Floor Music I Want to See: Russia

Of course, I want these gymnasts to use this music after the Rods have been kicked out once and for all and the gymnasts are conditioned to a point where they can actually perform strongly artistic routines again.

Aliya Mustafina- "Montagues and Capulets"

Aliya is a diva on the floor (in an "every person in this stadium needs to be looking at me right now because I am killing it" kind of way), and this music is big and dramatic enough that she could own the floor with it. Also, as it is classical, it combines the drama with "Russian tradition" and would be a bit more regal for her, methinks.

Viktoria Komova- "Avrora" (Anna Bessonova's 2007-2008 Hoop Music)

I've honestly never considered any of Vika's floor routines highly artistic (except for the AA performance of her 2012 one). I believe that is because the Russian choreographers decided "Swan Lake Breakdown didn't work, so since classic style isn't her, we'll give her crowd-pleasing routines!" I really think Vika has a lot of untapped artistic potential in a darker and more emotional style. Of course, I have no solid evidence to base this on, so I could be totally wrong. It's just a feeling. I will fully admit that this could be a disaster, but I think it really would be haunting and beautiful and a performance for the ages.

Maria Kharenkova- "Blues for Klook"

I have a confession to make and you all may judge me for this. I don't really get the hype over Mitova's floor to this music, other than it's sheer difference from the rest of the routines of the time. Of course, Russia would never (and nor would any other major program besides the US, who used two recycled pieces in 2014 AND has had multiple gymnasts use "Blues") use music from a routine so venerated. Too much of a risk artistically. I love Maria's routine from 2012 and think routines with more passion and tension are better suited to her than the purely elegant, purely graceful routines she's had this quad. This would really give her opportunity to stretch her wings artistically and get back to her artistic roots from 2012, but with the maturity she has acquired since then. I also would love to see Afan with this music.

Alla Sosnitskaya- "Fever"
This one would never be allowed either, since Cata JUST used it. For shame. I mentioned in my Nanning floor analysis series that she displayed a slinkyness in the slow part of her "Pretty Woman" routine I think Russia should capitalize on. The jazz tones and prominent bass would give her plenty of room to play with that and she could finally have her chance to sparkle on floor. If not "Fever", at least "Why Don't You Do Right?" Also, I want Afan to use one of these ones. Afan just needs a season where she has a different floor routine every time she competes so she use all the music she should.

Anastasia Grishina- "The Promise" from The Secret Garden or "Once Upon a December"
Grishy is coming back and slaying, okay? These would both be great routines for Grishy's light and pretty style. And "Once Upon a December" is a waltz, which Grishy has a corner on. "The Promise" would be the softer, more lyrical route, while "Once Upon a December" would be grander. And come on, how awesome would it be for Grishy to use music from Anastasia?

Afan- Postmodern Jukebox's cover of "Seven Nation Army"
In case you can't tell by this point, I want Afan to do something bluesy. I think she's got just the right mix of maturity, dancing style, and slightly sardonic expression to make it awesome. This cover is the perfect moodiness for Afan to get in some of her awesome original choreography (BRING BACK THE LEG CHOREO FROM 2012). And come on, Afan doing "Seven Nation Army"? Awesome.

Literally Anyone- "Padam, Padam" (Zhenya's 2009 Ribbon Music)
Any Russian should use this. ANY OF THEM. And all of them. But honestly, somehow this music would be absolutely perfect for every single style of the Russian gamut. Aliya could totally get all diva/queen with it and incorporate a few death glares while she's at it. For Vika, she could stay all light and ballerina and I-don't-have-body-fat-ly while still being able to play with more than she's been given in the past. This music is definitely more in the way of Masha's 2012 routine than we've seen recently and she could bring back some of the old cheekiness with it. Alla could totally throw in a bunch of playful slinkyness with it and light up an arena. It's light and frothy for Grishy to keep her super pretty style but she could also be playful with it. And Afan! Lots of leg choreo-like opportunities, as well as opportunities for that wry expression from her 2011-2012 days.

