Slate | The Once Unthinkable Revolution Coming to Figure Skating

If you want to know what will get more and younger people to watch skating, let me tell you about the hype that Papadakis/Hubbell is getting right now. People I know who have never watched skating are spreading this around their socials even before I get a chance to show them.
 
Not to be a downer, but many a skater has gone viral and then dropped off the radar. (Do you know how many people sent me James/Cipres videos?) We'll have to wait and see if this pairing has any more staying power with the general public than the others.
 
I’m laughing that I saw this because I follow Emily Nussbaum on Twitter and she retweeted it. She’s a famous TV critic, not a skating fan (AFAIK).

I think it’s just gorgeous and I’m nothing if not heteronormative. :P
 
Wyliefan said:
Not to be a downer, but many a skater has gone viral and then dropped off the radar. (Do you know how many people sent me James/Cipres videos?) We'll have to wait and see if this pairing has any more staying power with the general public than the others.
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You are conflating two things. Stuff like this can bring interest to the sport independently of whether or not it brings interest to this particular pairing.
 
No, that's not what I meant. I'm talking about the effect on the sport. I think every time a skater or team goes viral (the Browns are another example), there's been a little flare of hope that maybe THIS will be The Thing That Finally Draws the Kids to Skating. I've just gotten cynical about the power of skaters going viral. It's nice that they do, but it never seems to have any lasting benefit for the sport, unfortunately.
 
Wyliefan said:
No, that's not what I meant. I'm talking about the effect on the sport. I think every time a skater or team goes viral (the Browns are another example), there's been a little flare of hope that maybe THIS will be The Thing That Finally Draws the Kids to Skating. I've just gotten cynical about the power of skaters going viral. It's nice that they do, but it never seems to have any lasting benefit for the sport, unfortunately.
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I understand the cynicism but considering Skate Canada's rule change and the fact that this is something already being considered by the ISU I think this might have more of an impact.

It's showcasing for people that two women, Olympic and World medalists with their male partners no less, can skate at that level and be good. The fact that Madison and Gabriella were going to do this anyway and had been planning it before SC's rule change just makes it really good timing, and for me anyway, a lot more fun.
 
Wyliefan said:
No, that's not what I meant. I'm talking about the effect on the sport. I think every time a skater or team goes viral (the Browns are another example), there's been a little flare of hope that maybe THIS will be The Thing That Finally Draws the Kids to Skating. I've just gotten cynical about the power of skaters going viral. It's nice that they do, but it never seems to have any lasting benefit for the sport, unfortunately.
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Why does this keep getting repeated? Haven’t the stats, every time this idea floats around, shown that USFS membership is up to the biggest numbers ever? Interest in the sport around the world is much higher than it was in the VCR days, thanks to social media and streaming. Countries that never dreamed of having many top skaters are now fielding skaters in almost every segment at Worlds. South Korea is in contention for a team medal.

Putting skating on broadcast TV in the US is not going to bring a massive amount of attention to it. People with children are in a generation where they probably don’t watch much broadcast TV anymore.

TikTok and even Instagram haven’t been big enough for long enough to see a long-term ‘did this get new stars into the sport?’

The Hubbell and Papadakis thing may encourage skaters to go a new direction in the sport. It might get more people involved. But what’s the problem if there’s exposure to begin with? All the bigoted fans don’t wanna watch anymore? Well.. bye. They’ve been threatening long enough and yet still manage to stick around.
 
leilaofpaper said:
Practice footage of Hubbell and Papadakis, courtesy of On Ice Perspectives (thanks @Jay42 for sharing)
https://www.instagram.com/p/Crp0G1RO0jX/
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And now I will say something that will get me no likes whatsoever: I wasn't a fan. Not because they're two women - both Hubbell and Papadakis are spectacular skaters! But they are very different skaters in terms of style and movement, and for me, at least at the moment, it doesn't quite mesh together yet.

That said, I'm glad they're having fun and trying new things; it's good for skating.
 
MsZem said:
But they are very different skaters in terms of style and movement
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lol well, at this moment they are the only two stepping forward… So let’s take what we can get. It’s not like as of today there’s a long line of same-sex dancers filming their programs lol.

👭
 
you know I live in Hollywood and there’s been talk for the last two years for the Oscars just having best performance lead and best performance supporting taking actor and actress away. I wonder if ice dance sometime down the road could go the same way.
 
