Random Figure Skating Questions

Vanshilar · Jan 1, 2015

tinlizzie said:
I'm curious why only American skaters have braces in general. I can see Satoko has a retainer or some type of braces. Does Russia only choose beautiful girls who do not need braces? Is that a requirement for them? Or is the Western Dentistry just brace happy...

Another possibility is that non-Americans that get braces maybe tend to get removable braces (for example, InvisAlign in the U.S.), as opposed to the kind that are permanently stuck to teeth until they're removed. I don't know if this is likely though, because it seems like an expensive high-tech solution that Americans would be more likely to go for.

Or maybe it's just genetics. Or perhaps vodka promotes proper teeth alignment.

yyyskate · Jan 1, 2015

yes, it is partly genetics and partly medicine, for example, asian teeth are very difficult to move(such as Korean etc. ) than caucasian or hispanic and the old-fashioned braces has stronger force on teeth than removable ones such as invisalign. Generally, races with more mixed background tends to have more crooked teeth, such as Japanese or Americans. Russians I guess they just tend to have better teeth alignment and only minor problems that is easily fixable. Also, US is indeed a brace happy country, teeth like Kovtun's or Radio's in US may considered not perfect and get fixed, but it is actually very cute.

MalAssada · Jan 1, 2015

I will also raise another possibility based on personal experience: Here, braces are common just after kids lose their milk teeth. You see lots of 11-12 years old wearing braces, but once they grow, the teeth are aligned again and it is harder to see 15-16 years old wearing them, partially, of course, because of the own look: They don't want braces to ruin their photographs. There are two events that make them wish they didn't wear braces: Going to high school (14-15 years old) and the big 15 years old party, one where my dentist told me it is common they also get their teeth whitened.

Very interesting post by yyskate - I had no idea the etnicity made it harder for the teeth to move.

Amei · Jan 1, 2015

Vanshilar said:
Another possibility is that non-Americans that get braces maybe tend to get removable braces (for example, InvisAlign in the U.S.), as opposed to the kind that are permanently stuck to teeth until they're removed. I don't know if this is likely though, because it seems like an expensive high-tech solution that Americans would be more likely to go for.

Or maybe it's just genetics. Or perhaps vodka promotes proper teeth alignment.

I would think that skaters would want to get something like invisalign that's removable or get their teeth surgically fixed without needing braces because if they fall and smack their face and they have standard braces on their teeth they would be likely to shred the inside of their mouth. My sister had to have braces, and played softball and she got hit in the face and she had cuts and blisters from the braces inside her mouth from that hit.

burntBREAD · Jan 1, 2015

I think braces are super common in general in America -- almost every single student in my middle/high school had braces at one point in time. However, it's not as common to get braces in some Asian countries, for example, so it might just be a societal difference. I'm of Asian descent but have lived only in America, and I had braces. I also had awful teeth before the braces. :biggrin:

yyyskate · Jan 1, 2015

bellflower said:
I will also raise another possibility based on personal experience: Here, braces are common just after kids lose their milk teeth. You see lots of 11-12 years old wearing braces, but once they grow, the teeth are aligned again and it is harder to see 15-16 years old wearing them, partially, of course, because of the own look: They don't want braces to ruin their photographs. There are two events that make them wish they didn't wear braces: Going to high school (14-15 years old) and the big 15 years old party, one where my dentist told me it is common they also get their teeth whitened.

Very interesting post by yyskate - I had no idea the etnicity made it harder for the teeth to move.

also true, the earlier you start to monitor your teeth the faster and easier to fix it. it can be as earlier as 7 years old, usually wear them at 11-12 year old, and be done with them before 14, Case like Satoko is kinda late actually, I think she just started to wear brace recently.
it is true that in Asian country, people dont have the habit to wear braces, until when it is really necessary, perhaps, Satoko or her parents finally think that perhaps she should wear braces :biggrin:

sabinfire · Jan 1, 2015

I dropped out of reading this thread for a couple days, so I'm curious how the subject turned to teeth? :laugh:

I wish I came from one of these countries where they evidently have better teeth than here. My teeth were an absolute mess as a teenager and it was the bane of my existence to get them corrected during adolescence. I have nothing but sympathy for anyone going through the same thing.

jessicaandpaul · Jan 1, 2015

CaroLiza_fan said:
Good luck to you! Because it is not at all obvious at her Nationals performance unless you know exactly when it happens!

