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

[lariko]

I was going to suggest Messing, but my mind keeps going to his exhibition skates instead of his competitive skates except for Chaplin routine, which is too old for even the seniors.

Honestly, if Scherbakova’s dress is such a crowd pleaser, Firebird is fun and she has quads in it to show it’s not your momma’s skating.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

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.

Says who? As a purist (for the most part) I can appreciate that the guys got skills and is also a born entertainer.

 

[dorispulaski]

Ryan's Happy Birthday Variations. SP and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy SPs are very entertaining.

Keegan's SP this year, particularly with the story about his recent marriage and the loss of his brother was amazing!

 

[Harriet]

I'd start with Ivett Toth's AC/DC, then follow up with Savchenko/Massot's La Terre Vue du Soleil, Elladj Balde's Sounds of Silence, Laurine Lecavelier's Experience and Carolina Kostner's Ne Me Quitte Pas, Reed/Ambrulevicius's Aurora FD and Papadakis/Cizeron's tango RD. Then I'd line up Candeloro's Three Musketeers, Katarina Witt's Robin Hood and Torvill and Dean's Bolero, for history.

 

[MGstyle]

Jason's Riverdance at USNat2014, definitely.
Also Kevin Aymoz's Horns SP from 2018-2019 has the wow factor that make anyone turn around, sit up and watch.
For anyone who prefer dance, P&P's Vincent.
Although not my personal fav, G&G's aerobics RD from last season is also catchy for eyes which are unaccustomed to figure skating.

 

[Tolstoj]

I'd go for the complete package, cause figure skating is a sport with so many angles, it can catch someone attention for a jump, a choreo sequence, a costume.

If i have to choose one single program, i'd maybe pick Patrick Chan's Phantom FS from 2011. (probably the one he did at Canadian Nationals)

In that program you pretty much have everything: the insane skating skills with great athleticism shown in the steps and the choreo sequence, the expression but also the quads and the fast spins.

I'm a big fan of Moskvina as FS coach and personality and most importantly her pairs (i personally tend to enjoy pairs more than ice dance because of the elements) so i'd also recommend them but it's more than just one program in that case.

 

[silveruskate]

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?

I can tell you're studying it, great read! Have to say I gave a rye chuckle when you spoke of Zhenya's palpable desperation, quite heartbreaking. And I think you're right about not showing the apex, also best not show a performance with no resemblance to how skating is done now. I almost think to show a program with a fall so the person realises how hard figure skating actually is.

 

[dunffvanstorn]

Mariah Bell’s Work B*t**, cause everybody loves Britney.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Kurt Browning "That's Entertainment" The master at his best, what skating really is and should be shown more often. Not a jumpfest, but instead incorporation of all.

Jeremy Abbott Swing SP 2012 Nationals

Jeremy Abbott "How Will I Know?" (Pure skating at it's best and edge control!)

V/M: Prince SD

V/M: Moulin Rouge FD Olympics 2018

V/M: Hip Hip Chin Chin FD 2011 Worlds

Nathan Chen: Nemesis SP

Hubbell/Donohue 2018 Nationals FD (Caught out in the Rain)

Patrick Chan 2011 Worlds SP

Michelle Kwan 96 Worlds "Salome" LP, 98 Dante's Prayer Exhibition

Adam Rippon 2018 OLY LP

Paul Wylie: JFK

Ryan Bradley: 2011 Nationals SP (Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy) , 2007 Nationals Latin LP, and any of his show programs.

Robin Cousins, Torvill/Dean: Basically anything they've done.

ETA: Jason Brown 2017 Worlds SP "Writings on the Wall"

Alexander Johnson 2016 LP Nationals "Eleanor Rigby"

 

[TontoK]

Javier Fernandez, 2016 World Championship.

This Sinatra program was so old-school sexy, so cool, so well executed.

Athletic and perfectly captures just the right vibe. It's one of my favorite men's programs ever. It's one of the few that I rewatch quite a lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk7I7Pe1xkc

 

[noskates]

Anything skated by Michele Kwan or Kurt Browning.

 

[TallyT]

Just thought of something loweringly mundane but in this day and age probably vital...

