Shows
The Future of Figure SkatingJimmy MorganJimmy 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...
2025-12-081h 24
The Future of Figure SkatingTrans Inclusion w/ Grace McKenzieWith transgender inclusion in sports being the target of intense political attacks, I was grateful to speak with an athlete who has been a leading voice for inclusive sport. Grace McKenzie (she/her) is a transgender woman and lifelong athlete who found an inclusive and welcoming support network within the U.S, women's rugby community, which she describes as the most transformative experience of her transition journey. She was recruited to her first team in 2019, and played for 7 years across the United States for highly competitive clubs including the Berkeley All Blues and the New York Rugby Club.
2025-11-1357 min
The Future of Figure SkatingStéphane Lambiel & Christopher TrevisanEpisode Notes
Stéphane Lambiel is a two-time World Champion and the 2006 Olympic silver medalist. He continues to perform in shows around the world, as well as working as a choreographer and the head coach of the Skating School of Switzerland. Chris Trevisan is the Director of the Skating School and was previously a guest on the Future of Figure Skating (episode 14). In this conversation, recorded in Champéry in August 2025, Stéphane and Chris discuss the values that underpin their work and their hopes for beauty and simplicity in figure skating.
YouTube: https://youtu.be...
2025-11-031h 00
The Future of Figure SkatingJean-Luc BakerEpisode 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...
2025-10-2258 min
The Future of Figure SkatingLouise Walden-EdwardsEpisode Notes
In this episode, Louise Walden-Edwards shares her journey of writing her first children's book, 'Ice Dream Sundays,' which aims to inspire young skaters and promote inclusivity in sports. Louise Walden was the 2011 British national champion in ice dance, and now works as a coach, choreographer, and TV commentator for Eurosport. We talk about Louise’s journey to becoming an author, her work with Inclusive Skating, and the importance of making space for everyone to be welcome on the ice.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/VLR8fUG8hW0
Transcript: https://docs.google.co...
2025-10-1445 min
The Future of Figure SkatingDeneane RichburgEpisode Notes
Deneane Richburg is the founder and artistic director of Brownbody, a Minnesota-based performing arts organization whose motto is “skate truth to power”.
Brownbody “affirms the complexity, beauty, vulnerability, strength, resilience, fatigue, fear, honesty, humility, and magic that have and continue to characterize historic and contemporary journeys of so many US-based Black communities. It accomplishes this through our donation-based learn to skate lessons, community-based dialogues and interactive workshops, and boundary-breaking artistic work that blends multiple artistic genres, including figure skating, modern dance, social justice practice, theater, and live and recorded soundscapes.”
Deneane was a co...
2025-10-081h 18
The Future of Figure SkatingRobin CousinsEpisode Notes
My guest today is the 1980 Olympic Champion Robin Cousins. In his amateur competitive career, Robin won three world medals, a European title, and four British national championships. He has also had a prolific professional career, appearing in and producing numerous ice shows and competitions, judging Dancing on Ice, commentating for the BBC, and even appearing on stage in West End productions. He remains deeply connected to the sport today as the President of British Ice Skating. I spoke to Robin at the 2025 European Championships, where he shared his ideas for reforms that could increase figure...
2025-09-0847 min
The Future of Figure SkatingEvan BatesEpisode 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...
2025-07-2843 min
The Future of Figure SkatingZabato BebeEpisode Notes
Zabato Bebe is the skating choreographer for the ice shows at Phantasialand in Germany, where he also contributes to casting and finding new talent for their shows. He previously skated with Cirque du Soleil and has developed a unique style that blends elements of hip hop, African dance, and breaking on the ice. I first encountered Zabato after he had a video go viral last year featuring pair tricks with Alejandro Soler Castro, forming one of the few male/male adagio pairs currently performing professionally. Zabato is also interested in technology and is researching the...
2025-07-2154 min
The Future of Figure SkatingPooja KalyanEpisode Notes
Pooja Kalyan is a former Team USA skater and current Brown University student. Pooja competed in the Junior Grand Prix in 2018, and at Skate America in 2020, before injuries forced her to pause her elite career. At Brown, she co-captains the collegiate team and is passionate about expanding opportunities for skaters at all levels and building a supportive team culture. Pooja also served as an athlete representative on the US Figure Skating board of directors. She serves on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion taskforce for US Figure Figure Skating, and is an ambassador for Diversify Ice...
