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Kurt Browning - twenty years a pro and still going strong
| Source: |
Absolute Skating |
| Date: |
August 2, 2014 |
| Author: |
Tina Tyan |
Twenty years ago, Kurt Browning officially turned pro, retiring
from Olympic-eligible competitive skating to focus on professional
skating. While his competitive career was successful by almost any
measure - first ratified quad, four World titles, a World silver
medal, three trips to the Olympics - his professional career has been
on a whole other level. He was a dominant skater on the former
professional competitive circuit, and is widely acknowledged as a
brilliant artist, entertainer, and innovator who has contributed a
great deal to the sport as skater, commentator, and
choreographer. Twenty years into his professional career, he is still
going strong, performing in dozens of shows in Asia, Europe and North
America. Kurt took some time out of his busy schedule during the
"Canadian Stars on Ice" tour to chat about his own career and his
thoughts on skating in general.
Congratulations on 20 years as a professional skater! Did you ever
imagine you'd still be going strong 20 years on?
No, I never thought about it. It's not because I can't believe
it. It's because I never worried about it. I looked at Scott
[Hamilton], and he'd done it forever. Brian Boitano was always older
than me and doing it. Josef Sabovcik, Brian Orser were both older than
me and doing it. And now there's still two of those guys who do
shows. You know, I'm still not the oldest kid on the block.
What were some of the highlights of your pro career?
Being on a plane, after a show, and having a pretty stewardess hand
you a drink. And flying with Scott Hamilton and Tara Lipinski and
Steven Cousins and Gorsha [Sur] and Renee [Roca] and Tuffy [Hough] and
Doug [Ladret] and Kristi Yamaguchi and Katarina Witt... Just really
great people. Big huge stars. We were stars. We were actual stars. And
to have been privy to that lifestyle? I mean, I'm sorry, these kids
will never have anything like that. I mean, they're great, 10,000
people were in Toronto, and we're stars, and people love us and stuff,
but back then? There was a rush.
This year is the closest to that rush that I've felt in over a
decade. The feeling on the ice this year. Not after Vancouver. This
year. Patrick [Chan]'s really special. His skating is special. And
Tessa [Virtue] and Scott [Moir] are special. So this year feels a
little bit like it did in the old days, though without the private
plane. But seriously, to finish your show and to have a private plane
waiting for you? It was ridiculous. Ridiculous. And to play Madison
Square Garden, and to have real famous people [like Bruce Springsteen]
showing up at our shows because we were in town. I don't know if
figure skating in my lifetime will ever be remotely close to that
famous.
What about Korea?
I felt it in Korea, but it wasn't something I helped create. It was
really created in Korea, and I was excited to be a part of that. That
was an experience that I'll never forget, and I consider myself lucky
to have skated so long that I got to be out at center ice in the Yuna
Kim era. It's true, that's a highlight.
[Other highlights...there were] many personal moments. The occasional
quad in the show back when quads were still a rare species. I got such
a thrill out of landing any triple Axel, ever, that I was walking on
air for three days. You know, those were personal moments. But really,
it is a layering of lots of moments. Like, if I do "Trust in Me" (one
of his "Stars on Ice" programs) well, and I *feel* something happening
between me and the audience? That's probably it. If I had to pick one
thing, that's it. And always searching for that. If I'm doing that
number and I can tell that people are percolating with me? It's a
high. And I seek it. I need it. That's it! That's probably the
best. When you're buzzing and humming with the audience, and you're in
harmony with them, and you know it's real? Not "I think", you just
know it. That's what I want. That's my high.
In your 20 years as a professional skater, the landscape of
professional skating has changed considerably. You've seen it at its
height in North America, and you've seen its decline and shift to
other countries. What are your thoughts on this? What does
professional skating offer skaters, skating, and fans?
Well, the last line of your questions rings closest to my heart, and
the thought that crossed my mind is that there really isn't any
professional skating now. At least not in the form it was twenty years
ago with exclusive events that only used pro skaters drawing in 16,000
people to watch us compete. It seemed that the beginning of the
competitive Grand Prix series was right about when pro skating really
took a dive, and I have to wonder if those two events are
linked. Also, the glory days skaters of the 90's were packing in their
skates at about that time as well, so that also fits into the
equation.
