The Dance Hall 13: When You Dance on the Ice and Your Feet Twizzle Twice, That's Amore

[MsZem]

I hope they at least alternate between "high energy" viral-bait and more traditional rhythms every other year.

Skating programs that have gone viral over the years:
Some Ilia Malinin thing (my first grade teacher told me she saw it)
Starr Andrews skating to Whip My Hair at the age of 9
Rubleva's dress strap incident (still the most-viewed CD of all time)
Jason Brown's Riverdance at 2014 US Nationals
Virtue/Moir's Moulin Rouge at the Olympics

In short, the ultimate viral bait has to be someone skating to Riverdance and whipping their hair, doing a Raspberry in the choreo sequence and having a nip slip while bringing Teh Sex.

(as someone whose research involves social media behavioral patterns: you can increase the odds that people will engage with your content, but you can't force virality)

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

(as someone whose research involves social media behavioral patterns: you can increase the odds that people will engage with your content, but you can't force virality)

As someone who works in publicity and marketing, I agree which is why I think the IDTC is stupid to think that having decades dances will guarantee vitality. It's possible that a waltz RD could go viral.

 

[MsZem]

As someone who works in publicity and marketing, I agree which is why I think the IDTC is stupid to think that having decades dances will guarantee vitality. It's possible that a waltz RD could go viral.

If anything, it's more likely because it would be different from most of the content people come across.

 

[just tuned in]

Skating programs that have gone viral over the years:
Some Ilia Malinin thing (my first grade teacher told me she saw it)
Starr Andrews skating to Whip My Hair at the age of 9
Rubleva's dress strap incident (still the most-viewed CD of all time)
Jason Brown's Riverdance at 2014 US Nationals
Virtue/Moir's Moulin Rouge at the Olympics

In short, the ultimate viral bait has to be someone skating to Riverdance and whipping their hair, doing a Raspberry in the choreo sequence and having a nip slip while bringing Teh Sex.

(as someone whose research involves social media behavioral patterns: you can increase the odds that people will engage with your content, but you can't force virality)

Jimmy Ma went viral that one time, too.

 

[Jay42]

In this Olympic.ca article she's quoted as saying "the move to decade themes was in the spirit of opening gender roles in ice dance, encouraging more individual movement rather than the strict lead-and-follow traditionally associated with men and women in ballroom dancing, in which ice dance has its roots." She doesn't specifically say in the piece that she doesn't want patterns but I suppose I can infer that from her comments. Because I'm procrastinating doing actual work, I'm listening to Kaitlin's commentary on the Skate Canada RD. So far she's been talking up the decades themes but hasn't said anything about the patterns.

Kaitlyn would be far more effective in trying to open gender roles in ice dance if she focused more on choreographing for dance than singles skaters honestly. Because nothing has significantly changed in how the skaters are having their programs choreographed in the decades themes. The best way to effect that kind of change is to actually put good programs out there that show it's possible and can work well.

Jimmy Ma went viral that one time, too.

And Lopareva/Brissaud with their Euros gala from Lithuania.

 

[ostile17]

Several teams have publically criticised that the patterns and the traditional rhythms are gone. I think there needs to be a better balance between these decade RDs and the more traditional ones. The last time we had a Waltz RD/SD was in the 2015/2016 season. That's 10 years. A Waltz theme for the RD is more than overdue, IMO.

I think the representatives of he skaters need to speak out!
Hallooooo, Evan....

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Kaitlyn would be far more effective in trying to open gender roles in ice dance if she focused more on choreographing for dance than singles skaters honestly. Because nothing has significantly changed in how the skaters are having their programs choreographed in the decades themes. The best way to effect that kind of change is to actually put good programs out there that show it's possible and can work well.

This. I realize that choreographing for dance is very specialized so that even many of the former ice dancers who become choreographers seem to focus on working with singles skater, but it would be great if Weaver could team with some of the current ID choreographers to develop some out-of-the box programs. She even mentioned during her Skate Canada commentary that it was the choreographers' job to make creative music selections for the 90s RDs (which most of them did not).

 

[angi]

Kaitlyn Weaver expressed ardent support during her Skate Canada commentary for the IDTC's direction in trying to expand ice dance beyond the strictures of gender roles by reducing any emphasis/use of established pattern dances as an element in the RD.

Considering how online Weaver tends to be, I think her comments were very deliberate in trying to defend this decision, given how much criticism it received (and rightfully so).
If I'm being completely honest, I think it's a problem that the two most influential people on the IDTC (Weaver and Rettstatt) have quite a lot in common (Queer and American) in a way that clearly impacts their views and decisions. To be clear, there's absolutely nothing wrong with being Queer or American, but it does create a certain view on life and as a result, on the sport, that is different from many other countries, and given that figure skating is an international sport, the IDTC lacks impact from different POVs.
I think the idea of expanding ice dance beyond the strictures of gender roles is a great one, but there are many ways to achieve it while still having teams do patterns. It's similar to how Weaver talked about the decades theme, introducing more variety and diversity among the artists that are used by skaters, only to have the RD requirements be so restrictive that we get the same few artists over and over again.
Both seem to have ideas that they then translate into a fantasy of how those ideas will manifest in ice dance, and both seem so entrenched in their own ideas that they are incapable of looking objectively at the negative impact they are making. It's sad, and at this point, I think that the only way for anything to change is for both to be removed from the committee. This quad saw real regression in ice dance, and a healthy amount of that regression is a result of what Weaver and Rettstatt did at the IDTC.

