The Future of Figure Skating

Episode Notes Part 2 of my conversation with choreographer, director, and producer Sandra Bezic! We talked about the World Championships in Montreal and the moments that made Sandra more optimistic about pairs skating and the future of the sport. We also got into the proposals from the ISU Technical Committee for Singles and Pairs to add a choreographic lift and spin to the pairs free skate. Transcript of our conversation at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vylQQ1GQQrbSsXatPIKzVA0_V6YcksIfUHt0E1HDY_E/edit#heading=h.eweywq5frae5 My article on the proposed changes to pairs and interview with Fabio Bianchetti of the ISU Technical Committee: https://anythinggoe.com/isu-congress-to-decide-big-changes-for-pairs/ You can follow Sandra on Twitter and Instagram @SandraBezic . Her website is smbcreative.ca You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast Thanks to Ivan Danilyuk for editing this episode. If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts, and share it with your friends! Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co

Episode Notes Part 1 of my conversation with choreographer, director, and producer Sandra Bezic! With her brother Val, Sandra was a four-time Canadian pairs champion and competed in the 1972 Olympics. She is most well known, however, as a choreographer and the creative force behind many skating shows and TV programs. She has choreographed for champions like Brian Boitano, Kurt Browning, Katarina Witt, Lu Chen, and Tara Lipinksi. Most recently, she made Lindsay Thorngren’s short program for the 23/24 season. She was the director of Stars on Ice for many years and collaborated with David Wilson on Yuna Kim’s All That Skate and Javier Fernandez’s Revolution on Ice. Sandra also produced the Canadian TV program Battle of the Blades and in 2023 made the series “I Have Nothing” alongside comedian Carolyn Taylor. Sandra has a unique understanding of how to make skating appeal to general audiences, and we had a great conversation about choreography, entertainment, and the changes she’d like to see in the sport. Transcript of our conversation at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16tp4AuF159XJuNPMNxgpq82pGFxA9GOUTNMFLfJESvE/edit#heading=h.tje8hivsf0d I’ve made a playlist of a few of Sandra's choreographies that is accessible on our YouTube page. You can follow Sandra on Twitter and Instagram @SandraBezic . Her website is smbcreative.ca You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts, and share it with your friends! Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co

Episode Notes My guest today is journalist and author Christine Brennan. Christine is a USA Today columnist and frequently appears on ABC, CNN, and PBS. She has covered figure skating since the Calgary Olympics, and her books Inside Edge and Edge of Glory are classics. Christine is also actively reporting on the sexual abuse scandals in figure skating, and we talked about covering these difficult topics and holding institutions accountable. Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RLvetYplX8JsLwfD6OwkoGEUbWLsPLN5d--xdrCZ68o/edit#heading=h.am5hlkrye8qq You can follow Christine on X/Twitter @cbrennansports . Her website is www.christinebrennan.com You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co

Episode Notes What will it take to end the crisis of abuse in sports? This issue has been reverberating in the skating world, as more survivors have come forward with their stories, and the institutions charged with protecting athletes have largely failed to make the needed changes. Gymnasts for Change Canada advocates for eradicating maltreatment and misconduct in sport and is at the forefront of the campaign for a national inquiry into sport in Canada. Their sister organization, Figure Skaters for Change Canada, which is anonymous, has also published an open letter pushing Skate Canada to address specific cases of abuse, as well as making systemic changes. My guests, Amelia Cline and Abby Spadafora, are board members of Gymnasts for Change Canada, and are themselves survivors of abuse during their careers in elite gymnastics. We discussed the pathways to making change in this seemingly intractable problem, and what fans of skating can do to support survivors. You can follow their work at their website, https://www.gymnasts4changecanada.com/ and @Gym4ChangeCan Amelia Cline is on Twitter at @ameliagrace1989 Abby Spadafora is at @abbyspadafora You can also learn more about the sibling organization Figure Skaters for Change Canada at @FSforchangeCan Report by Global Athlete and Gym4ChangeCanada: Canadian Safe Sport Think Tank Report You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts, and share it with your friends! Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co

