Why is pairs skating the least popular of the 4 disciplines amongst fans?

I think it is because CoP has made most of the elements look extremely awkward, even if they are very well executed: the lifts are endless and with ugly positions, the girls have to perform terrible positions in the death spirals and the pair spins are just SLOW most of the times; this leads to program that most of the times give to a spectator the feeling of something labored, without flow and without any artistic part

The best team was an obscure german team for 3 or 4 seasons. They had some charisma but not the most charisma! They weren't Chinese they weren't Russian they were a good German team and that had no cache in AMerica. I am just juding north America. Maybe S/S are very popular in Europe and asia or whatever but sometimes there is a time when not everyone is G/G or S/Z!

tulosai said:

I mean, while some probably make the switch for the reasons you describe, in reality pairs requires many skills that single skating does not, and is (IMO) more difficult than singles skating, if anything.

First, to be a pairs skater (even more than any other discipline) you need a very special body type. Many people I thinka re encouraged to make the switch (especially short, tiny ladies) simply because they have this body type and almost totally beyond any other considerations.

Once you've crossed that threshold, you have to be comfortable executing lifts and throws, both of which are much harder than they look. You have to learn to skate in unison with your partner (much much harder than it looks) and you have to have or work to develop some 'connection' with your partner that others can see. You need to be committed not just to skating but also to the partnership.

So I think it is way more nuanced than just 'those who can't jump, pair' and it is really not true that the jumps are harder than other elements that the pairs are expected to execute.

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I never meant to say that not being a strong jumper translates into the absence of any skating ability or athleticism or courage. Of course pairs skating is difficult, and it is no wonder that many successful pairs teams are relatively older. It is, as you said, about finding what works (and jumping is only one, although important, aspect of it). But given that pairs and singles skaters do some of the same elements it makes sense that a lot of pairs skaters start out as singles and then switch (although Yamaguchi/Galindo is a good example of things going the other way, but it is very rare).

gmyers said:

The best team was an obscure german team for 3 or 4 seasons. They had some charisma but not the most charisma! They weren't Chinese they weren't Russian they were a good German team and that had no cache in AMerica. I am just juding north America. Maybe S/S are very popular in Europe and asia or whatever but sometimes there is a time when not everyone is G/G or S/Z!

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Gmyers, I am an ethnic Russian, classically trained and still missing G/G and the Russian dominance in pairs (but maybe that's coming back). That said, I am a big, big admirer of S/S. I love watching their programs, even when their costumes make my eyes water (Lost in Space?) Their originality, intricacy and quirkiness has been such a breath of fresh air for me that I can't help but prefer them to V/T (whom I tried hard but failed to love). I respect Aljona's courage and hope they get their throw triple Axel. Sometimes when I watch their past performance I wish they would leave their double axels or triple sals out entirely and just skate the rest of the program (I wouldn't enjoy it any less).

So many great posts here- I've thoroughly enjoyed reading these!

I too am tradtionally a big fan of pairs- in fact, growing up in the 80s, my favorite disciplines were Mens and Pairs. Here are my thoughts on why pairs' popularity has declined, and I do think it has declined most dramatically in North America but also a bit in Europe.

1) No real timeless stars in the field for a while now. I totally agree that the golden age of Tai and Randy, G & G, M & D, B & S, J & P, S & Z spoiled us a bit.

2) No great human interest stories in pairs for a while now. Not only was the skating quality so extraordinary with the above teams but there were amazingly compelling personal stories: Tai and Randy's 1st world championship for the US in many many years followed by their heartbreaking withdrawal from the Olympics, Katia's fairy-tale come true with G & G falling in love, marrying, and having a baby, then returning to the Olympics, M & D's struggles w emotional issues that affected their performances (her eating disorder, her sadness when he chose another woman romantically etc) then being overcome with a triumphant and extraordinary performance in the '94 Olympics, Berezhnya's horrific accident and Anton's tender caring for her, S & P's improbable rise and love story on and off the ice, S & Z's overcoming poverty and poor conditions plus early issues with their skating (unison etc) to have a fantastic career and a beautiful love story. We just haven't had any dramatic stories like that of late in pairs.

3) The break-up of the Soviet Union really harmed pairs. We no longer had an extraordinary Russian team to look forward to every season. Ice conditions were terrible there for a while, coaches were leaving, etc.

4) No good US pairs in so so so long! I agree with the poster who said that North American media is dominant and does to some extent sway the rest of the world. This lack of good US pairs is due to the game of musical chairs our pairs teams have been playing of late, teams breaking up too quickly etc.

5) The new judging system putting more of the emphasis on elements rather than mood, story, tone, casting a spell.

American pairs don't stay together. There's not much to get excited about.

lcd said:

... It also has not helped that many of the top teams over the past cycle or so, have not done much to either develop their personas beyond their status as athletes. I really couldn't tell you much about the personalities or the relationships between the athletes in many of the given teams.

