2011 US Figure Skating Championships: Senior Ladies Short Program

Alright y'all here we go! I'll be here with you all night so check back with me after each skater to get my thoughts on the performances. If you have questions, thoughts, or just want to say hey, leave them to me in the comments section of the post. Without further ado, here are the competitors in the senior ladies short program.

 1) Kelsey Traunero
     Music: Sangre del Torro

• So this is not the costume color I think of for a Spanish program
• She seems to struggle with getting enough height on her jumps
• She has really nice speed on her layback spin
• Good solid event for Kelsey
• SP Score: 23.04 (TES) + 19.24 (PCS) = 42.28

 2) Felicia Zhang

     Music: Swan Lake

• She is a very delicate skater, the ballet music fits her well
• Lands a triple lutz-double toe combination
• Fall on a triple toe
• She has rib injuries and that fall could not have felt good
• This is a gorgeous dress but the scrunchie is killing me
• Felicia may have done well with another year in the junior ladies event
• She stumbled a little in footwork, I think the injury is really affecting her mentally
• Not a bad skate, but not the skate she wanted
• Felicia definitely does justice to the Sasha Cohen I-spin
• SP Score: 22.36 (TES) + 19.87 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 41.23

3) Alizza Czisny

    Music: Romance-Violin Concerto in D major, opus 35

• Here is my home girl Alissa
• She looks very in the zone
• Such a performance from beginning to end
• Solid triple lutz-double toe, she made it look so easy
• Solid triple flip right there
• Gorgeous spiral moment
• Slight slight balance check on double axel but landed cleanly nonetheless
• Her spins are like no other, she is up there with the Swiss skater
• Watching Alissa used to scare me to death but now it is just such a treat
• I think it was good for her to skate early because she had nothing to compare herself to really
• Everytime I watch her spin, I feel like I'm watching fast forward
• The moment she drops the hip and locks into that Bielmann is just exquisite
• SP Score: 32.81 (TES) + 29.69 (PCS) = 62.50

 4) Christina Gao

    Music: Violin Concerto in E Minor

• Get it Christina Gao
• Triple triple planned, lets see if it happens
• Triple flip-triple toe combination was pretty solid
• Triple lutz out of footwork pretty solid
• I would like her to stretch out those long legs a bit more and point her feet harder
• She stumbled out of the double axel, maybe held back a bit too much
• I think this is because she is still growing, but she seems to have trouble controlling her limbs
• SP Score: 33.10  (TES) + 25.33 (PCS) = 58.43

 5) Kristiene Gong

    Music: Flamenco Fantasy

• Like Gao, Gong was a top lady on the Jr.Grand Prix, made it to the final
• Triple Lutz-double toe seems to be the combination of the night
• Skid on the triple flip, almost put a hand down
• She has a nice step sequence
• The energy and intensity is there, but I'd love to see more passion and emotion on her face
• Oh hey Frank Carrol!
• SP Score: 24.09 (TES) + 20.03 (PCS) = 44.12

 6) Alexe Gilles

    Music: Excerpts from AschenBrodel by Strauss

• Alexe had a rough Grand Prix season and I'd love to see her deliver a solid performance here
• Gorgeous triple toe-triple toe for her
• Tough fall on her triple lutz takeoff, fully rotated, but a point for the fall
• She has such grace and elegance, she'd be a fantastic show skater someday
• The fall was unfortunate but she has to be happy about the triple toe-triple toe
• SP Score: 26.60 (TES) + 22.15 (PCS) -1.00  = 47.75

 7) Agnes Zawadzki

     Music: Gopher Mambo/Concierto para Bongo

• Girlfriend is so sassy
• Triple toe-triple toe was solid, probably a positive GOE on that for speed and height
• Solid triple lutz
• She has great spins
• She is playing to the crowd a lot and her energy is awesome
• This is great choreography
• She could work more on her spins, in terms of keeping the speed throughout
• She is so sassafrass in this footwork
• I love how she does that Ina into the double axel at the end of the program
• SP Score: 34.12 (TES) + 27.42 (PCS) = 61.54

