I really can't get why some athletes and their teams seems to ignore the simple fact that figure skating is a sport for mass audience, so it requires some brightness or at least style in costumes by its own nature. But this no proper costume = masculinity = good vs glitter = girl style = bad   stereotypes conflict is so old and classical for at least American figure skating that I already gave up to understand.

If Nathan wanted to surprise everybody he could just call the designer who made that junior Michael Jackson costume for him. 

 

Back to the performance, it's just my feeling, but yesterday Nathan seemed to lack energy for me. I really hope he is not feeling unwell and would be all right during the free. 

Oh, good to see Adam and Jason up there with Nathan, congrats to the skaters who got clean, yay for Vincent being a bit cleaner than usual and sorry for Max Aaron, not my fave but it's always sad when skaters have a bad skate.

I hope no one is suffering from that stomach bug they were talking about

I'm not going to comment on the scores, I haven't watched the programs yet aside Nathan's and I suspect I won't have anything more to add to what's been said) , but someone please explain me what would be the concept for that long awaited Vera Wang costume, because honestly I don't get it. How is it supposed to suit the mood of the program and the meaning of the lyrics? And how is it supposed to be any better than that  black shirt with rolled up sleeves that, simple as it was, at least gave a feeling of "non-stiff" which complemented quite nicely the contemporary choreo? 

 

A costume doesn't need to be all ombre, mesh and sparkles but it should serve the program  (which imo is what people complaining about glitter don't really get. Costumes are part of the concept of a program and should suit theme, music, choreo, other that the skater's individuality)

Please give me back the shirt! and the bouncing curls too

I dread the unveiling of the FS costume...tho it can't be much worse, right?

OT but lol googling ombre shirt, among the first images I got a shirt in H&L colours  

 

Interesting info from Tara, she said Nathan used to jump the Axel from a clean edge but Raf made him change to a skid (Johnny comments it gives more stability etc etc while clean edge depends on "which way the wind blows" Apparently, someone can make the wind blow all right) and she kind of impliws Nate is struggling with the 3A because of this... is it true he changed his technique? 

Also, does Raf just bring his tape everywhere like Yuzu with his pooh? Or did anyone need again last minute boots fixing? 

 

19 minutes ago, WinForPooh said:

Something was marked yellow - the quad toe, then? I remember a box being yellow and turning green.

 

I just checked the video and it was his camel spin (CCSp), the second spin he did, that got lit up for review. The box was a bit late but it was the spin, by its order. 

1 minute ago, xeyra said:

 

I just checked the video and it was his camel spin (CCSp), the second spin he did, that got lit up for review. The box was a bit late but it was the spin, by its order. 

Ah, I see. Thank you for checking!

13 minutes ago, LadyLou said:

Interesting info from Tara, she said Nathan used to jump the Axel from a clean edge but Raf made him change to a skid (Johnny comments it gives more stability etc etc while clean edge depends on "which way the wind blows" Apparently, someone can make the wind blow all right) and she kind of impliws Nate is struggling with the 3A because of this... is it true he changed his technique?

 

Wow, he changed his axel technique so close to the Olympic season? That's risky.

3 minutes ago, WinForPooh said:

Wow, he changed his axel technique so close to the Olympic season? That's risky.

 

There have been previous discussions that skidding into the Axel can be considered “easier” and that taking off from a clean edge shows more “pure” technique. Javi uses a skid, don’t remember how Boyang takes off. Yuzu, of course, takes off from a clean edge.

 

So I’m going to Men’s FS on Saturday. Looking forward to it but feeling a bit salty about the Nathan hype and I hope judges don’t give him a World Record score to prop him up before Olympics.

 

1 minute ago, Bonesfan said:

 

There have been previous discussions that skidding into the Axel can be considered “easier” and that taking off from a clean edge shows more “pure” technique. Javi uses a skid, don’t remember how Boyang takes off. Yuzu, of course, takes off from a clean edge.

 

So I’m going to Men’s FS on Saturday. Looking forward to it but feeling a bit salty about the Nathan hype and I hope judges don’t give him a World Record score to prop him up before Olympics.

 

I hope you have a good time!

 

Ignore the Nathan hype, I guess, his FS is not as good as his SP anyway. But Adam's FS is really nice, and Jason should finally have his actual costume, and fingers crossed that Grant manages a FS to match that SP. I'm looking forward to Emmanuel (forgot last name, Savary?), too, his combo during warmup was really nice and he was interesting to watch despite mistakes.

 

Now I wonder how entries into the Axel change according to whether you use a skid or a clean edge. Yuzu has such beautiful entries into his 3A. I see myself watching a lot of Axel videos in the near future.

8 minutes ago, WinForPooh said:

Wow, he changed his axel technique so close to the Olympic season? That's risky.

tbh I don't even know if it's true (in generaI I haven't been paying much attention to the Axel technique of any skater whose name doesn't start with Y and surname with H) and Tara didn't say when Raf made him change it (I should go and watch last season 3A but...)

1 minute ago, LadyLou said:

tbh I don't even know if it's true (in generaI I haven't been paying much attention to the Axel technique of any skater whose name doesn't start with Y and surname with H) and Tara didn't say when Raf made him change it (I should go and watch last season 3A but...)

It is difficult to go looking at other 3As when we have Yuzu's 3A reels to keep us happy.

54 minutes ago, WinForPooh said:

It is difficult to go looking at other 3As when we have Yuzu's 3A reels to keep us happy.

 

I just went and watched on your behalf and it seems he may have had the skid all season, though it's hard to tell from some videos. .

Oh wow,  those scores 

 

Nathan, dear, what is that horrific thing you call a "costume"? It looks like training gear, does nothing for the program and isn't flattering? What's the point? .... I understand they were trying to go for something minimalistic but... eeehh, this is a failure of an attempt, sorry. Ugghhh, I'm so sad. First the Curls, now this  

 

So happy for Adam, his jumps in the SP looked better than at other competitions this season, yay, hope he can do a great free skate as well and get that spot  

I have to admit, I’m looking forward to Jimmy Ma free. He entertained me during his sp so much. I hope his free is just as wild. 

 

Eta: maybe cus he reminds me of my high school sweetheart.  

Some practice info:

 

Zhou: 3A, 3A2T, 4S, 4T, 4F, 4Lz, runthru (4Lz3T, 4F(ur), 4S, 4Lz, 4T(step,hand), 3A(ur,fall), 1A, 3Lz1/2Lo3F(footdown))

Miner: 2A, 3A2T, 3A, 4S(step), runthru (2S, 3A2T, 3Lz3T, 1A, 3Lo, 3Lz1/2Lo3S, 3F, 3S), 3Lz1/2Lo3S

[x]

So, I am late for the party, as usual, and you said already all about programs, jumps (UR) and scores.

 

Still, please, can someone of you explain to me which is the concept of Nathan SP? I love the rythm of the music and Shae Lynn did the best coreography for Chen skills, but what is trying to interpret here? And does he know that? It should be important for the scores of IN...that to me in this performance was almost not existent.

 

And maybe it's because the concept at the base of the program is not so clear to him and his team - besides Bourne, oc - that Vera Wang came up with this kind of costume (it refers to the colors of piano keyboard?)

I get that they want to sell it like the fresh and contemporary program in contrast to all the classic pieces mostly chosen by the others, but the song and its words are playing under the skating without any meaning?

 

I look forward to hearing a convincing explanation, please.

 

Ice Dance SD going on right now. Stream:

Spoiler

http://live.qq.com/10007096