Shoma Uno Retirement (and other Figure Skating news) | Scoreography Podcast  

Even though I saw it coming, I'm devastated by the news of Shoma's retirement - especially because I feel like he could have continued on as a top competitor for another year or two. There was no one like him on the ice and his absence will be felt in the upcoming seasons. I hope he'll be happy and fulfilled with whatever he chooses to do next.

You know, my favourite versions of Shoma's programs for the season were at Cup of China. He was focussed on the performance, not at all distracted by errors and obviously completely at peace with the scores. Both he and Stephan appeared completely relaxed. For the rest of the season i felt the performances were adversely affected by the external pressure to chase higher scores. A pity that fans projected their need for winning onto him.

I’m with you, Wendy. I actually cried after hearing his announcement, even though I knew it was coming, knew he wanted to retire, knew it was the right thing for him and for Yuma and Japan Fed, who are so ready for Yuma to be Japan’s Ace. I think Yuma may be a small part of the retirement equation for Shoma; he may have felt, like I did, that Yuma was holding back a tiny bit at Japan Nationals, because of the strong age bias in Japan, whereby the young don’t challenge the old. Interesting that he told Stephane he was retiring after Nationals. But most of all, I think he retired simply because he was ready. He was ready when he won injured at 2023 Worlds. He was ready at the beginning of 2024 season. He wants to skate now “for himself”, without the incessant focus on jumps which is men’s figure skating. And he correctly feels that he has “done his duty” and can retire now with honor. Also, Shoma’s emotional perspective is so unusual. He honestly seems to love his competitors’ successes. That is incredibly rare in any sport or any kind of work. He loves watching his competitors skate and is thrilled instead of threatened by the beauty of their performance. His former coach Mihoko tells us that he was so excited by Javier Fernandez’ skate at FS 2018 Olympics that she didn’t think she could get him calmed down for his own performance immediately after. And, shy as he still is, he seems to genuinely care for many other skaters, wanting them to do well and relishing their accomplishments, even those from other countries. He got severe criticism in Japan and internationally for saying he wanted Nathan to win Olympics 2022, but by Shoma’s logic of the heart this made perfect sense: Yuzuru had already won 2 consecutive Olympic gold metals, Nathan was humiliated and defeated in 2018, he had won almost every gold from 2018-2022, he was working incredibly hard almost to the point of injury (I read his book), and now he deserved the relief of victory. Also, I don’t think Shoma is ‘done’ with skating, its difficult and complicated part. When he left Mihoko I was so eager to see him skating under other choreographers. Likewise, although Stephane has been a superb coach in terms of emotional growth, artistry, improving confidence, and blade mastery, Shoma now can explore other choreographers, other regimes. Kenji Miyamoto who created Oboe, Shay Lynne Bourne with Great Spirit and Come Together, David Wilson for DOMO; the list is really endless. Go now Shoma! Show us what a fulfilling, creative, and happy retirement in figure skating looks like. Yuzuru’s creativity has exploded in a blast of amazing works since he retired. Shoma doesn’t have Yuzuru’s seductive charisma and amazing financial acumen, but he has wonders of his own to show us, and I am ready for them.

Great episode as always ! Your show always gets me hopeful and excited for what's to come 🥰

I am sad to see Shoma Uno retire; however, I will be also sad, for different reasons when Jason Brown retires from competitive skating. I can't wait to see what Jason skates to for the next two seasons. I can't wait to see if Jason Brown makes his third Olympic Team. Jason is one of the greatest artists of any generation. I bet he will be a choreographer after he retires from competitive skating.

Шома Уно - гений ФК! Уникальный фигурист!!! Спасибо огромное Шоме Уно за потрясающую карьеру! ❤💥👏👏👏 Счастья и дальнейших успехов в профессиональной карьере!!!

Same, Wendy, I am sad , but not shocked. I think that Shoma Uno retired this year because he thought he couldn't win an Olympic gold medal. This is this the only medal that Shoma hadn't won. I get the sense that he is tired of getting silver.

Grew up in the Chicago suburbs -- we had square dancing and East Coast Swing in PE class even in high school. I think it was a way to deal with long winters and avoid making us change out of our Catholic School uniforms.

Wendy, you are not 🚭🚫 the only one but there were plenty of retirement: Uno was an all around skater and has a good personality: he skated with Yangu and Chen and one of the TOP three medalists and Uno said that Yanyu retired and entertaining now and Chen had evolved in other things but entertaining now and Shoma Uno said that he would retire from competition and he would be missed in the skating world 🌎🌍!!! Maybe, he would decide to coach and entertain as others!!!! A whole new world would open up to him but he left behind good Japanese men skaters for his COUNTRY!!! Or Uno might decide to attend college so you would recover, Wendy!!!! Oh, I didn't know that for the ice dance skaters and now I am shocked because they were moving up and Japanese Skating Federation is demanding and if Timothy wanted to compete, he might try to have another partner who his wife approved but we would find out...I heard that the social ice dance for the rhythm dance would be extensive if you go back in time, there are going to 50's, that I remembered, and I saw 60's that I remembered, and I saw 70's that I remembered too in the past so whatever the ice dance skaters feel comfortable and can bring out their personalities but the question is how the judging system would judge correctly: and the changing for pairs and single skaters to curtail the technical components and extended artistically like ice dance skaters and the interpretation of the 🎵🎶 music would be the key instead of the technical components so much: it's who has what it takes to be a CHAMPION technically and artistically regardless of the country represented and again the scoring system would have to change too: the first back flip was Scott Hamilton of the United States that I remembered, and the second one was Surya B. if France and now Adam of France, but a back flip is illegal technically and there are rules to that effect for competition and that is problematic to those who want to excite the CROWD but it's a competition only so that rule is not 🚭🚫 going to change.. and I am shocked that Conrad threw in the towel too because he was one of the Canadian raising stars of the men after retirement of the Canadian champion last year and you mentioned a couple of them and they have to work on their consistently after injuries and last but not 🚭🚫 least, I thought 🤔 that Deanna had already changed citizenship because the United States of America had already RELEASED her from our part and she RESIDES in CANADA like Piper who was an American and changed citizenship to compete for CANADA and I heard that an American surfer who is changing from American citizenship to compete for CANADA because she too was RELEASED here so the problem is the CANADIAN Homeland Security SIDE and they got their own rules and regulations since they are part of the COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES and who knows, she might be closed to her Canadian citizenship before 2026 and she doesn't seem that worried about it to me and personally, for her sake, I hope that she accomplished that goal like others but I am sure that she would be a Canadian through and through as we speak!!! Thank you for sharing though!!!

My initial reaction was "ughhh more decade dances" but I'm hoping we'll see some gems because dance was a huge part of the culture in the 50s-70s. Overall, I just think the governing body needs to bring in outside voices for the themes going forward if this is the best they can come up with. The themes are giving high school dance, this is a prestigious global sport.

Do you still think that Chock and Bates will come back or retire?

Ha, noted the talk of k-pop in competition. noted Yuzuru is doing the k-pop dance in his show.

The dances styles of the 50s, 60s, and 70s are SO different from each other. It's gonna be *_really_* interesting how all the styles will be interrogated. 🤔

No word if they're going to ban skaters going up to the judges panel during their program? Got tired of that last year. For the short program they should try a movie's dance scene theme.

Does the ISU dislike Ice Dancing now?