Programs Never Given The Performance They Deserve

[memememe76]

Were there any brilliantly choreographed programs that were never skated to their potential due to the errors committed by the skater(s) or due to injury suffered by the skater(s)?

I'll give an example--Jean-Michel Bombardier and Michelle Menzies' 1997/98 Schindler's List. A breathtaking program but always riddle with jumping errors.

[Marco]

Michelle's Rush, Fate of Carmen and even Dream of Desdemona.

Also I wonder how Sasha would skate to the music she skated to in 2000 Nationals... (the year she first got silver?)

[Gaela]

Sale and Pelletier "Orchid". I was really peeved that they played it safe and stuck with Love Story for SLC. I understand they had their reasons, but why oh why didn't they go for broke and train it hard enough to skate it well? B&S did with meditation, Yags did with his new programs--I think they got nervous and copped out. Then the scandal happened, and Orchid fully skated to its potential was never to be seen again.

I would also say Elvis' Gladiator. I really felt that Yags 'stole' it from him in a way--he glamorized it too. Had Elvis been health he would have epitomized the blood, guts and courage of the Gladiator.

Maybe Plush's Carmen--or is he keeping it for next season?

[AxelAnnie22]

[color=darkblue:515fa74528]Angela's GISELLE. Arguably the best program of last season. She had one performance that was "almost" wonderful, but the program never quite reached its potential. I wish she would skate to it this season![/color:515fa74528]

[rack]

Definitely Angela's Giselle, in my opinion the best of the ladies' long programs this season.

And though this has nothing to do with injuries or failed jumps, I never felt Tim Goebel did justice to Lori Nichol's American In Paris- I longed to see what Yagudin could have done with it.

[leap of faith]

My first thought was "Orchid"

My second one was Kurt's "St. Louis Blues" SP from 1994.

[Bailey]

Unfortunately, many performances by Josee Chouinard....

[Ellyn]

Lu Chen's Take Five (1997 short program) (and probably whatever her long program was that year as well)

[memememe76]

Well, Jamie and David did skate Orchid extremely well at Skate Canada. Granted, they doubled the throw salchow, but other than that, it was perfect.

Let's also add B&S' Lady Caliphe(sp?).

[LAVENDER]

Michelle skated Dreams of Des perfectly at a couple of competitions but not at worlds which costed her the title. This is one of Michelle's best shorts. I think it's right up there with Rach in it's glory days.

Fate of Carmen...hmm..didn't she skate this well at Nationals?

Rush....this one didn't have a chance but not because Michelle didn't skate it well a couple of times. It wasn't good enough for the judges.

[bcskater]

i really think that evgeny's carmen could go a long way if he fixed up the last minute.

[jcspkbfan]

I agree St. Louis Blues was a pretty unlucky number for Kurt, but at least he did manage to skate it cleanly at 1993 Skate Canada and 1994 Ice Wars! :D

The one program I feel Kurt hasn't yet skated to its full potential would be "The Promise" number he used at 1999 Ice Wars. This was the only time Kurt has performed this number in front of an audience, he struggled with his jumps, and it was still very much a "work in progress," but I think this program would be considered one of Kurt's finest masterpieces if he ever performs it to its full potential someday!

Like Serenade to Sonia, The Promise was a gift from Kurt to his wife (the music was the first song Kurt and Sonia danced to on their wedding day), but the two programs are very different. Serenade to Sonia was more of an "in-your-face" (and I mean that in a good way!) romantic program, while The Promise was much slower and more intimate.

Okay, enough gushing about Kurt! :wink: Here are some other programs I loved which were never performed to their full potential:

Katia's Umbrellas of Cherbourg program--probably the most technically difficult number she's performed as a solo skater, but I don't think it was ever skated cleanly. :cry:

Katarina's Sister's Keeper--I don't think this program was ever skated cleanly, either.

Most of the programs Sarah Kawahara choreographed for Oksana Bauil--even though Oksana was struggling with her jumps and her drinking problem at the time, I still think these programs contained more intricate choreography and skating content than anything else Oksana has done. I especially liked the Safe From Harm program she performed at 1998 Skate TV.

Irina Slutskaya's 1998/99 competitive programs--again, even though this was the time Irina was struggling with her jumps and considered quitting altogether, I still think these programs were far superior to anything else Irina has done before [b:d38ceaed8d]or[/b:d38ceaed8d] since. I'd love to see Irina perform these programs again with the confidence and jump consistency she has today!

Nicole Bobek--another skater who unfortunately falls into the "too many performances to mention" category. :cry:

Takeshi Honda--almost everything he's done until he finally began landing his jumps consistently this year!

