I KILLED with that headline, right??? Anybody? Ok, moving on...
So many music choices, so many programs, here are some thoughts (I linked the programs that are on youtube already):
New Choices I'm Excited About:
South Korea's Yu-na Kim: 007 James Bond Medley (short program). First of all, kudos to her for even attempting to follow up Danse Macabre, which was one of the most superbly choreographed (and delivered) short programs we saw last year. It would have been easy for her to stick with it, knowing it would bring her a lead as long as she performed well. 007 is a completely different direction, and I can't wait to see what Kim and David Wilson do with it. This might also be a none-too-subtle ploy to market her as a sexy young woman to the international public who may only watch skating at the Olympics - coach Brian Orser have referred to Kim as sexy in the program and Wilson has described it as a way to show Kim's journey from girl to woman.
America's Rachael Flatt: Sing, Sing, Sing (short program). Flatt is young and should have some fun out there - how can she not with this music? We've heard it before but like to see her loosen up.
America's Johnny Weir: I Love You/I Hate You (short program). This is a bit different type of music than I'm used to seeing from Johnny. There are some youtube videos floating around and Lifeskate put up the Stars, Stripes and Skates performance of it, but I can't wait to see it at a Grand Prix a bit more polished. BUT - will anything Weir does rival Poker Face?
America's McLaughlin and Brubaker: Unchained Melody (short program). What can I say, I'm a sucker for this song...it's my own problem.
It will be hard for them to make me forget that I've heard this music 4.3 million times:
Samson and Delilah: Canada's Joannie Rochette, France's Canac and Coia. I'm not sure how much this will stand out for anyone for me this season, especially since Davis and White did such a great rendition of it last year.
Phantom of the Opera: Canada's Patrick Chan, America's Davis and White, Japan's Yukari Nakano, probably multitudes more. I am particularly sure that Chan and Davis and White will knock this out of the park. But...it's Phantom. again!
Carmen: Americans Ross Miner and Mirai Nagasu. I don't know if I would have thought Nagasu was ready for her Carmen moment; she obviously disagrees. It should also be noted that Nagasu is skating to Pirates of the Carribean as well - double offender!
Scheherezade: America's Evan Lysacek. China's Zhang and Zhang.
Claire de Lune: America's Castile and Okolski.
Memoirs of a Geisha: Japan's Fumie Suguri. Last year it was Japan's Miki Ando. A few years ago it was Japan's Yukari Nakano. I'm sensing a trend. This is totally wrong! Sorry for the confusion and sorry to Suguri.
Can't miss, even though I've heard it 4.3 million times:
America's Sasha Cohen: Moonlight Sonata (free skate). Completely overused but how can she not hit it out of the park? She's been skating to this in Stars on Ice but I'm sure that the competition piece will be different and I'm excited to see it.
Repeat Offenders:
Canada's Patrick Chan (short program tango). I see why Chan would use this high-scoring program, but I would have loved to see him challenge himself by switching it up. No matter how good the program or skater, it always seems a bit stale to me to see the same program used in competition for more than one season. I'm sure others like to see the process of perfecting the program or the nuances that develop, but after a year of seeing something I am ready for something new. I have a feeling Chan was working on the quad and triple axel this offseason though, so he was obviously quite busy!
America's Alissa Czisny (long program - Doctor Zhivago). I see no reason to carry this program over from one season to the next, other than that Czisny needs to be as comfortable as possible in order to succeed. Unfortunately, all her jump downgrades at Nebelhorn show that having an old program does not necessarily help Czisny succeed. If she performs like she can, though, it will hopefully score better in later competitions.
Finland's Laura Lepisto: (short program - Imagined Oceans). I don't remember this program...
France's Brian Joubert: (short program - Rise (Leave Me Alone))...well, I suppose it did get him a questionable first place finish in the short at Worlds...soo....
Russia's Kavaguti and Smirnov: (short program - The Swan). It's a pretty program.
What about you? Which programs are you most looking forward to seeing (due to the music choice...)?
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