 8) Caroline Zhang

     Music: Libertango

• I'm hoping for good things from Caroline Zhang
• That was a tough fall on her triple flip
• Triple loop-double toe combination is solid, she has nice flow out of her jumps
• She struggles to keep up speed
• Nice double axel, travels across a lot of ice
• I love her signature pearl spin, very nice positions that she gets on that
• She seems to really attack this tango music
• Not the best she can do, but overall an improvement for Caroline
• SP Score: 26.94 (TES) + 22.54 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 48.48

 9) Ellie Kawamura

     Music: Mishima by Phillip Glass

• Phillip Glass is such an interesting choice for skating music
• Triple toe-double toe was solid
• Triple loop was a little shaky
• Nice solid double axel
• This is a pretty solid skate for Ellie today
• I love the low positions she gets on that combination spin
• SP Score: 25.28 (TES) + 19.91 (PCS) = 45.19

 10) Mirai Nagasu

       Music: The Witches of Eastwick

• Get it Mirai....love this girl
• Mirai really wants her title back
• I love the storytelling in this program
• Triple lutz-double toe, very solid, will probably get positive GOE
• Nice solid triple flip
• She is very calm out there
• Some nice footwork her, good use of the toe pick and the deep knees
• Mirai has always had excellent spins
• She achieves a very nice I-position
• Solid double axel for Mirai, all of these jumps should receive high GOE's
• She gets such a great arch in that haircutter position
• Look at that look on her face, she knows she just laid it down
• SP Score: 32.94 (TES) + 30.41 (PCS) = 63.35

 11) Katy Jo West

       Music: Vedeldu

• I love the costume
• She is definitely making an impression, a very nice skater
• She could use some ballet to help her lines and her overall flow
• SP Score: 20.50 (TES) + 19.57 (PCS) = 40.07

 12) Raina Narita

      Music: Papa Can You Hear Me?

• She popped that opening jump, looked like a triple toe attempt
• She has a lot of grace and a lot of emotion in her skating
• Hand down on the triple lutz, lost her combination
• Opened up completely on her double axel
• That is unfortunate that she struggled with those jumping issues because she has a lot of potential and is so elegance
• She will have nothing to lose in the free skate so I suspect we'll see her go all out and not hold back
• SP Score: 15.77 (TES) + 17.89 (PCS) = 33.66

 13) Tatyana Khazova

     Music: We Are From Jazz

• Unfortunate fall on a triple loop
• Totally opened up on that double axel, she won't even get credit for a single axel
• Double lutz-double toe
• She is going to want to forget these jumps, but she has a lot of performance and personality nonetheless
• SP Score: 10.70 (TES) + 16.88 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 26.58

 14) Morgan Bell

       Music: Assasin's Tango

• Spread eagle entry into a solid double axel
• Solid combination from her
• Triple salchow seemed like less than 3 rotations, definitely an easier solo jump when others are doing lutz and flip
• Nice crisp movements, gotta love her intensity
• Should be a solid score for Morgano
• That was definitely a solid performance from opening to ending
• SP Score: 24.95 (TES) + 24.78 (PCS) = 49.73

 15) Kristine Musademba

       Music: Clair de Lune

• I love Kristine! Hoping for a solid showing from her, would love to see her in the top 10
• Her coach Derrick Delmore skated in men's senior nationals just a few years ago
• I loved seeing her take that breath to calm herself before she started
• Triple loop out of three turns
• She floats so elegantly to this music
• Oh that was a tough fall on the triple flip, she misses her combo as well
• Double axel was solid
• She is such a gorgeous fluid skater, unfortunate to see her fall
• SP Score: 24.59 (TES) + 23.35 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 46.94

