Proceedings of the Fourteenth International Symposium For
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Karma Skatera: Nipple Slips, Virtue and Moir, and the Heterosexualization of Ice Dance Charlene Weaving St. Francis Xavier University, Canada In this paper, I will argue that the current culture of Olympic ice dance figure skating competitions is problematic. The culture devalues and trivializes women and men's athletic abilities because of the hypersexualized and heterosexist context. I use the case of Canadian ice dance Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir to illustrate the concerning elements of gender construction in ice dance at the Olympic Games. Drawing from the work of Mary Louise Adams (2011) and Ellyn Kestnbaum (1995), I examine the context of ice dance competitions at the games. Specifically, ice dance is very technical and has been considered the purest form of skating given that the technique is rooted in how the curve of the blade edges on ice. Despite the technical difficulty and tremendous skill involved, I will make the case that due to its hypersexualized context, ice dance athletes are trivialized. Moreover, ice dance should be practiced by same sex partners or mixed-size partners (i.e. the woman being taller and bigger than the man). At the crux of the context of ice dance is hyperfemininity and heterosexualization, pro grams typically involves a 'mating' story line. For example, even in 1984 after the infamous Ice Dance team of Torvill and Dean performed, according to Kestnbaum, a Sports Illustrated journalist indicated that "the performance involved displays eroticism or yearning and this one should be shown only after the kids have gone to bed... Perhaps one writer best described it when he turned to a colleague in the press gallery and whispered, how do you spell 'lubricious'." In examining social medial platforms like Twitter, it is evident that Virtue and Moir became inter national celebrities because of their questionable dating status. Fans described their long program to Moulin Rouge as 'sex on ice' Additionally, fans starting 'shipping' (act of wishing two individuals would begin a relationship) the duo and fan fiction arose surrounding their supposed love affair that even propelled an appearance as guests on The Ellen Show. Overall, I argue that this attention ends up trivializing the incredible athletic ability of Virtue and Moir and further entrenches heterosexuality and ideals in ice dance. The current context of ice dance further contributes to the epidemic of insti tutionalized gender inequities and heterosexualization at the Games. "...the not-so-subliminal message is that figure skating, in all its various forms is about s e x .If women's free skating is about sex, then pairs skating is about having sex, and men's free skating is about homoeroticism." The current context of Olympic ice dance figure skating competitions is problematic. The culture devalues and trivializes women and men's athletic abilities because of the hypersexualized and het erosexist context. I use the case of Canadian ice dance Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir to illustrate the concerning elements of ice dance at the Games. Mary Louise Adams has published a thorough and insightful social historical analysis of figure skating in, Artistic Impressions: Figure Skating, Masculinity, and the Limits of Sport, where she argues that the persistent devaluing of effeminacy in mainstream contemporary North American culture is at the root of our views of gender and figure skating. Adams' work focuses mainly on men's and ladies' figure skating social constructs; however, her theories apply to the case of ice dance. For instance, it is important to note that in 2009, Skate Canada rebranded men's figure skating with the purpose of emphasizing athleticism and hence masculinity more.2 Consequently, there was a heightened perfor mance of manhood and masculinity where choreography mimicked sword fights and karate, and cos tumes resembled soldiers', kings' and gladiators' uniforms. From costumes to music, hypermasculinity took centre ice.3 This change in men's skating, I argue, also influenced ice dance in that story lines in programs, costumes and music involved increased emphasis on heterosexuality and traditional femininity and masculinity norms. Melting Ice According to Kestnbaum, competitive ice dance performances involve cultural meanings. There is an uneasiness when the gender binary of figure skating is challenged. Kestnbaum effectively weaves together the historical context of ice dance.4 Ice dance finds its roots in the turn-of the-century Vien nese and English efforts to translate ballroom dance to the ice. The competitions involve two com pul sory dances, an original dance and a free dance. The compulsory dance requires all competitors perform the same steps to music of the same rhythm and tempo. In the free dance, skaters choose their own music and style.5 Kestnbaum describes how ice dance involves elements of role-playing that "reconstructs and reiterates