Episode Notes A special conversation about the anti-doping system and how it is working (or not working) to support athletes. I'm joined by Meagan Duhamel, a 2018 team gold medalist and individual bronze medalist in pairs from the PyeongChang Olympics, by Rob Kohler, director of Global Athlete and formerly deputy Director-General at WADA, and by Paul Greene, who is the founder of Global Sports Advocacy and a leading lawyer representing athletes. We talk about the CAS decision in the Kamila Valieva case, tackling state-sponsored doping, and what a fair system would look like for athletes. My explainer of the CAS decision for AnythingGOE: https://anythinggoe.com/making-sense-of-the-valieva-decision/ Thanks again to Meagan Duhamel, Rob Koehler, and Paul Greene. You can follow Meagan on Twitter @mhjd_85 and on Instagram @Meaganduhamel You can follow Rob on Twitter at @RobKoehler2 and Global Athlete @GlobalAthlete and globalathlete.org Paul Greene is at @greenesportslaw and his website https://www.globalsportsadvocates.com has more information about his work. Video Podcast: https://youtu.be/FuToObR1T6E Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DqBjmYnhtEiQZMDdTKPjvNas-mNNeXJjPrKWuJRcG_o/edit You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co

Episode Notes This episode features Bruno Massot, the 2018 Olympic and World Champion in pairs. Bruno is now coaching full-time, and we spoke at the European Championships where he was accompanying the Swedish team of Greta and John Crafoord. This was a shorter-than-usual conversation but it was still a very interesting one. We got into the future of pairs and what makes for a great coach. You can follow Bruno on Instagram at @bruno_massot and reach me with comments or suggestions by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast. Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N... Make sure you're subscribing on your podcast platforms and on YouTube to ensure you get all of the future episodes. Special thanks to Ivan Danyliuk for editing and technical assistance. If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the tip jar at https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co

Episode Notes Johanna Allik is a former Estonian national team member in singles and ice dance and the co-founder of JIV Sport apparel company. She has recently published The Book of Figure Skating, a beautiful coffee table book full of information and original interviews. We spoke at the 2024 European Championships about the growth of skating in Estonia and Belgium (where she now lives), her experience speaking out about her eating disorder and the importance of keeping athletes in the sport post-puberty. Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zbD-_g2wahzKCTf8Kc55S49dponx21bXjFujHGl1p5c/edit?usp=sharing You can follow Johanna on Instagram @johannaallik and check out her YouTube channel @johannaallik7 You can order The Book of Figure Skating at jivsport.com You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast . Special thanks to Ivan Daniluk for editing and technical assistance. If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe and review The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Joining me in conversation were Isabelle Ragnarsson of Ice Theatre of Stockholm, Kate McSwain of American Ice Theatre, Katja Grohmann of Ice Lab Leipzig, Maja Luther of Maja Luther Studio, and returning guest Phillip Tischendorf. In October, they spent a few days together in France with other contemporary skaters at the second annual Performing Arts Project. I was eager to learn more about their companies, their collaborations, and the different approaches each brings to contemporary skating. 00:00:00 – Introduction and Welcoming 00:02:43 – Skating Journeys 00:18:30 – Collaborative Projects 00:24:22 – Pandemic Learnings 00:36:15 – Contemporary and traditional skating 00:46:12 – Connecting skating and dancers 01:04:45 – Future of contemporary skating You can learn more about the Contemporary Skating Alliance and its member companies at https://contemporaryskatingalliance.org/ The next CSA Performing Arts Project event will be November 1-3, 2024. Thumbnail photo credits: Johannes Hjorth (@johanneshjorth) You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Today's guest is Jamal Othman, the managing director for the Ice Academy of Montreal and Markey International Arts. Jamal was the 2009 Swiss national champion. In his post-competitive career, he has combined his interest in international business with his love of skating. In this episode, we talk about marketing and branding, the Olympic cycle, and how ice dance can fit between sports, art, and entertainment. This is also the first video episode for the Future of Figure Skating, so make sure to check out and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch this conversation and future episodes. Thank you again to Jamal for sharing his thoughts and experiences with us. As always, the episode transcript is available: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bTCEZLBswkXeYA9fyBiWu_7Cgil6m8UYQSLgCV36-wY/edit You can follow Jamal’s work at @iceacademyofmontreal and @markeyintlarts on Instagram. You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast . We are also now on YouTube, so make sure to subscribe there too for video episodes! