Mao News - Off-Season 2012!

babayaga wrote:

Hehe As long as there won't be actual feathers in Mao, I'm OK with anything. Polosatik is right - clean jumps is what is most important.

ETA: zarinaballerina, we posted at the same time. I was thinking to mention a bra too at first

I actually have visions of bra made out of feathers. I loved the latest Liebestraume costume so I hope she'll stick to that designer, or go to the one who designed the costume for the Jeff duett. TAT please stay away from designing and stick to choreography.

zarinaballerina wrote:

babayaga wrote:

Hehe As long as there won't be actual feathers in Mao, I'm OK with anything. Polosatik is right - clean jumps is what is most important.

ETA: zarinaballerina, we posted at the same time. I was thinking to mention a bra too at first

I actually have visions of bra made out of feathers. I loved the latest Liebestraume costume so I hope she'll stick to that designer, or go to the one who designed the costume for the Jeff duett. TAT please stay away from designing and stick to choreography.

I am crying thinking about it.

zarinaballerina wrote:

I like the second layout, she'd just have to replace 1 triple with the mandatory 2A.

3A fulfills the axel-type jump requirement, IIRC the official wording is "one jump must be an Axel-type jump". Nobunari's LP has no 2A this season and he received no deductions, and if I'm not mistaken in regards to Axels in the LP the rules are the same for ladies and men.

ddmm wrote:

I am thinking about her costume.....

This reminds me of costume-gate when Sasha was with TAT. Apparently she had her Swan Lake costume made in secret, because she wasn't fond of TAT's original idea... and when TAT actually saw the costume (it's the one Sasha was wearing before she switched to Wagner) she said there was not enough feathers.
So yeah, I hope whoever designs Mao costume this year will go easy on the feathers...

babayaga wrote:

zarinaballerina wrote:

babayaga wrote:

Hehe As long as there won't be actual feathers in Mao, I'm OK with anything. Polosatik is right - clean jumps is what is most important.

ETA: zarinaballerina, we posted at the same time. I was thinking to mention a bra too at first

I actually have visions of bra made out of feathers. I loved the latest Liebestraume costume so I hope she'll stick to that designer, or go to the one who designed the costume for the Jeff duett. TAT please stay away from designing and stick to choreography.

I am crying thinking about it.

LOL next time our next forum project should be "Fashion Inspiration for Sochi"

inskate wrote:

3A fulfills the axel-type jump requirement, IIRC the official wording is "one jump must be an Axel-type jump". Nobunari's LP has no 2A this season and he received no deductions, and if I'm not mistaken in regards to Axels in the LP the rules are the same for ladies and men.


This reminds me of costume-gate when Sasha was with TAT. Apparently she had her Swan Lake costume made in secret, because she wasn't fond of TAT's original idea... and when TAT actually saw the costume (it's the one Sasha was wearing before she switched to Wagner) she said there was not enough feathers.
So yeah, I hope whoever designs Mao costume this year will go easy on the feathers...

Thanks for clarifying. I was certain that women MUST have one 2A in the long program. They change the rules so many times that I can't follow.

Oh God, I was affraid of that. Please no feathers.

babayaga wrote:

ROTFLMAO ROTFLMAO ROTFLMAO ROTFLMAO I am crying thinking about it.

Are you crying from laughter or from horror?

klarification wrote:

LOL next time our next forum project should be "Fashion Inspiration for Sochi" Hell, no!

Well, at least her costumes would be fantastic.

zarinaballerina wrote:

Are you crying from laughter or from horror?

I think both Your post was too funny and too scary at the same time.

Mao and Swan Lake is such good news. I couldn't enjoy Ashley's Black Swan program last year. She was technically solid and but she's not of the balletic style, her hands were so wooden and the choreography was so awkard. Mao will be more likely to be compared to Sasha, who had a very successful season (03-04) of her career with Swan Lake.

I was looking forward to Mao's announcement, but actually I was much more concerned about her jumps. Consistency is always the key, and I hope she'd put the 3A later in the program so that it won't affect her mentality. Sometimes i think of Sasha, who could have been so much greater had she put her nerve under control.

pearlyriver wrote:

Mao and Swan Lake is such good news. I couldn't enjoy Ashley's Black Swan program last year. She was technically solid and but she's not of the balletic style, her hands were so wooden and the choreography was so awkard. Mao will be more likely to be compared to Sasha, who had a very successful season (03-04) of her career with Swan Lake.

