Nocturne by Mao Asada

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I am not an expert of figure skating at all, but I have come to love the sport after seeing random clips of women and men gliding along the ice as if lurching into triple-triples is not a hard feat.

From all the videos I have watched, there seems to be a general consensus on figure skating, especially when it comes to interpreting music. Softer music is harder to interpret, especially in a short program where you have to have all the technicalities done.

Maybe that was the reason why I instantly got hooked with Japanese skater Mao Asada when I came across this particular video. She was skating to Nocturne by Chopin, and just seeing her glide along the ice and make those powerful jumps, spins and spirals along with the notes leaves me breathless.


You may see it for yourself:





There is a certain lightness in her skating which hooked me to her as compared to other skaters. And though, on most of the literature I read about her tells me her artistry and connection to the music is dull and bland, I have to beg to disagree on that.

I know about her triple axels, and that is a very hard feat in itself, especially for the ladies. But I seriously believe that's not all she's worth.

Especially when I saw her skate to this, to another soft music.






She may not be as facially expressive as the other skaters, but she still is. Even her body language says it all, especially to the choreography she uses to the nuances of the notes.

I have my own preferences, and that is why I like Mao-chan a lot.

May you be successful this season, Mao-chan.


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