2025-06-301h 22
The Future of Figure SkatingGary BeacomEpisode 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...
2025-06-1654 min
The Future of Figure SkatingNatálie Taschlerová & Filip TaschlerEpisode Notes
Czech sibling ice dance team Natalie Taschlerova and Filip Taschler have been skating together since 2017, and have placed as high as 8th in the World. They have made many fans because of their unique style, and the strength and speed they bring to the ice.
In the last year, Natalie and Filip have spoken out about the pressures that social media and judging put on the mental and physical health of athletes, and the need for more acceptance of diverse body types. At the 2025 World Championships, they helped qualify two Olympic spots for...
2025-06-0251 min
The Future of Figure SkatingSolène Mazingue & Olivia OliverEpisode Notes
In this episode, I spoke with two ice dancers who have become strong advocates for survivors of sexual assault. Soléne Mazingue is a two-time Estonian national champion and three-time competitor at the World Championships. She made headlines for returning to competition after recovering from life-threatening brain injuries. Olivia Oliver is a Polish national champion and represented her country at the 2024 Worlds. Last fall, both women chose to go public about the sexual assault they each experienced within the sport, and the difficulties they have faced in pursuing justice. Solène has since founded the In...
2025-05-051h 25
The Future of Figure SkatingStéphane Lambiel & Christopher TrevisanEpisode Notes
I sat down with Stéphane Lambiel and Christopher Trevisan during 2024 Skate America, where they were accompanying their students Deniss Vasiljevs, Koshiro Shimada, and Sofja Stepcenko. Stéphane Lambiel is a two-time World Champion and the 2006 Olympic silver medalist. He continues to perform in shows around the world, as well as working as a choreographer and the head coach of the Skating School of Switzerland. Chris Trevisan is the director of the Skating School and was previously a guest on the Future of Figure Skating (episode 14). Last summer, the school celebrated its 10th anniversary with a...
2025-04-211h 17
The Future of Figure SkatingTarah KayneEpisode Notes
Tarah Kayne is a retired competitive pair skater and a coach and choreographer. With her former partner Danny O’Shea, Tarah is the 2018 Four Continents champion, and 2016 US national champion. In our conversation, Tarah reflected on the challenges she had to overcome in her career, including financial barriers and several severe injuries. She also shared the importance of mental health and having a support network outside of skating. Tarah is now bringing these lessons to her role as a coach!
Youtube: https://youtu.be/0hFapwdGAPU
Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d...
2025-03-181h 09
The Future of Figure SkatingGabriella Papadakis & Madison HubbellEpisode Notes
Madison Hubbell and Gabriella Papadakis debuted their new professional partnership at Art on Ice 2025. I spoke to them backstage in Zurich about providing an example of what open-gender ice dance can look like, and their advocacy for change in the sport. Gabriella Papadakis is the 2022 Olympic Gold Medalist in Ice Dance and a five-time world champion. She was also a guest on the Future of Figure Skating episode 33. Madison Hubbell is the 2022 Olympic Bronze Medalist in Ice Dance and is now a coach at the Ice Academy of Montreal's London, Ontario branch. Gabi and Maddie...
2025-02-1326 min
The Future of Figure SkatingPeter GrütterEpisode Notes
Peter Grütter competed representing Switzerland throughout the 1950s and 60s, including at the 1964 Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck. He's now been a coach for more than 60 years and is acknowledged as an expert when it comes to steps and turns and control of the blade. His most famous student is Stéphane Lambiel, who he coached to two world championship titles and the Olympic silver medal in 2006. After the end of compulsory figures, Peter took what he had learned from his coach, the legendary Jack Gershwiler, and created a series of warm-up steps and tu...
2025-01-1354 min
The Future of Figure SkatingKhoudia TouréEpisode Notes
Khoudia Touré is a street dancer, choreographer, and performer from Senegal. In 2018, Khoudia was selected for the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative and worked with renowned Canadian choreographer Crystal Pité. Since 2020, she has been a frequent collaborator with Stéphane Lambiel’s Skating School in Champéry, Switzerland. She teaches hip-hop dance and improvisation techniques to the students during the summer camps and has collaborated with Stéphane, Guillaume Cizeron, and Satoko Miyahara on innovative show programs. I was lucky enough to get to speak with Khoudia during the summer camp in Champery, and I hop...
