Renaming Things

Renaming Things

Postby Virginia » Sun Oct 28, 2018 2:22 am

Oh, how I wish the ISU would stop renaming things!

In my 30+ years watching skating, I've seen the penultimate segment of the ice dance competition go from the "Original Set Pattern" to the "Original Dance", then to the "Short Dance" and now to the "Rhythm Dance". (Silly name -- don't all dances incorporate a rhythm?)

Obviously, this tinkering involved more than just the name: the OSP required the skaters to execute an original choreographed dance to a preselected rhythm, which they repeated three times around the ice. (Look up Torvill and Dean's matador paso doble from 1983-84 for an outstanding example.)

The Original Dance, which came along in 1990, was similar, but removed the requirement of repetition, allowing for the greatest freedom for creativity and interpretation. (I really miss that! Look back at fantastic numbers like Davis and White's Indian dance of 2009-10 -- such innovation is no longer possible, sadly.)

Why not? Next came the elimination of the Compulsory Dances in the fall of 2010 and the incorporation of a compulsory pattern into the Short Dance -- a real loss to individual expression and creativity, to be sure. And now it's been redubbed the Rhythm Dance, for no clear reason, and requires two compulsory patterns to be incorporated instead of one.

Also, the ISU seems to have renamed the half-loop jump the "Euler" jump -- with no explanation given. The half-loop, of course, is a single loop jump landed on the left back inside edge instead of the usual right back outside (for a counterclockwise jumper), and is usually seen as the middle jump in a three-jump combination. Its purpose is to get the skater on the proper edge for a salchow or a flip. The "half-loop" was always a bit of a misleading name, since the jump is a full revolution, but where on earth did "Euler" come from? Apparently the jump is called a "Thoren" in parts of Europe, after a Swedish skater. So why do we need a third name?

DEAR ISU: PLEASE STOP RANDOMLY RENAMING THINGS!!!

Sincerely, A Weary Skating Fan
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Re: Renaming Things

Postby Thaliana » Sun Oct 28, 2018 12:11 pm

As far as I found, the Euler jump is named after Kurt Euler, a former world champion in pairs. In a quick search, not much more can be found on him. It's equal to the Thorén jump.

Going for Euler instead of Thorén may be because Euler was a word champion, Thorén a European champion. Also, it may be difficult to determine who first did it. While I have no clue when Kurt Euler lived, Thorén was EC in 1911.

Or Euler seems easier to pronounce in english than Thorén? Remember, the loop is also called Rittberger after Werner Rittberger. Especially german-speaking commentators do that, and I've heard it in dutch as well, but Loop obviously is easier in English - and shorter.

Or, IMO most likely, it's Euler simply because the abbreviation Eu hasn't been used yet in ISU codes, whereas Th stands for throw jumps. ;)
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Re: Renaming Things

Postby chuckiem » Mon Oct 29, 2018 12:50 am

To me, eu just calls to mind ew as in 'how disgusting!'
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Re: Renaming Things

Postby Andy » Mon Oct 29, 2018 7:38 am

ahahah, do not forget that the 'eu' in 'Euler' should be pronounced as 'oy' like in the english word 'boy'.

Virginia, you could have a similar digression with regards to the short program for single skaters. No idea how many times they renamed it.

For a true nightmare though, check the lifts classification in pairs skating. :lol:
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Re: Renaming Things

Postby chuckiem » Mon Oct 29, 2018 8:53 pm

That's even worse: Oy as in OY VEY! That's a Yiddish expression of dismay!
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Re: Renaming Things

Postby Virginia » Tue Oct 30, 2018 3:31 am

It's an "oy-ler"? Like the Houston Oilers? That's even worse!!!

As far as I can recall, the short program began as the "short program" in 1973, was re-dubbed the "original program" in the 90s, and then was switched back to "short program" several years later.

A good thing, too -- "original program" was a ridiculous name, wasn't it? It never caught on. Commentators kept slipping and calling it the short program, and skaters and coaches didn't seem to adopt it.
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