I know that those days are gone, but I have also noticed that pro
skaters who have not won a world or an Olympic title are getting
organized and stronger. Skaters with talent and something to share are
finding ways to get their performances seen. It is not easy, but
something that should be noticed by skating fans, as there are some
amazing skaters out there to enjoy.
As far as shifting to other countries, well interest in skating has
shifted around in the world, but it is still mainly for the
competitive skaters and not the pros. It will be interesting to see
what Mao [Asada] and Yuna do with their fame. I have heard that Yuna
will not skate anymore, and if that is true, then that would be a blow
to the possible growth of skating at the entertainment level.
Do you think there's still a place for professional
competition?
Not right now, I really don't. We don't have enough defined
professional skaters. I think that people recognize we have great
professional skaters, and there's this undergrowth of Internet pushing
for young choreographers, a place for them to learn, and a place for
them to show and get recognized and get feedback, and I think that's
helping our sport. There's so many great skaters out there who are on
ships, who you see videos of and you go, wow, that skater's really
good! They would look good in Stars on Ice! Just no name. So what's
missing is that the amateurs are not getting as much exposure as we
used to. When you do over 100 shows a year, you're learning so
much. And now the competitors are competing more than we used to. So
they kind of come in here already professional, but they're so tweaked
towards competition that everything [else] seems to be second thought,
a little bit. As [opposed] to when we were pro, it was like whatever
you chose for Stars on Ice in the second half, that was your long
program for the Olympics every year. I just don't think we have enough
professional skaters who sell tickets enough to have our own
event.
You've skated to well over 100 programs over the years, but you
still come up with new ideas and concepts. How do you stay inspired?
Where do you get your ideas from?
My ideas are not deep ideas, I have to admit. It's literally just,
I'll hear a piece of music and I'll have an idea. Like the one where I
fell all the time and I was looking for the light (Slippery Side
Up). I was just lying there, and closed my eyes, and kept seeing
falling and trying to get up, falling and trying to get up. I played
it again and it just kept happening.
You seem to be working with other choreographers a little less, and
choreographing more of your own stuff as well.
Kind of. I think near the end, I'm just trying to get out things that
I want to do. It's not actually on purpose. I worked with Linda
Garneau, who did Kaitlyn and Andrew's white shirt number. And Geoffrey
[Tyler] basically did the hat number. I had to piece it together, but
he came up with that whole concept. But "Trust in Me", I don't know,
it just seemed so clear. It's like, "trust in me" but I wanted to be
somebody you didn't trust. Shouldn't trust. That might deceive
you.
You choreographed Javier Fernandez's 80s aerobics exhibition
program, which was a hit with the fans. How did that come
about?
Brian [Orser] just asked me for a funny one. I asked, fun or funny?
They're different. They wanted funny. So I do this, I close my eyes,
and started thinking about what's great about Javi. Well, his voice is
great, his accent's great. For North America, it's a must. So he's got
to have his voice. And then I just had this idea of "what's funny?"
Um, you know, I think 80s music is funny. I think somehow it went from
Sonia (Rodriguez, his wife) being Spanish, and she's a dancer, could
he dance? Could he do the Toreador? And somehow I went, he's so,
like...funny...I just thought aerobics. So I don't know, it just sort
of happened.
Sandra Bezic hated it. To my face, to Brian Orser's face, she said she
hated it. But she didn't like it because it was untrained, and he
didn't train it. There were all sorts of segues that were supposed to
be detailed. Humor has to be detailed. He didn't work on it. So I saw
what she was talking about. But at the same time, mission
accomplished. It showed people who he really was. And now people,
through that program, I think they really feel like they know who Javi
is. And he's *Javi* now, right? Super Javi. And I think the program
did a lot of good things for him. And it was fun. Really fun.
Speaking of choreography, for the last several years, you've had a
firm policy not to choreograph competitive programs for anybody, but I
know you keep getting asked. Could you explain that
policy?
