Usually after the ISU Figure Skating World Championships, held yearly in March, I make an effort to rank my top ~20ish programs of the year. The list is more for my own self indulgence, as it usually goes to my mother and a few friends in a pdf in an email. However, during this “unprecendented” year I have both delayed this list and decided to find a holding place more permanent and sharable.
Clearly the end of this skating season did not pan out the way we anticipated, with the World Championships being cancelled, and rightly so, at the last minute. Skate America is next weekend, but even with the season officially starting, Skate Canada and Four Continents 2021 have already been canceled and who knows what performances we will actually get to see.
Thus, I think it’s more fun and important than ever to celebrate the art and athletic triumph of this last season. These are my opinions…Skating is, after all, a subjective sport, no matter how objective scoring patterns attempt to be….
*It’s also important to mention that, because of NBC’s huge ego and horrible management of figure skating entertainment, many videos from this last season are not available to the general public on youtube, so apologies if some videos are of less-than-wonderful quality. Thanks NBC :)
#20: The Girl on the Ball (Alt: The Girl with the Kick)
I’ll kick off my countdown with Kamila Valieva’s short program, “Spiegel im spiegel”, the opening of which is based on “The Girl on the Ball” painting by Pablo Picasso. Kamila is the latest talent now emerging from Eteri Tutberidze’s Sambo 70 group in Russia. This season, she’s come forward to compete on the senior level within Russia, although she is not yet qualified to compete internationally as a senior due to her age. Kamila is likely Russia’s best hope to win the ladies olympic gold in Beijing- she has conquered the quad toe, is training the triple axel, and continues to wow audiences with impressive (yet often misplaced) extensions and flexibility. Unclear how she will progress, but I think this program was something creative and interesting to come out of Sambo 70. I’ve chosen an early version of this SP, as I felt the program became more cluttered and less "wow” as time has gone on…but the ranking still stands. Pay special attention to her incredible spin positions.
#19: Dmitri Aliev- 2020 European Champion
Dmitiri Aliev is a skater whose artistry continues to stand out in the men’s field. When I attended the World Championships in 2018, his posture and artistic quality stood out even amongst skaters with much higher technical content. This past season, armed with a quad lutz, he sought to break through, but struggled some with consistency, particularly with a disastrous performance at the 2019 Grand Prix Final. This performance was a strong redemption full of emotion, and makes me all the more excited to see Dmitri compete this year on the Russian Cup circuit.
#18 Queen Satoko
Even though Satoko has steadily been losing her ground in international competition, due to the skill of her fellow Japanese competitors and her ~very tiny~ jumps and subsequent underrotations. However, her short program last season was an exciting change from her typical lyrical content, while still preserving her incredible skating skills and ability to churn out one of the best step sequences in the game. Plus, her final layback spin here, as always, is jaw-dropping. Here’s to hoping her new coaching change can put her on top again soon…
#17 A Broken Boot Exhibition
*Fast Forward to 2:18:57
I’d say Evgenia Medvedeva is one of the most famous female skaters in the last decade, having won multiple World Championships and then winning a silver medal, much to her displeasure, behind her then-teammate in Pyeongchang. Following her move to Brian Orser from Eteri Tutberidze in 2018, she has struggled to maintain or grow her technical content, and miraculously got away with a world bronze in March 2019. However, with so many talented Russian juniors moving up into the senior ranks this past season, she was unlikely to ever be sent back to World Championships. Arriving at the Russian Nationals with a fiery attitude, any dreams of medaling were shattered due to a broken boot and blade detachment. Evgenia decided to still skate her short program (Clean!) for an enthusiastic audience, a proper sendoff for the year. Now the question is….was it actually the sendoff of her career?
#16 Madonna’s Dream!
Fear and Gibson, one of the many dance teams under the guidance of Marie-France Dubreuil at the Ice Academy of Montreal, came armed last season with a viral moment in this Vogue free dance. It’s performances like this that make the sport so exciting! (Peep my favorite lift of the season at 4:00)
#15 Anna’s Wardrobe Change
Anna Scherbakova, while subscribing to the quad and transition-focused style of her camp at Sambo 70, has always made an artistic and balletic impression. I think this firebird program fit her well, and watching her skate live in Las Vegas last October was quite exciting, especially with the clean, opening quad lutz. The program became especially popular due to the fun wardrobe change in the middle, matching the change in musical tone. While many have since tried to copy that idea, this was certainly the most artfully done.
