General Yuzuru Chat

[100acrewoods]

Hi @lajoitkoand @EisElle! Thank you for sharing information on FaOI. I held off on subscribing on ForJoy for the mean time because of all your advice. I’m very confused about this since I’m only doing this for my little brother who adores Yuzu so much. OT but now that I’m being immersed in a lot of Yuzu content, I think I am beginning to be a fan too! Lol I’ll wait patiently for the streaming links. Will it be posted in this thread or another one? 

[birnasan]

Shae-Lynn Bourne interview from Ice Jewels vol. 16 (April 2022), automatically translated with OCR and deepL. As always, I don't speak Japanese and this is not a proper translation, so please don't trust every single word or sentence., but rather look at the overall meaning.

I am very grateful that we got so many Shae interviews this season. I loved her as a skater, and it is a pleasure to translate her interviews, they are all so  deep and inspiring. I makes me happy to know that Yuzu is supported by such people.

 

Do not repost this or any of my translations outside of planethanyu!

 

Spoiler

Ice Jewels vol. 16, Shae-Lynn Bourne interview, deepL translation (Yuzu parts only)

 

Q: Hanyu's SP this season, 'Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso', was a collaboration between Shae-Lynn and Jeffrey Buttle, what was the process of creating it?

Shae: In mid-October, Yuzu, who was working on the SP with Jeff, contacted me and said that he wanted to do some changes to the programme and make it more like a collaboration between the three of us. Jeff gladly accepted the collaboration, so I adjusted the programme to express something like the spirit of his story on the ice. In this way, I worked with Yuzu until the beginning of December.

 

Q: What exactly did you work on?

Shae: After finishing the programme with Jeff, Yuzu sent me videos of all the different parts and told me, "I would like your help regarding the story". Specifically, he asked, "What do I need to change so that it better suits the story?". He wanted to put all his heart and spirit into the programme. We didn't change the pattern (of Jeff's choreography) too much, but we did change some of the movements to create the atmosphere of Yuzu's story. The main goal was to make it possible for people to feel Yuzu, even if they don't know the story. We worked on spinning that story out through the programme.

 

Q: What is the story that Hanyu told you, Shae-Lynn?

Shae: It's difficult to translate, because he was translating Japanese into English, so I'll tell you my version (laughs). First he spoke about the desolate atmosphere. About the cold, almost colourless atmosphere and a flat land. It feels desolate and distant. So I tried to express that through his movements. It's like he's trying to do something in the dark, where he can't see any light. And then slowly, after the first quad, the light starts to shine through. When Yuzu was talking about this, he used a snow globe as an example. That sphere that he's in, it's a very frozen world, but you can feel the light coming through the cracks... the people in his life, his fans, his family, and the warmth that they have given to him. He smiles in his heart when he sees such light, but then the light disappears again. The light comes closer and then goes away, and comes closer and goes away. It is happy and sad at the same time. And in the end, he accepts the passing of time. You can't keep one moment forever, because life goes on. The beauty lasts until the end, through the step sequence with all his spirit and power, which is shown when the music builds up towards the ending and becomes a beautiful chaos. That's how he finally realizes that he is living in this moment. When skating, Yuzu is always sharing something from within himself. As he has continued to grow and experience different things, what he shares has changed. So he continues to expose his inner self and share his truth through skating.

 

Q: You first choreographed the FS "Phantom of the Opera" for Hanyu in the 2014-15 season. At that time, Hanyu was 19 years old.

Shae: Aww! He was still a boy (laughs)!

 

Q: Seven years later, do you see any change or growth in him?

Shae: From the very beginning, he had that inner confidence, that willingness to skate, that mature attitude. He was already an Olympic gold medallist then, and it was obvious to me since then that his greatness comes from his true mental strength and his ability to express his opinions. Then there were injuries and things that didn't work out. In working with him through all those experiences, I feel two things. One is that his choice of musics and stories has become more mature. The other is that he is more relaxed than before. I also know his playful side, and the more we get to know each other, the more we trust each other.

