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So, I know that most of y'all haven't been following skating since the fandom died down, which is cool and all. Since I'm still super into the sport, I figured I would clue you guys in to what you missed so that everyone can talk skating with me forever for your own personal education. Last year, I did that whole primer about who you should be rooting for at Nats, which was fun and all, but this year I'm disgusted with most of the Americans so let's not even talk about them. Let's just watch some pretty skating.
1. Akiko Suzuki, Short Program at NHK
I was torn over whether to put Akiko's short program or long program, because I like her long better as a program, but this short is fucking flawless (and adorable). I decided on the short for two reasons: 1) the opening jump combo, which was the first triple-triple of her career, at the age of TWENTY-SIX, and 2) her happiness at the end of this program is so endearing. Akiko has had a really rocky career, and last year everyone was saying, "Oh, she skates so beautifully, it's too bad she's old and will always be shafted by the judges." This year, with Miki Ando out of the running, there's finally space for her at the top in Japan and she's earning it. To me, Akiko's skating reminds me of no one so much as Michelle Kwan. She has that Kwan ability to just radiate feeling when she skates, in an incredibly genuine and unforced way, and something about her movement quality is so captivating and beautiful. I think she would have done incredibly in the 90's under the 6.0 system. I am so glad she won this competition.
2. Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov, Short Program at the Grand Prix Final
I truly love Tanya and Max, but when I heard their music choices for this season I had to laugh. Then I watched their short and went from "I can't believe they're doing a program to Evanescence" to "I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH I'M ENJOYING A PROGRAM TO EVANESCENCE." It kind of works! I love their matching leather pants and their ridiculous wristbands. I love their energy and their mirrored step sequence. I love the stupid little dance they do before even skating to the center to start their program. And I think I made an embarrassingly sexual noise out loud when I saw that opening triple twist. Straight-up skating porn right there. The height is unbelievable. Pairs has gotten so cookie-cutter, but this program is engaging and awesome and great. I don't even care that it gives me such strong flashbacks to middle school. (They lost the GPF by, seriously, 0.18 points. Savchenko/Szolkowy weren't flawless, but still, Worlds should be interesting.)
3. Yuzuru Hanyu, Free Skate at the Grand Prix Final
I have been crazy impressed with Yuzuru Hanyu this season. He has that elusive ability to do choreography that looks like choreography, rather than "I am supposed to put my arms here now so that I look artistic." The choreography at the very beginning of the program isn't my favorite, so when I was re-watching this I was like "wait, why did I like this program so much again?" and then he does that triple axel right out of a spread eagle and I was like OH RIGHT. NGH. He also has a gorgeous quad. His jumps are high, and his transitions into them are crazy difficult. That plus the fact that he actually inhabits the music and expresses emotion. Also, Rippon arms. And an Ina Bauer. And a man-Biellmann. When I saw this program I was just blown away. Plus his little "omg did I do that?" face at the end is so cute.
4. Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, Free Dance at the Grand Prix Final
Ice dance has been so good this season, I seriously considered doing a separate "top 5 ice dance performances" list. Well, obviously I think that Meryl and Charlie's free dance is the best from this season, and really showcases their growing maturity and refinement as skaters as well as Meryl's growing hotness, but Kaitlyn and Andrew have been really good for the past couple of years and they're definitely worth paying attention to. This is a gorgeous program, just beautiful and classy and skillful. (Can I just say that I love that Meryl and Charlie started this trend of people standing all over each other with their skates on? Great trend, guys.) It's a shame that they're from Canada, where they will eternally be second to Virtue and Moir, because they're like the Shibutanis of the north: just smooth and light and pretty to watch. What I love about this free dance is that there are no movements that are just for the hell of it or just to have something to do; they all contribute to the feeling of the dance. They even do their lifts in character.
5. Jeremy Abbott, Short Program at Cup of Russia
Man, I had a really hard time deciding on a fifth program. If Jeremy had just once skated his long program clean, I would have put it in unhesitatingly, because it's a really nice program, but no luck so far. This short program is good-I really love the footwork sequences-but it's a little cheesy and I can't help but think it's what Jeremy Abbott would look like bodyswapped with Rachael Flatt. Still, this moment at Cup of Russia was a huge victory for him, earning him the highest short program score of his career. I do consider Jeremy an artistic skater, but he doesn't always have that talent of making every moment look graceful, like Hanyu (or Kozuka, or Takahashi, or really just anyone from Japan). But his skating at its best has this effortless flow to it that allows him to relax into the choreography. I think this program is a great example of that. (But I'm still not speaking to the rest of Team USA.)
Honorable Mention
Could I have filled this entire post with performances from Japan? Yes. (What the fuck are they doing over there that makes them all so good?)
Jeremy Abbott, FS at Cup of Russia - Again, I love this program, but he's not yet performed it without mistakes that are significant enough to really mar my enjoyment. This performance was exciting though because he actually drew blood.
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, FS at Trophee Eric Bompard - Elizaveta has been rocking this season, becoming the first ladies skater ever to win both her Grand Prix events in her first year as a senior skater. She really is an amazing jumper, as well as looking exactly like a fourteen-year-old girl version of Johnny Weir.
Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat, FD at the Grand Prix Final - This program is so dumb and I love it. The concept is ridiculous, but huge props for choosing a non-romantic ice dance program and also for backing up the ridiculous with awesome amounts of skill (the first lift is just so damn neat).
Daisuke Takahashi, FS at the Grand Prix Final - I mean, it's Daisuke fucking Takahashi. He's just so cool. Love the music. Also love that he went for the quad flip.
Meryl Davis and Charlie White, FD at the Grand Prix Final - Obviously, they're just incredible. This is the ninth competition in a row they've won, and Nationals will make it ten. I love Meryl's dress so much and especially her little mask fascinator, and I really adore how ballroom this dance is. Someday I will marry both of them. I don't know how or when, but I will.
1. Akiko Suzuki, Short Program at NHK
Click to viewI was torn over whether to put Akiko's short program or long program, because I like her long better as a program, but this short is fucking flawless (and adorable). I decided on the short for two reasons: 1) the opening jump combo, which was the first triple-triple of her career, at the age of TWENTY-SIX, and 2) her happiness at the end of this program is so endearing. Akiko has had a really rocky career, and last year everyone was saying, "Oh, she skates so beautifully, it's too bad she's old and will always be shafted by the judges." This year, with Miki Ando out of the running, there's finally space for her at the top in Japan and she's earning it. To me, Akiko's skating reminds me of no one so much as Michelle Kwan. She has that Kwan ability to just radiate feeling when she skates, in an incredibly genuine and unforced way, and something about her movement quality is so captivating and beautiful. I think she would have done incredibly in the 90's under the 6.0 system. I am so glad she won this competition.
2. Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov, Short Program at the Grand Prix Final
I truly love Tanya and Max, but when I heard their music choices for this season I had to laugh. Then I watched their short and went from "I can't believe they're doing a program to Evanescence" to "I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH I'M ENJOYING A PROGRAM TO EVANESCENCE." It kind of works! I love their matching leather pants and their ridiculous wristbands. I love their energy and their mirrored step sequence. I love the stupid little dance they do before even skating to the center to start their program. And I think I made an embarrassingly sexual noise out loud when I saw that opening triple twist. Straight-up skating porn right there. The height is unbelievable. Pairs has gotten so cookie-cutter, but this program is engaging and awesome and great. I don't even care that it gives me such strong flashbacks to middle school. (They lost the GPF by, seriously, 0.18 points. Savchenko/Szolkowy weren't flawless, but still, Worlds should be interesting.)
3. Yuzuru Hanyu, Free Skate at the Grand Prix Final
I have been crazy impressed with Yuzuru Hanyu this season. He has that elusive ability to do choreography that looks like choreography, rather than "I am supposed to put my arms here now so that I look artistic." The choreography at the very beginning of the program isn't my favorite, so when I was re-watching this I was like "wait, why did I like this program so much again?" and then he does that triple axel right out of a spread eagle and I was like OH RIGHT. NGH. He also has a gorgeous quad. His jumps are high, and his transitions into them are crazy difficult. That plus the fact that he actually inhabits the music and expresses emotion. Also, Rippon arms. And an Ina Bauer. And a man-Biellmann. When I saw this program I was just blown away. Plus his little "omg did I do that?" face at the end is so cute.
4. Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, Free Dance at the Grand Prix Final
Ice dance has been so good this season, I seriously considered doing a separate "top 5 ice dance performances" list. Well, obviously I think that Meryl and Charlie's free dance is the best from this season, and really showcases their growing maturity and refinement as skaters as well as Meryl's growing hotness, but Kaitlyn and Andrew have been really good for the past couple of years and they're definitely worth paying attention to. This is a gorgeous program, just beautiful and classy and skillful. (Can I just say that I love that Meryl and Charlie started this trend of people standing all over each other with their skates on? Great trend, guys.) It's a shame that they're from Canada, where they will eternally be second to Virtue and Moir, because they're like the Shibutanis of the north: just smooth and light and pretty to watch. What I love about this free dance is that there are no movements that are just for the hell of it or just to have something to do; they all contribute to the feeling of the dance. They even do their lifts in character.
5. Jeremy Abbott, Short Program at Cup of Russia
Man, I had a really hard time deciding on a fifth program. If Jeremy had just once skated his long program clean, I would have put it in unhesitatingly, because it's a really nice program, but no luck so far. This short program is good-I really love the footwork sequences-but it's a little cheesy and I can't help but think it's what Jeremy Abbott would look like bodyswapped with Rachael Flatt. Still, this moment at Cup of Russia was a huge victory for him, earning him the highest short program score of his career. I do consider Jeremy an artistic skater, but he doesn't always have that talent of making every moment look graceful, like Hanyu (or Kozuka, or Takahashi, or really just anyone from Japan). But his skating at its best has this effortless flow to it that allows him to relax into the choreography. I think this program is a great example of that. (But I'm still not speaking to the rest of Team USA.)
Honorable Mention
Could I have filled this entire post with performances from Japan? Yes. (What the fuck are they doing over there that makes them all so good?)