Daisuke Takahashi

KiraraChin said:

Just wanted to share here something I said on Twitter. For me, Kassouya is undoubtably making figure skating feel great again.

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rabidline said:

It's not about camerawork and more about the licensing rights. If they "sell" their video rights to the TV stations, the fans won't be allowed to take videos and photos. And honestly with the cast being mostly skaters with no international titles, the broadcast by the TV station will likely be limited/region-blocked and also paid.

The purpose of this show is to introduce ice shows as entertainment options to people who have never watched ice shows before especially in Fukuoka, and seeing how it's full every single show (3 shows a day), the fan videos and photos did their work in spreading the word about this ice show. But this isn't something that can be done with just one set of shows, I hope they made back enough to continue this series. It's a great platform for Japanese skaters who we don't usually see in ice shows to express themselves together like this.

In my observation, there are many people in Japan who don't watch TV every day but are active in social media, so allowing fancams and photos is a good trial run to attract new and local audience who can immediately purchase tickets (and additional tickets) when their interest is piqued.

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• The cast's “battle cry” before the show led by captain Daisuke – it seems like this was their ritual :
  
  https://www.instagram.com/stories/d1sk_t/3303007873583221118/
  
  I am amazed at how strong of a leader Dai-chan has become. It’s obvious how passionate each and every cast member was about Kassouya and I think that Dai’s strong leadership had a lot to do with it.
  
  
  
  
• Dai’s furious “Flame to the moth” step sequence :
  
  
  https://twitter.com/puripuripuri32/status/1757048396161097818
  
  
  
  
• A beautiful shot of “Do it”:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A fan compiled all of the music used in the show in this playlist:
  
  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJn8L1MJ77pl_L-JuvP8TLPxBZ2RGjx2y

kwanette said:

https://nonno.hpplus.jp/article/121396/05/ What a great read about Kazuki's experiences w Daisuke's Ice Show..

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KiraraChin said:

Bringing this here too, absolutely fascinating read about the inner works of Kassouya and how much Daisuke inspired everyone.

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If you ask me why Kassouya has become a new form of entertainment, I think it's because Daisuke Takahashi was the one who made it possible.

I think that since figure skating is a competition, it's an excuse to neglect that part of the sport to say "I want to improve my expression". In order to gain the magic of performance, you also need to be strong as a competitor, and I think figure skating is what it is because of the charm of both. And Daisuke Takahashi is an athlete who has perfected these two and risen to the top. That's why Dai-chan is a god for all the boys, and I think this show, where he gave us direct guidance, was irreplaceable for all of us.

Even though he was supposed to be busy, he always came along to practice when we asked him to, and even when he gave us attention in a critical situation, he was never emotional, but always calm. I am most attracted to that kind of personality and human power.

And thankfully, this time I had some choreography with Dai-chan. I may be very cocky, but even though I had a lot of admiration for him, I felt that if I was going to appear, I shouldn't let that be the end of it and that there was no point in being invited unless I felt like I was going to eclipse Daisuke Takahashi. But when I tried it, I could really feel the difference in class.

Dai-chan, Kana-chan, Kanako-chan, and I were often featured together, but there were many parts where I thought I couldn't compete with those three. The way they use pauses, the beauty of their poses, the way they show off themselves. I felt that I still lack experience as a skater and as a show skater. But I also felt that I didn't want to lose, which is really cheeky. So I strongly decided that if there is a next time, I want to make up the difference and come back as a more matured skater.

Dai-chan has invited me to ice shows such as Ice Explosion in the past, but this time we had a lot of communication and had a great time together.

It would be cheeky to say that we became good friends, but I feel like we became friends.

In fact, at the end of the show, there were words like "We're a family! We're a family!” I became a family with Dai-chan, who I adore (laughs). When we parted, he said, "Don't be cold to me the next time we meet" (laughing). No, no, I feel like I can be friends with you as much as I want. I love that kind of openness. I want to be a skater like Dai-chan, who combines skill, passion and people skills.

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• Kosho: https://twitter.com/KoshoOshima/status/1757384008361754865
  
  Ten dreamy days.
  Laughing a lot, crying a lot
  Hard rehearsals every day
  The first performance that almost crushed me with anxiety
  No matter what time of day, the back of my idol was there
  Always guiding me
  I wish this time could last forever
  The best ice show with the best friends
  That's who we are
  Kassouya
  
  
  
• Sota: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3cSzXrvrdz/?img_index=1
  
  
• Yuto: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3RzL_ypYRd/?hl=de&img_index=1
  
  
• Yuna (swipe to 2nd photo): https://www.instagram.com/p/C3U8mDZJLNA/?hl=de&img_index=2
  
  We have been working hard for about 10 days since rehearsals began.
  When I first saw the choreography video, I honestly wondered if we could really do it.
  But thanks to the hard work of all of us, we were able to finish the 9 performances without a hitch.
  From the choreography on land to on-ice practice, the lines of movement, lighting, etc., it was a rehearsal like a stage rehearsal, which I had never experienced before.
  It was many times harder than I imagined, but I learnt a lot from it,
  And I think we made something wonderful.
  From rehearsal to the very end of the performance, many things happened,
  There were times when I cried, but now I am filled with a sense of accomplishment because we were able to finish the race.
  The only regret I have is that I wish we could have done it all together!
  I don't know what the future holds yet, I hope that one day we will be able to get together again.
  I hope that through Kassouya, not only me but many other skaters have been stimulated, learnt and grown in a way that we haven't seen before.
  I am so grateful to Daisuke-san for casting me in such a wonderful show.
  Everyone in the cast, Yuma-san and Haruna-san, staff, and everyone who came to the venue, thank you so much.
  
  The best skating shop ever
  
  Sorry for the length of this .
  
  I'm going to be on a Kassouya loss for a while,
  
  I'll do my best in the next Challenge Cup.
  
  
  
• Maria (swipe to 8th photo): https://www.instagram.com/p/C3SOg9tJy2z/?img_index=8
  
  Kassouya in Fukuoka
  I spent 10 days, including practice, with Daisuke and other great members in a very intense time!
  Being a part of the Kassouya team and being involved in such a great production was the best thing that could have happened to me .
  Thank you very much .
  
  
  
• Kazuki Kushida: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3R1pNCphUp/?hl=de&img_index=1
  
  
  
• Shunya (swipe to 2nd photo): https://www.instagram.com/p/C3R3vGupEvv/?igsh=cm10dWtzejZrcnB6&img_index=2
  
  Thank you to all those who came to see and support Kassouya.
  And most of all, thank you Daisuke for choosing me.
  It was a very hard schedule for about 10 days from the rehearsal that started in Funabashi, but thanks to all the members and staff, we were able to get through it.
  I was very happy to be able to perform in such a wonderful show as a member of Kassouya!
  I will do my best to use what I gained from this show for the rest of my skating life‼︎
  Thank you for your continued support!

• Opening sequence / part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ22pcmFEGQ
• Opening sequence / part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx-mK012y1s
• Kana’s “Figure 8” solo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_6tnhEx6is
• “Into the Labyrinth”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRxnopXkYfA

What does a professional figure skater do?

Do you know what it is like to be a figure skater? You may have seen them on TV performing on the skating rink, but in fact, they do many things behind the scenes. What exactly do they do? We asked Daisuke Takahashi, a native of Kurashiki City and bronze medallist at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, about the secrets of his work.

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synesthesia said:

I've been bedridden with a nasty flu since Monday (which is finally subsiding), so sorry for only saying this now: Thank you for posting Kazuki’s nonno article – that was such a great read!

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synesthesia said:

Another magazine cover appearance for Dai! This time he will grace the cover of “Goethe's” (a lifestyle magazine for men) April issue :

https://twitter.com/GOETHE_magazine/status/1759417432366858352

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• summary of Dai's athletic career and achievements
• how stepping back/taking a break from competition can give you a fresh perspective
• his attitude towards "failures/setbacks"
• why he came back to competition
• about taking on new challenges to avoid boredom

• the pros and cons of having a strong support team
• dealing with/trying to accept nerves/nervousness
• the importance of preparation/cons of set routines
• his attitude towards being overtaken by younger skaters
• about wanting to give memorable performances

• the intention behind creating "Kassouya"
• challenges he encountered during the production process
• the importance of straightforward/honest communication
• what he wants to bring to the new Hyoen installment

• saving rinks and setting up charity shows
• generating interest in/conveying the appeal of skating (with the help of social media)
• the effects of the current scoring system on figure skating and on spectator interest in the sport
• comparison of spectator interest in ballet and figure skating depending on the focus on technique versus expression
• expanding job opportunities for professional skaters/skaters without international achievements
• about Dai's dream to create a company for pro skaters / comparison with PIW and Mao's touring company

• Dai's lifestyle as a professional skater
• training regimen
• interests besides skating
• "getting to know himself" by being single

Daisuke Takahashi: How did the man known as the glass heart become a legend of the Japanese figure skating world?

