Figure Skaters' Oasis♪[KENJI's Room] KANA MURAMOTO & DAISUKE TAKAHASHI Part 2
Figure Skating Talk by J SPORTS Editorial Team
Looking back on your debut at the NHK Cup
KENJI: There were many difficulties. And your debut competition was the NHK Trophy.
Takahashi: There were a lot of things before the competition that didn't go smoothly and we didn't have much time.
Muramoto: To be honest, we didn't even know if we would make it to the NHK Trophy.
Takahashi: We made the rhythm dance in the middle of September, and we had a badge test before that. Kana-chan didn't have it last time. We had to practice for that, and we couldn't come to do/create the choreography because of Corona, so the rhythm dance was made in September. [そっちの練習をしなくちゃいけなくて、コロナもあって振り付けにも来れないというのもあって、リズムダンスは9月になっちゃって。]
KENJI: You weren’t nervous, you were more impatient.
Takahashi: I was in a hurry.
Muramoto: But about two weeks before the NHK Trophy, everything came together, we had a great practice, and I was/we were able to push myself/ourselves pretty hard, so I was really looking forward to it a few days before we went back to Japan.
KENJI: You finished 3rd, how did you feel after your debut competition?
Takahashi: I was so nervous. Just like that.
KENJI: When you started practicing the rhythm dance, I knew you were nervous, and your costume was The Mask, so I was going to say that I think Daisuke Takahashi will get more nervous from here, and his face will turn green and become more like The Mask, but I thought you would get angry if I said it, so I stopped.
Takahashi: That's about it really (laughs). I only remember being nervous.
KENJI: How were you doing, Kana?
Muramoto: I was just looking forward to it... I was nervous to come back to ice dance after 2 seasons, but I was looking forward to it more, I was just having fun. I tried not to think too much about the result, it was a miracle to be able to ice dance with you, and this NHK Trophy was our debut, so I was so happy, and I just wanted to have fun.
Looking back on the second round at All-Japan Figure Skating
KENJI: In your second competition at All-Japan figure skating, were you more relaxed with The Mask compared to the NHK Trophy?
Takahashi: In terms of having fun, I enjoyed All-Japan. [the following two sentences made no sense in the translation / original: 戸惑いというか、曲に入る前もそうですけど、作り込んで入るじゃないですか。公式練習も全部作り込むじゃないですか。] NHK Trophy was the first time for me to do a pre-competition warm-up [in ice dance], so I was thinking too much at the NHK Trophy because there were so many firsts for me. I felt like I couldn't cope with the confusion. But I could digest/had experienced it once, so I knew what it would be like at All-Japan, so I wanted to attack in All-Japan. We had talked about how we should show our skills/perform in an attractive way, so I went there with that in mind and had a lot of fun. [試合前のアップをしたのもNHK杯が初めてだったから、その持っていき方とか、初めてが多すぎてNHK杯は考え過ぎてました。戸惑いに対応しきれないまま終わったという感じだったんですけど、一回消化できたので、こんなもんかと分かった上での全日本だったので、全日本は攻めて行こうみたいな。やっぱり魅せて行こうと2人で話していたので、その気満々で行ってたからめちゃくちゃ楽しくやれました]
KENJI: You had a little accident in the official practice of the rhythm dance. I was right in front of you, so I was shouting. Was your leg OK, actually?
Muramoto: At that moment, I thought it was over, to be honest.
Takahashi: I really thought it was over.
Muramoto: It was really bad, wasn't it?
Takahashi: I still have that feeling. I felt like I was going to squirm.
Muramoto: But thanks to my right foot/leg being underneath it [the left leg], it didn't go in completely, but when it did, it turned upwards from the side, so it was saved in a lot of ways and it didn't become a big problem. [でも、右足が下にあってくれたおかげで、完全にインしなかったんですけど、ちょうど入ったときも横から上に外旋したので、色々セーブされて大ごとにならなくて済んだという。]
Takahashi: In the video my legs are floating, so I really thought I was putting all my weight on it.
