beki

Yeah, that doesn't make much sense, but whatever keeps his confidence up. I can understand why he's on the defensive and I like his skating.

But think of it this way... it gives him more time to practice Unrelated, I have seen people discussing him putting the 3Lz first to increase his base value because he is backloading more valuable jumps. But to me it is obviously supposed to be a quad Hopefully we will soon get past the milestone of including the 4Lz and people will move on to saying different nonsensical things...

I love it! Feels like the culmination of their style. They're not trying to be versatile but to fulfill their own specific vision of ice dancing. When people have that level of conviction, it works for me. I think her dress is beautiful too.

Idk, you'd be surprised, in the American men's thread the sentiment that quad points are the only points that matter pops up frequently. And I'm thinking, if Jason Brown's skating is good enough to inspire our lord and savior Yuzuru Hanyu, it should be good enough for you too! Then again they don't worship in our church...

As a US fan, I was really struck with his words on Jason Brown and Max Aaron. Well, I agree 100%. But I could see some heads on the other forum exploding

Well, it will be interesting, possibly agonizing, to follow the judges' whims during the Olympic year. But I'm sure we all agree he doesn't need to max out PCS to achieve masterpieces.

Skaters used to get perfect 6.0s, so I think it's possible. It's illogical if you think of it being the best ever with no room for improvement, but if you take it as recognition of a complete and compelling artistic statement, it's fine.

What did Johnny say at Lombardia?

Satellites is cute! I feel like fanyus is usually meant to be insulting.

The venue looks so small to me, there can't really be a bad seat. So close to perfection! (I should have gone.)

Honestly I'm dreading watching Shoma this year as he throws in everything but the kitchen sink to see what will stick. It may very well work. If he could execute his planned elements in a more textbook fashion, he'd be a marvel, but as it is it's painful to me. And obviously it's going to be incredibly divisive, as we seem bitter and defensive to his fans. Depending how easy he looks, the general audience certainly won't catch on either.

I rewatch programs, but I think probably less often than other fans. I have a weird superstition that if I watch a special program too many times, learning it perfectly by heart, the effect will wear off and it will become normal. Like an expensive perfume I'm afraid to use up and want to keep forever. For a while I was watching NHK Notte Stellata every day, so I had to stop myself. Especially for Helsinki Worlds, since I was there, I'm afraid if I memorize the video, with those camera angles, I will forget what I saw myself. Anyone else?

Sigh. This is very big news and I'm late. Somehow I am not shocked. Please don't kick me out for feeling

Does anyone have the Mediolanum seating chart?

I feel like this has been kind of a "lost year" for Javi (no upgrade, uninspired Elvis), but that doesn't mean I saw the whole picture. He did produce his own successful ice show. He probably felt he needed to strike while the iron was hot in terms of boosting figure skating in Spain, as a two-time WC. And he is developing his coaching skills, and I think he will transition straight into a coaching career after the Olympic season. He seems burned out to me, but I hope I'm wrong, and he has enough fire left to medal in PC.

I was just listening to this version! I think this is it. 1. Japanese composer 2. Cool costume possibilities 3. Wing/feather theme 4. Dramatic, intense, fierce (serial killer face) 5. Pop culture/memeworthy is a good contrast to SP 6. And yet, still kinda classical? The oldies can handle it

Ippei-kun is so cute. I am smitten. Maybe we should set up a poll where we can vote for our favorite mascots.

So glad she's okay after surgery!

I watched Vladimir Horowitz's rendition of the entire piece (video embedded in the article), and it was interesting to hear the contrasting parts that didn't make it into the SP. It actually made me think that Ballade would work well expanded into an LP. Anyway, listening to the whole thing makes it very clear to me that the combo belongs in the second half. Yuzuru is correct that the climax is there. In the final few minutes the music ramps up inexorably to the furious finish. In fact, I wouldn't mind 4T3T as the penultimate or final element instead of the step sequence and spin (like the 3S was intended to be in Caro's Bolero, but she couldn't quite manage it). But I know that is unrealistic; it's risky enough to put it as the last jumping pass. I don't think I was appreciating that enough before. There's no second chance for a combo—he's walking a tightrope without a net. No chance anyone else will copy that.

That reminds me—voting for the Planet Hanyu banner contest is still open. Go vote—it's fun!

Now that Ballade has been chosen, I want to rekindle my excitement for the piece. I found an interesting article about an amateur pianist learning to play it. (That's almost like an adult skater trying to skate Yuzu's program.) https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jan/12/play-it-again-chopin-ballade-no-1-alan-rusbridger Some good quotes from famous musicians: Wow. In piano terms, it is an exact match for Yuzuru's skating style. The difficulty, the spontaneity and the worldbuilding. I am starting to feel better about this.

@gladi Thank you so much. I understand the part about the 4T much better now. It is not that 4T is replacing 3A, it is joining it as most reliable.

If he brings back Seimei—it seems to me he accidentally had an Olympic moment too early, in 2015, and would be trying to recreate it in 2018 for the entire world to see. Understandable. But I would find in that decision the cold, hard brilliance of mastery, rather than the living breath and attunement shown in programs like Requiem and H&L. It isn't organic, because 2018 is not 2015. Perfectionism works for an Olympic athlete in a way it doesn't work in everyday life (there, in my experience, it often leads to unhappiness and paralysis, not growth). So this can work. But sometimes I prefer that things be left imperfect and incomplete (though I would never describe the earlier Chopin and Seimei that way). Apply life's lessons to new programs with a fresh perspective. If he improves both programs, I wouldn't call it a step backwards. It really can't be, since his abilities are better now. But I will continue to struggle with the lack of vitality I read into his choice.

In my experience, Rock Yuzu is the casual fan's gateway drug. At least, my family's interest started from LGC and PW and expanded from there. It was the most immediately accessible to them. So I was hoping for a crowdpleaser like that to get people on his side. The pants were a good conversation starter—everybody noticed the pants I know it's sort of pointless to ask this now, but do you think he'll do Autumn Classic? I don't think I can make it to Russia.

Did anyone save the cam version of Day 3? The Asahi version cuts off his lower body after the 3A so we miss the edgework and twizzle