Here is my impression for this year 2006 Marchall's international showcase,
Johnny Weir - His talent and skating level is far above any others. I could feel Johnny is telling the story of the music, words, it was really excellent , he is naturally feeling the music and rhythm from beginning to the end , his slow movement was very deep and enchanting.
Also for example " wait for me, wait for me " his arm position and movement was very expressive. another example is his last part that super flexible position, I can't write enough to describe our deep impression.
Too many things to write .
Just really really amazing.
Evan Lysacek was fun to watch with three different kinds of music. Different from competition. His dancing was great.
EVGENY Plushenko was good, but always same music , style and image, felt little bit boring.
Matt Savoie, the music was not really fit with his image and also no impression.
Irina Slutskaya was great, she is very creative and energetic, beautiful position and art , very fun to watch. Her hands and finger position is always great.
Shizuka Arakawa was sexy and beautiful with soft movement. Her jumps looked weak but her Ina Bauer was gorgeous.
Sasha Cohen was great. I don't think she is a good actress but her choreography and position are always beautiful.
Michelle Kwan, Kimmie Meissner, Emily Hughes , I got no impression of their skate. Soon I got bored . I don't know why ? Maybe they have no creative, artistic talent.
Tatiana Totmianina & Maxim Marinin were excellent. always very artistic.
Belbin & Agosto , Agosto is a great dancer but Belbin is not really artistic, and her arms and body line looks stiff and not natural, unlike the Russian skater Tatyiana Navka who looks very natural.
During Johnny Weir's performance, one announcer Mr. Button ? was saying that Johnny is very mysterious and that his skating is like a very personal and secret performance in a dark place where there are no audience , except for a few people who happen to find the theater where he is performing.
Mr. Button also said that Johnny's performance is not connected to the audience, but it's quite wonderful, and in the last part when he is spinning with amazing flexibility, and at the end of the position, Mr. Button just said " really flexible , isn't he ? " without complimenting anything about it.
And then after Johnny finished it, the other announcer started talking to Mr, Button and he said to him
" He's got to be incredibly talented to be able to make that kind of deep impression, if, as you say, Johnny's not connecting to the audience, there is a depth there because of his great talent, and therefore he DOES connect to the audience.
It's because of his amazing skating style that Johnny is able to create the kind of impact you described. "
It was really nice to hear a great compliment from that announcer.
Johnny's component is very deep and complicated , so some people who are simple like Mr. Button, they just don't understand Johnny's art.
I just think Johnny Weir is a genius.
Johnny has talent both technical and component part.
Most of the skaters have only one of them.