Arthleticism: Figure Skating and Modern Dance in Parallel

Abstract

The focus of this paper will address the implication of modern dance theory of the body into the form of figure skating. Figure skating is both art and sport. Arthleticism is a term I coined specifically in figure skating, which means a skater can perform both artistically and athletically. However, the aesthetic verticality in figure skating was influenced by many different factors, but mainly from classical ballet. The goal of this paper is to challenge the form of figure skating with three-dimensional body movement on ice, and the key to achieve that is the awareness and utilization of the spine through modern dance practice.