we didn't get to see so much when she was with Sergei.
... and how about the judging? I was surprised by the world team favoritism. Although I appreciated the quality of the judging-- they really did seem to be looking for the traditional elements in scoring the skaters, instead of just sort of going with the audience reaction completely. Nice to see.
All in all, this was the most enjoyable piece of skating for me to date this year. Kind of surprising too... I was just going into this wanting to see Oksana and also wondering how some of these other pros were doing... but they really put on some stellar performances tonight. Like some have said in the other thread-- most weren't gimmicky either; they were real quality performances. Okay... conclusion: I miss professional skating!
Okay.. what are your thoughts??
[Edited because... I forgot Kulik. Whoops :oops: ]
Highlights for the night:
1. Oksana-- she looked great-- radiant. I was sooo happy simply to see her take the ice. She looked fitter than I expected, albeit a little shakey, and the choreography didn't really stand out to me. But that old Oksana magic was still on hand because it really didn't matter what the choreography was to an extent, because her presence just took and held your attention. She said in an interview earlier in the year that when she takes the ice again, you'll see the newfound support she has in her life show up in her skating... and that was so true-- she seemed so calm, balanced, and joyful out there. At the same time, she lost none of her attack; it's weird, she had this strange combination of calmness and attack. She's just proving to herself that she can do it... and I love that attitude, that competitive spirit within her. She's such an inspiring figure. (Okay, enough Oksana propaganda ;)... can you tell she's my favorite skater?)
2. B&S-- actually, their technical program performance was my favorite performance of the evening (from a purely skating perspective). What was their music? It was dark, dramatic and just really fresh and powerful. I liked their costumes and their overall look on the ice... their skating is pure Olympic Gold caliber-- their technique, their speed, their line.. I mean, it's just like, as soon as they take the ice, you're just struck by the "quality" of their skating and their talent. I enjoyed their artistic program as well, although the music didn't really build for me. But it had a nice romantic look and I like many of the poses they struck throughout the program.
3. S&P-- Crying was a really emotional performance and exemplified this couple's strengths. Really simple, effective movements (especially the spinning dance lifts... okay, the technical term is eluding me right now). The Queen performance was really interesting choreographically.. and once again, both pairs really demonstrated just the sheer quality of their skating and of their potential. To use a really bad analogy, it's like driving a luxury BMW- even if it's an older model, a little weathered perhaps, the quality is still there, and everytime these pairs take the ice, it's so plainly obvious. As pros, they are even more enjoyable to watch I think, as their performances have become more emotional and more inventive.
4. Victor-- I liked his Hotel California performance. Vintage Victor, with all the delayed arm movements, tango flourishes (or whatnot), and those come hither eyes ;). Yum. Did he do a triple axel? He looks better than he did the last time I saw him.
5. Brian-- hey, what is there to say? Can anyone believe this guy is forty? What athleticism. That said, I'm not sure what to think about his film noir programs.. didn't quite work for me. It was like watching one of Michelle Kwan's more obscure programs-- may improve upon rewatching; there were some interesting elements.
6. Kurt-- his artistic program really showcased his strengths. He's typically one of my favorite male performers, but this particular night he seemed a little sluggish; although good enough to trump Victor solidly. I knew he would too when I saw Victor's music choice... just not going to fly with this audience.
7. Nichole-- hmm.. I guess the matchup of these two ladies was really suitable.. they seem to be at the same stage of their careers, sort of, although Oksana still has her spark and also her competitive drive. Nichole... watching her is just a little sad-- although her double axel was beautiful. Wow, she must have really lost it in her technical program for them to omit her performance.
8. Kulik-- another one of those pros who just exemplify quality skating. I don't think he's really challenging himself though.. spins are still a little weak, and Susie was right when she said there's an unrefined quality about him... but what beautiful jumps! Dick would be raving about his soft landings as well, still. Side note, it was funny the way Susie was going on about his jumps, and his powerful gliding movements on the ice, etc... it sounded like she had a little crush on him or something lol. That said, I really really want to see him do pair work with Katia again; those two had a really interesting chemistry, and Katya really shines as a mature woman when they are together. It's a side of her we didn't get to see so much when she was with Sergei.
... and how about the judging? I was surprised by the world team favoritism. Although I appreciated the quality of the judging-- they really did seem to be looking for the traditional elements in scoring the skaters, instead of just sort of going with the audience reaction completely. Nice to see.
All in all, this was the most enjoyable piece of skating for me to date this year. Kind of surprising too... I was just going into this wanting to see Oksana and also wondering how some of these other pros were doing... but they really put on some stellar performances tonight. Like some have said in the other thread-- most weren't gimmicky either; they were real quality performances. Okay... conclusion: I miss professional skating!
Okay.. what are your thoughts??
[Edited because... I forgot Kulik. Whoops :oops: ]