Figure skater Daisuke Takahashi, who has carried high expectations since he was a teenager and has long competed against the world as Japan's top figure skater, will be the subject of a five-part short series that looks at the "now" of Takahashi, who has continued to work energetically and deepened his skills since his retirement from the sport in May 2023. The installment, "Now is the time to talk about it", will be published in five parts. In the first article, we talk about his "two retirements", which he can only talk about now.


Daisuke Takahashi

Born 1986 in Okayama Prefecture, Japan, Daisuke Takahashi won the World Junior Championships in 2002, the bronze medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, the World Championships, the Grand Prix Final in 2012 (all first for a Japanese male), and represented Japan at three consecutive Olympics in Torino (2006), Vancouver (2010) and Sochi (2014). He competed in two World Championships in ice dance, retiring in 2023. He is currently performing as a professional skater and trying his hand at various other things, such as producing ice shows, renovating flats and developing bedding.



Never had any setbacks.

Figure skater Daisuke Takahashi has won numerous 'first Japanese' titles and captivated the world as a pioneer of the current Japanese men's singles heyday. In figure skating, there is a system whereby a skater can return to active competition up to one time after retirement. Takahashi experienced his first retirement at the age of 28 and returned to active competition at 32. Then, in May 2023, at the age of 37, he said goodbye to the sport.

'When I retired the first time, I retired without any goals. So I felt like I was stuck there for a long time and I couldn't move, I couldn't head anywhere. I didn't even know what retirement was like, so there was simply a sense of fear.

[This time, because] I had already retired once, I knew that I could take a break if I got tired and that things would move on even if I retired [again].

I think it's good to take a break once you've pushed yourself too hard and fallen apart. By looking at it from the outside, you can see once again whether you really want to continue or not.

Takahashi speaks lightly, but his athletic career has been a rollercoaster ride.

As a world junior champion, there were high hopes for his senior career, but he was a sensitive teenager with a 'glass heart' that sometimes prevented him from showing his ability on the big stage.

With overseas coaches, he was able to aim for the top in the world, but suffered a serious injury (damage to the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his right knee) that shook his athletic career, which he overcame to become the first Japanese male to win a bronze medal at the Vancouver Olympics. Until the following Olympics in Sochi, he struggled with problems in his right knee, for which he had surgery, and retired for the first time in his 20s.

In his 30s, he announced his return to active competition at the age of 32, finishing second at the All-Japan Championships, and the following year, he surprised the world by switching to ice dance, and even made it to the World Championships as an ice dancer. His athletic career, which I have only summarised, must have been filled with as much pain and frustration as it was joyful. When asked about this, Takahashi thought for a moment before replying: “I've never felt a setback. I feel like it can't be helped. If I can't do it, that's my ability and it's my fault. The first time I worked as a reporter on TV after I retired, I was so nervous and my hands were so sweaty that I thought, 'I'm not cut out for this', but I didn't think it was a setback, but rather a lack of ability.

I also think I've always been blessed/lucky, and that's probably a big part of it. But in the future, as I take on new challenges in a new world, I may feel some setbacks.” (laughs)

Takahashi does not regard the setbacks that athletes must experience at least once as setbacks. He laughs, "I don't think of myself as an athlete", but once he leaves the rink, he doesn't feel any of the harshness he has experienced on the ice, which is one of Takahashi's human qualities.

His coach Utako Nagamitsu, who has been working with him for many years, also says: "He is very gentle/kind. When I crossed the pedestrian crossing at a competition in Croatia, Daisuke was not there. I turned around and saw him walking with a local grandfather and grandmother. I once wondered if such a gentle boy could compete in the world". Even after becoming a world champion, his honesty and humility have remained unchanged.



Can you resist curiosity or not?

Such is the case with Takahashi, but his return to active competition at the age of 32 and his switch to ice dancing must have been a big challenge. According to Norio Watanabe, Takahashi's trainer, "the hiatus/break had deteriorated his body functions, and the old injury on his right knee was distorted and [the knee] would not straighten". But what was the reason he decided to take up the challenge?

“Curiosity, I guess. The challenge is whether you can or cannot resist curiosity. When I returned to active skating, it was because I thought I needed to get my skating back in order to live as a performer in the future, and I guess I couldn't resist the challenge (of curiosity) of ice dancing (laughs)."

Immediately after deciding to return to active duty at the age of 32, Takahashi had also stated that "if I decide to try it, I'll do it immediately". There must be many people who want to try a new challenge but cannot do so immediately. However, Takahashi easily leaps over this obstacle.

He says: "It's like, 'Maybe I should give it a try ' (laughs). If I tried it and it didn't work out, I was fine with it. I get bored easily. I can't do the same thing for a long time, so I need something different. Everything new is fresh. I love new things."

Challenge is curiosity. Even as he gets older, it is fascinating to enjoy life with a sense of curiosity. This stance was also very much evident in the ice show "Kassouya", produced by Takahashi, which just closed on 12 February 2024.

In this short series, we will introduce what has made Daisuke Takahashi what he is today, what he aims to achieve in the future and his approach to his work.

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Daisuke Takahashi: "I didn't want the younger skaters to catch up" - extreme nervousness, the rise of Hanyu and Uno, and arriving at skating that captivates.


Everyone has experienced "nervousness" at least once in his or her life. Daisuke Takahashi, who has experienced the world's biggest stages, gave his answer: "I accept myself being nervous". In the second article of a series of interviews with figure skater Daisuke Takahashi, he talks about what he felt during his working life, such as nerves, the growth of young skaters and the axis of his performance.



Nervousness is something I can never escape from.

Many of you may have seen Daisuke Takahashi on TV, who was extremely nervous, often looking pale just before a competition, or his hands shaking in the first pose. “I was a bit of a mess!", he laughs. But even so, he has achieved brilliant results on the world stage.

“'I don't think of myself as 'having achieved results'. ...... I've not been able to give such a good performance every time. Sometimes I gave a shitty performance, and you never know what's going to happen in a competition. I think the fact that I became the first Japanese (bronze medallist at the Vancouver Olympics) is also because I had luck on my side."

Takahashi continues, "It was great that I always had reassuring allies by my side.”

“In my case, the environment around me was good. Good people supported me. I think I was able to concentrate on the competition without thinking about anything else because I was given a system that allowed me to focus on one thing at a time. There are times when that gets in the way, though. That's where I got complacent/spoilt (laughs). If there had been no one to support me, I would have had to do it on my own, so in a way I could have been stronger than I am now."

Takahashi says so humbly, but he still had to stand alone on the ice on the world's biggest stage. Was there Takahashi's mental control technique that allowed him to use his nervousness as a springboard to give his best performance?

I don't have any (laughs). I'll never be able to find a way to deal with it. I try to do something about it every time, but I always get nervous. So now I don't resist and just say, ``I'm nervous.'' Then, when it's over, I think to myself, ``I was so nervous that I couldn't move'' (lol). My physical condition, situation, and environment are completely different depending on the time, so I can't deal with it and I can't get over it. I think I have no choice but to accept it.”



Yuzuru Hanyu is amazing at deciding exactly what he's going to do in the competition.

Still, there may be moments when a switch is turned on for the actual performance. When I asked him further, Takahashi said, ``That hasn't been decided either.''

``No two moments are exactly the same.It's all different.When you set a routine, you get anxious when you can't do it. From an outsider's perspective, it seems like it is, but for me personally, I think of it as a routine. (laughs) I get anxious easily and have a tendency to worry. I tend to do the same things even though I get bored easily. But I knew that if I decided to make it a ritual, I would be ruined when the routine was broken, so I tried not to be conscious of it.

So the timing when I switch on is completely different depending on the environment and my physical condition. When I'm feeling uplifted but my body is tired, if I move too much before the show, it will affect my performance. But if I don't move, I'm anxious, so I fine-tune it. You don't get better at it as you get older, it's just a matter of experience. It's more like a feel for the game. In that sense, Yuzu (Yuzuru Hanyu) is amazing. Even if he couldn't compete at all due to injury, when he did compete, he always managed to fit in. That strength is amazing. I could never do that. He was definitely going to be a champion. That's how amazing he is."

