What is your most favorite program of Daisuke?

During 2006-2007 season, I love following performances which I watched many times.

1)Short Program - 2006 Skate Canada
Music: "Concert for Violin and Orchestra" by P. I. Tchaikovski
His straight-line step sequence was great as matching Tchaikovski's music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy8Ce4NCNns

2)Free Program - 2007 World Figure Championships Japan
Music: Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Under pressure of his home country, he won a silver medal.
End up the program he cried, this was so emotional and made me cry, too.
But Daisuke said "This(crying) was awful and I have to foget!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf9CvuNLi78

3)Exhibition - 2006 Japanese Nationals Gala ( Medalist on Ice )
Music: "Nocturne" by Secret Garden and encore
"El Tango De Roxanne" by Moulin Rouge Sound Track

This was very beautiful and emotional performance which I never seen before.
Daisuke has choreographed "Nocturne" by himself and this tune made him to decide of continuing skate of his life.
About "El Tango De Roxanne", you can feel passion after his kneel down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXT-jO6KF34

If you have any favorite programs, pls let me know, thanks!

I guess I like Roxanne best at the moment

His split jump (@Namihaya Dome, Osaka)

Hi, champs,
Yeah! I like this Daisuke's ballet jump and layback spin.
Nancy Kerrigan was also supprised this very high jump on MOI.
I saw 2 axel instead of ballet jump during 2006's Gala, however, I prefer ballet jump because of matching this music.

私も高橋選手のこのバレエジャンプとレイバックスピンが好きです。
ナンシー・ケリガンもMOIで高いジャンプに驚いていましたね。
2006のガラで2Ａも見ましたが、やはりバレエジャンプの方が音楽に合っていると思いますよ。

Haha, I captured that very frame that I posted above because ithe jump was surprisingly high above the ground and the camera angle was really great to display that Yeah, just as you said, I too like how this jump fits in the climaxing mood of this program.

I don't know about ballet at all so I didn't know it's that type of a jump.
(Not that I'm completely familiar with all the elements of figureskating)
To me it looks more like a cheerleading jump

https://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/champs_022/daisuke%20caps/?action=view&current=05GPFpodium.jpg

Hi, champs,
Yeah, that's a nice name that you called a cheerleading jump! He looks like bouncing on a trampoline.
This is amazing jump. I'm not sure that ballet jump is exactly name of figure skating, too.
I guess that this is a kind of loop jump, something like that.

By the way, ｔhat's a nice picture of GPF 2006 that you posted and I found that his another name on it.
I remember that Daisuke was called "Passionate Step Prince" by Japanese media at that time.
I don't know why they always uses public relations like "Good-looking Magician". It's very interesting for me.
Now, it seems that Daisuke doesn't need any advertizing name anymore.
Daisuke is Daisuke, isn't he?

こんばんは、champsさん。
チアリーダージャンプとはナイスネーミングですね。
彼のジャンプはトランポリンの上でやっているみたいに凄いジャンプだと思います。
私もバレエジャンプが正確なフィギュア用語であるかわかりません。ループジャンプの一種にも思えます。

ところで、上の素敵な2006年のGPFの写真に日本語のテロップを見つけました。
そういえば、当時、高橋選手が「情熱のステップ王子」と呼ばれていた事を思い出します。
「イケメン魔術師」とか、なぜ日本のメディアがこのような名前をつけるのかよくわかりませんが面白いです。
今の高橋選手には必要の無い宣伝文句になり、高橋選手は高橋選手ですよね。

Quote :

He looks like bouncing on a trampoline.

That, too.
Or, what I was also thinking when I described it as 'cheerleading' is it looks also like jumping over a 'tobibako'.

Actually, now I guess I understand why you described it as ballet, I've never watched ballet but just searched on google image by typing "ballet jump" and for example something like this:
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/yiannis/dance/main.html
is what you are talking about, am I correct? I got it now

Oh, the pic above is of 2005 GPF and not 2006 (but I guess you just mistyped it), but indeed I took the capture from the broadcast of 2006 GPF.
I've actually never watched men's discipline in 2005 GPF (shame on me), only watched the ladies. And it was my first encounter to figureskating that that got me hooked. So I'm a relatively new fan.

champs wrote:

Or, what I was also thinking when I described it as 'cheerleading' is it looks also like jumping over a 'tobibako'.

Hahaha, I think so, too. It's looks like jumping over a "tobibako". "Tobibako" is Japanese name which means a vaulting horse (box). Have you seen before bellow Japanese TV? This is also amazing, Daisuke jumped double Axel on the ground !!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dPdgmW8tYQ

champs wrote:

is what you are talking about, am I correct? I got it now

Yeah, you are right, this is exactly what I mean as "ballet jump". But I'm not sure that balles jump is a kind word of figure skating. Is there eveyone know that?

champs wrote:

And it was my first encounter to figureskating that that got me hooked.

You can watch many pictures and videos on the web sites now. I couldn't see any competions and Galas at the place every time, so it's very useful.
champs and everyone, pls give a impression on figureskating performance that you got hooked and also Daisuke's favorite one, thanks!