I still cringe when I think of her spiral. I know her hand movement was supposed to go with music, but honestly she looked like she had painful spasms in her arms, nothing swan like. I'm not trying to be mean, but it was weird.

Waiting until october 6th is going to feel like an eternity. Japan TV, please show us more clips!

Well why not? "Fashion suggestions for Mao" Sounds awesome! I'm super excited about Swan lake and Mao, even some people say it's overused. But you know, she can be the best skating to this music, i think she was born for it. Can you think about anyone who can skate to this music better then Mao? I can't, and I loved Sasha's program, Tat's version, not Robin who ruined everything which was ballet in that program. Spirals, spread eagles, split jumps I'm like in wonderland now! I think something like Sasha's costume at 2004 Worlds would be great!

Yay, Swan Lake seems like such a great choice! I hope for some epic moments in the program, it may be a total masterpiece!
However, i also have to admit, that i am a little bit afraid of what Mao will wear... There are so many possibilities and some of them may go so wrong. Right now I am also afraid of a feather bra and of something made of feathers on Mao's head. TAT, please prove me wrong..

I am very excited and can't wait to see the whole performance. JO can't come soon enough. Does any of you know - will the competition be aired live? Is there a chance for a live stream?

kaarolcia, I'm not sure but as far as I remember Japan Open always has delayed broadcast, about 2 or 3 hours.

zarinaballerina wrote:

I still cringe when I think of her spiral. I know her hand movement was supposed to go with music, but honestly she looked like she had painful spasms in her arms, nothing swan like. I'm not trying to be mean, but it was weird.

Waiting until october 6th is going to feel like an eternity. Japan TV, please show us more clips!

Glad that I'm not alone. I literally freaked out when I saw that, like she tried to be a black and majestic black swan but her arms backfired. I didn't get the fuss about her program.

I know I'll be hated for saying this, but I seldom like Mao's costume. Her choices are a hit and miss to me. Some are gorgeous: 07-08 FS, 10-11 gala where she skated like a ballerina, 07-08 SP, 08 FP with Masquerade, but many are too old-fashioned with too many distracting features. My least favorite Mao's dress has to be the one for Paganini's Caprice with too much fuschia.

Sounds like a rant but I just hope to see Mao when she brings out her excellent techniques, beautiful choreography and gorgeous costumes. And since her FP is ballet, I hope the SP will be a music piece that showcases Mao's fighting spirit.

pearlyriver wrote:

I know I'll be hated for saying this, but I seldom like Mao's costume. Her choices are a hit and miss to me. Some are gorgeous: 07-08 FS, 10-11 gala where she skated like a ballerina, 07-08 SP, 08 FP with Masquerade, but many are too old-fashioned with too many distracting features. My least favorite Mao's dress has to be the one for Paganini's Caprice with too much fuschia.

Sounds like a rant but I just hope to see Mao when she brings out her excellent techniques, beautiful choreography and gorgeous costumes. And since her FP is ballet, I hope the SP will be a music piece that showcases Mao's fighting spirit.

I doubt you're the only one who feels like this. It's why many of us are worried when we think about her Swan Lake costume. I sincerely wish TAT would stay away from costume designing and leave this to professionals.

polosatik wrote:

But you know, she can be the best skating to this music, i think she was born for it. Can you think about anyone who can skate to this music better then Mao? I can't, and I loved Sasha's program, Tat's version, not Robin who ruined everything which was ballet in that program. Spirals, spread eagles, split jumps I'm like in wonderland now! I think something like Sasha's costume at 2004 Worlds would be great!

I agree, she's a perfect Odette.
I wasn't surprised that Robin ruined Swan Lake for Sasha, since IMO, she's not much of a choreogrpher...

zarinaballerina wrote:

I wasn't surprised that Robin ruined Swan Lake for Sasha, since IMO, she's not much of a choreogrpher...

To me it was a surprise that she changed so much, she could just do some little changes not overdo the whole program.

polosatik wrote:

To me it was a surprise that she changed so much, she could just do some little changes not overdo the whole program.

