What programs do you recommend for new fans? | Golden Skate

What programs do you recommend for new fans?

Lamente Ariane

Lamente Ariane

In the Void, no one can see your Qs
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Apr 5, 2017
I suspect most of us have people in our lives who either have never watched figure skating or have a very vague memory of seeing part of a program on TV in an Olympic season. Sometimes they're content to leave it there, but sometimes they're interested enough to want to check out some programs.

So I'm curious: when this has happened to you (or if it were to happen to you) what are the programs you've found yourself suggesting most often? Do you tend to go for the classics first or something recent to show what's competitive today? Or just programs you personally adore? Are there any you tried showing someone that they just didn't get?

I'll start by saying a lot of the time I've specifically found myself trying to explain ice dance, and so a lot of my go-tos are ice dance programs. The Shibutanis' 2017-18 Mambo/Cha-Cha SD has consistently been one of the ones I show people, especially if they're curious about how ice dance evolved from ballroom dancing.

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Many of my friends are classical musicians so I often go with programs featuring beautiful music, not awful music cuts and good interpretation of said music.

Ice dance, I recommend Virtue and Moir's Mahler 5th from the 2010 Olympics.



And for Chopin lovers, the best program is by far Patrick's 4CC, so that's the one I recommend.

 
4everchan said:
Many of my friends are classical musicians so I often go with programs featuring beautiful music, not awful music cuts and good interpretation of said music.

Ice dance, I recommend Virtue and Moir's Mahler 5th from the 2010 Olympics.



And for Chopin lovers, the best program is by far Patrick's 4CC, so that's the one I recommend.

Click to expand...

:love: So much better than background noise of forgettable popular songs!
 
Lamente Ariane said:
I suspect most of us have people in our lives who either have never watched figure skating or have a very vague memory of seeing part of a program on TV in an Olympic season. Sometimes they're content to leave it there, but sometimes they're interested enough to want to check out some programs.

So I'm curious: when this has happened to you (or if it were to happen to you) what are the programs you've found yourself suggesting most often? Do you tend to go for the classics first or something recent to show what's competitive today? Or just programs you personally adore? Are there any you tried showing someone that they just didn't get?
Click to expand...
I’ve never had anyone get it, honestly.
I will show my Queen, Keegan, Danny and Ellie, my fiancé, Nathan Chen, Kait and Jean Luc, any of my kids - Reagan and Jakub, Kirk Haugeto, Sam Mindra, and I’d go on but they lost interest 30 minutes ago.
 
Hawayek and Baker's 2024 Free and the masterpiece that is Jason Brown's Sinnerman is where I would start - but most of my friends are dancers or theatre folk and choreo savvy.

For ballet dancers Kokyada's White Crow.

Also, Patrick Chan's Hallelujah.

For a real change I actually love Shoma's Great Spirit.
 
Arigato said:
If the point were to bring in young men and let them grow to love the sport, there is only one choice for me to show them what someone around their age is capable of doing at only 19.

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The way he maintains speed in the StSq is amazing.

I think what program you choose in introducing someone new to the sport depends on said person's specific character.

I think people who profoundly appreciate skating long term tend to be into melodic lyricism. More energetic programs might be conducive to more fleeting interest in just marathoning all of the best technically impressive programs without much commitment to watching live events consistently. My perspective; could be wrong.
 
Arigato said:
If the point were to bring in young men and let them grow to love the sport, there is only one choice for me to show them what someone around their age is capable of doing at only 19.
Click to expand...
First WR with that one at 17 though... might be a tad intimidating? Although the increased number of boys in Japan taking the sport up has been credited (by a film producer doing the research) to his influence.

This being me folks, it's also and obviously Yuzuru. He is not only best of the best and GOAT level but appeals to so many different people in different ways and on so many levels. And there are so many to choose from but I think for me it has to be Seimei, it is arguably THE most iconic program (and music! from that first breath and wild piercing note) of the IJS era and there are numerous magic versions on video: the most perfect being the NHK and GPF part-of-six-world-records-in-three-weeks history, but I'd use the Olympics one for its power, joy and audience exhilaration coming right off the screen. Makes it so easy to get swept up and away.

Then probably either Let Me Entertain You or Let's Go Crazy for sheer rock star entertainment, Rondo for being one of - if not the - most perfect meld of everything figure skating can and should be, and from his pro era One Summer's Day which is for me may not have the big tech and flashy jumps but is the single most aesthetically, breathtakingly beautiful moment in skating history.
 
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I go for those I love as they also happen to be among the best of the best that FS has to offer, that is Yuzuru Hanyu (but of course) for Men/ FS as such, Papadakis/Cizeron for Ice Dance, Rika Kihira or Aliona K. for Women.
These have never failed me to get ahs, ohs, and wows from the targeted audience :)
They also all offer a wide range of choices, allowing me to go along with the mood of the moment and the other person's tastes as known to me. I also tend to pick up programmes with the widest appeal, for which you do not have to be an FS expert to appreciate them. As both Parisienne Walkways and Seimei have been linked here already, and I do not wish to get into the Ballad No. 1 rivalry discussion, here are some of my other most common first choices (funny coincidence, both videos come from Skate Canada 2019, what an iconic competition it was!):



 
Mathematician said:
I think what program you choose in introducing someone new to the sport depends on said person's specific character.

I think people who profoundly appreciate skating long term tend to be into melodic lyricism. More energetic programs might be conducive to more fleeting interest in just marathoning all of the best technically impressive programs without much commitment to watching live events consistently. My perspective; could be wrong.
Click to expand...
Not sure about that. but it is probably an idea to take into account the person/people we are introducing even if that means going for something we might usually not: for instance, Medvedeva's Anna Karenina may not be the most subtle piece of interpretation but I'd pick it for the romantics of my acquaintance, oh yes. And for the very very young, I would definitely haul out Gracie's gala to 'Let It Go' for them because let us be honest... Frozen with Elsa 'cosplay' costume. They would eat it up (and they all have Elsa and Anna cups and forks and plates to do so).


I have to admit, knowing the people I know all too well, I would probably also have something quirky in hand for the "look at what fun things we can have!" moments like Kolyada's Nightmare Before Christmas or my beloved Zhiganshina & Gazsi's Two from the Grave.


A first taste can be just what might make people go "oooooh, fun!" or "oooooh, gorgeous!" or just "wowwwww" and want to try out the rabbit hole for themselves. It does help, of course, rather a lot when it's that rare skater who has everything and a large helping of the 'it' factor to boot, though then we have the question of 'what next?'

(ps @Magill. I am there for your choices too! and @goldenwaltz's post with Yulia, that's another above and beyond iconic one)
 
Been in this situation😏 so I don’t tend to dazzle with tech .. they don’t know what they’re watching .. so I give them simple from skilled skaters.. something they might relate to. These I have shared (with youngsters mostly; adults are really never interested.. and, they ask questions..)

Valieva’s Avatar EX

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Q: How does she get her leg that high?
A: She has no connective tissue

Junior Synchro - Les Supremes Matrix

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Comment: “Wow!”

Jason Brown - The Last Airbender

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Comment: “He’s fast!” (Love the music)

Weaver & Poje (in practice duds)

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Neset & Markelov EX

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(Kids like the dancers..)

Emily & Spencer

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Comment: “Can’t Look!!”

EDT to add seriously:

Daisike Takahashi - In the Garden of Souls
(Watched it 1000+ X)
 
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