Yuna Aoki: “Now, rather than chasing results, I really want to create meaningful programs and deliver them to the audience.”
Yuna Aoki debuts new free skate to “La La Land” at Aqua Cup
original source: Nikkansports dd. July 7th 2025 by Matsumoto Wataru
On the July 6th, at Aqua Rink Chiba, Yuna Aoki (23), who placed third at the 2024 Grand Prix (GP) Series NHK Trophy, unveiled her new free skate program with a performance inspired by “La La Land.” Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Nikkansports.
Dressed in a deep navy costume, Aoki enchanted the audience with her interpretation of “La La Land.” While her jumps weren’t at their best, she scored 103.33 points, finishing third behind Rion Sumiyoshi and Maria Egawa. Despite the result, Aoki reflected with a satisfied expression:
“This program was just completed a week ago. Since it’s brand new, I performed the jumps without thinking too much. This time, I wanted to see how it would come across on the ice, and I think we’ve made a good start.”
In June, Aoki traveled to New York to work on the choreography for this program, which was designed by American choreographer Alexander Johnson. Aoki reached out to him after watching his skating on Instagram:
“I loved the way he interpreted music – it matched my personal style, and I thought it was beautiful,” Aoki explained.
The collaboration expanded to include Chelsea, a dancer who appeared in the movie “La La Land.” Aoki shared:
“Thanks to Alexander’s connections, Chelsea, who actually danced in the film, also contributed to the program’s creation. We worked on it together.”
In March, Aoki announced her decision to continue competing, even as she has long expressed her aspiration to become a choreographer. In recent years, she worked closely with Misha Ge on her programs, speaking highly of their collaboration:
“Misha and I had great synergy. While working together, we found ourselves instinctively connecting to the same musical accents. But because it was so comfortable, it felt like I was relying on that familiarity too much. This time, I wanted to challenge myself to learn a different approach, so I decided to work with someone new.”
Last season, Aoki stood on the podium at the NHK Trophy, marking a personal highlight in her career. Reflecting on her priorities, she said:
“As a competitor, I was satisfied with the results I achieved at last year’s NHK Trophy. Now, rather than chasing results, I really want to create meaningful programs and deliver them to the audience.”
For her short program, she plans to continue using “Adios Nonino” from last season. However, her off-season training faced delays due to health issues in April and a sprained right foot. Coach Kensuke Nakaniwa encouraged her to stay on the ice, telling her, “I want to see you skate for a little longer.” His words gave her the push she needed to continue.
“By continuing to skate, I hope it will positively impact my future. Because I chose to continue, I know I cannot stay the same as last year. I want to grow in areas where I can grow and make this a year that truly contributes to my future.”
Related topics: Yuna Aoki
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