Alexander Abt--see Takeshi Honda

[CMc]

Since nobody's mentioned it yet, Sarah Hughes's [b:2a0d237c80]Turandot[/b:2a0d237c80] program is a great example of this because it had the potential to be a beautiful, artistic performance that featured many of the great lyrical elements that Sarah's SP's usually feature except this time it would be a long program, but it was way before its time since Sarah was still feeling her way towards this style of skating, and she fell on it virtually everytime the year it debuted (except 2000 Worlds where she just wobbled on that 3x lutz--correct me if I'm wrong), and she tried to revive it again at the '00 GPF and at the Winter Hershey's Challenge and GPF (both '01), but she still managed to fall on it. Pity since I always liked the music, even though I could stand to not hear "Nessun Dorma" for a while! ;)

[LAVENDER]

Oh I agree with Angela's Giselle. I loved this program. I also think Fumie and Takeshi's programs were masterpieces but never fully shined because of mistakes.

[A.H.Black]

Yuka Sato started the '94 Olympic season with a program The "Slow Dancing in the Big City" Luckily I have one tape of it. She was never able to make it work, I guess, because by Olympics she had gone back to her previous program.

Also The Steiglers, Junior Nationals winning program to Peer Gynt. One of the best pieces of choreography I have ever seen, but the performance at Nationals was not their best. The performance at sectionals came close but not many saw it.

[Sassafras]

Topping my list is Paul Wylie skating to "Touch Me" by the Doors. The first time he skated it was on Fox's Battle of the Sexes on Ice (97). [u:4a8e128f8c]Awesome[/u:4a8e128f8c] choreography by Lar Lubovitch. I would love to have seen it skated perfectly.

My other major disappointment has already been mentioned - Lu Chen's "Take Five" in Lausanne.

[Dragonlady]

Bourne & Kraatz - "Meet me at the love parade". I always wanted to see that program skated with speed and attack.

[RCF]

Did Debi Thomas ever skate her Carmen long program to its full potential? I was so disappointed during the 1988 Olympics because I'd heard such great things about the choreography and I loved Debi's style.

Also the Hartsell's Beatrix Potter program and Stanik Jannette's original free skate this past season. They were two of my favorite programs at Skate Canada but the skaters' technical problems prevented the choreography from have any real impact.

[Josef]

I would have to say...

Josee Chouinard "Kismet" 1996 LP - This was never performed even near-flawlessly, but it was a brillant program choreography-wise IMO. Other Josee programs that fit this category--"An American in Paris" (except for the 1994 Canadian Pro), "La Fille Mal Garde" (1994 SP), and the much forgotten but always elegant "Poeme" as a professional.

Michelle Kwan "Schez..." - The program never SOARED as so many of her other masterpieces have, IMO.

Katarina Witt "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" - This program was so elegant and emotional, yet never cleanly skated.

I also agree about Angela's "Giselle".. beautiful program, but.. always a huge disappointment.

I'm sure I'm forgetting many but I will most likely be back to post on this thread..

[Josef]

Also agreed on Kurt's "The Promise". I'm not sure why he dumped the program so quickly.. it was a piece of art and wish he would have used it more often.

[Erin F]

I would disagree that Josee's American In Paris and La Fille Mal Gardee were never performed to their potential. Even with a fall on the triple lutz in American In Paris at 1994 Canadians, it was still an excellent performance of the program and as Josef mentioned, there was also 1994 Canadian Pros. And La Fille Mal Gardee was performed brilliantly at 1994 Canadians (where Josee even earned a 6.0) and she also skated it very well at 1994 Worlds and 1993 Piruetten. But I definitely agree with Kismet...I really wish I had a really good performance of that program on tape.

My additions to the list:
Kurt's Firebird program, the first thing I thought of when I saw this topic. The only decent performance was at 1992 Worlds, but even there, he was concentrating more on trying to get the jumps done than on really performing the program.

A couple from Sandhu - his jazz short program from last year and his Grieg long program this year.

Jeff Langdon's great Quidam short (the program where he hurt himself at Canadian nationals).

Keyla Ohs's Quidam short and Sabrina long.

Naomi Nari Nam's short and long from the 1999-2000 seasons.

Yosuke Tacheuchi's hilarious Tarzan LP from this season.

Jeff Buttle's Spanish medley LP from 2000-01 his Tango SP from 1999-2001

[Sammie]

Elvis - 98 Oly's "Ghost in the Darkness" due to the groin/abdominal injuries. Yes, he won Olys Silver and he did skate it well at Canadians but he had made some changes to the program and because it was Olys, he wanted to do his very best. It just wasn't there. He did the best he could but it was a fantastic program and I always felt it was the one that didn't "peak", unfinished because he was injured and he never skated the completed program healthy.

