Nathan Chen Fan Thread #2

[Alexa]

Nathan probably was never at the level he was at during Champs Camp

“But Arutunian recalled, almost wistfully, the way Chen had looked late last August at U.S. Figure Skating’s Champs Camp (an evaluation session), which came after they had spent several weeks of concentrated training time together.”

From the article after the worlds

Nathan Chen, student and skater, tries to have two parts in harmony again at world championships

Chen has been juggling a full college course load with competitive skating as he preps for this week’s world championships.

olympics.nbcsports.com

 

[Dobre]

I believe he's done at least 9 quad sals in competition.

2016 JGPF, two at the 2016 U.S. Nationals, 2017 U.S. Nationals, 2017 4CCs, 2017 Rostelecom Cup, 2018 Olympics, 2018 Worlds, 2019 WTT.

I don't believe he has included a 4Lo in his FS since then?

No, as far as I know, he's two for two with the quad loop.

 

[nathanfan]

I think some fans reported that he landed 4Lo in the warm-up at last year’s Japan Open.

Seems that he doesn’t think it’s worth the risk right now.

 

[Dobre]

I think some fans reported that he landed 4Lo in the warm-up at last year’s Japan Open.

Seems that he doesn’t think it’s worth the risk right now.

Ah, you're right. He probably went for it there and popped the loop. So 2 for 3. He has only tried it at the preseason events. I think of it a bit as an insurance policy for keeping one's hand in the game. Should some young munchkin come sprinting up the ranks with every quad under the sun, Nathan wants to know he can go there. But he's not at that point right now where training it frequently is likely worth the physical risk for him. As I would very much like him to stay in one piece throughout these four years, I'm perfectly OK with this policy.

Of course, he has a way of blowing my expectations all to smithereens.

 

[skatesindreams]

Nathan delivered the best Land of All for Dream on Ice

YouTube

youtu.be

I love the technical ease and artistic intensity of his performance,
Bravo!

 

[Firedancer]

Nathan is in Montreal...presumably getting his new FS:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzrMXJJHFNG/?igshid=844ttyyeqb1f

 

[aftershocks]

Bringing this here from U.S. men's thread, not to further arguments, but to clarify apparent misreading or misunderstanding:

It's not the system's fault either. Nathan chooses to focus on quads. That's his prerogative... That's certainly his choice, but I don't have to like it or think that the current scoring system forced him to do it that way. And for what it's worth, I felt his junior program was just OK in terms of artistry, not some shining beacon of budding creative genius.

No one said Nathan's 2015 junior free program is "some shining beacon of budding creative genius." You have characterized it that way, which is an exaggeration of the not undue praise Nathan received at the time, mostly by the commentators at that event. I didn't see Nathan's 2015 junior Worlds performance in real time, but I can certainly appreciate it for what it was and is, looking back from this vantage point. I agree with former multiple World and Canadian champion, Kurt Browning's commentary, re his generous praise, as well as his critically observant comments about Nathan at that stage of his career.

No one is asking you to like Nathan's choices or Nathan's skating. To each their own. No one said the 'scoring system forced' Nathan to focus on mastering quad rotations for all of the basic jumps in figure skating, except the axel. I said that Nathan got the clear message he could reach the international podium very quickly if he mastered quads, so he seized the available opportunities to demonstrate his prowess. Since Nathan loves to jump, he didn't anguish over whether or not it was possible for him to master quads. Nor did he set out to break any quad records. He simply placed focused attention on his technical training and he took some risks in his debut senior competitions. The risks paid off.

... He could skate programs with more artistry and performance if he wanted to, and maybe not win, but he doesn't...

Your contention that Nathan could skate progams with more artistry and performance, flies in the face of the fact that his collaborations with Shae Lynn Bourne, Lori Nichol, et al, have already made an influential creative impact on the men's field. Let's be honest that competitive figure skaters want to win, and that Nathan is not the first nor the last talented skater to focus on maximizing his chances of winning in the ways that are unavoidably dictated by the ISU's scoring system. It's the ISU and the federations you need to take to task if you don't like the way skaters approach their technical content while also trying to balance creativity and performance value as best they can. It's not any of the skaters' faults that technical content is more highly vauled, and that PCS marks are closely tied to technical content and political rep, rather than judges diligently and more accurately analyzing and fairly scoring PCS categories.

The other part of this is that Nathan became stronger and more fit after 2016 U.S. Nationals where he was actually not at full strength physically despite placing third. As we know, during the gala exhibition, he suffered an injury which ultimately became a blessing in disguise for his future competitive growth and development, even though he was not able to compete that season at both Worlds and junior Worlds, which he had earned the opportunity to do.