 

Q: As your understanding and trust in each other has deepened, has the choreography become deeper as well?

Shae: Yes, I think so. I think because he trusted me and opened himself up to me, he was able to honestly share his feelings about his experiences, challenges, and so on, in his own words. When you open up more deeply, you can tell a deeper story and that leads to a different kind of movement. I think art is something that is born from real life. It's great to be able to create something from a deeper point in life or deeper questions about life. There is no end to such things. Yuzu and I also talk a lot about nature [t/n: "自然についてもよく話をするんです", maybe it means they often talk naturally? I'm not sure…]. When we talk like that, it opens up a whole new world. He is open to abstract ways of thinking, so I really enjoy it.

 

Q: In this season's FS "Heaven and Earth," Hanyu attempted a quadruple Axel.

Shae: It is fascinating. As an athlete, you must have had a good reason for deciding what you want to do. After every Olympics, it is tough to decide what to do in the next Olympics and work on it. And besides, after you have won the gold medal in two Olympics, what more can you do? I don't think it's possible to just compete without creating new goals to be pursued; I think the desire to be the first person to pull off a quadruple Axel became his motivation, his world, his destination. I think he found something else than medals. When we were working together, he told me how hard he worked on his quad Axel every day. I think there is a special thrill in working on something that no one has ever done before. You have to figure out how to do it on your own. You have to study it, understand it, be aware of it, and let your body do it. It's scary just to think about it, but I think this desire grew so strong within him that it became his mission.

 

Q: His entry to the quadruple Axel changed between this season's All-Japan Championships and the Beijing Olympics. Was it his idea?

Shae: I think so. When he is in Japan, he is his own coach. So, I think he decides many things with his own senses. During the preparation for All-Japan, I only communicated with him about the SP.

 

Q: He continued the FS "Heaven and Earth" for two seasons.

Shae: I think it was a good decision to choose that program again this season. It was to add a new element to a program that he had already skated for a season and felt comfortable with. The main structure of the program is already there, no need to worry about it, and he didn't need to work on the FS any more than what he had already done in the previous season.

 

Q: In the middle of the FS step sequence, he stops in front of the judges, his right hand is clenched into a fist, and his left hand is palm up. What is the meaning of this pose?

Shae: It was born out of the idea of expressing respect for his sword. Just as Yuzu always shows respect to the ice when he steps on it, by holding up the sword, he is showing how he is respecting it while he is skating that program. It means the same as showing respect for everything. That pose is an integral part of his art. That moment was necessary to express his spirit of fighting and also to create a beautiful movement. That was my intention for this.

 

Q: What do you like about Hanyu as a skater and as a human being?

Shae: Oh my God, I could talk on and on (laughs)! Most of all, I love talking to him. I love to talk with him about his deep thoughts about life, why he continues to compete, why he skates, what he is feeling, and so on. He has a deep respect for life and for what he is doing. I think it's wonderful, and I am inspired by it. And I will never forget the way he bowed and left the rink after the SP at the Beijing Olympics. It was graceful, professional, and with dignity. I think it's the same for anyone who performs on any stage, it's always painful to make a mistake, but he finished his skate and performed through to the last moment. He really did it with grace.

 

[…]

 

Q: You choreographed for two great skaters, Hanyu and Chen, at both the Beijing and Pyeongchang Olympics. Isn't it a challenge to work on the programs of two such athletes during the Olympic season?

Shae: Every year is a new challenge for a choreographer. Even if a program is completed and successful, the next time you start from scratch. Yuzu, Nathan, or anyone else, they all come in with a fresh piece at the beginning of the season. That is why I am always excited and nervous at the same time when I am choreographing. Sometimes the nerves get in the way, and sometimes the nerves give me energy. It is true that there is a lot of pressure in an Olympic season. But the fact that you are nervous is proof that you care about it so much, and that you want to make a great program that is meaningful to the skaters. I truly want all skaters to look forward to their skating, and to enjoy the music and the steps. I want my skaters to feel that even when they are nervous at competitions, they love the story of the program, and when they hear that music, they can recover themselves, they can feel relaxed and skate. To create that kind of program so that they can really make themselves shine, that's my pleasure. Whenever I get the opportunity to work with anyone, I am truly grateful.

