Really liked the article! I also want to highlight that their posts are bringing new fans to the sport. I am from Mexico, where figure skating as a sport is basically unheard-of, I didn't even knew we have a male figure skater competing internationally, Donovan Carrillo. Since becoming a follower I have developed a true liking for the sport and I have been learning (and watching) everything I can, not just in ice dance but also pairs and singles. So basically I'm a big fan of theirs for everything you mentioned but also I'm becoming a figure skating fan in general :) Thank you for sharing!
That's so great to hear! Yes, I think the comments and engagement really show how committed their fan base is and also how they are bringing new fans in...it's very cool to witness. I feel like they are helping me find my way back to a sport, in a way. Donovan Carrillo is amazing! Thank you so much for reading!
As a lifelong skater, I am intrigued by this post. The skating community is small, and I have gotten to know some of the biggest champions, yet I am always a superfan and often have difficulty understanding why the general public doesn't fall in love with this beautiful art and sport. That may be changing! Skating is evolving in such interesting ways; thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this -the state of skating (or just American skating?) is an interesting question. I think the subjectivity is and has always been problematic and it's difficult to find a solution to that. Back in the 6.0 system it was mysterious why skaters were placed where they are placed. With the newer system...despite the attempt to make it more objective, it's still challenging to understand for fans (and still subjective!) (I would say: especially with dance.) Also, I think there has been a sense of superficiality associated with the sport: the big smiles, the glitter, the Broadway effect etc. I often wonder if the Tanya-Nancy debacle unfortunately chipped away at some of the magic? But I'm not sure about that, maybe it made skating seem more layered and interesting! Of course, the truth is that it’s not magic: it’s hard work. And social media provides an opportunity for re-calibration. Maybe other skaters are doing this but Bella and Vanya are a great example of being real online, or at least somewhat real. (Again, we can’t expect that they are providing 100 percent of their story.) On a personal level, I think I’ve resisted being a fan because I have some baggage: sense of failure (I never got as far as I wanted), some jealousy (I was never as good as the people I see on TV despite all that training), and issues of aging (wow, my body can’t do even a fraction of that anymore). These are all issues I’m working through, ha! I’d love to hear more about who you love to watch and why!
Thanks so much! It's truly refreshing to meet fellow writers and skaters as these are two of my greatest passions. As an English professor and a big defender of the humanities in higher education, I am so intrigued by skating because of its blend of art and sport. It's hard to measure, like more objective disciplines and sports, but that's what makes it human! I adore Jason Brown and his skating for these reasons and more specifically its transformative power.
Excellent post, Jocelyn!!
Thank you Heather!! :)
Really liked the article! I also want to highlight that their posts are bringing new fans to the sport. I am from Mexico, where figure skating as a sport is basically unheard-of, I didn't even knew we have a male figure skater competing internationally, Donovan Carrillo. Since becoming a follower I have developed a true liking for the sport and I have been learning (and watching) everything I can, not just in ice dance but also pairs and singles. So basically I'm a big fan of theirs for everything you mentioned but also I'm becoming a figure skating fan in general :) Thank you for sharing!
That's so great to hear! Yes, I think the comments and engagement really show how committed their fan base is and also how they are bringing new fans in...it's very cool to witness. I feel like they are helping me find my way back to a sport, in a way. Donovan Carrillo is amazing! Thank you so much for reading!
As a lifelong skater, I am intrigued by this post. The skating community is small, and I have gotten to know some of the biggest champions, yet I am always a superfan and often have difficulty understanding why the general public doesn't fall in love with this beautiful art and sport. That may be changing! Skating is evolving in such interesting ways; thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this -the state of skating (or just American skating?) is an interesting question. I think the subjectivity is and has always been problematic and it's difficult to find a solution to that. Back in the 6.0 system it was mysterious why skaters were placed where they are placed. With the newer system...despite the attempt to make it more objective, it's still challenging to understand for fans (and still subjective!) (I would say: especially with dance.) Also, I think there has been a sense of superficiality associated with the sport: the big smiles, the glitter, the Broadway effect etc. I often wonder if the Tanya-Nancy debacle unfortunately chipped away at some of the magic? But I'm not sure about that, maybe it made skating seem more layered and interesting! Of course, the truth is that it’s not magic: it’s hard work. And social media provides an opportunity for re-calibration. Maybe other skaters are doing this but Bella and Vanya are a great example of being real online, or at least somewhat real. (Again, we can’t expect that they are providing 100 percent of their story.) On a personal level, I think I’ve resisted being a fan because I have some baggage: sense of failure (I never got as far as I wanted), some jealousy (I was never as good as the people I see on TV despite all that training), and issues of aging (wow, my body can’t do even a fraction of that anymore). These are all issues I’m working through, ha! I’d love to hear more about who you love to watch and why!
Thanks so much! It's truly refreshing to meet fellow writers and skaters as these are two of my greatest passions. As an English professor and a big defender of the humanities in higher education, I am so intrigued by skating because of its blend of art and sport. It's hard to measure, like more objective disciplines and sports, but that's what makes it human! I adore Jason Brown and his skating for these reasons and more specifically its transformative power.