On the other hand, it is hard to miss on her 2nd international appearance of the season. Largely due to the zoomed-in, slow motion shot of her spinning round and round in the highlights package that I was complaining about when I first brought up this issue.

I should add, I don't make a habit of looking for these things!

CaroLiza_fan

I just saw it. I blushed out of embarrassment for her. She seemed to take it all in stride. I would never have worn that outfit again, especially since the second time seemed to be more of a mishap than the first!

concorde · Jan 2, 2015

The severity of the "straightening" process determines what type of braces can be used. Really crooked teeth can only be corrected with the permanent type. And with certain types of alignment issues (severe overbites), only the permanent type can correct the issue.

Many Americans have tiny palates (which is the exact opposite of the cleft palate) so the palate is first expanded to allow room for the permanent teeth. The palate can only be expanded while the child's face is still growing, hence, an "expander" is usually put is as soon as the child's top 4 adult teeth are in. These are typically left in place for 12-18 months. Then once the rest of the permanent teeth come in, a second set of braces is needed to actually straighten the teeth.

I am one of those Americans that had horribly crooked teeth. As a child, I went through 2 sets of permanent braces and then after having children, my teeth shifted and started to crack so I wound up with 2 sets of Invisalign. Both my kids have tiny palates so we have started the palate expander route; my nephew has a cleft palate and it went up the nasal cavity so it affected his eating. He is now 18 months and has had 2 sets of surgery to correct it. In the long run for him, it becomes of question of whether he will have any upper front teeth and if so, how will they be formed.

SoundtracksOnIce · Jan 3, 2015

I was offered the chance to have braces when I was eighteen because four years prior I got hit in the mouth with a tire iron and pushed one of my upper corner teeth crooked as well as chipped off the tip. (The tire iron was on a suspension shelf in our garage and one of the suspension cables broke. Unfortunately I was walking beneath it. Thank God I wasn't hit anywhere else). The dentist offered to correct it but since it's not hugely noticeable (the tooth is far enough back it only shows if I smile really wide), it's not damaging the other teeth, and braces are supposed to be so horribly uncomfortable I just decided to leave it.

Tavi... · Jan 3, 2015

I have had many stupid questions in my life, but I'm finally asking one (or maybe three) here:

In the US men's thread, it was reported that Brandon Mroz is skating on a cruise ship at the moment. It made me wonder whether they skate on real or fake ice and how big the ice surface is. Also, what do the programs consist of - a few skaters doing exhibitions or actual shows? Lastly, how did skating become a form of entertainment on cruise ships given its lack of popularity in the US - are most cruises departing from somewhere like Japan? Anyone know?

Thanks!

gkelly · Jan 3, 2015

I don't know the answer to most of your questions.

Based on the photos at the link in the men's thread, it looks like "actual shows" to me.

And I first heard about skating on cruise ships more than 10 years ago, when US interest was at a higher point.

silverfoxes · Jan 3, 2015

papagena said:
I have had many stupid questions in my life, but I'm finally asking one (or maybe three) here:

In the US men's thread, it was reported that Brandon Mroz is skating on a cruise ship at the moment. It made me wonder whether they skate on real or fake ice and how big the ice surface is. Also, what do the programs consist of - a few skaters doing exhibitions or actual shows? Lastly, how did skating become a form of entertainment on cruise ships given its lack of popularity in the US - are most cruises departing from somewhere like Japan? Anyone know?

Thanks!

You can see a video of a cruise ship ice show here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CwmHnS-hC8

There are a few others on the same channel. The rink is tiny and, I would guess, synthetic. I've never been on a cruise, but I don't think "lack of popularity in the US" means nobody at all is interested. If you've ever been to a touristy area, a lot of the entertainment on offer isn't exactly the most trendy current stuff. Lounge singers, impressionists, magic shows...you get the idea. A cruise ship ice show might not impress your typical GSer, but it's still a novelty that a lot of people never get to experience, with so few ice shows touring the US these days. And probably pretty cheap to produce with a synthetic rink.

dorispulaski · Jan 3, 2015

Cruises are popular with an older demographic...as is skating.

And compared to other entertainers, skaters can probably be hired for a reasonable price.

Plus there is a novelty factor to watching skating on a ship cruising the Caribbean, I would think.

Tavi... · Jan 3, 2015

Gkelly and Gallavitch - wow thanks for your quick responses. Of course it didn't occur to me to do anything as logical as googling to come up with a video, and it makes sense that cruise ship entertainment follows patterns in more touristy areas and that it is kind of rooted in what was popular in the past.