 

Q: Shae-Lynn, what was your own favorite skater or program as a child?

Shae: As a child, I wanted to work in pairs. I loved Gordeewa and Grinkow. I loved their perfect breathing and flowing movements. The skating style is different now, but their style and the way they stood on the ice, they looked really relaxed and effortless. I also loved Brian Orser's effortless and playful skating.

 

[…]

 

Q: You have created a wide variety of programs. Do you ever feel empty inside and unable to choreograph anymore, or is there something you are consciously striving for in your work?

Shae: Good question! I love to skate. So even if no one else is around, I'm happy just to be able to skate and feel alive. I really enjoy just putting on music and skating when I'm not busy working. You could say that if I don't skate, I don't feel good. As for choreography ideas, no two skaters I work with are the same. So if I can connect with them strongly and feel their spirit, I can get empowered by their energy and presence and can create something new. So it's exciting and the possibilities are endless. I think if you keep an open mind and be creative, you can explore many different things. When I first started ice dancing, someone once said to me, "Any skater can skate differently from others if he aims to skate his own way. If he doesn't want to be like everyone else". Everyone has their own unique voice, body, and spirit. If we try to bring out those things, something new will surely be born.

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

[Anabel]

Thanks for sharing @birnasan!

[YuDai]

1 hour ago, birnasan said:

Shae-Lynn Bourne interview from Ice Jewels vol. 16 (April 2022), automatically translated with OCR and deepL. As always, I don't speak Japanese and this is not a proper translation, so please don't trust every single word or sentence., but rather look at the overall meaning.

I am very grateful that we got so many Shae interviews this season. I loved her as a skater, and it is a pleasure to translate her interviews, they are all so  deep and inspiring. I makes me happy to know that Yuzu is supported by such people.

 

Do not repost this or any of my translations outside of planethanyu!

 

  Hide contents

Ice Jewels vol. 16, Shae-Lynn Bourne interview, deepL translation (Yuzu parts only)

 

Q: Hanyu's SP this season, 'Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso', was a collaboration between Shae-Lynn and Jeffrey Buttle, what was the process of creating it?

Shae: In mid-October, Yuzu, who was working on the SP with Jeff, contacted me and said that he wanted to do some changes to the programme and make it more like a collaboration between the three of us. Jeff gladly accepted the collaboration, so I adjusted the programme to express something like the spirit of his story on the ice. In this way, I worked with Yuzu until the beginning of December.

 

Q: What exactly did you work on?

Shae: After finishing the programme with Jeff, Yuzu sent me videos of all the different parts and told me, "I would like your help regarding the story". Specifically, he asked, "What do I need to change so that it better suits the story?". He wanted to put all his heart and spirit into the programme. We didn't change the pattern (of Jeff's choreography) too much, but we did change some of the movements to create the atmosphere of Yuzu's story. The main goal was to make it possible for people to feel Yuzu, even if they don't know the story. We worked on spinning that story out through the programme.

 

Q: What is the story that Hanyu told you, Shae-Lynn?

Shae: It's difficult to translate, because he was translating Japanese into English, so I'll tell you my version (laughs). First he spoke about the desolate atmosphere. About the cold, almost colourless atmosphere and a flat land. It feels desolate and distant. So I tried to express that through his movements. It's like he's trying to do something in the dark, where he can't see any light. And then slowly, after the first quad, the light starts to shine through. When Yuzu was talking about this, he used a snow globe as an example. That sphere that he's in, it's a very frozen world, but you can feel the light coming through the cracks... the people in his life, his fans, his family, and the warmth that they have given to him. He smiles in his heart when he sees such light, but then the light disappears again. The light comes closer and then goes away, and comes closer and goes away. It is happy and sad at the same time. And in the end, he accepts the passing of time. You can't keep one moment forever, because life goes on. The beauty lasts until the end, through the step sequence with all his spirit and power, which is shown when the music builds up towards the ending and becomes a beautiful chaos. That's how he finally realizes that he is living in this moment. When skating, Yuzu is always sharing something from within himself. As he has continued to grow and experience different things, what he shares has changed. So he continues to expose his inner self and share his truth through skating.

