Program Introduction
Short Program: White Legend
It’s difficult. The piece has a clear storyline, and I have to express that story and convey it to the people watching. The music has a real sense of depth, and what I’m portraying is a bird—not a human being! It’s quite challenging to convey the image of myself as a swan gliding across a lake.
The original piece is very famous, and in Japan, Daisuke Takahashi has also performed a hip-hop version of Swan Lake. So perhaps, when people think of Swan Lake in Japanese men’s singles skating, they automatically associate it with Daisuke Takahashi. But I hope people will also remember, “There’s Yuzuru Hanyu’s Swan Lake, too!”
Thanks to having performed this program so many times in ice shows, I can now get into the right frame of mind the moment the music starts. I've also improved considerably in my emotional expression, and I hope I can bring that same level of expression to my competition performances. I need to be able to convey emotion even while executing jumps, and make sure those feelings reach both the audience and the judges!
Free Skate: Zigeunerweisen
Both my short program and free skate are set to violin music, and both are well-known pieces. I want to show people that even when the music is played by the same instrument, I can express two completely different sides of myself. I absolutely love the sound of the violin, so I've wanted to skate to violin music for a long time. However, this free skate takes me into a world I've never explored before. It has an atmosphere unlike anything I've performed to up until now... so it's quite challenging. The music builds to a climax right at the very end. I want to build up my stamina so that I won't be overwhelmed by the music's intensity. And on top of that, after moving up to the senior level, the program has become 30 seconds longer, and yet I have to skate such a difficult program! It's really tough!
(Last season, did you think about your own story every time you performed your free skate?)
I want to do the same this season, too, but right now, just remembering all the choreography is already pushing me to my limits. It's not ballet music, and there isn't really an established theme to begin with. It's genuinely difficult! I haven't even managed to form a clear image of it in my own mind yet... What should I do? I really enjoy creating my own stories, so I hope I can convey at least a little of that to the audience. But, well... perhaps rather than focusing on storytelling, this piece is more about showcasing artistry? I also hope I can properly bring out my own artistic expression.
Exhibition Program: Vertigo
It's somewhat similar to last season's exhibition program, Change, but this one has more of a rock feel! Since it's a fast-paced, strongly rock-influenced piece unlike anything I've performed before, I wanted to deliver an intense performance that wouldn't lose out to the energy of the music. I hope the audience gets fired up, too! That said, Vertigo is even more demanding in terms of stamina... compared to that, Change feels like a total breeze! (laughs)
(By the way, Yuzu skating to U2—is that intentional?)*
Well, how should I put it... That's a bit of a stretch... It seems Coach Abe isn't particularly keen on that interpretation, either (laughs). But this is a program I really love. It's so much fun to skate, and it features lots of unusual choreography that you don't often see. There are so many things to look out for! The final spin is a combination of two sit spins. Since there's not much time left, I have to spin really fast. That's one part I'd especially like everyone to watch. I'll give it everything I've got and spin like crazy!
*t/n: word play- U2 is pronounced Yūtsū in Japanese, which sounds like Yuzu.
By
yuzurujenn ·
