The Future of Figure Skating

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 [email protected] 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 https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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 Lambiel (October 2022) interview for Anything GOEs Angelo Dolfini (December 2022) interview for Absolute Skating 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.

Episode Notes TW: Eating Disorders. Today's guest is Rachael Flatt. Rachael was the 2008 World Junior Champion, and the 2010 US National Champion and placed 7th in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. After retiring from competitive skating in 2014, she completed her degree from Stanford University and has gone on to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with a focus on eating disorders and mental health in athletes. As an athlete member of the US Figure Skating board of directors, and as part of the US Olympic and Paralympic Task Force on Mental Health, Rachael has brought both her personal and professional expertise to making elite sport a healthier environment. This was a great conversation drawing connections between health and inclusion! The transcript is available here. You can follow Rachael on Twitter @RachaelFlatt and on Instagram @reflatt You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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: Changing the culture of mental health in sports | Rachael Flatt | TEDxUNC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7lumbNhZeM USOPC Task Force on Mental Health Recovery Record App Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Today I’m joined by figure skater and author Andrew J Sass. Andrew’s first middle-grade novel, “Ana on the Edge” features a 12-year-old non-binary figure skater coming to terms with her identity and what it means for her ambitions in the sport. It’s a sweet and compelling story that I think figure skating fans of any age will enjoy. Andrew is himself a non-binary adult skater and a judge, as well as the author of three novels for middle-school-age readers. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his husband and “two cats who act like dogs”. Episode Transcript and Links You can follow Andrew @matokah on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. You can also find more information about his books at https://sassinsf.com You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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! Find out more at https://futureoffigureskating.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes I’m joined by Kiira Korpi for a conversation about positive coaching and mental health in figure skating. Kiira Korpi is a two-time Olympian, a three-time European medalist, and a five-time Finnish champion. She is the author of a memoir, “Kiira Korpi: Surviving the Ruthless World of Championship Figure Skating” which was published last year in an English translation. Kiira currently works as a coach and as a figure skating commentator for Finnish TV. You can follow Kiira on instagram @ Kiira_Korpi and twitter @ kiirakorpi_fi . You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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! Episode Transcripts Kiira Korpi Academy https://kiirakorpi.com/ “Kiira Korpi: Surviving the Ruthless World of Championship Figure Skating” https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/kiira-korpi/ Open Ice Visionaries: a documentary by Kaitlyn Weaver, featuring Kiira Korpi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqa1cqQHE7Y&t=2608s “GOEing into Detail w/ Amber Glenn” Anna’s Interview w/ Amber, discussing body image https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaThbywF2W0