 

Q: You first choreographed the FS "Phantom of the Opera" for Hanyu in the 2014-15 season. At that time, Hanyu was 19 years old.

Shae: Aww! He was still a boy (laughs)!

 

Q: Seven years later, do you see any change or growth in him?

Shae: From the very beginning, he had that inner confidence, that willingness to skate, that mature attitude. He was already an Olympic gold medallist then, and it was obvious to me since then that his greatness comes from his true mental strength and his ability to express his opinions. Then there were injuries and things that didn't work out. In working with him through all those experiences, I feel two things. One is that his choice of musics and stories has become more mature. The other is that he is more relaxed than before. I also know his playful side, and the more we get to know each other, the more we trust each other.

 

Q: As your understanding and trust in each other has deepened, has the choreography become deeper as well?

Shae: Yes, I think so. I think because he trusted me and opened himself up to me, he was able to honestly share his feelings about his experiences, challenges, and so on, in his own words. When you open up more deeply, you can tell a deeper story and that leads to a different kind of movement. I think art is something that is born from real life. It's great to be able to create something from a deeper point in life or deeper questions about life. There is no end to such things. Yuzu and I also talk a lot about nature [t/n: "自然についてもよく話をするんです", maybe it means they often talk naturally? I'm not sure…]. When we talk like that, it opens up a whole new world. He is open to abstract ways of thinking, so I really enjoy it.

 

Q: In this season's FS "Heaven and Earth," Hanyu attempted a quadruple Axel.

Shae: It is fascinating. As an athlete, you must have had a good reason for deciding what you want to do. After every Olympics, it is tough to decide what to do in the next Olympics and work on it. And besides, after you have won the gold medal in two Olympics, what more can you do? I don't think it's possible to just compete without creating new goals to be pursued; I think the desire to be the first person to pull off a quadruple Axel became his motivation, his world, his destination. I think he found something else than medals. When we were working together, he told me how hard he worked on his quad Axel every day. I think there is a special thrill in working on something that no one has ever done before. You have to figure out how to do it on your own. You have to study it, understand it, be aware of it, and let your body do it. It's scary just to think about it, but I think this desire grew so strong within him that it became his mission.

 

Q: His entry to the quadruple Axel changed between this season's All-Japan Championships and the Beijing Olympics. Was it his idea?

Shae: I think so. When he is in Japan, he is his own coach. So, I think he decides many things with his own senses. During the preparation for All-Japan, I only communicated with him about the SP.

 

Q: He continued the FS "Heaven and Earth" for two seasons.

Shae: I think it was a good decision to choose that program again this season. It was to add a new element to a program that he had already skated for a season and felt comfortable with. The main structure of the program is already there, no need to worry about it, and he didn't need to work on the FS any more than what he had already done in the previous season.

 

Q: In the middle of the FS step sequence, he stops in front of the judges, his right hand is clenched into a fist, and his left hand is palm up. What is the meaning of this pose?

Shae: It was born out of the idea of expressing respect for his sword. Just as Yuzu always shows respect to the ice when he steps on it, by holding up the sword, he is showing how he is respecting it while he is skating that program. It means the same as showing respect for everything. That pose is an integral part of his art. That moment was necessary to express his spirit of fighting and also to create a beautiful movement. That was my intention for this.

 

Q: What do you like about Hanyu as a skater and as a human being?

Shae: Oh my God, I could talk on and on (laughs)! Most of all, I love talking to him. I love to talk with him about his deep thoughts about life, why he continues to compete, why he skates, what he is feeling, and so on. He has a deep respect for life and for what he is doing. I think it's wonderful, and I am inspired by it. And I will never forget the way he bowed and left the rink after the SP at the Beijing Olympics. It was graceful, professional, and with dignity. I think it's the same for anyone who performs on any stage, it's always painful to make a mistake, but he finished his skate and performed through to the last moment. He really did it with grace.

