Which programs should Mao skate for the Olympic season?

lp : somewhere in time , I know that Mai used it, but is so beautiful, is perfect for mao and obviously to Judges like the most popular songs.

Main theme from Marco Polo from 'Moses and Marco Polo Suite,
composed by Ennio Morricone and played by Yo Yo Ma..

It's the perfect length for a short program..being almost exactly 2mins 50 secs long...there's even a section perfect for footwork! i've worked out where all d elements should be also

I finally managed to upload it on DM..

https://www.dailymotion.com/cera23cera/video/14840189

ok, here goes...

-Motion starts at 0:26
-Solo triple jump at abt 0:49, idea is to land on 0:51
-Layback spin into beillmann (I hope that's how u spell it) starts at 1:00, ends by 1:08 or 1:09
-combo jump at 1:22, lands at abt 1:24/5
-step sequence at 1:30-2:04
-spreadeagle into 2A at 2:05
-flying sit spin at abt 2:10
-spiral sequence at 2:20-2:38
-final combo spin starts at 2:28
-final pose at abt 3:13

...Not sure why the vid goes on for so much longer...

I think I covered all d elements...lemme know what you think...

Ok, nevermind..it appears the video has infringed some intellectual property copyright...don't think you'll be able to watch it. And YT keeps giving me an error message when I try to upload the vid.

chapis wrote:

lp : somewhere in time , I know that Mai used it, but is so beautiful, is perfect for mao and obviously to Judges like the most popular songs.

I love that piece!! So beautiful!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkKue_MEnkk
4:56 is amazing.

I adore this music, I think it would be great for Mao! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMkTJc7YUm4

Also this would be perfect for LP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx0BS4jB53U

polosatik wrote:

I adore this music, I think it would be great for Mao! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMkTJc7YUm4

Jenni Vahamaa skated to that in her short program at Skate Canada, I thought it was beautiful! Too bad she had to withdrew for the rest of the season because of injuries..

polosatik wrote:

Also this would be perfect for LP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx0BS4jB53U

rather, I think it was this version that Jenni used!!

SoMiTripleAxel wrote:

chapis wrote:

lp : somewhere in time , I know that Mai used it, but is so beautiful, is perfect for mao and obviously to Judges like the most popular songs.

I love that piece!! So beautiful!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkKue_MEnkk
4:56 is amazing.

Oh wonderful! This is some exquisite piece of music! I think Ashley Wagner also skated to that this season. It was the music for her short and she did a beautiful performance, especially at NHK <3

Quote :

Also this would be perfect for LP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx0BS4jB53U sunny

I really love the OST from Howl's moving castle, especially this theme. This would be a good choice, although it has a Waltz theme again which would in the end be a bit repetitive...

I've also some suggestions, mostly for Maos short <3
She could skate to something very lyrical again.. I'm in love with the 'Finding Neverland' soundtrack which has some beautiful extracts. Such as this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BTVQDqMlpg
It's quite fast sometimes, but I love the idea of Mao doing twizzle turns to that <3

I'd love her to skate to is 'Gabriels Oboe' from Yo-Yo Ma. It's just perfect and so lyrical - I think Mao really would again reach us with her feeling to the music..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jSotUeV0WI
It's only the first part, the Oboe one.
I know Carolina Kostner skated to this beautifully in 2006, but I believe Mao could also make this her own.

I know this Geisha soundtrack is becoming rather repetitive, since Miki, Yukari and Carolina skated to it and did so well, but none of those has used this gorgeous piece from the soundtrack which would suit Mao so well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1NofDJLlM4
It's exquisite and so soft. Maybe mixed with some other pieces from the soundtrack this would make a good sp music.

This idea is rather absurd and not likely to become true, but I think Mao could also skate to some extracts of Lord of the rings. It's a very strong soundtrack which everybody knows and hence it needs a strong skater who's able to express the music. I think Mao could be this skater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ9NOV3KNpY
Especially the parts with only the violins are lovely! From 0:00 till 5:20 <3

I'm also thrilled to know her new EX music, the Tango was a cracker! I could imagine her skating to something very dramatic again, like she did in 2007.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQY4HGud6yw
This is from the movie 'the perfume' and a gorgeous tragic score with high voices.

Another soft idea is this extract from 'spireted away'. Oh I love this soundtrack and especially this song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b50tThvbyA&feature=related
I really could imagine Mao skating to that during her EX, it's just as soft as her skating

2 new pieces!!

I adore Mao's Nocturne...I think she does best with soft and/or light pieces, and to be honest I hate especially her LP this season (sorry, Tatiana!)

