[2021.04.22] Number PLUS - FIGURE SKATING TRACE OF STARS 2020-2021

[yuzurujenn]

Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B092ZDQWDQ/

 

Content:

FIGURE SKATING TRACE OF STARS: The Ice Rink of Determination.
Figure Skating 2020-2021 Season Highlights

 

[Detailed Report on the World Team Trophy]
Yuzuru Hanyu: "Illuminated by the Guiding Light"

 

[Determination Gained at the World Championships]
Yuzuru Hanyu: "Just One-Eighth More Drive"

 

[Speaking of Reunion After a Year]
Brian Orser: "The Magical Moment to Come"

 

[Innovation Explained by the Arranger]
Keiichi Yano: "A Unique Expression of Japanese Style"

 

Artists Talk About the Beauty of Yuzuru Hanyu's Past Programs
Shunji Iwai x "Hana wa Saku"
Reon Yuzuki x "Romeo and Juliet"
Daisuke Nagamine x "The Phantom of the Opera"
Satoshi Nakabachi x "Notte Stellata"

 

[Men's Power Map Explained by Takeshi Honda]
"Each Person's Strengths Revealed at the World Championships"

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: FIGURE SKATING TRACE OF STARS 2020-2021, pg 28-31

 

Artists Talk About the Beauty of Yuzuru Hanyu's Past Programs

Shunji Iwai x "Hana wa Saku"

 

A skater who embodies strength, suppleness, and beauty through delicate movements that seem to carry awareness to the very tips of his fingers. Artists working in different fields are also captivated by the worldview he creates and the many exquisite programs that reach the realm of art.

 

“Thoughts that do not land, jumps that do land”

 

This March marked 10 years since the earthquake, and Yuzuru Hanyu performed “Hana wa Saku” (“Flowers Will Bloom”). What does the filmmaker who wrote its lyrics and has delivered numerous acclaimed works, think of the performance of fellow Sendai-born artist Yuzuru Hanyu?

 

Spoiler

— Please tell us about your first encounter with Yuzuru Hanyu.

 

“The first time I saw Hanyu-san, he was still a very young, slender boy, competing with Daisuke Takahashi. At that time, commentators were saying he tended to run out of stamina toward the second half of his programs. From there, he kept growing and growing, probably overcoming his stamina issues, and his subsequent rapid rise to success is well known to everyone.”

 

— The figure skating version of 'Hana wa Saku' was presented in 2014 as part of NHK’s Great East Japan Earthquake Project, two years after the original song you wrote the lyrics for was created.

 

“Hana wa Saku is a rather unusual song. Its premise is the Great East Japan Earthquake, and compared to that tragedy, what individuals can do is powerless and insignificant. With that as the fundamental premise, I think it's an effort to see if there's anything, however small, we can do. I was involved with that feeling myself, and I watched it thinking that Hanyu must have felt the same way.”

 

— Hanyu was a first-year high school student, 16 years old, when he experienced the disaster at the Sendai ice rink, which is also your hometown.

 

“He experienced the earthquake at a very sensitive and impressionable age, different from adults. Only he knows how strongly it has affected him, but I'm sure he's carrying some kind of burden, a weight he's carrying, and that's why he performs like that. The scenery Hanyu paints in his mind as he performs has a great tragedy lurking behind it, and even though it's through a television screen, I find myself watching with a sense of solemnity.”

 

— This year, marking 10 years since the earthquake, Hanyu performed 'Hana wa Saku' (Flowers Will Bloom) for the first time in a long time at the World Championships exhibition.

 

“I felt that it remains a significant matter for him. For me as well, over the span of ten years, there have been many things that made me reflect, and various memories came back. Especially in moments like the choreography involving flowers… there are many things that come to mind. What I feel most strongly is that I myself created lyrics and visuals as a form of ‘expression’ for this song, but when I confront it directly, there are moments when I simply feel at a loss. I imagine that Hanyu must find it very difficult to perform such a piece as well.”

 

— The 'Hana wa Saku' project consistently uses gerbera flowers as a symbolic motif, and Hanyu’s performance follows that as well. When you filmed the video clip in 2012, did you assign any special meaning to this flower?

 

“Simply put, I wanted to depict ‘flowers’ in a very simple way. I looked for something ordinary, something that wouldn’t evoke strong specific associations like carnations or roses. Eventually, I arrived at gerbera. At the time, I didn’t even know its flower meaning was ‘hope.’”