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHbYK7VLpHJSCbfQwEcqGhg Special thanks to Ivan Danilyuk for editing and technical assistance. If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe and review The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Philipp Tischendorf is a former competitive figure skater for Germany, a member of the Contemporary Skating Alliance, and an osteopath and physical therapist. He has turned his experience with injury, pain, and rehabilitation during his athletic career into a practice supporting both skaters and the general public. This episode challenges our misconceptions about injury and invites us to ask, how can we approach injury and pain with curiosity and even appreciation? Transcript You can follow Phil on Instagram @phil_care. You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe and review The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Resources: Philipp Tischendorf - European Championships Short Program 2007 Social Determinants of Health and Pain Management Congenital Insensitivity to Pain (CIS) The Cortical Homunculus Phantom Limb Pain Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Artificial intelligence is impacting many industries, and sports is no exception. How can AI help figure skating judging be more accurate? What other benefits could it have for skaters, coaches and viewers? My guest today is Craig Buntin, a Canadian Olympic pairs skater and the founder of Sportlogiq. Sportlogiq is a company at the cutting edge of this technology and has been working with the ISU to explore the feasibility of AI in figure skating. While Craig wasn’t able to discuss the details of his work with the ISU, I’m very glad to have him help us understand the intersection of technology and skating. According to the May 2023 ISU financial report, the objectives under consideration were: “helping Figure Skating Officials to apply the rules correctly and giving them the technical support to evaluate the performed elements in the fairest and most impartial way possible, offering Skaters and Coaches measurement and analysis tools to evaluate and improve their performance, as well as keep track of the work done and goals achieved, and expanding the multi-media audience, allowing the sport to be enjoyed on different platforms and connecting the key players and their teams with the public and fans by presenting instantaneous statistics/graphics.” The initial proof-of-concept phase concluded these objectives were achievable. However, the conclusions also revealed that “ such projects would require a substantial budget, not only for implementation for ISU Figure Skating Events but also use by the ISU Members. The ISU Council is therefore currently exploring whether more cost-effective solutions could be available.” Even if the implementation of AI isn’t imminent, it’s worth understanding what it is, and how it could impact the sport in the future. Transcript You can learn more at sportlogiq.com and can follow Craig on Twitter @craigbuntin. You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe and review The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes This is a special episode, rebroadcasting the live discussion held on August 2nd with Anything GOE. We discussed the classic book Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters. Lois and I talked with the author Joan Ryan, and Olympian Kaitlyn Weaver. It also goes full circle for me as the one-year anniversary of this podcast - which also began with an interview with Kaitlyn Weaver! You can also watch the video archive of the conversation on the Anything GOE youtube page, and read the transcript here. Joan Ryan is on Twitter @JoanRyan and her website is https://www.joanryanink.com You can follow AnythingGOE on social media and find our latest interviews on Youtube and AnythingGOE.com You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe and review The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes What would it take to increase the power of figure skaters so they can influence the decisions that govern their sport? Where else in the Olympic movement is progress being made? What can we learn from sports where players’ unions and collective bargaining are common? To answer some of these questions, I turned to Rob Koehler, the Director General of Global Athlete, an organization that helps athletes to organize and speak out on the issues they care about. Rob was previously the Deputy Director General of the World Anti-Doping Agency, the most senior of many positions he held at WADA between 2002 and 2018. He was also vice-chair of the WADA Independent Observer team at the Sochi Olympics. Rob is based in Montreal, Canada. I hope this episode gives you a taste of what is