 16) Kali Zhou

      Music:  Scene D'Amour

• Popped loop attempt
• Looks a little unsettled, a little unsure of herself
• I think she needs to just build her confidence up and she has a lot of potential
• SP Score: 21.30 (TES) + 20.08 (PCS) = 41.38

 17) Vanessa Lam

       Music: Con Te Partiro

• She killed it at her single junior Grand Prix event this year, one of the highest international scores for a US lady all year
• Double axel
• Triple Axel, double loop combo
• Triple flip
• She gets all of her jump content out of the way right away
• I like how she really takes her head back on her Biellmann spin
• Vanessa has really fabulous spins
• I like the use of levels on her footwork
• That was really a solid showing from Vanessa!
• Crowd on their feet!
• SP Score: 31.73 (TES) + 25.88 (PCS) = 57.61

 18) Joelle Forte

       Music: O (Cirque du Soleil)

• I love this music
• She has a nice fluidity to her skating
• Ina into the double axle was nice
• Good tuck in flying sit spin
• She looks like she may be running out of steam
• Nice performance overall for Joelle
• SP Score: 26.34 (TES) + 20.69 (PCS) = 47.03

 19) Ashley Wagner

      Music: Once Upon A Time In America

• She looks set to attack
• Step out of her triple flip, that was her combo
• Two-footed triple lutz into double toe
• Ashley is a free skater, so she needs to keep going to stay in the top 4 or 5 if she wants to be in striking distance
• She really fought for the landing of that double axel
• She has such a gorgeous Biellmann position because of her long legs
• SP Score: 27.27 (TES) + 27.36 (PCS) = 54.63

 20) Yasmin Siraj

       Music: Czardas by Monti

• I love this exotic music selection from Yasmin
• She did extremely well on the Jr. Grand Prix this season and qualified for the final
• She is a gorgeous spinner
• SP Score: 26.63 (TES) + 24.28 (PCS) -1.00 (DED) = 41.91

 21) Rachael Flatt

       Music: East of Eden

• New program, here we go
• Get it for Coach Tom Z!
• She is seeing something in the distance, that's method acting right there
• Triple flip-double toe, should get a very high GOE
• She is really gliding effortlessly here
• Triple lutz
• Nice spin positions for her right there, she moved off of her axis a bit
• This is suiting her so well for me, she is so elegant
• Very easy double axel
• All of her jumps look so easy
• That Ina is gorgeous
• Wow, she is really surprising me with this new artistry
• She is killing me softly with this footwork
• Such a good choice to switch short programs!
• Get it Tom Z!
• SP Score: 31.55 (TES) + 30.77 (PCS) = 62.32

22) Danielle Kahle

       Music: Kill Bill Vol. 2

• Solid triple flip
• Lacks speed going into the triple loop-double toe
• Very nice program for Danielle Kahle
• SP Score: 25.13 (TES) + 20.74 (PCS) = 45.87

 23) Melissa Bulanhagui

       Music: Tango Medley

• I love the costume
• I heard she was landing triple axels in practice
• She is putting on a very solid showing
• It must be awful to wait that long to skate
• SP Score: 23.77 (TES) + 21.59 (PCS) = 45.36

Standings After the Short Program
Mirai Nagasu                           63.35
Alissa Czisny                            62.50
Rachael Flatt                            62.32
Agnes Zawadzki                       61.54
Christina Gao                           58.43
Vanessa Lam                            57.61
Ashley Wagner                         54.63
Morgan Bell                             49.73
Caroline Zhang                         48.48
Alexe Gilles                              47.75
Joelle Forte                               47.03
Kristine Musademba               46.94
Danielle Kahle                          45.87
Melissa Bulanhagui                  45.36
Elli Kawamura                          45.19
Kristiene Gong                         44.12
Kelsey Traunero                      42.28
Yasmin Siraj                             41.91
Keli Zhou                                  41.38
Felicia Zhang                            41.23
Katy Jo West                            40.07
Raina Narita                              33.66
Tatyana Khazova                      26.58