It's a wrong assumption that because Nathan focused on quads, he was consciously ignoring his creative development. The fact is: all skaters who increase difficult technical content in their programs (especially quads) are necessarily less able physically, mentally and timewise to give detailed attention to artistry. That does not mean their programs contain no creative content or that they (if musically gifted) do not interpret music well. But it's quite clear that landing 5 or 6 quads in a free program means choreographic content takes a backseat. That's one of the reasons why the sport made changes to the scoring system, especially post Nathan's record-breaking quad success.

TPTB had already been contemplating making changes because of complaints regarding the over-emphasis on technical content. The main precipitator for the recent scoring changes however, is because the ISU wished to preserve judges' control, which had been lessened by the spectre of skaters landing multiple quads in a system where quads were over-valued. Therefore, what Nathan accomplished in 2017, decisively led to speeding up of the rules change process.

 

[aftershocks]

I don't know that "inane and useless" is what's happening, but if you want nothing but sunshine and light, stick to the fan threads. There's nothing wrong with critical analysis of skaters and their programs, not all of which is going to be positive.

In my #138 post in U.S. men's thread, I was referencing mistaken tone, needless misunderstandings and mischaracterizations of posts. The back-and-forth does become tiresome and useless, particularly when posters may be taking offense unnecessarily, which appears to happen a lot during the off-season, and when emotions are running high surrounding favorite skaters and differing perceptions. There's nothing wrong with having differing opinions about skaters. It's never my intention to misread anyone's posts, and in turn I feel it's important to set the record straight when my comments are exaggerated and/or mischaracterized. Still, this all often boils down to a tempest in a teapot in the heat of the moment.

Wishing Nathan and his competitors and colleagues a bountiful summer to refuel and a successful, rewarding new season.

 

[Sylvia]

Nathan was interviewed briefly for this Los Angeles ABC news story, filmed yesterday at Great Park Ice about his coach: https://abc7.com/society/famed-figure-skating-coach-to-become-us-citizen-at-la-ceremony/5411877/

 

[aftershocks]

This is a really great exhibition performance of Nemesis by Nathan at All That Skate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9nJ0HvrwAg

Whoa, if he'd skated Nemesis like this at the 2018 Olympics!

 

[sk9tingfan]

This is a really great exhibition performance of Nemesis by Nathan at All That Skate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9nJ0HvrwAg

Whoa, if he'd skated Nemesis like this at the 2018 Olympics!

Boy, that's the antithesis of "phoning in" an off season performance!

 

[Lizziebeth]

Wow. I loved his spins (and the rest of it)!

 

[sk9tingfan]

Someone posted this out on You Tube as Nathan's 2019 SP music. Can any one corroborate it? Thx

Nathan Chen 19-20 SP music (preview)

* There may be something different with real competiton version. I made this video just for sharing what i heard today. Another masterpiece from Nathan. ** C...

www.youtube.com

 

[Sylvia]

I found this Japanese news article: https://article.auone.jp/detail/1/6/12/17_12_r_20190727_1564213341884899

Machine translated excerpt:

The Osaka performance of the summer annual ice show “THE ICE 2019” opened on July 27 at Maruzen Intec Arena, Osaka. World champion Nathan Chen (20) = United States = showed his SP "La Boheme" for the first time this season. ... While the male vocals drifting,...

I don't see the name of the singer, Charles Aznavour, excerpt on Twitter so I don't know if he is the singer of this version?

 

[sk9tingfan]

I found this Japanese news article: https://article.auone.jp/detail/1/6/12/17_12_r_20190727_1564213341884899

Machine translated excerpt:


I don't see the name of the singer, Charles Aznavour, excerpt on Twitter so I don't know if he is the singer of this version?

Thanks, Sylvia. This appears to be quite a departure from the edgier SP music that he and Shae Lynn have picked for the last two years. I guess they're trying to show more range

 

[sk9tingfan]

I found this Japanese news article: https://article.auone.jp/detail/1/6/12/17_12_r_20190727_1564213341884899

Machine translated excerpt:


I don't see the name of the singer, Charles Aznavour, excerpt on Twitter so I don't know if he is the singer of this version?

Someone in the comments indicated that it was Aznavour

 

[Sylvia]

Photo evidence (running times of the 7/27 Osake show; scroll down to Nathan at 13:55): https://twitter.com/Lekhner_Lera/status/1155008893094957056

 

[Alexa]

Nathan new SP La Boheme from The Ice

Nathan Chen - Laboheme (The Ice 2019)

* Nathan Chen - Laboheme (The Ice 2019)

youtu.be

 

[believed]

Nathan new SP La Boheme from The Ice

Nathan Chen - Laboheme (The Ice 2019)

* Nathan Chen - Laboheme (The Ice 2019)

youtu.be

I REALLY like this and am excited to see it grow.

