TOP 10 Musings on ‘23 US Figure Skating Nationals

A list both cheeky & sincere. It was a major joy to be able to attend the San Jose Nationals in person again, returning after a decade. Here’s some of what stood out…

1. Polina Edmunds, the latest Skating Queen of San Jose, walking with ease up and down the steep stairs of SAP Arena in jungle red 6-inch pumps was the 5th Nationals’ Discipline of the weekend.
2. Tanith (Belbin) White is the Coach we ALL want and need, swaying at the boards with every move of her teams, and feeling every moment of their programs. She looks rather austere and business-like in the Kiss ‘n Cry, but at the Boards she appears to be a true team member.
3. Ivan Desyatov & Keyton Bearinger should be Mr. January & February in the USFS Tiger Beat Calendar! I mean, wow. Beauty makes itself easily evident…I could take my eyes off neither of them in their programs, thanks to their aesthetics, charisma, AND their skating skills.
4. “Generically Lovely” has become the current Women’s program/choreo/costume/music aesthetic norm. Nothing was offensive, nor particularly memorable about much of the music, choreography nor costumes from the first few flights. SO many sequins, perhaps in just the right place, but I’d encourage them to take more stylistic risks…make a personal statement! I’m sure it’s largely the fault of the IJS, but I felt that Sonja Hilmer came closest to breaking from this template, with her own choreo and costume design, as I was told.
5. Pairs’ Spencer Howe should get an Oscar for how much he acted the shit outta that “Ghost” FS program
6. Nationals wouldn’t be the same without the laughing, kvetching, glowing, and WRITING of skating journalists extraordinaire Christine Brennan and Phil Hersh. We ran into them, roaming the sidewalks of downtown San Jose. She was particularly spacious and friendly, asking if we were having a good Nationals experience, as they disappeared into a nearby restaurant.
7. Pairs Girls/Women are the truest unsung heroes of our sport! Fearless. Bruised. Phoenixes, rising time and time again. (I wouldn’t last over an hour with those expectations and challenges.)
8. “The King and I” soundtrack can REALLY get a crowd going, or at least ME (skated by Ice Dancers Leah Krauskopf & YuanShi Jin).
9. Skating parents are a special breed. The investment they make immense, and largely selfless. I met Michael Parsons lovely mom in the stands…still moist in the eyes from watching her son’s FD. She thanked us for being such enthusiastic audience members. She (and his sister) were ALL aglow after his first Senior Nationals’ Podium. She noted she couldn’t be in Japan for Worlds, due to the travel cost.
10. Jason Brown is the Michelle Kwan of this generation. A skater who skates from their heart, and communicates that SO clearly. ❤️ Below is our banner, paying tribute to his art, longevity, and humanity!

The spirit of our sport is still very alive, even if TOO MANY of the seats were empty. It was a compact, but HEARTY crowd. The USFSA needs to rework their approach.

SOCHI Dream Podiums & Predictions

Well, Olympics and figure skating fanciers, it’s that special time again, as we’re on the cusp of another Winter Games: Sochi 2014! Care to share any dream podiums or predictions? My dream podiums contain sentimental or personal favorites. Predictions are simply that…predictions, no preferences applied.

Here are mine:

MY DREAM PODIUMS:

ladies: 
Mao Asada
Carolina Kostner
Akiko Suzuki

men:
Daisuke Takahashi
Jeremy Abbott
Jason Brown

dance:
Davis/White
Virtue/Moir
Cappelini/LaNotte

pairs:
Pang/Tong
Savchenko/Szolkowy
Voloshozar/Trankov

team event:
USA
Canada
Russia

PREDICTIONS:

ladies:
Mao Asada
Julia Lipnitskaia
Yuna Kim

men:
Yuzuru Hanyu
Patrick Chan
Tatsuki Machida

dance:
Davis/White
Virtue/Moir
Bobrova/Soloviev

pairs:
Voloshozar/Trankov
Savchenko/Szolkowy
Pang/Tong

team event:
Canada
Russia
USA

Nice Worlds’ Reflections: My Questions Answered

Shortly after the World Figure Skating Championships were a wrap in Nice, France, I messaged a friend who attended my frustrated questions and musings about the results to see if he could offer an insider point of view. They included questions about the Chan/Takahashi, Davis & White/Virtue & Moir, and Weaver & Poje/Pechalat & Bourzat rivalries. I wondered if seeing their performances live might shed light on the results in a way that my tv viewing couldn’t.

Well, Aaron over at Axels, Loops & Spins answered all of my questions in rather grand fashion. I was pleasantly surprised by his thorough responses, via his blog.