2024-12-2334 min
The Future of Figure SkatingDrew MeekinsEpisode Notes
Drew Meekins is a coach and choreographer based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Together with Natalia Mishkuntenok he runs M&M pairs, and coaches US Champions Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, Junior Champions Olivia Flores and Luke Wang, and teams from eight nations. He is also involved in coaching and choreography for singles skaters at the World Arena, most notably Elyce Lin-Gracey. Drew was the 2006 junior world champion with pairs partner Julia Vlassov. We talked about the role of artistry in the sport and the challenges of growing the pairs discipline.
Transcript: https://do...
2024-11-2649 min
WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Audio ArchivesDemocracy Forum 11/15/24: Election Reflections: What Just Happened Here?Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: This month, as we do each election year, we will reflect on the recent election: what just happened here, and why? What does it mean for Maine? Guest/s: – Nicholas Jacobs, Assistant Professor of Government, Colby College www.colby.edu/people/people-directory/nicholas-jacobs/ – Anna Kellar, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of Maine www.lwvme.org/lwvme-staff – Abby Kiesa, Deputy Director, CIRCLE circle.tufts.edu/about-circle/our-team – Steve Mi...
2024-11-1559 minWERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs ArchivesDemocracy Forum 11/15/24: Election Reflections: What Just Happened Here?Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: This month, as we do each election year, we will reflect on the recent election: what just happened here, and why? What does it mean for Maine? Guest/s: – Nicholas Jacobs, Assistant Professor of Government, Colby College www.colby.edu/people/people-directory/nicholas-jacobs/ – Anna Kellar, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of Maine www.lwvme.org/lwvme-staff – Abby Kiesa, Deputy Director, CIRCLE circle.tufts.edu/about-circle/our-team – Steve Mi...
2024-11-1559 min
Democracy ForumDemocracy Forum 11/15/24: Election Reflections: What Just Happened Here?Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn, Joel Mann Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: This month, as we do each election year, we will reflect on the recent election: what just happened here, and why? What does it mean for Maine? Guest/s: – Nicholas Jacobs, Assistant Professor of Government, Colby College www.colby.edu/people/people-directory/nicholas-jacobs/ – Anna Kellar, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of Maine www.lwvme.org/lwvme-staff – Abby Kiesa, Deputy Director, CIRCLE circle.tufts.edu/about-circle/our-team – Steve Mi...
2024-11-1559 min
The Future of Figure SkatingMatteo RizzoEpisode Notes
Episode 42 features an interview with 3-time European medalist Matteo Rizzo. We recorded in late July in Madesimo, Italy, where Matteo trains at altitude for part of each summer. Matteo is one of the most seasoned and consistent competitors in the men’s discipline, with two Olympics and six world championships under his belt. He has won four bronze medals on the Grand Prix circuit and has finished first or second at the Italian national championships every year from 2014 to 2023. After winning bronze at Europeans in 2024, Matteo had to miss the end of the season to ge...
2024-10-2934 minDemocracy ForumDemocracy Forum 10/18/24: Election 2024: What’s on Your Ballot?Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We preview the upcoming elections and provide information about the ballot questions, which races will use ranked choice voting, how and when to vote, etc Guest/s: Randy Billings, political reporter for the Portland Press Herald, www.pressherald.com/author/randy-billings/ Anna Kellar, Executive Director for the League of Women Voters of Maine, www.lwvme.org/lwvme-staff To learn more about this topic: www.lwvme.org/node/3387?a0=node...
2024-10-1858 minWERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs ArchivesDemocracy Forum 10/18/24: Election 2024: What’s on Your Ballot?Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We preview the upcoming elections and provide information about the ballot questions, which races will use ranked choice voting, how and when to vote, etc Guest/s: Randy Billings, political reporter for the Portland Press Herald, www.pressherald.com/author/randy-billings/ Anna Kellar, Executive Director for the League of Women Voters of Maine, www.lwvme.org/lwvme-staff To learn more about this topic: www.lwvme.org/node/3387?a0=node...