Muramoto: It was really heavy. His muscles are getting bigger and bigger, so I was like, "Ooooh!
Takahashi: I'm really sorry...
KENJI: You finished 2nd in the All-Japan Championships, how do you look back on it?
Takahashi: After the first round, I felt like I had (only) got to know ice dance a little before the second competition. I think I could feel/understand what it means/is needed to be a good/captivating ice dancer in All-Japan, so I'm really happy to have finished these two competitions, and it made me think more clearly about what I want to do in the future. I know where I/we can do more to attract people, to communicate while connecting with each other. I'm still worried about my lifts and spins, but if I can do them with confidence, I can focus more on my turns, and if I can do that, I can focus only on my passion and produce something good. [お互いのコネクションをしながら人に魅せる、伝えるということを、どこに自信を持っていけばもっとできるのかが分かって、リフトとスピンに関してはまだ不安があるんですけど、そこを自信を持ってできたらもっとターンなどにもフォーカスできるし、そこができてくれれば、パッションだけにフォーカスを持っていって良いものが出せるなと思うので、これは順序だなとより明確に思えました。]
KENJI: I know I shouldn't be saying this, but you're talking a lot today.
Takahashi: Yeah, I know! I've been talking for a long time, and I'm sorry. Kana-chan, please talk (laughs)
KENJI: Hearing what he just said, is there anything you want to do, Kana-chan?
Muramoto: After All-Japan, I was so frustrated, and on the day of the competition, we practiced really well, and I felt like everything was ready. If it hadn't been for that accident, things would have been different. But after All-Japan, I had confidence that I could do well with Dai-chan.
About the programs
KENJI: In the finished rhythm dance program, is there any particular moment that you want people to pay attention to?
Takahashi: To be honest, for me it's the midline step.
Muramoto: Midline for me too!
Takahashi: I think the two of us have a good groove in the midline step.
KENJI: I like the middle part of the mid-line, from the slide. It's really cool.
Muramoto: That's Marina's obsession. She never missed the slide from Mohawk, right?
KENJI: What is the highlight of the free dance?
Muramoto: I like all of it, but I think the beginning is my favorite.
KENJI: I like when Kana-chan sits down and puts her hands here (in front of her face) before it starts.
Muramoto: I always get goose bumps myself when Dai-chan takes his hand away and gets into this position. "Ah! It's starting!” I always get goosebumps when the song starts.
Takahashi: At that point I’m thinking “Spin! Spin!” [coming up], so I'm too anxious. My favourite part is the choreo step. That's where I think there's still room to grow, I think we can be both light and strong, so it's a place where I think we can make it even better. We haven't been able to show it in the two competitions yet.
On ice dance getting more attention
KENJI: Now that you're doing ice dance, it is getting a lot of attention, isn't it? You must be happy about that.
Muramoto: No, I'm so happy. I can't thank him enough. I'm really happy. Because ice dancing has never been covered like this. Of course, there are skaters who have made ice dance big in the past, but he will get more attention, and people who don't know ice dance will have more opportunities to see it. I was surprised that people don't know ice dance as much as I thought. Not only us, but I want people to know how good ice dance is. There are many couples/teams in Japan, and there have been many in the past, and I want people to see many different couples/teams.
KENJI: What do you think is the charm of ice dance, Kana-chan?
Muramoto: I'm always asked, but it's hard to put into words....
Takahashi: Kenji, what do you think is the charm of ice dance?
KENJI: I want people to relax and watch it slowly, like watching a stage performance or a movie. Of course you want to know about the technique, but I think the charm of ice dance is that you can forget about that and watch it with a sense of elegance. Of course it's a sport, but I think the artistic side is stronger. Also, I think the appeal of ice dancing is that children can do it, and adults can do it too.
