Which program would you use to introduce someone to figure skating?

[silveruskate]

I'm sure this must have been done before, but I can't find it.

If I was going to guess it would preferably be a memorable song, big jumps and great spins. I would go for a SP as it's shorter:

For me Yuzuru Hanyu 2018 Olympics Chopin comes to mind on the men's side.
For women's Yulia Lipnitskaya 2014 Olympics, I wouldn't choose a FS but Schindler's List is so well known. Jumps aren't big but everything else is wonderful.

 

[Bluediamonds09]

Good question! I would show someone a program that defies their previous stereotypes about what figure skating is.
Chock / Bates short dance from 2017 Worlds is cool, everybody likes Uptown Funk! Eva Lotta Kiibus sp to House of the Rising Sun (even though the jumps aren’t perfect) to show people that not every program is classical Beethoven. Virtue /Moir Prince program would definitely peak the interest of a non-fan.

 

[lariko]

What got me to watch figure skating was Uno’s Olympic Turandot and Zagitova’s Don Quixote.

Other stuff I loved to bits are Javier Fernandez Olympic skates. Trusova’s Dakarys from Skate Canada. Chen’s Rocketman from GrandPrix final. Boikova-Kozlovskii’s Bond at Eu. Valieva’s Girl on the Ball

Or maybe just watch one of the Grand Prix Finals, they usually do have a selection of different skaters, so people can just fast forward through what does not interest them. Because, like not everyone is into lyrical skates.

 

[cell]

Papadakis/Cizeron Moonlight Sonata

 

[mrrice]

Michelle Kwan's East Of Eden and Maria Butyrskaya's Otonal. The best SP and LP I have seen in person.

 

[silveruskate]

What got me to watch figure skating was Uno’s Olympic Turandot and Zagitova’s Don Quixote.

Other stuff I loved to bits are Javier Fernandez Olympic skates. Trusova’s Dakarys from Skate Canada. Chen’s Rocketman from GrandPrix final. Boikova-Kozlovskii’s Bond at Eu. Valieva’s Girl on the Ball

Or maybe just watch one of the Grand Prix Finals, they usually do have a selection of different skaters, so people can just fast forward through what does not interest them. Because, like not everyone is into lyrical skates.

I really liked Don Quixote for Alina too...how was it to watch it as one of your first skates? I would have thought the start might have been too 'boring' (even though it totally isn't for me) for someone new to the sport. Also agree about Sasha's since GoT is so famous.

Shout out to Yuna's James Bond 2010 Olympics.

 

[el henry]

Jason Brown. Riverdance US Nats.

It has already brought many fans to (or back to) skating however.

 

[dorispulaski]

I agree that showing people programs that are not how they picture figure skating might pique new interest.


So Yes to Jason's Riverdance

From ice dance, some things to show newbies

Chock & Bates' Snake Dance

The Kerrs Scots SD to Erin Shore

The Zombie Dance of Zhiganshina & Gaszi
Two from the Grave": Tore My Heart performed by Oona; Et Maintenant by Jean-Marc Zelwer; Rama Lama by Roisin Murphy

The Bollywood SD of Davis & White

The Giselle ballet /Yankee Polka SD of Davis & White

Prince RD of Virtue & Moir

Torvill & Dean 1984 Paso Doble OSP

Torvill & Dean Mack & Mabel FD

Rahkamo & Kokko FD La Strada (Europeans)
Also their drunken Lapland Polka OSP


Also

anything by Laurent Tobel.

Ilia Klimkin' s 2001 Cup of Russia FS to Petrushka

 

[Shayuki]

This has been Yuzuru Hanyu's Seimei from 15-16. Mostly GPF, I'd say.

 

[yume]

The fours https://youtu.be/L3qK_f_K-9M
https://youtu.be/CCK6AG18AcE
Because it's spectacular.

But it has to be something more recent i would chose something mainstream like Yuna Kim' s Bond.

 

[Skatesocs]

I've never tried this. OTOH I have a friend who showed their favourite program to someone, who decided they'd already watched perfection and chose not to watch anything else. (This is not a joke, although I'll have to get an update)

 

[lariko]

I really liked Don Quixote for Alina too...how was it to watch it as one of your first skates? I would have thought the start might have been too 'boring' (even though it totally isn't for me) for someone new to the sport.

I was watching everyone and it was one of the least boring skates ever. The commentator did a good job warning that Alina is going to go for all the jumps in the second half, and she just sort of winked at the camera, played around happily, then went at it like a machine gun. It was awesome.

I have a very low boredom threshold, so low that I can’t watch ice dance or most of the skaters’ skaters. I often find juniors more watchable than seniors, because they often do lighter music and move faster, jump bigger in ladies.

Another good one for me was Mariah Bell’s last year short. Overall, I think the short programs are probably a good start vs the free ones, because they have the three jumping passes with usually a spectacular axel off the top, so...

Heh, I actually maintain a playlist on YouTube that I call “not mellow skating” for running to

Also, if all else fails, Plushenko’s step sequences might do it...

 

[Jeanie19]

Jason Brown. Riverdance US Nats.

It has already brought many fans to (or back to) skating however.