possible when athletes organize and use their voices to push for fairer sport! Transcript is available here. You can follow Rob on Twitter at @RobKoehler2 and Global Athlete @GlobalAthlete. You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe and review The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Resources Olympic Commercialization and Player Compensation: A Review of Olympic Financial Reports. Report by The Ted Rogers School of Management in partnership with Global Athlete - April 2020 https://www.globalathlete.org/research-and-surveys/olympic-commericalization R2O: Effective Athlete Representation in Global Sport 2023. Survey by the World Players Association June 2023. https://uniglobalunion.org/report/r2o-effective-athlete-representation-in-global-sport-2023/ Athletes Germany https://athleten-deutschland.org/en/english/ Rule 40: Do athletes control their image during the Olympics https://athelogroup.com/blog/rule-40-and-the-olympics/ Rule 50: Athlete expression and protest https://olympics.com/athlete365/athlete-expression-rule-50/ Open Letter to the IOC: https://www.globalathlete.org/our-word/open-letter-ioc-russia-belarus-june-2023 Open Letter Call for Skate Canada and the Government of Canada to Address Abuse in Figure Skating https://www.globalathlete.org/our-word/open-letter-call-for-skate-canada-and-the-government-of-canada-to-address-abuse-in-figure-skating Canadian Parliament Standing Committee on the Status of Women report, Time to Listen to Survivors: Taking Action Towards Creating a Safe Sport Environment for All Athletes in Canada, Recommends the “Government of Canada establish an independent national public inquiry into maltreatment in sports in Canada”. Athletics Association https://athleticsassociation.org/ THE ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION WELCOMES RETURN TO 32 EVENTS IN NEW DIAMOND LEAGUE FORMAT https://athleticsassociation.org/updates/the-athletics-association-welcomes-greater-inclusivity-in-new-diamond-league-format International Swimmers Alliance https://www.internationalswimmersalliance.org/ Aspen Institute, Project Play “Children’s Rights in Sport” https://projectplay.org/childrens-rights-and-sports Sharon Stoll, “What Kind of Character do Athletes Possess” https://thesportjournal.org/article/what-type-of-character-do-athletes-possess/ Evan Bates speaks out https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2023/06/23/olympic-skaters-still-missing-medals-500-days-later/70349368007/ ISU Athletes Commission https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/about/athletes-commission ISU Statement on support for Ukrainian skaters and Russian/Belarussian Participation, June 2023 https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/145-news/14614-isu-statement-ioc-recommendations-of-march-28-2023?templateParam=15 Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at...

Episode Notes Today's guest is Cathy Reed. Cathy and her late brother Chris were seven-time Japanese national champions in ice dance and two-time Olympians. Since her retirement in 2015, Cathy has become a coach and choreographer and has worked with many top Japanese singles, pairs, and ice dance teams. I was so excited to talk with her about her career and about the development of dance and pairs disciplines in Japan! I hope this will be the first of many episodes looking at skating from a perspective outside of North America and Western Europe. As always, if you have ideas for people I should talk to, please reach out! You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast You can follow Cathy on Instagram @cmr2070 and the Kinoshita Academy at @kinoshita_skate_academy The Future of Figure Skating is also co-hosting a summer book club in collaboration with Anything GOE. We are reading Little Girls in Pretty Boxes by Joan Ryan, and you can join the discussion on the Anything GOE Discord by signing up at http://patreon.com/anythinggoe If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Resources: Episode Transcript Cathy Reed/Chris Reed, Japanese Folk Dance Original Dance (WC 2010) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8BxfUvcPrE Murakami/Moriguchi Beatles Medley choreo Cathy Reed (Junior Worlds 2023) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc28G1pTHGI Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by 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 Skating” about the changes to allow teams of any gender in ice dance and pairs. Talia broke the news that the ice dance technical committee of the ISU is considering putting forward a rule change at the next Congress. In this episode, we talk about why this change would be revolutionary, and what figure skating can learn from the world of ballroom dance. Transcript You can follow Talia on Twitter @TaliaBarrington You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast You can join the FOFS & Anything GOEs joint book club by signing up at patreon.com/anythinggoe