P&Gs Wrap-Up

The Good

• CHRISTINA MADE THE NATIONAL TEAM!!!!!!!!!! I can die happy now! I was literally praying through her floor routine that she would hit.
• And she HIT TWO BARS ROUTINES!
• And so did SJS!
• Jordan Chiles went back to the DTY! Thank goodness for knee caps!
• Bailie's wacky leos
• Swaggie Maggie in full force night one
• Brenna Dowell did an all around competition and was fierce!
• Gabby's bars are just so lovely. But I'm still hoping she Amy Chows it with the Endo.
• Texas Dreams on floor in general is life-giving
• The Shchennikova mega-connection bars routines
• I just love Meals
• Rachel Gowey was awesome
• MEGAN SKAGGS ON FLOOR
• Simone got a freaking SIXTY-THREE day 2
• And a medal-worthy score on floor with a fall
• Ragan won beam and floor!!!
• Aly's floor was ridiculous
• Simone's Amanars

The Bad

• But why did the day 2 Amanar score higher than the day 1 Amanar?
• Morgan Hurd had screwups on beam
• Gabby's bad dance skills on floor night 1
• Simone going wonky on the Barani
• Aly fell on beam??

The Ugly

• UGH Brenna that DLO 1/1 night 2 you were doing so well WHY?
• Kyla, what happened to you?! I feel like my heart had been torn out and run over my a mac truck.
• Meals tearing her meniscus. But then she was a boss and finished up her night. And she might be healthy for Worlds selection? Pretty please?

Christina and SJS

Because, let's be honest, I care way more about this than the podiums. THEY'RE ON THE NATIONAL TEAM!

SJS: I wasn't expecting much from her this year after her lackluster season lat time, but gosh, she's improved so much! Love the Dos Santos! It's super open and she's got great control over it. I still think she hasn't got the same firecracker quality, but that's not necessarily a bad thing- I'd say her performance is more mature now. Her DTY is looking nice. Sadly, her beam isn't quite polished and she can be very enjoyable to watch there. But, bars. What? She can actually put together a routine now. When did that happen!?

Christina: My precious baby!!! She did it! I was hoping with all the hope in my little heart that she would pull an Alexis Vasquez after the terror that was her final bars rotation last year, and look what she went and did! I hope she doesn't follow in Alexis's footsteps and ditch elite next year, though I wouldn't complain too much if the school she ditches for is Denver. Anyway, I was so annoyed they didn't show three of her routines day 2 (I didn't watch day 1)! But I prayed the whole way through the one they did. She killed that final floor routine, so awesome to see her finally attack the opportunity she had. And she hit every routine day 2! FINALLY! Honestly, I really like her bars. She seems like an ASac type to me where she's more just intimidated. And she has the potential to be such a beamer! Why did that have to be the one event where she fell? Ah well, she did a great set day 2! And she's ON THE NATIONAL TEAM!!

Floor Routines

Laurie: Maybe it was just the camera angle this time, but her facial expressions looked way less obnoxious to me now. Good. Still painfully obviously choreographed, though. Ugh, they need to go. I'm so disappointed in this routine in the same way I was disappointed in Aliya's 2013 Worlds routine: this is the PERFECT music for her and the choreography isn't up to standard, in my opinion. Apparently Maggie didn't want to choreograph to it, which honestly doesn't surprise me based on how it compares to her previous ones. The bright spots are fabulous, though, and I cannot state my love for that ending (minus the painfully obviously choreographed facial expression).

Simone: I was the one person not to fall hard for this after Classics, and now... I still haven't fallen hard for it. I definitely like it more now, but there are still parts of it where the rhythm of her choreography is totally unrelated to the rhythm of the music. The ending matching the music is as wonderful as I thought it would be, though. And I cannot state my love for the meow-surprised face part, either. You're not complaining about her facial expressions, you say. Well, in Laurie's interview she said they were choreographed and in Simone's she said they weren't. And you can tell.

