Shoma Uno cantilevering through his exhibition at Worlds 2024

Scary beautiful.

鶏と蛇と豚

RE_PRAY in Miyagi

Released on 23rd Apr '24 for a limited time

Sekkisei Photobook (march-apr 2024)

ISU Communication 2623: Singles & Pairs Levels and GOE Guidelines 2024-2025

Communication 2623

Changes in this document are pending approval at the 2024 ISU Congress in June. More information about rule change proposals will be available before the Congress. Notable changes in this document include:

1) The Euler will be a non-listed jump with no value (previously, it had a base value of 0.5). This applies to both singles and pairs skating.

An Euler (half-loop) is considered a non-listed jump, it will have no value when used in a jump combination between two listed jumps and it will not be counted in the number of the allowed jumps of the concerned jump combination. An Euler jump cannot be included in the jump combination of the Short Program. An Euler (half-loop) can only be executed once in Free Skating.

2) Addition of a choreographic spin in singles (replacing one leveled spin?)

A Choreographic Spin is a spin which enhances the choreography of the program and matches the music. Choreographic Spin must have minimum 3 revolutions executed on a blade, with any basic or non-basic positions allowed. Change of foot is optional and can be done several times during the spin. If the Choreographic Spin cannot be identified by the Technical panel, the third performed spin will be considered as the Choreographic Spin (Choreographic Spin confirmed). This element has a fixed base value and will be evaluated by the judges in GOE only.

3) Addition of a choreographic lift in pairs (replacing one leveled lift?)

A Choreographic Lift is a lift which enhances the choreography of the program and matches the music. Choreographic Lift must be ascending and descending whilst moving across the ice surface. It must have a minimum of 1 rotation. The Choreographic Lift does not have any limitations regarding the hold on entry or at any point during the lift. The lifting partner must have straight or almost straight arm(s) at some point during the lift. If the Choreographic Lift is not identifiable to the panel, the last performed lift will be taken as the Choreographic Lift (Choreographic Lift confirmed). This element has a fixed base value and will be evaluated by the judges in GOE only. The positions in the Choreographic lift will not be considered as used in the other lifts of the program. The take off may be the same as in another lift of the program and will not invalidate the other lift.

4) Addition of a choreographic pair spin

A Choreographic Pair Spin is a spin which enhances the choreography of the program and matches the music. A Choreographic Pair Spin must have a minimum of 3 revolutions executed on a blade at least by one partner, with any basic or non-basic positions allowed. Change of foot is optional and can be done several times during the spin. Lifting of partners is optional but should not consist of any lifting movement with full extension of the arm(s) if the lifted position is higher than a shoulder level. The Technical Panel identifies the Choreographic Pair Spin and will be confirmed once the 3 revolutions have been completed. This element has a fixed base value and will be evaluated by the judges in GOE only.

GQ Japan, thank you for your service.

─ [💚] ❝𝘢𝘷𝘺 𝘫𝘰𝘳𝘳ā𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯 「𝘪 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶.」❞

Shoma Uno @ Worlds 2024 FS practice

My photos

The cast and the set list for L’Apprenti Sorcier, a Beatrice Berrut and Stéphane Lambiel's ice show (as part of the Rencontres Musicales de Champéry music festival). It takes place on August 8-9, 2024 at the Palladium de Champéry.

Tickets go on sale on May 1st.

Sekkisei Photobook (march-apr 2024)

The Ice casting decision reeks of misogyny. It's doubly disappointing as a Japanese ice show considering just how good/deep their women's field is. Kaori not only being reigning world champion, but having made history with it just so recently, rubs salt even further into the wound. Makes me wonder if they're falling into the same thing I keep seeing posted on various platforms of the women's field being "not interesting" anymore - various arguments around this statement.

No matter the reasoning, it's extremely disappointing. Especially with just how they openly stated it to, though I guess it doesn't leave anyone wondering just how intentional it was to have them all left out.

Thank you for your thoughts! This probably serves as an answer for my poll. I am still using this to comment on some of your thoughts under the cut and share some additional points from my view.

