Knowing the ballet variation “dying swan” gives me another feeling when watching Yuzuru Hanyu’s Notte Stellata (here’s one of my favorite versions)

Dying swan is an older variation known for being danced by Anna Pavlova, a queen of ballet. Notte Stellata was performed by a king of figure skating.

They both reflect on the history of the sport/art form. Dying swan is almost all bourrées and arms with some arabesques. Classic ballet steps that are simple yet elegant and hard to execute. Yuzu does the same, carefully performing movements that reflect the soul of the sport.

Yuzu’s arms were one of the things that first caught my eye and I believe you can tell why. From a ballet perspective they are very mesmerizing and beautiful. He uses his back all the way down the arm to his finger tips. A full line.

Notte Stellata is a genius piece that continues to amaze me every time I watch it.