 

[…]

 

Q: You choreographed for two great skaters, Hanyu and Chen, at both the Beijing and Pyeongchang Olympics. Isn't it a challenge to work on the programs of two such athletes during the Olympic season?

Shae: Every year is a new challenge for a choreographer. Even if a program is completed and successful, the next time you start from scratch. Yuzu, Nathan, or anyone else, they all come in with a fresh piece at the beginning of the season. That is why I am always excited and nervous at the same time when I am choreographing. Sometimes the nerves get in the way, and sometimes the nerves give me energy. It is true that there is a lot of pressure in an Olympic season. But the fact that you are nervous is proof that you care about it so much, and that you want to make a great program that is meaningful to the skaters. I truly want all skaters to look forward to their skating, and to enjoy the music and the steps. I want my skaters to feel that even when they are nervous at competitions, they love the story of the program, and when they hear that music, they can recover themselves, they can feel relaxed and skate. To create that kind of program so that they can really make themselves shine, that's my pleasure. Whenever I get the opportunity to work with anyone, I am truly grateful.

 

Q: Shae-Lynn, what was your own favorite skater or program as a child?

Shae: As a child, I wanted to work in pairs. I loved Gordeewa and Grinkow. I loved their perfect breathing and flowing movements. The skating style is different now, but their style and the way they stood on the ice, they looked really relaxed and effortless. I also loved Brian Orser's effortless and playful skating.

 

[…]

 

Q: You have created a wide variety of programs. Do you ever feel empty inside and unable to choreograph anymore, or is there something you are consciously striving for in your work?

Shae: Good question! I love to skate. So even if no one else is around, I'm happy just to be able to skate and feel alive. I really enjoy just putting on music and skating when I'm not busy working. You could say that if I don't skate, I don't feel good. As for choreography ideas, no two skaters I work with are the same. So if I can connect with them strongly and feel their spirit, I can get empowered by their energy and presence and can create something new. So it's exciting and the possibilities are endless. I think if you keep an open mind and be creative, you can explore many different things. When I first started ice dancing, someone once said to me, "Any skater can skate differently from others if he aims to skate his own way. If he doesn't want to be like everyone else". Everyone has their own unique voice, body, and spirit. If we try to bring out those things, something new will surely be born.

 

Thank you so much  Such lovely words from Shae-Lynn, I can feel her passion too.

[Sun_Rise]

1 hour ago, birnasan said:

Q: What do you like about Hanyu as a skater and as a human being?

Shae: Oh my God, I could talk on and on (laughs)! Most of all, I love talking to him. I love to talk with him about his deep thoughts about life, why he continues to compete, why he skates, what he is feeling, and so on. He has a deep respect for life and for what he is doing. I think it's wonderful, and I am inspired by it. And I will never forget the way he bowed and left the rink after the SP at the Beijing Olympics. It was graceful, professional, and with dignity. I think it's the same for anyone who performs on any stage, it's always painful to make a mistake, but he finished his skate and performed through to the last moment. He really did it with grace.

 

Thank you so much for your translation and for sharing it here.

 

Shae-Lynn would always share something deep and important about Yuzuru. I also so much agree with the above - the way he handled the situation while still skating - full of grace and pride, a true Champion, made the programme unforgettable despite everything. 

 

[I only wouldn't interpret what happened as a "mistake", but I understand this is a shortcut]

[shina07]

On 5/20/2022 at 8:03 PM, yuzuonice said:

i just yesterday got this answer from forjoytv:

Here's also the channel list:

https://imgur.com/a/YrO7XW5

Does this mean that I have to subscribe for 3 months to be able to access the live broadcast? Sorry if this is off topic, first timer here 

[yuzuonice]

Just now, shina07 said:

Does this mean that I have to subscribe for 3 months to be able to access the live broadcast? Sorry if this is off topic, first timer here 

unfortunately, since TV Asahi Channel 2 it isn't available on Muji TV trial, that's the only option to access the broadcast I know of at the moment... 

