[2024.04.18] Machida Tatsuki examines the current state & problems of ice shows

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2024.04.18

 

Source: https://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/80499

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240424230932/https://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/80499

 

 

Machida Tatsuki examines the current state and problems of ice shows, and how to overcome "inflation" caused by an increase in the number of performances and soaring ticket prices | Interview with sports science researcher and former figure skater Machida Tatsuki 

 

Concerns about attendance

 

Last season, there was a common theme that was mentioned frequently by people involved in figure skating: concerns about attracting spectators to ice shows.

 

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Besides figure skating competitions, there are also skating performances that are held as shows. These are called ice shows, and both professional and amateur skaters participate in them. The programs performed are either ones for ice shows, or amateur skaters showcase programs that they will use in competitions. You can also see groups of skaters skating.

 

　Over the past decade, various ice shows have been held, and they have been so popular that it was not uncommon for tickets to sell out on the same day or even sooner after they went on sale. However, recently, there were ice shows with noticeable empty seats, and it seemed that ticket sales were slowing down. There is no denying that the situation is changing from the normal situation where a show would immediately sell out.

 

　When thinking about ice shows, there is one person who comes to mind: Tatsuki Machida. After a successful career as an athlete, he demonstrated his originality as a professional skater, which sets him apart from the rest. He has also steadily established himself as a researcher, and this spring he was promoted to associate professor in the Department of Health and Physical Education at the Faculty of Human Development at Kokugakuin University.

 

　Machida has shown deep insight into various themes related to figure skating, but how does he perceive the current situation? What are the issues? What direction should we head in? We visited him to find out his insight on figure skating from various perspectives.

 

Ice shows are entering an era of inflation

 

"I am currently the official ambassador for Prince Ice World (hereafter abbreviated as PIW) and help manage the show behind the scenes."

 

　Machida says PIW is known as the pioneer of Japanese ice shows. It employs many skaters and is unique in its company format.

"PIW is the most traditional ice show in Japan, celebrating its 45th anniversary this year and will be celebrating its half-century anniversary in five more years. However, PIW is by no means resting on its laurels, and we are entering an era in which we must make various corporate efforts. In this environment, we are currently working on rebranding, with the aim of continuing to run the show in a sustainable and stable manner. In considering a strategy for show management, I decided to try and look up a list of ice shows for 2023."

 

　The table that was taken out listed many ice shows.

 

"There are so many. It seems like every weekend there's an ice show somewhere. On top of that, ticket prices have risen by 20 to 30 percent across the board compared to 10 years ago, causing rapid inflation."

 

　In fact, ticket prices at many ice shows have continued to rise.

 

"Japan as a whole is now entering an era of inflation, and the rate of increase in the price of ice shows has been so high that the burden on spectators is increasing considerably. We can assume that ice shows are a service that is highly price elastic for the general public - price fluctuations have a major impact on demand - so demand from this customer base is probably falling. For this reason, ice shows today are thought to be supported mainly by passionate skating fans who watch multiple shows, but with ticket prices soaring, it is difficult for repeat customers to purchase tickets."

 

　For example, in the case of PIW, there are fans who attend multiple performances during the event, not just one. If tickets become more expensive, the financial burden increases with each performance.

 

"It would be fine if every performance was sold out, but unfortunately that is not the case for all shows at present. Market principles dictate that if there is too much production, the supply and demand balance cannot be restored unless the tap is turned off and supply is reduced. I personally feel that the ice show industry is facing this very necessity. Ideally, all ice show brands should come together in one place to decide how to devise strategies, and there should be a perspective and system that oversees the entire industry."

 

　It is analysed that the increasing overall number of shows and the soaring ticket prices combined gave rise to concerns today.

 

Further problems

 

　On the other hand, the overall increase in the number of shows can be attributed to a period of increased popularity of ice shows over the years.