I want something lyrical and heartfelt. For her SP maybe something like Edvin Marton's Romeo and Juliet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_64GhL6ImSc

I think she could do it in a way that'd be moving and beautiful, but not overdone with too much "pomp".

Since Mao has been talking doing ballet in Russia, I was thinking it would be nice if she did one of her pieces to ballet music - in particular, I was thinking about "Swan Lake" (which others people on the forum have already said they'd like to see Mao skate to). I think it would be so appropriate for Mao to skate to "Swan Lake" in the Olympic year, since in the last Olympic season she skated to "Nutcracker," another Tchaikovsky ballet piece.

And I think Mao would look absolutely gorgeous in a swan costume, like here:

http://www.abt.org/gallery/detail1.asp?Image_ID=741



Speaking of ballet - I ended up buying a ticket to American Ballet Theater's opening night performance because they're premiering a piece created just for opening night, and it's set to "Masquerade Waltz"!! After I read that, I couldn't resist!

Swan Lake is also the first thing that I think about when I knew the news that Mao will learn ballet in Russia. And she also went to watch "Swan Lake" when she went to Russian in 2007.

I would like to see Mao's sp like her Sing,sing,sing exhibition! I think this kind of music suits Mao perfectly!

polosatik wrote:

I would like to see Mao's sp like her Sing,sing,sing exhibition! I think this kind of music suits Mao perfectly!

Yes! I loved this exhibition, I want to see it again!!

I would love for Mao to use "Sing, Simg, sing" as a SP... after the Olympic season.
I just feel that many skaters will go for well known, powerful, roaring music that will really help them in getting the audience involved... And a gentler, jazz piece can feel a bit weak next to them.

I want something perfect!

So far I like the most the idea of a tango piece for SP (but different, more powerful than Por Una Cabeza/Payadora) and either "Swan Lake" or "Polovtsian Dances" for LP.

I'd love to see Mao skating to this piece.

z4mboni wrote:

So far I like the most the idea of a tango piece for SP (but different, more powerful than Por Una Cabeza/Payadora) and either "Swan Lake" or "Polovtsian Dances" for LP.

I also vote for "Swan Lake" or "Polovtsian Dances"!

And summerivie, I agree, I think it would be AWESOME if Mao skates to some Joe Hisaishi music someday!

I didn't tell you guys earlier, but I actually gave Mao a CD of music in the gift I gave her at Worlds. On the CD I put a bunch of songs that I thought would make good program music (and some of the ideas came from you all)!

Here's the list of songs:
1) Theme from Schindler's List
2) Liebestraum No. 3 in A flat by Lizst
3) Polovtsian Dances
4) "Song from a secret garden" by Secret Garden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wasYNNfnfVE
5) "Gaspard de la Nuit: Ondine" by Ravel
(though this might not be skate-able)
6) "Serenade" by Schubert
7) (just as an extra, don't think this is skate-able) Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A Major, II. Allegretto (because it's one of my favorites)

I'm not even sure that Mao will ever listen to the CD, but if she ever ends up skating to one of these pieces, that would be pretty cool!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qQVMF5cVHg

omg this would be perfect for mao.

I don't know if this has been done to death, but I've just rediscovered Mai's EX to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg for The Ice 2008. I really like the version she used. It's very soft and heartwrenching, plus it builds up at the end and would make for a fantastic step sequence. I think it has great potential for Mao.

I can't find a good version on YT, but here's Mai:
http://www.mediafire.com/?zmxtig20nn0

chiyori wrote:

I don't know if this has been done to death, but I've just rediscovered Mai's EX to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg for The Ice 2008. I really like the version she used. It's very soft and heartwrenching, plus it builds up at the end and would make for a fantastic step sequence. I think it has great potential for Mao.

I can't find a good version on YT, but here's Mai:
http://www.mediafire.com/?zmxtig20nn0

I went back and read through some of the earlier posts - it seems that we think a lot of the songs that Mai has used would be perfect for Mao!

Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Gabriel's Oboe, Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Memoirs of a Geisha - Mai's used them all, and they're all on Mai & Mao's skating music CDs!

I'm in total agreement that Mao should skate to some Joe Hisaishi pieces!! That video to "Ashitaka and San" is gorgeous!

Finally - I can't remember which thread I wrote it in, maybe the Yukari Nakano one - but here's "All I ask of you" from the "Phantasia" orchestra medley:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIlILGvwaD0&feature=PlayList&p=A6AFAF54A83ABA0B&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=40

Now, imagine Mao and Taka-chan skating an EX to that...