MsZem said:
And now I will say something that will get me no likes whatsoever: I wasn't a fan. Not because they're two women - both Hubbell and Papadakis are spectacular skaters! But they are very different skaters in terms of style and movement, and for me, at least at the moment, it doesn't quite mesh together yet.

That said, I'm glad they're having fun and trying new things; it's good for skating.
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I agree. I think Papadakis and Chock would look better together than Pap/Hub. They are just too different.
 
I would love to see Karina Manta come back, she is magnetic

Who could you imagine seeing her with and for that matter who could you envision seeing Johnson with? Being that they were the first LGBT couple even though opposite sex
 
MsZem said:
And now I will say something that will get me no likes whatsoever: I wasn't a fan. Not because they're two women - both Hubbell and Papadakis are spectacular skaters! But they are very different skaters in terms of style and movement, and for me, at least at the moment, it doesn't quite mesh together yet.

That said, I'm glad they're having fun and trying new things; it's good for skating.
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Hmm, to me they are not so different that they cannot come together to create a new style together. Just like many new partnerships.
 
MsZem said:
And now I will say something that will get me no likes whatsoever: I wasn't a fan. Not because they're two women - both Hubbell and Papadakis are spectacular skaters! But they are very different skaters in terms of style and movement, and for me, at least at the moment, it doesn't quite mesh together yet.

That said, I'm glad they're having fun and trying new things; it's good for skating.
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You got 3 likes!
 
Wyliefan said:
Well, if I'm wrong, I will happily eat crow. :)
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The first time I saw adults compete in real life - real adults, not "older" elite athletes at Worlds/Olympics - I was totally blown away. I had no idea that adults could do those things and do them very well. And that's what inspired me to get on the ice myself as an adult. So even if viral videos are here today and gone tomorrow, someone might see that Pap/Hub video and be inspired. The video might not change the sport (not right away, anyway) but it could make a really big difference in someone's life.
 
Tweeted by The Future of Figure Skating podcast (Anna Kellar) - "Episode out today [July 10, 2023] with Talia Barrington - we discuss her article in Slate looking at the potential for teams of any gender in ice dance, and what the skating world can learn from Ballroom. Listen on your favorite podcast app or at"
pnc.st

Talia Barrington - Pinecast

Episode Notes Talia Barrington is a former competitive ice dancer and ballroom dancer and is currently a master's student at the NYU School of Journalism. She recently wrote an article for Slate entitled “The Once Unthinkable Revolution Coming to Figure S
pnc.st pnc.st
 
(I meant to reply to a thread in the PI forum.)
 
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I only just realized I meant to post these 2 clips in this GSD thread and not the Skate Canada one...

Collaboration during the French team tour (April 2024): https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6BUC3-o3ny/

Clip of Karina Manta & Gabriella Papadakis spinning together at NYC's Wollman rink in Central Park, filmed by Joe Johnson (March 11): https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4YWQ4yRoy8/
 
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Sylvia said:
I only just realized I meant to post these 2 clips in this GSD thread and not the Skate Canada one...

Collaboration during the French team tour (April 2024): https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6BUC3-o3ny/

Clip of Karina Manta & Gabriella Papadakis spinning together at NYC's Wollman rink in Central Park, filmed by Joe Johnson (March 11): https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4YWQ4yRoy8/
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Wowwwww

I love both of these clips, and I’m so glad to see Karina once again. Karina looks fabulous no matter what look she serves. Thank you for posting these.
 
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Re-posting here :) (from the Dance Hall thread - thanks @deegee):
deegee said:
art on ice has just announced that papadakis and hubbell will make their debut as a pair in their 2025 shows: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDhXAN3q8av/

this is extraordinary and i envy anyone who gets to see them!
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English:
👯‍♀️ Double female power on the ice! 👯‍♀️️

Gabriella Papadakis, who has won five World and European Championship titles and Olympic gold 🥇 with Guillaume Cizeron, and Madison Hubbell, who has won four World Championship and two Olympic medals 🥇 (bronze in ice dance, gold in the team event) with Zachary Donohue have ended their respective partnerships and perform together at Art on Ice 2025! 👯‍♀️⛸️

The figure skaters challenge the traditions of ice dancing and gender stereotypes. ✊ They set an example for diversity in sport. 🌈 It opens up new possibilities for creative choreographies and forms of expression in ice dance. 🎭

If you don’t want to miss this world premiere, get your tickets for Art on Ice 2025 🎟️, from 6 to 15 February 2025 in Zurich, Fribourg and Davos! 🗓️
 
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