確かにジャンプは跳び箱のジャンプのようですね。この日本のテレビは見たことがありますか？
高橋選手はなんと地上で2回転半しています。

バレエジャンプはそのサイトのバレエジャンプで合っていますが、これがフィギュアスケート用語かどうかは不明です。
どなたか知っている方はいらっしゃいますか？

今だといろいろな写真やビデオがサイトで見れますよね。私も全ての競技やショーを見れるわけではないので助かっています。
champsさん、皆さん、ぜひスケートにハマッた演技と高橋選手の好きなプログラムを教えて下さいね。
英語でも日本語でもO.Kですので参加お待ちしています。

Hi everybody!

This is my first post and I was actually thinking about starting a thread to ask what's everyone's favorite program of Daisuke! Great minds think alike!

My all-time favorite program is Nocturne. I've seen it a lot of times on TV/videos, and I hope I'll get to see it live once in my life!

Then comes Nyah (2003-04 SP, also used at 2005 Worlds), which made me go "WOW! who the heck is that amazing little guy?!" at 2003 Lalique - I've been a fan since then.

I've enjoyed most of his other programs too, for instance Roxanne (EX), and this past season's SP because Tchaikovsky's violin concerto is my favorite classical piece.


Between, I love the smileys on this board...

Hi, MissC,
Yeah, me, too. At first time, I saw Daisuke on TV as SP "Nyah" from MI-2 on Feb. 2003. I was very impressed his smoothly skating and expression, even though he was just 16 years old. I thought "What a very fast speed!" he had. Everytime I watch the program "Nyah", I notice that his skating has never changed since then basicaly. Off course, his jump is getting better than he used to be.

During 2006-2007, my most favorite program was SP "Concert for Violin and Orchestra" by P. I. Tchaikovski. I was very suprised that his move can express the sound of violin(maybe this tune by Stradivarius.).
I'm very sad that I will never see this SP program at competition anymore.

MissCさん、こんばんは。
私も一緒で2003年2月にテレビでＭＩ2のサントラの”Nyah”のSPを見て、なんて良いスケーティングと表現力を持ったスケーターなのかと感銘を受けました。その時、高橋選手は若干16歳でした。とにかくスピードがありました。今でもその時のプログラムを見ますが、基本的に彼のスケーティングは変わっていないですね。もちろん、ジャンプは当時より良くなっていますが。

2006-2007シーズンの私の一番好きなプログラムはSPの”バイオリン協奏曲”ですが、彼の動きがバイオリンの音に合っていることに驚きました。(多分、このバイオリンはストラディバリウスを使用していると思います。) もうこのプログラムが試合で見れないとは残念です。

Hi everybody!
MissC, I love his "Nocturne", too. I've seen it once at Japan. Dai's performance was very beautiful and so attractive. End of the show, his smile was very gently and it turned me on. After that, I was walking a cloud, so I did not remeber the way to my home!!!

I'm watching Sasha Cohen's performance at 2000 Keri Lotion (artistic/interpretative program competition) right now and she did that ballet jump in it. The usual abc/espn gang (Gannon/Flemming/Button/Carruthers) is on the commentary and Dick said "Watch the way she does this Russian split jump..." as Sasha did it. So according to Mr. Button it's called the Russian split jump, I guess.

Hi, pastello,
You've seen "Nocturne" before, haven't you? I hope that he will perform this tune from now on. Yes, I like his smile, too and his smile makes everyone happy.

Hi, champs, thank you info.
Yeah, that's it! "Russian split jump..." I don't know why called a Russian, but I guess it called "Split jump". Dick is right!

I voted for Short Program ""Concert for Violin and Orchestra" by P. I. Tchaikovski. According to poll, it seems that most of Daisuke's fan likes it, right?
I bought CD for this tune because of his performance and it was very nice!!

私はSPを選んだのですが、皆さんはどうでしょうか？
投票を見るとSPが人気があるようですね。高橋選手のSPのせいで、チャイコフスキーのCDを買ってしまいましたが、
とてもいい曲でした。

I don't remember what I voted for! LOL
Probably Roxanne. Or maybe the SP...

And yes, Tchaikovsky's violin concerto is beautiful. I've heard it live quite a few times and I just can't get enough of it!
(I'm totally fascinated by Tchaikovsky and his music, actually. He was a genius.)

I liked all his programs this season, but I voted for Roxanne. Even though I've gotten a little bored of it sometimes after seeing around 15 performances of it this season, it's still an awesome program with both technical difficulty and great choreography. I think his performances at MOI, SOI Osaka, and Stars Sur Glace were particularly spectacular.

I loved the Tchaikovsky too, but while Roxanne had multiple stand-out performances, I felt that the Tchaikovsky was best at Skate Canada and was never as good after that. Well, it was technically better at other competitions like NHK and Japanese Nationals (better spins and jump landings), but I don't think he performed it with the same freedom and abandon as at Skate Canada. He always seemed really tight and cautious in later performances, trying to make sure he did all the elements cleanly.

My all-time favorite programs of his though, are Nocturne and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2. I've watched Nocturne way too many times to count, but I'll never, ever get sick of it. And I love everything about Rachmaninov, especially the beautiful choreography all throughout the program. I liked Phantom too, but I'll always like Rachmaninov more because the program was more well-balanced, and Daisuke's artistry/expression in it was really great.

Hi, DTFF members!
Here is Daisuke's 2005 Four Continents EX Daisuke Takahashi "Nocturne". I love his footwork and I never tired of it. This is very beautiful deep edge work!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA_9mKlsuU4