If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Resources: “The Once Unthinkable Revolution Coming to Figure Skating” https://slate.com/culture/2023/04/figure-skating-2023-same-sex-gender-pairs-rules.html Madison Hubbell & Gabriela Papadakis skating together, On Ice Perspectives https://www.instagram.com/p/Crp0G1RO0jX/ Tara Prasad 2022 FS Padmaavat Soundtrack by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Hasit Nanda (choreo. by Tara Prasad) https://youtu.be/S2TPXEvRIE0 Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Today’s guest is Ryan Stevens. Ryan is the author of three reference books about figure skating history and the fantastic resource that is the Skate Guard blog. A former figure skater and judge from Halifax, Nova Scotia, he also writes for “Skating” magazine and US Figure Skating. I’ve appreciated Ryan’s interest in all corners of skating history, especially the figures who have been forgotten by mainstream history. This conversation gave us a chance to talk about why things are the way they are, the processes of change, and our hopes for the future of the sport! A full transcript is available here You can follow Ryan on Twitter and Instagram @SkateGuardBlog and at https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/ where you can also pre-order his upcoming biography of Jackson Haines. You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Resources: https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/ Ryan’s books are Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps, The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating, and Figure Skating: A Bibliography You can buy them on Amazon! Madge Syers: The Mother of Figure Skating https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/2013/06/spotlight-on-madge-syers-mother-of.html Fancy Dan’s and Figure Eights https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/2016/06/fancy-dans-and-figure-eights-skatings.html Example of a “well-balanced program” from the 1970s including intentional single, double and triple jumps - Toller Cranston 1972 World Championship FS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQnf6kOtbFQ Atoy Wilson (Ice Theatre of NY profile) https://www.icetheatre.org/atoy-wilson-blm.html Axels at the Apollo: The Joseph Vanterpool Story https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/2021/03/axels-at-apollo-theater-joseph.html The Almanac of Professional Figure Skating Competitions https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-almanac-of-professional-figure.html One Night Only: Professional And Pro-Am Competitions That Didn't Stick Around https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/2020/06/one-night-only-professional-and-pro-am.html Isabela Butler: Figure Skating’s Best-Kept Secret https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/2016/03/isabella-butler-figure-skatings-best.html Jackson Haines: The Skating King (Ryan’s new book) https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/2015/08/jackson-haines-definitive-biography.html A History of Doping in Figure Skating https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-history-of-doping-in-figure-skating.html Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Today's guest today is Megan Williams-Stewart. Megan is a board member of the Diversify Ice Foundation, and is a strong advocate for inclusion and support for other skaters of color. Since its founding in 2017 Diversify Ice has provided sponsorship award packages worth over $30,000 to competitive minority skaters, worked with underrepresented schools to introduce the sport to more Black and Brown kids, provided performance opportunities to minority skaters, and supported skaters of color all across America with financial support, mentorship, networks, and opportunities. As a board member and volunteer, Megan is a part of all that work and a fascinating person in her own right. A former competitor for Team USA, she was the 2006 Ondrej Nepela champion, and 2007 Nebelhorn silver medalist. Since retiring in 2009, Megan has worked as a coach and recently announced she’ll join the new Johnny Weir Skating Academy in the fall. We talk about all of that and more in today’s episode! Transcript I hope you enjoyed that conversation with Megan Williams-Stewart. You can look at the show notes for links to a transcript and to many of the things we discussed. You can follow Megan on Instagram @meganaws and Diversify Ice @diversify_ice You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with the Tip Jar at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Resources: https://diversifyice.org/ US Figure Skating Mabel Fairbanks Skatingly Yours Award (2023 Announcement) Article about Megan at US Figure Skating: Johnny Weir Skating Academy announcement Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes This episode dives into the world of contemporary figure skating outside of the competitive realm. My guest is Garrett Kling, a professional