And is the reason why there are so few Japanese and Korean ice dance teams but they dominate the other genres where they are free to choose their own music, theme, style, choreography, etc.
This is something I've never really thought about until I made a throwaway comment in another thread.
Look at this season the theme for RD.
"In April 2024, the ISU published the requirements for the 2024–2025 season.[15] Both junior and senior dance teams had to choose music from the social dances and styles of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The ISU gave the following examples of music from the above-mentioned decades, although teams were not limited to them: rock n' roll, the Jitterbug, the Twist, the Hustle, and disco."
Sure they say 1950's to 1970's, but no-one is skating to Sukiyaki it's all American or Western European music. The subtext is choose music that they were dancing to in North America and Western Europe during that period.
Don't interpret this as negativity in any way to these musical styles. Of course this music deserves to be a part of ice dancing, and all genres originating from these cultures.
A skater born in North America for example, a choreographer or coach who may have grew up immersed in this music and culture, understands the history, the subtleties, maybe has a better understanding of the lyrics than someone who does not speak English as a first language, is at a advantage to a choreographer or coach who grew up in 1970's China, Russia, Japan, Korea, etc.
The Koreans seem to only have one ice dance team, and both dancers had spent much of their life in Canada. So it seems some kind of western cultural background and influence really helps in ice dancing. The number one team in Japanese ice dance, one partner was born and grew up in the United States. Even in many other teams, it seems there are a lot of people of North American/British descent who have transferred to other federations for example the Spanish team, one dancer in the Lithuanian team (nothing wrong with that just an observation).
What would be wrong having 2000's K-Pop as the theme for RD next season? There's nothing wrong with having music from the 50's to 70's that originated mostly in the US, but why not rotate it around the world each season to represent if not all the world but align more with the culture of the important figure skating countries in the world like Japan and Korea, and China with 1.2 billion people as well.
It feels to me if the genres each year align with the same cultures and same styles, then it places skaters, coaches, choreographers, from those cultures at an advantage. It's like playing a board game with loaded dice.
It would also help spread cultural awareness. A Canadian skater or choreographer interpreting Japanese music would be quite interesting I think.
This is something I've never really thought about until I made a throwaway comment in another thread.
Look at this season the theme for RD.
"In April 2024, the ISU published the requirements for the 2024–2025 season.[15] Both junior and senior dance teams had to choose music from the social dances and styles of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The ISU gave the following examples of music from the above-mentioned decades, although teams were not limited to them: rock n' roll, the Jitterbug, the Twist, the Hustle, and disco."
Sure they say 1950's to 1970's, but no-one is skating to Sukiyaki it's all American or Western European music. The subtext is choose music that they were dancing to in North America and Western Europe during that period.
Don't interpret this as negativity in any way to these musical styles. Of course this music deserves to be a part of ice dancing, and all genres originating from these cultures.
A skater born in North America for example, a choreographer or coach who may have grew up immersed in this music and culture, understands the history, the subtleties, maybe has a better understanding of the lyrics than someone who does not speak English as a first language, is at a advantage to a choreographer or coach who grew up in 1970's China, Russia, Japan, Korea, etc.
The Koreans seem to only have one ice dance team, and both dancers had spent much of their life in Canada. So it seems some kind of western cultural background and influence really helps in ice dancing. The number one team in Japanese ice dance, one partner was born and grew up in the United States. Even in many other teams, it seems there are a lot of people of North American/British descent who have transferred to other federations for example the Spanish team, one dancer in the Lithuanian team (nothing wrong with that just an observation).
What would be wrong having 2000's K-Pop as the theme for RD next season? There's nothing wrong with having music from the 50's to 70's that originated mostly in the US, but why not rotate it around the world each season to represent if not all the world but align more with the culture of the important figure skating countries in the world like Japan and Korea, and China with 1.2 billion people as well.
It feels to me if the genres each year align with the same cultures and same styles, then it places skaters, coaches, choreographers, from those cultures at an advantage. It's like playing a board game with loaded dice.
It would also help spread cultural awareness. A Canadian skater or choreographer interpreting Japanese music would be quite interesting I think.
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