The ladies field has been really dense both in Russia and Japan. As such, I have been following both the junior and senior ranks with a lot of attention lately. Therefore in this post I will be covering all off-season news regarding music for the 2018-2019 season, as well as coaching changes and retirements. Updated on August 6th Music Announcements: ARGENTINA Virginia Elisia Bustos NEW SP: Seven Nations Army performed by White Stripes ft. Haley Reinhart; Mambo No. 8 by Perez Prado; Mambo No. 5 by Perez Prado FP: Chandelier by Sia AUSTRIA Stefanie Pesendorfer NEW SP: Radar Love by Golden Earring FP: Fantasy Music - The Last of her Kind by Peter Gundry; Dark Vampire by Peter Gundry Sophie Schaller NEW SP: Paint It Black (Westworld soundtrack) by Ramin Djawadi; Paint It Black peformed by Vanessa Carlton FP: Adios Nonino by Astor Piazzolla performed by Tango for Four Olga Mikutina NEW SP: Megapolis by Bel Sueno FP: Tango Step Up by Bear McGreary BRAZIL Isadora Williams SP: Take Five by Dave Brubeck FP: Medley from Natalia Lafourcade CANADA Michelle Long SP: "J'oublie" (female vocal) of "Oblivion" by Astor Piazzolla, choreo by Lori Nichol Alison Schumacher NEW SP: I Want to Hold Your Hand by John Lennon, Paul McCartney FP: Entrance of Butterfly; Un bel di vedizemo (from "Madame Butterfly") by Giacomo Puccini Aurora Cotop NEW SP: Arrival of the Birds by The Cinematic Orchestra; Blackbird by The Beatles, perfomed by Sara Niemietz FP: Evgeni's Waltz; Revolving Doors; Letters (from W.E. soundtrack) by Abel Korzeniowski CROATIA Hana Kosic NEW SP: Annie (soundtrack) by Charles Strouse FP: Rome and Juliet by Nino Rota Katarina Kitarovic NEW SP: Survivor by A. Dent, Beyonce, M. Knowles, performed by 2Wei FP: Hamilton (soundtrack) by Lin-Manuel Miranda Hana Cvijanovic NEW SP: California Dreamin' performed by SIA FP: Another Day Of Sun; City of Stars; Someone In The Crowd (from "La La Land" soundtrack) by Justin Hurwitz CZECH REPUBLIC Daniela Ko NEW SP: Hard Scary hip-hop beat (rap) instrumental; Alice Through Looking Glass FP: Butterfly by Maxime Rodriguez; Carol of the Bells by Mykola Leontovych, Peter J. Wilhousky; Nero by Thomas Jacob Bergersen, Nick Phoenix DENMARK Maia Sorensen NEW SP: La Vie en rose performed by Pomy Wave FP: Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps performed by Doris Day; Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps performed by The Pussycat Dolls GERMANY Ann-Christin Marold NEW SP: Mi Tierra by Gloria Estefan FP: Sooner or Later by Madonna; Hanky Panky by Madonna Lea Johanna Dastich NEW SP: La La Land, choreo by Rostislav Sinicyn FP: Never Enough (from "The Greatest Showman" soundtrack) by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul; The Greatest Showman Medley performed by Lindsey Stirling; This Is Me (from "The Greatest Showman" soundtrack) by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Franziska Kettl NEW SP: Gimmie That Swing by Cissie Redgwick FP: Romeo and Juliet Elodie Eudine NEW SP: Experience by Ludovico Einaudi FP: Papa Can You Hear Me (soundtrack) performed by Barbara Streisand GREAT BRITAIN Anastasia Vaipan-Law NEW SP: Libertango by Astor Piazzolla FP: Skyfall (James Bond soundtrack) performed by Adele Kristen Spours NEW SP: Caught Out in the Rain performed by Beth Hart FP: La La Land (soundtrack) by Justin Hurwitz HONG KONG Yi Christy Leung NEW SP: Scene d'amour by Francis Lai, performed by Sarah Brightman FP: Breath of Life by Florence and the Machine JAPAN Rika Hongo SP: Kill Bill, choreo by Shae-Lynn Bourne FP: Jesus of Nazareth, choreo by Kenji Miyamoto Mako Yamashita SP: "Una voce poco fa" from Rossini; choreo by Mihoko Higuchi FP: Madama Butterfly (program from last season), choreo by Mihoko Higuchi Yuka Nagai SP: Riverdance, choreo by Misao Sato Yuna Shiraiwa SP: All Aboard, choreo by Tom Dickson FP: Pictures at an Exhibition Modest Mussorgsky Arrange (program from last season), choreo by Tom Dickson Yuhana Yokoi SP: The Lion King, choreo by Miho Kawaume FP: The Phantom of the Opera, choreo by Miho Kawaume Moa Iwano SP: Asturias - William Joseph, choreo by Akiko Suzuki FP: Jeux d'eaux, choreo by Pasquale Camerlengo Rika Kihira SP: Claire de Lune, choreo by David Wilson FP: Mercy in darkness (x), choreo by Tom Dickson Satoko Miyahara SP: Song for the little sparrow by Patricia Kaas, choreo by Lori Nichol FP: Invierno porteno by Astor Piazzolla; Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, "Winter" (The Four Seasons by Vivaldi), choreo by Tom Dickson Marin Honda SP: Seven Nation Army by Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox, choreo by Shae Lynn Borne FP: Lovers (Chinese movie), choreo by Lori Nichol Wakaba Higuchi SP: Energia FP: Hymne a l'amour, choreo by Yuka Sato Mai Mihara SP: It's magic FP: Gabriel's Oboe from The Mission (last year's program), choreo by David Wilson Kaori Sakamoto SP: From my First Moment by Charlotte Church, choreo by David Wilson FP: The Piano soundtrack by Michael Nyman (Be My Secret; Deep into the Forest; Roberto Cacciapaglia; Tree of Life; Wild Side), choreo by Benoit Richaud KAZAKHSTAN Veronika Sheveleva NEW SP: La Esmeralda by Cesare Pugni FP: The Bloody Mistress (soundtrack) by Dmitri Dankov Azhar Zhumakhanova NEW SP: The Show Must Go On performed by Ademi FP: Smile by Arina Danilova; Rendez-Vous by Kelly Joyce KOREA Dabin Choi SP: Don't cry for me Argentina FP: Carmen Eusoon Lim SP: Somewhere in Time OST, choreo by Jeff Buttle FP: Chicago OST, choreo by Akiko Suzuki Su Been Jeon NEW SP: Kissing You ("Romeo and Juliet" soundtrack) FP: The Point of No Return (from "Phantom of the Opera") by Andrew Lloyd Webber Gyo Hee Jeon NEW SP: Paint It Black performed by Ciara FP: Avatar soundtrack MEXICO Andrea Montesinos Cantu NEW SP: Swing Da Cor by Daniela Mercury FP: Jeux d'Eau (from "O" - Cirque du Soleil) NETHERLANDS Lenne Van Gorp NEW SP: Tango de los Exilados by Vanessa Mae, Walter Taieb FP: Prince of Egypt (soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer, Stephen Schwartz ROMANIA Ana Sofia Beschea NEW SP: Vogue by Madonna FP: Un giorno per noi (Romeo and Juliet soundtrack) performed by Josh Groban RUSSIA Stanislava Konstantinova FP: Anna Karenina (last year's program) Alina Zagitova SP: Phantom of the Opera, choreo by Daniil Gleikhengauz FP: Carmen, choreo by Daniil Gleikhengauz Maria Sotskova SP: Latin music, choreo by Peter Tchernyshev (x) LP: "Summertime", choreo by Peter Tchernyshev (x) Anastasiia Gubanova NEW SP: Take Five by Dave Brubeck choreo by Peter Tchernyshev (x) LP: Liebestraum by Franz Liszt choreo by Nikita Mikhailov and Tatiana Tarasova (x) Anastasia Tarakanova NEW SP: Querer performed by Francesca Gagnon FP: Believer by Imagine Dragons Anna Tarusina NEW SP: Winter in Buenos Aires by Astor Piazzolla FP: En Aranjuez con tu amor performed by Katherine Jenkins Viktoria Vasilieva NEW SP: I Put A Spell On You perfomed by Joss Stone feat. Jeff Beck FP: Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saens Alexandra Trusova SP: Kill Bill soundtrack by Tomoyasu Hotei (Bang-Bang performed by Nancy Sinatra; Battle Without Honor Or Humanity) FP: Kill The Target by Tomoyasu Hotei; Katana Groove by Tomoyasu Hotei; The Fifth Element by Eric