Swan Songs: Swan Lake, The Black Swan, and The Swan- Part 1: Ranking the Warhorses

Hello everyone! I have been working diligently on this next warhorse piece in the series! This one is called Swan Songs, because it features Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake", Clint Mansell's "Black Swan", and "The Swan" by Camille Saint-Saens. In this post, I'm going to use our usual "Ranking the Warhorses" format with "Swan Lake" and "Black Swan", as seen in the "Bolero" and "Requiem for a Dream" posts. If you haven't seen those, go check them out! The second part will feature performances of "The Swan" and some funny and interesting programs I have seen to any of the Swan Songs.

I have combined Swan Lake and The Black Swan because they are so similar. There are often times where the audience cannot distinguish one from the other. One difference I have noticed is that "Black Swan" is a little more modernized, and it combines some of the pieces from the original "Swan Lake".

This took quite a while to pull together, because there are so many Swan Lake programs out there! It's not quite as ubiquitous as Carmen, but still quite a lot. Like Requiem for a Dream, there was also the false flag of montage videos. Just like the other warhorses, "Swan Lake" and "Black Swan" must be subjected to Autumn's Warhorse Music Rating System! Here's how it goes:

1 = Great song, could hear over and over
10 = The pinnacle of awful, overplayed nonsense.

My rating for "Swan Lake" is a 1. I thought "Requiem for a Dream" was my favorite warhorse, but I was proven wrong. There are so many cuts and variations that a skater can do with "Swan Lake", that it never gets old to me. Little snippets of the work have been stuck in my head for the past few weeks I have worked on this, and I'm not even mad. Also, pretty much every costume to this music is fabulous! Something about the music brings a polish to skaters of all different styles. I'm even considering a program to the music! I'm typically not a warhorse person, and I avoid music if it was a really famous program. This may be my one exception. However, I have never taken a ballet class in my life. I have taken Irish stepdancing, so maybe that will help? I just hope I can perform to it and have it not look like crap.

Moving along, here's the goods you may or may not have come for: my opinions on the top performances to "Swan Lake" and "Black Swan". I've got 12 to show you on this one!

#12: Tatiana Voloshozar and Maxim Trankov (RUS)- Black Swan

This program illustrates the determination of an epic comeback! At the 2012 World Championships, they came back to win the silver medal after landing in 8th place in the short program. Triple twist into the stratosphere! 

#11: Miki Ando (JPN)- Swan Lake

This exhibition performance by Miki brings the drama! I like this cut of music too. It sounds quite a bit different than most arrangements I have heard of Swan Lake. The "dying" at the end is always a strong dramatic move.

#10: Ekaterina Rubleva and Ivan Shefer (RUS)- Swan Lake with lyrics

This is an interesting performance for many reasons. First, there is singing, which is uncommon in Swan Lake. Second, their style of dance is reminiscent of the late '90s Russian ice dancers. This style dominated the 90s, but is not seen as often today, even by Russian ice dancers. It's an aesthetic I particularly enjoy.

#9: Mao Asada (JPN)- Swan Lake

There are several videos of Mao's performance to Swan Lake, and I thought her performance at the 2012 Grand Prix Final was the best. Her costume is nice, though not quite as awesome as the costume she had at the 2013 Worlds. Mao always looks fabulous, which is why she is one of my skating style icons. However, this skate was a lot better. She is the epitome of technical excellence and elegance.

#8: Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)- Pas du Deux from Swan Lake

My all time favorite pairs team. You can bet if G&G skate to just about anything, they will make my countdown. Just look at them and you will be amazed. They also skated this program in lavender costumes, a departure from the traditional black and/or white costumes you see with Swan Lake. Their unison in every element is impeccable, showing just how in sync with each other they are. And the musicality...they just know how to express every note.

#7: Max Aaron (USA)- Black Swan

This music is an unconventional choice for many male skaters, particularly a skater such as Max, who is known primarily for his athletic prowess. These are the reasons this worked so well! For years, he has struggled to find his footing artistically, and it has resulted in a few unfortunate mishaps. With this program, Max finally caught a break! The men's event at the 2016 US Nationals had everyone on the edge of their seat, and this was one of the highlights. Whoever choreographed this program for him is someone he should consider using again. It's such a shame that he can't find a choreographer to work with his talents and showcase them in the best light possible. This is just a huge rant of mine... That opening quad though...🔥🔥🔥

#6: Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov (RUS)- Swan Lake

This program was the perfect storm. You have a Russian ice dance team performing to a Russian ballet, at the Olympics in Russia. The crowd here is almost deafening. They performed fantastically. The fact that this was the bronze medal performance really spoke to the talent on display in this free dance. Katsalapov has tried to re-create his success here with his new partner Victoria Sinitsina, but it did not have the same "wow" factor. And yes, Nikita is pretty hot, not gonna lie...This performance is a true work of art, appearing to be straight out of the Bolshoi. I was shocked to see they were splitting up almost immediately after the 2014 Olympics. I'm glad we have this memory.

#5: Ashley Wagner (USA)- Black Swan

This is one of Ashley's iconic programs that led her to her first national title. This is a program that suits her well. She can carry of the diva roles like the Black Swan with ease. I also like how this program played to her strengths. There was a little ballerina moment in the program, but it was more of a tongue-and-cheek thing. That suited Ashley's personality better than attempting to be a ballerina on ice. This was a strong and fierce interpretation of the Black Swan. One thing that sets Ashley apart is her ability to act and emote on the ice. In my opinion, this program is where she started developing what is now her signature skating style.

These were all pretty amazing, weren't they? Well, the magical ride is gonna continue until the very end!

#4: Sasha Cohen (USA)- Swan Lake

I'm not even sure which competition this is, but that is not important. This performance features some beautiful skating from Sasha, plus commentary from Dick Button. He reaches an almost fanboy status here, and I'm living for it! Dick Button saying "exquisite" and "magnificent" is one of my absolute favorite things. Sasha's spirals are out of this world! The only skater in recent times who has come close to replicating that is Yulia Lipnitskaya. She has such beautiful lines and extension too. Just wait, you're gonna hear all about it. Nothing I say here will match Dick's commentary...

#3: Daisuke Takahashi (JPN)- Hip Hop Swan Lake

I have to admit, this was one of the programs I was most looking forward to seeing once I found out about it. We have already seen how the remix of Bolero went (in case you missed it, 👎), but this was absolute genius. I doubt anyone other than Daisuke could pull this off. He has the skating skills, personality, and swagger to make this awesome. His step sequences are some of the best I've ever seen, and he's breakin' it down while doing all those complicated turns!

#2: Rudy Galindo (USA)- Swan Lake

I remember seeing the 1996 Nationals on TV, and this was a huge moment. Rudy performed brilliantly in front of his hometown crowd and won the national title. It seemed that everyone at home was rooting for him too. He has such wonderful artistry, and his jumps were explosive here! He achieved another difficult feat with this performance...leaving Dick Button speechless. Another fun fact: he waved at me one year at Champions on Ice in Houston, and we follow each other on Instagram! Anyway, this was an incredible moment for a great skater and person. I just smile so much watching this. It is one of those perfect moments in skating.

There is only one performance that can top this, and it is by the slimmest of margins...

#1: Oksana Baiul (UKR)- Swan Lake

Ok, I'm not just putting this here because Oksana is my idol. This one is everything about Swan Lake encapsulated into a short program performance. It's like she took the ballet and just threw on some skates and performed it. Absolute perfection. She left the audience in Lillehammer in a trance and stole the hearts of everyone at home. Oksana Baiul IS Swan Lake!!!!

Alright, that's it for this post. If all goes according to plan, I should have Part 2 of Swan Songs out within a week or so. Until then, I wish you a fond farewell.

- Autumn at Icy Trails ⛸

Ranking the Warhorses: Requiem for a Dream

Hi everyone! I am back from competition and ready to roll! We are on to our second warhorse! Our first one was Bolero. If you missed it, go check it out! Today we are taking on a modern classical piece: Clint Mansell's "Requiem for a Dream". It is used in video game trailers, and I believe it is also in one of the Lord of the Rings movies. It's used all over the place on the internet whenever something dramatic happens. There are several comments on the "Requiem for a Dream Theme" video that are absolutely hilarious. I normally avoid YouTube comments, but these are well worth a look. You will sometimes see the title "Requiem for a Tower" as well. It is the same song, by the same composer. Requiem for a Tower added a choir and full orchestra to the musical arrangement.

