other kinds of female artistry | Golden Skate

other kinds of female artistry

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I'm sure we can all think of plenty of examples of beautiful artistic programs by skaters who emphasize traditional classical beauty in their choices of how to present themselves on ice. We can probably also think of examples of female skaters who choose to play up their sex appeal.

What about other choices that female skaters have made? What are some good examples of successful female artistry that's not primarily about beauty or sex appeal?

Here are a few to get started:

Thomas

Harding SP
Harding LP

Witt 94

Gusmeroli

I'll add some more later.
 

emma

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Stephanie Rosenthal!

SP 2006 Rockit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnkku5aJzZM

One of the best things about this program is Dick Button loving it despite the jumps not being top notch!

The audience also loved it.

That was such a great program, and if I have my years correct, her LP that year was to Andean music and it too was very creative and I really enjoyed it!

I am finding both Kostner's SP and LP very interesting this year - the music is interesting to me and the shapes she creates on the ice with her long limbs really just make it hard for me to look away...
 

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Yup, I was going to add both of those too! And I think those were a good example of IJS being used well, since she got significantly higher scores for choreography, etc., than for skating skills.
 

mmcdermott

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 3, 2011
Good thread! I was thinking of posting something similar in the Skating and Feminism thread from last week. I often wonder if the ladies and their coaches feel (rightly or wrongly) that they'll get weaker marks for non-traditional programs. It seems like there is a wider diversity of music and costume choices in the other disciplines.

Carolina Kostner's LP came to mind for me as well. It's an interesting example because, IMO, her costume completely changes the feel of the program. If she was wearing a pretty dress it would feel more like a traditional beauty type of program.

And surely there must be some examples from Surya Bonaly?? I don't remember well enough to look for any in particular ...
 

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
This is probably my favorite Bonaly program

The question, raised in the feminism thread now in the political forum is: Was the reason she wasn't ahead of Baiul-with-touchdown, or even Kerrigan as one of the comments below the video suggests, because of her choice of style or because of her weaknesses in technical areas such as edge quality throughout the program?

Same with other occasions when she skated landed more jumps and lost to skaters with more refined technique.

How can we separate skating technique -- especially the aspects that result in graceful movement or classical body line -- from gendered artistic choices?
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
Midori Ito is the greatest example to me with her athletic style. It can't be denied that her appeal comes not only from her astounding jumps but also her charm and her irresistible smile, though. I guess you could reduce those to "gendered artistic choices." Would a feminist rather Midori not smile? :confused:
 
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Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Oh, my, how could anyone not want to see that radiant smile? What a lovely spirit Midori had. I remember when she fell out of the rink and collided with the cameraman. As she got up and hastened back onto the ice, she was apologizing to the cameraman.

She's a great example of nontraditional style, especially because she's very musical and obviously enjoys expressing the piece she's performing to.
 

callalily

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 11, 2005
Midori Ito is the greatest example to me with her athletic style. It can't be denied that her appeal comes not only from her astounding jumps but also her charm and her irresistible smile, though. I guess you could reduce those to "gendered artistic choices." Would a feminist rather Midori not smile? :confused:

Plenty of men smile when they skate. Charm and a smile have great appeal, both from men and women.

Midori Ito was a phenomenal skater and I loved her guts, enthusiasm and joy for skating; thanks for mentioning her.
 

callalily

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 11, 2005
Joannie Rochette and Cynthia Phaneuf have skating styles that are polished; they can be sexy (in exhibitions) or elegant in a more restrained way, yet they are very powerful. Neither is a princess; they express womanliness in a different way.
 

claphappy

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Alena Leonova is the first person that comes to my mind.

The second person would be Krisztina Czako. I absolutley adore her Addams Family program. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi0FazjCHRQ

Akiko Suzuki is another skater I'd put in this category; more for her presence than for her programs. The same goes for Joshi Helgesson, despite her incredibly pink lp costume this year.
 
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Poodlepal

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
This is a great thread. I hate that every woman seems to skate in the exact same style now, to very soft, slow, music. If you watch videos from years gone by (before Michelle, whom I love, but blame for popularizing this style of skating), the music was much faster and louder. I don't know if the skating was faster, but the overall impression wasn't one of such delicateness and gentleness. I think trying to skate in that mold hurt Rachael, Kimmie and Mao. When Tonya and Midori did triple axels, it seemed like an exciting, energetic type of jump. Mao and Kimmie seemed to have to do them so wispily so that it fit in with their serious, quiet music. Irina Slutskaya was another one who didn't fit that dainty mold, but seemed to try to force herself into it for whatever reason.
 

cosmos

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 2, 2007
YuNa certainly has a traditional beauty but her Danse Macbre shows other kinds of female artistry.
 

Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Great thread! I have none to add of my own because the ones I thought of have already been posted. :)

There's nothing like pure raw power, gives me the chills just thinking about it, one of the aspects I most love about this sport, amongst many! *Cheers* :)^D
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
Plenty of men smile when they skate. Charm and a smile have great appeal, both from men and women.

Midori Ito was a phenomenal skater and I loved her guts, enthusiasm and joy for skating; thanks for mentioning her.
IMO there's no comparison between the way all ladies are supposed to smile and some men choose to. It's not a necessity for men unless perhaps they have upbeat programs. It doesn't bother me as I like the smiling, unless it's forced. It makes the skater look free and relaxed. But I'm aware that there's a gender distinction.
 
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