Jason Brown: No Quads? No Problem!

   

Photo Credit: Getty/Xavier Laine

 Figure skating is a vast world of emotional expression, technical skill, and mental fortitude. From ballet movements to acrobatics, figure skating is a sport that combines artistry and gymnastics, but on ice!

    I'd like to introduce you to one of my favorite figure skaters, Jason Brown: a 27 year old man born in Los Angeles, California, and a nine-time Grand Prix medalist who represents the United States. His creative products are his career and performances throughout the years, from shows to competitions. In men's figure skating, quadruple jumps (jumps where the skater must rotate in the air four times) have become a nearly mandatory ability in order to win a medal. This high expectation can be problematic for a lot of men from making it to the top. However, Jason deviates from this technical standard and does not perform with quad jumps. Instead, he uses his phenomenal artistry and audience engagement to claim victory.

    So how DOES Jason Brown perform well enough to break the quad ceiling? The answer may sound cheesy, but it comes from his heart. His creative process entails listening to the music, having an emotion, interpreting it and putting it into the choreography. While he does have a choreographer, it is clear that much of what Jason does on ice is improve and original. He also learns from his past failures, as any creative would, to improve his future performances. As a professional athlete, he has put in countless hours of practice to improve his physical and mental fitness. 

Photo Credit: Ben Margot/AP

    When thinking about a creative process and product, it is important to note the person behind the magic. Jason has a very bubbly and joyful personality and loves to perform in front of a crowd, which is rare since many people naturally get stage fright and their nerves prevent them from doing their best. Not only that, but he also engages a lot with children, charities, and volunteering. Thus, it seems only natural that this ray of sunshine would want to show his inner beauty during his performances. When he was interviewed by the Olympic channel after his performance in the Beijing 2022 Olympics, he said, "I think a big part of what I love about the sport is how much joy it brings me. And I just love to skate. I love being out in front of a crowd. I love working every single day to better myself." What Jason Brown has within him is artistic passion, which drives him to create and interpret his program music to result in his creative product. While it is not unique to have passion, Jason's ability to improvise and create amazing performances is so grand that judges recognized this in him, and can be considered a form of divergent thinking (or in this case, performing).

Lastly, every skater has to be mindful of the critiques and feedback they get from both the crowd and the judge's calculations. Jason's creative work is brilliant in that he rides the energy of the crowds and often gets them to sing or clap along to his music. Furthermore, he has gained a favorable reputation over the years, so the minute you hear his name being announced you know that you are in for a fantastic show. I mean come on, look at that smile!

Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Here are some of his performances in case you would like to see for yourself:

https://youtu.be/kt4YE_1lXVo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUR5iWcKpD4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzaecs1ylGo

Sources:

https://figureskatersonline.com/news/2021/12/21/jason-brown-i-hope-by-doing-what-i-love-and-by-doing-me-i-wind-up-on-my-second-olympic-team/

https://olympics.com/en/news/jason-brown-full-interview-worlds-figure-skating-champs-2021

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/highland-park/sports/ct-hpn-jason-brown-figure-skating-championships-tl-0105-20180105-story.html

https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/jason-brown-figure-skating-2022-olympics-48712963

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1922258-jason-brown-bringing-youth-charisma-to-us-olympic-mens-figure-skating-team

https://whatscreativeluc.blogspot.com/2022/02/jason-brown-no-quads-no-problem.html