Figure skating is a one-shot competition where everything is decided in one performance. The mental state of the skater during the performance has a considerable impact on their technique. Is there a difference between when the first failure is a setback and when he is able to recover from it?

"When you can't recover from your first failure, it's because you haven't prepared properly in practice. You can't blow the failure out of the water because you’re still insecure. You think you have to show better somewhere, you have to make up for it. At the Vancouver Olympics (where he fell on the quad but won the bronze medal), I thought it would be a miracle if I succeeded on the quad. But even if I fell on that quad, I had practised to make all the other jumps. So it was just as I had practised.

In order to win, to get a medal, I would try the big quad, but even if I failed, I prepared with the mindset of 'I'll make all the rest', so I was able to switch my mindset. That's the difference. When you've done all you can and you're ready, there's a weird resignation switch somewhere. Instead of thinking 'what am I going to do' when I fail, I feel like ``If I jump, all I have to do is get back down or fall.'' (laughs) There are athletes with a strong mentality who don't care about such things at all, but I was weak, so it affected my morale."



Fans’ reactions are the catalyst for “captivating performance”

During Takahashi's active years, the rise of young players was remarkable, including Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno. How did you actually view their growth?

“I didn't like it when they caught up with me (laughs). I didn't want to lose. But this time would come, and if I lost, it was because of my own ability. If your strength is superior, you won't lose, and if you do your best and still lose, then it's inevitable.”

The words "it's inevitable" are not words of resignation. Even if younger skaters who jump higher difficulty jumps come out and overtake him in technical points, Takahashi has a weapon that he will never lose, something that is the axis of his skating. That is a performance that captivates the audience. But he didn't have that weapon from the beginning.

“In the past, I wanted to give a performance that people would say was the most memorable, even if I didn't win the competition. To give the best performance I have. Simply that's all, with a rather self-centred performance. I also wanted to give a performance that the audience could really get into, but that was secondary.”

Takahashi says that it was the fans that made him think about giving performances that captivate the audience first and foremost.

He says that the reason he began to think about "attracting the audience" was because of the applause and cheers from the audience. “Looking at old videos, I wasn't originally the type to dance very much. But as I had more opportunities to perform in ice shows, I felt a connection and reaction from the audience without realising it. As I started to see how the audience reacted when I showed them this, I became more and more motivated to show them my work. So, in a way, I can say that the audience made me the person I am today, who places importance on performance. If I try something and don't get a reaction, I'll say, ”This isn't right, I'd rather not do it” (laughs).

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Daisuke Takahashi: “Normal' is scary”. The surprising work skills he developed as a producer for the first time in his life.

Figure skater Daisuke Takahashi has launched a new ice show called 'Kassouya', after retiring in May 2023. How should ice shows evolve as entertainment, and how does he interact with the staff in the field as the person in charge of the organisation? We take a closer look at Takahashi as a "workman".



The first "Kassouya" he comprehensively produced himself

In 2024, Daisuke Takahashi has two big ice shows lined up: the new ice show "Kassouya" (Fukuoka), which is due to open two weeks after this interview in January, and "Hyoen 2024" (Yokohama), which will take place in June.

“I wanted to bring freshness to the show in terms of how to utilise choreography that doesn't look like skating choreography. Furthermore, this time there will be skaters who have never performed at an ice show before, so I couldn't really predict how it would turn out.” (laughs) “Anyway, I want to create an atmosphere that you don't often see at ordinary ice shows, and that's what I'm putting the most effort into."

The new challenges of "Kassouya" do not stop at the choreography. Takahashi personally visited local competitions to scout for performers who show attractive skating skills, regardless of their results. The ticket prices and staging methods were also different from those of conventional ice shows, in an attempt to expand the fan base.

“Ice shows tend to be expensive because they have to put up ice at the venue and invite famous skaters. But we have tried to keep the price as low as possible. Kyushu, where the event is held, is not a place where there are many skating competitions or shows, so there are many people who have never seen skating live. We thought that a two-hour performance might be too long for people who are not used to it, and that they might enjoy it more casually if it lasted for an hour and 15 minutes, so we shortened the time and increased the number of performances.

Entertainment is changing rapidly, and figure skating ice shows have to change too. I myself like to go to see various performances, but I sometimes think that unless each one evolves with its own characteristics, rather than having similar ones, the audience will drift away. To be honest, it's so hard that I think “it’s a mess” because there's not enough time (laughs), but I've already started running, so I have no choice but to take on the challenge.

As a producer, he was also faced with his first tasks, such as producing the logo, pamphlets and merchandise for the show, coordinating the schedules of the performers, and discussing costumes and lighting. However, he says he realised many things while working closely with people outside the skating industry.

He says: "I realised that what we take for granted is not always the norm, and vice versa. I felt that the norm is scary. If you stay in the same world for a long time, you start to narrow your perspective. When you meet people from different worlds, you realise things like 'this is not the normal way of feeling', which is refreshing. We also discover that people find what we normally do 'interesting', which sometimes leads to the next idea."

Takahashi is moving forward with the “Kassouya” project while gaining new insights. As a producer, is there anything you pay attention to in order to keep things running smoothly?

"It's not going smoothly (lol). I'm the type of person who can't do my job because I'm extremely slow at getting back to people. However, I've started doing my best to reply back. But it's still slow (lol). Even though I thought, ``No, I don't want to call back'', it's getting better, but there's still a long way to go.

Also, I'm conscious of communicating clearly and not trying to get people to understand / guess my ideas. If you don't like it, you have to tell them you don't like it. The next day's action will be different depending on whether I say, 'I wonder what you think about this' or 'I don't like this'. I don't care if they don't like to hear it, I try to say it clearly."




The basis of communication is 'exposing yourself'.

Everyone, who has been involved with Takahashi says that "Dai-chan is kind" and "I want to do my best for Daisuke". Although Takahashi himself seems to be unaware of it, he is a magnet not only for spectators but also for the people around him, and says he is conscious of "exposing himself" when dealing with others.

He says he is conscious of "exposing himself" when interacting with people. "I guess it's about being natural. Even if I hide it, it will come out anyway and the lies will be exposed (laughs). In the past, I used to try to make myself look good, but I'm not cut out for it. I can't do it well. Also, when I think I can spoil this person, I spoil him a lot (laughs). But there are people who don't like to be pampered, so I observe them and watch their reactions, and am careful how I treat them."

So what about when you meet someone you don't feel is a good match?

"I try to focus on the positive aspects of the person and say, 'I don't like them at the moment, I get annoyed at them, but they have their good points too”. Or rather, the basics, I don't [automatically] think I'll get along well with other people (lol). I don't have high expectations. I feel like if we get along, all is well.”

“Kassouya” closed on 12 February with great success. Next up is the latest in the “Hyoen” series, a new type of ice show that showcases the unique performance and emotional expression of figure skating on ice, which he has been chairing since 2017.

"It's been a long time since I've performed in a play, so I feel like I'm back to being a beginner, but I also want to show Amon-san how I've grown over the past five years. I don't want him to think, “What a guy, he hasn't grown at all” (laughs). And this time (folk duo) Yuzu will be joining us. I still can't imagine skating with Yuzu, but I'm really looking forward to the day when I get to know the world view that Amon-san has already created."

In the previous production of 'Hyoen', Takahashi not only performed and skated, but also sang beautifully. In the past, the show has had a strong Japanese taste, such as in the collaboration with Kabuki (2017's 'Hyoen - Basara') and 'The Tale of Genji' ('Hyoen – Like the moonlight'), but this time, they will be performing a contemporary adaptation of Kenji Miyazawa's 'Night on the Galactic Railroad'. Expectations are high for the world of galaxies spreading out on the ice.

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Daisuke Takahashi's dream of establishing a company. In an era when skaters can make a career out of figure skating, even if they don't win any world medals.


Figure skater Daisuke Takahashi is gradually making moves to bring the appeal of figure skating to more and more people, and to help skaters who have difficulty reaching the top as competitors but want to become professionals. In the fourth article of the interview series, Takahashi discusses his entertainment concept based on ice shows.



Current skating competitions "seem to be doing the same thing".

Daisuke Takahashi has been doing everything he can to be a "skater himself" in all aspects of his career. When rinks in Kurashiki and Osaka were threatened with closure, he helped by signing petitions. When the Great East Japan Earthquake struck, he was quick to act, even before the World Championships, and set up a charity performance in the hope of reconstruction. This was not just a duty as a top skater, but something he did as the human being, Daisuke Takahashi. And now, after two retirements, he is once again working to expand the possibilities of figure skating.