courting rituals that idealize the female body...Here fantasies are brought to life...All men are suave, handsome, and powerful, while all women are beautiful, desir able, and vulnerable."6 An NBC commentator described ice dancing at the 1988 Olympics in the fol lowing manner, ".th e story of ice dancing is really the same every year. It's the battle of the sexes. He tames her, but it isn't easy."7 Ice dance is very technical and has been considered the purest form of skating given that the technique is rooted in how the curve of the blade edges on ice, however, the technicality and special ized skills required are diminished given its heightened heterosexualized context. Kestnbaum, some twenty years ago, argued that ice dance could have same-sex partners or pairings where the woman is larger in stature than the man, yet, this has still not occurred. The 'mating ritual' program story line has become the crux of ice dance. As Kestnbaum observes, In terms of its technical requirements, there is no reason why it could not be per formed by same-sex teams or mixed couples with the woman as the larger partner. The fact that this does not occur is due to the conventions of idealized heterosexuality that ballroom dance ratifies on and off the ice.8 Ice dance champions and innovators Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean were ground-breaking in their style and tricks. Interestingly, the narrative of their performance was primarily about heterosex ual romance. In 1984, they won gold skating to Ravel's Bolero, and Kestnbaum noting ".th e overall impression displays eroticism or yearning.,"9 refers to the story of Bob Ottum of Sports Illustrated who commented, "this one should be shown only after the kids have gone to bed...Perhaps one writer best described it when he turned to a colleague in the press gallery and whispered, 'how do you spell lubricious'."10 Consequently, Virtue and Moir did not invent the heterosexual love story plot line, however, one could argue that they perfected it leveraging an on-ice chemistry that is legendary. As mentioned above, costumes and music play a significant role in the assessment and quality of the ice dance performance. As costumes have become increasingly revealing, there are additional risks of wardrobe malfunctions. At the 2018 Games, French pair, Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron experienced a wardrobe malfunction, resulting in the infamous 'nip slip' of the games. During the routine, Papadakis's clasp in the back of her halter dress came undone, "It was pretty dis tracting, kind of my worst nightmare happening at the Olympics. I told myself I don't have a choice. I have to keep going and that's what we did."11 There was an unfortunate slow play of a back spin on the Olympic Network which provided a clear view of the exposed nipple. The crux is that the current culture of ice dance reinforces hyper- sexualization in respect of the women dancer's dresses. They are not practical for sport participation and emphasize looks over functionality and sport performance. One's 'uniform' while competing at the Olympics, should not have a high probability of wardrobe malfunction. Of course, accidents can happen, however, the costume should not be designed in a style that emphasizes the appearance ver sus the sport functionality.12 When the look of the costume takes precedence over its functionality and the athlete's ability to perform the activity, this results in the trivialization of participants and per petuates the activity to be more like an artistic performance or show than a legitimized Olympic activity. Male and female figure skaters train in similar clothing— lycra, tights and close fitting t-shirt/long sleeve shirts, however, come competition time, costumes become gender specific.13 Males tend to wear trousers, t-shirts, jackets, arms are generally covered. Meanwhile, women wear very short dresses, exposed skin or the illusion of exposed skin with fabric that matches their skin tone. Further more, the dresses are low-cut in the front or back, or backless, and almost always— sleeveless. According to Adams, the women's skating dresses are unlikely to provoke thoughts of power and ath letic prowess,14 and the International Skating Union (ISU) regulations on clothing are laughable: At ISU Championships, the Olympic Winter Games and International Competitions, the clothing of the Competitors must be modest, dignified and appropriate for athletic competition - not garish or theatrical in design. Clothing may, however, reflect the character of the music chosen. The clothing must not give the effect o f excessive nudity inappropriate for the discipline. Men must wear full length trousers and must not wear tights. In addition, in Ice Dance, Ladies must wear a skirt. Accessories and props are not permitted.15 The use of the words 'modest', 'dignified' and 'appropriate' are concerning. Whose modesty? Whose dignity is at stake? The rules emphasize heterosexuality in that males are to wear trousers but not tights, and women must wear a skirt.