What makes skaters special?

[Hailey Shin]

I know many of you are rooting for a/some skater(s).

What makes you to adore them, and which thing makes them special to you?

It can be nationality, fabulous jumping technics(or contents), beautiful movements(posture), good(touchful) programs...

It`ll be good to share your opinions(or experience!) about this.

For me, beautiful postures and good impression of the program makes me rooting for the skater. I even feel catharsis when I found good one. And once I root, I follow them for (at least) few years! :luv17: To me, it`s just like finding jewels in vast sea.. And of course, nationality also means to me sometimes, but not that much (I think). :sarcasm: I love many skaters with other nationalities.

 

[dreamsk8]

A true passion for the sport. This is a sport were sometimes you get a person with great talent that is push to greatness but personally behind it all there is no true passion or love for the sport. And you can tell by really watching a skater.
I do root for nationality of course :agree2:

 

[Layback11]

Charisma: it's what has drawn me to many skaters. I want to feel like I can't take my eyes off a skater.

Spin positions: really great spin positions are actually very rare, and I appreciate it when a skater bothers to polish this area of their skating (considering that spins aren't worth much point-wise). If I don't love any particular qualities in a skater, all it takes is a droopy flying sit or a bent-legged biellman to make me NOT like them.

Speed: nothing drags your skating down more than lacking speed. It makes it so much less enjoyable to watch a skater. When someone is fast, it gives them a commanding ice presence that you just can't have without speed.

 

[Bumdid]

Beautiful Lines and posture. I think so many skaters nowadays don't hold their lines long enough and it makes them look really rush. I think someone like Mao Asada, Carolina Kostner, and Michelle Kwan have really beautiful lines and awarness of their body that makes their skating very appealing. And don't get me started when skaters have their shoulders up to their ears when skating :sarcasm:

Personality. This is really subjective but there's lots of skaters that I root for because of their personality even though there are aspects of their skating that I might find lacking. Someone like Boyang Jin or Gracie Gold are examples of this. I know you can nitpick their skating to high heavens but I think they seem to be really sweet and lovely.

 

[4everchan]

i make them special because they are special to me in other words, I don't care about anything if I go subjectively....

If we talk more seriously, I would say, pure lines.... edges, flow.... real skating, no gimmicks.... that's how I personally connect to skaters.

 

[andromache]

Seconding Layback's suggestion that a commanding ice presence is necessary (at least, for me.)

Speed works to establish that presence: I'm thinking of Gracie Gold and Karen Chen. Musicality and/or audience connection and projection can do it too: Elena Radionova and Ashley Wagner. But a commanding ice presence can also be ruined by bad programs or a bad attitude, at least for me. I was a Plushenko fan for years and years (and he's king of the commanding ice presence :agree but over time "commanding" transformed into "arrogant," at least from my point of view. Plus, some of his programs were not-so-great even when he delivered on personality and fierceness.

I think I took so long to warm up to Evgenia this season (longer than it took me to warm up to Elena last season) because she doesn't have the obvious audience engagement of Elena, and she's not a super-fast skater. But she has turned me into a fan over time due to her choreography, expressiveness, and overall quality, even though I don't think she yet has the commanding presence of some other skaters.

 

[karne]

Oh, so many ways and this.

I'd heard of Max Aaron vaguely before that 2013 Nationals - first, as the bronze medallist the year Joshua and Jason were 2-1 in Juniors with only two-tenths difference, and second, from the practice reports during the week that said he was looking good. The short program took place during a work day for me, and after seeing the results (I was already a huge Joshua/Jason fan) I knew I HAD to watch. The only video I could get access to was of the entire first group, so I cheerfully watched it. First skater up is this solid little nugget in a very literal Tron costume. I was impressed that he didn't seem ruffled by the music error, and when his music did start I liked it, it was so different. And then he nailed the quad-triple, I was paying attention! But when we got to the step sequence, and he grinned at the crowd - that was it. I was done for. How could I not immediately love such an exciting, technically-difficult, adorable skater?

Joshua caught my eye because of his exquisite technique. I could hardly believe that an American man without a skerrick of Russian influence could jump that beautifully, as beautifully as the King himself! To watch his rapid artistic development and then to watch on as this shy young man struggled with injury - but never gave up, never stopped fighting, and always came back stronger...it is a privilege to call myself his fan.

There are so many reasons, all of them different, all of them personal.