I think she did this because she wanted to be the one who has all the control and if Sasha would win it would with Robin's program not TAT's. Or maybe she just thought she's an amazing choreographer, unfortunately she wasn't.

pearlyriver wrote:

Mao and Swan Lake is such good news. I couldn't enjoy Ashley's Black Swan program last year. She was technically solid and but she's not of the balletic style, her hands were so wooden and the choreography was so awkard. Mao will be more likely to be compared to Sasha, who had a very successful season (03-04) of her career with Swan Lake.

I was looking forward to Mao's announcement, but actually I was much more concerned about her jumps. Consistency is always the key, and I hope she'd put the 3A later in the program so that it won't affect her mentality. Sometimes i think of Sasha, who could have been so much greater had she put her nerve under control.

Even though Ashley is not a balletic skater, I did like her black swan program. Although I think it would be hard for me not to like any swan lake program unless it was just utterly horrible cause I like the music so much. Her arm spasm thing did not bother me. It was part of the choreography, and I understood it. Yes, Mao's swan lake may be compared more to Sasha, but I'm sure it will still be compared to Ashley's some since hers was just last season, and it was a successful program. I think a lot of that talk will be about how different their programs and styles are. Yes, I think we all think of how great Sasha could have been if she could get her nerves under control! So frustrating as a fan!

Yes, I think we can all agree: No bras, and not too many feathers! Oh, and no chokers either! I actually did like Sasha's first swan lake dress, and did not care for her second one. I remember when she switched it how disappointed I was. There are feathers on it, but they are just printed feathers. So it didn't look overdone to me. I think it is probably hard to put many actual feathers on the dress cause feathers always come off costumes. I remember when I took dance and we had feathers in our costumes, the feathers were always shedding all over.

Yay, Mao and Swan Lake! It's a perfect choice for her style—powerful and balletic. I can't wait to see this!

I'm going to try not to worry too much about the costume until we see it. There are plenty of other things to worry about in this world, after all.

polosatik wrote:

kaarolcia, I'm not sure but as far as I remember Japan Open always has delayed broadcast, about 2 or 3 hours.

Thanks polosatik! 2 or 3 hours I don't mind. I just hope it will not be 2-3 weeks after some videos are aired, that would be torture!
I just can't wait! There has been almost no footage about Mao this off season and I miss her so much. Can't wait to see her skate again!

Swan lake, this is a dream come true I'm so excited!!!!!!

Broadcast information
http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/japanopen2012/info.html#onair
2012/10/06（土） 夜7:00-夜8:54　テレビ東京系列6局ネット
7pm to 8:54pm on 2012/10/06

from the earlier clip without music, a lot of ppl guess that should be swan lake especially Mao said the FS is the piece everyone knows.
just like most of you, I try not to worry about the dress for now and focus on good news.
hope she will bring good surprise to us on Japan Open.

OMG! I missed so much when I off during the weekend!
This might be it! The music which fits her - The one we all agree has been composed for her!
I am actually very glad she chose this music for this season - If she manages to deliver perfectly, she will be able to own the music and that will surely decrease the amount of Swan Lake FS at Sochi -
I mean no top skater would really like to skate to Danse Macabre or Bells, atleast not in a few years -
Mao could re use the piece at Sochi!

I think this might be the very first time we have all agreed on her music choice!
Hopefully the costume will be beautiful as well! But I just want her to skate well!

ahhhhhhh I am soooooo excitet to hear Mao will skate to swan lake it was the piece of music I have always dreamt to see Mao skate to, and also this piece of musici suggestet when we had the music project in the forum. can't believe she really picked this piece of music, I could cry of happines right now!

guys i anyone knows any live stream please please post i wouldn't mind paying if there is any way, that I will be able to see Mao live when she skates!

Off topic but I've just rewatched Mao's LP at 2006 NHK and couldn't believe how much she has improved in terms of speed, spin and footwork, although she was quite good at that event. She constantly challenges herself. That LP (Csardas) didn't get as much notice as others, but I personally love it. It's a beautiful and different music piece which allows Mao to demonstrate both her delicate balletic style and speed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a39JOzUlzQ New CM

http://maimao-asada.com/mai/private/2012/10/01/223/ Mai introduced their dogs, first one "komachi"