 

[screech]

Not sure if this has been addressed upthread, but does Laurence having her citizenship guarantee she'll be allowed to compete at the Olympics? Despite ISU only requiring 1 year between competing for different countries, the Olympic charter states that if an athlete has represented one country in a major international competition, they must generally wait at least three years from their last competition date for that country before competing for a new one. By the time the Games happen, it will have been just under 2 years since she competed for Canada.

The IOC granted Vanessa James permission to compete at the 2022 Games (she was 2 months away from having 3 years), but AFAIK, Laurence has not yet received this exemption from the IOC.

 

[Marta24]

Considering how online Weaver tends to be, I think her comments were very deliberate in trying to defend this decision, given how much criticism it received (and rightfully so).
If I'm being completely honest, I think it's a problem that the two most influential people on the IDTC (Weaver and Rettstatt) have quite a lot in common (Queer and American) in a way that clearly impacts their views and decisions. To be clear, there's absolutely nothing wrong with being Queer or American, but it does create a certain view on life and as a result, on the sport, that is different from many other countries, and given that figure skating is an international sport, the IDTC lacks impact from different POVs.
I think the idea of expanding ice dance beyond the strictures of gender roles is a great one, but there are many ways to achieve it while still having teams do patterns. It's similar to how Weaver talked about the decades theme, introducing more variety and diversity among the artists that are used by skaters, only to have the RD requirements be so restrictive that we get the same few artists over and over again.
Both seem to have ideas that they then translate into a fantasy of how those ideas will manifest in ice dance, and both seem so entrenched in their own ideas that they are incapable of looking objectively at the negative impact they are making. It's sad, and at this point, I think that the only way for anything to change is for both to be removed from the committee. This quad saw real regression in ice dance, and a healthy amount of that regression is a result of what Weaver and Rettstatt did at the IDTC.

Then let's hope at least one of them gets kicked out of the IDTC. I think there has been also good things happening in dance this quad. Like the rise of smaller ice dance countries, especially in junior dance. Another story in this quad was US ice dance overtaking the role Russian ice dance used to have in both juniors and seniors. The US senior teams are of course very strong, but what is even more important is that there are several US schools developing good to great junior teams.

Usually, big changes happen to the rules after the Olympics and often these rule changes emphasize the strength of whoever are going to be the leading teams for the next quad. If FBC are staying in, I could see the rule changes going towards emphasizing good skating skills, instead of big tricks and acrobatic lifts.

 

[marbri]

Then let's hope at least one of them gets kicked out of the IDTC. I think there has been also good things happening in dance this quad. Like the rise of smaller ice dance countries, especially in junior dance. Another story in this quad was US ice dance overtaking the role Russian ice dance used to have in both juniors and seniors. The US senior teams are of course very strong, but what is even more important is that there are several US schools developing good to great junior teams.

Usually, big changes happen to the rules after the Olympics and often these rule changes emphasize the strength of whoever are going to be the leading teams for the next quad. If FBC are staying in, I could see the rule changes going towards emphasizing good skating skills, instead of big tricks and acrobatic lifts.

A competitor who has represented one country in the Olympic Games, in continental or regional games or in world or regional championships recognised by the relevant IF, and who has changed his nationality or acquired a new nationality, may participate in the Olympic Games to represent his new country provided that at least three years have passed since the competitor last represented his former country. This period may be reduced or even cancelled, with the agreement of the NOCs and IF concerned, by the IOC Executive Board, which takes into account the circumstances of each case.

I think they will get by on the bolded part since the IFs and NOCs concerned allowed them to get this far. I would guess they already filed their request once her citizenship was official. What would be a plot twist is SC and/or COC objecting at this point after seeing how they are being scored

 

[Karen-W]

A competitor who has represented one country in the Olympic Games, in continental or regional games or in world or regional championships recognised by the relevant IF, and who has changed his nationality or acquired a new nationality, may participate in the Olympic Games to represent his new country provided that at least three years have passed since the competitor last represented his former country. This period may be reduced or even cancelled, with the agreement of the NOCs and IF concerned, by the IOC Executive Board, which takes into account the circumstances of each case.

I think they will get by on the bolded part since the IFs and NOCs concerned allowed them to get this far. I would guess they already filed their request once her citizenship was official. What would be a plot twist is SC and/or COC objecting at this point after seeing how they are being scored

Honestly, if I was the COC and SC, you bet your bottom dollar I'd be objecting to Lolo receiving an exemption. Or, well, since SC already gave it's release, I'd let the COC do the dirty work.

 

[puglover]

I certainly hope they are able to compete at the Olympics. They have something special and I think ice dance needs a bit of a shakeup.

 

[jmtfti]

This. I realize that choreographing for dance is very specialized so that even many of the former ice dancers who become choreographers seem to focus on working with singles skater, but it would be great if Weaver could team with some of the current ID choreographers to develop some out-of-the box programs. She even mentioned during her Skate Canada commentary that it was the choreographers' job to make creative music selections for the 90s RDs (which most of them did not).

What's kind of funny/ironic is that the choreography Kaitlyn has done for ice dance, solo or in collaboration -- Flores/Desyatov's final two FDs, two of Neset/Markelov's RDs, Homick/Buelow's two FDs and RD this season -- has actually been pretty conventional in terms of gender roles and music choices. (And I say this not as a slight, because I've enjoyed her work; it's just amusing juxtaposed with the mission she seems to have presented for the sport.)