Kenji's Room - Episodio 4 - Tradução

Kenji’s room with Yuzuru Hanyu - Episode 4

Translation by Yuzuland, thanks for helping Yuzuru fans who do not speak Japanese.

Tradução feita por Yuzuland, obrigada pela ajuda aos fãs de Yuzuru que não falam japonês.

Big improvement in 2012/13 Season
K: After you changed your coach to Brian Orser, you had many competitions. You participated Four Continents and won Japan Nationals first time. And then it is grand prix.
Y: I changed [my coach] to Brian in the year of 2012 Grand Prix. In the first event of Grand Prix, I marked the world record [at the time] for short programme (95.07 at GP Skate Canada and 95.32 at NHK Trophy) and that made me famous.
K: You were quite famous already.
Y: That was a surprise for me too. It was shocking. The jumps in my short programme might have been perfect but many other aspects of the programme were not. With that performance that I wasn’t satisfy with, I felt like “90? eh? 95?? Should’t it be 85?” It was quite surprising. At that time, Patrick would get 92 or 93 when he has a clean programme. So 90 points is like another dimension. So I was surprised that I got [that mark].
K: But you got it.
Y: Yeah I got that mark. But the free was horrible though.
K: Opposite from how you were [in previous seasons].
Y: Yes. From that season, the pattern became “having a good short and a horrible free”.
K: But the best short programme performance was the last exhibition of the last competition, right?
Y: Yeah. I had my first clean programme in exhibition. In that season, I didn’t have a clean performance other than exhibition performances.
K: (laugh)
Y: The free in Grand Prix Final was almost clean. But I was so tired before the lutz, I didn’t think I could jump it.
Base Value
K: How do you maintain your motivation when you feel like you cannot land the jumps.
Y: I will be like I’m gonna jump anyway. I will take the base value of the jumps anyway.
K: It is important to have those base values points.
Y: After the accident in Cup of China, I thought I cannot pop any jump so I had to rotate all the jumps anyway. I thought I could fall on those jumps. I have to rotate all those jumps even if I’m gonna fall on them. I don’t care about the -3 [GOE] or the deduction, because with the -3 and the deduction, it will only be -4. If I can rotate a quad salchow, which has a base value of 10. something 10.5], then I can get around 6. So I just had to keep on rotating all those jumps.
K: Base value is important.
Y: Yes it is important.

2014 Cup of China, the accident during 6 minutes warm up
K: I don’t know if I should ask it, but were you fine when you collide [with Han Yan]?
Y: I wasnt fine after the collision. People always asked me “were you fine [at CoC]?” my response was “if I was fine, then I would have skate properly.” I couldn’t move my legs at all so I had to leave with a wheel chair. I am also amazed by how I could rotate all those quads and skate for 4 and half minutes.
K: Maybe you thought of the base values in the back of your mind.
H: (laugh). I did actually think about the base value. [I thought] if I rotate the jumps then I can get the points so I have to rotate as many jumps as possible. I thought I would nail at least axel.

2014 Cup of China the situation after the collision
K: (point to Hanyu’s chin) There?
Y: I bled mostly from here. This wound was the biggest and bled a lot from here. And this side [of my head]? this side or that side, I forgot, also bled. Maybe I hurt the side of my head when I collided with the skater Han Yan, I don’t know.
K: The amount of blood was scary. But that’s it?
Y: Yes. I didn’t cut the back of my head. My chin was hit by the ice. But that’s it. And the wound in my head was just because of the collision.
K: So your head was fine [as in you don’t have a concussion]?
Y: I didn’t feel like my brain was shaking. I thin I felt my brain shaking a few times before.
K: What?
Y: When I was small, after I got onto the podium in a novice competition, I thought I could go to olympics [and jump 3A] and I was like “I could jump and land everything”. So I went to practise 3A even though I couldn’t land a perfect single triple back then. So I thought I could just delayed* my 2A…
K: Delayed?
Y: When you open up and then go back to a tight position..do you know? Split [the jump]? When I tried to do my 3A, I landed on my ankle and my head hit the ground and I wasn’t conscious after that. Sometime after that I was moved to a warm room and I couldn’t move my arms and legs.

2014 Cup of China the truth behind that collision
K: Take care. so when you had the collision in CoC…
Y: My head was fine. Right before the collision I was doing a three turn, forward facing with my left foot. So [when we collided], my left foot was turning to the back and the other skater’s knee just came straight [to my inner thigh]. I was skating with my left foot but my left foot also left the ground. But my right foot wasn’t touching the ground either so I thought “Ah what should I do” while I’m in the air. My head hurt and I thought “oh crap” and I landed on my stomach. I landed on my stomach so my stomach hurt a lot. Every skater must have experienced this. (K: Can I guess? [You fell on your stomach when you were practicing] Flying camel [spin]?) Ah no…Sometime you fall on the front when your toe is caught by the ice. (K: No matter how good a skater you are) Everyone must have experienced when they were small.  So when it is with the fastest speed and you collide, your stomach hurts so much that you can’t breathe. [The collision in CoC] was like that but 20 times.