[starlite]

I agree about Elvis' "Ghost and the Darkness". I've always
thought it was one of his most lyrical programs. It's a shame
he wasn't able to present it at it's best to an International
audience.

[manleywoman]

Dan Hollander, his short program from his last appearance at Nationals (I think). Don't know the name of the music, but it was almost just a drum beat, and he was wearing blackl pants and a black shirt that was part mesh/part fabric, and even Dick Button was saying how it was such an interesting program choreographically, and he just couldn't land any of the jumps.

[LAVENDER]

I vaguely remember Elvis's program. I might have to get that program on tape.

[summertime]

I agree about Kurt's "St. Louis Blues" :(

[proam]

Kurt’s Firebird, now that is a program that is brilliantly choreographed. :(
I also agree with Kurt’s St Louis Blues. :(

[SShaste]

I agree with Kurt's St.Louis Blue's. Also I really liked Elvis's 1999 short program at Canadians (at least I think it was 1999) when he missed his triple-triple combination. It was called All Alone and I thought that was a great program and was disappointed that it was the only time we got to see it (that I know of). I wish he would've used that program again.

[AJ Skatefan]

Michelle Kwan's Miraculous Mandarin was brilliant but only performed once and not great.

Sale and Pelltier's Orchid - they messed up by not doing this at the Olympics

Angela Nikodoniv's Giselle - I wish she'd get it together!

Almost all of Emmanuel Sandhu's programs!

[Cruella de Kwan]

AJSkatefan,

Glad someone brought up Michelle's MM program...I would love to see that done to it's potential!

-MaryJo

[Yazmeen]

Part of me wonders (and hopes) is it possible that Michelle and Peter Oppegard are quietly working on that program to really unleash it this season. Oooooh, what a thought!!!

[lemondrop]

I always thought Nancy Kerrigan's "Born on the 4th of July" long program was one of the prettiest she ever had, but I don't think I ever saw her skate it without mistakes.

[LAVENDER]

Yeah Emmanuel's programs could have been masterpieces and Michelle's MM could have been great but again the judges didn't like it.

[LTM]

One skater not mentioned yet who had wonderful LPs but no triple
axel, Sebastian Britten.
It used to kill me to watch his SPs, which were so awesome and just
know it would all unravel in the LP.
Just out of curiosity, does he even skate any longer?

[Chris_E]

I agree about Angela's Giselle. I hope she keeps it this season and finally performs it the way it deserves to be performed.

Todd's Lord of the Rings would have been spectacular had he been able to do the quad.

Meno and Sand's Rachmoninof program from the 96-97 season would have been great. Also there Tchaikovsky program from the 98 season that they dropped after one performance.

Chris

[lBrokenAnkle]

Dan Hollander's drum program is the first one I thought of too!

Also, I agree about Michelle's MM, I was agog at it, when she did it last year I would love to see it developed.

Alexei Yaguden's Broken Arrow, that is my favorite program of his by a long shot.

All Alone by Elvis was terrific, too. People forget that he did a one foot footwork pass in it that was so smooth!

Laura

[Intensity20]

The earlier comment about Katarina never skating "Sister's Keeper" cleanly is in fact not quite right. She did fall on her 2axel that year at the Gold Championships in Halifax, but she landed the 2axel at the World Pro the next month, and gave a haunting interpretation... I re-watched "Sister's Keeper" twice somewhat recently as the poem I'm including in our site's FanFic Festival is about that program.

I agree with so many of your comments, especially the note about Kurt Browning's number to "The promise". Tracy is one of my all time favourite singers, and that song is haunting: something I'd love played at my wedding too when I find Mr. Right.

Other programs that come to mind are Laetitia Hubert's "prostitute on drugs" free skate that she began the 1998-1999? or 2000 season with before reverting to an old number, Vanessa Gusmeroli's "Joan of Arc", Sebastien Britten's von Suppe long program, and Olga Markova's long program to "The Firebird".

[Giselle]

[quote:14449f8c6b="AxelAnnie22"][color=darkblue:14449f8c6b]Angela's GISELLE. Arguably the best program of last season. She had one performance that was "almost" wonderful, but the program never quite reached its potential. I wish she would skate to it this season![/color:14449f8c6b][/quote:14449f8c6b]

I agree! that program was an absolute gem!