 

"I think the growth of the ice show industry over the past 10 years has probably been driven by the competitive world. Since Shizuka Arakawa won the gold medal at the Turin Olympics in 2006, many top world stars have been born. Ice shows are made possible by the value of their names, as they attract spectators and fans. Star athletes take part in ice shows, and even after retiring from competition, they continue to do their best in their own ice shows. However, the period during which they can be active at the professional level is only so long. In that sense, ice shows are looking for the next generation of stars."

 

"But," he continues, "I think we're going to see a decline in the rate at which stars emerge."

 

　He explains the reason why:

 

"Please don't misunderstand me, but this is for reasons that are completely different from the fact that the abilities of the next generation of skaters are low. In fact, the competitive abilities of today's shining skaters and the next generation of skaters are on an upward trend and are at an astonishingly high level. Therefore, Japan continues to produce excellent skaters for the world.

 

　So why is the rate of new stars declining in inverse proportion to this? It is because Japan's figure skating world has grown and developed as a sport at an accelerated pace, and so has produced all the surprises that the media and general market would love. For example, there is media value in the form of a first or consecutive victory at the World Championships or Olympics, or the first successful jump, and it is precisely because these catchy attractions appeal to the general public that ice shows flourish, and it feels as though all the good factors have been exhausted. This is one difficult point, I personally think. Of course, I sincerely hope that the results will defy this prediction."

 

　What should we do when the factors that have made ice shows so popular are likely to fade in the future? Machida offers some suggestions. (Continued)

 

 

 

Source: https://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/80500

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240503090408/https://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/80500

 

What is needed for today's ice shows? Machida Tatsuki proposes "management that doesn't rely on stars" and "development of show skaters" | Interview with sports science researcher and former figure skater Machida Tatsuki (2)

 

Tough times for ice shows

 

　Ice shows have been established and expanded thanks to the presence of many stars, but Machida Tatsuki says that the probability of new stars being born will decrease in the future. If that happens, the possible direction becomes clear.

 

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"Something I have been saying for quite some time now is that one thing is needed: management that does not rely on stars. Of course, using stars to draw audiences is important. In particular, Shizuka Arakawa (Friends on Ice), Daisuke Takahashi (Hyoen/Kassouya), Mao Asada (Thanks Tour/Beyond), and Yuzuru Hanyu (Ice Story/Repray) have each brought their own unique approaches to their own ice shows, contributing not only to the fandom but also to popularizing ice shows among the general public. That is why, as a humanities researcher who measures things in centuries, I think about the world of ice shows "after" these star skaters retire.

 

　Already in America and Europe, stars such as John Curry, Michelle Kwan, and Kurt Browning have left, and we have entered the "post-star" era, with the number of ice shows declining dramatically. That is why it is even more important in the future to make sure that the works and the entire company attract fans and customers. Looking at the art and entertainment market outside of figure skating, there is a star business, but the overwhelming majority of sales are based on the brand of the works.

 

　Whether it's a musical or ballet, who plays the lead role is important, but the type of work is just as important, if not more so, than the performers. I'd like to see ice shows that compete on the brand power of their works. However, I don't think that alone will be enough to fundamentally restore the power of the industry. These are really tough times for ice shows.

 

　In recent years, ice shows have been incorporating other genres, but it is not easy to make it a success.

 

"Several ice shows are inviting directors from the dance or theatre world to collaborate and explore new ice show formats. If you take on a new challenge, sometimes good chemistry can happen, so I hope they will continue to have this kind of interaction with the arts and entertainment world. However, at the same time, it is important to be aware that collaborations with outside artists from other genres do not always work out.

 

　This is because the form of figure skating itself is very unique in the field of performing arts. We have artists from a wide variety of fields, including ballet, jazz, tango, and musicals, but it is extremely rare for them to practice the physical movement of "skating." I think that artists in performing arts genres that perform on the floor can share physical sensations relatively easily, but since there are almost no other performing arts that are based on skating on ice, it is true that in some cases collaboration between floor performers and figure skaters can be difficult.