K: I can’t imagine that! You couldn’t even move [after the collision].
Y: At first, I was still conscious so I tried to stand up. But when I tried to stand up, my stomach hurt so much and my muscles were contracting so I couldn’t lift up my back and I had to bend down. But that position was very painful so I had to lie down. I remember myself thinking “can they blow the referee’s whistle, ah everyone is practicing but it hurts”. Then the Chinese medical team came over and brought a stretcher over. They asked me if I was fine and if I could walk. I told them “I’m fine, I don’t need that [stretch]. I can just leave [the rink] normally.”
K: It’s good that you didn’t hit your head.
Y: I’m glad that it isn’t my head. Although I had bleeding from here [chin] to here [the side of his head], I didn’t have much blood coming out from the head. It was the bleeding from the chin that was quite serious.
K: It was good that it wasn’t your head. It could have been a concussion.
Y: I didn’t have a concussion. An American doctor came immediately afterward to treat my wound. Brian was worried about me so he was talking to the doctor in English. They asked me in English, what is 100 minus 7, wait it was harder than that, something like 100 minus 7 and then minus 7. And it was after all the panic and I hit my head and my chin, so they had to check I don’t have a concussion. But they asked me such a hard question and I had to answer in English so I was like “huh huh???”
K: It is difficult even in an everyday life.
Y: So I remember that really well. I was like “I can’t answer that.” But I was conscious so I told them I’m fine. My eyes were fine too. I bled a lot and my chin swelled up because of the wound. But my knees and thighs hurt so bad.

Sit spin was the most painful part of the programme
K: So you hurt your muscle [after your collision]
Y: It felt like my muscle was taken from me. It was like the pain when you pulled your muscle. Here [the thighs] is the most painful part because you have to use that muscle for everything. Sit spin was more [difficult and] hellish than the jumps.
K: (laugh)
Y: I was quite conscious during that competition.
K: Yeah. Sit spin seems to hurt a lot, especially when your thighs hurt.
Y: You always have to endure [the pain when you do] the sit spin. When it is jump, it was like a quick deal.
K: So when you land, it is your right leg.
Y: Sit spin was hell. So from what I remember, I fell on the salchow, I fell on the toe loop, I landed the flip and then I went into the combination jump. Then I remember thinking “I don’t want to do the sit spin, can I still stand after the sit spin.”
K: Like you’d sit after your sit spin.
Y: It is like sitting after my sit spin.
K: I wasn’t aiming to be funny.
K+Y: (laugh bitterly)
K: Can I just talk about this for a bit?
Y: Go ahead.
K: I was doing a sit spin when I was choreographing one time. I was spinning quite fast and when I tried to stand up, I strained my back. (Y: (laugh)) It was about 3 years ago. I was in [half sit half stand up] position and I couldn’t move so I just sat down as the spin slowed down.
Y: How did you stand up in the end?
K: Tomo-kun came over and helped me. And we went to hospital after that and it was okay. I only said that [joke] because I remember this incident. I wasn’t aiming to be funny.
Y: But the story you just told…wasn’t that funny. The reaction [of the staff] is “…” [no reaction]. (K: here you come with you witty comment [tsukkomi]) I was laughing so hard just now because I could imagine how it would look like, I know because you choreographed for me before. But the staff don’t about that…so the reaction is…[inexistent].

Do you have any elements that you are not good at?

Y: …Lutz? I’m actually not that bad at jumping lutz.
K: I know.
Y: I’m no that horrible at lutz, even though I gave the impression that I’m bad at it. I was very bad with the jumps (a long long time ago :P)
K: All of the jumps?
Y: All of them. I suck at all the jumps. But I like axels so I practised axels all the time. But I couldn’t land those jumps, but people around me could.
K: You hate to lose right?
Y: Yeah. I was aware that I was bad at jumps. Although it’s not elements but when it was Worlds junior, I suck at short programme, even though I’m good at free. But after I got Parisienne walkway, I became good at short but bad at free.
K: Keep on eliminating [your weaknesses].
Y: If I improve on something, I will start to think I suck at the other aspects that I have yet to improve on.  Basically it’s not like I cannot do something. But sometime I do get a bit clumsy and not so good at it.
K: Do you look at other skaters when you practise?
Y: I look at them a lot. I stare at them. I won’t look right before my performance during a competition. But during other time, like practise time, then I will look at them.
K: What do you look for when you observe them?
Y: How they jump. (K: So you analyze how they jump?) Yes and also the movement of their hands. I didn’t study dance so I learn a lot from the way they use their hands and the music, for example from Jeff in his choreography video.