2024-10-1858 minWERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Audio ArchivesDemocracy Forum 10/18/24: Election 2024: What’s on Your Ballot?Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Linda Washburn Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics. This month: We preview the upcoming elections and provide information about the ballot questions, which races will use ranked choice voting, how and when to vote, etc Guest/s: Randy Billings, political reporter for the Portland Press Herald, www.pressherald.com/author/randy-billings/ Anna Kellar, Executive Director for the League of Women Voters of Maine, www.lwvme.org/lwvme-staff To learn more about this topic: www.lwvme.org/node/3387?a0=node...
2024-10-1858 min
The Future of Figure SkatingNiko CohenEpisode Notes
Niko Cohen has combined a background in theatrical costume design, and their passion for skating as an adult competer, to found Lavender Threads, a figure skating costume business. They have made costumes for team USA skaters like Max Naumov and Jimmy Ma. Niko is the 2024 national silver medalist in the US Adult Silver Women’s category - and they are determined to take the title next year! As a trans and agender person, Niko has advocated for inclusion and policy change within their figure skating club and national federation. We had a great conversation about nav...
2024-09-301h 24
The Future of Figure SkatingDaniel Aggiano, Part IIEpisode 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 th...
2024-09-161h 08
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E39 - Daniel Aggiano, Part IEpisode Notes
Daniel Aggiano is a coach and choreographer who is passionate about mental health and eating disorder awareness. He competed nationally and internationally for Great Britain and Italy from 2004-2012 in singles, pairs, and synchro. He won national titles in pairs for both countries and competed in the Junior World Championships in 2009. After a career in show skating, Daniel began coaching and now works at the IceLab in Bergamo, Italy, where he works with many top skaters, including European medalists Rebecca Ghilardi and Filippo Ambrosini. Daniel is also a choreographer and recently collaborated with Carolina Kostner...
2024-09-021h 04
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E38 - Elizabeth Ramsey (Team USA Athletes' Commission)Episode Notes
Elizabeth Ramsey is the Executive Director of the Team USA Athletes Commission. Team USA is working toward a fully independent athletes' commission, as recommended by the Congressional Commission on the State of US Olympics and Paralympics. She has an important viewpoint to add to the conversations on athlete representation and how increase the power of the athletes voice in figure skating. This is also a great episode to dig into as we watch the Paris Games!
Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-IXRwYopUtIpXG4YucUjJRUIMLlo-0PWLaiK8wDRLTc/ ]kS Athletes Commission Independence Website w...
2024-07-2955 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E37 - Ashley CainEpisode Notes
Ashley Cain is a two-time U.S. champion in pairs and 2022 Olympian. In the last two years, she has been coaching, and touring with Disney on Ice. We talked about life on tour, the advantages of being a tall pair girl, concussion protocol and recovery, and being part of a generation of young coaches who want to support healthier and happier skaters.
Transcript available: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G9kWS5c946dHfGNWVdl0INo5WStXQyJXYrMFRhvb_lo/Instagram
You can follow Ashley on instagram at @ icegirlash
You can reach...
2024-07-1545 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E36 - Masculinity and Skating History w/ Mary Louise AdamsEpisode Notes
In 2010, Dr. Mary Louise Adams wrote one of the best books about figure skating that I’ve encountered, called "Artistic Impressions: Figure Skating, Masculinity and the Limits of Sport". I highly recommend the whole thing, and was grateful for the opportunity to discuss one of my favorite topics - queerness in skating! - with her!
Mary Louise Adams is a Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies and the Department of Sociology at Queen's University in Ontario, Canada, where she teaches courses on sport and culture, the sociology of fitness and th...
2024-07-081h 13
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E35 - Maja LutherEpisode Notes
Maja Luther is a creative working in performative arts creating interdisciplinary work with ice, and working in figure skating, focusing on movement skills and efficiency. Maja has an MA in Creative Practice and a diploma in dance studies from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of music and dance inLondon, UK. She performed over a decade in professional shows as soloist, and in that time managed and led ice shows and choreographed professional performances.
Maja was previously a guest on episode 26, as part of the Contemporary Skating Alliance, and I wanted to have her back on...
2024-06-101h 06
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E34 - Gabriela PapadakisEpisode Notes
I’m so excited to bring you this conversation with Gabriella Papadakis. With her ice dance partner Guillaume Cizeron, Gabi is the 2022 Olympic champion, the 2018 Olympic Silver Medalist, and a five time World Champion. She’s been taking a break from competition the last two seasons, skating in shows with Guillaume and exploring life away from the rink. Gabi has been vocal about support for opening up dance to teams of any gender, and in 2023, she and Madison Hubbell shared a video of them building a program together. We talked about partnering and improv, the proc...