Episode Notes Welcome back to the Future of Figure Skating. My guest today is Asher Hill, who is a choreographer, commentator, and one of the founders of the Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance. With his previous partner ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kharis_Ralph)[Kharis Ralph, Asher was the 2008 Canadian national junior champion in ice dance, and went to the 2010 World Championships. Asher is a vocal advocate for racial justice. In 2020, he called out Skate Canada for making an essentially empty statement in response to the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter Movement. The statement was hypocritical to Asher, who had filed an official misconduct complaint with Skate Canada more than a year before, highlighting a number of instances spanning five years where a co-worker at his figure skating club was abusive with racist, homophobic, and misogynistic language. Asher’s comments sparked much of the progress that’s been made around diversity and inclusion in Canadian skating. Asher is smart, warm, and funny, and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Episode Transcript: FoFS Google Drive You can follow Asher on Instagram @asherkwacie and Twitter @AsherHill You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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: Asher Hill interviewed on the Burn It All Down podcast https://www.burnitalldownpod.com/episodes/interview-asher-hill-figure-skater-coach-choreographer-and-activist Anna’s interview with Maddie Schizas for Anything GOEs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXpRkYpX0yQ “Figure Skater Asher Hill Sees Hypocrisy in Racial Equality Statements” (June 3, 2020) https://www.cbc.ca/sports/floyd-george-sports-organizations-hypocrisy-asher-hill-1.5597217 “Moir, Weaver advocates of gender-expansive ice dance and pairs figure skating teams” (cites Anna & Erica as an example) https://www.tsn.ca/figure-skating/scott-moir-kaitlyn-weaver-advocates-of-gender-expansive-ice-dance-and-pairs-figure-skating-teams-1.1904779 Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance https://www.fsdia.org/ FSDIA Conversations in Color on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4d9O3hbO8-4-Us3RNx9xrA “Kamila Valieva does viral 'Wednesday' Dance, but U.S.A. and Japan still without Olympic medals” Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch join Asher Hill on That Figure Skating Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LZDbUgLqtE&list=PLDsQU3UFA4hXMPS-ZioeBFuuxHMm98S0H&index=6 “The Cultural Importance of Papadakis and Cizeron’s waacking rhythm dance at the Olympics” Asher Hill and Dylan Moscovitch interview choreographer Axelle Munezero https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njA_s7DZDzI&list=PLDsQU3UFA4hXMPS-ZioeBFuuxHMm98S0H&index=40 “Russian Ice Dance Sparks Indigineous Anger” Al Jazeera English - Domnina/Shabalin OD 2010 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtXWE1CfbcM Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier RD 2015 “Sargeant Pepper” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zce2niUl870 Kharis RALPH / Asher HILL CAN Original Dance 2010 Four Continents Championships “African Folk” Somlandela/Hlohonolofatsa by Soweto Gospel Choir https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNqW1zxNJdM

Episode Notes Jackie Wong of Rocker Skating has become a household name among figure skating fans as the go-to source for competition reports, live-tweeting, and analysis of the sport. I talked to Jackie about his pathways into skating, the media landscape in the US, and how Asian American representation matters. We also nerded out about rule changes this season, and how different federations determine their national team selections. I have to apologize a little to Jackie and to the listeners that this episode didn’t come out when I intended, before US Nationals. That means you’ll get to hear us be hopeful about Jason Brown in the knowledge it worked out for him! You can follow Jackie at @rockerskating on Twitter and rockerskating.com You reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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!

Episode Notes Today’s guest is the first Olympic champion I’ve had on the podcast - Charlie White! Charlie and his ice dance partner Meryl Davis are the 2014 Olympic Gold Medalists as well as 2010 Olympic silver medalists. They are also two-time World champions and six-time national champions. In 2022, Charlie launched the Michigan Ice Dance Academy with his wife Tanith (herself an Olympic medalist in ice dance), and their friend, junior world champion Greg Zeurlin. They are already off to a strong start with elite dance teams such as Caroline Green/Michael Parsons, and Katarina Wolfkostin/Jeffrey Chen working with them. When announcing MIDA, Charlie talked about the importance of supporting athletes as whole people, and I am eager to learn more about their coaching approach! Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cpn9eDvW9KHQpOlDB115l7l7Vdwzd1lCDG0zbxnsLKc/edit You can follow Charlie at @CharlieAWhite on Instagram and Twitter, and MIDA @michiganicedanceacademy on Instagram and https://www.michiganicedanceacademy.com/ “Michigan Ice Dance Academy to Open in 2022” https://www.usfigureskating.org/news/article/michigan-ice-dance-academy-open-2022 Charlie’s tweets about having his students write essays on ice dance https://twitter.com/charlieawhite/status/1493058958617108483?s=46&t=_IVdmlHKhXmCA8l-mxBecw The Roeper School philosophy https://www.roeper.org/about/mission--philosophy You reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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!

