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Nationals Exhibition

I was not going to watch this Exhibition since I knew Johnny is not going to perform. But since hearing that they may show Johnny’s award for readers choice during the event, I just wanted to watch that part and planning to watch it.

However, it might be too late ? Or they didn’t show that part ?,
when we turned on the TV, it already started and Ryan Bradley was in interview. And was unable to see Johnny in it.

I was cooking during the time so I didn’t watch all of them, but Hmm… whole the performances I watched bored me except for some only music.


I was disappointed when I watched Meryl & Davis.
They did my favorite music “ Don’t stop me now “ by Queen.

I felt a little frustrated seeing their performance with the music, because the music is so powerful, exciting , so if they could skate with much more speed, effortless super passionate moves , it would be better. 

As it was, I thought it was quite slow.. But some of the choreography was good.

Maybe since that music is special to me, I have my own image for it, so it may be difficult to get satisfaction whoever tries it.

But I imagine that Navka/Kostomorov could do much better job.
Freddie Mercury’s super high energy was just out of this world, every time I watch his performance of his song “ Don’t Stop Me Now “ on video, any stress I may have, just vanishes away.

However, I did like Meryl & Davis Free dance performance in the competition, and the classical music they used there may fit them more.


I’m wondering if Johnny could try that music next season. I don’t know the theme and name of the music , but it‘s familiar music.

And also Dr. Zhivago . I was picturing whole Johnny’s performance with Dr. Zhivago while Allisa Cizney was performing in her FP.

Johnny already used that music in 2003-4, and that music is soooo beautiful, and dramatic and also judges seems like loving it , too. so if he can try the Dr. Zhivago music again , re-arranged with different choreography , I suppose it would be great impression to judges and audience.

I really think music is very important for Johnny himself, and also to judges and audience.

I also thought his “ Love is War” music helped his mind toughness last season. It’s so powerful, and made him fire while performing.

Back to my review of Exhibition event,

Looked like all the skaters already tired after the competition, so maybe is that the reason ?

I didn’t get any good impression for this.

I also watched Jeremy Abbot performance . He did the same number which he did in his last season’s SP again. Maybe no time to create new EX number ? 


I liked his last season’s FP but didn’t like his SP because it was not so pretty to watch and he is not a good dancer on ice at all, IMO.

He fell on jumps twice in it..


Audience didn’t look so exciting. Only some people scream at the edge a few second , but most of the time, I thought audience was quiet , no standing ovation, not much claps at all.

The ending was kind of weird , music just kept going, but he stopped while the music still went on, and went to the edge board, was just standing with some disappointed gesture. It looked to me he was not with music.

If a skater was with music, it would not stop like that . I’m wondering, was he sick ? 

But he looked healthy.

That reaction what he did at the end , I was disappointed. He is not funny to me. If someone who has sense of humor did it, it could be different impression though. Personally, it’s hard to believe this kind of skater is scored as the best men’s American skater this season.

His comments “ I looove Kun Fu “ at K&C after FP also didn’t work to me and Ray . Ray was saying that it looks childish.


Childish is fine to me, but it’s just the way how he said was nothing funny, and not lovely and not cute at all ,rather annoying.

Evan Lysacek’s performance looked something like what Brian Joubert did in exhibition after Olympics. And when comparing, I realized that Joubert is more musical. His costume for it looked like a training wear ??

I thought Evan is a good dancer before, when I saw his jazzy style and also his exhibition number he did during 2007-8. But this one was really off, all his movements were just not well balanced, rather than just doing many choreography.

We got bored , so to fulfill our feeling , we watched Fallen Angels by Johnny, Melissa, and Denis in Marshalls event 2007, also Johnny’s Rondo and Otonal in Worlds 2005.

I’m guessing that Johnny’s programs music might be more influenced to judges and audience than just choreography.

Because personally, his choreography for Maxim Murvica , Child of Nazareth, Yanona I Avos were also great and interesting, whether it worked to judges or not, especially, Maxim Murvica, I did not understand why it was unpopular. 

His quality movements plus the interesting choreography in Nationals 2006.

Dick Button’s negative comment about that program and the music might influence to audience, too.

Dick Button was saying that music is everything .

Dick Button said that “ Johnny’s swan was great because the music was great “.

I’m actually tired of hearing some people say that Johnny has not been doing impressive programs since the Swan.

People just keep saying same thing like they are all just reading opinions and then just following them, just following this river of carbon copy opinions.

When I compare only choreography for Otonal, the swan and many other his programs, choreography itself was not so complicated, either.

Maxim Murvica’s choreography he did at Nationals was more complicated and fit with the music, it was also deep.

But the music for the swan and Otonal, was more familiar to most people.
Best hit may be Dr.Zhivago, the choreography , music, plus his performance. 


I really understand why he made such a great impression to judges with the program when he had no reputation from past , suddenly he became National Champion in 2004, and placed 5th in worlds.

This season’s biggest problem IMO is similar type of music for both programs ,neither of them are familiar with most people. Besides some same choreographies from last seasons.

Each event he did this season got different result.

But after GPF, since Johnny received lowest PCS in it, people are started worrying about his artistry and believing the scores he received at GPF were correct as if that‘s the fact, ignoring all the good parts of his skating.

I think it’s not the fact. It’s just Judges at GPF’s subjective opinions and many people are agreeing with those judges.

What about judges at NHK ? And also Skate America ?

Every event , Johnny received different result for his PCS. I also feel that there is also political reason for Judges favors.

We can not judge just picking up only one or two events.

Nationals results can not compare with ISU’s result. Besides, Johnny was sick and was not healthy enough when he competed in Nationals.

People who are human and have heart will understand his situation.

Johnny is a human.

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