2011 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Ladies Free Skate

The ladies free skate is my favorite event of senior Nationals. I remember watching Michelle Kwan as a little girl, just mesmerized by her performances, and this event still has that effect on me. I wish all of these ladies well and hope they all skate to the best of their abilities.
**Denotes my USFSA Fantasy Skating Team

1) Tatyana Khazova

   Music: Secrets of Saint-Petersburg

• Nice drama here at the beginning of the progam
• I dont love the gloves, they cut off her leg line
• Double loop-single loop combo
• Nice double axel
• She is injured so that may effect her jumping content
• Double lutz, double toe, double loop
• Tatyana is muscling through this with a lot of fight and determination
• Though she is doubling most of her jumps, she is showing so much will and heart
• FS Score: 26.25 (TES) + 32.46 (PCS) = 58.91
• 26.58 (SP) + 58.91 (FS) = 85.49

2) Felicia Zhang

   Music:

• Felicia has withdrawn due to injury
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) =
• 41.23 (SP) + (FS) =

3) Keli Zhou

   Music: Deception

• I love this dress on her, the purple suits her well and the gradiant into white is lovely
• Good attack on the double axel, nice double toe tacked on
• Nice triple salchow, slight bobble on the ending
• I like her twist position in the sit spin and the fly out of it
• Pretty nice spiral, she should lift her chest a little more so we can see her face
• I love the way you see that white edge of her skirt move in her spins
• Looked like she may have doubled her salchow
• Some good turns in the step sequence, would love more work from the upper body
• Pretty nice leg catch spin
• A big improvement over the short, good for her!
• FS Score: 37.48 (TES) + 36.73 (PCS) = 74.21
• 41.38 (SP) + 74.21 (FS) = 115.59

4) Katy Jo West

   Music: Ragtime

• I love ragtime, but I think this costume is a little too 1920s for that music
• Hand down on opening triple toe
• Fall on a triple salchow, just didnt get her feet untwisted
• Nice transition into the "Your Daddy's Son" portion of the program
• I would like more fluidity in this section and more grace in her arms
• Katy could really benefit from some ballet
• She has a great smile, but as she matures she'll learn to show more emotional range
• FS Score: 36.01 (TES) + 37.73 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 72.74
• 40.07 (SP) + 72.74 (FS) = 112.81

5) Raina Narita

   Music: West Side Story

• Being a New Yorker, I hope she can really find the character of this piece
• Bernstein's music is so brilliant, so many nuances to make use of
• Too tilted in the triple lutz to hold onto the landing
• Nice fluidity in her arms
• She could work on her flexibility in her back and hips to increase her scores
• Her feet were too wrapped on her second triple lutz attempt to hold the landing
• Pops open the first jump of her combination
• She looks very tired and seems to be throwing away the in-between movements as she tries to hang onto her elements
• FS Score: 30.73 (TES) + 32.06 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 60.79
• 33.75 (SP) + 60.79 (FS) = 94.54

6) Kristiene Gong **

   Music: Salome's Dance of the Seven Veils

• Kristiene is the C-pick from my fantasy team so I'm wishing her to do her best
• She did a nice job on the Jr Grand Prix this season and put up some big scores so I'm hoping she can do that again
• Frank Carroll is coaching another Salome routine
• Nice double axel-triple toe combination, I hear that is becoming a popular combination these days
• She hits some nice spin positions, but the transitions between them could be smoothed out
• Triple sal-double loop-double loop is her one allowed three jump combination
• Kristiene is really putting up a solid show right here, I am quite proud 
• Nice overall skater there, she'll go far
• FS Score: 57.17 (TES) + 42.01 (PCS) = 99.18
• 44.12 (SP) + 99.18 (FS) = 143.30

7) Ellie Kawamura

   Music: El Tango de Roxanne/Tango de los Exilados

• I love that pink underlayer to her skirt and how we see flashes of it when she jumps and spins
• It is nice to see a color other than red for a latin number
• Popped that triple loop
• Nice double axel double toe to get right back on her game
• She had a lot of flair and spanish nuances at the beginning, lets hope she continues that 
• Hand down
• Nice use of accents in the choreography
• FS Score: 34.87 (TES) + 41.88 (PCS) = 76.75
• 45.19 (SP) + 76.75 (FS) = 121.94