In spite of Requiem for a Dream's reputation as being an overdone warhorse, I did not find a huge amount of videos, especially relative to other warhorses. For every actual skating program, there were about 10 montages using the song. There is even a Yuri on Ice montage using Requiem for a Dream! I will note one reason this sounds so repetitive. 3 out of my top 10 performances are from the 2009-2010 season.

We will now move on to a very important part of the post: Autumn's song love/hatred rating. I rate on a scale of 1 to 10, with the following criteria:
1= The most excellent jam, everyone should skate to this
10= Dear God, please put an end to this suffering

My rating for Requiem for a Dream is a 2. I LOVE REQUIEM. You can fight me. It's a powerful and dramatic piece, and it makes it sound like some epic things are about to go down!

Now, on to the countdown!

#10: Javier Fernandez (ESP)

Here we have a video of Javi in his junior days. He had yet to have the confidence and flair he has today, but you can definitely still see his potential. He's got huge jumps in this performance, particularly the triple axel and triple lutz.

#9: Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison (CAN)

Dube and Davison put out a solid performance here. No big mistakes, but I felt it could have had more drama, especially in the crescendos of the music. This was their big comeback season after an accident at the 2007 Four Continents Championships. Their opening lift is excellent, and I love the height they get on their throws.

#8: Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte (ITA)

Here we have an interesting program from Cappellini and Lanotte. This is a departure from a lot of their dances now, where they seem to favor traditional Italian pieces of music. Anna's costume is a cool and edgy choice. They have some really cool lifts in time with the music, and the effect was overall pleasant to watch.

#7: Alena Leonova (RUS)

Alena Leonova was so generous, she gave us 2 warhorses for the price of 1! The combination of "Adagio for Strings" and "Requiem for a Dream" goes quite well together. She had a seamless flow through the transition of music. Also, her side eye at the beginning is golden! The attention to detail in her costuming and makeup is really cool to see. She has crystal in her eye makeup that are the same shade as the crystals in her dress. Overall, I enjoy her skating and want to see more of her programs. Oh yeah, you know the drama I mentioned was lacking in Dube and Davison's performance? Miss Alena brought it.

#6: Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat (FRA)

Well, here's an awkward moment for you: In the 2009-2010 season, AKA "Requiem for a Dream" season, you have the European Championships. At this particular event, Cappellini and Lanotte and Pechalat and Bourzat both skated to Requiem. Well, at least Nathalie and Fabian weaved in some different music to make it less suspicious...All joking aside, I liked their interpretation of the piece and the choice of costumes. Her dress is gorgeous and his costume has an interesting steampunk vibe to it. I love how they have paid attention to the details and used them all for dramatic effect.

#5: Brooke Castile and Ben Okolski (USA)

I really love seeing a strong US pairs team, and I love a good comeback. Castile and Okolski were in 5th after the short program, and then ended up winning the 2007 US National Championships with this awesome free skate. That triple twist was amazing! I thought they had great unison on their step sequences as well.

#4: Brian Joubert (FRA)

I miss Brian Joubert's skating. He has a really unique skating style, has cool costumes, and is definitely not bad to look at 😉. This overall was a really strong performance, but then he fell on the double axel at the end. You can see his frustration after the program was over. I still thought it had a lot of impact and was dramatic at the right moments, combining speed and athleticism with artistry. And that footwork is 🔥🔥🔥!

#3: Karen Chen (USA)

This was the year that Karen came soaring onto the scene in her senior debut at the 2015 US Nationals. The whole competition was such an exciting event, and this program was one of the draws. She won the bronze medal at nationals in her first time out of the gate, and everyone could see she was a real contender. For someone at her young age, she skates with a great maturity. She did here at 15, and has continued to evolve as of the last season, where she won the US title. One of the highlights is definitely the Biellman! I look forward to seeing her at the Olympics next year too (even though she will be skating to the warhorse of all warhorses).

#2: Tomas Verner (CZE)

Tomas just nailed this program from the 2007 World Championships! It was a delight to see. He commanded the program from the very beginning with a huge quad toe/triple toe combination. It was also nice to hear a different cut of this warhorse. He also did one of my favorite skating elements: a huge triple axel at a key point in the music.

#1: Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres (FRA)

I just loved this program from James and Cipres. Their costumes were fabulous; the performance, even more so. All the sparkles are so beautiful. And many of you know how I'm mesmerized by shiny things. I love how they land all their jumps, throws, and twists so quietly and effortlessly. The music combination of Requiem with "Angels and Demons" sounds really cool too. That performance was just fabulous.

My final thoughts are this: Please continue to think of those in the path of all these storms and wildfires, and those still recovering. These are some trying times for many, and I hope my little blog can brighten your day 😊.

I have gotten several requests for Swan Lake/Black Swan, so thank you all for the recommendation. It shall be my next warhorse to cover!

Autumn at Icy Trails ⛸

Product Review: Edea Chorus and John Wilson Coronation Ace

Hi everyone, hope you're having a great time wherever you are! I just bought new skates, and I wanted to share my thoughts with you! I have been in need of new skates for quite some time, but as many of you know, figure skating is quite expensive. In order to make this happen I had to break up my purchases over the course of a month. What I plan to do is go over my buying experience, and then discuss how everything performed.

My Old Skates

I have been skating in Jackson Freestyles, with Ultima Mark IV blades attached, since 2008. Keep in mind, I took 2 lengthy breaks in this time, and I didn't skate often for a few years because I was traveling all around the country with my job. Sometimes I took them with me and it was a lot of fun! These skates have been a trusty companion to me for a long time, and I have grown a great deal as a skater since that time. Still, I was long overdue for some new skates.

What I Was Looking For

I have advanced in my skating since that time, and I am now working on loop and flip jumps, and sit and camel spins. My old boots had a stiffness of 45, and I needed something around 65-70 to continue advancing my skating. If you look at most skate websites, they rate this firmness level as the level for axels and beginning double jumps. I kind of doubt I will ever see doubles in my lifetime, but it would be really cool if I could land an axel. Anyway, these firmness ratings are just a suggestion. You would need to consider age, weight, and personal preference into the decision, as well as the skating level. It is recommended that adult skaters get boots a firmness level up from those in the charts, and small children get boots a firmness level down. For blades, I planned to just go in with the Coronation Ace blade from John Wilson. Most of the skaters at my rink have it, and all the coaches recommend it. It's a good beginning skating blade, and can work with beginning to double jumps.

My Research Process

I researched boots for well over a year, going back and forth on which ones to buy. There are so many choices that it can be overwhelming. A lot of skaters are brand loyal and tend to stick with the same brand. Then you have me. I want to try out every brand that I can afford and then decide the best one. I don't know why I'm this way. As I've mentioned before, I majored in marketing in college. Maybe it's this curiosity. I looked at 5 potential brands for boots: Riedell (brand of my first pair of skates), Jackson (brand of my current pair of skates), Edea (new brand that a lot of other skaters were using, seemed really interesting), SP Teri (a lot of my friends swear by them), and Harlick (I mainly know them for custom skates). Here are the boots for each brand that correspond with what I was needing:

Riedell: 255 Motion or 910 Flair (I preferred the Motion boot)
Jackson: Premiere
Edea: Chorus
SP Teri: Super Teri
Harlick: would probably go with customs

Well, as I'm sure you can imagine, custom boots can often be really expensive. That's kind of what turned me away from the Harlicks. The SP Teris were also pretty pricey, although they are beautiful and well made skates. Maybe one day... This left my decision group to 3 boots: The Riedell Motion, the Jackson Premiere, and the Edea Chorus.

Decision Time!

It was a difficult decision, but I ultimately decided on the Edea Chorus. I have heard a lot of good things, but I was mainly interested in their quicker break in time. I have a couple competitions coming up, so I was hoping to break in the boots quickly.

Purchasing

I decided to break up my boot and blade purchases over the course of a month to make it more affordable. I ordered my boots from Skating Boutique, skatingboutique.com, based in Toronto. For some reason, their price on Edeas was over $100 less than anywhere in the US. Even with shipping costs, this added up to considerable savings. Not only that, but the boots got here quick! I ordered them on a Thursday, and they were here by the Tuesday of next week. I ordered my blades 2 weeks later from Kinzie's Closet, shop.kinziescloset.com. They have a store in Atlanta that I hope to check out sometime. They offer free shipping for orders over $100. I thought I would have gotten them quicker since Atlanta's only 4 hours away from Huntsville, but I forgot to take into account that the warehouses could be located somewhere else. Still, I got them in 5 days, so I can't really complain. I also bought a lace puller and some python print soakers from Amazon.

