Kim Yu-na, Mao Asada Get Ready for New Season

[iloveskating]

Figure skating rivals Kim Yu-na of Korea and Mao Asada of Japan are each preparing in their different way for the 2009-2010 season that culminates in next year's Olympics.


http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/07/01/2009070100481.html

[gypsyteller]

my guess of LP for Yu Na Kim is ............

Drum roll..............................
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TOSCA!!!!!!!:D

[Krista]

Tosca would be great............it's so new and fresh and never done before! :lol

[iloveskating]

By
popular and familiar tunes for the free programI thought she meant something no classical, like Broadway or pop music.

This is a bit OT, but with all due respect to Michael Jackson, I fear we will subjected to 5 million MJ exhibition routines next season and probably at least a few free dance or instrumental LPs.

[LyraKwangelica]

I don't think Kim will use Tosca. It seems she isn't disclosing what her music will be to spare herself from the inevitable scrutiny, but it's apparent it won't stop the sarcasm. Popular and familiar tunes is a generic response and could mean anything as far as I'm concerned. I was furious when she selected music to Miss Saigon, but it became a favorite program of mine. Scheherazade has been used sooooo many times, but her choreography was beautiful and she gave it so much focus. I'm down with just about any music choice from her.

[carriecmu0503]

"But 2008 World Champion Mao Asada already announced new programs for the next season in Moscow, where she is training, last week. For the free program, Asada will skate to Prelude in C-Sharp Minor Op.3 no.2 "Bells of Moscow" by Rachmaninov. And she is re-using a selection from "Masquerade Suite" by Khachaturian from last year's free program for her new short program."



Um, isn't this the music TAT had chosen for MK 4 years ago? I wonder if she will give her the same choreography, too? Maybe we will get to see MK's Olympic long, after all! hahahaha

[Krista]

I don't think Kim will use Tosca. It seems she isn't disclosing what her music will be to spare herself from the inevitable scrutiny, but it's apparent it won't stop the sarcasm. Popular and familiar tunes is a generic response and could mean anything as far as I'm concerned. I was furious when she selected music to Miss Saigon, but it became a favorite program of mine. Scheherazade has been used sooooo many times, but her choreography was beautiful and she gave it so much focus. I'm down with just about any music choice from her.

Oh I have no doubt whatever she skates to will be beautiful. Tosca has just been done by just about everyone lol, so it's fun to joke about :P

[kwanatic712]

It'll be interesting to see what Yu-Na picks. There are about a billion "popular" skating selections that people have used over the years so who knows which one she'll go for. Tosca is very powerful and is one of my favorite performances from Michelle (2004 Nationals) but it all depends on which direction she wants to go for the LP. Does she want fiery and dramatic? Or soft and lyrical? It doesn't really matter either way. She's only in competition with herself as of right now. Her challenge will be to top the two programs she had from last year. Danse Macabre is obviously her signature SP piece as of right now. It's up to Yu-Na to top what she did and that's a tall order to fill.

As for Mao, I just hope she and TAT have come up with some more involved choreography, in particular, for the LP. I really loved her SP to Claire de Lune; it had nice choreography and flow and it fit to the style Mao skates to. But the LP just kind of got lost in the jumps. Too much skating around and not enough skating. I seriously hope they focus in on that and realize that you can win with just jumps but if your jumps fall through, short of footwork, there is nothing else to fall back on. To me, it looked like TAT ran Mao into the ground last year. She goes from winning nearly everything to not even making it to the podium at worlds. Still, the first defending year for a champion is always a tough one (look at Michelle in 1997, though she came in 2nd at worlds). It's tough to go from chasing someone to being the one who everyone is chasing. It's a lot of pressure and Mao didn't hold up too well under it. Last year was definitely a learning experience for her and I believe she will come out stronger next year.

The question now becomes how will Yu-Na hold up under the pressure of the world champion crown? She's going to have to remain focused as well because now everyone is gunning for her spot at the top, not to mention you have Sasha and possibly Michelle coming back. I can't see anyone being intimidated by Sasha (that's just me though); I mean, Mao and Yu-Na can wrap rings around Sasha in the technical aspect alone. But, Michelle...Michelle has that aura of living legend that just radiates when she walks into a room; and when she steps on the ice it's like you need blinders on! She will make any skater tremble in their boots. So if/when she comes back, that will be added pressure to this already pressure filled environment. Good Lord! October can't come fast enough!! :clap

[uncchristine99]

So Mao's selections are confirmed? I was hoping she would retool her gorgeous "Por una Cabeza" exhibition into a short program. It's so much more lively and interesting than her "Masquerade" program. Mao always seems to have a terrific short program--it's the long program that gets iffy for me. But her strategy for next year sounds like a good one to me! She needs a flamboyant SP so she can really attack her elements. But she can have a more relaxed LP to help her focus on being steady.

I hope Yuna will pick something smooth and flowy. I think "electrifying and intense rhythm" is gonna be similar to her Tango de Roxanne SP. I'm also feeling shades of Michelle's Carmen SP--that whole section of percussion dedicated to footwork was so amazing and innovative. I could see Yuna doing something like that!

"Popular and familiar tunes" sounds scary to me. I'm imagining Oksana Baiul's 94 LP and cringing. I hope it's not a pop medley or a showtunes medley!

[gatzbee]

yea im afraid of yuna's LP music too lol. oksana's olympic program is what came to my mind too haha. and i dunno, but im a little saddened to hear of mao's LP music selection. i always wanted that to be michelle's music :( and unfortunately we will never get to see that program...