Joy in skating

[ladyjane]

There are two things:
1. Loving what you do.
2. Being joyful after the skate.

The fact that you are smiling during the skate does not generally mean you are happy.
The fact that you are sad after the skate does not generally mean you do not like what you do.

Oh, definitely. A smile can be stuck on during the whole skate. Still, you can often enough see when skaters love what he/she/they do(es). That doesn't mean they have to be smiling all the time. That's not it.

People sad after a particular skate usually are unhappy about what they did in that specific programme, irt doesn't mean they don't love what they do at all.

 

[olygreece]

Oh, definitely. A smile can be stuck on during the whole skate. Still, you can often enough see when skaters love what he/she/they do(es). That doesn't mean they have to be smiling all the time. That's not it.

People sad after a particular skate usually are unhappy about what they did in that specific programme, irt doesn't mean they don't love what they do at all.

I always remember Gordeeva's face during their skate in 1988 Olys.That was not a smile,she was like in another dimension of pure joy.

 

[skylark]

Don't fool yourself, guys. Elite skating is not joyous ride, it's an extremely hard job.

You'd be hard pressed to find a free skate with more difficulty than Nathan Chen's at Worlds. Yet he said afterwards that his motivation and method going into the fs were to enjoy himself. Like many of the skaters did, Nathan said he was so grateful to have the opportunity to compete at a Worlds this year.

Nathan also said that going into a skate with the idea of enjoying himself usually works better for him than going into it with the idea to win, or even the desire to skate his best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFdyvaq7hLI Nathan, fs Worlds 2021 British commentary, mostly after the skate

 

[ice coverage]

... the enjoyment of competing, the enjoyment of performing ...

Although I absolutely want every skater to feel sincere joy in competing and in performing, it is not a turn-off to me that not every skater's joy is externally visible to me during a competitive program.

What I mean is ...
Outside of skating, it is not unusual for someone to sincerely love a "job" that is stressful and difficult. For some, it is a joy to challenge oneself mentally and/or physically as part of their job.
I think the same is true for skating.
For me, it is possible for a skater on competitive ice to have an aura of concentration and determination that strongly appeals to me (and that has no sense of drudgery). It makes me happy to watch skaters whose love of the sport is (IMO) more internalized.

At the same time, I certainly like Sean Rabbitt and his externally visible joy. Ditto for some others already named in this thread.
For me, Akari Nakahara is another favorite example of externally visible joy.

 

[Ruthypegs]

I can't believe Keegan Messing hasn't been mentioned! The reason he's one of my favourites is the joy he brings to the ice. He nearly always looks like he's having so much fun.

 

[randomfan]

A few who immediately come to mind:
Akiko Suzuki (BTW one of the most underrated skaters ever)
Jason Brown
Mai Mihara
Alysa Liu
Yuna Kim (sadly pre-2011 only though...)
Javier Fernandez
Daisuke Takahashi
Tessa Virtue
Carolina Kostner
Ashley Wagner
Elena Radionova
Kaetlyn Osmond

 

[Jeanie19]

Definitely Mai Miahara and Deniss Vasiljevs.

 

[el henry]

Misha Ge.

Misha is a fine example of a skater who showed joy through serious programs. Although I must admit I have an abiding fondness for fun purple haired Misha.

 

[jeb]

I would add Dorothy Hamill. I love when skaters enjoy skating. I love Gracie Gold’s skating but it seems to me that the joy of skating is gone for her. So sad if it is.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Ryan Bradley.

 

[moonvine]

PJ Hallam for sure. Keegan. Gracie.

 

[moonvine]

I would add Dorothy Hamill. I love when skaters enjoy skating. I love Gracie Gold’s skating but it seems to me that the joy of skating is gone for her. So sad if it is.

I disagree.

 

[sadya]

Janet Lynn was known for her joy when performing, amongst other qualities of her skating. Her name was the first to come to mind, when reading the title of this thread.

 

[FelineFairy]

I have been following this discussion attentively, mostly because of my linguistic/cultural interests. Feeling that "joy" could be understood in various ways, I looked it up in Merriam/Webster's.