Ideal figure skating

 

K: After seeing different skaters, What is your ideal figure skating like?
Y: My ideal figure skating is…figure skating has both jumps and spin, which are the athletic part [of the sport] and the skating skill, expression, steps, which are like ballet, artistic part of the sport.
I want my programme to be a figure skating programme, not entirely artistic [or entirely athletic]. You would know ‘cause I have said that to you before, but whenever people choreographs for me, I always tell them “I want to express spins and everything”. Also, I want to match with the songs. I feel disgusting if I don’t. For example, the timing of the jump or the timing before I go into a jump. I want those to be in the music or in the content of the programme. I always pay attention to not separate skating from expression.
K: Oh yeah, like the beginning of your last season’s short [Ballade no.1]
Y: Yes (laugh). Jeff wanted me to close my eyes but I was so nervous at first so I couldn’t close my eye because my eyes kept moving. So I  [*stare at the ground*]. And I could also do my imagine training then. During that time I just think about the [quad] toe loop. Something like I can land if I jump like this.
K: After watching that, I said it is better to close your eye.
Y: And I started to close my eyes after that. I closed my eyes during my practise too.
K: I was worried about [you opening the eyes during that time], it suits the music better if you close your eyes. Jeff must have spent a long time planning that beginning, is it 15, 16 seconds?
Y: Um 17…at least 15, 16 seconds.
K: It is hard to close your eyes that entire time, right? I shouldn’t have told you that [you should close your eyes]. I was worried that you won’t be able to orientate after shutting your eyes for so long. But if you also do it in practise then it’s fine.
Y: Yes. I thought that would be the case. When I’m not in my good condition, I only have horrible image [during my imagine training] when I’m in a competition. So I “input” [the image of] how I jump and land at a specific timing in the music into my brain. When the music starts playing only that image will be in my mind. With the same length.
K: Oh.
Y: Everything is in sync with every note of the music. For example, I will do a cross over from this part to that part [of the music], and then I will do an eagle, then a choctaw, then go into a toe loop. Every single movement, although it’s not choreography moves, it is in sync with the music.
K: So you stand there, close your eyes and imagine. What if you screw up in your imagination?
Y: I practiced not to have that [situation]. Practise for imagine training.

Imagine training is like choreography

 

K: Imagine training** is fun.
Y: Imagine training is part of the performance [in the competition], it’s like choreography. [You are thinking] “cross over at this point and make an eagle”. It’s just that you are not moving your body. I imprint [the imagination of] my body moving at a certain timing of the programme onto my mind.
K: You imprint it onto your mind. That programme is really cool.
Y: I also like it very much.
K: The emotion varies over the duration of the programme.
Y: Because it is a classic. I told you when you were choreographing for me, but classic doesn’t have lyrics and background to it [so it is not restricted by lyrics or background]. It allows you to fully express your emotional the time, nerves, and your true self.
K: I’m choreographing a new programme. I’m listening to the music and I find it interesting that the music seems to just choreographs itself. You pay a lot of attention to every element, like you want to do this with your spin.
Y: I think this starts when Kenji, you choreographed Hana ni Nare for me. I wanted to end the programme with a spin that I’m good at, but you said [that spin] closes into itself, it is not blossoming. (K: Did I say that?) Yes, and you said “that would be a bud. Open your arms at the climax in the end” For example, with the pancake [spin], I remember you told me that “this would be very small, you have to make it bigger”. After that, I realised that I shouldn’t just do the moves that I’m good at; I should follow the music and choreographs according to it.
K: Oh I don’t know why but thank you for complimenting me.

Yuzuru Hanyu’s strength, according to Kenji
K:  When was this… I thought you were really good when you were doing your skating practise. If I told you to pay attention to this bit and that bit, you would just keep on practising. The rink was quite cold but you came over sweating and said “I have worked on it for a bit, what do you think?” And you actually fixed the priblem. And if I told you it’s not enough, then you will keep on practicing. After that you would come over and tell me you’ve worked on it and ask for my opinion. This just keeps on going, as long as I say there’s something to improve on.
Y: You can’t stop after you started to pay attention to one bit [of the programme]. I want it to be complete. It is not like it’s OK if you just pay attention to it. Same for jumps, it is not only about landing the jumps. But also how to jump beautifully and how to jump without using a lot of energy. I’m very fussy about this. I think I’m more fussy about skating than most people. It’s not specific to expression, step, jump or spin individually. I’m fussy about all of those elements.
K: Speaking of things that you are fussy about, then we can talk about it a long time
Y: I think we can talk for a long time (K: Nevermind then.) I can start from warm up.
K: I can also talk about warm up, like I want to warm up by doing some sports…let’s stop here.
Y: Let’s stop here.

