Changing The Image Of Men's Figure Skating | Golden Skate

Changing The Image Of Men's Figure Skating

IDLERACER

Medalist
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Here is one the many clips going around showing Elvis Stojko's take on the image of Men's figure skating today.

What's your take?
 

MasterB

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 18, 2004
So that is the reason the ratings are down, real men have stopped watching it.

I saw this on American television yesterday, and thought "now what?" I remember when Michael Weiss use to compete and the sport analyst use to make a big deal about him having a wife and a kid. They also use to point out that he was a huge football fan. They did the same thing with Elvis with his Martial Arts background and dirt biking. It was so obvious that they were trying to make their toughness and machoness standout. A straight guy in this sport has a very difficult time maintaining their masculine image intact. The minute the public knows that they skate, the questions, the teasing, the bullying arise. When that stupid Blades of Glory came out I wanted to puke. I knew they would make a mockery of my favorite sport.

I had hoped that by this time we as a society have accepted the fact that there are many layers to being a man, not just one of beer drinking, fist fighting, gun toting, and rear-slapping team sports. A man is capable of using his strength, his dance-ability, his musicality, his creativity, basically his genious to create a master piece that will both move us and leave us wanting more without us having to ever question whether it is gay in nature or not.

Why is it, we underestimate man? Is today's man really bothered by figure skating?

Okay, I am going to stop now, I think I lost track of what I was going to say.
 

evangeline

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
I find this highly ironic, as what drew me to men's figure skating in the first place was the beautiful skating of skaters like Stephane Lambiel and Jeffrey Buttle, not the tough-guy posturing of other skaters considered more 'macho.'

I doubt that the people who exclusively like the hard-hitting tough-guy action of hockey and other more physical sports would ever like figure skating, a strictly non-contact sport. As a hockey fan myself, I watch figure skating and hockey for two completely different reasons.
 

PolymerBob

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2007
When that stupid Blades of Glory came out I wanted to puke. I knew they would make a mockery of my favorite sport.

There is one thing everyone forgets about Blades of Glory ..................

.................. The two guys were STRAIGHT !! .......
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
I have notice this past season or two that the Canadian men, esp Jeff Buttle and Vaughn Chiper have been wearing very simple costumes. Patrick, while more decorative has been pretty classic. I tend to like this style more....authough I hated Vaughn Chiper's blue tourist shirt!
 

ANW

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
gee, could they find better male skaters to talk about so called "Macho" image? an uber-effeminate Elvis Stojko and a high-pitched Jeremy Ten? :rofl:
 

NatachaHatawa

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Bring back the quads!!!!:rock:

Seriously, the whole "skating is an effeminate sport" thing is just something people who don't know much about skating think. However, I do think that the new system does priviledge graceful skating rather than powerful skating. Most male skaters aren't effeninate, being artistic doesn't mean being girly, just take guys like Stéphane Lambiel or Alexei Yagudin.

I think the idea of wanting to bring hockey fans to watch figure skating is ridiculous. If people want to watch a hockey match then let them watch hockey, not figure skating. Skating is not just a sport, but also an art. I think it's really funny though, how it should be Skate Canada who is pushing for more "macho" skating as Canadian skaters tend to be elaborate and artistic.

I don't think the dabte should be about whether one prefers more graceful skaters or more macho skaters, I think it shoud be about each person having his own style, but doing it well.
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
I don't think the debate should be about whether one prefers more graceful skaters or more macho skaters, I think it should be about each person having his own style, but doing it well.

I'm not pushing for the quads (there are so many other elements that a skater can put in a program), but I agree with this.
 

mycelticblessing

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 9, 2007
I think the idea of wanting to bring hockey fans to watch figure skating is ridiculous. If people want to watch a hockey match then let them watch hockey, not figure skating. Skating is not just a sport, but also an art. I think it's really funny though, how it should be Skate Canada who is pushing for more "macho" skating as Canadian skaters tend to be elaborate and artistic.

It's all about TV ratings now. Most Canadians are hockey fans, so they probably think making figure skating more manly etc. means good TV ratings like what hockey matches enjoy.

I was quite miffed with Johnny, Plushenko and Takahashi being picked out for 'frilliness'. None of the elite male skaters strike me as effeminate.:sheesh:
 

Buttercup

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
I don't think the debate should be about whether one prefers more graceful skaters or more macho skaters, I think it shoud be about each person having his own style, but doing it well.
Exactly. :agree: I don't think we should use "artistry" as shorthand for one style of skating. There are different kinds of artistry and as a fan I want to see as many styles as possible - balletic, athletic, powerful, lyrical, crazy, and everything in between. Quads are a plus for me, the only caveat is that I'd rather not see skaters overtraining them if it's detrimental to their health or if it becomes too much of a focus, at the expense of everything else.

As I understand it, Skate Canada officials know they already have the audience that likes figure skating as an art, but they want to find ways to expand the market. This is the right thing to do. Are they going about it the right way? That will depend on how exactly they pitch it. I don't want the art to be taken out of the equation - but the athleticism needs to be emphasized, and I could do with fewer feathers and strategically cut tops with nude illusion fabric.