8) Kelsey Traunero

   Music: Pirates of the Caribbean

• That costume is a little too period-specific for me
• Nice triple flip-double toe combo, very solid
• Nice triple flip, she gets those out of the way fast
• Falls on a triple toe, maybe too quick on the takeoff
• Double axel clean, botches the combo
• Good solid double axel
• She seems really committed to the program
• Very good speed going into her layback
• She is definitely skating lights out, just whipping through everything
• The dancer in me wants her to drop that hip on the spiral
• FS Score: 47.24 (TES) + 39.78 (PCS) -1.00 (DED)= 86.02
• 42.28 (SP) + 86.02 (FS) = 128.30

9) Melissa Balunhagui

   Music: Rachmaninoff selections

• I hope she does the triple axel
• She is a solid jumper, that was a nice triple lutz
• Solid triple flip
• She seems to be forgetting her in between movements
• There isn't much choreography here, just jump to jump to jump
• The musicality isn't working, she seems like a skater who would connect more with a contemporary piece or a character piece
• FS Score: 55.11 (TES) + 44.06 (PCS) = 99.17
• 45.36 (SP) + 99.17 (FS) = 144.53

10) Danielle Kahle

     Music: La Strada

• I like her costume, very elegant
• Turns out of her triple loop, ends it in a lunge
• Very tilted in the air on her triple lutz, falls
• Takes another fall, unfortunately this program isn't starting the way she'd have wanted
• She seems to be forgetting about her choreography and the performance element here
• Danielle's jumps just aren't here today, she seems she can't get her legs under her
• This is a performance she will want to forget
• FS Score: 34.63 (TES) + 39.11 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 71.74
• 45.87 (SP) + 71.74 (FS) = 117.61

11) Kristine Musademba

     Music: Elizabeth: The Golden Age

• She has a lot of talent, I'd love to see her land her jumps cleanly
• She is really going after these jumps too so when she falls, the falls are hard falls
• Nice triple salchow, I think she is getting her stride back
• Kristine really seems shaky today, so sad because I love what I see when she is clean
• Kristine has such great moments and some wonderful qualities but I wish she could have shown them today
• FS Score: 36.13 (TES) + 42.46 (PCS) -2.00 (DED) = 76.59
• 46.94 (SP) + 76.59 (FS) = 123.53

12) Alexe Gilles

     Music: Adagio/Nocturne/Bohemian Rhapsody

• Nice triple lutz to start off
• Fall on a double axel, she lost the combination for that
• She is a lovely skater if she can land her jumps
• This is gorgeous music and she does a lovely job of interpreting it
• This is a lovely combination of musical selections
• Pops the takeoff there
• She seems to psych herself out if she makes a mistake on one jump, they all go
• I'd love to see her have a really good nationals
• She has a nice footwork sequence, but I'd like to see her have more control over her arms
• I want her to be more of a fighter for these jumps
• FS Score:  (TES) +  (PCS) = 76.00
• 47.75 (SP) + 76.00 (FS) = 123.75

13) Caroline Zhang

     Music: Cello Conerto in B Minor by Dvorak

• I'm praying for a good skate for Caroline
• Nice triple flip combination
• She has improved that high free leg
• Fall on a triple lutz, high free leg came back
• Another fall on her triple salchow
• Nice triple loop combination
• Caroline is really falling apart
• I want her to love skating again
• Its so sad that she is abandoning her choreography as well 
• I just want her too fight, just like Alexe, I know she can land these if she tries
• Fabulous pearl spin
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 92.47
• 48.48 (SP) + 92.49 (FS) = 140.95

14) Joelle Forte

     Music: 

• Nice triple flip opener
• Nice triple lutz, may get an edge call, but decent combination
• I had the tights folded over the boot
• There is not much here in terms of choreography, but she is landing those jumps
• Very nice skate, Joelle will be happy with that
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 102.25
• 47.03 (SP) + 102.25 (FS) = 149.28

15) Yasmin Siraj

     Music: Misa Tango

• Her piano background definitely helps her musicality
• She had a good international season, qualified for the Jr Grand Prix Final
• Pops the triple flip to a single
• Triple lutz combo gets her right back into it
• She could loosen up her upper body to get better flow
• Double axel-falls on the triple toe
• She is so tiny, but has a very mature, wise look about her
• Nice performance of her choreography
• Good triple lutz, she is getting her feet back under her
• Starting to show a little sass here
• Very nice donut spin position, lost a lot of the speed at the end
• She is going to be a force to be reckoned with if she takes time to develop and doesn't rush herself too much
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) =  102.56
• 49.91 (SP) + 102.56 (FS) = 152.47

16) Morgan Bell

     Music:

• She really impressed me in the short, her first nationals ever
• Nice opening jump, then a fall
• I really hope she doesn't unravel here, it would be great to see a good skate from her
• Apparently she really struggled in practice today
• She is struggling with her jumps
• The pressure of TV may be getting to Morgan
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 69.84
• 49.73 (SP) + 69.84 (FS) = 119.57