Serra (Lucia di lammermoor; The Diva Dance) Alena Kostornaia SP: Leftovers OST: Departure (lullaby); November - by Max Richter FP: Romeo and Juliet soundtrack; (Kissing You by Craig Armstrong; Forbidden Love by Abel Korzeniowski; Love Theme) Elizaveta Tuktamysheva SP: Assassin’s Tango - John Powell FP: You Don’t Love Me - Caro Emerald; Petite Fleur - The Hot Sardines Evgenia Medvedeva NEW SP: Orange Colored Sky by Natalie Cole FP: Mumuki; Libertango - by Yo Yo Ma Kseniia Sinitsyna NEW SP: Batucadas performed by Mitoka Samba; La Vida es un Carneval peformed by Celia Cruz; Mujer Latina performed by Thalia FP: Trio Elgiaque No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninov Anastasia Kostyuk NEW SP: Three Preludes by George Gershwin FP: Alina by Aydar Gaynullin Alena Kanysheva NEW SP: The Show Must Go On (Moonlight Sonata) by Natalia Posnova FP: Dreams of a Winter Journey performed by Berliner Philharmoniker SWEDEN Smilla Szalkai NEW SP: La La Land (soundtrack) by Justin Hurwitz FP: Romeo and Juliet SWITZERLAND Maia Mazzara NEW SP: City Hunter (soundtrack) by Tasumi Yano FP: Down (Marian Hill) by Samantha Gongol, Jeremy Lloyd UKRAINE Anastasiia Arkhipova NEW SP: Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo performed by Ikuko Kawai LP: Imagine by John Lennon Anna Rakovych NEW SP: Desert Skies performed by Maksim Mrvica FP: New Day performed by David Garrett USA Star Andrews SP: Summertime - performed by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, choreo by Derrick Delmore FP: Jungle Music Alysa Liu SP: Spanish Flame by Maxime Rodriguez, choreo by Cindy Stuart LP: The Witches of Eastwick film soundtrack, choreo by Cindy Stuart Amber Glenn SP: Gravity - Sara Bareilles, choreographed by Daniil Barantsev FP: Kill Bill medley Hanna Harrell SP: Bla Bla Bla Cha Cha Cha, by Petty Booka FP: "La Cumparsita" - by Ensemble Contraste; "Adiós Nonino" - Astor Piazzolla, performed by Forever Tango Bradie Tennell FP: Romeo and Juliet Karen Chen SP: Illumination - Fire Dance - Jennifer Thomas, choreographed by Massimo Scali Paige Rydberg SP: Paint It Black - Hidden Citizens, choreo by Drew Meekins FP: Theme song of "Supergirl" - Idina Menzel, choreo by Tom Dickson Ting Cui SP: Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Variation 18 FP: Giselle TAIWAN Amy Lin SP: Now we are free, Gladiator OST Coaching Changes: JAPAN Marin Honda will train with Rafael Arutunian KAZAKHSTAN Elizabeth Tursynbaeva will be coached by Eteri Tutbedridze KOREA Eunsoo Lim will train with Rafael Arutunian RUSSIA Anastasiia Gubanova will train with Elena Buyanova Serafima Sakhanovich left Plushenko's academy and will train with Angelina Turenko Elizaveta Nugumanova will train with Angelina Turenko Valeria Mikhailova will train with Plushenko Kamila Valieva will train with Eteri Tutberidze's group Polina Tsurskaya left Tutberidze's group and will train with Elena Buyanova Evgenia Medvedeva leaves Tutberidze and will train will Brian Orser Anastasia Gulyakova moved from Klimkin to Alexei Mishin Retirements CHINA Zijun Li FINLAND Joanna Kallela (x) NORWAY Anne Line Gjersem (x) SINGAPORE Shuran Yu (x) Other news:
KOREA Young You tried the triple axel-triple toe in practice (x) RUSSIA Alena Kostornaia tried the triple axel in practice (x) Alexandra Trusova is training the quad lutz (x) Anna Shcherbakova's quad lutz-triple toe-triple loop (x) SWEDEN Anita Östlund is training the quad toe-loop (x) USA Alysa Liu tried the triple axel (x) and triple axel-triple toe-triple toe-double toe (x)
