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My review - Johnny Weir at Finlandia Trophy 2012



Finlandia Trophy 2012 competition event was held on October 5 to 7 and men’s events were finished on October 5.
　
All the results are in the link below,


http://www.figureskatingresults.fi/results/1213/FT2012/index.htm

 
　

Men

Overall

1. Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) 248.13
 
2. Richard Dornbush (USA) 239.99
 
3, Javier Fernandez (ESP) 235.20
 
4. Johnny Weir (USA) 201.42
 
5. Zhan Bush (RUS) 194.29
 
6. Misha Ge (UZB) 187.92
 
7. Kento Nakamura (JPN) 187.42
 
8. Adrian Schultheiss (SWE)177.82
 
9. Maciej Capuche (POL) 151.93
 
10. Valtter Virtanen (FIN) 151.93
 


Johnny Weir SP at Finlandia Trophy

Music : Poker Face
　
　

Johnny Weir LP

Music - Subject of the program is "The Phoenix; 'Sarabande' and 'Requiem' by the group Escala  and violinist Edvin Marton and one of Chopin's Nocturnes - "Nocturne No.20 in C sharp minor "

With Kiss & Cry scene




My review
 
Johnny Weir

My main purpose for watching Johnny Weir’s skating for this competition was seeing the programs, costumes, music and his skating, rather than the result of the competition.

This event is the very beginning of competition in the season, and besides after 2 years absence from competition, no wonder it requires super strong mind set to be able to compete.

Especially, he is a very popular, famous skater and every one is expecting and wanting to see him after the long breaks, or curious to see how he will skate. 

But I was really amazed seeing him attempt quad jump in his SP, not only LP.

It was his first time to do quad jump in his SP ? If my memory is correct.

Both programs are much more interesting than I was imagining. I wasn’t expecting the music and programs, and so far, his programs and music may be my favorite programs of all the men’s skaters so far I‘ve watched.

Here are a few of my observations about Johnny Weir’s programs:

Costumes : Love both of them. Glitter, elegant, beautiful, luxurious , and makes his beautiful body line well and slender. Both of them really fit with the theme of programs.

Programs : According to what I’ve read, Johnny was very nervous so he forgot choreography and transitions. So I guess no one has seen the real programs yet.

I also want to know the plan of jumps structure in each program.

Music : I love the long program music very much ! It’s a wonderful selection and combination of music to show the drama of phoenix (?).

It has 'Sarabande' and 'Requiem' by the group Escala and violinist Edvin Marton and also one of Chopin‘s nocturnes - Nocturne No.20 in C sharp minor ( Lento con gran espressione ).
　
Edvin Marton is the composer of Plushenko’s Nijinsky music and a friend of Plushenko. I still think Nijinsky is his best program and music he has ever used.
Ray is guessing he might have composed this beautiful piece as well. 

But we have to check it. And I’m getting interesting his composition now.
And as said earlier, after the half way, this program has Frederic Chopin’s Nocturne NO. 20 in C sharp minor.

As a huge fan of Chopin’s music, it made me so happy seeing Johnny is skating to it. I often love playing the music since knowing it from Chopin’s movie “ Desire for Love “. 

It’s a very beautiful sentimental, delicate, emotional music. The version used for Johnny’s program starts with violin and the piano joins in later.

I also realized that Johnny may suitable to skate to Mozart’s very gorgeous dramatic music “ Requiem “ ( including the part “ confutatis “ ) as well.

Many skaters often use same kind of music which was used by other skaters, but Johnny often uses music which no one skated to in the past, so it’s good I can find new discovery, which is also one of my purpose to watch figure skating.
　
I can’t comment much until I see the real programs but both programs looked very beautiful and have a lot of potential .

There are ups and downs in the music and Phoenix program looks very emotional and dramatic. 

It subtle but I think many of his fans can see the depth of his artistry for sure.

About his jumps, His quad looked great in his LP to me even though it was judged as under rotation.

It looked almost full rotation to me and clean landing.
I was more wondering about his triple axel. Did it happen because of his nerve or his new shoes ? 

His legs when he was turning in the air, they were not like that until 2007 - 2008 season.

Commentators were saying, excellent edge quality whenever seeing his triple axel during 2007 - 2008 season.

Triple loop is his least favorite jump, so when he was nervous, it may be hard to do it. 

I love his 3Lz. It always looks great.
　
I wish him to skate what he really wants and get satisfaction with both programs.
 

For about scores,

These marks are not so important to me anymore since high scores doesn’t mean they are all impressive performances and made me want to watch over and over. “ Who beat who, so he is the better skater now “ ? 

No, that’s not the way it works for me.

However, most people seem influenced by scores .

If I was judging skaters by their scores, I would not have become a fan of Johnny and Sandhu.
 
　
For nerve and anxiety,

Johnny was successful for his mind setting in Nationals 2004 both programs especially Long Programs, Dr. Zhipago.

Here are the quotes from him which was written January 25’ 2004 in his journal ,

“ The long program was so emotional. Leading after the short program, skating last, and having the pressure of American figure skating on my shoulders. I could have buckled under the pressure, like in 2000 when I was leading junior men and crumbled in the free skate, or even like 2003 when I was in the midst of an all out breakdown, but I'm older and wiser now, and was going to fight my way through it.