17) Ashley Wagner

     Music: Malaguena

• Come on Ashley, do it like Cup of Russia
• So much sass right here at the beginning
• She is making use of every note of the music with choreography
• Nice double axel, triple toe was maybe two-footed
• Perfect triple lutz
• Lovely spin positions
• I want a huge score for her
• She has so much spirit in this spiral sequence
• I like that her spin positions are tailored to her choreography and the theme of the program
• Most people don't do Malaguena justice, but she is working it
• All the jumps are fabulous, just a totally different skater than in the short
• Work it girl
• Just popped open her last jump, probably got a little too into the performance
• Nice attack and energy in the footwork sequence
• Not the perfect skate I wanted for her, but should put her in first for now
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 110.73
• 54.63 (SP) + 110.73 (FS) = 165.36

18) Vanessa Lam

     Music: Intro et Rondo Capriccioso

• She has super long legs
• She has nice body carriage for a young skater
• Definitely needs to be more expressive
• Wonderful technique and she has a great frame to build on
• She got her legs really wrapped up underneath her and fell, unfortunately
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) =
• 57.61 (SP) + (FS) =

19) Agnes Zawadzki

      Music: Ziegeunerweisen/Hungarian Rhapsody

• I want her to really light up
• Kill it Agnes
• Double axel into a triple
• Too much momentum going into that spin
• Doubled her lutz
• She has really nice presence on the ice, very committed to the presentation aspect
• Huge triple lutz into combination
• Hard fall on her triple loop
• Nice three jump series
• She has a lot of musicality, maturity as a performer
• She has a lot of potential
• She is getting a bit heavy on her feet, running out of steam a little
• She does a pretty nice I-spin, needs to straighten that bottom leg
• FS Score: (TES) +  (PCS) = 112.30 
• 61.54 (SP) + 112.30 (FS) = 173.84

20) Christina Gao **

      Music: Yellow River Concerto

• Nice triple-triple
• She looks like she is on today, she really has her legs under her
• Once she learns how to really use her long limbs, she'll be a sight to behold
• She just did a three jump combo but I missed it because of the camera angle
• I love the skirt movement, it really helps to highlight her speed
• She is really lighting it up today
• Fall on on a triple flip attempt
• She really held on for dear life on that last jump
• Pretty good performance for Christina, good showing and so much potential
• FS Score: 55,58 (TES) + 54.19  (PCS) -1.00 (DED) =  108.77
• 58.43 (SP) + 108.77 (FS) = 167.20

21) Alissa Czisny **

   Music: Winter & Spring by George Winston

• I love that opening arm moment
• Triple lutz-Double toe was clean
• Triple flip very nice
• So calm and lovely
• Triple toe-double toe- double loop
• Triple loop, turn out of it, but a turn out of it
• Gorgeous spiral sequence
• Second triple lutz, double toe
• Triple salchow
• Wonderful spins, just exquisite
• She is killing the footwork now that she knows she has done her job with the jumps
• Final spin was spectacular
• Nobody does a Biellmann like that
• I really just want to cry for her 
• FS Score: 64.19 (TES) + 64.55 (PCS) = 128.74
• 62.50 (SP) + 128.74 (FS) = 191.24

22) Mirai Nagasu

     Music: Memoirs of a Geisha

• Alright let's see if she's tacked her demons or not
• Triple lutz had a wide free leg-nice triple toe
• Double axel-double combo
• She seems to be skating conservatively
• She is concentrating really hard, seems pretty tight
• She is not going all out
• This is the 3rd costume of the year for this program
• Step out of that last jump there
• She just doesn't seem committed to the choreography or the performance, very conservative
• That error on the camel spin could have cost her the podium
• FS Score: 53.45 (TES) + 60.45 (PCS) = 113.91
• 63.35 (SP) + 113.91 (FS) = 177.26

23) Rachael Flatt

     Music: Slaughter on Tenth Avenue

• Nice double axel, bobble on the triple
• Double Lutz
• Good performance commitment
• Lovely triple flip
• She is feeling this performance
• She needs some work on that arabesque spiral
• Attacked the triple lutz-double toe
• Nice three jump series
• Good triple there, she needs one more triple
• Definitely more performance quality than Mirai
• Step out of her final triple
• Beautiful Ina Bauer on a nice long curve
• We'll see how these scores pan out
• FS Score:  (TES) +  (PCS) = 121.06
• 62.32 (SP) + 121.06 (FS) = 183.38