The decision of an all male cast is strange and uncalled for especially considering their deep field of women. I really wonder what lead to that final decision. I totally get the disappointment and anger even if I like most skaters that are announced for the show. But tbh from my point of view Japan has a lot of mysoginistics way of thinking instilled in their culture, so internalized mysoginy may have played a part, even if probably or hopefully nobody went like "we hate women, so we don't want them". From the reaction by Japanese fans I came across the criticism wasn't as negative as the reaction from the English fandom. In the end the Japanese fans buy the tickets.

We can't tell if the producers buy into the "women skating is not interesting anymore" or if they have other reasons. There is not any justifiable reasons to exclude women single skaters imo! One thought appeared on my mind though: from my outside observation the Japanese single women skaters do not have the same "superstar" status as the male skaters in Japan and maybe that plays a part why they are deemed by producers as "not a selling point"???After Mao Asada no other female Japanese skater got as much attention. It's a shame especially as Kaori has three world titles now! She deserves so much better. All of the Japanese ladies deserve better in general! (Though the women discipline is popular with tv ratings in Japan yet I don't see the same hype around the women skaters as male skaters in the fandom and fans will attend shows not casual tv watchers. Again just an outsiders observation of the Japanese fandom, so by no means any sort of factbased.)

I also think it's maybe in Japan but to me it doesn't feel like a Japanese ice show, bc besides Kao and Shoma and Satoko if you can even count her as she isn't perfoming apparently (that's the wildest point imo to have Satoko and not have her skate 💀) there are not many Japanese skaters announced and I mean the men field in Japan is deep too. So when all male, where are they? Where is Sota, Yuma, Kazuki, Koshiro??? I mean Nika Egadze a stronger selling point than any of them? 🙃

Many things are worth criticizing but the transparancy of the "concept" is not a negative point for me. Transparancy is always good, even if it's not transparent about the reasons for an all male cast. It's better to sell tickets when ppl know what to expect than to let ppl buy tickets blindly expecting certain skaters that then would not fit their concept. They did try to sell tickets last year before anyone was announced and that seemed to have sparked criticism inside Japan, maybe a reason why there is a complete annoucement about their casting decisions, even if it wasn't a decision anyone asked for.

Maybe this decision for an all male cast is also just a promotion stunt. Whether we like it or not, it was a "hot topic" today in the fandom and trended on Jpn Twt.

Whatever lead to that decision I feel like one thing is clear looking at SOI (a show that has the same producer) that new concepts for ice shows are needed. As much as I hate the "empty seats" discussion, shows don't sell as strongly as they used to, not even in Japan (unless it's Yuzu's show but then it's also focused on a male skater and on one skater only). They need new concepts and I am not against having a new concept, but the big question is whether that new concept had to EXCLUDE women single skaters performing???? Absolutely not.

Only time will tell if their "concept" will get ppl interested to buy tickets or turned off. We'll find out in July. And frankly in the end our view doesn't matter much as the majority of us won't be the target audience for this show.

This interview and the 2nd part too are just such a good read, especially knowing how far Shoma has come.

Also this interview shows that Shoma never changed what he valued in skating. Artistry! He always knew his shortcomings and worked on it. He was always a hardworker and things never came easy to him.

Just look how far Shoma has become!

2015 Shoma would not have believed you if you told him what he achieved.

Shoma Uno on Kenji’s Room: Episode 1

This is the first part of Shoma’s interview with Kenji, which aired on June 9th. The second episode will air on June 16th. Please do not repost this translation without permission.

VIDEO - Part 1, Part 2 Japanese text

———————————

Kenji: I have a lot of things I want to ask you today, are you ready?

Shoma: Yes, I’m ready.

Kenji: You have really long eyelashes, Shoma-kun.

Shoma: ……thanks.

Kenji: Putting you on the spot huh. How long has it been since we first met?

Weiterlesen

Happy 19th Birthday Shoma!!

Figured this was as good a time as ever to finish this and upload it lol Also half dedicated to @magicaleggplant bc lol

2024 Stars on Ice Japan - March 30 - April 6, 2024 Shoma Uno → Boléro IV ～New Breath～ (Instrumental) performed by Tomotaka Okamoto (from Boléro, M. 81 by Maurice Ravel), choreographed by Stéphane Lambiel

10/21 Another pre-Skate America video, focusing on the Yuzuru - Shoma relationship. The video starts with a bit from the Fantasy on Ice Kobe interview where Yuzuru and Shoma discuss how there is no real senpai-kohai relationship between skaters but they are all more like good friends.