“Figure skating is no different. Basically, in sports, if you don't win competitions, you don't get media coverage. But now I feel that we are in a transitional period where the source of information is changing from TV and newspapers to social networking sites. In that light, I think it's necessary to increase the number of people who think skating itself is interesting rather than fans of particular skaters, like I'm trying to do now with Kassouya (an ice show produced by Takahashi himself, to be held in Fukuoka in February 2024)."

Generally, figure skating is seen on television. However, it is difficult to understand the scoring of competitions, as even performances that leave a strong impression on viewers on TV may not be scored well. For the athletes, the current rules often force them to sacrifice originality in order to gain points, resulting in a performance structure that is more technical.

“I feel that the current rules are too detailed: 'You have to do this move to get points' or 'You have to do this move after doing this move to get points', and from the outside it often feels like 'everyone is doing the same thing'.”

“I understand that you have to score each move in detail. But since there are two programmes, I personally think that it would be better if the short programme was graded more precisely on technique, and the free program was given more freedom to express originality. I think sports that are judged by people are interesting because both the performer and the judge are different."



The prices and formats of ice shows are changing rapidly.

Of course, some of the world's top athletes, like Takahashi, combine both technique and artistry. Current active athletes such as Shoma Uno and Yuma Kagiyama are examples. However, when it comes to competition, it is undeniable that they inevitably concentrate on high difficulty jumps and technical aspects that can earn them points. Whenever he thinks about this, Takahashi says there is a story he remembers.

“I heard that in the past, when ballet also focused on 'technique', the fans fell away, but when they started focusing on 'expression' again, the fans came back. When you look at figure skating as entertainment, skaters lose the ability to jump as they get older, but their skating and expressive skills improve as they work harder and harder. As a result, if you want to skate professionally for a long time and be a skater who will be watched for a long time, you need to have a solid foundation in order to be on the stage for a long time. In that sense, it is important to aim for the top of the active ranks, but on the other hand, I think it would be good to have a place to educate skaters who want to become professionals."

Currently, figure skaters need a world medal in order to become a professional and earn their living solely from ice shows. There is Japan's only ice show team, Prince Ice World, but even there, the number of members cannot be increased indefinitely. Takahashi wants to expand the possibilities for skaters who are not good at jumping but love expressing music, and who want to become professionals and skate in an attractive way, to make skating their career. Takahashi's desire led to the idea of “Kassouya” and his dream of establishing a company.

“Currently, Mao (Asada) is also running her own ice shows, and Mao's rink will be built in the near future. In the future, Mao's company will be based there, and mine will be in another place. If people have the option to say 'I want to join this company', they can aim to skate longer. As a first step, I think we have to change the ticket prices and the format of ice shows.”

Not content to rely on the popularity of skaters, Takahashi is determined to increase the number of fans through the appeal of skating: from 10 to 12 February 2024, many locals who were interested in skating after seeing the response on TV, advertising and social networking sites came to see the 'Kassouya' event in Fukuoka, and thoroughly enjoyed the appeal of powerful skating. Takahashi's vision seems to be on track and the first steps have been taken.

“The establishment of the Company is still at the stage where I hope we can do it. I'm thinking that if I just say it out loud, maybe some people will agree with me (laughs). First of all, we have to say it out loud. Even if there is something you want to do, it is absolutely impossible without funding.

And to be recognised, you also need a track record. Right now it's not a 'definite' thing, it's more like 'I hope I can do it', but it would be great if we can make that happen as we go along. However, it's not good to get too caught up in it, so I'm hoping that after taking various detours and doing various things, the establishment of the company will come true.”

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I used to be a romantic, but now...! A closer look at the private life of 38-year-old Daisuke Takahashi

Figure skater Daisuke Takahashi will celebrate his 38th birthday on 16 March 2024, after a very successful “Kassouya”, in which he played the major role of producer. In the final article of the series, we look at Takahashi's personal life and views on life, including his love life.



I want to eliminate stress thoroughly.

As the priority in ice practice at skating rinks is given to active skaters competing in competitions, professional skaters' practice times are often late at night or in the morning. Daisuke Takahashi is no exception, and says that his lifestyle and physical structure have changed dramatically since his days as an active skater, with an irregular lifestyle and training required to practice on the ice.

“First of all, I take very good care of my skin. It has to look clean (laughs). I used to eat as much as I wanted, but now I control my diet. I eat well when an ice show is coming up or when I'm working on my muscles, but when I don't have much time for physical activity, I eat one meal a day. I do this because it suits my body. I want to eliminate stress thoroughly. I love fried food and alcohol, and I don't want to hold back. So I eat a lot at that one time!

As for bodybuilding, I don't get as much time to practise on the ice as I did when I was active, so I've been increasing my strength training. I have a personal trainer and do it two to three times a week. He comes up with training menus that match the performance I'm looking for, so I leave it all up to him. I also want to go and learn how to dance, which I haven't been able to do at all because I've been so busy."

Takahashi is currently showing his sense of style in a number of fields, including producing ice shows, renovating flats and developing bedding. How does he find inspiration in his busy life?

“I often go to see plays, simply because I like them. Nowadays, there are all kinds of new things happening, not just on the stage. When I see great people doing such things, I lose my motivation (laughs). I think, 'I can't do it, I can't go this far'. So, I watch a lot of things, but I try to enjoy watching them rather than studying them. But I'm still a bit unsure about museums and art. ...... It's like a new world."

Takahashi has recently been photographed for a number of fashion magazines. He is interested in fashion in general and is known as a fashion freak in the skating world, but he has his own criteria for choosing clothes, which is typical of figure skaters.

He says: "I only wear clothes that make me look good. I don't have a very smart body type, I don't have long arms and legs and I'm short. So I choose clothes that look good rather than clothes I like. I also look at women's clothes and check high-brand collections online. I often get ideas for skating outfits from collections. I don't know if that helps me develop my sense of style or not (laughs).

Now it's time to focus on himself​

Although Takahashi is still busy after his stoic active career, in his private life he sometimes visits zoos and pet shops to see animals and tours furniture stores. He says that his greatest source of comfort is the plants in his room.

“Recently, I started buying flowers. The colours of the vases in my room are a little off-putting, so I buy flowers in red and other flashy colours and arrange them in them. When I was working, I had to go on expeditions, so it was difficult to have plants in my room, but now I have a huge amount of greenery. Even when it's cold outside, I shiver and ventilate for about two hours. It's lovely when new leaves and stems grow. It's a bit moving to see that they are alive. My babies heal me every day (laughs)."

When the words "my babies" were mentioned, I was curious about Takahashi's love life: at 38 years old, he must have had many opportunities to be asked about it, but what is the actual state of his love life?

“These days, I don't have a ...... relationship at all (laughs). I'm quite a romantic person, and when I find someone I like, I prioritize that person above all else. I even take time off to accommodate them. But the longer I was away, the more I realised that until now I had been focusing too much on the other person and not looking at myself properly. I had to match my partner's tastes in everything, even in the way I dressed, and to be honest, I didn't really know myself. Now I can finally focus on myself and gradually realise what I really like and what I want to do. If that happens, I won't be able to date anyone anymore. What should I do if things continue like this? (LOL)”

Although he feels lonely when he’s alone, he is now able to simply see what he wants to do and what he doesn't want to do. That must be the Takahashi of today. His answer to our last question about his goals in life was also typical of his natural state.

He answered, "Nothing good, nothing bad. If I can eat a good meal, that's good enough for me. However, in order to eat a good meal every day, you have to earn a certain amount of money, you have to feel fulfilled and you have to have friends. In that sense, I want to eat delicious food until I die."




The April 2024 issue of GOETHE, featuring Daisuke Takahashi on the cover and an 8-page feature with new photos, is on sale now!



Hyoen 2024 - Kiss of the Crossed stars
Date: 8 (Sat), 9 (Sun), 10 (Mon), 11 (Tue) June 2024
Venue: Yokohama Arena
Starring Daisuke Takahashi and directed by Amon Miyamoto, the show will team up with Yuzu as special guest artists to create a modern version of Night on the Galactic Railroad” on ice with a splendid cast. For more information on the performance, visit the official website.

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synesthesia said:

A cool photo of Saki Miyake and Moa Iwano (I’ve truly missed her and I’m wondering what she is doing these days – we haven’t really heard much from her since she announced her intention to switch to ice dance – I think, I read that she had returned to Korea for a while after spending time in Italy, but I have no clue what her current status re. skating is. Does anyone here know?)

