Figure skating "trends" that you think will be outdated in the next few years?

[arewhyaen]

So I was binge watching some late 80s/early 90s figure skating programs and noticed a trend around this time of using synth-pop dance remixes - usually in the middle of the program to break up whatever classical piece the skater was skating to. The music usually had no connection to the rest of the program other than to provide a musical break, of sorts, for the rest of the program. So many skaters had these kinds of moments in their programs - Nancy Kerrigan's 94 long program, Debi Thomas's 88 short program, Tonya Harding's 91 long program, and really anything Jill Trenary skated to in her career. It was at this point that I thought these programs must have been "cool" in the moment, but they feel horribly dated now.

Which brings me to this post. What trends in figure skating today do you think will feel outdated in a couple years? This could be anything from the kind of music skaters are skating to, to costume choices, to figure skating moves that feel very of the moment. Right now, I think the trend of pairs and ice dance teams skating to melancholic, heavy music will feel outdated in a few years because every team seems to have selected their music from the same melancholic basket this season and apart from the genre just being overdone, it also just feels like I'll be watching the program in 30 years and think "what is up with this music" the same way I felt watching the programs from the 80s/90s. What do you all think?

 

[moonvine]

Costume changes during program. Voiceovers.

 

[theblade]

It's difficult to not be taken out of a program when there are more than three cuts of music within it; editing takes skill. So hopefully music edits will become more seamless, so that the spell/fourth wall of the program is less likely to be broken.

 

[moonvine]

It's difficult to not be taken out of a program when there are more than three cuts of music within it; editing takes skill. So hopefully music edits will become more seamless, so that the spell/fourth wall of the program is less likely to be broken.

Personally I love it when a skater skates to just one piece of music.

 

[el henry]

Young guy skaters skating to semi-current young angsty guy music

(Maybe more wishful thinking than prediction).

 

[anonymoose_au]

Voiceovers, for all that is holy, voiceovers!

They complete fling you out of the program as you try to understand what someone is saying.

Even worse if it's a super creepy sounding voice.

 

[skatefan17]

I think the kind of frantic (for lack of better word) skating with gloves and WAY overly bedazzled dresses may go out of style or at the very least I think we will see more variations in construction and fit of the material or at least a wider array than what we see now. I would love a harkening back to the Kwan era where simple solid color dress with detailing, except updated to be more modern. More cut outs and designs in dresses would be nice for the ladies as well as more bodysuits.

In terms of music, I think we may see more classical pieces and perhaps stronger thematic content that has more of a storyline. Some skaters may use more obscure music, like how one team (can’t remember who) had a composer make him his own song or how Starr performed to her own voice. It’s exciting to think what the future holds for skating.

 

[Mathman]

They complete fling you out of the program as you try to understand what someone is saying.

I have the same problem with all vocal music. The accoustics are rarely good enough to make out the words. Did the singer just say "baby, baby, baby" or was it something else of equal profundity?

 

[skatefan17]

My friend who is a casual skating fan made a remark at Skate America that all the ice dance programs felt very outdated, like all the songs had been picked from the 2010s. I would love to see teams use remixes of songs and focus more on the mastering and mixing of the music.

 

[NaVi]

I think the kind of frantic (for lack of better word) skating with gloves

If they have to touch their blades they're going to wear gloves.

 

[el henry]

If they have to touch their blades they're going to wear gloves.

Jason Brown and his catchfoot camel spins would have a word

For some reason, I don't mind ladies' gloves, but I hate mangloves with the passion of a thousand suns. But I don't think it's a trend that will go away.

 

[labgoat]

Deep breathing sounds, moaning...just creepy and TMI

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Voiceovers, for all that is holy, voiceovers!

They complete fling you out of the program as you try to understand what someone is saying.

Even worse if it's a super creepy sounding voice.

Can I take it further?

Vocals, full stop!

They should never have been allowed. It was much better when it was just instrumental music. Having vocals distracts too much from the skating.

Also, tights that go over the boots. Either partially or fully. Aesthetically horrible.

Think of it like this - when did you ever see somebody with a lump of metal growing out of the sole of their foot?!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[surimi]

Joining the 'voiceovers' and 'costume changes' crowd. Adding excessive lip syncing and excessive knee sliding. At least I hope they become obsolete, and there'll be more variety in skating.

 

[yume]

Tanos and rippons on every jumps (i hope). There are no special anymore and don't bring extra points like when Medvedeva and Sakhanovich started to do them.

 

[Laid-Back Enthusiast]

These upright forward spin variations (where you catch your foot in front or behind) have become increasingly popular and I find them quite ugly aesthetically, I wish this fad will fade... also I'm wishing for a renaissance for full, unique, multi- variational laybacks, both in women and men.

 

[katymay]

Edea boots. (At least I hope so)

 

[theblade]

Personally I love it when a skater skates to just one piece of music.

I do, too. Prefer it. But if there is a required tempo change then that can't always be found in one piece of music.

Re: gloves, and the rhythmic gymnastics-inspired uber-bedazzled dresses. Yes to more variety.

As for gloves, I don't get it. When I used to do a Bielmann, I never cut my hands on the skate blade. Perhaps I rotated slower, or didn't extend my leg along my back in a full split - so perhaps it's more likely at a faster speed in a more contorted position? And rinks weren't as warm and heated as many are these days. Our hands were cold during competitions and club shows! It wasn't easy but there you have it.

Gloves can appear fashionable when they are worn with short/sleeveless dresses (Kaetlyn Osmond 2017-18 Piaf short program, Madison Chock in a dance dress with "16 button" opera-length gloves). It's a deliberate fashion accessory, not an attempt to extend the body. When I see gloves (either flesh-tones or dyed to match) and a full sleeve, it has the same effect as over-the-boot skate tights. It's covering hands and/or feet, which appears to either cut them off or make them almost alien-like, so it's distracting.

 

[moonvine]

Can I take it further?

Vocals, full stop!

They should never have been allowed. It was much better when it was just instrumental music. Having vocals distracts too much from the skating.

Also, tights that go over the boots. Either partially or fully. Aesthetically horrible.

Think of it like this - when did you ever see somebody with a lump of metal growing out of the sole of their foot?!

CaroLiza_fan

I LOVE vocals. Agree to disagree

 

[ladyjane]

I like vocals but not always, and sometimes it can be cringey when a 15-year-old skates to rather 'adult' vocals. I would hope for a bit more appropriate choices on that score. I do join in with the 'anti-voiceover' crowd. I wouldn't mind one or two programmes with them, but currently there are so many of them that it really gets to you in a negative way. The same actually applies to costume changes. It was fun and unexpected when Laurine Lecavelier did it with her Grease programme, but when it became a trend it started to detract from the skating. Again, this also applies to sliding moves. I enjoy watching sliding moves but they have become quite excessive in some programmes.