I would definitely restrict my choices - at least for first and second nibbles - to those where we could offer a nice sparkly clean and crisp video copy. No matter how wonderful the skater, most folk these days are not going to put up with even a little blurriness, muddy colours or poor sound.

Save those for reelin' the suckers in once hooked

 

[Princessroja]

Hm... would depend on the person, but Jason's Riverdance, Starr's Whip My Hair, Yuzu's Seimei, and James/Cipres Sound of Silence or whatever dark romantic one they did a year or two ago (despite my obvious personal issues with them, those are very powerful programs). If they liked the personal aspect of skating, I might go for one of the Olympic programs like Aliona and Bruno's for the happy human aspect. Adam Rippon or Mariah Bell's more contemporary ones would be fun too.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Just thought of something loweringly mundane but in this day and age probably vital...

I would definitely restrict my choices - at least for first and second nibbles - to those where we could offer a nice sparkly clean and crisp video copy. No matter how wonderful the skater, most folk these days are not going to put up with even a little blurriness, muddy colours or poor sound.

Save those for reelin' the suckers in once hooked

Well, because certain wonderful skaters performed at a certain time period, we can't have 4K video for everyone, so people are just going to have to deal.

 

[cabres]

Daisuke Takahashi - Mambo, 2011
Alexei Yagudin - Winter, 2002.
Carolina Kostner - Ave Maria, 2014
Javier Fernandez- Malaguena, 2017
Jason Brown - Riverdance - US Nat 2014
Savchenko / Massot - La Terre vue du ciel, 2018
Papadakis/Cizeron - Tango RD, 2018
Virtue /Moir - Carmen, 2013
Elladj Baldé - Can Nat, FS, 2018
Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier - Disco 2017
Stephan Lambiel - Poeta, Traviatta

 

[TallyT]

Well, because certain wonderful skaters performed at a certain time period, we can't have 4K video for everyone, so people are just going to have to deal.

Of course - once they're reeled in. The point I tried to make (and obviously failed, sorry) was that if I want to get the vast majority these days to watch for more than three and a half seconds, I take it into account because sorry, people don't have to deal. They have to be persuaded to want to deal.

Once they do want to... well, that's another matter.

I think we are simply looking at the question through different lenses.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Of course - once they're reeled in. The point I tried to make (and obviously failed, sorry) was that if I want to get the vast majority these days to watch for more than three and a half seconds, I take it into account because sorry, people don't have to deal. They have to be persuaded to want to deal.

Once they do want to... well, that's another matter.

I think we are simply looking at the question through different lenses.

Yes, but the question is: What program(s) would you show them. If Kurt Browning's program from 1995 and that was the only time he did it was my choice to reel them in, then you reel them in based on that program and how magical it is, not if it's in 4 freaking K.

I think you're drifting too far away from the point based on your theory or whatever you're studying which isn't the point of the thread.

Let's get back on topic here.

 

[TallyT]

Yes, but the question is: What program(s) would you show them. If Kurt Browning's program from 1995 and that was the only time he did it was my choice to reel them in, then you reel them in based on that program and how magical it is, not if it's in 4 freaking K.

I think you're drifting too far away from the point based on your theory or whatever you're studying which isn't the point of the thread.

Let's get back on topic here.

No, I'm not drifting away, I answered the question as I understood it - which is "what would you use to introduce someone". You have your reasons for the choices you made and stated them well. I said what I would show and why. So agree to disagree?

 

[Skatesocs]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7dr6PCeW4c

 

[FayD]

Just thought of something loweringly mundane but in this day and age probably vital...

I would definitely restrict my choices - at least for first and second nibbles - to those where we could offer a nice sparkly clean and crisp video copy. No matter how wonderful the skater, most folk these days are not going to put up with even a little blurriness, muddy colours or poor sound.

Save those for reelin' the suckers in once hooked

Actually, I agree with you and with the risk of sounding like a snobby millennium, I don't think introducing someone to skating through 80s/90s skaters from the 6.0 era is a great idea. It's not even just about the video quality, but even for a skating fan who has been around for a while, the old school style can be hard to get into, not because it's bad, but because it's somewhat different than the modern skating we are used to. For someone brand new to skating, it can give them the wrong idea about the current state of the sport, both athletically and artistically.