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Another three weeks since completing Kassouya...
One month if you include rehearsals.

During Kassouya there were a lot of emotions I was unable to digest properly.

I was watching the documentary that was released yesterday, and flashed back to my memories.I am finally able to verbalise my thoughts and feelings, so I would like to write them down!

First of all, I was away from the rink for three and a half years.
Daisuke-san gave me a chance to be on the ice once again.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much.

I haven't even been in a competition for a long time, so to be honest I thought, "Will I be able to make it all the way to the end? Will I be able to fit in without causing trouble for everyone?" I was so anxious.

I was getting more and more anxious. When the rehearsals came around, it was all new to me. It was really difficult to learn how to listen, how to behave in a group, and how to learn the choreography. It was really difficult just to learn the choreography, but the most difficult thing was to understand the important lines of movement.

We taught each other what we didn't understand and communicated with our colleagues around us. I felt a sense that we were all evolving together, not just one by one, and that we were becoming one big energy. And every performance, that energy became denser and denser.I remember that feeling of being condensed and becoming one.I still remember that feeling as if it still haunts me.

Even now, three weeks later, I can still vividly remember the casual conversations we had with everyone, the expressions on our faces, the space and the time we spent together.

It was an unforgettable experience that I will never forget.

I was able to realise once again how much I love skating through Kassouya, and that is the most important thing.

And above all, I was happy from the bottom of my heart to be reunited with my precious "friends".

It's been a long time, I would like to continue to stand on the ice as long as I can!

Thank you for reading to the end.

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Kassouya documentary. I was shaken by the overwhelming density. This is not just a behind-the-scenes look at an ice show. It is a precious record of the young people's growth and joyful moments after their sweat and tears. Please don't let this end with the delivery alone. I sincerely hope that it will be made into a disc. And I eagerly await the return of the show with the full cast.

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Three days ago, the skaters auditioned to try their hand at singing and dialogue. The script is still being changed and additional performers are being cast, so please look forward to it.

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• Bachelorette (GPF 2007 exhibition at the Palavela in Turin)
  
  
• Eye (GPF 2009 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo – considering that this was before Dai won his Olympic medal and world title, I was once again amazed at how big and passionate the audience was here)
  
  
• Luv letter (GPF 2009 exhibition at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo)
  
  
• The Crisis (WTT 2012 exhibition at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo / Kenji’s top pick)

On Thursdays, we wanted to appoint someone who would fit in well with the current regular, Wakako Shimazaki, and who has a different perspective to the regulars so far. Not only the atmosphere we felt when he appeared on the show, but also Mr. Takahashi, who appeared on “Sanma Goten!!'' (Nippon Television), was so interesting that we wanted him to join us on Thursdays.

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高橋大輔さん　スカイツリー前のリンクで特別ナンバー“初披露”　「青空の下で気持ちよく滑らせていただきました」/デイリースポーツ online

フィギュアスケートの元世界王者で、昨季限りで引退した高橋大輔さん（３７）が２日、東京スカイツリータウンでスペシャルスケーティングとトークショーを行った。　スカイツリーの目の前にある屋外リンクに黒色の衣装で登場すると、イサク・ダニエルソンの「...

www.daily.co.jp

Daisuke Takahashi performs his special number for the first time at the rink in front of Sky Tree: "It felt good to skate under the blue sky."
　
　Former world figure skating champion Daisuke Takahashi (37), who retired at the end of last season, held a special skating and talkshow at Tokyo Skytree Town on 2 March.

　He appeared in a black costume on the outdoor rink in front of the Skytree, and danced softly to Isak Danielsson's 'If You Ever Forget That You Love Me'. The audience applauded his spectacular spins and emotional performance. He smiled: "I don't get to skate under blue skies very often, so it was really nice to skate under the blue skies, and I ended up looking up at the Sky Tree, which was a very rare experience for me."

　As for the reason for choosing the song, he said it was because he wanted to perform it for the first time: "It's a number I made for the Corona Disaster and only for distribution, but I've never performed it outside of that, so I wanted to perform it here if I had the chance. He said he had visited the aquarium near the venue about three or four months ago, and "I really like the aquarium. It was wonderful."

　Since retiring from active duty last season, he has been living a fulfilling life, saying, ``I've been asked to do a lot of things that I couldn't do as an active skater, and I've been busier than I expected.'' ``I'd be happy if people took this as an opportunity to want to see the show,'' he said refreshingly.

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Daisuke Takahashi reveals bond with Kana Muramoto: “We're like comrades” and “we can discuss many things with each other”

2 Mar 2024 14:24

Daisuke Takahashi (37), bronze medallist in men's figure skating at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and also active in ice dancing, has revealed his current situation after retiring for the second time.

Takahashi attended the event 'TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN ICE SKATING PARK 2024 Daisuke Takahashi Special Skating & Talk Show' in Tokyo on 2 March. 'I was able to skate comfortably. I was able to finish the event looking up at the Skytree, which is an experience I don't get to do very often.

In May last year, he retired from ice dancing with his partner Kana Muramoto (30). In February, he produced his own ice show, 'Kassouya', which ran for three days and nine performances. He said: "It was a very intense time. It was physically very hard, but the power of the young skaters encouraged me, and I was able to work with a sense of passion that I haven't felt for a long time.”

He also mentioned his relationship with Muramoto. “We fight during practice and joke around when we have a drink together. We are really like comrades, so we can talk to each other about all sorts of things".

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高橋大輔さん「素晴らしい支えになると思う」結婚発表の大谷翔平を祝福 - スポニチ Sponichi Annex スポーツ

フィギュアスケートの元世界選手権王者で、昨季限りで引退した高橋大輔さん（37）が2日、東京都墨田区の東京スカイツリータウンの特設リンクで、スペシャルスケーティング＆トークショーに臨んだ。

www.sponichi.co.jp

"If I were a woman, I think somewhere in my heart I would have dreamed of marrying him. So I feel sorry for the ladies. But it is good on him"

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• Kai Hasegawa

• Kazuki Tomono*
• Kohei Yoshino (current member of the PIW ensemble / was part of Hyoen 2021)
• Hiroyuki Matsuhashi (was part of Hyoen 2017 and 2019)
• Yoji Nakano
• Seiya Hashimoto (was part of Mao’s “Thanks” tour)
• Kosho Oshima* (fun fact: Kosho’s father, Atsushi Oshima, was part of the Hyoen “Basara” cast in 2017: https://twitter.com/tadotad/status/1765994747506917871 / https://youtu.be/2oeyYxjJRc8?t=2390)
• Kazuki Kushida*
• Yuto Kishina*
• Haruya Sasaki*
• Miwa Nishida (ex-PIW ensemble member and president and representative director of real estate company, Sky Court, KanaDai’s main sponsor / part of the casts of Hyoen 2019 and 2021)
• Kiki Nakanishi* (current member of the PIW ensemble)
• Marie Ogawa (current member of the PIW ensemble)
• Miku Mochizuki (current member of the PIW ensemble)
• Akari Sugita
• Ayumi Urabe

高橋大輔「旅も人生も“自然”に身をゆだねてみたい」

圧倒的な存在感と世界最高の技術で多くの「日本男子初」を成し遂げてきたプロスケーター高橋大輔が語る理想の旅。そして長きにわたった競技人生という旅を、今改めて振り返る。【特集 エクストリーム旅】

goetheweb.jp

Daisuke Takahashi: "I want to surrender to 'nature' in my travels and in my life".

Professional skater Daisuke Takahashi, who has achieved many "firsts for Japanese men" with his overwhelming presence and world-class skills, talks about his ideal journey. He also looks back on his long journey as an athlete.



A journey in the name of life, continuing to walk down uncharted paths.

Daisuke Takahashi: “Extreme travel? I don't want to leave the earth, and I can't even go to the bottom of the ocean, because I'm too scared.” (laughs)

The figure skater Daisuke Takahashi, who has represented Japan in the world for a long time, laughs softly when he hears about this issue's special feature. He won the first bronze medal for Japanese men at the Vancouver Olympics, and retired after the Sochi Olympics. He then returned to active competition at the age of 32 and surprised the world by switching to ice dancing. What is his most memorable journey?

DT: “Not a private trip, but a work trip to the Salt Lakes of Los Angeles, which I visited when I was asked to be in a commercial for the privatisation of the postal service. The view of pure white salt all over the place was an experience I had never had before and I was very moved by it."



“When travelling, I go to places where I can feel nature”

In his private life, Takahashi says he likes places where he can feel nature.