 

What's needed is differentiation from competitions

 

　That is why he says it is important to develop talent that focuses on figure skating.

 

"I believe that more talented skating creators need to emerge, and that the training of talent in the sense of choreographers needs to be further promoted. From now on, there will be an even greater demand for talent who can not only create individual programs but also direct the entire show in a comprehensive manner. I think that the real core fans have been following us for over a decade now, so they must have very discerning eyes. With ticket prices rising considerably, there is a risk that customers will abandon us if the quality drops even slightly. The skating industry needs to produce talent who can create shows of a quality that can withstand the appreciation of such discerning eyes."

 

　At the same time, Machida also calls for the development of skaters.

 

"Until now, we have invited people who have had success in competitions, but I think that from now on, it will be necessary to discover and nurture promising show skaters. Moreover, I think it is important to try to discover and nurture promising show skaters not only from Japan, but from all over the world.

 

　Competitions and ice shows are both figure skating, but they need to be differentiated from each other. In reality, competitions are more interesting competitively. They perform amazing quadruple jumps and push their limits, and there is also the entertainment value of a competition. I think the challenge in this field is not just to invite people who have been successful in the competitive world, but to develop show skaters who can only be seen on the ice show stage.

 

　"In recent years, in addition to the standard ice shows where individual skaters take turns performing, we have seen the birth of various elaborate shows, such as anime adaptations and fusions with theatre and musicals. If skaters who are good at performing can be nurtured one after another through such diverse shows, I hope that the future of shows will be quite different."

　His sincere views and suggestions on the future of ice shows are indicative of his understanding of the significance of ice shows, his early awareness of the issues and his own efforts to develop them. (Continued)

 

 

 

Source: https://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/80501

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240424190658/https://jbpress.ismedia.jp/articles/-/80501

 

What is needed for today's ice shows? Machida Tatsuki proposes "management that doesn't rely on stars" and "development of show skaters" | Interview with sports science researcher and former figure skater Machida Tatsuki (2)

 

"Ice shows are a competitive world."

 

　Machida Tatsuki is someone who is concerned about the future of ice shows and has also struggled with it himself.

 

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"After entering graduate school, I refused to give interviews to the media for two years. When I finally lifted the ban, what did I say in my first interview? I said, 'Ice shows are a competitive world.'"

 

　He retired in 2014 and entered the Graduate School of Sport Sciences at Waseda University the following spring. That interview was conducted in 2017, after he had completed his master's degree and progressed to his doctoral program.

 

The reason he said "it's a competitive world" was because he was aware of the issues facing ice shows.

 

"Up until about 2015, ice shows may have had an entertainment element to them, but in reality, I don't think there was any attempt to differentiate them from competitions. To begin with, professional skaters and the ice show industry were only looking out for themselves within the skating industry. But I thought at the time that this wasn't good enough.

 

　First of all, we have to differentiate ourselves from competitions. And our true rival is not the skating industry, but the arts and entertainment industry as a whole. I thought that ice shows would really fall apart if they didn't provide works and performances of a quality that could compete with the musical or ballet world, for example, and I wanted to make ice shows that kind of world. I said that ice shows are also a world of competition, and I challenged myself in all directions."

 

　Machida's own programs were an embodiment of this. For example, at the 2017 Prince Ice World, which he described in an interview as a "world of competition," he performed "Don Quixote Gala 2017." After the sound of the orchestra tuning up, he appeared from behind a red curtain in silence and jumped a triple Lutz to the starting position. From the beginning, the creative work was structured in three parts, which was an unprecedented attempt to create a narrative, and the venue was filled with applause and cheers. Besides "Don Quixote Gala 2017," he has also released many outstanding works to the world before he announced his retirement from professional skating in 2019, leaving a strong impression that will be remembered for a long time to come.