#14 Boikova and Kozlovskii’s “My Girl”
Clean, Crisp, Confident. Throughout the season, this artistic and interesting short program continued to get better and better and was one of my favorites to watch. Something about the pink costumes also continues to live rent-free in my mind. Her lift positions, and the enormous height they are able to achieve on their elements, makes them an especially exciting pair. In my opinion…these may be your next olympic gold medalists.
#13 Sparkly Joni Mitchell
I have always loved Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier’s style of dance. Each year, I think they come with some of the most interesting content in the field, especially in their lift elements and unique twizzles. Their 2018-2019 Starry Starry Night program is probably one of my favorite free dances ever. This year, they made a statement with this beautiful Joni Mitchell free dance, actually winning Skate Canada above favorites, Hubbell and Donohue. I’d like to think they would have had a shot at a World Championship medal, had it not been cancelled due to COVID-19. Moments I love in this dance include the innovative twizzle positions, curve lift, and the echoed hops from Piper and Paul in the diagonal step sequence towards the end of the dance.
#12 Sui and Han
What can I say, I still love this program. I know it’s the second year they’ve performed it, and I know they weren’t very consistent in competition this season, but something about this free skate still gives me goosebumps every time I see it. I’m linking the version from the 2019 World Championships (yes, I know that’s not technically last season), but I think we all deserve a rewatch. You want to talk about skating skills? Her throw landing at 1:40, where she manages to stay on one foot out of the throw and all the way into the death spiral? I’m obsessed.
#11 Kevin’s Success Story
Kevin Aymoz was the true surprise of last season. He always comes with cool programs (like his Horns short program from 2018-2019), but this Prince short was such an amazing idea, executed so well, and completely a symbol of Kevin’s modern and interesting style of skating and expression. I could watch this step sequence over and over (and I have), and even though the jumps often feel a little wild, I think that may contribute to some of the excitement when he performs (don’t quote me on that). While he was able to win a (very unexpected) Grand Prix Final medal, he ended the season quite horribly, failing to even make the free skate at Europeans in February. I’m eager to see what Kevin will be able to do this season and next.
#10 She’s Back!
I love Wakaba Higuchi. She’s my favorite Japanese skater, primarily because she skates with so much strength and power and it’s so exciting to watch her nail her elements. But after winning a Bronze at the 2018 World Championships with a SPECTACULAR free program, she really struggled last year to do well in any competition. I attended Skate America in person this year, and one of the best moments of the entire season for me was watching her perform this Sia program clean! The audience was so behind her, and the roar of joy (and I think of relief) everyone let out when she landed the final triple flip cleanly was such a rush. I’m so glad she’s back in shape and ready to compete, and now that she’s working on a triple axel, I’m ready for a Wakaba olympic moment.
#9 Haein Lee- MY Junior World Champion
Despite all of the hubbub about various Russian junior ladies, Haein Lee’s season was the most impressive junior outing in my book. This free program was well structured, so classical, and her style of skating and jumping is really quite textbook and mature. More speed and emotion will hopefully come with time, but you can’t help but feel joy right along side her at the end of this performance- one of my most-rewatched skating videos of the season.
#8 Rocketman
Anyone who knows me knows that I love to watch Nathan Chen skate. I think he’s developed a flow and edge style that’s all his own. I’m not sure that this program contributed to his overall artistic development (not to mention the costumes for it, which went from “bowling alley carpet” to “is this green/yellow even legal”), but I think this program did make a dent in the season as a viral, fun moment. It fit his skating personality, plus he definitely remains the most impressive jumper in the entire men’s field. Now we just need to work on better costumes…
#7 Yuzuru Hanyu
Can’t have a skating list of any kind without a Yuzuru Hanyu performance on it. Obviously, every time he skates, the crowd’s excitement and the intensity, edge quality, and flow from him are enough to make your brain explode. I would describe this throwback performance of his Chopin program at Four Continents as intoxicating. Hence why it set a new world record. *Insert me throwing a Pooh stuffed animal*
#6 Jason Jason Jason
Jason Brown is such a national and international treasure both for his skating and his personality. He is such a ball of joy and excitement, and his skating is the type of skating that makes you want to fall in love. The speed and flow and edge quality continues to wow audiences; I’m pretty sure I could watch him skate laps around a rink and feel content. This short program was so cool, and highlighted all the right things about his beautiful skating. He is the prime example of what it means to be a GOE skater- he may not have the quad jumps (yet), but everything he does is a +5 in quality. Also, if you’re ever trying to show someone what a figure skating spin should look like…just show a video of Jason Brown.