The 'gold standards' in both of these regards - skating skills and 'human interest' - such as Rodnina/Zaitsev, Tai/Randy, Gordeeva/Grinkov and arguably the Salt Lake co-gold medalists plus Shen/Zhao - all gave so much more to admire in these departments, than the current crop of skaters either CAN or do, IMO.

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Among all skaters from all disciplines from all countries:

As for other North Americans, honorable mentions to: Moscovitch; Duhamel/Radford; Scimeca/Knierim, Castelli, Zhang/Bartholomay, Coughlin, etc.

You get the idea. Just like those from other disciplines, plenty of pairs skaters happily do share their personalities. If you feel you have no sense of them off the ice, it is not for lack of their efforts.

It's just too difficult to follow. In North America a lot of the teams can't even stick it out together for four years much less a competitive career. Just about the time they gel something happens and they split. Hard to get behind teams when you're always worried it "won't work out" for them to make it. It also seems like it really is becoming the sport to pick up if you "can't make it" in singles (or even dance). It's so slow and labored and I don't buy into the idea that CoP has made it that way. If ice dancers can get the speed and even the slowest of the singles skaters can get speeds more than the pairs in the footwork section then they really have no excuse IMO. Even the non footwork skating is slow and labored looking by most teams.

I like pair and its actually very exciting with jumps and lifts and at has at least drama and music. Dancing is the most boring of the 4 events and you know who is going to end up on podium even before the competition begins.

As Dick Button has said, pairs should be 2 skaters skating as one. I just don't see that anymore. Pang/Tong were probably the last pairs team that I enjoyed. Since then, no one seems to have the technical and connection.

USA has been 'weak' in pairs for many years. So, it's not surprising that there would be little pairs coverage on air. As Toni has mentioned, I don't think there's a team that has survived the last Olympics - everyone who is still skating is with a different partner and some have switched multiple times during the past 4 years.

I don't think pairs skaters are worse then single's skaters - there are very different demands. Having all the triples is very important in singles skating. However, a great deal of team work, timing and strength (for twists, lifts, throw jumps, etc) and Nerves of steel are required for pairs jumping. I'd say that very few singles skaters, especially the ladies, have the nerves to deal with being lifted overhead and spun in the air and change positions, etc. In many ways, pairs skaters are probably more athletic than singles skaters due to the forces put on their bodies. I recall many commentators naming female pairs skaters as some of the best athletes. Also, some people compete better as part of a team vs individually - needing someone to share training and to push/pull/calm each other out on ice vs relying solely on self - while others don't like competing in teams to avoid disappointing partner or can't find an equal partner.

I really hope to see a complete pair competing soon - otherwise, pairs could 'disappear'

noskates said:

I really enjoy pairs skating. And alot of good points have been made in this thread so far. BUT, speaking only for myself, I lose interest when there isn't anybody interesting to watch! I loved Shen and Zhao, loved Gordeeva and Grinkov, loved Sale and Pelletier, loved Sikh and his partner, and I'm really liking Denney and Coughlin. .

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What I don't like, in US teams, is that Sappenfield's choreo all looks much the same, and most of our top teams go to her, so even if the couples are different, because they change partners all the time, the choreo isn't very interesting to me-trick, trick, trick, crossover, crossover, crossover.

I do like Julie Marcotte's choreo, and really loved what she tried to do for Castelli & Shnapir this year (and of course, what she has done for the Canadian teams for years) and S&S's choreo.

BTW, what Denney & Coughlin really need is something more like their Exhibition number, which is great fun, and Caydee and John seem to be having a ball skating it, versus their competitive Tosca & Phantom. If you think D&C are boring, do check out the exhibition. It may not be your cup of tea, but it is far from boring:

In "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" they have connection, fun, and good spirit, so unlike in competition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAfc1q1u8xQ

My first loves in skating were, without doubt, the Protopopovs dating back to the 1960's, long before I fell in love with ice dance. I don't require North American teams to do well for me to like an event. However, I never liked Rodnina & partners, but there were Tai & Randy and Martini & Underhill. However, post COP there were Shen & Zhao and Pang & Tong. S&S, a bit, but right now, it's pretty much a wasteland.

My take on the lack of popularity of pairs skating is really similar to many.

First, pairs skating with COP is looking rather generic because everyone is trying to maximize point and up the levels plus there are so many required elements. They look alike.

Second, right now there is no pair that really captures the imagination. The perfection of unity of skating, extreme personalities, extremely passionate and romantic. You don't have the passion of Artur Dimitriev or the beauty of G and G or the romance and grace of the Protopovs. It is a bit generic.

Third, North America has a huge say market wise in respect funding/sponsorships and the Americans in particulary have no pairs team that really is well known -in part because they are still developing and in part because the pairs keep breaking up so it is like who with who and at best you might no the name but you can't put a face to the team like Randy and Tai which was like over 30years ago.