Kyla: UGH this one is so saddening! It's so beautiful, but she doesn't have the stamina and it looks so sluggish! I'll just be thankful for the lovely Jesolo PT video posted on Youtube which breaks Gymnastike's copyright. Haha.

Aly: Her choreography has improved so much! And that double L-turn is the stuff dreams are made of. And I hate double L-turns. And single L-turns. I miss the punch out of the Dos Santos, but alas, consistency. The sacred first pass is as breathtaking as ever and I love the DLO. That split half is in a way hilarious in how un-hit it is, but I kind of want her to keep it anyway. This is a routine that is really enjoyable to watch and I'm super impressed.

Gabby: I gain a little bit of love for this every time I watch it. I was a bit disappointed at Classics because my favorite part of Gabby's Papa Americano (I LOVED that routine desperately, by the way) was how she absolutely lit up the place (despite her *questionable* choreography) and now she didn't seem to have the same spark. Watching it again at Nationals, I think there's still a watch-me quality about it, it's just not the same as it was in 2012. And I am watching her, gladly.

Megan Skaggs: I LOVE THIS ROUTINE! Oh my goodness, it's just so fun, but also not fun, if you know what I mean (you probably don't.) And the Rudi to flying jump is just so exciting.

Mykayla: Mykayla has had a trend of doing a routine I HATE at Classics and then it grows on me by the end of the season, and so I knew not to judge after Classics. And what do you know, it's grown on me! Is it my all-time favorite? No. But I like it.

Alyssa Baumann: I was disappointed by this one at Classics after being excited for it during PT, and so I was hoping it could gain some redemption for me at Nationals. And what do you know, it did! It's still not as great as I remember thinking it was after PT, but I can get behind what she did in Indy.

Meals: Any other gymnast, and I would hate it. HATE it. But, ah, Meals. I don't pretend to understand all the choreography, but honestly I think I'd enjoy anything Meals did. And the DLO to split jump is glorious!

Bailie: I'm still obsessed. And I need to bring up the bow, which I didn't last time. There's little I love more in a floor routine than a mocking bow. Maybe it's just Bailie's lack of expression which made it seem mocking, but it did to me. There's just such a Boginskaya-esque too-good-for-you vibe about it I can't get enough of.

The rest of the Texas Dreams army: Also obsessed. With every single routine. I think I need to make a separate TD floor love post.

Aly and Gabby
Still killing it. Gabby looks to have been slightly overtaken, though. And her beam wasn't as rock-steady as it was at Classics, but she's still not going to pieces. How crazy is it that Gabby and Vika both had the same most-pronounced change in their comeback? And her bars are just so nice. Aly is back and better than ever. While I would be surprised if either didn't make the Worlds team, I still think Aly has the edge. She's got the Amanar and the trump routines on beam and floor.

The Second All-Arounder
Honestly, if the US wants to get the best shot at the best second AAer, they should probably just go with a five-woman strategy in quals and ditch the sixth member. Trying to pick one to sit on the sidelines out of the next four is incredibly difficult. Maggie of course came in second at Nationals, but I'd be a bit wary of picking her as the second AAer. If a bars-strong gymnast is picked for the sixth member (which would seem to be the obvious choice), and the sixth member would be used in quals, either Aly or Maggie would have to sit out AA. Honestly, I'd go with Aly of the two of them. I don't think Maggie will get the same scoring internationally that she did domestically. I think Gabby's scoring will also probably see a drop. She could be dropped from multiple lineups, though she would definitely go up in the bars lineup. And then there's Bailie. I don't think she'll see much of a drop in scores, though she won't be getting a 9.1 for an arch like that internationally. Otherwise, I think her scoring was pretty reasonable compared to what she can expect internationally. Domestically, though, she's been lurking in fourth and fifth. She's also another one who wouldn't be dropped from the bars lineup, though. I'd say Maggie makes the most sense to take out of the AA lineup, but she also could be the second AAer and it doesn't make much sense to bring her if she doesn't do AA. The longer I think about it, the more I think just putting up five in quals makes the most sense.