:agree:

And I pick Evgenia Medvedeva W.E. 2016 Worlds

 

[Seven Sisters]

I agree that showing people programs that are not how they picture figure skating might pique new interest.


So Yes to Jason's Riverdance

From ice dance, some things to show newbies

Chock & Bates' Snake Dance

The Kerrs Scots SD to Erin Shore

The Zombie Dance of Zhiganshina & Gaszi
Two from the Grave": Tore My Heart performed by Oona; Et Maintenant by Jean-Marc Zelwer; Rama Lama by Roisin Murphy

The Bollywood SD of Davis & White

The Giselle ballet /Yankee Polka SD of Davis & White

Prince RD of Virtue & Moir

Torvill & Dean 1984 Paso Doble OSP

Torvill & Dean Mack & Mabel FD

Rahkamo & Kokko FD La Strada (Europeans)
Also their drunken Lapland Polka OSP

Let’s not forget the one dance program to bring to that desert island with you:

The Duchesnays, Missing, from 1990 Worlds

 

[lariko]

Oh, yes, and Nam Nguyen’s free program at Skate Canada last year... though I might be bias, because maybe it’s just awesome because of the atmosphere.

 

[el henry]

Of course the Snake Dance:yes:

I didn’t choose any of my pre 2010 faves because I wouldn’t want newbies to think they are going to see anything like Toller nowadays

And of course it all depends on the audience so who knows? the folks I know would be :yawn: at jump da jump jump programs, but that may be what floats someone else’s boat.

As in the words of Sandra Bezic’s Riverdance commentary, figure skating takes all kinds:thumbsup:

 

[TallyT]

Warning, I am right this minute studying consumer appeal and mass media, so this is a long answer because it's what I am doing.

The difficulty is that many suggested fan-favourite programs are great for developing an interest once that first fleeting glance is caught, but would they get any traction with someone not much caring to glance in the first place? Remember, Shcherbakova didn't get millions of views for her stunning skills but for her dress change gimmick... and give you one guess who's the most googled and youtubed skater on the planet and it ain't Yuzuru or Yuna, and it ain't for her skating.

So I would actually look past showing them jumps, spins, technical wizardry or even classical artistry, and look at what skaters have above and beyond the pure skating excellence which goes over the head of newbies (I speak from experience here). For instance, Virtue/Moir's Prince and Moulin Rouge have sex appeal which is so often a good hook for getting the casual glance to turn into more; Chock/Bates this year, though not on the same level, has the same instant appeal - well, Madison does Oh, and Khokhlova/Novitski's Night on Bald Mountain. Plushenko too, I may not see the sex appeal but I'd be an idiot to deny that many do, so throw in Nijinsky (and Sex Bomb simply because it will make people goggle, laugh and respond to the sheer silly fun. People like fun.)

And Javier Fernandez's Black Betty - c'mon, he is probably the most classically handsome/sexy male skater for years which doesn't hurt , and it's Black Betty. Plus he has enormous appeal in 'retro' pieces like Chaplin and Guys and Dolls.

Of the Russian girls, I would pick Evgenia's Olympic Anna Karenina, not because it's anywhere near my favourite but because the sheer emotional punch of the stakes and her palpable desperation is more likely to move hearts and minds than all of the undeniable - but harder for a newcomer to appreciate - technical and artistic achievements, both hers and her compatriots'.

Boyang's Spiderman and Star Wars come to mind, because they resonate the popular culture stuff we are all carrying round in our heads, as does Yulia Lipnitskaya's Schindler's List. Trusova's GOT because she does have the fiesty aura that might connect with those who miss their the Dragon Queen. And I definitely agree about Zhiganshina & Gaszi's Two From The Grave, especially in this zombie-happy age Then there are the skaters like Jason who people pretty much, pretty instantly want to like though I would give a noobie his gala U Can't Touch This first.

And it has to be said - especially by me - that pretty much every senior program by Yuzu has demonstrably created new fans, because he is the 'total package' in skating and audience appeal, being both GOAT, deeply emotionally artistic, physically beautiful and wildly charismatic. Though, as I suspect would be the case if you started with Yuna Kim, it's then hard when said new fans realise there's soooo not many like them or Virtue/Moir; I have always thought that one's first exposure to a new artform should probably not be the apex because where do you go take them from there?

 

[gkelly]

And of course it all depends on the audience so who knows? the folks I know would be :yawn: at jump da jump jump programs, but that may be what floats someone else’s boat.

Very much so. I would certainly pick something different to intrigue a ballet/modern dance fan, for example, as opposed to a gymnastics fan or X-Games fan. Or to appeal to a teenager vs. a septuagenarian. Or to a conservative straight friend vs. a friend steeped in gay culture. Etc.

 

[TallyT]

PS - and it occurred to me right after I hit send... that if you are trying to interest someone with rather more restricted tastes, say a classic music maniac... forget everything I said and give them Yuna.

 

[Mathman]

I think I might go with a Ball of Energy type, like Keegan Messing.

A skater like Ryan Bradley was not lauded by skating purists, but he could put on a show.

What Kurt Browning could do with his feet might impress a newbie more than a lot of jumps would, I think.

For ladies, any short program by Michelle Kwan.