*Thank you for telling me it is “delayed”! :)
** Direct translation would be “image training” but I thught imagine training would be more descriptive… :D Thank you yuzusorbet for pointing it out :)))

Algumas fotos tirados do vídeo:   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foram  bem interessantes as perguntas de Kenji sobre a colisão de Yuzuru,  esclareceu muitas dúvidas que o público tinha sobre esse acidente.

Eu tremo cada vez que vejo imagens desse episódio e depois de ver Yuzuru descrever o que ocorreu só tenho a agradecer por ele sair ileso.

Tenho certeza que todos admiradores de Yuzuru  torcem para que ele se de bem nessa temporada, mas principalmente rezam para que ele não sofra nenhuma contusão e/ou acidente como na temporada passada.

Video of this talk can be viewed here.

Read more: JSPORT

Tradução feita por Yuzuland, obrigada pela ajuda aos fãs de Yuzuru que não falam japonês. - See more at: http://yuzuruhanyubr.blogspot.com.br/search?updated-max=2015-09-22T00%3A01%3A00-03%3A00&max-results=3#PageNo=2

Yuzuru news

O novo livro de Yuzuru já está disponível nas lojas a partir de hoje .
The new book by Yuzuru is now available in stores starting today.

@KinoShinju

 Segundo informações do site newslounge.net o novo livro de Yuzuru  apelidado de "Yudzu" já o número 1 em vendas  no site da Amazon.
According to website information newslounge.net the new Yuzuru book dubbed "Yudzu" already the number 1 in sales on Amazon.


Fotos da colaboração de Yuzuru Hanyu e Fukuma no Fantasy on Ice in Kobe

@chopin_magazine 

Segundo o site  icenetwork  Yuzuru volta ao Canadá essa semana e deve ficar por lá treinando até sua primeira competição oficial dessa temporada.
Não esqueçam de anotar em suas agendas (vamos torcer por Yuzuru)  30 de Outubro a  01 de Novembro, Lethbridge, Canadá.

@lularoar

かえ?

Yuzuru Hanyu’s interview with Mansai Nomura (sep,22)

 

Translation by: Yuzuland

Y= Yuzuru, M=Mansai

Y: This is incredible. I have come to an incredible place. It’s chaotic inside my head now. What should I do?

Before the first competition of the upcoming season, Yuzuru Hanyu had a talk with Mansai Nomura, a Kyogen performer. Figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu will participate his first competition of the season next month. Hanyu, who will be using the soundtrack of the movie “Onmyoji” for his new programme, talked with the lead actor [of the movie] Mansai Nomura and asked for advice for expressing the character.

This talk between a figure skater and a Kyogen performer took place in a Nou theatre last month.

Y: Hello.
M: Hello.
Y: Nice to meet you. I’m Hanyu.
M: I’m Nomura. Welcome to this Nou theatre. Is it your first time [in a Nou theatre]?
Y: Yes

This is the first meeting between Yuzuru Hanyu and Mansai Nomura.

Y: I’m really nervous. Oh god I’m very nervous.
M: Really?
Y: I’m really nervous. Is it okay?
M: Feel free to ask me anything.
Unusually, Hanyu is in panic [for this interview]. This interview is requested from Hanyu. It is because…

Y: This season[’s programme] is based on Onmyoji (although the name of the programme is “SEIMEI”)…

Onmyoji is the theme of his new programme this season. This season, Sochi Olympics gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu will perform a Japanese style programme for the first time. The music is the theme song from the movie “Onmyoji”. In “Onmyoji”, which was released in 2001, Nomura was the actor for the main character, Abe no Seimei. This pose he made when he was enchanting a spell becomes familiar [to the public]. Hanyu also includes this pose into his choreography. Nomura, who was born into a family of famous Kyogen actors, contributed a lot in increasing the level of familiarity of Kyogen.. Hanyu watched Nomura’s performance many times. He received advice regarding his pose from Nomura, who he admires since he was young.

Y: This is incredible. I have come to an incredible place. It’s chaotic inside my head now. What should I do?

Gold medalist [Yuzuru Hanyu] asked for advice from the Kyogen performer [Mansai Nomura]!

Nomura, who had his first performance when he was 3, said that It is important to have an opposite “vector” when performing Kyogen.

M:When you are trying to jump down to that side, your hand of the opposite side will be important. If you merely want to jump, then you can just jump like that. But when you jump, you will have this kind of vector (from up right to bottom left).

The important point is that the performer captures the audience’s attention with his raised hand, but then he will jump to the opposite side from the hand.