DT: “I went to Yakushima with a group of good friends from university, about six of us, for five days and four nights, changing accommodation every day. We went to see the Yakusugi cedars, and we left at 4.30am and came back at around 7pm, walking for about 12 hours. It was my first experience of climbing a mountain. It was pretty tough, but I enjoyed it too. When I travel, I only need an accomodation and a ticket, and the rest depends on my mood at the time. In my private life, I often stay at inns. Maybe when I'm older I'll be able to enjoy the luxury of spending time at a hotel."


When asked about the ultimate trip he would like to take now, a number of nature-related trips came up one after another.

DT: “I'd like to challenge myself on a very high snow-capped mountain and see the Northern Lights. I would also like to go to the North Pole and feel the overwhelming nature. I would be overwhelmed and feel how tiny we humans are. I would also like to travel to see various animals. I would also like to film on location for “Rare Animal Hunter” (lol). I would like to meet a giant bat. Aren't bats cute? I would also like to see lions and cheetahs. I just like big animals. So I'd like to go on an extreme trip to see giant animals and other unusual animals."



Competitive life experienced twice is truly an extreme journey

Takahashi's life journey has not been an easy one. International athletes often describe their athletic careers as a "journey". What was Daisuke Takahashi's journey like during his working years?

DT: "The first part (up to my first retirement) and the second part (from my comeback to my second retirement) were completely different journeys. It's too long to talk about, but I thought my journey started when I was about 18. Until then it was an extension of my passion and I just enjoyed doing it, but from the time I started wanting to go to the Turin Olympics until my first retirement, I was always aiming for the top.

When I started working with coach Nikolai Morozov, I was conscious of trying to be as confident as possible. Well, it's because I was scolded and told to "be confident" (lol). The results followed, and the results naturally led to confidence. I had some injuries from the Turin Olympics to the Vancouver Olympics, but I was determined to do it until I was 23, so I kept going.

After that, I spent time dealing with injuries and clinging on to the competitive world, and then I retired because I felt that skating was too hard. From then on, I was given various jobs, but I felt stuck and stopped in my own mind. I just stayed there because I didn't know where I was going. And then the next time I came back, I started moving forward again. That's where I made a break with my old self and made a new start. From that point on, I feel like I've been challenging myself ever since."



In the twists and turns of his athletic career, there were two turning points that changed his mindset.

DT: “Firstly, the Vancouver Olympics. I don't think you can experience that kind of scenery and feeling very often. I think it was an opportunity for a lot of people to get to know men's figure skating, and I think it was a big turning point for me.

Another turning point that changed me was the World Championships before the Turin Olympics. I failed in an important match to decide the number of Japanese representatives, and I was down to one national team slot. From there, I spent a year with the goal of competing in the Turin Olympics for the first time. In my case, I think that the times when I failed were more positive and gave me more food for thought afterwards."


In a very real sense, Takahashi has been on an extreme life journey. His future travels will be just as spontaneous as ever.

DT: ”I want to go with no plan. Rather than heading towards a final goal, I'd like to take some wanderlusting detours while deciding on my final goal."

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And there's still more news - stay tuned!

I interviewed Daisuke Takahashi for today's issue of KISS&CRY Beautiful Braves on Ice Vol.51 Kassouya & All-Japan Championships 2023 Special Issue. This is the seventh time I've interviewed him. His personality is as cheerful as ever, but his questing nature is becoming more and more pronounced. Please read on.

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What was it about completing the challenge that made you particularly happy?

“I was really happy that the audience was so happy. I also checked social networking sites, and there were a lot of people who wrote various comments about how interesting it was. As we had hoped, a lot of local people came to the event too. I was also happy to hear that the skaters who took part in the event said it was a really fun and intense time, and that they were proud to be skaters. Everything was hard work, but when it was all over, it was a really fun time. It was a good team effort and we were united by the call of 'we are skaters'. We haven't decided on any specifics for the future of “Kassouya” yet, but since we've created such a great product, we'd love to perform it again. But it's difficult to do unless everyone's timing is right, so that's a bit of a headache. It may take some time, but I'm looking forward to seeing you all again."

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Interview with Daisuke Takahashi: 'Why I cried for the first time in my life' [at a show premiere]

“Kassouya” after interview, part 1.

Author: Akiko Tanaka

Daisuke Takahashi has completed a major challenge since his retirement from competition. Even a month after the end of "Kassouya", an on-ice entertainment event that he fully directed and took on a variety of new challenges, videos of the audience are still appearing on social networking sites, and the feedback from the skaters who performed in the event and loved the experience is still very strong. About a week and a half after the end of the show, Takahashi spoke to us about his feelings after winning a challenge that he was so determined to win that people around him were surprised to hear that they had never seen Daisuke like this before.

“I'm relieved to see the social media," said Daisuke Takahashi on his Instagram. “I myself performed in many programmes, so I didn't get a bird's eye view of the performances from above, so I didn't know how the audience saw the performance or what kind of feedback we received. But when I looked at social networking sites after the performance, I was relieved to see that many people commented on how interesting it had been. This time we have a lot of unique group numbers, but we didn't include many jumps and focused on other figure skating elements, so I was very curious to see what kind of feedback we would get.”

This time, not only was Mr Takahashi fully directing the show, but there were also various challenges. To make it easier for the public to come, the price was kept low and there were three 75-minute performances a day that can be seen all at once. The number of skaters in the show had been narrowed down to a main cast of national skaters, and Mr Takahashi has personally inspected and selected young domestic local skaters as ensemble skaters. The main skaters had no main parts or ensemble numbers to perform as a group [consisting of only the main skaters], except for some solos, and many programmes are performed as if everyone were the main character in a show with a sense of speed that I have never seen before. When I first saw the show at the rehearsal, I was surprised and wondered if they could do three performances a day for three days.

“The production team didn't know what the full show with all the members would look like until the very last minute before the performance, and in fact, the first time we saw the show in full was at the open rehearsal. We were supposed to have a full rehearsal before that, but we didn't make it, so we didn't realise how much physical exercise one performance would take until the rehearsal. To be honest, even though it was my own decision, I was scared, 'Wow, we're going to do this three times a day?' I was terrified.” (laughs)



Yuma Suzuki taught me about the qualities of skating that we don't realise.

In addition, Takahashi wanted to create something innovative this time, so he asked Yuma Suzuki, a floor dancer and choreographer, to choreograph the entire piece.

“Yuma-san helped us discover the good and interesting qualities of skating that we didn't realise. I think the audience can see that what we take for granted is interesting from the point of view of people who don't usually watch skating.”

The reason for requesting the choreography was that Mr Takahashi was impressed when he went to see a performance at the Tokyo Panorama Theatre, which Ms Suzuki presides over, last year.

“I was really impressed by the sense of speed in the movement, composition and development of the people, and it was really wonderful. I myself wanted to emphasise the sense of speed in Kassouya. So when I asked her to choreograph the whole piece, I told her that I wanted a sense of speed and that I wanted the scenes to develop rapidly. I also lightly told her how I wanted the programme to connect with the music I had selected. I didn't have a rigid image of what I wanted, but Yuma herself created each number while listening to the music.

When I first saw the choreography, I thought it was interesting, with its complex figurative formations and theatre-like programme. But at the same time I wondered if we could do it in the short time available. Many of the young skaters are doing the ice show for the first time. Also, as mentioned above, Yuma-san is a floor dancer, so her senses are quite different from those of us skaters. For example, we tend to try to skate and make it so that there is no stopping. But Yuma-san tries to make use of something in the midst of the stopped movement, and her use of 'stopped' scenes is very interesting. We worked together to create these various differences between dancing on land and on ice, one by one, so that we could actually do it on the ice without changing the nuances."



Adapting the choreography onto the ice

For about a month, Takahashi and Kana Muramoto worked together from morning till night to transfer Yuma Suzuki's choreography onto the ice, a very precise and difficult process.

“The first half, especially the choreography of the first two songs of the 14-minute opening sequence, was very difficult. It was hard to visualise how it was going to end up. Especially in the second song, where Kazuki (Tomono) and I went from the edge to the middle, out to the outside and back to the centre, it was hard to imagine how it would turn out unless a lot of skaters skated together, but Yuma-san was able to imagine it in her mind.”

The parts where it's difficult to reproduce the floor movements on ice, to be honest, it's easier to change the choreography to make it easier to skate. But why did you ask Yuma instead of a skating choreographer this time?“Because I wanted to create something that had never been done on ice before, so I tried to make the most of the choreography that is difficult to do on ice. Of course, there were a few things that we couldn't do by any means, and there were a few things that we couldn't push 100% in the limited time we had, but I think we stuck to it and did our best.”