Muramoto: I think the process of working together with someone is one of the charms of ice dancing. It's twice as much fun, and I find the process of working with someone else on everything fascinating. I think it's unique to ice dance that two people can create a piece together.
Takahashi: In singles, you express yourself alone. There are things that can only be expressed by one person, but there are also worlds that can only be expressed by two people. Pairs is like watching a circus with a storyline, Ice Dance is like watching the main characters in a drama or a movie, I think each has its own charm, Single, Dance and Pairs. Ice Dance is about the pursuit of skating, even a single turn. That's why you can study it for a long time. I think it's difficult to immerse yourself in one thing for a long time on your own/by yourself, but I think ice dancing is the most attractive way to enjoy skating for a long time, because we can pursue it together.
Future goals
KENJI: Please tell us your enthusiasm for the future.
Takahashi: From the start, we've been aiming for the Beijing Olympics in 2022, and we'll never get there unless we win the All-Japan Championships in 2021, so that's what we have to aim for. So I think I have to give it my all/best.
Muramoto: Likewise, I think this year is really crucial, so we will have to definitely stand in the middle of the podium at All-Japan at the end of this year, and I will do my best to achieve my goal of the Beijing Olympics in 2022.
Takahashi: It's rapid growth, isn't it? We have to grow fast.
Muramoto: I really want to do my best, so that I have no regrets.
KENJI: I'm afraid of you getting injured, so please take care of yourselves and practice hard. We are all cheering you on as hard as we can.
After the recording
Muramoto: I hadn't heard directly from Kenji what he thought about Kana and Dai-chan forming an ice dance couple/team, so it was great to hear that.
Takahashi: I didn’t hear before what Kenji thinks about ice dance in general. I'm sure he's told the media, but when I heard it directly, I myself think Ice Dancing can be continued for a long time and I didn't know/understand it until I thought about it, but Kenji has been doing it for a long time, and I've seen him do it, so I thought he'd be able to say it right/he said exactly what I was thinking. [メディアの方には言ってると思いますが、直接聞いたときに、僕自身もアイスダンスはスケートの中でも長く続けられるものだと思うし、それを僕は考えないと分からなかったけど、賢二先生は長いことやられているし、見てきているので、パッと的確なことを仰られるなと思いました。]
What was the talk like?
Muramoto: It's the kind of talk that always makes me want to skate/practice harder afterwards.
Takahashi: Kenji and me were active (competitors) at the same time and we were in the same competitions. I'm 34 now, but Kenji-sensei was in his 30s and I was in my teens [??? this bit is odd since Dai was 22 when Kenji turned 30 – did he make him older or is DeepL way off?
] when we competed at the same time, so I'm over Kenji-sensei's age at the time, so there’s a lot of history. I think it's a talk where we could look back. Kenji has skating experience, so he may feel differently about what we say than those who don't [have skating experience], so I think it was a talk where we could exchange a lot. [僕は賢二先生と一緒に現役をやっていて、試合で同じ部屋だったりもしました。僕も34歳になりましたけど、賢二先生が30台とかで僕が10台とかで一緒に試合に出てたので、その当時の賢二先生の年齢を僕は越えていて、本当に歴史って色々あるなと。結構、振り返りができる部屋だなと思います。賢二先生はスケート経験者ですし、経験していない方とは違って、僕たちが言ったことに対しての感じ方が違ったりするときもあるので、そういった意味で気付いたら色々話しちゃうみたいな、そんな部屋になっていると思います。]
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All is well with everyone here. 
To synes, very sorry for not replying you earlier. Thx as always for your sweet words. 
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], I'll be playing a matador in a scene in Europe, and I'll be dancing with my ice dancing partner, Kana Muramoto, and there will be a wonderful theme song by Ayaka Hirahara and a cool performance by Reon Yuzuki in the skyscraper scene.
) and his skate with Kana to “L' aigle noir" – it's such a gorgeous chanson.
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In the finale he had an entire song to sing this time – "Lay off my hope" – giving it his all and managing really well.
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