Bonus: Jason’s Shindler’s List free program took everyone’s breath away at nationals (even though it was cut out of the broadcast due to the tragic Kobe Bryant news). Here it is in case you missed it.
#5 My Daughter Aliona
In the words of Adam Rippon, “Aliona Kostornaia could run me over with a bus and I would thank her.” I would consider Aliona Kostornaia, as of last season, probably the most talented, artistic, technically beautiful up-and-coming skater on the planet. If the World Championships had gone ahead, she very likely would have wound up winning gold. Usually I am perplexed when people repeat programs across multiple seasons, but seeing this program again this past season, following all of its glory on the junior circuit, was honestly a gift, especially considering the addition of the best triple axel the ladies field has to offer. Sometimes I’ll just pull this program up on youtube to remind myself that beauty does indeed exist on this planet. Let’s all join together in prayer circle and hope that, despite injuries and coaching changes these past 6 months, Aliona will come back stronger than ever.
#4 SSSSSSssssssssssssss
Chock and Bates have long been fan favorites, but it’s only been the past two years where they seem to have been able to rise above their competitors, primarily because of the incredible programs they’ve been given. Their Elvis free dance in the 2018-2019 season was a showstopper, but this past year’s definitely one-upped it in so many ways. The skating skills and power have improved, and this program brought forth what they do best- charm and amazing lifts. Give it up for the new US champions!
#3 A Gabby and Guillaume Classic
Papadakis and Cizeron are my favorite ice dance team. In fact, I have a painting of their Moonlight Sonata Free Dance that hangs in the background of all my Zoom calls. They typically recieve praise (and criticism) for their signature dancing style- emotional, smooth, lyrical. I thought this year’s free dance was so cool, highlighting a modern style with a spoken word soundtrack. It’s difficult to compare their programs with anyone else’s…unbeatable in my book.
#2 Shoma Uno’s Comeback
The beginning of Shoma Uno’s season was, in a word, a disaster. He had committed to going coach-less, even after training with Eteri Tutberidze over the summer, and came into the Grand Prix circuit with inconsistent jumps and a scary performance attitude. However, after joining Stephane Lambiel’s training group in Switzerland, Shoma’s entire season turned around, and he ended up with a surprise win over Yuzuru Hanyu at Japanese Nationals. This short program was the most exciting performance I saw all season (and maybe the most exciting from the past couple of seasons?). The crowd, the energy, and the old Shoma speed and skating skills, put together with newly-found consistency? Incredible.
Bonus: Shoma’s long program last season was also such a testament to his expression and skating skills. I do hope he returns to these programs this season so that we can see them in their full glory.
#1 Hallelujah, Mariah Bell
Warning: Word Vomit.
Mariah Bell is a skater that has struggled with consistency. She was someone you could count on to always make at least 1 mistake in a program, a mistake that sometimes kept her from achieving her larger goals. Take the 2019 US Championships in Detroit- if Mariah had landed her last triple lutz, she likely would have been national champion. But alas, she fell and ended third. This season, something really changed within her. There was more fight on every landing and a greater confidence in every stride. This performance shows that change so clearly. No, not every jump was clearly and flawlessly landed. But she fought for everything and gave this performance everything she had.
I think this performance really shows the value of skating. It’s not about who wins gold and it’s not about who lands a quad or triple axel. It’s about every program being a personal piece of art and about what the audience feels when they watch that art be performed. No, Mariah didn’t win gold. But I guarantee you that in 10 or 20 years when someone is asked to remember the 2020 US National Championships, it’s this performance they will come back to. A performance that signifies the determination and passion and love and emotion that skaters put into their work everyday. And maybe it was that fight or maybe it was that joy, but whatever it was, this is only the 3rd performance that has ever made me cry.
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