Trying on the Boots

When my boots came in, I tried them on. Edea's sizes are really different than other skates, so I was definitely concerned about whether or not I ordered the right size. The fit is very different from my Jacksons, which in retrospect, were probably too big. The boot has a lot more support, and it was an overall snug fit. I later started to lace the boots, after watching Edea's video on proper lacing and unlacing techniques. These boots seem high maintenance! The boots were really tight then, especially near the toe box. My cuticles started bleeding while I was lacing them. It was pretty rough.

Mounting the Blades

Remember how I said these boots seemed high maintenance? Well, there are special Edea screws you have to use to mount the blade. You can't use the screws that come with the blades because it won't adhere well to the material in the boots. Anyway...I took the boots and blades to the Pro Shop in Huntsville, and the blades had a temporary mount within a couple hours. He wanted me to see if I liked where the blade was placed, and then he would do the permanent mount. This is all part of the same service, so I was not charged again. I also got my blades sharpened while I was there.

The Finished Product!

Here they are! They are lovely!

Breaking in the Boots-Off Ice

I walked around in my skates for a while (with guards, of course) in hopes of helping to speed up the break in time. It has been a long time since I had new skates, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Everything seemed ok in my time walking around the house. I did notice that I need to wear thinner tights to skate in these.

Skating: The Moment of Truth
(🎜We were born to make history🎝, lol sorry!)

My first time skating in these skates was quite the experience. I had a new boot and blade that I was not used to at all, and my blades were really sharp, so it made things like stopping quite difficult. The ankle is a lot looser than I am used to, mainly because I tied the ankles with a death grip in my old skates. The boot support was excellent, and my heel was locked in place, as it was supposed to be. Anyone who has gotten new skates knows the struggle. The first time in them, you are not supposed to jump, especially not with a temporary blade mount. It seems to take years of learned skills away instantly. I mainly just skated laps in the first session, and worked on a little bit of my Moves in the Field elements. I was able to do forward crossovers pretty easily, but backward crossovers were more of a challenge. The heel is higher in Edeas than in most other skates, so that was really throwing me off. The blades also had a completely different feel to them. I think I will really like them once I get used to them. I did a forward scratch spin at the end of the session, and I noticed it is much easier to find the "sweet spot" for spinning in the Coronation Aces. Most of the boot fit very well and provided a lot of support. One thing that was definitely noticeable is that the toe box area hurt like hell. My big toe especially hurt a great deal. That is, until it went numb.

This continued on in my second session. It was hard to focus on anything with my toes hurting. I was really getting worried that I had completely screwed up and had ordered the wrong size. And it was too late to return anything, so I was going to have to find a way to make them work. My coach had mentioned that I could get the toe box punched out (or stretched) to get a little more room. I did a waltz jump and a toe loop in the skates, even though I shouldn't have since I did not have a permanent mount. I ran through my dramatic program, but it lacked the power it usually did, as I was really hesitant. My coach and I made the decision that I would compete in my old skates for the Scott Hamilton Invitational.

A Stroke of Luck (or Irony)

We got an email a few days before the Scott Hamilton Invitational saying that a rep from Edea would be at the competition. Well crap, if I'd have known that, I may have waited. I decided to bring my new skates so I could walk around in them in the hotel to help break them in some more. Once I got to the competition, my coach mentioned that the Edea rep had all the equipment there to stretch my skates. It was a good thing I brought them! I had several hours between events at the competition (where I also met Scott Hamilton! I'm still not over that!), so I decided to take my skates over to the Edea booth and see what they could do. The first thing he did was measure my feet. This confirmed that I ordered the right size. Thank the Lord! He then did a tracing of my foot so he knew how far to stretch it. What they do is expose that particular area to a lot of heat from blow dryers, then use a tool similar to a shoe horn to stretch it out. I will tell you this made all the difference in the world in how the skates felt. I did have to pay for that, but it was worth every penny. He had mentioned if I ordered from him next time, he does all the extra stuff for free. I will definitely consider doing that. I'm really excited to see how things go now that the boots are much more comfortable.

Follow-up: After the Boot Stretching and Permanent Blade Mount

I have skated two sessions since the boot stretching, and things are much more comfortable. The boots are definitely not broken in yet, but things are improving with each session. I'm still trying to figure out where my foot is supposed to be in the boot. Everything about these skates is different from the last ones. I'm hoping that one day soon these skates will just be an extension of my body and will feel natural, but I am not there yet. I'm still figuring out all the pressure points in the boot, and how tightly or loosely I need to lace the skate. I've attempted a few jumps, but I haven't been confident in them yet. The ankle is another area that is completely different.

They are broken in! Finally!

After my 7th session in the skates, I am now able to do everything I could do before, plus I'm able to work on more difficult elements because I have more support. I'm really starting to enjoy the lightness of the Edeas, and the blade is amazing. In all this time in the new skates, my technique has started to improve as well. I was really starting to dread the competition I have coming up Labor Day weekend, but now I'm looking forward to it. I'm interested to see what I can do now.

And that's a wrap. I hope this post was informative and could help someone out there!

-Icy Trails ⛸

Ranking the Warhorses: Bolero

Hi everyone! I starting on a new series leading up to the Olympic season! I'm going to be showcasing some of the best performances of all the warhorses! For those of you that don't know, a "warhorse" is an iconic piece of skating music, which, in some cases, is frequently overplayed.  For each song in the series, I'm going to list my top 10 performances for each song. As you can imagine, there are much more than 10 performances to each of these songs. We are starting this series off with a bang, with the very famous "Bolero" by Maurice Ravel.

Fun fact: I discovered that there are also other songs named "Bolero", most notably from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. However, Ravel's "Bolero" is the only true warhorse bearing this title.

We will now introduce Autumn's song hatred meter! On a scale of 1 to 10, we have:

1= This is my jam and everyone should skate to it
10= Dear God please put an end to this suffering

My rating for "Bolero" is 4. It's a bit repetitive, but I don't mind the music.

I'm going to start off with one that just did not work for me. Others may like it, but it was not my favorite...

Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov (RUS)

It was an attempt to modernize this piece of music, and for me, it fell flat. Bolero just does not work with the synthesizers and techno beats. This is unfortunate because they were the only pairs team I could find that skated to it. And Ksenia actually smiled! Techno Bolero must be an alternate universe.
Bonus points for the random water polo ad in the video!

#10: Irina Moiseyeva and Andrei Minenkov (RUS)

Here's another interesting fact: Many credit Torvill and Dean with the first performance of Bolero, but that is not correct. The Russian team of Moiseyeva and Minenkov performed to it first, at the 1982 World Championships. Torvill and Dean's performance at the 1984 Olympics caused a lot of drama, particularly from the Russian judges and coaches, who decried it as a rules violation. Oh how times have changed...However, M&M's performance here was not entirely to Bolero. There was a portion of it where they danced to "Zorba the Greek", and it was quite entertaining, with a lot of intricate footwork.

#9: Evan Lysacek (USA)

Here we see Evan's serious face. This was a solid performance at the 2009 World Championships. This music suits his skating style quite well. However, there is one criticism I must address. If you have read Dick Button's autobiography "Push Dick's Button", or listened to any of his commentary regarding the IJS system, you will know how much he dislikes random flailing arms. I didn't notice this much before, but it definitely was a distraction from Evan's overall performance. But damn, those spins were fantastic!

#8: Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)

Leonova and Khvalko's rendition of Bolero was a brave and dramatic choice. Sandra Bezic mentioned in the commentary that they were working with Alexander Zhulin on choreography, and his influence is evident here. Her comments that others don't go near it have been disproved, but it is something to consider. Once someone takes a program to a certain level of fame, why do skaters want to take it on? Their lifts in this program are amazing, particularly that one where she hangs on with no support. The costume choice is interesting to say the least...Overall, it was an interesting dance program, and they made it their own without attempting to copy Torvill and Dean.

#7: Vanessa Giuchi (ITA)

Vanessa is a skater that, for some reason, was not on my radar before. However, I found myself enjoying her skating a lot! I suppose she was the first skater in recent times to put the Italian ladies on the map, followed by Silvia Fontana and Carolina Kostner. Her costume is really cool and has a harlequin vibe to it. I also love any shots, especially at the Olympics, where skaters are overcome with emotion for skating well.

#6: Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS)

Hey guys, what happened to Elizaveta? I really enjoyed her skating, and she has such a fierce personality and presence on the ice. This seems to be a sad and disturbing trend among the Russian ladies skaters. They seem to get cast aside once the new up-and-coming skater comes along. Anyway, enough on that, let's watch this powerhouse! At her top form, like she is here, her technical ability is almost untouchable. However, like some strong technical skaters, she seems less focused (and possibly less interested) in the artistry aspect. That triple axel was freakin' flawless though.