Definition of joy​

(Entry 1 of 2)
1a: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : DELIGHT
b: the expression or exhibition of such emotion : GAIETY
2: a state of happiness or felicity : BLISS
3: a source or cause of delight.
IMHO every person, not only a performing artist or competing athlete feels satisfaction and joy (1a) when they excel. When a concentrated skater successfully completes the more difficult part of the programme, a spectator usually notices how they relax, and sometimes even lose concentration because of that joy and freedom. However, if they fail, it would be strange to feel joy. Frustration and pain inside, with a brave smile through welling tears. I really don't think that anyone is performing like a robot, without getting joy or frustration from one's performance. I can't think of an example on elite level where a skater would be totally indifferent to what they are doing. Albeit love or hate.
Another thing is (1b) being able to express those emotions. Extroverts and introverts express emotions in different ways. Music and story rendered require different emotions; while performing the death scene in La Traviata it would be unsuitable to express happiness. Spectators can be more or less empathic towards skaters depending on their preferences (one would feel more with an athlete one supports), tastes in styles and music (if you hate the music, would you feel with the skater?), last but not least cultural awareness. Jason Brown and Mikhail Kolyada are both top performers, but they belong to cultures opposite in expressing emotions. Somebody wrote in a thread where Kolyada's SP was discussed (sorry, can't find the exact post) that they can't appreciate skating to that music with a stone face. Well, it shows exactly what I mean: for the author of the post, the emotions should be smiling and having fun, but the idea of the programme created in a different cultural tradition is not about that. The image of a slick guy, the king of the block, with all those details like a fancy green jacket, raised collar, stamping out cigarette stubs, goes more with haughtiness than with an open smile.
And (3) is what everyone has mentioned here: if one's job is a source of delight, whatever this job is, one lives a happy life. For figure skating, this kind of joy usually results in longevity in the sport. The results will decrease, but the athlete still enjoys the process. However, I don't agree that it always means that the spectators who support the athlete share that joy. Sometimes it is frustrating to see how your favourites are not able to stay on the top level. Respect, yes. Joy, hardly.
To sum up: I think that joy/satisfaction is universal but depends on results, joy/expressing emotions depends on individual and cultural empathy (beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!), and joy/love for one's occupation is a blessing.

 

[labgoat]

I have recently been cataloging skates of the 90s and came across Eric Millot's cowboy program is both playful and joyful in this skate. I have seen many cowboy themes that are a miss for me, but this one is among my favorites and this performance makes both him, the audience and one tiny fan very happy.
Eric Millot 1996 Skate Canada

 

[el henry]

I have recently been cataloging skates of the 90s and came across Eric Millot's cowboy program is both playful and joyful in this skate. I have seen many cowboy themes that are a miss for me, but this one is among my favorites and this performance makes both him, the audience and one tiny fan very happy.
Eric Millot 1996 Skate Canada

That was indeed joyful and playful. I love the French skaters embrace of this American theme, very Lucky Luke in approach .

 

[labgoat]

Gotta love the French skaters, they know how to play...
1 Laurent Tobel - 1996 Lalique Trophy LP

Laurent Tobel - 1996 Lalique Trophy LP

SP : 7th, LP : 6th, sixth placeNov. 14-17th 1996, Paris, POPB

www.youtube.com

 

[labgoat]

1 Vanessa Gusméroli - 1996 Lalique Trophy LP - The Circus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-iyuYSCc4c&list=PLUD7XGoCpbTVws6An0QePwOLTigH_W9m_&index=7

 

[kwanatic]

Unfortunately, I feel joy is what's missing in the majority of skating nowadays. When people say figure skating has lost its soul, I think that's what they mean. So many of the skaters today are just ticking off boxes and stacking points. Creating a moment and reaching people used to be just as important as winning--not so much any more.

Joy is what makes a skater special IMO. It's not just smiling or looking happy; it's an almost tangible sense of freedom and release a skater projects that reaches throughout the arena and even through a screen. It's what enables an audience to connect with a performer. Skaters who have that joy and are able to convey it can move people when they perform. You can cheer for any skater who skates well, but not many skaters can literally give you goosebumps or make you cry.

Michelle Kwan always comes to mind. To me, she was joy on ice, personified. That whole "heart on her sleeve" saying rang so true with her and I believe it's what endeared her to so many fans. There was something so honest about her and her love for skating and she showed it when she performed.

Akiko Suzuki is probably my #2 in terms of a joyful skater. She just looked ecstatic to be out on the ice and skating for people. So many of her performances exuded joy. Her FS to "O" always sticks out in my mind, especially at the end--she gives me chills with this performance: https://youtu.be/HTnkJ8w38dY?t=261 . (Side note: I feel like Akiko was such an under-rated performer and artist. SO many of her programs were amazing and she had a knack for embodying any kind of music and bringing it to life. She rarely got her due but she's one of my all-time favorites in the sport because of the joy skate brought to the ice.)

The last truly joyous performance I saw was probably Mariah Bell's FS at nationals in 2020--that was the last performance that moved me. I can't say I was moved by Anna's FS at nationals so much as I was moved by the emotion from her and her team after the performance. That was very touching to see how much everyone was pulling for her.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

Midori Ito when she landed her 3A (and other big jumping passes) had just the biggest smile on her face. Definitely someone who loved to skate. And you loved to watch the joy in her skating.