It's two-fold. It's a little weird. It's good, commentating your own
work, because you have an inside track to tell people about. But it's
bad too, 'cause you're supposed to seem like you're impartial, even
though of course we're not. We're Canadian. We have friendships. But
that's only part of it. Mostly, I just don't know the rules well
enough to do it. It's not fair to the skater. I would have to be
supervised quite a bit. And it takes a lot of time. A lot of time. I
don't have a lot of time. I'm really stressed. I'm pulled in so many
directions in my life right now. I didn't have the time, and I didn't
enjoy it. It was just strike three. I skate because it's fun. I want
people to enjoy it. And this isn't fun. It didn't seem fair to the
skaters, so I just stopped doing it.
You've been commentating skating for years, but this was your first
time commentating live at the Olympics. How was that?
What a big responsibility to lend your voice and opinion to an Olympic
Games. I took the task to heart and tried my best. What was hard is
that it was not a smooth Olympics for figure skating - when is it,
really - and so I had to do quite a few interviews on topics that I
wish did not exist. But, I loved Sochi and the experience was great,
and if I am lucky enough to be asked again, I would jump at the
chance.
I tried really hard, which is sometimes hard for me, not to make it
about me. To really make the Olympics about what's happening out
there. On Twitter, some people were saying "why do you keep
referencing your own career?". And I was like, well I will try not to
do it *too* much, but that's why I got this job, right? I know what
it's like to stand there and wait for your life to change. And your
skate is in the balance either way. So you have to reference your own
career, but I'm like, you know what, I'll make sure that I won't do
that too much. Point taken. So even though I may not like what they
say, sometimes to people on Twitter, I go "yeah, yeah, I hear you."
Even if it's mean, good advice is good advice.
You seem to be constantly busy these days, and not just with
performing, commentating, and choreographing. What else do you have on
your plate, any side projects?
br?
I guess my two kids are my side projects, and I am working on staying
home more. This past year was busy, and it was meant to be as I was
taking on extra shows to take my "Singing in the Rain" out to a bigger
audience, and to simply give me more chances to enjoy performing it as
well. My latest run of "Singing in the Rain" was not fun due to
injuries that kept me from performing very well in the Art on Ice tour
in Europe in March. I have already turned down quite a few projects
coming up, and it is easier than I thought. I have had a career that
was blessed, and it is time to spend more time at home.
A few questions about some recent changes in competitive
skating. Next season, singles and pairs will be able to use music with
lyrics. How do you feel about that?
Lyrics will give us more to talk about, that is for sure, but while
talking over skating we now have more to worry about. It is always a
juggling act to commentate over a skater because it does not matter
what we say or how important it is, we are very simply interrupting
the performance. Now, as if that was not enough, now we will be
interrupting the lyrics as well. I doubt that we will see the kind of
attention to the lyrics that you see in shows, but still it is one
more hurdle to deal with as a commentator.
How do I feel, well I am excited. For some programs it will be
wonderful, but I do worry that for others it will be the kiss of
death. I must admit that while watching the dance event, I was hardly
ever bothered by any lyrics and so I am optimistic for this.
Ottavia Cinquanta recently proposed a number of radical changes to
figure skating. What are your thoughts on these proposed
changes?
This question deserves a thesis, not an answer. If I knew enough about
the sport to really answer this question, then I would try to be
president myself. But, as a general rule, I simply feel that figure
skating should be run by a figure skater, and leave it at
that.
Skaters are always asked who inspired them when growing up. Who
inspires you today?
Today? Tessa and Scott, especially Scott, 'cause he's a guy. And I
just think that when I look at him, I really feel like I see somebody
who can act on the ice. Whose skating skills are through the freaking
roof. And he can also create moments. He's an amazing pair man. A
leading man. He inspires me a lot. Jo[annie Rochette] inspires me
because she keeps getting better. And better and better. And I love
that in skaters. Who else inspires me? Jumping wise, there's just so
many people. I'm a big Yuzu[ru Hanyu] fan. Yuzu, Patrick, and Javi. I
think those three boys are just, wow. Artistically, who really
inspires me? I'm a big fan of Shae-Lynn [Bourne]'s skating. She's
always on my list. I think [Jeff] Buttle's done really cool things,
choreographically. I think he's going to be a strong part of the world
of figure skating. He's going to be a player. He's going to have a
long choreographic career. He's going to have many successes.
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