#5: Evgeni Plushenko (RUS)

Oh gosh y'all, this one takes me back. I remember Plushenko in his days as the young challenger to Alexei Yagudin. It was an interesting time. And one of my friends thought he was really cute (I was more of a Yagudin fan myself 😉). But this was before "The Best of Plushenko" and "Sex Bomb" and the infamous Platinum Medal of 2010. He cut his teeth on the warhorses just like many of the other skaters. And that whole clip about not talking about being world champion because it's bad luck? That is just precious. You can see that back in 2001, he was already beginning to show his signature flare. I see what you're doing there with that hip wiggle, Plushenko...He has a lot of spunk and energy here, which later would be replaced with more finesse and deeper artistic expression. I had forgotten about it for a little bit, but back in the day then never mentioned Plushenko or Yagudin without mentioning their ongoing feud.

#4: Holiday on Ice "Festival"

This one is my wild card pick for the post. It's interesting to see Bolero being performed outside of a competitive setting, and with a group. A huge part of this number's appeal is the visual effects. Plus, these skaters show a lot of interesting skills and maneuvers. The weaving through all of the chairs was one of my favorite things. The lifts at the end were also fantastic! The skaters in this number are Brent Bommentre, Kim Navarro, Maria Girasemko, Andrey Moskvin, Jane Bugaeva, Jo Carter, Laurent Porteret, and Michael Solonoski.

#3: Michelle Kwan (USA)

Here we have Michelle Kwan trying her hand at the iconic Bolero. As you would expect, she definitely left her mark in this performance. She brings such grace and beauty to everything she skates to. I could not take my eyes off her in this performance. Her step sequence at the end was flawless!

#2: Carolina Kostner (ITA)

Carolina's performance is one of the few renditions of Bolero that stood out strongly to me. I have just recently noticed this, but there are some similarities in Michelle Kwan's and Carolina Kostner's skating style. I suppose this is because both of them have worked with choreographer Lori Nichol. Carolina's joy and enthusiasm is contagious here, and it was good to see her make the podium in Sochi in 2014. She has such beautiful flow and artistry here. Another thing to point out: while there has been a lot of discussion on the age of certain skaters, Miss Caro is now 30, and still out there doing her thing. Get it girl!

And here's #1, as you would expect...

#1: Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (GBR)

A staple in the sport of figure skating. Torvill and Dean invented ice dance, invented Bolero, and invented dying on ice. [mic drop]

I hope you all enjoyed this! Stay tuned for more! I don't know which song I'm going to do yet, as there are so many to choose from!

- Icy Trails ⛸

My Life Journey Through Skating, and Inspiration for My New Program

One thing I have always enjoyed as a skater and long time fan is the story behind a program. Ice dancer and choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne has always been great about constructing these stories, as we saw this season with Yuzuru Hanyu's "Hope and Legacy" and Ashley Wagner's "Exogenesis Symphony II". Both of things take a spin on VH1's "Behind the Music" and apply it to a figure skating program.

The skaters that influenced me the most were the ones who put their heart out on the line. Oksana Baiul excelled at this, and that's why I keep mentioning her as one of my influences. When you see a skater really giving everything to a performance, it makes all the difference. I had the same reaction to Sui and Han's "Bridge of Troubled Water" program. They were telling the story of their life on the ice. That is something I would like to do too, but I have not been able to reach that place yet. It has a lot to do with a combination of nerves, and a fear of putting myself out there.

Many skaters, particularly adult skaters, like to skate to something meaningful to them. I love skating the dramatic showcases for this reason, as I have been able to skate to songs that are meaningful to me. This season, I plan to skate to "The Fighter" by In This Moment.

You can check out the video here:

And no, I won't be doing my makeup like that. Maria Brink is a metal goddess, and I'm not cool enough to pull that off.

Last year, I was listening to several songs and "The Fighter" just spoke to me. It is such a dramatic and powerful song. In This Moment is one of my favorite bands, and I have been looking for a way to integrate my love of skating with my favorite music. I could break a mold and create programs that have never been done before, which sounds really exciting. I could cultivate an image for myself as the rock and roll skater, the dark angel.

Many people wonder how I’m a metal fan and a figure skating fan, since these two things seem contradictory. However, they are both cathartic and creative forms of expression where you can express a lot of various emotions.

Since the lyrics to this song are so powerful, I wanted to include them in this link: http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-fighter-lyrics-in-this-moment.html.

In an article from Loudwire, they get into more details about the meaning behind the song. It’s about overcoming dark times and being a survivor rather than a victim. They mention that Maria Brink’s facial expressions seem to come from a deep and vulnerable place. You can check this article out here: http://loudwire.com/in-this-moment-the-fighter-music-video/.

So now, we will get into some details about my life and its happenings over the past year or so, and why this song and program matter so much to me.

Around March last year, I had to take a hiatus from skating for several months, mainly for financial reasons. This was something I did reluctantly, and I was not happy about it. I did think, however, that having to overcome personal struggles would tie in well with the message of "The Fighter". I would be able to bring real emotion into the program and make it more believable. This may seem like a small thing to many people, but not skating had me really down. It had become a part of who I am, and I felt incomplete without it. I felt there was nothing to make me interesting without it. I was quite depressed about the situation, feeling like I didn't have many friends either (which of course was not true). I started eating more junk food again and slacking off on exercising, and just in general becoming unmotivated about many things. There were some positive things that came out of this though. I was working hard on my leadership training at work, and I got involved in a lot of activities at my church, which ended up being rewarding and fulfilling. I also started the blog I had been wanting to write for years!

Starting my blog was great fun! I began sharing posts with my Adult Skaters group on Facebook, and found that other skaters were blogging as well. It was great to read what they were writing about, and it was much different from my writing in many cases. Around the time of starting my blog, I also expanded my social media platforms. I joined Twitter late July of last year, and have had many interesting conversations with really cool people. It is always nice to talk to someone new with common interests. It is through Twitter that I found out about the figure skating anime sensation Yuri on Ice. Normally, I am not into anime, but this one was about figure skating, and so many people were talking about it. When I was off for Christmas, I started watching it and got hooked. I binge-watched the entire season in 3 days and then wondered what the hell I was going to do with my life. I started looking for blogs on it and found a few good ones, so I ended up following the bloggers on Twitter. Turns out many Yuri on Ice fans are also huge figure skating fans! I also believe the show made me realize how critical it was for me to get back on the ice. It was about to be a new year, and things would be different! I would have that passion back in my life again that had been lacking.

Around the end of last year, and into this year, I have been reflecting a lot on my life, and trying to figure out my purpose. I have done a lot of soul searching and wrestled with some things that have bothered me and made me angry for a long time. My husband and I have been married for almost 10 years now, and our marriage is not traditional in some ways, but it works for us. But people always have to throw their two cents in there. I hyphenated my last name when we got married. I've gotten a few stupid comments on that, but that never did bother me. What has bothered me more is the comments we get about if and when we are going to have children. I will try to keep this brief here, because I know I can get carried away on this. I have PCOS, and I have known for a long time that having children would be a challenge for me. We are also several states away from our family and are out in Huntsville on our own. For us, it would be a huge change to our lifestyle and we don't feel we are ready for that at this point. With us being in our mid-30s, there is a strong likelihood that kids won't happen for us. I have gotten defensive and angry over people's comments on this for years, which are sometimes from friends who think they have good intentions. We are very happy to have 4 nephews and 2 nieces now, and we love spending time with them. My sister's twin boys are the light of my world. 

It was only a few months ago that I realized the impact I have had on children and youth. I have also helped one of the girls at the rink who was going through a hard time emotionally, and she was thrilled to skate in our silly ensemble to Super Mario Bros. I have led the drama group at Vacation Bible School at church for two years now. I had a group of helpers from grades 4-8, and one of the parents said I have made a huge impact on their daughter. These are the things that really bring me joy. Maybe I was not meant to have my own children because I was meant to impact the lives of many. One of my new purposes is to be a positive role model for these young people, and to leave as much of a positive impact as I can. Sometimes kids need an adult to talk to that doesn't appear to be an authority figure, and I can do that. This has helped me let go of all the anger and bitterness I have had, and focus more on how I live my life. I'm also more careful about what kind of message I'm putting out there. I can often be insecure about my appearance, particularly my weight. However, I don't want my negative self talk to become something that young and impressionable girls emulate. I want to focus more on how they can develop as a person and achieve their goals. This new start has brought a lot of happiness into my life.