 

— There is an episode said to be the basis for the lyrics.

 

“During the earthquake, there were efforts on social media where people searched for each other’s whereabouts. I was also looking for friends myself. Amid all that, I came across a message from a girl who couldn’t find the boy she liked, but couldn’t say so openly, and wanted to search for him in a way that wouldn’t reveal it was her. In that tragic situation, and in a town that was also, for me, connected to something like a first-love experience, I initially felt a sense of despair. But then I thought, ‘Even in times like this, flowers still bloom.’ From that moment on, the phrase ‘Hana wa Saku’ (‘Flowers Will Bloom’) seemed to exist within me. So when I came to write the song a year later, the title naturally emerged.”

 

The "magical aura" that Hanyu himself possesses

— As someone whose hometown is in the disaster-stricken area, this project must have been extremely heavy in responsibility and very difficult, wasn’t it?

 

“The more I worked on it, the more I realized that what I put into words was only a small fragment, and it could never represent or express the entirety of the earthquake disaster. When faced with a disaster of such overwhelming scale in reality, there is no point of resolution, no landing point. Hanyu jumps, and when he does, he must land. But the theme of the music itself has no landing point. When I think about him performing under those circumstances, it really tugs at my heartstrings.”

 

— But you did face that theme head-on.

 

“At first, I didn’t know what to do. To be honest, I really didn’t know what to do, but I couldn’t refuse. It was also a difficult job to turn down, so once I was asked, I suppose I had no choice but to accept. But I didn’t know how to express it. That struggle, that was my honest feeling. On the other hand, I decided to focus on how to express that honestly, as it was.”

 

— How did you feel about the response to the completed 'Hana wa Saku'?

 

“Even now, I don’t really have a definitive answer, but seeing people hum and sing it, I felt that the song was needed in some way, that there were situations where it was of use. That gave me a little relief. Each person expresses things in their own way, even if only in small forms. Hanyu also expresses himself in his own way, on the ice rink. When I imagine the weight of tackling this theme, I think it must have been incredibly difficult.”

 

— The lyrics are said to have been written from the perspective of those who have passed away. In that context, what kind of presence did you see Hanyu as, when he performed this program?

 

“I’m not him, so if I’m allowed to interpret it freely as a viewer, dance has existed throughout history around the world as a form of requiem, and a way of connecting to the other side. I felt that he might be performing as an existence between life and death, treating the ice as the boundary between the living world and the world of the dead, and portraying someone who exists in that in-between space, someone who moves back and forth across it.”

 

— As a fellow creator, how do you view Yuzuru Hanyu as an “artist”?

 

“I think he is very conscious of being a performer. He captivates many people not only as an athlete. His way of expression feels like he is ‘in dialogue’ with the audience. At the same time, of course, he has to refine his skating itself. The elements of skating beautifully and accurately are essential. Since it is a sport that is judged by scores, that is unavoidable, but I feel like he is not confined only to that. I feel he is truly engaging in dialogue with the audience.”

 

— As a fellow artist, have you felt anything?

 

“In my case, I tend to be a rather inward-looking type of creator, so I find it very educational.  In terms of ‘dialogue,’ I felt something somewhat similar with Masaharu Fukuyama (laughs). He is also an outstanding artist with remarkable expressive power as a concertmaster. In Hanyu’s case, he doesn’t sing or speak; he expresses everything only with his body, like pantomime, and I think that is part of his charm. Through his skating, his spins, and all his various movements, people are drawn in and have their hearts captured, aren’t they? No one can quite explain why he is so wonderful, yet people are drawn in anyway. It feels like a kind of magic. In that sense, I think Hanyu himself carries something like a ‘magical aura.’”

 

 

 

"Flowers Will Bloom"
2014-2015 2020-2021 EX
Vocals: Fumiya Sashida Lyrics: Shunji Iwai
Composition & Arrangement: Yoko Kanno

Choreography: Nanami Abe

 

 

"A spring breeze carries the scent of the pure white snow-covered road
I feel nostalgic
I remember that town
There were dreams I wanted to fulfill
There was a part of me I wanted to change
Now I just feel nostalgic
I remember that person
I can hear someone's song
Someone is encouraging someone
I can see someone's smile
Beyond the sadness
Flowers, flowers, flowers bloom
For you who will one day be born
Flowers, flowers, flowers bloom
What have I left behind?"