Episode Notes On this episode, I'm joined by author and professional skater Karina Manta. With her ice dance partner Joe Johnson, Karina competed internationally for the US. Karina and Joe made history as the first team where both partners were out as LGBTQ, and Karina was also the first woman skater to come out while competing - it took until 2018 to break that barrier, which is just mindblowing! Karina’s memoir is called "On Top of Glass, My Stories as a Queer Girl in Figure Skating." She’s a beautiful writer and I highly recommend the book! Since retiring from competition in 2019, Karina has also toured with Cirque de Soleil and won the British reality show Dancing on Ice. You can see a transcript for this episode here You can follow Karina @karinamanta on Instagram. Her website is karinamanta.com. You reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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 and Links: “Karina Manta is Team USA’s First Out Female Figure Skater” The Advocate, 2018 “On Top of Glass: My Stories as a Queer Girl in Figure Skating” 2021 (linked to Amazon for reference but please support your local bookstore) Manta/Johnson FD 2019 US Nationals - their rendition of "Sweet Dreams" received a standing ovation in Detroit. Regan Gascoigne and Karina Manta skating in Dancing on Ice (Final) (27/3/22) Ice Dance International performance of “Revival” including Karina and Joe The Skating Body is on Instagram @theskatingbody I referenced “Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters” by Joan Ryan. Originally published in 1995, it also has an updated edition from 2018

Episode Notes In this episode, a conversation with Dr. Tina Chen, member of Skate Canada's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee. We talk cultural and systemic change, gender inclusion, combatting anti-Asian and anti-Bthe lack racism, and ethical choreography. Tina Chen has been named one of Canada’s 100 most powerful women. She is a distinguished professor of History at the University of Manitoba. Her teaching and research interests are in the areas of modern Chinese history, anti-colonial solidarity movements, feminist and socialist projects for social justice, and histories of race and anti-racism. She has long advocated for equity and diversity within academic settings, including the University of Manitoba. In February 2022, she was named the inaugural Executive Lead- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the University of Manitoba. In the skating world, Tina is currently a coach with Skate Winnipeg. As a skater, she was a 3-time competitor at Canadian Championships in pairs (Novice) and dance (Junior), and was Ontario Intercollegiate Champion (with the University of Toronto Varsity Skating Team). She is also the mom of two skaters, so she has really seen the skating world from every angle! Recently, she has been combining her experience advocating for equity with her figure skating experience. She is active in the Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance and is also a member of the Skate Canada Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee. Transcripts are available for each episode here Dr Tina Chen profile at University of Manitoba Skate Canada EDI Committee and Process: Skate Canada Statement on Anti-Racism (June 3, 2020) “Figure Skater Asher Hill Sees Hypocrisy in Racial Equality Statements” CBC (June 3, 2020) Public Statement on EDI working Group (October 2020) Skate Canada 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (October 2022) : Three “Strategic Imperatives” are Skating for Everyone, Skating for Life, Skating to Win Skate Canada Trans Inclusion Policy, Adopted 2018 For Comparison, ISU Transgender Policy, Communication 2422, Aug 2021 Anti-Racism and Ethical Choreography: Skate Ukraine “Why Skate Canada has Renamed the Mohawk and Chocktaw” Ivan Danyliuk Also useful: Skate Guard Blog: “How the Mohawk Got its Name” Conversations in Color: No, I’m Not Michelle Kwan: Being East Asian in Figure Skating (part 1 of 4) Asher and Acacia Hill host conversation w/ Mirai Nigasu, Patrick Chan, Michelle Hong & Tina Chen NexxIce performs their 2021/22 program “Mehcinut” music by Jeremy Dutcher; choreography by B Solomon The Creative Process: Narrated by B Solomon “The Cultural Importance of Papadakis and Cizeron’s waacking rhythm dance at the Olympics” Asher Hill and Dylan Moscovitch interview choreographer Axelle Munezero on That Figure Skating Show “Red Nails, Black Skates: Gender, Cash, and Pleasure on and off the Ice” 2012 book by Erica Rand (Professor at Bates College and my skating partner!) You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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!