2024-05-131h 00
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E33 - Sandra Bezic, Part 2Episode Notes
Part 2 of my conversation with choreographer, director, and producer Sandra Bezic! We talked about the World Championships in Montreal and the moments that made Sandra more optimistic about pairs skating and the future of the sport. We also got into the proposals from the ISU Technical Committee for Singles and Pairs to add a choreographic lift and spin to the pairs free skate.
Transcript of our conversation at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vylQQ1GQQrbSsXatPIKzVA0_V6YcksIfUHt0E1HDY_E/edit#heading=h.eweywq5frae5
My article on the proposed...
2024-05-0648 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E32 - Sandra Bezic (Part I)Episode Notes
Part 1 of my conversation with choreographer, director, and producer Sandra Bezic! With her brother Val, Sandra was a four-time Canadian pairs champion and competed in the 1972 Olympics. She is most well known, however, as a choreographer and the creative force behind many skating shows and TV programs. She has choreographed for champions like Brian Boitano, Kurt Browning, Katarina Witt, Lu Chen, and Tara Lipinksi. Most recently, she made Lindsay Thorngren’s short program for the 23/24 season. She was the director of Stars on Ice for many years and collaborated with David Wilson on Yuna Kim’s Al...
2024-04-291h 05
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E31 - Christine BrennanEpisode Notes
My guest today is journalist and author Christine Brennan. Christine is a USA Today columnist and frequently appears on ABC, CNN, and PBS. She has covered figure skating since the Calgary Olympics, and her books Inside Edge and Edge of Glory are classics. Christine is also actively reporting on the sexual abuse scandals in figure skating, and we talked about covering these difficult topics and holding institutions accountable.
Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RLvetYplX8JsLwfD6OwkoGEUbWLsPLN5d--xdrCZ68o/edit#heading=h.am5hlkrye8qq
You can follow Christine on...
2024-04-211h 01Democracy ForumDemocracy Forum 4/19/24: Clean Elections 24 Years Later (Yes, it’s been that long)Host: Ann Luther, League of Women Voters of Maine Production Assistance: Joel Mann The mostly volunteer team at the League of Women Voters – Downeast who plan and coordinate this series includes: Martha Dickinson, Claire Fox, Ruth Eveland, Michael Fisher, Claire Fox, Starr Gilmartin, Maggie Harling, Ann Luther, Rick Lyles, Judith Lyles, Wendilee O’Brien, Kathy Stark, Leah Taylor, and Linda Washburn. Democracy Forum: Participatory Democracy, encouraging citizens to take an active role in government and politics This month: We’ll talk about the Maine Clean Election Act — public funding for candidate campaigns– as we move through our third decade. How does o...
2024-04-1957 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E30 - Stopping Abuse in SportsEpisode Notes
What will it take to end the crisis of abuse in sports? This issue has been reverberating in the skating world, as more survivors have come forward with their stories, and the institutions charged with protecting athletes have largely failed to make the needed changes. Gymnasts for Change Canada advocates for eradicating maltreatment and misconduct in sport and is at the forefront of the campaign for a national inquiry into sport in Canada. Their sister organization, Figure Skaters for Change Canada, which is anonymous, has also published an open letter pushing Skate Canada to address...
2024-03-201h 20
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E29 - Anti-Doping SystemEpisode Notes
A special conversation about the anti-doping system and how it is working (or not working) to support athletes. I'm joined by Meagan Duhamel, a 2018 team gold medalist and individual bronze medalist in pairs from the PyeongChang Olympics, by Rob Kohler, director of Global Athlete and formerly deputy Director-General at WADA, and by Paul Greene, who is the founder of Global Sports Advocacy and a leading lawyer representing athletes. We talk about the CAS decision in the Kamila Valieva case, tackling state-sponsored doping, and what a fair system would look like for athletes.
My...
2024-03-1154 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E28 - Bruno MassotEpisode Notes
This episode features Bruno Massot, the 2018 Olympic and World Champion in pairs. Bruno is now coaching full-time, and we spoke at the European Championships where he was accompanying the Swedish team of Greta and John Crafoord. This was a shorter-than-usual conversation but it was still a very interesting one. We got into the future of pairs and what makes for a great coach.