Read his responses in “Post Nice Reflections”

Find out…

“What happened to the House of Sato/Dunjen?…”

“Were Kavaguti/Smirnov decked for their public commentary on the ice?”

“Did Weaver/Poje deserve the bronze?…”

…and more!

“Winter Pride”: Images of Whistler Gay Ski Week

canadian grandeur

show tunes silhouettes

lookin' for snookie

fuel du jour

grunge boards

shades of 2010

heavenly lift

which way?

you call that visibility?

otherwordly flora

a study in skiis & fog

 

The View From My Seat: San Jose 2012 Nationals

I enjoyed capturing the magic of the US Nationals Long Programs and Free Dances from my 16th row seats. My Canon PowerShot SX 2010 IS, although not a professional SLR, gets me close to the action, with its 14X zoom.

There were so many unforgettable moments, more predictably including the tributes to Rudy and Michelle, and LPs/FDs by gold medalists Jeremy Abbott, Davis & White, and Denney & Coughlin. But, brilliance from dark horses Ashley Wagner and Adam Rippon, as well as up-and-comers Jason Brown, Jonathan Cassar and Doug Razzano, and a rallying comeback from Carolyn Zhang were equally thrilling. My top 20 photos reflect some of these moments, and more.

I hope you enjoy the view from my seat!

"Gold": Samuelson & Gilles (8th)

"Sibling Swing": Shibutanis (Silver)

"Longing Lift": Chock & Bates (5th)

Best Skating Programs of the Season: 2010

The Grand Prix Landscape

It’s that time of year, when we’ve witnessed 4 of the 6 Grand Prix events, and can now step back and assess the choreographic and program landscape, to compare and contrast what the skaters have put out there. Just a few of these skaters (and a single musical selection) are repeaters from last season’s list.

I was loath to include ANY latin programs, since I already feel like a sponge, saturated and dripping from them this season (likely no thanks to Lysacek and Rochette’s success in them last season?). But, alas, a few virtuosic ones eek’d through. Ugh…let’s please hang them up for the remainder of this Olympic cycle!

What’s the real clincher in making the list? Programs that made me want to watch them again. As I noted last year, it’s impossible to separate out the performance quality of the skater, but these nods aim to be more about the program and choreo itself. The timing and execution of the elements (especially jumps) to key musical accents and phrases is critical for memorable emotional impact. And musical selection alone, as per my own subjective taste also of course plays a role.

Lori Nichol and Marina Zueva tie this year with the most nods (3 each). I also encourage you to compare my nods to Tony Wheeler’s own compelling list. We agreed on three as most notable. Sometimes it’s VERY clear what’s peerless! The list does not include Kim Yu-Na, Joanie Rochette, Virtue & Moir, or any other skaters/teams who are not decisively retired and may emerge at their Nationals.

Men’s SP

Daisuke Takahashi: Historia de un amor, Que rico mambo, and Mambo No. 5 by Perez Prado; Batucada by DJ Dero; (Choreo: Shae-Lynn Bourne). Too predictable a choice? This brilliance can’t be denied.

Runner-Up: Shawn Sawyer, Assassin’s Tango by John Powell (Choreo: David Wilson)

Honorable Mentions: Javier Fernandez’s Histoire d’un amour/Nu Pogodi, and Tomas Verner’s Singin’ in the Rain!

Is Kristi Yamaguchi Jewish?

On our way to Palm Springs we discovered a wondrous thing: the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame Kristi Yamaguchi relief sculpture portrait and placard. It deems her “one of the most electrifying skaters in the modern era.” That’s not a word I would associate with her…perhaps “consistent,” “committed,” “graceful,” “inspiring,” “smooth”?

I mean no disrespect to Kristi, but as you can see, this portrait bears as much a resemblance to her as to the love child of Tracy Gold and Joan Rivers. On that note, a friend noted that she looked Jewish. Maybe she is?

But, judge for yourself…

Weir & Lysacek Immortalized

All the recent Weir/Lysacek mud-slinging, via the media is so silly and meaningless to me, I won’t even detail the ongoing bitch brawl here (and you likely already read it elsewhere). Clearly, they’re milkin’ this opportunity to increase their media presence (ie: “No press is bad press”).

BUT, when I came across this photo, I felt it said it all. They are in a sense forever linked, in their “rivalry,” and burgeoning off-ice, celebrity careers. So, what better way to to forever immortalize them as yin-yang/brothers/lovers/
soulmates (take your pick) in a fabulously flashy, fey, artistic portrait, ala Kings of 80’s Cheese: Hall & Oates?!