"For example, 'Bolero' is a work that lasts about eight minutes. That had quite a bit of drama behind the scenes. It was unprecedented, as I would be monopolizing that much time by myself, so prior negotiations were necessary. At first, they were like, 'Huh?' But after I explained the gist of it, they trusted me, and said, 'Just do as you like,' and 'Prince Ice World' offered me a chance to show my skills.

 

　I wanted to raise the standard of ice shows through my own performances, so I worked on creating and demonstrating my works. In addition, as a researcher, I watch and analyze various artistic works. I said that collaborating with other genres is very difficult, but depending on how you do it, you can create a breakthrough. I have been searching day and night for ways to create such a breakthrough, and I believe I have demonstrated the results of that research in my own works. I took on the challenge with that mindset, taking full advantage of my efforts and knowledge as a researcher and the skills I have developed as a skater over the last quarter century, and from performing in professional ice shows for four years from 2015."

 

　These attempts may also be due to an understanding of the potential and significance of ice shows.

 

　Machida says, "First of all, I think it's a big factor that you can earn the funds for your activities through your own efforts. When I was an athlete, I probably wouldn't have been able to continue my competitive activities if it weren't for the guarantees from ice shows. I think it's a very important opportunity in the sense that you can earn money through your own ability and then use that money to continue your figure skating activities. However, the reality is that this is only possible for a very small number of top skaters.

 

　Another thing is that ice shows are very inspiring. It may be exciting to compete in a competition where you have to fight for life or death, but you can get a different kind of stimulation from ice shows. You also have the opportunity to stand on stage with excellent professionals and artists from other fields. I used to watch those people and learned not only my own skating technique, but also artistry and expression, so I think they have a very significant meaning in nurturing skaters.

 

　To begin with, there aren't many opportunities to see top figure skating events. For example, top international events such as the World Championships, Olympics, and Grand Prix series are global tours, so they only come to Japan rarely. In the case of league sports, games are held regularly, so there are more opportunities to watch, but this is not the case with individual sports like figure skating. In this situation, I think ice shows are an opportunity to see top performances in the figure skating industry. At present, there is an oversupply of shows, so I don't think this applies to the current situation, but originally, I think that shows were primarily intended to provide a regular annual performance of top skaters from Japan and abroad.

 

　These words convey that ice shows are an important opportunity that should not be lost.

 

There's a lot of room to grow

 

　Machida is currently serving as an official ambassador for "Prince Ice World," which will perform in Yokohama from April 27th to 29th and May 3rd to 5th.

 

"Last year, we invited a director named Komei Sugano from the musical world to create a show that is a collaboration between musicals and figure skating. Last season, we tried to embody classic musical works from the past under the title 'Broadway Classics,' but this season, we are calling it 'Broadway Rocks,' and the theme is rock music.

 

　I am answering this interview without knowing yet what kind of programs will be performed, but I have heard from Sugano and the production team that the program will incorporate more challenging attempts than last year's Classics. The cast members of Prince Ice World can be called "skating masters," so to speak. This is because they have all kinds of skating abilities, including singles, ice dancing, and synchronized skating, and they are fully incorporated into the show's production. I am very much looking forward to seeing how Sugano will bring out the new charm of figure skating together with these rare cast members, even on a global scale."

 

　After talking about the new show, he said:

 

"My role is mainly to manage the business operations, and to come up with strategies for how to handle various aspects other than the performances, such as promotional events, together with the organizers, Blue Muse, and put them into shape. I also personally negotiate with television stations. Of course, performing arts are best seen live, but I believe that broadcasting them on television helps them reach the masses, so negotiating with television stations is very important.

 

　In this way, I am involved in ice shows behind the scenes, but even just looking at Prince Ice World, I feel that there are still many areas that can be reformed. There are many challenges in the world of ice shows, but on the other hand, that means there is a lot of room for growth. As an official Prince Ice World ambassador, I can only be involved in this ice show, but whether as an ambassador or as a researcher, I would like to think about how we can further promote the field of ice shows from both theoretical and practical perspectives while actively working in the industry.”