Totally OT but I so wish Holiday on Ice would tour the US. Here is a fantastic clip of Rohene Ward from a couple of years ago:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3PKW9YUuIa4&autoplay=1

ice coverage · Jan 3, 2015

papagena said:
I have had many stupid questions in my life, but I'm finally asking one (or maybe three) here:

In the US men's thread, it was reported that Brandon Mroz is skating on a cruise ship at the moment. It made me wonder whether they skate on real or fake ice and how big the ice surface is. Also, what do the programs consist of - a few skaters doing exhibitions or actual shows? Lastly, how did skating become a form of entertainment on cruise ships given its lack of popularity in the US - are most cruises departing from somewhere like Japan? Anyone know?

Thanks!

At least one ship's rink has real ice -- according to a page on the Royal Caribbean site. Will not post the commercial link here, but the excerpts below are from a Q and A with ice captain Matt Kessinger.

- Is there a Zamboni?

Well, we have an ice resurfacer that resembles a miniature Zamboni. It's not technically a Zamboni. It's much smaller but of the same quality as the full-size. It's actually designed as a train that runs along the rink and it's very popular. A lot of people ask to see it.

- What's the most popular question?

Guests always ask if I've been in the Olympics and if the ice is real. Yes, it's definitely real!

- Are you the lead skater?

The way it works onboard Royal Caribbean is that everyone is a principal-level skater. There is no lead. Which means, you're always doing quality performances with extremely talented people. It's one of the greatest benefits of working here.

For more about the skating shows at sea, I suggest that you browse around the websites of Willy Bietak, who seems to produce many (or all?) of them.

And BTW, Royal Caribbean cruise passengers have access to the rink for recreational skating as well. From the same Q and A mentioned above:

- Do you have much contact with the guests?

Yes, we get to mingle with the guests. And they love meeting us. It's great that we have free-skating. It gives them a sense for what we do. Some people come and skate for only a few minutes so they can say they ice-skated in the Caribbean on a cruise ship.

Tavi... · Jan 3, 2015

Thank you, Golden411!

Perdita · Jan 4, 2015

At COC this season, why did Misha jumped 3F as the second last jump? He had already jumped 3A x2, 3Lz x2 and a 3F, so he zayaked by that second 3F. It doesn't make sense to me

Edit: At COR he jumped 2A x2 instead. Does that mean he didn't realize he had a problem in his plan before COC?

Weathergal · Jan 4, 2015

Back in 2007, I went on a Royal Caribbean cruise with my husband's family. The ship had an ice rink as Golden 411 describes. Yes, we saw the ice show (my husband and son knew that was on my to-do list for sure!), and it was very well attended by a variety of people. It was quite well done and a lot of fun. And yes, they had open skate times for passengers as well. The cruise we were on had about 3000 people, and we were told that because it was over the Christmas holidays, that about a third of those passengers were children. So it was definitely not just an older mix of people on the cruise or at the ice shows, for that matter. And there were SO many things to do on the ship. It had a mini golf course, casino, shopping promenade, multiple pools, full gym and spa, many dance clubs and lounges, roller blading area, huge sports deck, etc. I would guess that some people were at the show because of their love for skating, like I was, but I also suspect part of it was the novelty factor. But either way, I wouldn't say it was because there was nothing else to do. I had never "cruised" before and was so surprised at the variety of things to do and at how "modern" the cruise felt. I had visions of lots of older people in silver lame playing shuffleboard. Not that those things are bad... ; ) OK, so we did eventually play shuffleboard but not until our last day on the boat, and then we had to look for it because it wasn't easy to find! Anyway interesting to hear that's where Brandon Mroz ended up.

concorde · Jan 4, 2015

We have a skater friend that just signed up for her second year as a skater for Royal Caribbean. According the her, she spends a lot of time practicing of the shows. And when she is not practicing for show and giving them, she gives ice skating lessons.

I never thought to ask about the ice they used. I assumed its was "normal" ice.

Random Figure Skating Questions

Vanshilar

yyyskate

MalAssada

Amei

burntBREAD

yyyskate

sabinfire

Doing the needful

jessicaandpaul

concorde

SoundtracksOnIce

Tavi...

gkelly

silverfoxes

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl

Tavi...

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605

Tavi...

Perdita

Weathergal

concorde

Similar threads

Connect with us