You can follow Bruno on Instagram at @bruno_massot and reach me with comments or suggestions by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram and Twitter @futurefspodcast.
...
2024-03-0423 min
This Week in Skating PodcastThis Week in Skating / Interview with Anna Kellar (Future of Figure Skating podcast)In episode one of our figure skating podcasters series, Daphne and Gina talked with Anna Kellar, host and founder of the podcast, "The Future of Figure Skating." Anna is also a journalist for Anything GOEs, Golden Skate and Absolute Skating.Follow "The Future of Figure Skating" podcast on X (Twitter) at https://twitter.com/futurefspodcast/Follow Anna on X (Twitter) at https://twitter.com/choreosequence------------------This Week in Skating is hosted by Gina Capellazzi and Daphne Backman and is a cooperative project between Figure Skaters Online and Ice-dance.com. New...
2024-02-191h 12
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E27 - Johanna AllikEpisode Notes
Johanna Allik is a former Estonian national team member in singles and ice dance and the co-founder of JIV Sport apparel company. She has recently published The Book of Figure Skating, a beautiful coffee table book full of information and original interviews. We spoke at the 2024 European Championships about the growth of skating in Estonia and Belgium (where she now lives), her experience speaking out about her eating disorder and the importance of keeping athletes in the sport post-puberty.
Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zbD-_g2wahzKCTf8Kc55S49dponx21bXjFujHGl1...
2024-01-2957 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E26 - Contemporary Skating AllianceEpisode 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 cont...
2024-01-221h 14
Visceral: Listen to Your GutCaring for Children and Teens with Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative ColitisThe GI Research Foundation was able to produce this podcast with a sponsorship from AbbVie.Featuring Amelia Kellar, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, the University of Chicago MedicineJoin us for a candid conversation about pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Our guest, Amelia Kellar, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, specializes in the treatment of children with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Dr. Kellar is also one of only a few physicians in the United States to use a non-invasive diagnostic tool, intestinal ultrasound, to diagnose and treat Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis as part...
2023-12-3027 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E25 - Jamal OthmanEpisode Notes
Today's guest is Jamal Othman, the managing director for the Ice Academy of Montreal and Markey International Arts. Jamal was the 2009 Swiss national champion. In his post-competitive career, he has combined his interest in international business with his love of skating. In this episode, we talk about marketing and branding, the Olympic cycle, and how ice dance can fit between sports, art, and entertainment.
This is also the first video episode for the Future of Figure Skating, so make sure to check out and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch this conversation...
2023-12-181h 22
Maine Policy MattersS4E6 Democracy: Margaret Chase Smith and the League of Women VotersIn this episode, we discuss the Maine League of Women Voters, and this organization’s ties to the Margaret Chase Smith Library and most notably, Margaret Chase Smith herself.
First is an introduction by Dr. David Richards, the director of the Margaret Chase Smith Library on Margaret Chase Smith’s lifelong connection to the League of Women Voters, how she won the League’s Carrie Chapman Catt Award, and the significance of this honor. Then we talk with Anna Kellar, executive director of the League Of Women Voters of Maine, about what it truly means to make democrac...
2023-11-0731 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E24 - Philipp TischendorfEpisode Notes
Philipp Tischendorf is a former competitive figure skater for Germany, a member of the Contemporary Skating Alliance, and an osteopath and physical therapist. He has turned his experience with injury, pain, and rehabilitation during his athletic career into a practice supporting both skaters and the general public. This episode challenges our misconceptions about injury and invites us to ask, how can we approach injury and pain with curiosity and even appreciation?
Transcript
You can follow Phil on Instagram @phil_care.
You can reach me with comments or suggestions for...
2023-09-2544 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E23 - Craig BuntinEpisode Notes
Artificial intelligence is impacting many industries, and sports is no exception. How can AI help figure skating judging be more accurate? What other benefits could it have for skaters, coaches and viewers? My guest today is Craig Buntin, a Canadian Olympic pairs skater and the founder of Sportlogiq. Sportlogiq is a company at the cutting edge of this technology and has been working with the ISU to explore the feasibility of AI in figure skating. While Craig wasn’t able to discuss the details of his work with the ISU, I’m very glad to have...