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For anyone that follows the ladies event in figure skating, every single year we are surprised by young Russian skaters that we have never seen before topping the charts and winning everything. Thus, this year I have decided to watch this event at the Russian junior nationals, not only because last season I started following the junior grand prix and some of the names are already familiar to me, but also to be introduced to potential new stars. Since there are a lot of young Russian skaters that are worth mentioning, this is the first of two posts on these talented young ladies. Most videos and performances that I will talk about occurred at Junior Nationals. However, some exceptions will take place as some of these ladies’ best performances happened either in Junior Worlds on in the Grand Prix circuit. The order in which these girls will appear is alphabetical (by their surname). Alisa Fedichkina I have known Alisa Fedichkina for more than one year. The reason? Her fantastic short program at the Junior Worlds Championships of 2016. She ended up withdrawing from that event due to injury but this season she was back in the scene. In that season she won the bronze medal at Russian Junior nationals and was fourth in the Junior Grand Prix Final. She is currently 15 years old and is coached by Evgeny Rukavitsyn. Let’s take a look at her programs from last season. This is one beautiful skater with very good skating skills. In the short program we saw some amazing jumps and good spins. She is able to get the audience involved with what she is skating. The free program was not as successful as the short. She interprets everything beautifully and is a joy to watch. The fall was a bit unfortunate. This is one of the skaters I would like to see make the Russian team in the forthcoming years. She ended up in 6th place at junior nationals [she did perform at senior nationals and was 9th there].
Anastasiia Gubanova Anastasiia Gubanova is coached by Angelina Turenko. She won two gold medals on the 2016–17 ISU Junior Grand Prix series and silver at the JGP Final, which was where I first saw her and she instantly became my favourite Russian skater (yes, senior skaters included). At 14, she is one of the most beautiful skaters in Russia right now, having absolutely lovely lines and she delivers everything she has on her performances, which are full of emotion. Her best performances this season took place at the Junior Grand Prix in Dresden, Germany, and at the Final of this circuit. Watching her short program one can only think of how delicate she is. I get goosebumps every time I watch her. Her free program was set to Romeo and Juliet and its interpretation and lines were sublime. She was able to bring the drama that the music required. She has a star quality to her. At junior nationals she struggled a bit but I saw her fight through the free program. If she becomes consistent, she will be hard to stop. She was 7th at both junior and senior nationals. Can’t wait to see her again.
Anastasia Gulyakova Anastasia Gulyakova is a 14 year old girl I had had never seen her skate before. Coached by Ilya Klimkin, she attempted a triple axel in practice at the Russian Junior Nationals. She finished 8th at that competition. Her short program has a wow factor: the jumps. She is a really strong jumper. Moreover, she include nice drama throughout her performance. It was a really good program. Her free program brought more jumps with an amazing height. She also does most jumps with one or two hands above the head, which is absolutely fantastic. I truly think people need to keep track of this girl.