 

Another possibility is to check one of these qq livestreams, they're provided by Chinese fans, though we don't have a guarantee that it'll be streamed there 😑

https://twitter.com/fskatingtimes/status/1527971772259127296

[Yuzurella]

 

Yuzu is indeed the best looking athlete.

 

[NEWS]

[Pancake]

We'll have a live broadcast for the last day of Nagoya too! 

 

 

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

[shina07]

11 hours ago, yuzuonice said:

unfortunately, since TV Asahi Channel 2 it isn't available on Muji TV trial, that's the only option to access the broadcast I know of at the moment... 

 

Another possibility is to check one of these qq livestreams, they're provided by Chinese fans, though we don't have a guarantee that it'll be streamed there 😑

Sorry again for bringing this up. Anyway, ForJoy answered my question prior to me posting here and here is their answer. They said that the channel is available on a one month susbscription. 

https://imgur.com/a/PF78aX0

 

and now it’s confusing lol 

 

anyway, we can all just watch it without problems

 

[yuzuonice]

1 hour ago, shina07 said:

Sorry again for bringing this up. Anyway, ForJoy answered my question prior to me posting here and here is their answer. They said that the channel is available on a one month susbscription. 

https://imgur.com/a/PF78aX0

 

and now it’s confusing lol 

 

anyway, we can all just watch it without problems

 

that really is confusing 😅

 

Anyway, I think we finally have a cheap solution that will definitely work!

 

 

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

[rockstaryuzu]

So it's a live broadcast, then, for FaOI? And not an online livestream? 

[EisElle]

4 hours ago, yuzuonice said:

that really is confusing 😅

 

Anyway, I think we finally have a cheap solution that will definitely work!

 

 

 

This is nice and exactly the option I hoped to find!

From the logo, I think it may be the same service previously called japannettv (and since I made that one work previously, I'm hopeful I can manage this one too )

 

 

On 5/20/2022 at 12:43 PM, LiaRy said:

For the liveqq streams, it's not needed to make an account to watch live streams, right?

Nope, no registration needed. You just click on the link and then press play (if livestream is on will start play, otherwise of course will just show you a black screen). Sometimes there are writings passing all over the screen, it's the live comments and can be turned off (iirc from the toolbar on bottom of the screen, where you also find audio, fullscreen etc)

I know for some people can be choppy, for some reason it used to be like that for me years ago, but past couple of years worked well for shows and comps, minus occasional lagging and freezing due to traffic (the downside of watching popular content 😆)

 

20 hours ago, 100acrewoods said:

Hi @lajoitkoand @EisElle! Thank you for sharing information on FaOI. I held off on subscribing on ForJoy for the mean time because of all your advice. I’m very confused about this since I’m only doing this for my little brother who adores Yuzu so much. OT but now that I’m being immersed in a lot of Yuzu content, I think I am beginning to be a fan too! Lol I’ll wait patiently for the streaming links. Will it be posted in this thread or another one? 

There will be a pinned thread with all the relevant info summed up in the first post, including streaming services/links in the sub forum here:

https://planethanyu.com/forum/9-event-discussion/

(Other seasons the iceshows subforum also hosted non-yuzu shows, but looks like the Beijing burnout was real so "ice shows 2022" subforum hasn't been created yet😆 tho in 2021 Yuzu attended the SOI Japan, so our interest for April shows was sky high )

 

Speaking of which, @ admins maybe we can already have the FaOI Makuhari thread and start gathering the current streaming options/tips there? 🙏 

 

[Anni]

6 hours ago, Pancake said:

We'll have a live broadcast for the last day of Nagoya too! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yessss, this is great news in the morning. 

 

Thank you for all the infos on the broadcast.

 

 

Dear satellites, only 4 days, then our drough is finally over.

 

[Anni]

[NEWS]