If your friend can't stand figure skating ...

[Fliple Trip]

... if she/he thinks it's unbelievable boring, just for little girls and no "real" sport ... which performance(s) would you show her/him to prove her/him wrong? (And it don't have to be necessarly your favorite program(s) ) ...?

And - did you already have experiences like this? Could you actually manage to convert someone to figure skating with showing one- or more classy
performance(s)?

[Norlite]

I can't help out with a friend, because I usually don't discuss skating with friends outside my "rink mom" circle. Funny, now that I think about it, I seem to lead two totally separate lives. My skating life.... going to the rink every day, being involved in my daughter's club/region.........and my normal, outside the rink life, with "normal" people, to whom I hardly ever discuss anything skating related. 8O

But, back OT.....I used to have a problem with my husband, with him thinking it was too lightweight, and girly, or too artsy, to be a sport.

That changed the first time he watched an elite male skater up close.
TV doesn't do it, a show like SOI doesn't do it. He finally got it the first time we went to a small club's year end carnival, in a small rink where you sit on seats no more than 20, or 30 feet away from the ice surface.
Once he got that close to watching a program done by Elvis, or Jeff Buttle, or the Wirtzes, or Shae and Victor, he finally realized that this was really super-human stuff going on.

Thankfully, I never hear comments about sissies skating anymore.

[kwanette]

I do have a few friends from home who like skating. However, most of them are occasional viewers. One of the greatest things that has happened to me since being on-line is meeting people who share my "passion." Many of us have met up at various events and have plans to do so in the future, ie Worlds....

There is no point arguing with friends, family members who don't share your views...As long as they don't keep you from enjoying what you like to watch, discuss, etc...

[Pupiczech]

I think the best thing to see is skating in person, up close. to convert someone to our side. And the best discipline is pairs. To see a man (who is not all that big really) lift their partner or throw them while moving across the ice is quite amazing. If you could go to a pairs practice (not at a competition but a real pairs practice session) and you could show how they practice lifts or throws or split twists over and over and over and over again along with the jumps, spins and every other thing, it really is quite mind boggling the stamina and strength these kids need.

[Artemis]

Well really, if they don't like skating they're no friend of mine! ;)

But seriously, in a general sense I'd agree with Pupiczech that pairs is a good way to counter the "boring" or "no sport" argument.

And don't forget the aesthetic appeal. For a heterosexual male, I'd alo probably show any pairs, dance, or women's with particularly good-looking women. And for het women I'd show any good-looking man or man with tons of charisma. I have no problem if a person starts to like the sport because of the eye-candy ... and then grows to appreciate the unique balance of athleticism and artistry.

[Sing_Alto]

I live in an area of California that could best be described as "skating ignorant". I hardly ever talk skating with anyone except my mom, but on the rare occasions that I've mentioned to others the fact that I enjoy watching skating, and Brian Boitano in particular, I've usually gotten a blank look like, "Who?" That is, of course, unless it's a female over the age of 35, then the majority of them "LOVE!" skating, and they especially like "Nancy Kwan". ;)

I have a friend who will watch skating on occasion, when her husband isn't home because he rules the remote. She jokingly calls Boitano "Bun-Bun" because... well, you know. :mrgreen:

[Emanfan]

Originally posted by Fliple Trip
Could you actually manage to convert someone to figure skating with showing one- or more classy
performance(s)?

I have tried on occasion, but now I just shoot them and move on to someone else. There are some in this world not highly evolved enough to appreciate the sport.

[Alexeiskate]

Count me as one who rarely talk about skating outside of the ice-rink. I took some coworkers once to a pro competition. I swore they spent the whole night discussing the skater's outfits :x

Skating is still not taken seriously as a sport. Advertisements for the 2003 Worlds are found in the Washington Post's Sunday's Art&Entertainment section instead of the Sport section.