At the beginning of January I came back to the rink. I didn't have a lesson scheduled with my coach yet, though I had told her I was planning to come back. I was just out there for a practice and to see what I could do. Our rink in Decatur is know for being warm, welcoming, and friendly. I got quite the welcome from everyone when I came back. I spent quite a while just talking to the other skaters and skate moms. It was pure bliss. I could tell that I didn't have quite all the skills I used to, but that was ok. I knew I would get everything back shortly. I also did not have the new skates I was wanting to continue, but I planned to get them later. I was just propelled to get back out there, like a calling. This year was going to be the best year ever! In many ways, the break helped with my motivation. It helped me to realize how much I love skating and why I'm out there.

I had thought this year was going to start with a bang, and that all my problems would work themselves out. Well, that didn't happen. I had yet to get my life together, and soon I found myself having to take a short break again. I ended up immersing myself with the competitions of the season and talking to some of my friends on Twitter. I also wrote a lot of things for Icy Trails in this time, so it kept my mind off of things that were troubling me. It has been wonderful getting to talk to people from all over the world about figure skating and hearing their perspectives. It helped me to realize that all these setbacks would just be temporary. The imagery I think of when I listen to "The Fighter" is one of a phoenix rising from the ashes. However, I think with any life changes, the transformation is not so quick and sweeping. It is more like the story of the donkey that fell in the well. The farmer had decided to bury the donkey because it was in there too deep. Then the donkey surprised everyone by digging through the dirt every day, until it had eventually dug itself out of the well. So remember, if life is throwing dirt at you, keep digging your way out! That's what the USFS Get Up campaign is all about.

I knew things had to change. I have such a strong desire in my heart to get things right, not just with skating but in other areas of my life. I just had a premonition that change was coming, and that it would be good. It was just hard to see through the dark forest going on in my life at the time. A few months ago, my pastor did a sermon on liminal space. This was of course more related to spiritual life, but it is something that stuck with me.  Liminal space is like a threshold, between one area or realm and the next. Throughout this time, I learned and grew in many ways. I have lived in Huntsville away from my family for over 10 years. I would always have the time of my life with my family, and then it was back to my everyday, mundane life. I was so homesick and sad and I felt like my life here was one I was just drudging through. I didn't feel like I was living life to the fullest most of the time. There's a great song by Miranda Lambert called "The House that Built Me". She's a fellow Texas girl, and her lyrics in this song spoke to me. There is one part in the lyrics that would always make me cry. It said "you leave home, you move on, and you do the best you can. I got lost in this old world and forgot who I am". It would just hit me in the gut. Then one day, a breakthrough happened. It was after I had written several articles, I was getting positive feedback on them, and I was skating again. I heard the song and didn't cry. This was huge for me. I would not say that I miss my family any less, since that is certainly not the case, but I felt like I had a purpose in our life here in Huntsville again. I knew what I wanted and had a path on how to get there. It will be much easier to inspire others if I'm living a life I'm proud of.

In April, I went on a business trip that had me on a somewhat long flight from Dallas to Los Angeles. I was able to pick back up on a book I was reading by my favorite author Richard Paul Evans. This book was called "The Perfect Day". In this book, the protagonist Robert Harlan finds success as an author and loses sight of who he is and what's important to him. He ends up abandoning his family until he meets a stranger in an unexpected place. The stranger knows a lot about Robert and has him believing he is dying. With Robert's impending death soon approaching, he returns to his family in an effort to make things right. Luckily, it was all a hoax and he didn't die. The last part of the book talks about everything he did when he got his second chance at life. That got me thinking: What would I do with a second chance at life? I then continued to build my life on that. I became overwhelmed to write this post, as the lyrics to "The Fighter" speak to that second chance at life. It also gave me an opportunity to be more vulnerable and put myself out there. These are things I don't like to do, as I see it as a sign of weakness. However, I have also been inspired by some bloggers and vloggers I follow who did venture to go there. It's so important to be true to who you are.

Ultimately, I want my performance to the fighter to transcend just figure skating. While skating is very important to me, and it's a huge part of my life, there is much more to me than that. I hope that my skating to this program inspires others to overcome their struggles and setbacks the way In This Moment inspired me with this song. Its lyrics, the music, the vocals and the message all speak to me in a powerful way. It's about not giving up in the face of difficulty. I have been working on this post for a few months whenever inspiration struck. One day, my coach sent many of us a link to this video clip from "Facing the Giants":

I was in tears the whole time with this. The first person I thought of with this was my husband. He is a combat veteran and served in Iraq. Any time I am discouraged he's telling me not to quit, citing his time in the military as an example. I was just not getting it for the longest time, but sometimes you see something that finally make the light bulb go off.

In closing, I plan to give my all with this program and in all, most definitely in this program, but throughout all areas of my life as well. This is going to be a special program to me. I have done dramatic skates before. My first one was dedicated to my family, the second to my husband. this one is for me.

My coach and I have started to work on the program, and I love it! Her rendition of it is so empowering. I have added some new elements too. Now I will just need to get the choreography down so I can begin to evoke emotion into the performance. I will have videos of it after my competitions in August and September.

Other things are starting to go well in my life too. I got a promotion and we are getting it together in other areas as well! Any time I'm feeling jealous, or inadequate, I like to think about this program. If I want to be better, I need to work for it. It often won't happen as quickly as I would like, but it's better to keep going than to just quit.

For those out there who are going through tough times, don't give up! It's going to require some work sometimes, but things will get better. Thank you to all my readers. I hope you enjoyed learning more about me and my programs. I wish you all the best.

Autumn 🍁🍂

12 Types of Figure Skating Fans

Hey guys what's uuupppp???? Hope you're all having a good week. Things have been all over the map here. We welcomed a new nephew to the family last week, then I got some great news at work, and we had to get the air conditioner repaired. So yeah, all around the spectrum. I have been observing all the types of skating fans out there for several months. My undergraduate degree was in marketing, so I am always interested in finding out target markets. I have even witnessed this within different groups where I share my blog, and I try to make my posts something that will appeal to each segment.

So here are the types of fans I have witnessed. Nothing is wrong with most of them, except for a few which I will highlight. Some fans even fall into more than one of these categories.

#1. The Loyal Stans/Anti-Stans

If you guys don't know what a stan is, don't feel bad. You don't know how many times I have to look things up in Urban Dictionary. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that, but anyway, a stan is basically someone who is a die-hard fanatic of a particular celebrity or sports figure. The Loyal Stans support their favorites 100%, no matter how they perform. They will often talk about how their favorite is underscored or underappreciated as well. There's a lot to respect about the Loyal Stan. They are at least not fair-weather fans. However, there is another side, or a foil, to the Loyal Stan. This is the Anti-Stan. The Anti-Stan has a skater they cannot stand, and will never give them credit for anything they do. They believe the judges overscore their least favorite and their programs lack any substance. It is quite common for someone to be both a Loyal Stan and an Anti-Stan. Usually a Loyal Stan is an Anti-Stan for someone who is a rival of their favorite, or a skater who wins everything seemingly unfairly.

#2: The Cranky Curmudgeons

The Cranky Curmudgeon has not watched or participated much in figure skating since around 2003. They hold the 6.0 system as the gold standard and are reluctant to accept any change. You will often hear them saying things like "you don't see programs like that anymore", or "figure skating is all just a jumping contest now". Rather than learn and try to appreciate the new system, they prefer to cling to the skating of the 80s, 90s and earlier. Cranky Curmudgeons do love figure skating but are stuck in the past.

#3: The Modern Traditionalists

I would say that most people who have followed skating for a long time would fall into this category. The Modern Traditionalists still love a lot of skating and how it was done in the early days, especially the 90s when figure skating was really in its heyday. However, unlike the Cranky Curmudgeons, they also embrace the changes and the skaters of today. The Modern Traditionalists see value in the IJS system while acknowledging its flaws. A lot of Modern Traditionalists also have an interest in compulsory figures and how they can be used to improve their overall skating. I have seen many modern traditionalists in the Adult Skating group. They are competing under the 6.0 system and the ordinals were all over the place. Some have expressed interest in skating under IJS, because it is at least something quantifiable, and you can see areas where you can improve. This is already done at the international adult competitions. Modern Traditionalists are a little more sensitive to the gaming of the IJS system than our next group of fans.