Before I went to skate, after they had announced me and once the audience had quieted, I took a moment just for me and went into my own little world.

Once the music started I felt like I didn't have to fight; there was this immense sense of calm to me that I'd never experienced before.
Instead of hoping I would nail it, I knew I would, which made all the difference in the world.

Four and a half minutes, eight triples, a standing ovation, and some very high scores later, I was National Champion. The amount of pride running through me was amazing; I had never been so proud of anything in my life, and who knows if I'll ever feel the same way again (I hope I will :)).

For me, the victory wasn't completely about my skating and placing first, it was the sheer fact that I could come from the lowest depths of my career, the constant negativity and stigma surrounding me from last season, and show everyone that I'm a fighter and a good one at that.

When I was on the medal stand, I was overcome with the fact that I'd set a goal last spring to be National Champion at all costs, and that I'd finally achieved it. All I could think was, "here I am world, the real me, watch out. "   "

　

Johnny sounded very confident after well-trained and well-preparation to compete. 

And when I looked at him right before he started skating, he looked calm, didn’t get nervous.

There are more,

In 2004, NHK Trophy’a LP ( Otonal program), he wasn’t thinking about the new scoring system.

In 2007 Cup of China, this competition also he looked very strong in his mind-setting.

In 2010 Vancouver Olympics, he might have gotten nervous but he nailed it.

He can handle his nerve and anxiety well since he was getting good results not once but more than twice.

Maybe doing quad jumps may be one of the biggest cause which making him nervous since he was not often attempting it in the competitions besides the long blank from competition. 

But I think the more he does quad in the competition , the more he will be getting used to it.

I was thinking about why nerve occurs ?

Perfectionist , not well- preparation, lack of confidence, care and focus for what audience might think, thinking about the result and not focusing on “ Now “.

How not to get nervous ?

Don’t care what others think, be more carefree about the result, Full of confidence about themselves. There is nothing to lose, and focus on “ give “.

Herbs which can remove nerve and anxiety : Fo ti,  St.John’s Wort, Passion flower,
　
Hopefully he will be able to have successful mind-set in all the other GP events.


So far, the programs I loved and enjoyed are, besides Johnny’s both programs,  
Mao Asada’s LP Swan Lake.

Mao Asada, Swan Lake at Japan Open 2012



Evgeny Plushenko　

Plushenko’s long programs, I think they are still a work in process. Will reserve comment until I see what he does with them. 

So far, I didn’t see a story in the program. I’m also not sure the  combination of the music selection. 

It’s great that they are all Camile Saint Saens,( and all of them are my favorite music ), but I‘m not sure about how it‘s all combined.  Are they a good choice to connect altogether in the same program (?).

Evgeny Plushenko LP at Japan Open

Music : Rondo Cappriccioso, The Swan, Danse Macabre by Camille Saint Saens
　


Daisuke Takahashi 

Daisuke Takahashi LP at Japan Open

Music : Pagliacci (opera by Ruggero Leoncavallo)
　
Daisuke’s Long program looked good for competition, but as an entertainment, I wasn’t enjoying much. He really did good job though, especially one of his quad jumps and 3A. His spin also improved compared with past years. 

But it didn’t make me wanting to watch over and over, like his last seasons performances and also 2009 - 2010 season’s programs.
 
 
　
Yuzuru Hanyu

Yuzuru Hanyu SP - Parisienne Walkways by Gary Moore; choreographed by Jeffry Buttle

　
Yuzuru Hanyu LP

LP - Notre Dame de Paris, choreography by David Wilson

Congratulations on winning the gold medal in the Finlandia Trophy ! 

He looked hard and careless for his movements in his LP. I’ve heard he had asthma. 

I personally have asthma and allergy if I drink tea or eat vinegar. People who have never experienced breathing issue may not understand the toughness of it , but actually it’s amazing he did finish until the end with such a bad health condition.

I really like his quad jumps and triple axel.

But for artistically, so far, I haven’t been inspiring by his movements, the form, the line, emotional connection to music and expression yet.

He is still young , so he may improve that part in the future.
I may be too picky for skaters movements, but I still think it’s a basic to have correct form and line to be able to show great artistry.

When I saw his LP costume, it’s like different color version of Johnny’s Ave Maria number costume.

Was it designed by Johnny again ?

And the music selection also, Johnny’s 2008-09 season’s LP music.

I’ve heard that his heroes are Evgeny Plushenko and Johnny Weir and I can see he is trying to move like both of them.

But I think he may be better to have his original style, JMO.

He may easily beat both of them under COP system, but in order to make memorable performance which can touch my heart, especially if he wants to be like Johnny Weir, one needs to be unique and original rather than copying his style and his costumes and music.

Just my thought.
 
 

I also watched Mirai Nagasu’s LP at Findandia Trophy,

LP - Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 ("Organ" Symphony) by Camille Saint-Saëns  ( I love this music !)

　
Looking forward to see how everyone’s programs evolve, and how they perfect them throughout the season.

It’s a shame to hear that Miki Ando withdrew from GP events this season because she hasn’t found a new coach. Her program sounded interesting this season.


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