figure skater, choreographer, yoga instructor, and multimedia artist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With Kate McSwain, he is the Co-Executive Director of American Ice Theatre. In 2017, Garrett received the Ground Breaker Award at the U.S. Open Professional Figure Skating Championships. He has performed and toured around the world, and is currently performing with Le Patin Libre in their new production “Murmuration”. You can follow Garrett on Instagram @garrettkling and American Ice Theatre @americanicetheatre You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Resources: American Ice Theatre website American Ice Theatre - American Contemporary Skating Festival Trailer Garrett’s 2017 US Open performance, co-choreographed with Marciano Silvo dos Santos Satoko Miyahara talks working with dancer Kenta Kojiri Stabat Matar program YouTube Playlist for 2023 Young Artists Showcase Contemporary Skating Alliance Blind Landing Podcast, Season 2 Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance Garrett Kling website Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Meagan Duhamel is the 2018 Olympic Bronze medalist in pairs, and gold medalist in the team event. She and partner Eric Radford also won two world titles and were known for pushing the envelope technically, being the first pair to land a throw quad at the Olympics. Since her retirement, Meagan has focused on coaching and commentary and is known for being an outspoken advocate for other athletes, including being critical of the ISU and IOC’s handling of Russian doping. In this episode, we dive into her thoughts on the state of pairs skating and the need for athlete-centered policies in sports. Transcript You can follow Meagan on Twitter @mhjd_85 and on Instagram @Meaganduhamel . You can also learn more about her nutrition work through her blog and instagram @lutzofgreens You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Resources Lutz of Greens (Meagan’s Wellness Blog) “Creating Long-Lasting Healthy Habits for Figure Skaters” https://www.lutzofgreens.com/2022/11/23/creating-long-lasting-healthy-habits-for-figure-skaters/ ISU “Keep Training” series “Pair Specific Drills https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ZJzXvfEtM Support The Future of Figure Skating by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/futureoffigureskating Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes My guest today is Christopher Trevisan. Chris is the Director of the Skating School of Switzerland, where he works alongside head coach Stéphane Lambiel and his students, aka Team Champéry. In 2019, the Skating School of Switzerland became one of the ISU’s pilot Centers of Excellence. Chris also is the manager and agent for Stéphane and Deniss Vasiljevs. I’m a huge admirer of Team Champéry’s approach to skating (if you didn’t already know that about me, this conversation will definitely out me as a fan)! I hope you will enjoy Chris’ unique perspective and some really intriguing ideas about how the competition rules could reward creativity and the strengths of a wider range of skaters. Episode Transcript You can follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisTrevisan and the Skating School of Switzerland on Instagram at @skatingschool You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast Remember to subscribe to The Future of Figure Skating podcast on whatever platform you use, and share it with your friends! Resources: Programs we talked about: Stéphane Lambiel Free Skate at the 2004 World Championships in Dortmund Deniss Vasiljev’s Free Skate at the 2022 European Championships Deniss Vasiljev’s Free Skate at the 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy in Sheffield ISU Communication 2550: Calculation of world standings ELO system for chess rankings Microsoft ranking system TrueSkill. Details are on the Microsoft Research page here and on Wikipedia. ISU Center of Excellence More on Champéry’s role as an ISU Center of Excellence and their approach to coaching in Anna’s interviews with: Stéphane LambielAngelo Dolfini 2022 Champéry Christmas Show with Learn to Skate students (and Stéphane and Deniss) Anna’s Interview with Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps, Absolute Skating FOFS Episode 4 w/ Jeroen Prins Transcript The history of art in the Olympics Hiphop, aka Breaking, in the Olympics Stéphane interview in Absolute Skating, discussing the idea of breakdance battles on ice “This Bitter Earth”, Stéphane show program 2022 with choreographic fall (watch two to see the difference in the improvisation!) Golden Skate Awards, December 2022 Music on Ice, January 2023 Deniss Vasiljevs show program (Superman medley) from 2012 Queen Medley w/ Gjon’s Tears, Art on Ice 2023 “It’s A Sin” Europeans Gala 2022 “Dos Oroquitos” Music on Ice 2023 Deniss Vasiljevs fan meeting from Europeans (with the conversation about what animal Chris is) Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.