Y: So you go the opposite way from where you drew the [audience’s] attention to?
M: Take an example in skating, it’s not like you skate to the same direction as your approaching run, but more like, you were making your approach run [in one direction] but then you turn and go the opposite direction. For a moment it is like a surprise [to the audience].
Y: This advice is so, so useful. Now it’s chaotic inside my head. I’m actually have a headache. What should I do?

Nomura performed as a child monkey when he had his first Kyogen performance. He was 3. He learnt his form from his father, who is living national treasure.

Y: How did you feel about the pressure from the fact that you are performing an art that has a long history or the pressure from your ancestors?
M: You can’t even stand on the start line unless you learn about the basics that is passed on through generations. It is a very important part.
Y: So they taught you the form and the basic thoroughly?
M: [They taught me to] perform the forms really well, so there will not be errors. I can do it automatically every time. This is how a form should be.

Hanyu also received training for the basics of skating when he was young. 

Y: We also trained and practised a lot, eventually we can jump like a machine. That’s like the form [in Kyogen], exactly like that.

In both Kyogen and skating, “Form” is very important. That’s precisely why [Kyogen and skating] are so difficult, Hanyu said.

Y: We skate to the same programmes in different competitions [throughout the season]. So the audience will know [the programme].
M: They would be “Oh here it comes, here it comes”
Y: They would think “Here is the quad”.
M: So you have to make them go “Oh” even though they knew that it was coming. This is the fate of any sport/performing art that has a form. Although you don’t know whether it is actually above their expectation but you have to show them something that is beyond their expectations. That’s what you have to do.

With the example from “Sanbansou”, a Kyogen act, Nomura explained what is important in order to effectively express what’s inside the form.

M:So there is the element of the instrument (music). There is the design of the sound here so when I jump, the sound is there too. Of course sometime we jump without the stumping sound. In “Sanbansou”, there is a 3 consecutive jumps. So [*jumping*], only the last one will have the landing sound.
This is the actual footage from the 3 consecutive jumps from Sanbansou. He emphasises on the sound of the last jump.

M: And you don’t always “push” when you perform,  you should also have the expression of pulling*. In order to highlight the part you are emphasising, you have to have parts that you are not explicitly showing. This makes it more effective when you want to highlight something.
Y: It is the variation in expression; so it will emphasise the last bit. Ah this is great. This is incredible. I have come to an incredible place. I’m very honoured [to be here] now.

Later, Nomura will give advice to Hanyu’s new programme.

Y: Oh god I want to change my choreography now.

The figure skating season is about to start. Yuzuru Hanyu challenges himself with a Japanese style programme. He received comments from Mansai Nomura, regarding his new programme. This is the choreography of the beginning of Hanyu’s new programme. This is taken from Nomura’s pose from the movie “Onmyoji”. There is a part in Hanyu’s choreography that caught Nomura’s attention.

M: I thought “what is with that left hand?” For me, there is a eboshi (the tall black hat) and a large sleeve behind my back.

Nomura thought of that pose in the movie because he wants to maintain the balance between his eboshi (the hat) and the big sleeve from the Karikinu (the costume). But Hanyu, who does the same choreography, doesn’t have those elements in his costume.

M: If you are wearing something different, then you have the need to arrange your choreography according to that. It is important that you are aware of where you want to emphasise. If I don’t have my Karikinu, then this pose will just look like I’m doing Flamenco.
If there is change in costume, the same choreography will not be as effective [as it was].

M: I think you should analyse the form yourself. Don’t ignore but try to understand the meaning behind every form. For example, this [starting] pose, you shouldn’t do it just because Seimei did it in the movie. You should not just imitate the appearance, you have to have the awareness of “mastering the heaven, the earth and the people”.
Y: So I have to know the meaning behind the choreography that I do.

Hanyu also struggle with another part of his programme, which is the ending pose that concludes the programme.

Y: In the last pose, I try to make a sound with my foot. But there is a drum beat from the taiko, so you cannot actually hear the sound [from my foot]. So I struggle to find a way to highlight the sound.
M: Although it might be important to highlight the sound, but you have to show that [the fact that there was a sound] to the audience after the sound. If you don’t use your foot but use your hand and look up to the sky as the sound echoes.
Y: So how should I express it…? It is not chasing after the sound but it is like that.
M: So it is like you master the sound. After the drumbeat, the sound echoes and reflects [in space]. As a director and a choreographer, I think this way of portraying the sound like it is spreading away will be better.
Y: Ah I want to change my choreography. I want to change many things in my choreography.

On the other hand, figure skating is a judged sports. It is important to have a balance between techniques and expression.

Y: Although the most important part is the result, I still have to put up a remarkable performance in order to get the result that i want.
Nomura believes the essential thing to a remarkable performance is…

M: The spirituality aspect of it is very important. The evil judges…maybe there are not evil but
Y: Evil, evil
M: It is important to feel the atmosphere from your entire surroundings, not only from the people. In order to master the environment, you have to have the environment on your side. You have to be aware of the entire arena. You have to master the environment, the time and the atmosphere.
Y: The audience, the atmosphere?
M: If you can do that, the audience will be happy.
Y: Yes.