For a real program, I would prefer the Phantasia version of "Point of No return", but I can't find a link.

a link for "Point of No return"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp4UqGxOeHk
And,uhmn, I just came to an idea that want to skate "don quixote". I don't know why I have such an idea-_-!

And I don't quite like the idea of "Swan Lake". Many people used it before. However, when I heard the news that Mao will study ballet in Russia, the first thing came to my mind is "Swan Lake"......

Jumping in to join the group:

I saw Jeffrey Buttle's Eclogue for Piano and Strings performance and thought that the music is great for Mao. I personally hope that Mao will refrain from toooo cliche music choices...

Here's the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMgoBjmzl0U

ETA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIS6mmvtu2k (instrumental) I love this version even more because it has a lighter and faster pace, greater climax. Looove the string orchestra version. You need to listen through the entire piece to get the full idea. It starts with a gentle pace and rich timbre but slowly builds to a BEAUTIFUL climax.

If Mao is to use this music (possibility is near zero), she'd have to edit the music and remix it a bit to get the perfect progression of mood throughout the program. It's not the perfect fit but I find the music liberating and triumphant at parts, especially when the strings join in with the piano. I think they will need to mix parts of the music with other music pieces to give it a stronger bass, a more dramatic twist, just to build up the tension and create a great climax for Mao to soar on her spirals and push out her step sequence. Oh, and add a bit more 'umph' to the ending than the one that Buttle did, since Mao said she wants to end the program with greater "power". I sometimes think that Mao's idea of "power" is a bit different from my traditional view, like more masculine or higher level of difficulty. She probably means it in a broader sense: a rapturous and emotional ending that engages the audience intensely. Hahaha, I'm no expert though.

tianrushui wrote:

And,uhmn, I just came to an idea that want to skate "don quixote". I don't know why I have such an idea-_-!

And I don't quite like the idea of "Swan Lake". Many people used it before. However, when I heard the news that Mao will study ballet in Russia, the first thing came to my mind is "Swan Lake"......

About Don Quixote - I forgot what the music sounds like, but when I saw the ballet last year, I *do* remember thinking that it might be good for Mao, because Kitri, the heroine, is fun and playful like Mao, and she wears an orange dress like Mao's dress from her 2005-06 Carmen SP. But I think that kind of happy, upbeat piece will only work well if Mao can be cheerful like in her EX pieces - but maybe she can? Hmm..

About Swan Lake: tianrushui, you might be right that it might be over-done. Maybe it might not be a good idea to use it for that reason. HOWEVER, I had a very *silly* thought when I imagined Mao learning choreography to "Swan Lake"...

In the ballet, there's a part when Odette (the swan) first meets Prince Siegfried, she kind of flutters/floats away from him, and he chases after her. Now imagine Mao trying to act this out in her program. She's having trouble getting into character, so to help Mao feel the emotion, TAT gets Brian Joubert (who's also training in Russia with TAT) to pretend to be Prince Siegfried and chase Mao around the rink!

Somehow that idea seemed very amusing to me, and I think Brian would make a dashing Prince!

Batsuchan wrote:

About Swan Lake: tianrushui, you might be right that it might be over-done. Maybe it might not be a good idea to use it for that reason. HOWEVER, I had a very *silly* thought when I imagined Mao learning choreography to "Swan Lake"...

In the ballet, there's a part when Odette (the swan) first meets Prince Siegfried, she kind of flutters/floats away from him, and he chases after her. Now imagine Mao trying to act this out in her program. She's having trouble getting into character, so to help Mao feel the emotion, TAT gets Brian Joubert (who's also training in Russia with TAT) to pretend to be Prince Siegfried and chase Mao around the rink!

Somehow that idea seemed very amusing to me, and I think Brian would make a dashing Prince!

Ooooh! That is so cute!

Definitely liking Eclogue for Piano and Strings and Don Quixote.

Two more suggestions:
Mendelssohn's Op. 34 No.2 (Auf Flügeln des Gesanges)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-20qxQT7Xg

Ryuichi Sakamoto's Energy Flow
www.youtube.com/watch?v=btyhpyJTyXg
(probably a bit too lyrical to be made into a program, but then again, Miki's
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence SP continues to be my favorite program of hers, so who knows?)

Both pieces, IMO, have just as much emotional power and draws you in like the heavy-hitting dramatic pieces of music.

I just love Mao's Clair de Lune that I'm sad to see it go though...