In the Yuzuru segment he says that although Shoma uses keigo (very polite Japanese form of speech) with him there are also many times when he doesn’t. Also they have been competing a long time together and now his feeling is that “It’s come at last”, that “their” era has come and that feeling in relation to Shoma is very strong.*

Then the narrator talks about the skill that Shoma does that even Hanyu, the reigning Olympic champion, hasn’t been able to do yet successfully in competition,  namely the quad combination in the second half of the program.

Shoma then says he wants to have a satisfactory performance and be able to return home with a smile on his face.

Shoma Uno introducing Satoko || Skate America 2015 > TCC 2016

The Ice casting decision reeks of misogyny. It's doubly disappointing as a Japanese ice show considering just how good/deep their women's field is. Kaori not only being reigning world champion, but having made history with it just so recently, rubs salt even further into the wound. Makes me wonder if they're falling into the same thing I keep seeing posted on various platforms of the women's field being "not interesting" anymore - various arguments around this statement.

No matter the reasoning, it's extremely disappointing. Especially with just how they openly stated it to, though I guess it doesn't leave anyone wondering just how intentional it was to have them all left out.

Thank you for your thoughts! This probably serves as an answer for my poll. I am still using this to comment on some of your thoughts under the cut and share some additional points from my view.

The decision of an all male cast is strange and uncalled for especially considering their deep field of women. I really wonder what lead to that final decision. I totally get the disappointment and anger even if I like most skaters that are announced for the show. But tbh from my point of view Japan has a lot of mysoginistics way of thinking instilled in their culture, so internalized mysoginy may have played a part, even if probably or hopefully nobody went like "we hate women, so we don't want them". From the reaction by Japanese fans I came across the criticism wasn't as negative as the reaction from the English fandom. In the end the Japanese fans buy the tickets.

We can't tell if the producers buy into the "women skating is not interesting anymore" or if they have other reasons. There is not any justifiable reasons to exclude women single skaters imo! One thought appeared on my mind though: from my outside observation the Japanese single women skaters do not have the same "superstar" status as the male skaters in Japan and maybe that plays a part why they are deemed by producers as "not a selling point"???After Mao Asada no other female Japanese skater got as much attention. It's a shame especially as Kaori has three world titles now! She deserves so much better. All of the Japanese ladies deserve better in general! (Though the women discipline is popular with tv ratings in Japan yet I don't see the same hype around the women skaters as male skaters in the fandom and fans will attend shows not casual tv watchers. Again just an outsiders observation of the Japanese fandom, so by no means any sort of factbased.)

I also think it's maybe in Japan but to me it doesn't feel like a Japanese ice show, bc besides Kao and Shoma and Satoko if you can even count her as she isn't perfoming apparently (that's the wildest point imo to have Satoko and not have her skate 💀) there are not many Japanese skaters announced and I mean the men field in Japan is deep too. So when all male, where are they? Where is Sota, Yuma, Kazuki, Koshiro??? I mean Nika Egadze a stronger selling point than any of them? 🙃

Many things are worth criticizing but the transparancy of the "concept" is not a negative point for me. Transparancy is always good, even if it's not transparent about the reasons for an all male cast. It's better to sell tickets when ppl know what to expect than to let ppl buy tickets blindly expecting certain skaters that then would not fit their concept. They did try to sell tickets last year before anyone was announced and that seemed to have sparked criticism inside Japan, maybe a reason why there is a complete annoucement about their casting decisions, even if it wasn't a decision anyone asked for.

Maybe this decision for an all male cast is also just a promotion stunt. Whether we like it or not, it was a "hot topic" today in the fandom and trended on Jpn Twt.

Whatever lead to that decision I feel like one thing is clear looking at SOI (a show that has the same producer) that new concepts for ice shows are needed. As much as I hate the "empty seats" discussion, shows don't sell as strongly as they used to, not even in Japan (unless it's Yuzu's show but then it's also focused on a male skater and on one skater only). They need new concepts and I am not against having a new concept, but the big question is whether that new concept had to EXCLUDE women single skaters performing???? Absolutely not.

Only time will tell if their "concept" will get ppl interested to buy tickets or turned off. We'll find out in July. And frankly in the end our view doesn't matter much as the majority of us won't be the target audience for this show.