#4: The New-Wave Fans

The New-Wave Fans are fairly new to the world of skating. Most New-Wave Fans began following figure skating around the 2014 Olympics. But boy, have they caught up quick! New-Wave Fans are one of the most enthusiastic groups of skating fans, and they do a ton of research into previous competitions. They are always posting videos and pictures of recent World Championships, and finding interviews with today's top skaters. New-Wave Fans also have a great grasp of the IJS system, and how it's supposed to work. They are coming into the skating world fresh and with no pre-conceived ideas of how things used to be. New-Wave Fans also help many of the other fan groups regain their enthusiasm for the sport.

#5: The Trolls and their Idiot Minions

The Trolls contrast greatly with the new wave fans in their level of enthusiasm. They stir up animosity instead. The Trolls differ from the Cranky Curmudgeons in some ways. Cranky Curmudgeons are just hopelessly stuck in the past, and their criticism of the sport today comes from frustration and a lack of understanding. The Trolls' key objective is to post things just to piss people off. They are quite successful at doing this. There are a few bloggers that fall into this category, and the skating fandom rises up in fury. Yes, what they said in most instances was really screwed up, but by getting angry and blast-posting their idiotic commentary everywhere, they are getting exactly what they want. Good or bad, you're still talking about them. Another faction of the trolls are the Idiot Minions. The Idiot Minions are an additional mouthpiece for The Trolls. They repost everything The Troll says, plus try to stir up conversations with unsuspecting victims on social media. The Idiot Minions also agree with everything The Troll writes or says.

#6: Yuri on Ice Fans

The figure skating anime sensation "Yuri on Ice" has brought a lot of new fans to the sport. However, some of these fans are more pleasant than others. There are YOI fans who genuinely came to love figure skating through the show, and now watch a lot of competitions. This group is respectful of figure skaters, both as individuals and what they do on the ice. They are a cool group of people, and I'm glad they found their "gateway drug" into the sport.

Then there's the other group of fans. This group knows very little about skating, nor do they care to learn. Their main purpose is to write commentary on pretty much every figure skating video on YouTube, either comparing the skater to a YOI character, or saying something like "I'm only here because of Yuri on Ice". The worst faction of this group continues to avidly "ship" real figure skaters based on pairings from the show. This group has several similarities to the flippant Buzzfeed posts on figure skating, that only happen to show up around the Olympics. Most of these are related to a figure skating drinking game or some such nonsense, but consider the source. At any rate, it's annoying as hell. Moving on...

#7: The Lifetime Members

The Lifetime Members are just as their name implies. They have been fans of the sport for most of their life. Most Lifetime Members came to figure skating with the enthusiasm of the New-Wave Fans, and then settled down over time. This does not mean that their love for the sport has faded, however. Lifetime Members' love for figure skating is similar to that in a marriage. Some days it's full of passion and it's all you can think about. Other days aren't that great, as you're angry and frustrated, but you know you're in for the long haul. Hopefully that analogy makes sense. Lifetime Members can be an encyclopedia of figure skating once you get them going. They've seen a lot, to include the judging system changes, and all the scandals. Lifetime Members often don't get caught up in the details of competitions because of this. They see figure skating at a different level.

#8: The Die-Hards

The Die-Hards are the most dedicated group of fans. This group of fans travels all around the world to see their favorite skaters compete and perform in ice shows. Ice Network just wrote an article dedicated to the Japanese skating fans, showing their dedication to their skaters. They are the best example of Die-Hards now. This is a fan group that I would like to be in, but my bank account, and getting that much time off from work, are 2 very significant limitations toward this goal. But, you know, if I happen to win the Powerball one day...

#9: The Rage-a-holics

The Rage-a-holics are constantly on the lookout for figure skating news or information to get outraged about. Now, you're probably wondering how this is different from a Cranky Curmudgeon, or a Troll. Well, here's the difference. Rage-a-holics do genuinely love the sport, and they are current fans. In some cases, the are a Loyal Stan (or Anti-Stan) gone to extremes. Rage-a-holics are also prone to reacting to The Troll's postings, as they are designed to enrage. Not only do Rage-a-holics constantly go on about under and over scoring, they also look for any articles they can call out for being stupid and ridiculous, even from obscure sources. At their heart, the Rage-a-holic is an idealist for the sport, but their antics and constant ranting can be off putting.

#10: The Actual Factuals

The Actual Factuals know every rule and all scoring for IJS and 6.0, often calculating the base value of programs. They are very knowledgeable, but sometimes arrogant. They will throw the book at anyone who posts or says anything incorrect. If there is one thing to admire about Actual Factuals, it's their objectivity. They will quickly point out the good and bad of any skater without holding any personal bias.

#11: The Every Four Years Fans

As the name suggests, Every Four Years Fans only tune into figure skating during the Olympics. This gives them limited insight to the sport and everything leading up to it. However, they are needed as part of the figure skating fan base. Figure skating is the most popular sport in the Winter Olympics because of this group of fans combined with all the regulars. I am an Every Four Years Fan of luge myself. Luge looks like the most fun thing ever! And of course I watch speed skating, the second cousin to figure skating. I love most of the Winter Olympic sports, but I typically don't watch them outside of the Olympics.

#12: Screaming Fangirls/Fanboys

We have all been one a time or two. Don't try to deny it. A prime example of this is Jimmy MacElroy's fan/stalker in Blades of Glory. The Screaming Fangirls and Fanboys enthusiasm is contagious. In day-to-day life, when they are not watching their favorite skaters, they post pictures and videos of them online and talk about them nonstop. This doesn't bother me in the least. Keep on with your enthusiasm for your favorites and skater crushes!

Well folks, that's a wrap. Please keep in mind that this post was meant for satirical purposes. I'll catch you next time!

Icy Trails ⛸

Icy Trails 25 All Time Favorite Ladies Programs

Hi everyone! It's been a while since my last post. I have been focusing a lot on my own skating, working to get ready for test sessions and competitions later this summer. I also had a few posts I was working on that didn't end up happening. On one post, I just could not find the information I needed to pull it together. On another post, I had the brilliant idea to start writing after 2 margaritas. Word to the wise: don't drink and blog, my friends! Needless to say, it got scrapped. I hope you're all doing alright in the off season. There will still be plenty of content here!

After writing my Top Ten ice dance and pairs posts, I realized that maybe 10 programs was not enough to showcase. This was especially true for the ladies' programs, where there is so much diversity. These are my all time favorites, so there will be a good variety of programs from the 90s all the way to today, and maybe a few that are even older. There will be a mixture of competitive, exhibition, and show programs. So, without further ado, I will go ahead and showcase my 25 All Time Favorite Ladies Programs!

#25: Sasha Cohen (USA)- "Angels in America:

This one is not really a program; it's more of a transition piece in between performances. However, even for its short time, it's beautiful and effective. The wings add a lot of visual interest and add to the drama. I particularly enjoy the spiral sequences. Spirals are one of my favorite moves, and Sasha is one of the best at them.

#24: Katarina Witt (GDR)- "Carmen"

Yes, I included a Carmen performance here. This performance is Katarina's Olympic gold winning skate from 1988. The 1988 "Battle of the Carmens" between her and Debi Thomas is what led to the many (so many!!! 😧) incarnations of Carmen ever since. Since Katarina was one of the original Carmens, and she won, she gets a mention. Not to mention this is a fantastic performance. She combined superior technical ability of the time with artistry and playing to the crowd. She also dived into the 80s and early 90s trend of dying on the ice! Dick Button's opening comment, "The Carmen we're going to see is a flirtatious one" is one of the most memorable commentary moments. In Katarina's mid section of the program, she has a portion where she sells the program and gains momentum for the second half. This is a technique that was picked up by many skaters after this point.

#23: Rika Hongo (JPN)- "Reel Around the Sun (Riverdance)"

This performance by Rika at the 2016 World Championships is significant for a few reasons. The most prominent reason is that she skated to the exact same music, in the same venue, where Jason Brown brought down the house a few seasons before. This was an incredibly gutsy move. Not only that, but she brought her own spin to the program by adding in the Irish step dancing elements. My friend and I took some step dancing classes several years ago and attempted to do it on the ice, and I'm only slightly exaggerating when I say I feared for my life. Overall, a very good, solid, and entertaining performance. She kept this program for the 2016-2017 season too, but unfortunately it did not have that same exuberance. I really love the Riverdance show and soundtrack, and I'm glad to see skaters embracing a lot of the music for their programs.

#22: Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS)- "You Raise Me Up"

Evgenia has been dominating the ladies scene in competitions for the past 2 seasons, but I think she really shines in exhibitions. This one is my favorite. I love the song "You Raise Me Up". It is very special to me because I walked down the aisle to it at my wedding. I later skated to the song too. This version by Celtic Woman is a lovely rendition. To skate to this song, you have to put your heart into it. She conveyed emotion really well here. I wish she would skate more programs like this. I love everything about it.