Being aware not only of the judges and the audience but also the arena, it is a thought that Hanyu never had.

Y: Thank you very much.
M: Same here, I just talked as I wished.
Y: No, not at all. This has been very useful.
M: Hopefully [my advice] will not bring you any harm.
Y: No.

This interview has changed the gold medalist’s idea [of expression].

Y: I am so thankful. Just as Mansai said, I have to put meaning to every single form that I do. I can put meaning to jumps, and to spins and steps. I think I can change it with my own explanations.
Hanyu will participate his first competition in Canada next month.

*They were describing the expression as like push and pull. In order to emphasise something you don’t just go like “HEY LOOK AT THIS” but also for some parts you want to pull away from expressing it very explicitly so you can highlight your topic.

Source photos e gif:
news every,  
wendylovsweet 
Yuzuland

  
Source vídeo: YzRIKO

Figipedia 2015

The TV Asahi aired a program that showed some of Yuzuru Hanyu programs over the years, this program can also see some testimonials from Yuzuru. Below are the videos with the program and a text summarizing some statements by Yuzuru about these programs. Thank YzRIKO and Yuzuland for everything!

A Asahi TV  levou ao ar um programa que mostrou alguns dos programas de Yuzuru Hanyu ao longo dos anos, nesse programa podemos ver também alguns depoimentos de Yuzuru.

Mission Impossible (2009-10 SP)
Y: This year’s short programme uses a powerful music, which is a kind of music that I have never skated to. I wish to express the powerful and heroic aspect [of the character] as it is from [the soundtrack of] a hero movie.

Romeo and Juliet 1.0 (2011-12 FS)
Y: The story itself is really famous, it was performed in movie, on stage. I think it is difficult and doubted myself whether or not I can master this programme. I hope to show my own style to the audience; I am Romeo and also Yuzuru Hanyu, I want to be both.

Parisienne Walkway (2012-14 SP)
Y: It is a rather mature kind of music. It emphasises on the guitar a lot. I hope to express this atmosphere of the music from myself; but now I think [my expression] is still overpowered by the music.

Romeo and Juliet 2.0 (2013-14 FS)
Y: Romeo and Juliet is the programme I skated when I went around [the country] and participated ice shows after the earthquake. The story itself is very special to me. The story is the same but the music is completely different so I can skate to it with a different style. I aim to skate Romeo and Juliet to the best of my ability now.

Interview after GPF 2013
Y: This [ribbon] is Hakata-ori (a textile/cloth that is made specifically in Hakata)

Phantom of the Opera (2014-15 FS)
Y: The biggest reason is because I went to the musical performance of Phantom of the Opera when i was in secondary school. I thought I really want to skate to this music since then. I hope the audience can feel that I am not representing an ordinary Phantom of the Opera; but skating and expressing my own Phantom, with my style.

Somebody to love (2011 Skate America EX)
Y: I think I fit with this exhibition number very well. There are a lot of people watching this exhibition so I want to do my best.

Notre Dame de Paris (2013 TEB EX)
Y: This performance itself is related to Paris so I want to perform this in Paris.

Parisienne Walkway (2015 WTT EX)
Y: I will skate to Parisienne walkway as an exhibition programme after a long time. It is a programme that allows many people to know me. I want to skate it in front of everyone again.

“From now on, every time I get a programme or a piece of music for a programme, I want to know what I want the programme to be. I aim higher and higher everyday [to achieve the programme I have in my mind.]” 

Source: yuzuland tumblr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source photos: Vídeos

Kenji's Room - Episodio 3 - Tradução

Translation by Yuzuland, thanks for helping Yuzuru fans who do not speak Japanese.

Tradução feita por Yuzuland, obrigada pela ajuda aos fãs de Yuzuru que não falam japonês.

 (15/09/15)
~Tohoku Earthquake~

K: Um…there was [Tohoku] earthquake, which was terrible… I don’t have the right to talk about it but it would be nice if we can talk about how that experience affected you, or your feelings and thoughts about it.

Y: Because of the earthquake…I don’t really want to use words that have positive connotation, like“opportunity”, [to describe the earthquake]. But if we ignore the positive or negative connotations, I will use the word “opportunity”; because of this earthquake, I felt more strongly about expressing my emotions*. On top of that, [it made me to consider] my feelings towards figure skating, the meaning of skating. And it is not only restricted to figure skating, but also my own identity as Yuzuru Hanyu. There were many identities to the name Yuzuru Hanyu: the usual Yuzuru Hanyu and the skater Yuzuru Hanyu, and there were many people who treated me as the symbol of the areas that were affected by the earthquake (Tohoku), so there is also Yuzuru Hanyu, who is the symbol of Tohoku. I struggled to decide the Yuzuru Hanyu that I should identify with. Although we were at a different perspective and situation, but Kenji, when you choreographed for me…you also experienced earthquake, and I think there are some feelings that are the same [for both of us]. [We share] the feeling of helplessness, inability of accomplishing anything on your own; this kind of sadness, pain, helplessness.

