The Future of Figure Skating

Jimmy Stryhn Meyer is a candidate for the ISU Council. He is the president of the Luxembourg Figure Skating Federation, and is also president of the Staff Committee at the European Court of Justice. The International Skating Union's Congress is being held from June 10th through 12th, and at this meeting, member federations of the ISU will vote on office holders, including the President, the Vice Presidents, the Council, and members of the various committees that help to govern the sport. The ISU president, Jae Youl Kim, is running for re-election unopposed.However, the Vice President for Figure Skating is a contested position, with four candidates running, including the incumbent Benoit Lavoie. Eleven candidates are running for the ISU council positions for figure skating. Five positions will be elected at Congress. The Future Figure Skating podcast is featuring interviews with as many candidates for the VP and Council positions as possible in the lead up to the ISU Congress.Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RTEYFK_X0tOun-KPf7v4977OJF7MK_VkX89tRAiqlwcYouTube Link: https://youtu.be/9qvTVP1F9VIMy writing about the ISU's rule change proposals:https://anythinggoe.com/bigchangesfromisu/ Make sure you check out the other candidate interviews on YouTube. You can reach me at fsfuturepodcast at http://gmail.com or on Instagram @ futurefspodcast. You can support my work at http://ko-fi.com/futureoffigureskating. Thanks for liking and subscribing.

Dr Susanna Rahkamo has been a member of the ISU Council since 2022. With her partner Petri Kokko she was the 1995 European Champion in Ice Dance, and was the originator of the Finnstep pattern dance. She has served as the President of Skate Finland, and in leadership roles with the Finnish and European Olympic Committees, and was previously the leader of the ISU Development Commission. Dr Rahkamo is running for a second term on the Council. International Skating Union's Congress is being held from June 10th through 12th, and at this meeting, member federations of the ISU will vote on office holders, including the President, the Vice Presidents, the Council, and members of the various committees that help to govern the sport. The ISU president, Jae Youl Kim, is running for re-election unopposed.However, the Vice President for Figure Skating is a contested position, with four candidates running, including the incumbent Benoit Lavoie. Eleven candidates are running for the ISU council positions for figure skating. Five positions will be elected at Congress. The Future Figure Skating podcast is featuring interviews with as many candidates for the VP and Council positions as possible in the lead up to the ISU Congress.And we hope that these interviews will help to clarify the issues facing the ISU as well as the visions of the individuals who form part of that leadership.Watch on YouTube:https://youtu.be/L-_rsrqZvCgTranscript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OdqScJ_Yuw2GdBT9z_gw87beVm8k4gPdCUVhEQZwf3I/edit?tab=t.0 ISU Council Interviews - Susanna RahkamoMy writing about the ISU’s rule change proposals, in the episode description.Make sure you check out the other candidate interviews on YouTube! You can reach me at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram at Future FS Podcast. You can support my work at ko-fi.com/futureoffigureskatingThanks for liking and subscribing!

Erica Rand has just published a new book called ‘Skating Away from the Binary’, which looks at our skating and our struggle to be allowed to compete as a gender-nonconforming pair team, and examines issues around gender binaries, sports, and politics in a very accessible way.As well as being my pairs partner and friend, Erica is a professor of Art and Visual Culture and of Gender and Sexuality Studies at Bates College. Many of her courses concern the intersections of gender, race, and sexuality—including a course called Queer and Trans Sports Studies. A longtime activist and cultural critic, Erica has written on topics ranging from Barbie to Ellis Island, and has used her experience as an adult figure skater and group-lessons coach to help her think and write about opening up sport and movement for all.Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZJtaqOxw0iczfAoyGiiY94Z-fqo8yh3ZX0GvLPTzxm0/edit?tab=t.0 You can order “Skating Away from the Binary” through the University of Minnesota Press: https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517920555/skating-away-from-the-binary/Links:More about Erica: https://www.bates.edu/faculty/profile...Erica’s first book skating book, “Red Nails, Black Skates” https://www.dukeupress.edu/red-nails-...Riki Wilchins, When Texas Came for Our Kids / when-texas-came-for-our-kids You can reach me with comments or suggestions for people I should talk to by email at fsfuturepodcast @ gmail.com or instagram at futurefspodcast.You can also support the podcast by making a one-time or recurring contribution at Ko-Fi.com/futureoffigureskating.

Jimmy Morgan is a coach and choreographer and the co-Vice President of American Ice Theatre. Previously, he competed at the national level in pairs with his partner Alex Shaughnessy. Jimmy is an advocate for LGBTQ + inclusion in sports, and through both his work on the ice and his social media presence, he encourages people to engage with figure skating and art in general as a way to learn more about yourself and engage with new ideas. Jimmy is also one of my pairs coaches! We a really fun conversation about queerness in skating, the growing field of showcase competitions and philosophical topics like how to judge art, the inherent unfairness of sport, and why skating appeals to the casual viewer.Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C... Support on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/futureoffigureskatingYou can follow Jimmy on Instagram @ hashtagjimmy. You can reach me with comments or suggestions for people I should talk to by email at fsfuturepodcast @ gmail.com or instagram @ futurefspodcast.Jimmy Morgan, Ryan Dunk “Modern Dreams” “ • "Modern Dream" - Figure Skating Choreograp... Jimmy Morgan “I Hate Figure Skating” • "I HATE SKATING" - Figure Skating Choreogr... • Ballet sur glace Villard-de-lans élite 202... • "Mother Nature" Koko Hirano practices her ... • Trans People Don't Make Sports Unfair - Sp... • How I'd Make Figure Skating Popular Again ...