About a week before the performance, a training camp was held at a rink in Minami Funabashi, Chiba, where all the performers gathered to practise, including those who would be arriving at the Fukuoka venue. Many of the members are young skaters who were scouted by Mr Takahashi after watching local competitions in Japan, and who have no experience in ice shows.

“Even before the training camp, skaters who live in the Kanto area took part in our practice sessions. I also sent them videos of me and Kana dancing the choreography for the group numbers, and they practised on their own before the camp. Everyone had the choreography in their bodies, but when many skaters actually moved on the ice at the same time, it was difficult and some parts were different, and I think they were quite impatient. Moreover, I, Yuma, Kana and the rest of the choreographers started the training camp in the same mode we had been running at full speed from morning till night for a month, so I think they were all confused. With less than a week to go before the show, there was so much to do that we had no choice but to do it even if we didn't know if we could do it. There was an atmosphere where you couldn't say whether you could or couldn't do anything, so I think the kids who came on the first day of training camp were really rushed."



“Everyone acted according to their own will.”

What did you pay attention to from the director's point of view as you entered the training camp in an atmosphere where everyone was in a hurry to get things done?

“I was in a great hurry because we didn't have much time, but I tried to keep my instructions and explanations as calm and unemotional as possible. At the same time, I wanted everyone to react immediately, so I tried to create a tense and strict atmosphere. Some of the young skaters were new to ice shows and training camps, and I didn't want them to get too excited, so I tried to be in a position to make them feel a little tense.

I hardly had time to communicate with the other skaters outside of practice. I would show the skaters examples and teach them, or skate with them. When you do a group number with a lot of skaters, some things don't go well, so I had to make adjustments with Yuma each time, and as I am a performer myself, I really didn't have much time. I didn't have much time to talk to everyone until after the performance had started.

So during the training camp, Kazuki (Tomono) was in charge of the men's team, from manners to general coordination, and Koshiro (Shimada) was also taking a leadership role. When I saw that, I was like, ”Ah, please, please'' (lol). In the women's team, Kana-chan and Kanako were between me and the younger skaters, teaching them how to dance and organising them. In the meantime, the younger skaters started to think and act on their own, and without me having to ask them to do anything, they all acted on their own initiative, which was a great help.''



Despite a series of sudden adjustments...

Apart from being short on time, it was an ordeal that some skaters had to miss the event due to illness. There were a lot of complex formations that required everyone to participate, and a lot of ensemble numbers that involved many skaters, so if someone was absent, the composition of that skater's performance would have to be changed each time. It must have been difficult not only for the person who was unable to perform, but also for the coordinators and the performers who had to remember the changes on short notice.

”This time, everyone appeared in quite a few group numbers, so when someone was absent, it was really difficult to make adjustments, both before and after. Just when I thought we could finally make it, we still had to make some changes to the configuration, which was tough, but Yuma-san also gave her all."

However, after the changes were made, the first full rehearsal was successfully completed, and when the first day of the show finally arrived, the skaters were faced with further challenges. The main skater, Koshiro Shimada, who had been leading the younger skaters, was sidelined due to a flu infection. The young skaters were also very upset when they were informed of this. Not only was Shimada's solo performance cancelled on the morning of the event, but the entire formation had to be re-arranged, and the skaters in the group numbers before and after Shimada's solo programme had to be checked, etc. Last-minute adjustments continued until the curtain went up at 11am.

“It was shocking because it was the morning of the first day and we didn't have much time, so it was tough. But in the midst of it all, Yuma was tough and said, 'Look, I've made an interesting composition' (laughs). I was like, ``Wow!'' when she showed it to me. We were like, 'Oh no, we're all in trouble!’ I and everyone else tried to do something with a sense of urgency, but in the end, I think we were enjoying the difficulty as well. All the skaters and staff were trying to get it done in time for the actual performance.”



How did you inspire everyone in that situation?

“I didn't do anything. We didn't have much time or room to spare, so when we made adjustments and said, 'This has been changed, so do it', everyone immediately responded, 'Yes! They all responded immediately. By this time, everyone was looking in the same direction, so there was no need for me to follow up.”

The first performance, which overcame all these happenings, was so wonderful that it was hard to feel that many changes had been made on the day of the performance. The audience was excited to see the skaters skating around the rink in long-sleeved coats and costumes with a dark and stylish world view.

“Actually, it's the first time in my life that I cried at a premiere. When it ended, I burst into tears behind the scenes. I think everyone must have wondered why I was crying so much at the premiere (lol) To be honest, I was worried that we wouldn't be able to really open the curtain, and there were a lot of difficult things going on in the first full production, so I was under a lot of pressure. I think Yuma-san was the same way. That's why Yuma and I cried, not because we had done a good job or we were relieved, but because we were really happy that the curtain had opened. It wasn't 100%, but I think we did what we could under the circumstances."

After the first performance, while the skaters were celebrating after the curtain was safely opened, Kazuki Tomono, who had received a special mission from Mr Takahashi, was practising backstage without any hesitation.

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Daisuke Takahashi special interview: "I cried a lot at the end."

“Kassouya” after interview, Part 2

Author: Akiko Tanaka

Daisuke Takahashi's production of "Kassouya" overcame many obstacles and came to an end. In the second part of our special interview with Daisuke Takahashi, who led the production to great success, we ask him about the reason for his tears at the closing curtain, what he wants to tell the young skaters, his thoughts on the skaters and his new challenges.



There were some numbers that turned out to be a mirage.

From the first day of the show, "Kassouya" suffered from the sudden absence of one of the main skaters, Koshiro Shimada, but by the time the curtain went up on the day, after making some adjustments to the formation, the curtain safely opened on a never-before-seen entertainment on ice. However, there were some numbers that turned out to be a phantom composition. One such number was Carmen's Habanera, which was to be performed by a three-person line-up of Shimada, Sota Yamamoto and Sena Miyake before Daisuke Takahashi's solo programme. On the first day, Yamamoto and Miyake danced Carmen together, with no sense of lack, and Takahashi-san joined them for a passionate dance scene. In fact, behind the scenes, Mr Takahashi had asked Kazuki Tomono to substitute for Shimada for the following day's performance.

“Initially, the balance was very good when there were three people performing.The two of them worked hard as they were. Also, even if we brought in a substitute for the next day, they could only practice in between the opening performances on the first day. Kazuki learns choreography very quickly, so I thought he could do it. I thought I would be asking too much of him, but I thought only Kazuki could do it. I think he did a really good job."

Even though Tomono had to perform his free programme as a solo skater, as well as a unique group number before Carmen, he met Takahashi's expectations, and from the next day, Tomono was dancing strongly, as if he had been in that role for a while. The programme was also troubled by Miyake's unexpected absence on the last day of the show, which meant that Yamamoto and Tomono had to close the show with a duet.

Naturally, there will be changes in group numbers and other things, and on the morning of the next day, they will face their final test.

“It was a shock, but I didn't have time to worry about it, so I quickly made adjustments with Yuma and told everyone, "This is how it's going to be, so do it", and they said, "Yes!” They responded very quickly. That was amazing. I could feel everyone's determination to somehow make it a success."



The team atmosphere was really good.

Sota Yamamoto, who performed solos, many ensembles and the aforementioned Carmen for three days, was a little late to the training camp as he had returned to Japan after competing at the Four Continents Championships and joined the team.

“Although Sota was tired, he practiced a lot, desperately trying to catch up. Seeing this, the main skaters and the ensemble members all taught Sota, and they practised together, senior and junior alike. The team atmosphere was really good.”

Koshiro, who couldn't perform, took the leadership from a different direction from Kazuki all the time, and he learnt the choreography very quickly. He was so quick to learn the choreography that when I didn't understand it, I asked him about it (laughs). The flow from the group number "Dangerous Game" to his solo to the group number "Cut my fingers off" with him sitting on a chair, and then the sequence leading up to Carmen was really good, so it was a pity that we couldn't show you the performance with Koshiro in it. Sena also worked really hard, but he couldn't make it out on the last day. He must be the most disappointed because he only had one more day to go. This time, he made a solo on the song I had chosen for him and showed me a new Sena. I hope this will give him confidence."

In "Kassouya", each of the skaters challenged new ground, and Kana Muramoto's erotic solo performance also attracted a lot of attention.

