“In the Loop” is a column by Valerie Fang dedicated to the sport of figure skating.
We are witnessing the rise of a figure skating franchise. It is growing at an unparalleled speed and grabs the world’s attention with magnificent force. Hanyu Yuzuru held two solo ice shows named RE_PRAY last weekend at Saitama Super Arena in Japan, kicking off his first national tour.
The headline is that Hanyu has done it again. But this time, RE_PRAY is less symbolically abstract than GIFT, his last solo ice show, and uses the analogy of gaming to convey a more structured and universal narrative. We often say sports provide a “natural laboratory” for us to examine social values. ‘RE_PRAY’ portrays something that he picked up from the gaming world that influenced his competitive figure skating career and continues to be telling of life in general.
Just like those incredible moments when he stepped off the ice to expand the performances during the show, many of the ideas Hanyu expressed in RE_PRAY extend beyond the rink and can make a comment on aspects of our lives outside of sport.
The concepts of life and freedom are two of the repeating themes in RE_PRAY. Although not explicitly stated, I think the show’s story arcs make some meaningful references to Hanyu’s figure skating experience so far.
“Survival.” “Collision.” “Suffocation.” “Achieve what I’ve always dreamed of, and I won’t be caught up in the current again.” “Repeat.”
The first half of the show seems to address the issue of ethics when someone decides to relentlessly pursue the end goal. This end goal, when put into the context of athletics, could refer to the idea of perfection. Perhaps every athlete is inspired, motivated and also tormented by this idea of perfection. What comes after “Citius - Altius - Fortius?” Before “Megalovania,” Hanyu mentions “the other side,” “the unknown world” and “the unknown story.” Do you question the decisions you make while chasing after those ideas?
In that video, Hanyu eventually decides to come through with the “no mercy” route, as the efforts and sacrifices that have already been made have pushed him well past the point of no return. We can connect it to the seasons between PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022 and, of course, the quadruple axel challenge. A lot was at stake during that time. Could it be that the expectations from the world became a burden? Even though there was a tiny voice telling him to let it all go all along, could it be that this “sense of duty” prevented him from doing so?
To be honest, during the six-minute warmup before “Megalovania,” I genuinely thought he was going for the quad axel (despite how I said that he has made peace with it, there is still a dream in me). In a way, this program can be interpreted as the new “Origin.” The old version, which Hanyu created after PyeongChang 2018, was him pushing himself to the limit. It was a challenge primarily in terms of athleticism — the technicality and stamina of the jumps.
It was also him playing by the rules that value jumps more than the overall completion of the program. But as Hanyu has turned pro and started to chart his own path, this “other side” and “the unknown story” should now mean endless possibilities for his self expression. He is painting his own world and making his own art.
“Gentle.” “Ephemeral.” “Beautiful.” “Fragile.” “Walking alone in the darkness.” “The world without rules.”
The second half of RE_PRAY seems to explore what happens when we transition from relentlessly fighting with life to letting the vicissitudes of life take us to where it leads to. Hanyu says “there are no (default) settings” during one of the video clips. Without a set goal in mind, Hanyu briefly delves into the possibility of predestination and likely an existential crisis as he ponders the questions of “who am I?” and “where did I come from?”
To me, “Requiem of Heaven and Earth” and “Haru yo, Koi” are the two most memorable programs skated during the second half. Weaving these two performances into the half of the show makes perfect sense as Hanyu now concentrates on cherishing and appreciating the lives around us. The sentimentality, fueled by the surrounding context of those two programs, are what truly makes them timeless and powerful.
I think it’s interesting how “Haru yo, Koi” juxtaposes with “Hope & Legacy” from the previous half. While the latter also depicts Hanyu striving to find hope in hardships, he is portrayed more as a fighter who devotes everything and kills off whatever or whoever is in his way for the final prize. Just think about the 2017 Worlds, when he placed fifth after the short program and managed to pull off the greatest comeback using his free skate, breaking his own world record to seize the title. So, if “Hope & Legacy” is like trying to find the hope for spring in a cruel winter, the “Haru yo, Koi,” as Hanyu now performs it, has the feeling of arriving in spring. It shows us someone who is now comfortable with this world – someone who has gone through yet another cycle of evolution. And, in this sense, the story arc of RE_PRAY should be completed at this point.
Hanyu uses the two halves of RE_PRAY to outline two kinds of freedom. The first type is gained through outplaying everyone inside the arena. The rules and structures provide a clear path to victory and all the scores and statistics say you have the power to reach that victory on the other side. The second kind of freedom is perhaps Hanyu’s message to us through this show. It’s OK to feel lost. “Tomorrow arrives with the light.”
Despite turning pro, he is still looking forward to the unknown. But this time, he keeps continuing forward with a renewed faith. The courageous get to experience the world first. Whatever used to seem like it might swallow you whole — let it be grief, agony or simply the feeling of being lost — might breed new possibilities and opportunities if we look at them under a different light. At least, this is his way to protect “our hope, our dream, our continuation of life.”
And maybe, what I’ve said does not reflect Hanyu’s intentions at all. But I’m glad to see this quote from Mikiko: “It gave me joy and filled me with the desire to want to do even more. (Yuzuru’s) words, and a world only he can paint, become complete only when they are joined by the lives and experiences of the audience.”
Just like any other true work of art, perhaps it does not matter what Hanyu expresses exactly, but what the whole thing makes you feel, makes you think and makes you imagine.
“In the Loop” runs every other Friday.