Episode Notes My guest today is ice dancer and choreographer Jean-Luc Baker. With his partner Kaitlin Hawayak, Jean-Luc is the 2018 Four Continents Champion, a 4-time US Bronze Medalist, and a 2022 Olympian. Since stepping away from competition a few seasons ago, Jean-Luc has embraced his role as a coach and choreographer. He continues to teach seminars through his organization Your True Step, which he runs with friends Nathan Chen and Sam Chouinard, and he has even tried out commentating during the practice streams at US Nationals and Worlds. Jean-Luc works with teams at the Ice Academy of Montreal and the Michigan Ice Dance Academy, and has also branched out into choreographing for pairs and singles skaters. As you’ll hear, Jean-Luc is a believer in the power of authenticity, and he isn’t scared to have an opinion - which I love! Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vwYtH4oPbBzQw-QYwuQHxW-EeXsdzXotEUcHLZak5ZY/edit?tab=t.0 YouTube: https://youtu.be/WjV4Hn7415c You can learn more about Your True Step on Instagram at @ yourtruestep and follow Jean-Luc at @jeanlucbaker Kaitlin Hawayak and Jean-Luc Baker, 2024 Rhythm Dance, filmed by On Ice Perspectives: https://youtu.be/Wru_Mz8UbCM?si=WdDHGtGCyBdmA_pV Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud 24/25 Short Program, choreo by Jean-Luc Baker and Olivia Smart: https://youtu.be/tmNH4uVoM90?si=DVeM6kfqYZGrHHq2 Caroline Green and Michael Parsons 24/25 Free Dance, choreo by Jean-Luc Baker: https://youtu.be/h-yquwGqLG0?si=Qcaon2qkGTuTvMGF You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or Instagram @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

Episode Notes Evan Bates is an American ice dancer, and with his partner Madison Chock, is the three-time and reigning World Champion in ice dance. He is also a four-time Olympian and a gold medalist in the team event from Beijing. In 2022, Evan was elected by his peers to be the first ice dance representative to the ISU Athletes Commission. I spoke to Evan last winter about his experience as a representative so far and his goals for the Athletes Commission in the future. Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YTw_u9n8IciqUsfwfXRHlSCAv05w_loDN09YIhMqejE/edit?tab=t.0 YouTube: https://youtu.be/W_0pfpjkHh0 You can follow Evan at evan_bates 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 @ futurefspodcast and Bluesky @futureoffs 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

Episode Notes Gary Beacom is a 1984 Canadian Olympian who has continued to perform and compete for more than half a century to develop mastery through theoretical and experimental research. Gary teaches seminars around the world, and with his YouTube channel, he shares exercises, challenges, and pieces of choreography, encouraging skaters at all levels to learn good technique and explore the blade. He is also interested in equipment and is part of the company SK8INSOLL, building high-tech insoles for figure skating. He spoke to me from Japan last fall, as he was preparing to compete in the ISU Adult championship in Calgary! We had some technical issues with video on the recording, but the conversation was so rich I wanted to share it anyway. YouTube: https://youtu.be/1pUho2J5z80 Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fAUX-coSXRYAmkctTS9QgYwsEncsLippdrDKVcJ9m8I/edit?tab=t.0 You can learn more about Gary at garybeacom.com or at his YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@GaryBeacom-FigureSkater “Difficult Entry” video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC1KCKNMxjc Adult Competition https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=OqF5AxyQDyY&pp=ygUcZ2FyeSBiZWFjb20gaXN1IGNoYW1waW9uc2hpcA%3D%3D https://www.garybeacom.com/sk8insoll You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com, Instagram at @futurefspodcast, or at futureoffs.bsky.com 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!

Episode Notes This is part two of my conversation with coach and choreographer Daniel Aggiano. Daniel is passionate about expanding awareness of eating disorders and how they impact male skaters. In this part of the conversation, he shared his struggles with bulimia as a competitive and professional skater, and his ongoing work to find a healthy approach to food and weight. If you think hearing details about disordered eating will be unhealthy or triggering for you, you can skip ahead to the 30 minute mark. Please take care of yourself! It’s also worth noting that we recorded this conversation before the 2024 ISU Congress. While many of the rule changes Daniel and I discussed have since been delayed until after the Olympics, the questions he raised will continue to matter. Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N4v_woSdwYT4dIhjtnEoBo93iHaPnm8Ji7EKIMJXorU/edit#heading=h.triz0qvkh0w3 If you or someone you know is struggling with eating and healthy body image, one good source for help and more information is the national eating disorder association. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ You can follow Daniel on Instagram at @ danielaggiano777 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://youtu.be/Gl8lo5pA-SQ 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

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 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 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: 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 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 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!

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 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!