Daisuke Takahashi: “The first time I retired, I hated the fact that I could only do skating and wanted to run away from it. Until I suddenly accepted that it’s okay. So as long as my body can move, I want to continue performing on ice.”
Daisuke Takahashi about his life after retirement from competitive sport.
original source: news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 7th June 2024
2010 Olympic bronze medalist in single skating Daisuke Takahashi retired in 2014 but made a come back in 2018 at the age of 32. From 2020, he switched to ice dance and showed overwhelming expressiveness in international competitions. In May 2023, he sadly ended his competitive career. In this interviews Daisuke talks about his life after sport. Here’s a translation of his comemnts.
“It has been exactly one year since I retired from competitive life. It really flew by. I was invited to a lot of ice shows and had fulfilling experiences, including appearing on TV programs for the first time,” said Takahashi.
“Although I retired from competition, I haven’t stopped skating. As long as my body can move, I want to continue performing on ice. So for me, it’s not so much about retirement as transitioning to the next stage.
One of these new stages is the ice show “Hyoen 2024 – The Miracle of the Cross Star-” which I will participate in June. “Hyoen” is a comprehensive on-ice entertainment that combines Japanese culture with figure skating in a narrative format. I will be co-starring with musical theater actors. I also hear that I’ll have singing parts (laughs). I feel the pressure, but I’m excited about the expanding opportunities.
Actually, every milestone in my skating life has been connected to “Hyoen”. After initially retiring from single skating, I performed in “Hyoen 2017 – Basara”. The first time I retired, I hated the fact that I could only do skating and wanted to run away from it.
In the midst of that struggle, I studied abroad, became a sports broadcaster, and so on until one day I suddenly accepted that ‘it’s okay to only do skating’. Certainly, some people excel in multiple areas while holding a main field. But I realized, I don’t have that talent.
So I decided to reclaim my skating first and then expand my world around it to live as an entertainer. If I can’t expand, I’ll think about it at that time. That’s the resolution I came to. This, I believe, led to my return to active competition at the age of 32 the following year.”
“In 2019, I participated in the second part of the show just before I switched to ice dance. Kana Muramoto, who later became my partner, also appeared in “Hyoen 2019 – Like the Moonlight”.
I had been invited by Kana before, so when I went to rehearsal camp, we held an ice dancing tryout together. It was in the early morning when no one was around. It was a completely different sensation from skating alone and it was interesting,” Daisuke recalls his first try of ice dance.
“Back then, I had been skating with women in ice shows and such, but I was terribly shy and didn’t like it. However, I thought it was a skill that was absolutely necessary if I wanted to evolve as an entertainer in the future.
On the other hand, I also wanted to compete in singles… But, the direction of pursuing skating matched with Kana’s. That’s why I thought, “Let’s give it a try. We won’t know unless we try.”
“I think the three seasons I devoted to ice dancing was a big experience for me. Even in the same sport of skating, single skating and ice dance are totally different. Even the skates are different, and the way you use your body when drawing a curve is also different between one person and two people.
We had to skate carefully without bothering each other while getting close. It’s totally different to watch and actually do it. At first, I was quite confused too. Saying it was a start from scratch is no exaggeration.
I hope that the ice dancing technique I learned will become something that supports me, be it my weapon or characteristic. I’m looking forward to seeing how far I can utilize the experience I’ve gained on the future stage. Can I really make it in the world of entertainment?”
Daiusuke also tried himself as a producer. That’s what he said about this esperience: “In February of this year, I also had the opportunity to produce an ice show called “Kassouya”. Having shifted to the producing side, I have seen new things. A producer’s job spans a wide range. From scheduling the members, arranging hotels and meals, and strategizing PR, you have to make various decisions simultaneously.
Everyone wants to create something good, but inevitably, because of the positions, opinions may conflict. One of my roles was to manage the push and pull of that battle. Although I thought I would be absolutely hopeless at this kind of work, surprisingly I didn’t mind it.
Although it was tough to clash in order to create something, the effort was rewarding. Is it tough but it seems like I’m having fun? Indeed, for me, “tough” might be a positive word.”
As for his future plans, Daisuke shared, “What can I do for the future of figure skating? I think there is still a lot of potential in figure skating. On the other hand, it’s difficult to maintain the popularity of ice shows. The maintenance cost of the ice makes ticket prices inevitably high, and there are rivals in other entertainment areas such as musicals.
In “Kassouya”, I went to the domestic competitions and picked skaters who can skate powerfully with a sense of speed. Under the current competition rules, if you’re not good at jumping, you can’t score well in international competitions and hardly get calls for ice shows. But there are many skaters who have good qualities.
I would like to create a ‘company’ where such skaters can make a living through skating. It’s more of a dream than a goal, but it would be great if it could come true. I know it’s not an easy journey.”
Related topics: Daisuke Takahashi
I’d love to see him creating a figure skating world that isn’t all about jumping. Especially away from the cruelness of competitions. Longevity in this sport is something we’ve been craving for a very long time! Also we want skaters who embody the ice, become flowy and beautiful. Go for it!