Fourth, pairs skating is a different breed. It is not merely jumping or even spinning but you need to be able to do the mechanics of a lift, pairs spin, throws and twists etc which require differnt strengths and timing which is why a good singles skater doesnt' make a good pairs. In the case of Dube and Davison they were both singles skaters but they couldn't even use that to their advantage because each person's best jump was the other person's weakness. Galindo and Yamaguchi might have been the exception but he wasn't as strong as some of the other guys.

Fifth, right now the pairs teams are very good but not really great. Pang and Tong sort of are getting tired, injured and in a way a cheap version of S and Z. V and T are powerful but no connection. Ssqaured are getting a bit tired and rarely skate clean. Not a lot of new faces really and no one is super exciting.

When I go to an event live I actually like pairs the best. The crowd does too as far as I can tell. The problem is pairs does not translate well into video. Dance, in fact is quite boring to watch in the arena. You can't see all the dramatic facial expressions at all like you see in video. Every time I try to watch pairs on video I sort of feel uncomfortable. The falls are harsher. The elements look really hard and dangerous, especially those crazy lifts. Death spiral, while probably not even the hardest element, always scares me to death. Also, the height difference between the partners is really glaring. The girl always looks too scarily thin (Vera Bazarova, a beautiful girl, but I feel bad looking at her, unlike the joy I feel when I see other beautiful Russian lady like Elena Ilinykh or Nikol Gosviani), and the guys are a bit too butch. They never quite match and it shows when you see them in detail on video. In the arena there is just the wow factor. I do get very excited.

Also, this is probably a random coincidence, pairs programs are always tackier and cheesier than other disciplines. Pang/Tong is a good example. I just can't bear their cheesy romanticism. Denney/Coughlin just brings tacky to a new level. Only Coomes/Buckland is worse than them anywhere else and I always feel like they would have done better as pairs skaters. Even Shen/Zhao's programs are not as subtle as "the bests" of other disciplines.

heyang said:

As Dick Button has said, pairs should be 2 skaters skating as one. I just don't see that anymore. Pang/Tong were probably the last pairs team that I enjoyed. Since then, no one seems to have the technical and connection.

USA has been 'weak' in pairs for many years. So, it's not surprising that there would be little pairs coverage on air. As Toni has mentioned, I don't think there's a team that has survived the last Olympics - everyone who is still skating is with a different partner and some have switched multiple times during the past 4 years. ...

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Castelli/Shnapir have been together since 2006, FWIW.

A separate thought:
Does anyone wonder whether the cause celebre of the Salt Lake City gold left a bad taste in the mouths of casual fans -- either in the U.S. and/or worldwide -- that helped turned them against pairs skating?
I myself thought that the halos placed over the heads of the Canadian pair were unjustified. They made me roll my eyes a lot.

dorispulaski said:

What I don't like, in US teams, is that Sappenfield's choreo all looks much the same, and most of our top teams go to her, so even if the couples are different, because they change partners all the time, the choreo isn't very interesting to me-trick, trick, trick, crossover, crossover, crossover.

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don't forget that the lady must show the most amount of drama possible with keeping her mouth WIDE OPEN the ENTIRE TIME. :disapp:

noididnt said:

The problem is pairs does not translate well into video. Dance, in fact is quite boring to watch in the arena.

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I wouldn't consider this a fact at all... seeing ice dance live is what got me hooked.

I think it is because it is not impressive on television. But live...WOW. TV makes it all look so much smaller and less interesting. I know though for my skater and her friends, pairs isn't something they watch because the field is really small and it's not something they can try. There aren't enough male skaters. It's a very tiny club.

I think ice dance -since it can be tested/competed as a single skater -will continue to grow in popularity.

I agree that pair skating is much more exciting live than on TV.
I didn't care for D/C, but watching them live, I thought they were super fast, explosive. I can't see her face from far away, so they are mighty impressive!

I know it's not comparable, but D/C were two or three times faster than D/W for the entire program. I was gasping for air by the time D/C finished.

If given a chance, you guys should watch pair skating live to appreciate it.

I'm not saying Pairs isn't impressive - it is, and I've seen it live (last time was 2008 when John and Caitlyn were just? starting out). I just personally get frustrated with it because just about the time a really good pair gets going something happens and they break up/quit/whatever.

The reason is the lack of talents nowdays.
Why we could expect an acrobat (they undoubtadly need to be acrobat nowdays) to be emotional at the same time?
When it is there together:BINGO.

The last bingo was Shen/Zhao.

All the present pairs are robotic like Totmianina/Marinin was in their time.
Pang/Tong is not robotic, but lost the technical content. When poor Tong completed a technically clean triple jump last time. 2 years ago?
Sui/Han can bring a fresh air IF they learned how to skate in 2 edges.... Or the Chinese young pair who won Silver last year Junior World(name??...)I'm crossing my finger for them.

Because most people only (or largely) care about skaters representing their own country?