Stanislava Konstantinova Stanislava Konstantinova is 17 and is coached by Valentina Chebotareva. She was the 3rd alternate for Europeans (she was already senior-eligible). She was 4th at JGP Germany and 2nd at JGP Russia. Two of her best performances did take place at junior Russian nationals, where she finished second. She went to Junior Worlds and was 6th there. In the short program she executed good spins and jumps. She reminds me a bit of Anna Pogorilaya in the way she skates. The only critique I can make is that she is not memorable. Maybe due to the song choice. I liked the free program more than the short, and she did bring her quality jumps to the performance. This approaching season we will be seeing her as a senior.
Alena Kostornaya Alena is 13 years old and another lady that I never knew about. She was coached by Elena Zhgun but is now training with Eteri Tutberidze and Sergei Dudakov. She went to junior nationals as a replacement for Alisa Lozko. The short program at junior nationals was quite good, even though I did not get why they were changing the music in the middle of the spin. She fought through that combination but the other jumps were good. In the free I also had issues with the music. The jumps were ok. She was not among the best, ending in 16th out of 18 ladies. However, I am curious to see what the coaching change will due for her. Because in case you don’t know, she changed for the technical team of Evgenia Medvedeva.
Ekaterina Kurakova Ekaterina is 14 and a beautiful skater. I had never seen her before as well. She is very artistic too. She is coached by Natalia Dubinskaya. Her short program showed that she has really good jumps, spins and a great interpretation. She may have a great future ahead of her. Her free program was also really good, showing her performing throughout the step sequence and, yet again, really good jumps and spins. I really want to see that she will do this season. She finished in 9th at junior nationals.
Ekaterina Mitrofanova Ekaterina Mitrofanova is 15. She was 10th at last season nationals and this season was 18th. She is coached by Sergei Davydov and Vladimir Kotin. She entered nationals through the replacement of Anna Shcherbakova. I found her to be a really good skater in the short program. However, the music choice was not the right one to let her shine. In the free program, she struggled in some jumps. I found her to be slow in the spins, needing more precision. And again, how do you interpret a music like that? The coaches should have given her something easier to relate to so that she can perform it.
Elizaveta Nugumanova Elizaveta Nugumanova was coached by Alexei Mishin but has now changed coaches to Veronica Dayneko. In JGP of Russia she won the bronze medal whereas she won the silver at JGP Estonia last season. This skater is already quite well done despite her young age mainly due to her great flexibility and fantastic spins. She finished 11th at Russian junior nationals. However, her best performances of the season took place at the Junior Grand Prix of Estonia. She has spectacular spins and well as interpretation and presence. The jumps are also beautiful. The only downside is that she gets some underrotations. Her lines and performance are really good and she knows which music she should pick to highlight them. Moreover, I really like her soft gliding.
Her best free ended up being the one to Romeo and Juliet. However, she did change it to Swan lake in the middle of the season, which was the one she performed at nationals and that you can see below. It was a good choice as well, with the audience cheering for her. She looked like a ballerina. Overall it was a really nice program, with a lot of attention to detail. This is another of my favourite skaters. She did make her debut at the Junior Grand Prix last season and I can’t wait to see how she will do in the upcoming one. Daria Panenkova Daria Panenkova is coached by Eteri Tutberidze. At 14, her trademarks are her well executed Tano-Rippon-jumps (one or two arms over the head). This is a skater I had never seen before, even though I had already heard her name. Her short program showed her jumps. I took the last spin was a bit too slow. I thought she focused way too much on her jumps. She needs to work on letting go so that people watching can connect more to her skating. In the free program, she reminded me of the senior ladies. She looks a lot like a senior already. I loved this program way more that the short. The jumps here were so impressive! She does almost everything with two arms over the head. She has a lot of potential. She finished in 5th at junior nationals.
Ksenia Pankova Ksenia Pankova is 14 and coached by Ilya Klimkin. I had never seen her before, nor heard of her. She finished 17th at Junior Nationals. The short program was really fun to watch. She was extremely focused on her elements. The combination had a fall on the last jump. It has a risk putting it so close to the end after a program that requires a lot of energy. I thought she needs to work on her spins. In her free program, the spins were much better (at least I thought so). She is showing range since the two programs were really different from each other. All jumps were good. I am curious to see how she will improve in the next season.
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