 

 

 

Profile:

Shunji Iwai
Born January 24, 1963 in Miyagi Prefecture. In 1993, he won the Japan Film Directors Association New Director Award for "Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?". In 1995, “Love Letter” became a major hit in Japan and abroad. In 2012, he produced the documentary “Friends after 3.11 Theatrical Version.” In 2020, he released “Last Letter.”

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: FIGURE SKATING TRACE OF STARS 2020-2021, pg 32-33

 

Artists Talk About the Beauty of Yuzuru Hanyu's Past Programs

Reon Yuzuki x "Romeo and Juliet"

 

"The figure of Juliet appearing on the ice"

An immortal masterpiece he performed twice in his teens. Coincidentally, the acclaimed actress who twice played the lead role in the same work felt a unique worldview in Romeo on the ice.

 

Spoiler

In 2019, I had the opportunity to appear in an ice show, but even just moving forward on skates was truly difficult. Whenever I imagine how much practice and image training the skaters must accumulate before stepping onto the ice for their performances, it always deeply moves me. Just imagining them overcoming their anxieties and performing on stage fills me with immense respect. Even in moments of frustration, Yuzuru Hanyu confronts it and accepts it quickly, even immediately after his performance. I feel he is very mature, and I am inspired by him.

 

Before joining the Takarazuka Revue, I was aiming to become a ballerina and studied classical ballet, but when it came to competitions, I was crushed by pressure and could not perform at 100%, nor could I deliver a good performance. However, Hanyu consistently delivers wonderful performances at major events such as the Olympics, and even if there are falls in jumps, he recovers remarkably well. From his willingness to challenge himself repeatedly and the way he continues refining his performances, I feel a very strong mental resilience.

 

This is a program that Hanyu performed twice in the 2011–12 and 2013–14 seasons in the free skate. In its first version, he used a modern arrangement of a film soundtrack, but in Shakespeare’s original setting of the story, Romeo is said to be around 17 years old, which was the same age as Hanyu at the time. His dynamic performance, bursting with youthful energy, was striking. It is a role that may be somewhat difficult for a Japanese skater to portray, yet he fully embodied an intensely passionate but pure Romeo. Even at just 17, his concentration and immersion in the performance were extraordinary. In the second season he performed it, I felt a more delicately portrayed, tormented Romeo. Details such as the final posing conveyed a strong desire to further refine the program.

 

What both performances have in common is that, although there is no singing or spoken words, Romeo is clearly there. In fact, before joining the Takarazuka Revue, I also played Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet” twice, in 2010 and 2013. This story is one that moves audiences no matter what era it is performed in. In my first performance, it was a rock musical, and before the performance I even went to France, the setting of the work, to study it. I also referenced various international versions of “Romeo and Juliet,” as well as the film starring Olivia Hussey, to understand questions such as: what kind of feelings does a man have when thinking, “I want to meet her tomorrow,” and the emotions of Romeo, who is in despair thinking, “There is no one but her. If Juliet has been taken to heaven, then I too…” However, it is not only a tragedy; the characters are vividly alive. How to express a story in which only about five days pass from meeting to death was also important. With all of that in mind, I worked together with my fellow cast members to build the production.

 

Figure skating differs from stage performance in that one must perform a program alone on the ice. How to express its world is the key point. What surprised me about Hanyu is that, even though he performs alone, you can see Juliet in his performance. Of course, she does not actually exist, but his portrayal of Romeo makes you imagine what kind of Juliet he must have fallen in love with. This is true for both the 2011–12 and 2013–14 seasons. I felt the same in “The Phantom of the Opera,” where I could also see Christine. I believe this is not simply because he is performing the program, but because he values the narrative inherent in the music itself.

 

He's on a level that transcends even the word "expression"

 

I once received advice from a senior in Takarazuka: “While standing on stage under the lights with music playing, repeatedly imagine yourself performing well and enjoying the stage.” After I started putting that into practice, I became less afraid of failure. At the same time, I came to deeply realize that rehearsals directly lead to the actual performance, and that in performance itself, you can only do what you have rehearsed.

In the beginning, I focused all my energy on how I was being perceived and on trying to express the role as fully as possible. But with experience, that gradually became more natural and effortless. While I’m sure Hanyu also trains the technical elements such as jumps, spins, and steps, the world he creates feels as though it transcends even the concept of “expression,” reaching an entirely different dimension.