K: At that time, we did the programme “Hana Ni Nare”. Althought it was choreographed, but the singing, and the movement of the hands…were really good.

Y: That was probably the first time I skated to a Japanese song. It was also the first time Kenji choreographed for me. The reason why I keep skating to that programme is because I was saved by that song, even though it was made before the earthquake. When I was thinking about the meaning behind the lyrics, I thought I could relate my painful experience to it and express it [in the programme]. But i think by showing how I overcame this terrible experience, the audience can relate the lyrics to themselves, or to others. I still cherish and enjoy skating to this programme.

K: I am about to cry so let’s not talk about this anymore.

K: After [the earthquake], you have been performing very well. What did you feel when you participate  competitions back then?

Y: At first, I didn’t want to [particpate]. I wasn’t exactly the representative of Tohoku, but Sendai also suffered from the damage brought by the tsunami and the nuclear power plant. So I was feeling like “I was merely skating because I enjoy it, why do I have to carry the burden [of representing the areas that were suffering because of the earthquake]. But meanwhile, I also felt that “I am the only one who can do this”. So at first, I said “I am not a representative of Tohoku, I will participate the competitions, as a Japanese skater, as Yuzuru Hanyu. But after several competitions, I received many letters and I realized that I want to perform better if someone can be happy when they see people like me, who’re from Tohoku, work hard. That’s what I felt when I was competing and I read the letters from people back in Tohoku and the entire nation. I was supported by all these encouragements.

It continued until Olympics; I was just doing what I love to do, trying to win and have better scores, but I could feel the enormous support from everyone. I think it is most important to accomplish something for someone else. For example, even if someone sends me a letter of encouragement, I am not getting better just because of the amount of letters I receive. Yet, I feel like everyone’s feeling is connected as one via myself. There are people who struggles because of the tsunami, the nuclear power plant, or cannot go back home because their houses were destroyed by the earthquake. These people and people from west Japan, Tohoku, east Japan can be connected through me. I am so happy about this then, and now and when I took the Olympics gold medal.

K: When you first came and skated in Kobe, everyone cried and thought it was great.

Y:I remember Kenji was having a really painful expression. I did “White Legend” and I still remember it clearly. That is my motivation to skate.

K: I think it was fantastic.

Y: I think I cannot skate like that anymore in my life. I could only express like that with my feelings back then. It was an expression of trying to fly away from darkness, that performance was special to me too. If I was not invited to Kobe, I must be still thinking “should I be skating” when I skate. I’m glad you invited me to Kobe, sincerely.

K: Thank you.

Y: Not at all, I should be saying that.

~ World Championship 2012~

K: Your first world championship, you placed third. How was it?

Y: To me, worlds is a very special place, it was the stage of my dream, where all the skaters who I admire since I was young competed at. And to be on the podium in that competition, it was almost like a dream come true. I remember being very happy.

K: So it was like “Kya—!!”

Y: It was “Kya—!!”. But the short programme was horrible. I was placed 7th after short and wasn’t in the final group. It became quad-double jump and the triple axel was not good and I popped the lutz. I thought “lutz again.” I am horrible at short.

K: Why is that? Are you nervous?
Y: I don’t know, I think it would be easier to skate short. I am bad at short.
K: It’s that, we talked about it before. You think too much.

Y: It is common for me to think too much. But, I think I have to maintain a nice balance between feeling, rhythm and theory in order to have a good performance. If the ratio is 1:1:1, it would be disastrous if the ratio becomes 1:2:0.5.

K: Okay. And you went to Canada then?
Y: I changed my training base to Canada after 3rd place in Worlds.
K: and receive training from Brian?
Y: Yes.

K: It is not related but Brian taught me how to jump Axel when I was in high school.
Y: Axel?
K: Maybe it wasn’t axel.
Y: You were a single skater.
K: Yes I was.

K: You went to Toronto, Cricket right?
Y: Yes, Cricket club.
K: The nacho from the place under Cricket club is very good, right?
Y: I haven’t tried it yet. Under [cricket club]?
K: I don’t know if it is still there. I think the building is still the same. There is a huge grass field right?
Y: Yes, a cricket playground.
K: Oh, a cricket ground…I always play Frisbee there.
Y: Frisbee?
K: Yeah, eating nachos and playing Frisbee. Of course I did practise too.

