Lauren Hildebrand
Communication
Capstone Title
The Inside Edge
Description of Capstone Project
When you think of figure skating you think of elegant athletes performing intricate elements with effortless ease and grace on ice. Skaters train hours on end perfecting their edges, turns, field moves, jumps and spins but what is the element of performance that truly makes them sparkle? My capstone topic, entitled The Inside Edge, focuses on the psychological and sociological importance of costumes to the sport of figure skating. This project will help figure skaters and designers better understand the effects costumes have mentally and physically on the skater, and how to create superior costumes with this insight. Through primary research comprised of qualitative in-depth interviews with figure skaters and costume designers, and secondary historical, sociological, and psychological research, I will investigate the research question: Why are costumes psychologically and sociologically important to the sport of figure skating and why do figure skaters consider this integral to their performance?