 

Both classical ballet and Takarazuka have very strong traditions, and like “Romeo and Juliet,” there are many works such as “The Rose of Versailles” and “Elisabeth” that are repeatedly revived. Group dances in black tailcoats are performed every show.

 

However, even when performing the same work, no two performances are ever exactly the same. There is certainly value in repetition, and I feel there is great meaning in the way truly outstanding works are passed down and kept alive through being performed again and again. I think this is also true of one of my favorite programs by Hanyu, "SEIMEI."

 

On the other hand, just like when I performed in the premiere of "Romeo and Juliet," sometimes encountering an unexpected role can make you realize new possibilities within yourself.

 

Many of the programs performed by Hanyu are truly beautiful. Someday, I would also like to see him perform a more masculine program than ever before, and see how he interprets it, how he incorporates it into his performance, and what kind of “expression” he will show.

 

 

 

2011-2012 FS

From the movie "Romeo + Juliet"
From the movie "Plunkett & MacLaine"
Composer: Craig Armstrong
Choreographer: Nanami Abe

 

2013-2014 FS

From the movie "Romeo and Juliet"
Composer: Nino Rota
Choreographer: David Wilson

 

 

Profile:

Reon Yuzuki
Born in Osaka Prefecture. In 1999, she joined the Takarazuka Revue and was assigned to the Star Troupe as an otokoyaku (female performer specializing in male roles). In 2009, she became the top star of the Star Troupe. She retired from the company in 2015 after performing in “Kurohyō no Gotoku” and “Dear DIAMOND!!”. She is currently active mainly in stage performances. She will appear in the ice show “LUXE”, to be held at Yokohama Arena from May 15–17.

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: FIGURE SKATING TRACE OF STARS 2020-2021, pg 24-25

 

[Speaking of a Reunion After a Year]

Brian Orser: "The Magical Moment to Come"

 

Due to the closure of rinks during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent strict restrictions, a year passed without him being able to return to his training base at the Cricket Club. His coach, who finally reunited with him at the World Championships, reflects on his protégé's growth.

 

Spoiler

— Was it emotional to see him again after a year?

 

“I was a little nervous before we met. Yuzuru had to change his flight because of an earthquake right before his departure. We still couldn't meet after he arrived because of quarantine, and we finally met at practice on the sub-rink on Monday afternoon. But Yuzuru has experience and isn't fazed by such mishaps, so he appeared on the rink looking cheerful.”

 

— What was your impression of the first practice?

 

“My first impression was that he's grown up and matured completely. His leg and glute muscles have developed, his core is stronger, and I thought his jumps were more powerful than before.”

 

— How was his condition on-site?

 

“The moment Yuzuru stepped onto the ice and began to skate, both Tracy Wilson and I exchanged glances and smiled. He started doing the same footwork drills he used to do every day at the Cricket Club, exactly as before. It was as if we had been training together in Toronto just yesterday. He was even careful about the details Tracy always nagged him about! His fundamentals were so solid that we knew he could do all his quadruple jumps.”

 

— Did you give him any advice?

 

“I spoke to Yuzuru right after practice started. I told him, 'We'll be watching closely from the rinkside, so we won't say anything. Just tell us if you need any advice.' Over the past year, I had been giving feedback by watching videos rather than correcting him after every jump, so it's best not to change the approach right before a competition.”

 

— His short program was a perfect performance.

 

“I wasn’t worried at all. It was exactly the kind of entertainment program that Yuzuru excels at. I was excited at the thought that I would finally be able to experience in person the excitement of the All-Japan Championships. Even though it was a competition without spectators, there were about 30 coaches and skaters in the arena, and it felt like a grand concert with loud applause.”

 

— He started in first place with 106.98 points.

 

“When I saw the score, my honest reaction was, ‘That’s a bit low.’ The Salchow landing was a bit shaky, but looking at the program as a whole, it was really a strong total package. So I can understand the GOE deductions, but I was expecting higher program component scores. Scores aren’t supposed to be affected by the crowd, of course, but if there had been a full audience there, the energy in the arena and Yuzuru’s performance would have played off each other, and the artistry would have come through even more clearly. I think the judges could have easily gone for 10s without hesitation.”