“The song 'Figure 8', which Kana danced to, I originally thought suited her very well. Everyone says they've never seen Kana like this before, but in my mind, there was no difference in the image at all. But I thought it would have an impact on everyone, so I thought it would be a good first solo for her after she became a professional. Kana-chan was also feeling quite physically exhausted in the second half, but she was determined not to collapse, so she worked hard with great spirit. Kanako (Kanako Murakami) was also busy with her performing arts work, but she joined the practice sessions in Tokyo from early on. She learns the choreography very quickly, so she took the lead in teaching the younger members, which was really helpful."



On the first day, I cried as hard as I could.

As director, Takahashi himself was in charge of planning, deciding on songs, costumes, posters, pamphlet production and promotional activities with great care. He spent a month from morning till midnight transferring Yuma Suzuki's floor choreographies onto the ice, putting all the choreographies into his body, teaching the young skaters and practising his own performance. He also made detailed adjustments with Ms Suzuki every day.



The poster was also discussed in detail.

“It's an excuse, but my body was in tatters and I was skating with just my spirit during the performance. There were a lot of group numbers I had to perform, and it was especially tough not being able to practise my solo during the training camp. That's not how it should be, but the solo was the result of getting better over the three days, and for me, it was the biggest pressure of all. The opening five-song, 14-minute number was really cool, but it was also insanely hard and I felt like I was going to die when it was over every time. (laughs) This time I'm doing something with skaters who are about 20 years younger than me. But I've learnt how to cut corners and focus on what needs to be done, so I feel like I got through it with that and my spirit.”

When the final round of speeches were given at the end of the performance, the look of accomplishment on everyone's faces, not just Takahashi's, was impressive, as well as their very tear-streaked faces.

“On the first day, I myself was crying as hard as I could because the curtain had been raised safely, but the tears at the end of Kassouya were more like tears of gratitude. The preparation was very long, but once we started, the three hard days of three performances a day went by very quickly. I was relieved, but I was also crying because of the way all the young people were excited and enjoying themselves. A lot of things happened during the show, but anyway I was glad it was over without anyone getting seriously injured. There are a lot of young people in the show, and some of them are doing it for the first time, so when the whole show is so exciting, they get excited and that can easily lead to injuries. I experienced that a lot when I was younger, so when we formed a circle before the show, I consciously called out, 'Keep calm'."



A place where you can skate for a Iiving even If you don't have an international track record

In current singles competitions, there are so many points awarded for jumps that even if you have excellent skating, it is difficult to compete internationally unless you can do quadruple jumps, and if you don't have such a track record, it is difficult to participate in ice shows. There are many young skaters who are not good at jumping, but have something good, and I want to create a place where these skaters can perform and make a living from skating in the future. In recent years, Takahashi has talked about his dream of creating his own "company," saying that it would be great if there are skaters who want to aim for that goal.

At this year's "Kassouya", young skaters who had never performed in an ice show before, and whom Takahashi himself had selected after observing domestic competitions, took on the challenge of performing complex formations and theatrical expressions that they had never seen before, and showed remarkable growth as "fascinating" professionals with each performance. The skaters in this year's show were all ensemble skaters.

“Yuma-san understood that I wanted the skaters in the show to be basically 'everyone is the star', with no ensemble and no main skaters. I was in the performance and was busy with various adjustments, so I didn't get a bird's eye view of how they danced in the performance. But each performance, in their own way, they were putting more and more of themselves out there. They were not just dancing the choreography, they were putting their inner selves out there in their own way, and I think that's a very good thing."

There was also quite a lot of choreography in the group numbers in which couples performed together, and the young skaters were bold enough to take on the challenge. At the training camp, Takahashi and Muramoto actually teamed up to teach lifts and other techniques.

“The young skaters don't often get the chance to skate as a couple, so I hope this will be a good opportunity for them. When I first retired, I had very few opportunities to skate as a couple in ice shows. As a performer, I thought this was a necessary skill, which was one of the reasons I [agreed to] try ice dancing. When I thought about living in the ice show world, jumping inevitably declines as you get older, but being able to do couples' tricks gives you a wider range of expression. Also, by being exposed to it while you're young, you might have more options, such as switching careers."



The future beyond the Daisuke Takahashi Training Camp

Being selected as a skater also means participating in the 'Daisuke Takahashi Training Camp'. They learn from Takahashi at close range, take on new choreographies, and even practise performing as a couple. They will improve their ability to "charm" and will even have the chance to grow on stage. I think there will be more young people in the future who would love to be selected and take part. In fact, many skaters have already publicly stated that they wanted to participate and that they would like to participate next time.

“If that's the case, I'm very happy. I hadn't been taught that much hand-holding (laughs). It's not often that you get to experience choreography with elements of a play, and I think it was a rare experience to have Yuma Suzuki teach them how to express themselves as if they were acting in a play.

It was so hard that I think if they can get through “Kassouya” from this training camp, they can get through many things in the future (laughs), so I am looking forward to their future development."

The success of “Kassouya” would have brought the 'Company' one or two steps closer to his dream.

Part of the secret of its success is the image of leadership that Takahashi-san shows behind his back and, as we have mentioned, his trust in his skaters. And there is also the respect for the creativity of both Mr Takahashi, who produced the show, and Yuma Suzuki, who choreographed it. Mr Takahashi worked hard to express Yuma's choreography on the ice as much as possible. After the performance, Yuma's words were impressive: "Daisuke dedicated himself to me so that not a single nuance of my choreography was wasted" and "I was determined to express Daisuke Takahashi's world no matter what.”

“Yes, that's right. Yuma respected my world in various aspects. I also wanted to incorporate aspects of new things that I hadn't noticed before, and that was also in Yuma's mind. In the process of making things, there were parts where we both fell back on each other, and I think we were able to create things together, exchanging ideas in a good way. We were able to give it our all. Also, although I was in charge of directing this time, I learned a lot from Yuma, who has experience in directing, including things I didn't understand such as lighting, so it was like we were directing together.”



The project also presented many challenges.

“There are so many things you don't know until you try them, you can never predict the outcome, and there are many things that don't go well. But I think that's what it means to try something new. This time, the decision to hold “Kassouya” was made suddenly, and in the short preparation period, the rink had little time to spare, so I regret that we didn't have enough time to spare, which put a burden on the skaters. The challenge for the future will be to manage the schedule. If we don't decide early enough, we won't be able to book rinks, and if we don't have enough time, it will affect our physical condition. If we had two weeks of training camps, we could take a break in the middle of the training, and I think we could practise more calmly. At the very least, it would have been nice if we had a whole week before we arrived at the venue for the show."



What was it about completing the challenge that made you particularly happy?

“I was really happy that the audience was so happy. I also checked social networking sites, and there were a lot of people who wrote various comments about how interesting it was. As we had hoped, a lot of local people came to the event too. I was also happy to hear that the skaters who took part in the event said it was a really fun and intense time, and that they were proud to be skaters. Everything was hard work, but when it was all over, it was a really fun day. It was a good team effort and we were united by the call of 'we are skaters'. We haven't decided on any specifics for the future of “Kassouya” yet, but since we've created such a great product, we'd love to perform it again. But it's difficult to do unless everyone's timing is right, so that's a bit of a headache. It may take some time, but I'm looking forward to seeing you all again."


Daisuke Takahashi, who directed the full show this time, will next be seen in the all-round entertainment "Hyoen" at Yokohama Arena from 8-11 June. He will play the lead role in a new production, "Kiss of the Crossed Star".

I'm looking forward to seeing Takahashi-san, who has grown even bigger through various challenges, come back with another “Kassouya”.

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Thank you for the wonderful interview article. When I heard this through the article, it felt like I had received a ``letter'' and I cried. You could have just covered up for me and taken the credit for yourself … Daisuke, who is altruistic to a fault. I will do my best to help you so that you can grow even more and resume your work!

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• Sota and Taichiro during their online talk:
  https://twitter.com/kawauso_chan55/status/1762169180818919753
  
  
  
• Yurina Okuno, Ryota Kitamura Koshiro, Yuna and Maria Egawa at Waseda on Ice:
  
  https://twitter.com/32phim/status/1766425890580549946
  
  
  
• Kana and Dai at PIW in Shiga:
  
  https://twitter.com/MAKA_blueICE/status/1761383266865836529

What makes tomorrow's Daisuke Takahashi?

“I'm not the type of person who is so ambitious that I strongly want to do something. But I've been approached by various people and I basically accept their offers, even if I've never done it before and I'm a bit scared of it. By being able to do things that I can't do [yet], I can discover a part of myself that I don't know yet. That's what I'm looking forward to now. I also really like the process of spending time with someone and building something together towards a goal, and I am inspired by the friends I have who do that with me.”

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