Sonja: The White Swan: Music as narrative device

Anne Sewitsky’s biopic Sonja (Sonja: The White Swan) (2018) is an example of authorial intervention that prioritizes a character-centred narrative rather than historical context. The article focuses on the musical score and the contemporary pop songs that contribute to building the psychological–emotional portrait of Norwegian-born Sonja Henie, champion figure skater and Hollywood star. In Sewitsky’s narrative strategy, non-diegetic music, sometimes deployed anachronistically, is used both to comment on the protagonist’s motivations and behaviour and to express her inner states of mind. By foregrounding Henie’s psyche through music, the film balances her negative and positive sides and presents her as complex and sometimes contradictory individual.

Multi-Technology Correction Based 3D Human Pose Estimation for Jump Analysis in Figure Skating

Jump analysis in figure skating is important. Recovering the 3D pose of a figure skater has become increasingly important. However, issues such as restrictions from an athlete’s clothing, self-occlusion, abnormal pose and so on will result in poor results. This paper proposes a multi-technology correction framework to obtain a 3D human pose. The framework consists of three key components: temporal information-based mutational point correction, multi-perspective-based reconstructed point selection and trajectory smoothness-based inaccurate point correction. Firstly, temporal information is used to correct the mutational points at the 2D level. Secondly, a multi-perspective is used to select the correct spatial points at the 3D level. Thirdly, trajectory smoothness is used to correct inaccuracies at the 3D level. This work will serve the purpose of displaying the 3D animated pose of a figure skater. The quality grade of the result rate on the test sequences is 87.25%.

Kinematic Analysis of Figure Skating Jump by Using Wearable Inertial Measurement Units

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of measuring and analyzing characteristics of figure skating jumps using wearable sensors. One elite figure skater, outfitted with five inertial measurement units (IMUs), performed flip jumps with single, double, and triple revolutions. Take-off event and flight phase of each trial were under analysis. Kinematic differences among jumps with variant revolutions as well as key factors for performing successfully landed triple jumps were determined by IMU signals. Compared with a video-based method, this study revealed the following characteristics that coincide with previous studies: at take-off event, the skater performed pre-rotation and took off with preferred postural positions as revolutions increased (p < 0.01); during flight, the skater struggled more to maintain the smallest inertial of moment as revolutions increased (p < 0.01); in order to perform successfully landed jumps, it was crucial that the skater improved the control of preparation for flight at take-off (p < 0.05).

A Case Study Exploring the Experiences of a Transgender Athlete in Synchronized Skating, a Subdiscipline of Figure Skating

The inclusion of transgender athletes in sport challenges a number of long-standing cis-heteronormative beliefs within athletics at all levels of competition. There are limited studies examining the integration and experiences of transgender athletes within amateur sport. The following case study follows the experiences of a transgender synchronized figure skater, Mason, who was able to continue competing throughout his transition process. We conducted eight semi-structured one-on-one interviews with Mason, his teammates, his team manager, and his past and present coaches. All interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subject to thematic analysis which resulted in four overarching themes: (a) building inclusivity: “promote a safe space,” (b) acknowledging stress, (c) disclosure: “I didn’t want to talk about my past,” and (d) celebration. Results are interpreted as recommendations for coaches on how to adopt inclusive practices to better support transgender athletes.

Proactivity in Your Inbox

The other day, an email popped up in my inbox that began with this: Dear Dr. Duckworth,I am a high school junior seeking opportunities to explore my interest in psychology… “I don't have room this year,” I thought and was about to reply with a polite thank-you-but-no-thank-you. But the second paragraph stopped me short: When I was a competitive figure skater, my coach told me to watch your TED Talk on grit to help me prepare for competitions. Though I was young at the time, I found it incredibly moving and inspiring. Ever since then, with everything I do, I always think about how gritty I am being in the situation….When I started thinking about seeking an internship, I thought of you first….It would be an amazing honor and fruitful experience to work alongside you and learn from you. Ah, flattery! It works every time, doesn't it?

“The Most Beautiful Face of Socialism”

East German figure skater Katarina Witt’s enormously successful career included gold-medal performances at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, turning her into an ambassador for her country and a worldwide media star. Backed by a regime that saw sport as a form of soft politics, Witt and her coach consciously cultivated her fame by increasing the sexual tension of her performances. Timm provides cultural context for the resulting collision between politics, sex, and sport. While certainly not a dupe of her handlers, relaxed East German attitudes toward nudity likely left Witt unable to appreciate how her image intertwined with popular culture images of the Cold War “honey pot.”