Episode Notes There’s been increasing discussion of stress fractures, as skaters like Rika Kihira, Wakaba Higuchi, and Yuma Kagiama have struggled with that injury this season. In today’s episode, I’ll be focusing on the biomechanical research can help prevent these kinds of overuse injuries. My guest Dr, Deborah King, is Professor and Grad Chair in Exercise Science and Athletic Training at Ithaca College in New York State. Dr. King has three decades of experience working with figure skaters, including in partnership with the US Olympic Training Center. Her research focuses on measuring the forces involved in jump landings, in order to better understand the impact on bones and joints. You can learn more about Dr. King's work on her page here. Transcripts are available for each episode here, You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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!

Episode Notes Three-time Olympian Kirsten Moore-Towers is one of the most highly-decorated Canadian skaters of her generation. Kirsten has also been an outspoken advocate for athlete mental health and eating disorder awareness, including participating in the TSN documentary Disorder where she spoke openly about her own struggles with body image and bulimia. Kirsten and Mike retired from competitive skating at the end of the last season, and have since toured with Stars on Ice and begun coaching. My pairs partner Erica and I were lucky enough to work with them this past August! Kirsten's new consulting venture is KMT Performance and she's on Instagram and Twitter @Kirsten_MT. We discussed the Skate Canada Body Positive guidelines, and comments by Gabi Papadakis about gender presentation in the documentary Le Couple de Feu. Transcripts are available for each episode here, You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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!

Episode Notes This episode is for the skating nerds - and for anyone who is curious about how judging works and how change is made at the ISU. My guest this week, Jeroen Prins, is a judge, technical controller, and referee and serves as the Acting Discipline Manager for figure skating for the Netherlands. Notably, he judged the pairs competition at the Beijing Olympics and the World Championships last year. At the ISU Congress in June, Jeroen presented several proposals on behalf of the Netherlands, including the idea of a split judging panel, with half the judges marking Grade of Execution and the other half doing program components. You can follow Jeroen on Twitter at @JeroenPrinsNL and see detailed judging reports at Skating Scores. The deliberations of the ISU are available to rewatch on YouTube. Transcripts are available for each episode here. You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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!

Episode Notes Today's episode features six-time French champion Maé Bérénice Méité in a conversation about her new programs, race in skating, injury recovery, body image, and social media marketing. Maé is making her comeback this year, after having to withdraw from the 2021 World Championships with an injured achilles tendon and then missing the 2021-22 season while she recovered. In addition to her competitive career, Maé is already making an impressive impact on the sport, whether by working with the Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance, educating skaters about nutrition, athlete development, and body image, or launching her own businesses. You can follow Maé @mae_meite and @businesswithmae on Instagram. You can also follow her journey on her Youtube channel Simply Mae . Watch her Olympic Channel feature Anatomy of a Figure Skater here. Find the Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance atfsdia.org Transcripts are available for each episode here You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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!

Today's episode features two-time Olympian, Kaitlyn Weaver in a conversation about queer representation, building inclusive community, systemic change - and the future of the rhythm dance. With her ice dance partner Andrew Poje, Kaitlyn is a three-time World medalist, a two-time Four Continents champion, a two-time Grand Prix Final champion, and a three-time Canadian national champion. Since retiring in 2019, Kaitlyn and Andrew have continued to skate in shows around the world. In addition to her impressive accomplishments on the ice, Kaitlyn is also a coach and choreographer, a commentator for the CBC, the founder of the non-profit Open Ice Collective, and is working with Skate Canada and the ISU on improving the rules and systems of the sport. Kaitlyn also made history last year when she became only the second female Olympic figure skater to come out as queer! You can follow Kaitlyn @ka2sh on Twitter and Instagram. Find the Open Ice Collective at https://www.openicecollective.com/ and watch Open Ice Visionaries on YouTube. Learn more about Skate & Sculpt at https://skateandsculpt.com/ Transcripts are available for each episode here Thanks also to Erica Rand and Evan Murray for their help with this episode. You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at [email protected] 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!

Episode Notes This episode introduces the big question: How can figure skating be an inclusive, healthy, and joyful experience for all participants? Transcript available at: https://bit.ly/3Jmyrwk