[Orable]

[quote:804945bb63="memememe76"]Let's also add B&S' Lady Caliphe(sp?).[/quote:804945bb63]

Do you mean that you want to see more of of the stunning LC? So do I! :) But I don't think that it falls in this category. I think they've skated it cleanly nearly ever time they used it from the GWG to the Olys. BTW, that performance at teh Olys was flawless--even Sandra Bezic gushed about it! :lol:

Cheers, Orable

[Aussie Willy]

I will add Kristina Czako's Addams Family program in 97. I think it had some of the best choreography I have seen but she did not skate it clean at Europeans or Worlds. Still it was a great program.

I agree about Chouinard's 94 LP and Kurts 94 SP at the Olympics.

[memememe76]

[quote:2005f108bd]Do you mean that you want to see more of of the stunning LC? So do I! :) But I don't think that it falls in this category. I think they've skated it cleanly nearly ever time they used it from the GWG to the Olys. BTW, that performance at teh Olys was flawless--even Sandra Bezic gushed about it! :lol: [/quote:2005f108bd]

Oops, I must be losing my mind. I'm talking about their long program for the 1999-2000 season, which was shortened for them due to the drug test. They kinda skated it kinda clean during the 99 Skate Canada and the 01 GPF, but not perfect. What was the name of that program?

[weezie13]

I'll add in Boitano's '94 Grand Canyon Suite program. Such potential! I agree with Schez and Giselle as well.

[Orable]

[quote="memememe76"][quote:b7432b346e]
Oops, I must be losing my mind. I'm talking about their long program for the 1999-2000 season, which was shortened for them due to the drug test. They kinda skated it kinda clean during the 99 Skate Canada and the 01 GPF, but not perfect. What was the name of that program?[/quote:b7432b346e]

Valse Sentimentale (Sentimental Waltz) where they're wearing bluish greyish costumes, right? yeah, that was gorgeous, but never skated to it's full potential. I think they skated it cleanly at Euros...but that whole season was a disaster for B/S.

Cheers, Orable

[Debbie S]

Can I join w/Josef and add Michelle Kwan's Schez to the list? I think the music had a lot of potential and it was just waiting for the prefect performance, although Nats was close - maybe some more steps/choreography?

[jcspkbfan]

B&S skated another program during the 1999/2000 season that was never performed to its full potential--their first LP at the 2000 GPF was to Umbrellas of Cherbourg (the same version Langlois and Archetto used this season.) I thought it was a beautiful program and always hoped B&S would perform it again, but they haven't...I don't think this particular program was ever shown on US television. :(

I'd also [b:45b4b8f866]love[/b:45b4b8f866] to see S&P's "never once performed in front of an audience" Place In The Sun program they planned to use as their second LP at the 2000 GPF. Talk about a performance never skated to its full potential--that program never even got a performance!

[Dr. Pangloss]

Miraculous Mandarin by Bartok as skated by Michelle Kwan would have been amazing had she seen it to it's conclusion. Even the rough sketch we were allowed to see was enough to demonstrate that. Daring music, well worth the effort.
Cheers,
Dr. Pangloss

[TRAxel]

[quote:78c5f94e22="LTM"]One skater not mentioned yet who had wonderful LPs but no triple
axel, Sebastian Britten.
It used to kill me to watch his SPs, which were so awesome and just
know it would all unravel in the LP.
Just out of curiosity, does he even skate any longer?[/quote:78c5f94e22]

[b:78c5f94e22][color=green:78c5f94e22]Oh LTM, Sebastien will always be one of my favourite skaters! I miss him terribly. Debi Wilkes once said that because of the way that Sebastien did his double axels, he would never be able to land a triple axel... he always tried it in the programs but I don't recall him ever landing it??? Someone correct me if I am wrong. Sebastien had wonderful programs, he was amazing... if he'd had that triple axel back in the days when he was competing, he would have been the Canadian Champion more than once, even with Elvis in the building... I also believe he would have been a World Champion!!!!!!!

Good question, does anyone know what Sebastien is up to these days?? Coaching????[/color:78c5f94e22][/b:78c5f94e22]

[Lise]

I remember reading in the athelte guide book that he was coaching and doing some skating in some disney production. I know he won the a professional competition sometime ago (I think it was 1996-97). Sorry, that's all the info I have.

[Emanfan]

[quote="TRAxel"][quote:98c1a8197a="LTM"]Good question, does anyone know what Sebastien is up to these days?? Coaching????[/color][/b][/quote:98c1a8197a]

Another of my favourites. Wow, our Canadian men are really amazing aren't they???

I believe the Intensity on Ice forum has a whole section devoted to Sebastien, if anyone is interested.