I’m not sure if NoMad Blogger created it or not (it appears not, as she included the zimbio.com credit), but I take no credit for this masterpiece. If you know the source (perhaps Toller Cranston?), please provide it, and I’ll gladly update the credit.

I now give you…

Weir & Lysacek, ala Hall & Oates (Image courtesy of zimbio.com)

jcm Nominated for “Blog of the Year”: Vote Now!

I am thrilled to be one of the Top 6 nominees for “Blog of the Year,” in Axels, Loops and Spins’ “3rd Annual Loop Axel Awards”! Although AL&S has apparently pre-determined his winners, if you like what you see/read/hear here, please vote for me there (under “Comments,” or click on his “View my complete profile” and email him directly), to help sway the deal for jumping clapping man! And, while you’re there, enjoy seeing Aaron’s other Awards. Last year Lifeskate.com deservedly won for best blog.

I’m takin’ a shameless page from Kathy Griffin’s “book,” and launching a guerilla marketing campaign for votes (Avenue Q also won the Tony this way in 2004!). Of course, I think I should be up for “Best New Face,” and “Best Outfit” too. 😉 Thank you kindly for returning to jcm, (and even more for your votes)!

The Best of jcm Rink Side

Here’s a look back at some highlights of my skating posts, balancing legit commentary with high camp. Click here to see all/only my skating-related posts:

A Rivalry Reignited: Torino Worlds Ladies FS, and other Worlds’ posts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

“GAY Stars On Ice & Friends!” PRESENTS: (My response to the “Stars on Ice” “family friendly” assertion, and supposed Johnny shut-out.)

Vancouver Games: Week 1 Supersized Recap, and other Olympics’ posts: 1, 2

jcm’s Olympics’ Podium Predictions Contest, and Winners (What other blog gives away money…and for free!?)

The Best of Spokane: Buttercups, Fizzles & Knives

Skaters Who Blew Through the Technical Ceiling (A robust technical overview.)

Ghoulish Figure Skating Clinics (Some Halloween season fun…yes, at the mercy of skaters.)

Olympic Reigns Ending: Likelihoods or Naysaying? (I nailed it! Bet your money on my soothsaying next time.)

Yu-Na Gets A Makeover! (Yes, I even made-over Yu-Na.)

[UPDATE: AL&S has announced that senior ice dancer Todd Gilles’ entertaining Vlog “Blips of Todd…“ is the winner.]

Cohen & Czisny’s Opera on Ice Duet

When I originally read the “Stars On Ice” program lineup, the highlight, hands-down, was the prospect of a Cohen/Czisny performance of Delibes’ “Flower Duet,” from Lakmé. It was the only number that came close to the inventiveness of my “GAY Stars on Ice…“ lineup! (Yuka Sato’s “Clair de Lune” was also enticing.) Well, since I don’t plan to attend the show live, thankfully a youtube video of it has surfaced, however janky and incomplete it may be.

Unfortunately, it feels quite underrehearsed, which is odd for the two perfection queens of the ice. But, it’s still quite pleasing, considering their peerless, but comparable spiral positions. Hello Charlottes…I’ve missed you so! It’s quite the “Anything you can do, I can do better” routine. Good thing they don’t attempt any of those pesky jumps.

Also, my hopes for some hint at the implied (or projected?) lesbian subtext of the duet were dashed. No surprise there. Although, I’m still tempted to bill this the “Spiral Bump” routine (ala “Donut Bump“).

The full name of the scene is: “Viens, Mallika, les liens en fleurs…Sous le dôme épais.“ In the context of the opera, “Lakmé and her servant Mallika are left behind and go down to the river to gather flowers…As they approach the water at the river bank, Lakmé removes her jewelry and places it on a bench (while they bathe)” (Wikipedia). It is one of the examples of grand opera’s and mainstream culture’s obsessions at the time with eastern exoticism and orientalism (also evident in Madama Butterfly).

The duet was also famously used to set the tone in the beautiful, overtly lesbian scene with Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon, in “The Hunger.” It uses it to full effect.

Below is the libretti excerpt. What do you think? Is the lesbian subtext intended, or projected by the viewer or culture of the time?

Under a dome of white jasmine
With the roses entwined together
On a river bank covered with flowers laughing in the morning

Gently floating on it’s charming risings
On the river’s current
On the shining waves
One hand reaches
Reaches for the bank
Where the spring sleeps and
The birds, the birds sing.

Under a dome of white jasmine
Ah! calling us
Together!