Evgenia has received a lot of criticism from skating fans about being overscored, and she has been everywhere with skating. She is also a big Yuri on Ice fan and is well known among that fandom. I get the feeling that she may be getting a bit overexposed, but I don't hate on her for it. I have noticed that people in general have a tendency to grow tired of and dislike anyone who's winning all the time. I started doing some research on cognitive biases in sports and it was fascinating. I may end up writing more on the topic.

#21: Joannie Rochette (CAN)- "La Cumparsita"

Joannie's short program from the 2010 Olympics is one to remember. Her mother had passed away 2 days before she skated this, and she had to dig really deep to find the strength to skate. This is one of the most beautiful and emotionally charged programs I have ever witnessed. I love how the crowd cheered her on too. During this Olympics, I was suffering from a loss as well. Earlier on February 12, 2010, before the opening ceremonies, we made the heart-wrenching decision to put my most beloved cat to sleep. He was there for me for more than half my life. I don't think I would have ever made it without my husband there with me. While my loss pales in comparison to what Joannie was facing, I could understand the heartbreak. I'm so glad she skated so well here, with such precision and strength. She is such an inspiration.

#20: Joannie Rochette (CAN)- "Andalucia"

A double shot of Joannie! She is one of my favorite skaters, if you couldn't already tell. This particular performance was from the "Riverdance on Ice" show. I was really hoping this would be good, since sometimes these specials are a hit or miss. I loved this, but that's not entirely surprising. My obsession with Riverdance is right up there with my obsession with skating. If you're not familiar with Riverdance, it is mostly known for the Irish dance and folk music, but there are several other types of dance as well, to include tap dancing, Russian dancing, and flamenco. "Andalucia" is one of two flamenco numbers in the production, and the other is "Firedance", which is also the music for my freestyle program. Shae-Lynn Bourne skates to "Firedance" in this show, and I wish I could be that fabulous. There will be another performance to "Firedance" later in the countdown as well. Maria Pages is the flamenco dancer in both numbers and she is a beauty to watch. I love how Joannie mimics her at the beginning to get the essence of her style before going off and skating to the music.  The combination of the dancing and skating is just beautiful here, and the camera work gives them both about equal coverage throughout the performance. Also, if I could have the flamenco outfit and Joannie's costume in my closet, that would be great 😊. I would also recommend seeing the entire "Riverdance on Ice" show if you haven't seen it. It is so good!

#19: Surya Bonaly (FRA)- "The Four Seasons"

It's my friend Surya! Well, she waved at me one time at Champions on Ice 😊. That year we had seats right where the skaters came out and it was a dream come true! But I digress. This program is important to mention for several reasons. First, she is the only person who has ever done a back flip at the Olympics. That is some really cool stuff! Back flips are, and have been banned from competitions by the ISU because they are too dangerous. Surya is just a rebel, and I love her attitude! She was often underappreciated and underscored during her career. The 90s were definitely a different time in skating than today. Surya's style is more athletic, and her strength is in jumps and technical elements. Judges' main criticism of her was related to a lack of polish and artistry. However, Surya was definitely ahead of her time. During the ladies competitions today, the winning factor often boils down to the triple-triple combination and its difficulty. Surya often pulled off  triple-triples late in the program, most memorably in her 1994 World Championship performance. I can't help but thinking she would have fared a lot better under IJS. I also think that's why she decided "YOLO" and threw the back flip in here. The judges weren't going to do right by her anyway. Why not go out with a bang, right?

#18: Elena Radionova (RUS)- "Imagine"

Elena has performed several renditions of this exhibition across these past 2 seasons. The "living statue" rendition is my favorite. I love the visual dramatics that the angel statue costume provides. She skates with a lot of emotion and can skate to a wide range of musical styles. There is also a musical edit on YouTube of this performance with "Faded" by Alan Walker dubbed in. It provides another cool take on this performance. While Elena does not have the technical prowess or consistency of Evgenia Medvedeva, she surpasses her in some ways in presentation, poise, and artistry. I really hope Elena's next season is a good one and she makes Russia's Olympic team. I think she could really be a contender, especially working with Shae-Lynn Bourne on choreography.

#17: Karen Chen (USA)- "House of Flying Daggers"

I'm sure you guys are starting to notice a pattern here about my love for dramatic, flashy programs and costumes. This one is also visually stunning with the sleeves on the dress. What's really amazing is that she skated this whole program without tripping over them, which looks like a challenging feat. The music for this program is really dramatic too, which emphasizes the overall performance. Karen certainly had an interesting season with some ups and downs, but she peaked when it really counted. This earned her the US National Championship, and her performance at the 2017 World Championships helped retain 3 ladies slots for Team USA going into the Olympic season. I'm looking forward to seeing what she can do next season.

#16: Oksana Baiul (UKR)- "Sadeness"

Here we have the 1994 Olympic champion and my favorite skater. My often termed "artistry and passion" is exuded in spades by her. She is another skater with great versatility that could skate to anything. This performance was entrancing to watch because it brought a completely different side to her than what we saw in her Olympic programs. She was always able to bring her heart and emotion into every performance in a way that few can match, with a tremendous flair for drama. Every move and expression was made to reach even the nosebleed seats in the arena. I definitely tried to do my hair like this back in the day too. I had a t-shirt and a poster with her on it; she was just the coolest. However, like a lot of creative types, her life has had its share of drama too, both on and off the ice. Her style of skating is still something I would like to portray, as she has been a huge influence for me.

#15. Sasha Cohen (USA)- "Dark Eyes"

I've got to say, I love the camera work at the beginning of this one. It gives you a bit of the feeling of stepping out onto the ice at the Olympics. This short program is brilliant and showcases Sasha's sassy personality well. It helped her earn the silver medal at the 2006 Olympics. Again, she shows some of the best spiral sequences of all time here. I can go on and on about Sasha's spirals, but she is also an excellent spinner. This program and music is so full of drama; I just love it! It grabs your attention at the very beginning and keeps it there for the whole time.

#14: Gabrielle Daleman (CAN)- "Herodiade"

One word to describe Gabrielle Daleman: Fierce. Gabby was a pleasant surprise for me this season. She was not really on my radar before but I really enjoy her skating. She has such determination when she skates, and she provides great artistry while delivering solid technical elements. She really attacks her jumps in this program. She also looks perfect pretty much all the time, but she's so nice that no one hates on her. I particularly like the costume in this program. It's striking and different, and suits her perfectly. Her teammate Kaetlyn Osmond may be slightly better received by the judges, but Gabby is definitely the fan favorite.

#13: Carolina Kostner (ITA)- "Ave Maria"

I really enjoy Carolina's style of skating, and she does it best, in my opinion, to classical pieces. Her skating has an elegance and softness to it that allows her to pull off these pieces well. Many other skaters have skated to "Ave Maria", but she definitely makes it her own here. She floats across the ice in an almost angelic manner. Her layback spin here is perfection. I'm so glad she came back this season too! If she makes the Olympic team again (which she most likely will), this will be her 4th Olympics! So far, I think only Plushenko has skated in that many Olympic Games.

#12: Satoko Miyahara (JPN)- "The Planets"

Tiny, fierce diva Satoko. I really like her style of skating. I'm not really into Star Wars, so I didn't realize this was a Star Wars song/program until May the 4th. I just thought it was really pretty and I liked it. Watching this again, the connection is so obvious I don't know how I missed it. For some reason her theme wasn't hyped up this season like some of the other skaters. There is a lot of great quality skating in this program. She is pretty solid on the technical elements and doesn't use as much of the trickery that some skaters use to run up the points. She is just pleasing to watch. I'm looking forward to her coming back next season, once she has recovered from her injury. Team Japan has quite a strong ladies field, and it's unfortunate they only have 2 slots for the upcoming Olympics.

#11: Joannie Rochette (CAN)- "Samson and Delilah"

This marks Joannie's third appearance in my countdown, but she is just amazing. Her entire Olympic experience in 2010 is one to remember, and this free skate continued to build on her solid performance in the short program. She is just so great, skating with such skill but also emotion.

All right now! We are into the Top 10!