[Skatingsarah]

My friends are pretty into it, I actually think they really dont have a choice;) But if you really want to get more friends interested in skating show them SHOW PROGRAMS! Ones like Kurt Browning, Scotty Hamilton! The ones that will entertain them, because they dont see the quality of jeff buttle or the quality of Alexei Yagudin jumps they just what to be entertained!

[Figureskates]

I am male, 57, and I also figure skate. My non-figure skating friends aren't quite sure what to think of me or the sport.

Some people think it's pretty cool, others think I am nuts.

Best comment I ever heard was from someone who never saw a pair of figure skates before. I had mine with me because I came to work right from the rink. One of my collegues in all seriousness picked up one of my skates and told me I should file off those claws before I tripped over them on the ice.

[essence_of_soy]

You just can't win.

Even my gay friends think I'm a big fag for liking figure skating. So what do you do!

Oh well. Thank god for chocolate. That's what I call true friendship.

[Germanice]

Originally posted by Skatingsarah
My friends are pretty into it, I actually think they really dont have a choice;) But if you really want to get more friends interested in skating show them SHOW PROGRAMS! Ones like Kurt Browning, Scotty Hamilton! The ones that will entertain them, because they dont see the quality of jeff buttle or the quality of Alexei Yagudin jumps they just what to be entertained!

Sorry, but I wouldn't call neither Yagudin's nor Buttle's competitive programs exactly non-entertaining ... ;)

Once I showed my former (female) workmate Yags' "Winter". She seemed quite impressed, and murmured something like "One thing is for sure, I wouldn't push this boy from the edge of my bed!" (And she is 41!) ;). Well, I don't think she's watching figure skating now, but at least she's always asking me how he's doing whenever we meet. :lol:

Anke

[Skatingsarah]

Originally posted by Germanice
Sorry, but I wouldn't call neither Yagudin's nor Buttle's competitive programs exactly non-entertaining ... ;)

Don't get me wrong I TOTALLY love those skaters they are like my ultimate favorites. But for someone who had there strong opinions on the mens part of skating or just skating in general I think the big clowns like browning and hamilton are more suitable. I think Buttle and Yagudin are amazing performers but for most first time watchers I would definelty stick to the comical acts. I should have explained myself better, my bad.

[dbny]

My dearest friend never had any interest at all in figure skating. Since we have lived on opposite coasts for the past 25 years or so, this hasn't been a strain. The last time she visited though, I got her to watch a couple of Kurt Browning programs chosen to suit what I already knew were her interests. She sings in a chorus and they had just done "Don't Fence Me In", so I started with that, and then showed her "Singin' In the Rain". With a little commentary so she would know what was happening, she really enjoyed both programs and agreed to watch more with me in the future. I doubt that she has taken an active interest on her own, because she already has a lot on her plate.

[SShaste]

Hee, Hee, I'm still working on it. But my guy friends actually watched Elvis' 1994 Worlds LP and thought it was pretty cool. The fact that he's a black belt in karate and rides dirt bikes has even made them admit that he's a total guy and then they actually admitted he was a great athlete. They're the types that think only hockey players are big tough athletes so that was a major step for them.

My girl friends are not big fans of it either but I took one of them to Champions on Ice this year and she really found the acrobats, Dan Hollander, Michael Weiss, and Elvis to be very entertaining. One of my other friends saw a biography on Surya Bonaly and has liked her ever since. The rest of my friends will usually watch Elvis but they only like watching the exhibition programs because they say he skates to music they actually know :lol: .

[clarabella]

i never had any problem with my boyfriend think skatign is a girly sport (he had to watch me do all the weight training stuuf that you have to do), but he was never a big fan of watching skating, but then he saw sasha cohen, and he's always over now if their is skating on, watching it , just in case he see's sasha!!!!

[CanadianSkater]

Originally posted by essence_of_soy
You just can't win.

Even my gay friends think I'm a big fag for liking figure skating. So what do you do!

Oh well. Thank god for chocolate. That's what I call true friendship.



LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!
THAT WAS HILARIOUS! :D
I totally agree!

[silver samba]

I've managed to convert 6 friends with Kurt's "Singing In The Rain" !!