 

[MaxSwagg]

Complete freedom of movement, which automatically creates a feeling of excitement...passion. Compelling programs/choreography, a sense of authentic interpretation. EFFORTLESS AND SMOOTH MOVEMENT ACROSS THE ICE. Recent skaters that satisfy these criteria for me: Yuzu satisfies most of this for me, the unmatched purity of technique in everything, the freedom... Others, Patrick (don't care if he does piano concerto or string concerto genres every year), Dai (unmatched performance, interpretation, choreographic content...the best), Mao, who skates with an ease most if not all of the current women can only dream about.

 

[noskates]

For me its definitely a combination of things. I want a balance between athleticism and power. I like to see a male figure skater with clean lines, soft landings and smooth finishes on all their jumps. I want their spins centered and a feeling for the music - or musicallity. They must also entertain. I like Jason Brown because he has everything but those pesky quads - otherwise to me he's the quintessential male figure skater. He has a passion for the sport and is a good sportsman. For women it's much the same. It should also be effortless, as MAXSwagg mentioned. Don't care for long set-ups without footwork for jumps or telegraphing. I would have to agree that Patrick Chan and Mao Asada have it all.

 

[boskil]

complete freedom of movement, which automatically creates a feeling of excitement...passion. Compelling programs/choreography, a sense of authentic interpretation. EFFORTLESS AND SMOOTH MOVEMENT ACROSS THE ICE.

EFFORTLESS AND SMOOTH MOVEMENT ACROSS THE ICE
ANDOH MNARI

I see what you did there. :agree:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fybETQxX4Bc

 

[MaxSwagg]

EFFORTLESS AND SMOOTH MOVEMENT ACROSS THE ICE
ANDOH MNARI

I see what you did there. :agree:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fybETQxX4Bc

 

[iluvtodd]

a combination of things - moving programs, beautiful posture, charisma, presence on the ice, musicality, charming personality (off the ice as well as on the ice) ... great spins, Russian splits, spread eagles ...

 

[MGstyle]

There are many skaters whom I like, but once in a while there comes along a skater just grabs hold of your attention from the first moment of encounter and make you go "Whoa!!" and never let go. And becomes extra special in my heart. It happened to me five times in 20+ years of being a passionate fan of this sport. It is hard to explain or pin point what makes them special, but one thing they have in common is that natural, innate sparkle that just emit from their entire beings. Which, either you have it or don't, not something that can be taught or learn, and certainly nothing to do with how many quads they perform or even IF they have any quad in their routine.

 

[noskates]

MGstyle - could not agree with you more on every single word in your post! :agree:

 

[koatcue]

Bunch of tanos apparently!:yes:

 

[sarama]

Beautiful thread
The first thing that comes to my mind (as some others said) is effortlessness! Key ingredients for that: Skating skills to die for, elements that enhance the program and don't break it in sections, musicality and genuine connection to the music.
On further thinking though I realised that some skaters I REALLY like don't necessarily fit (at least for now) this description: I guess in the end any skater can become special to you, if they somehow manage to touch something deep inside you (even though you might never know what that is). For example I've noticed that skaters that look full of joy just because they are skating tend to become special for me no matter what.... notable examples Akiko Suzuki and Lubov Iliushechkina

 

[plushyfan]

There are many skaters whom I like, but once in a while there comes along a skater just grabs hold of your attention from the first moment of encounter and make you go "Whoa!!" and never let go. And becomes extra special in my heart. It happened to me five times in 20+ years of being a passionate fan of this sport. It is hard to explain or pin point what makes them special, but one thing they have in common is that natural, innate sparkle that just emit from their entire beings. Which, either you have it or don't, not something that can be taught or learn, and certainly nothing to do with how many quads they perform or even IF they have any quad in their routine.

This. I can't explaine more. In most of the cases this is a feeling. I don't know the reasons.

 

[lyndichee]

I really like to watch skaters who just seem to adore every minute they are on ice. I get that feeling a lot from Seguin and Bilodeau. I can't wait to see them back next season

 

[Lila11]

I think that taste in FS is a subjective matter
For me, I can say what I like about Plush - jumping technique, posture, charisma, etc but other skaters who have these qualities are not always so appealing to me
I remember the quote from a famous ballet dancer
"Presence is so hard to describe, but when somebody has presence, they do nothing – they walk on the stage – and you notice them right away. You ask yourself 'Why am I looking at this person and not somebody else?'

 

[Giselle]

The most important things for me: posture, lines and musicality.

I also like originality.

I could not care less how the skaters are off the ice.