20 of the Best Skating Programs from the Fall of 2016

12. Aliona Savchenko & Bruno Massot (GER): Short Program

Back when they were the top pair in the world most of the time, Aliona Sacvhenko & Robin Szolkowy would have not only technically superior skating, but often artistically superior programs. Szolkowy retired before vocals came into use, but they no doubt would’ve used them a lot if they could. It’s good to see her & Bruno Massot do the same in their own career together, even though they no longer have Ingo Steuer to create their programs for them. John Kerr and Silvia Fontana made them two such programs. They make them into works of art.

But while their poetic free program is much like the ones her partner used to skate to all the time, with their short programs Aliona Savchenko & Robin Szolkowy were, and now she & Bruno Massot are, a bit more fun. Caro Emerald’s “That Man” found plenty of use by ice dance teams in the 2014 Olympic season when it suited the designated rhythms. But this program is as bouncy as any of them, and more so than many. It allows the theme to show a different side of themselves, and to prove that they’re as versatile as she and her previous partner were.

Our final year with Aliona Savchenko (probably!) is coming up. It’s good to see she’s going out with a bang, and some smarts about varying her types of performances.