ICE DANCE TBD we stay winning!!!

Mone Chiba: Dark Eyes » 2023 Japanese Nationals

azushin in first 🥹🥹🥹

Kosho Oshima: Super Mario SP | Japanese Nationals 2023

Now where do we sign a petition to JSF so that they give this guy international assignments? The world would love him!!

Ivan Shmuratko: Melody from «The High Pass» | Grand Prix Espoo 2023

Music by Daniel Hope, Oleksiy Botvinov, Myroslav Skoryk (link) Choreography: Mykhailo Leiba, Ivan Shmuratko

“We [Mykhailo and Ivan] have recently discussed that we wouldn’t even call it a program because a program is like executing a plan, but what we have is a performance. There are no words to describe it. Myroslav Skorik is a legend of Ukraine. It’s a brilliant composition — ‘Melody.’ Through the movements, I convey the story of a father and child. The child is born, grows up, learns to walk, plays with the father. And then the child dies because of the missile, and the father has to live with this afterward. We created this program without hints: we wanted to show everything as it is happening in Ukraine right now”. — Ivan for Suspilne Sport (translated by fs gossips). Full article covers questions about his training at Kiyv's public ice rinks, his free program and preparations for Euros and Worlds.

Here is the actual ending of the program:

But Ivan got a fall deduction from judges at Nepela Memorial 2023 (eteri tutberidze, a russian coach who continues to live and work in moscow, also attended this event as a coach of a Georgian skater, who also lives and trains in moscow), being forced to change it for international competitions. He later commented on the matter.

I see the ISU's standards for "best coach" haven't gotten any higher

i think this is a really lovely quote from yuma. roughly "because [carolina] teaches such small details as how to use the direction of my gaze or fingertips, I feel growth. lately my jumps have been coming with a stable feeling, so I think I have some latitude to work on the power of my expression."

Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier, FD Wuthering Heights • GPF 2023

Ilia Malinin (USA): First skater in history to successfully perform all 6 types of quadruple jumps. Malinin completed the set after landing a clean quad loop at the 2023 Grand Prix Final. *Jumps shown are those awarded highest GOE in international competition as of December 2023

and what the fuck is up with neset/markelov and grimm/savitsky being better than half the senior ice dance teams in terms of skating skills/program complexity???

i'm obsessed with rio nakata's picking technique i feel like his foot just lightly taps from a couple inches off the ground and he goes up?? makes for such effortless-looking jumps.

i'm obsessed with rio nakata's picking technique i feel like his foot just lightly taps from a couple inches off the ground and he goes up?? makes for such effortless-looking jumps.

And here is THE program I want to rant about:

Hana's Shakuhachi is absolutely my favourite program in this disciplinne this season.

In terms of her technical elements she has good technique, lots of speed into and out of her jumps. I love her landings especially, great flow, smooth running edges. Commentators keep mentioning those and for a good reason, it's a guaranteed GOE bullet point hit for her with how amazing they are. She is quite quick, with solid ankle action allowing for flow and glide. Now switching onto what makes this THE program for me:

All program components are connected obviously, but to me composition is supposed to give an entire picture of a program really. It is the ice coverage, the way elements are woven into choreography and music, what the skater is trying to convene in those few minutes. Shakuhachi is more convenient than her SP, it follows a mostly standard music arrangement with the final spin being the peak, but what sets it apart to me is that the sense stays constant throughout. I feel like she is one singular lonely crane from the first moment to the end, but also, especially during the StSq and to the end I also feel like I'm watching a flock in flight and trying to single out one bird? But it is still somehow a graceful solitary flight. If that makes sense? This program's quniqueness in composition comes from choreography I think. Just take a look at the opening! So serene when majority of skaters open their programs with a bang. I just love it when programs build in intensity. The concept is what makes it stand out and it's beautiful!

Her ice coverage is just huge. She takes up the entire ice as if a bird could take up entire sky.

Her presentation is just stellar. Every movement connects to the theme of the program, she is always conscious of her hands - so so important as her entire body represents a crane. The red glove doesn't stand out of the costume because you can exactly point out the exact movement of the bird she embodies. Her endless, long running edges, and ability to control body movement smoothly and effortlessly serve purpose in painting a crane. It's so important to note how she utilizes spins in her expression. The movements are so precise, so bird-like!

My favourite part of the program has to be the StSq. This entire program has so much class and elegance. It doesn't feel like a 1st senior season program to me at all. Hana is simply stunning.

Team Japan 🇯🇵 answering the question "Who is the most fun person on Team Japan?" — and being the cutest (x)

now that azushin and utana/masaya have earned their tech minimums if the JSF isn't stupid they should at least send one of them to worlds. but when has the JSF ever not been stupid.

Hana Yoshida: Shakuhachi / La terre vue du ciel » 2023 Grand Prix Final

only one pop and a couple shaky landings? no falls? men not menning? i am so here for it. thanks for not flopping guys <333 good event