Y: [Cricket] is a really good training environment. In Canada, especially Cricket club, training clubs really base everything for the need of the skaters. It is exclusive to members, there are tennis courts, gym, pools, cricket ground. It’s a very sophisticated facility. My younger self wouldn’t even imagine myself training in such a nice environment. My home rink was closed once…no twice. Before I moved to Katsuyama, I was training in the rink in Izumi. You know Izumi, right? (K: Yes). That rink in Izumi closed because of financial problem. Then I moved to Katsuyama, but Arakawa reopened it after she earned gold medal in Torino. She asked for it in the press conference in Torino. With the help from the government, the rink was reopened. But after the earthquake, it was closed again. So I understand how precious it is to have a good training environment. So, an environment, like cricket, allows me to concentrate on my training, do my warm-up as the way I want, cool down and pretty much everything. Now I know how important training environment is.

K: So you don’t play Frisbee there?
Y: No I don’t play Frisbee.

K: But why did you choose Brian Orser to be your coach?

Y: Training environment was quite a big deciding factor. Instead of saying I chose Brian… I usually perform really well in practise, ice show or official practise. For example, I landed my first quad in a practise for an ice show. I land all my first quads in practise, not in supervision of Brian or any coach. Same for my triple axel, which I landed in the training camp. So I wanted to be in an environment where there are good rivals. So I decided that I want to train with Javier Fernandez, who really improved a lot that year and his jumps stabilized after he moved to Cricket, so I thought I will improve if I go there [and train along side with him].

K: ‘cause you hate to lose
Y: Yes, I hate to lose even in ice shows.
K: Yeah you hate to lose so much. Javier and Nam are practicing with you there. Do you have any funny story?

Y: Um…Javi and Nam sometimes do something and play around for a bit, and I just observe and continue on my training.We don’t compete against each other, well it may not be funny but, every time Javi skates a clean free programme in practise, I am not in my best condition, I will pop all my jumps in my free. It always happen, [it’s bad] to the extent that people will think whether I’m putting in any effort at all. In those times, Javi, instead of my coach, will come and cheer me up. It happens the other way too; if Javi is having a bad day and I have a good day, I or Nam will go and cheer him up, like “it will be fine”, “you were able to land that jump the other day”.

K: So it’s a friendly rivalry (Y: and friends) and you [improve as you challenge each other]. Do you have any other skaters you are particularly close to?
Y: Yes, I don’t think you will know them by names. (K: I think I will know) I don’t think you will. (K: Say it.) I don’t think you will know. (K: So you don’t want to say the name?) No, not that I don’t want to say the name. (K: Who? I have been to Cricket club) It’s a different generation. (K: Who?) Maybe I don’t have any skaters that I am close to. In Cricket, I am not the talkative and enthusiatic type. (K: you are when you are in Japan though) In Japan, I will be like that because I don’t train here.

K: Oh because you have to concentrate [in Cricket].
Y: Yeah. The difference between my personality when I’m serious on skating and when I’m not is very big.

K: Oh I understand. Sometimes, I would tell you to practise for a bit [while I choreograph] and when I want you to come back, it is hard to talk to you [because you are so focused.]
Y: Yeah because I was so focused. My mood when I am focused on skating and when I am joking around with friends or when I am having fun with Nobunari-kun is completely different.

K: In the bus, you and Nobu are always having fun.

Y: Mainly, it’s Nobu who is having fun (K: No that’s not true.) Recently, my tsukkomi skill is getting better. When Nobu is being silly (boke) or doing something that allows people to give him a comeback (tsukkomi) on. (K: so you just had to say it) Yes so I did. I can’t stop myself from saying those comeback comments (tsukkomi).

K: Really? Next time, invite me as well. (Y: I think you pretty much joined us already) I did?

Y: But sometimes you are like “I have had enough”

K: I never. But the bus rides are really fun. (Y: Yeah) Brian…Orser-san. I tend to just call him Brian. (Y: Brian is fine. That’s how I call him.) You changed your coach to Brian and after that you improved a lot. You won Japan Nationals for the first time. And then Grand Prix.
Y: That year (2013), after I changed my coach to Brian, in my first Grand Prix event, I marked the world record for short programme and that made me famous. (K: You were quite famous already.) That was a surprise to me too. The jumps were perfect but many other aspects of the programme were not. I got 95 with a performance that I was not satisfied with. I thought “95? Shouldn’t it be 85?”

*direct translation: The earthquake was an opportunity for me to broaden the upper limit and the lower limit of my feelings towards expressing my emotions.

**Tsukkomi and boke: the way many comedians in Japan say their jokes. Boke will do or say something silly and Tsukkomi will say a funny comment to makes fun of the boke

Source photos: yuzuland.tumblr
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Video of this talk can be viewed here.