2023-08-2845 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E22 - Special: Joan Ryan & Kaitlyn WeaverEpisode Notes
This is a special episode, rebroadcasting the live discussion held on August 2nd with Anything GOE. We discussed the classic book Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters. Lois and I talked with the author Joan Ryan, and Olympian Kaitlyn Weaver. It also goes full circle for me as the one-year anniversary of this podcast - which also began with an interview with Kaitlyn Weaver!
You can also watch the video archive of the conversation on the Anything GOE youtube page, and read the transcript...
2023-08-141h 23
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E21 - Rob KoehlerEpisode 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 po...
2023-08-0757 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E20 - Cathy ReedEpisode 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...
2023-07-2450 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E19 - Talia BarringtonEpisode 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...
2023-07-1055 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E18 - Ryan StevensEpisode 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...
2023-06-2652 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E17 - Megan Williams-StewartEpisode 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 a...
2023-06-1246 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E16 - Garrett KlingEpisode 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 Theat...
2023-05-291h 02
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E15 - Meagan DuhamelEpisode 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 th...
2023-05-0855 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E14 - Christopher TrevisanEpisode 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 Ch...
2023-04-101h 10
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E13 - Rachael FlattEpisode 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...
2023-03-131h 02
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E12 - Andrew J SassEpisode 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...
2023-02-2738 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E11 - Kiira KorpiEpisode 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 sugges...
2023-02-2042 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E10 - Asher HillEpisode 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. T...
2023-02-061h 01
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E9 - Jackie WongEpisode 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...
2023-02-021h 00
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E8 - Charlie WhiteEpisode 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 w...
2023-01-1647 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E7 - Karina MantaEpisode 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...
2022-12-1540 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E6 - Dr Tina ChenEpisode 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 fo...
2022-11-3000 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E5 - Dr Deborah KingEpisode 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 involv...
2022-10-2700 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E4 - Kirsten Moore-TowersEpisode 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!
...
2022-10-0558 minThe Future of Figure SkatingS1E3 - Jeroen PrinsEpisode 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...
2022-09-211h 06
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E2 - Maé Bérénice MéitéEpisode 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 im...
2022-09-0400 min
The Future of Figure SkatingS1E1 - Kaitlyn WeaverToday'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...
2022-08-2141 min
The Future of Figure SkatingIntroducing the Future of Figure SkatingEpisode 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
2022-07-3104 min
Two Lit MamasEpisode 37: Holiday Gift Guide for Ages 0-9Need gift suggestions for your kiddos this holiday? The Mamas have your back with board book, picture book, and chapter book recommendations. And, if book recommendations from Two Mamas isn’t enough for you, we’ve invited a Third Mama, author Rebecca Mullin, to help us get this holiday party started. Board Book Recommendations (ages 0-3):The Lovely Haze of Baby Days by Lindsay Kellar-MadsenThe Night is Deep and Wide by Gillian Sze, illustrated by Sue Todd One Tomato by Rebecca Mullin, illustrated by Anna Mullin ...
2021-11-2454 min
BASSART - SELL UR SOULbasscast 010**RESPECT THE ARTISTS**
1. The Dream - Cows Stand in Their Shit (Dialog)
2. Black Light Smoke - Firefly
3. Jeff Mills - IF (FEAT. ANNA F BASSART KICKS EDIT)
4. Mita Gami featuring Erez - Runnin (Dodi Palese Rmx) - Borders Of Light
5. Phortune - Can you feel the Bass (Bassarts more Bass edit)
6. Henrik Schwarz - Come Together - Innervisions
7. Krystal Klear - Euphoric Dreams (KiNK Remix)
8. Shadow Child - Sync 24 (Original Mix) - Food Music
9. DJ SLIP - CHANGE YOUR HEAD
10. IF - SECRET DESIRE
11. HELL - SUICIDE COMMANDO...
2020-03-242h 55
Renyard Presents CTRL Z - Modern Acid House29th January 2021
Octo Octa - River
A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray
Hammer - Roman Bass
Granary 12 - Can't Stop The House
Orbital - Chime
Jeff Alford & Kaa - Induficus (Renyard Remix)
Cignol - Idylle
Anna Lunoe - 303
DJ Existential Crisis - Raised By Wolves
Im Kellar - I'm Your Master
Acidulant - Make Me Dance With You
Posthuman - You're Mine
Forgemasters - Skies Over Sheffield
1970-01-011h 00