#10: Oksana Baiul (UKR)- "Swan Lake"

This short program from the 1994 Olympics is the first time I saw Oksana skate, and I thought she was just the most amazing skater ever! She really excels in these ballet-type performances due to her dance background. Many skaters have performed to this music, but few have had the impact and memorable performance that Oksana had with it. This costume is also amazing! I remember at the time there was a lot of contention, as there often is, on whether she or Nancy Kerrigan should have won the gold. Obviously, you guys know where I stand, but it appears that there are many other Oksana supporters out there too. For once I read YouTube comments that didn't make me lose faith in humanity. Oksana is an artist, and no one can dispute that! This program is like watching a ballet on ice. She even mimics some movements of a swan here. I enjoyed this much more than her free skate.
This program was the winning program of the 1994 Olympics.

#9: Mao Asada (JPN)- "Bells of Moscow"

Here we have the first program of the ever talented Mao Asada in my countdown: her free skate from the 2010 Olympics. Although the performance was not perfect, she threw in everything she could into the performance. This included 2 triple axels, with one in combination! I love the music choice here too. It's really dramatic and matches Mao's strong and dynamic skating style. Mao is mainly known for her jumps, but her spirals and step sequences are also amazing.

I'm sure most of you have heard by now that Mao is retiring. I would also like call attention to something that has been on my mind as both a skating fan and a skating blogger. I've been writing Icy Trails for about 10 months now, and I have seen other excellent skating bloggers and others that are no better than a tabloid. Throughout this season, there has been a lot of commentary from all angles about how Mao was performing. Unfortunately, this season has given Mao a lot of inconsistency. Some of what I will call the "tabloid bloggers" used this as an opportunity to trash her. It was as if all her contributions up to that point didn't matter, and she should just quit and let the younger skaters take the reins. Then, all of a sudden, once she announced her retirement, they all changed their tune. They started writing about how wonderful she is and the mark she left on the sport, and it was just so fake and hypocritical. Let me throw the BS flag on that right now. I cannot stand fair-weather fans (for examples in another sport, see the Chicago Cubs and their sudden legion of fans after winning the World Series)!

#8: Joannie Rochette (CAN)- "My Immortal"

Joannie's performance here is dedicated to her late mother. It is a heartfelt tribute that all of the audience can feel. The music choice and costume complement her performance very well. She is so gifted and I'm glad she's still out there skating in shows like All That Skate and Art on Ice. At the time of my writing, it's the day before Mother's Day. This just serves as a time for me to be grateful to my mother and to all my family.

#7: Yuna Kim (KOR)- "Kiss of the Vampire"

By now, you have seen several mentions of programs from the 2010 Olympics. You're all probably wondering, "where's Yuna?" For me, I prefer her programs after her Olympic victory. I think she has a lot more emotion and depth to her programs around the 2012-2014 time frame, to include this short program performance from the 2013 World Championships. This program was not as hyped up as her Olympic performances, but it's a beautiful program. Even though she is now retired, I'm pretty sure we will see her in some way with the upcoming Olympics in PyeongChang.

#6: Satoko Miyahara (JPN)- "Firedance"

Lights out! Give her all the medals! Bye!!!

No seriously, I love this. Everything about this performance is perfection. She does a great job of drawing the audience in on this one too! This is the other flamenco dance from Riverdance, and Satoko pulled it off flawlessly here. I especially love the step sequence and layback spin. I think now between this performance and others to "Firedance", I can gain inspiration and breathe new life into my freestyle program.

And now we go on to the Top 5. These programs have had a great impact on me, as I know they have on a great deal of skating fans. We begin the Top 5 with a name that everyone who loves figure skating will know...

#5: Michelle Kwan (USA)- "East of Eden"

Michelle performed this during 2 competitive seasons. Back in the 90s, there was much more of a distinction between an amateur, or competitive skater, and a professional skater. This distinction doesn't exist anymore, as now a skater is either competing or retired. In the 90s, the professional skaters had their own World Pro championships. The 1998 World Pros is where Michelle performed to "East of Eden" for the first time. She later decided to return to the competitive realm for another shot at the Olympics. She used "East of Eden" as a short program in the 2000/2001 season with different choreography and a new look and feel to the program.

Ok, so that was a super long explanation, but I chose the performance from the 1998 World Pros because everything flowed together perfectly here. She had the signature Michelle spirals and just all around beautiful skating with the right combination of technical components and artistry. We also saw Mariah Bell perform to "East of Eden" this season. She did a great job with modernizing the program for today's skating, but this is the performance I always think of when I hear this music.

#4: Yuna Kim (KOR)- "Send in the Clowns"

This brings us to "Autumn's issues with the 2014 Olympic Season, Part 1". I'm pretty happy with how most of the disciplines went, but with the ladies, there were a slew of issues. Seriously, how the hell did this not win???? The fallout from the ladies event in Sochi was huge. Many believed the ISU was colluding with the Russian Federation, and Yuna's enormous group of fans was outraged. There are several videos talking about how figure skating died that day, etc. After this Olympics, Yuna decided to retire. This seemingly abrupt decision left many in the skating community in shock.

Luckily, we have performances like this to remember. This was beautiful and artistic, showing her range of emotions. It is a culmination of everything the fans love about Yuna. It is everything a winning Olympic performance should be. But as all skating fans know, it's a subjective sport, and things don't always turn out the way they should.

#3: Ashley Wagner (USA)- "Moulin Rouge"

Now we have Autumn's issues with the 2014 Olympic Season, Part 2". Yes, I realize this is from the 2014-2015 season, but it's about to make sense in a minute; just bear with me. The Team USA Ladies Team for the 2014 Olympics caused a lot of controversy, most definitely in the US, but even a bit outside the US. At the 2014 US Nationals, Gracie Gold won the title, Polina Edmunds won the silver in her senior debut, and Mirai Nagasu made a great comeback to win the bronze. Ashley, unfortunately, finished 4th at this nationals after 2 falls in the free skate. This left her chances of making the Olympic team uncertain. If USFS had gone by traditional protocols, they would have gone by the results of nationals, and she would not have made the team. USFS has made exceptions in the past, most notably by naming Nancy Kerrigan to the 1994 Olympic Team, because for obvious reasons, she could not compete at nationals. However, no exceptions had been made for someone not performing their best and missing the podium.  Ashley did end up getting named to the Olympic team, and Mirai Nagasu was left off. This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I was not pleased about it. I had heard that Ashley was going to be on the team regardless, and USFS was trying to decide whether to send Mirai or Polina Edmunds, and they chose Polina Edmunds. I went on being salty about the whole Olympic team decision. This is an issue I still think about a lot, about whether the results of nationals determine World and Olympic team placement, or whether the federation chooses who will attend.

Then comes the next season, which will mark "Epic transformations, Part 1". I watched the 2015 Nationals not expecting much and I was blown away. That's why I chose this particular performance over the 2016 Worlds performance. It was a much bigger shift for Ashley. I could not look away from this performance and was enthralled the whole time. THIS is how you silence your critics and haters! You don't go whining and crying about things. You get out there and work your ass off and prove you are the champion you were meant to be. After this performance, I have nothing but respect for Ashley and she has gained a loyal fan. This is also a case of the perfect program, music and choreography for just the right skater.

#2: Michelle Kwan (USA)- "Salome"

Epic transformations, Part 2. Michelle made her senior debut at the 1994 US Nationals at the age of 13, something that has been unprecedented. For the 1994 and 1995 seasons, she was seen as the new up-and-comer, who would one day be a great champion. She had great technical ability but still had the little girl image. She comes back for the 1995-1996 season and BAM! She comes in with a sophisticated makeover and complete change in choreography, and we got this masterpiece known as "Salome", which would become one of her trademark programs. This was Michelle's breakthrough moment where she won her first of many world titles. Michelle is greatly admired as a skater who had such poise and maturity, even with winning her first world title at 15. Watching this, I can see why so many miss Michelle's style of skating in today's world. She did not put one element out that wasn't executed to perfection.

That leads us to our Number One program! Can we get a drum roll?

#1: Mao Asada (JPN)- "Rachmaninov Concerto No. 2"

This is what being a champion is all about here. This is so inspirational. After coming in 16th in the Short Program, many other skaters would have just thrown in the towel, knowing they would most likely not make the podium. This is not what Mao did. She skated the performance of her life here in an amazing free skate. This is her legacy and how she will be remembered. I find it interesting that there was so much talk about her retiring after the 2014 Olympics. Luckily, she stuck around for a few more years. It is nice to know that amidst the controversy surrounding the ladies event in Sochi that we have this wonderful performance and memory.

Well folks, we have reached the end. I hope you enjoyed this and the wide variety of skating styles. I, of course, enjoyed writing. Figure skating has been my passion for most of my life, and I'm glad I get to be involved with it from so many angles. Thank you to all my readers for your support, attention, and words of encouragement. Stay tuned for more posts to come!

~ Icy Trails~ ⛸💖