 

[aftershocks]

Nathan Chen - Laboheme (The Ice 2019)

* Nathan Chen - Laboheme (The Ice 2019)

www.youtube.com

And it's nice to see new creative nuances, along with a bit of bringing back that leaping forward move with arms outstretched that so wonderfully punctuates the music (even if it only happens briefly once in this program -- in contrast to the musical nuance which allowed the move to happen twice in succession toward the climactic end of Nemesis).

 

[vanillashake]

The thing I like about him is he is such a nice person, and such a great human being, not just by far the best skater in the world. And so humble.

Seeing last years Worlds I think he already has every gold locked up until 2022. He watered down his content and did the same as Hanyu, and crushed a clean Hanyu in the long with the same PCS and tons higher GOE which used to be Hanyu's strength.

 

[aftershocks]

I think he already has every gold locked up until 2022...

Hasn't figure skating taught fans that anything and everything can change on a dime? IMHO, it's a good thing that neither Nathan Chen nor his coaches come anywhere close to the thinking you have declared. If this was actually true, why would Nathan even need to show up?

We went from many fans last season exclaiming that Nathan was done for competitively because there was no way he could combine Yale with competing at the highest level. And now, after a very good season, particularly in his last several competitions, we get these exclamations about Nathan dominating from here to eternity, or at least through Beijing.

We should learn from Nathan's example. Work hard, study hard, train strategically, be nice, have fun, keep it cool, learn from your experiences, be disciplined, and never ever take anything for granted!

 

[aftershocks]

The thing I like about him is he is such a nice person, and such a great human being, not just by far the best skater in the world. And so humble.

These compliments I completely agree with! Nathan is a wonderful role model because he's so talented, kind, down-to-earth, and hardworking.

 

[skatesindreams]

His lifetime of musical and dance experience are emphasized in this program.
Can't wait to see this in competition.

 

[Sylvia]

Nathan is skating both of his competition programs in exhibition in Sun Valley tonight (he practiced in public yesterday and this is how his FS music info "leaked"):

Practice clip from "La Boheme" posted on Sun Valley's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/sviceshows/videos/715252942244819/

SP practice run through in 2 parts filmed by a dedicated fan: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1AB8QyJUmR/

Craig Heath's photo with Nathan & 2 HKG skaters: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0_xR1lHjwO/

His FS music, according to a Chinese fan of Nathan's, based on someone who watched a practice run through in Sun Valley yesterday: https://twitter.com/NathanChinese/status/1160308229064151041

• Rocket Man by Taron Egerton
• Bennie and the Jets by Elton John, Pink and Logic

Choreographer is (IIRC) Marie-France Dubreuil.

 

[sk9tingfan]

Nathan is skating both of his competition programs in exhibition in Sun Valley tonight (he practiced in public yesterday and this is how his FS music info "leaked"):

Practice clip from "La Boheme" posted on Sun Valley's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/sviceshows/videos/715252942244819/

SP practice run through in 2 parts filmed by a dedicated fan: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1AB8QyJUmR/

Craig Heath's photo with Nathan & 2 HKG skaters: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0_xR1lHjwO/

His FS music, according to a Chinese fan of Nathan's, based on someone who watched a practice run through in Sun Valley yesterday: https://twitter.com/NathanChinese/status/1160308229064151041

• Rocket Man by Taron Egerton
• Bennie and the Jets by Elton John, Pink and Logic

Choreographer is (IIRC) Marie-France Dubreuil.

Just in case anyone is having problems opening the musical clips(I did;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqJejkwqAbA - Benny and the Jets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjWokqBxODs - Rocket Man

 

[sk9tingfan]

Nathan's exhibition of Rocket Man last evening:

Nathan Chen | Rocket Man | 4k

Sun Valley On Ice August 10

www.youtube.com

 

[Sylvia]

And also his La Boheme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu4_WvM-u5s

 

[Rukia]

Nathan's exhibition of Rocket Man last evening:

Nathan Chen | Rocket Man | 4k

Sun Valley On Ice August 10

www.youtube.com

I thought I would hate this and instead I kind of love it what is happening

 

[sk9tingfan]

I thought I would hate this and instead I kind of love it what is happening

Nathan Chen, the face of contemporary and Hip Hop skating!