 

— The All-Japan Championships were very exciting.

 

“But there were only half the usual spectators. What I’m really looking forward to is the end of this pandemic, when 18,000 entertainment-starved fans erupt in cheers, a roaring wave that shakes the arena. I know that moment will come eventually. Yuzuru’s program component scores are not limited to this level.”

— Before his free program, something seemed different than usual.

 

“Honestly, I don't know what happened. He was supposed to start warming up exactly an hour ago, but he didn't show up when I waited in the warm-up area. (Cha) Jun-hwan and Jason (Brown) were in the group right before him, so I went to their six-minute practice, and then ran back, but Yuzuru still wasn't there, and I was starting to get worried. I asked the Japanese team leader, and he said he was 'somewhere else,' so I figured he was warming up somewhere out of the TV cameras.

 

After Junhwan, who was skating fifth, finished, I ran to the locker room. Normally, just before the six-minute warm-up, he would sit on the bench in the locker room and put on his skates, and I would receive the tissue box and we would go to the rink together—that was our routine. But he wasn’t there. When I rushed back to the warm-up area, I found him putting on his skates on a chair that had been placed there. I was relieved to have found him, but at the same time I sensed something was wrong. Someone who values routine like him wouldn’t act like this. I didn’t ask, ‘Why were you late?’ I decided to act cheerful and said, ‘Alright, let’s go,’ and behaved as usual.”

 

— How were the jumps in the first half of the performance?

 

“The first quadruple loop had very good approach and takeoff timing. At the moment he jumped, I expected a beautiful loop. But he slightly delayed tightening his body in the air, and his axis tilted, which surprised me. It was a jump I hadn’t seen in the past week. The following Salchow also seemed to lack a stable axis.”

 

— Is it difficult to regain rotational axis during a program?

 

“It’s a sensory thing. If you try to think your way to it, you lose it. In a loop, you take off and land on the right foot, so if you jump straight up, you can find your axis. That’s why many skaters use loops in warm-ups. But in this case, his axis was off in the quad loop, so he probably started thinking, ‘Where is my center? More to the right? More to the left?’ If you don’t think about it, your body remembers, but once you start searching for it, you lose it. And Yuzuru ended up searching for his axis throughout the entire competition.”

 

— Still, he landed the second-half quad toe loop and won the bronze medal.

 

“I really think he did well. Yuzuru couldn’t travel to Canada and had to train on his own. He didn’t have a coach by his side for a full year. Has there ever been an athlete like that? Under such extraordinary circumstances, he still won the bronze medal. More than the success or failure of his jumps, please look at the skater Yuzuru showed across both programs. He was magnificent and brilliant. At least to me, it was a story of success.”

 

— For next season, his goal is the quadruple Axel. He is reportedly close to landing it within an eighth of a rotation.

 

“One-eighth! That's closer to success than when we practiced together last season. I have some advice regarding the quadruple Axel, but first, Yuzuru is experimenting on his own, so I'll just watch over him.”

 

— What is the plan for next season leading into the Olympics?

 

“Currently, Canada’s borders are not open to foreign nationals, and we are strongly requesting special exemptions from the government for top athletes. Looking ahead to the Olympics, I want to provide the best possible training environment for Yuzuru and everyone at the club. Peaking for the Olympics, physical conditioning, recovery, technique, programs—doing all of that alone for a full year is extremely difficult. In Yuzuru’s case, I think a split between Sendai and Toronto would be fine, but ideally it would be a situation where we can meet whenever necessary.”

 

— Once again, the athletes did a great job getting through this season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“Ideally, I shouldn't comment on COVID-19, so please allow me to speak from my personal perspective, not as a coach. This year's competition was heavily influenced by the circumstances of each country. Russia had no restrictions, practice sessions were held, and many competitions took place. The United States also had very few restrictions, allowing for practice and competitions to be held. Canada had very strict restrictions in place, and although the Cricket Club reopened after a three-month closure, only 15 out of 350 members were able to skate. There were no competitions either. Japan and South Korea had restrictions on practice time. But Yuzuru, and the skaters from Canada and South Korea, didn't complain at all. I'm sure that the personal growth they've experienced this season will definitely show next season. That is why I am truly proud of Yuzuru’s bronze medal. His eyes were burning with determination. And that’s why I’m also excited, together with him, for the ‘magical moment’ next season.”