I like what Jeremy Abbott said prior to Worlds: that he wanted to be an artist and an athlete (or possibly the order was reversed ;)). If we want figure skating to be taken seriously as a sport - which IMO is vital for its long-term success - we can't sell it to people as art alone.

Tinymavy, I'm not sure Buttle's costumes can be described as simple - they're not elborately sequined and feathered, but this isn't exactly in line with, say, Scott and Tessa's FD outfits, or Kozuka's Barney look.
 

wishmaker

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
In my opinion, figure skating is not just a sport, it's also an art on ice. The Macho-makeover is just a flimsy excuse for some of the ex-Canadian Skaters for not getting into the podium, wherein some other skaters, who they think are not macho enough, had stolen their places on the podium. Shame on them and that will tarnish the memories their fans have of them. It's very unfair to say that you need more strength and macho to be a figure skater.
 

Danale

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 26, 2009
Natacha, Elvis Stojko seems to agree with you:
http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/05/03/9330621-sun.html
I have to admit that to me, he does have a point about power and strength making men's skating more attractive.
I like it when athletes push themselves. Whether it's to do quad, difficult combination jumps, or any other demanding element.

The comments on figure skating being combination between sport and art were nicely put, and I agree.
 

wishmaker

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
Thanks for the link re:Elvis' piece on "If you're very lyrical and ....." He doesn't really sound like an artist to me. Every artist has their own quality and point where she/he is good in. It's very unfair, really unfair for him to say 1) "if you're very lyrical....that's not men's skating". A skater has to be lyrical to be able to connect with the music and make the audience understand the music; 2) "..and you're really feminine and soft...that's not men's skating". That's is opinionated. Every skater is unique and never the same. They have their own identity/quality on the ice. Just because some male skaters are feminine or soft, doesn't make them at all belong to Elvis' category of men's skating. There will be skaters who are more daring than the others but that doesn't give them the right to judge and categorize other skaters. There will be skaters/competitors who on competition day wouldn't want to receive lower scores and there will be skaters who are daring to go for some programs where they are very aware of the rules of deductions. So, that's how it goes, but one cannot ever say who is stronger than the other because of some qualities the other skater doesn't approve of. One thing I am definitely sure is that every single skater should be acknowledged and congratulated for giving out all their strength in their programs. Every single skater is strong, others may be lucky and others are just not meant to be in the podium. But all the same, they are all very important figure skaters.
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
I have to agree on costumes. What is the point of sequines and bangels?

:agree::agree: - even with ladies, they go overboard on the "bling" i.m.o.

Surprised someone isn't mentioning uniforms by now. The worst thing to say around people who sell outfits for skaters. Although the people who are making them definitely have been making the guys costumes look like this in the first place.

Elvis has been on this for a while, and I see his point. One most assuredly needs to listen to the complete comment of what he is suggesting. As soon as someone mentions the word Macho, people exaggerate 'think their own concepts' and he is looking at a number of different views before encouraging direction.

It is going to have the association of "gay" as soon as there is a guy dancing solo in some minds. So be it.
The prerogative of the skater is the definitive aspect of an expressive sport - this is a great aspect of this sport I.M.O. The only things to adjust are the forum / elements of the competition and put restrictions on the "costume" - i.e. Kat Witt comparable ruling of appropriate attire.

Also a skaters responsibility to think "what can help" and just try it themselves?? - examples?? Is Evan L. doing better with publicity due to his more "macho" persona, compared to other skaters who are more feminine ???

Well, women I think have always "faired / sold" better in the arena of F.S. anyway, so maybe the thought is to stay consistent with what has been the larger aspect of popularity to the sport itself ??

Historic to media exposure, the Feminine side (ladies) has "sold" better than the masculine side (men) so individuals' attempt to change the formula for men (possibly to gain more attention?) was to do what the girls were in getting all that publicity??? Maybe this has upset the balance of the sport and what has really hurt the popularity???

Who knows, but I think trying different ideas is the right course to see. It is not really compromising the sport any to have these ideas and implement on small scales. j.m.o.
 
Last edited:

wishmaker

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
In my opinion, the sports will be compromised as to the reasons of Canada FS and as to what Elvis has said about male skaters being very lyrical, very graceful, and costumes were also mentioned. All these things that they have mentioned about makeovers, the skaters have to compromise their artistry, individuality, style and idea on how to execute/show their level of performances which makes them different from one another and their identity on the ice will not be theirs anymore.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
"Men's skating is power, strength, masculinity, focus, clarity of movement, interpretation of music."

As opposed to women's skating, which features anemic weakness, feminity, being spaced out most of the time, sloppy execution, and galumphing along while music plays irrelevantly in the background. :)
 

Hsuhs

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
As opposed to women's skating, which features anemic weakness, feminity, being spaced out most of the time, sloppy execution, and galumphing along while music plays irrelevantly in the background. :)
So finally you admit it!
 
Top