First same-sex figure skating performance was to PANIC! AT THE DISCO’s track

‘High Hopes’ served as the music accompaniment for the same-sex couple dancing on the ice

We all know dance-themed TV shows with celebrities, be it the USA’s Dancing With The Stars or UK’s Dancing On Ice. They usually make their choreography to well-known pop songs or radio hits. Not a big deal, right? But it is a big deal when Panic! At The Disco’s #1 track ‘High Hopes’ gets picked for the first ever same-sex ice dance! Check it out below.

The TV performance took place in the UK show Dancing On Ice. In the program, famous people get to learn a bit of figure skating from professionals and then showcase their skating achievements in pairs. It was during the premiere of the first episode of the latest season of Dancing On Ice when ice skater Matt Evers got paired with Welsh actor and singer Ian H. Watkins. The two came up with the ice skating choreo together.

More: You can now see PANIC! AT THE DISCO show in virtual reality format

Curiously, the skaters chose (or were assigned) not a banal pop track but Panic At The Disco’s ‘High Hopes’. So Brendon Urie & Co. inadvertently became part of “the history”: the first same-sex couple on the figure skating show. Panic!’s organization Highest Hopes Foundation congratulated the skaters on Twitter on such a brave move:

The first same-sex couple hit the ice to High Hopes on @DancingOnIce & we can’t get enough ❤️🌈 ⛸ Rooting for you @Ianhwatkins & @TheMattEvers! https://t.co/VYKfhw7ov7

— Highest Hopes Foundation (@highesthopes) January 6, 2020

The video of the performance immediately got viral in social media. The reactions range from highly supportive to angry ones, but isn’t that what all TV shows aspire to?

“Thank you for breaking down barriers and making history, it’s a long time overdue”, writes user Dr Carl Austin-Behan. Others don’t see it as an epic, historic event, saying it’s “nice (and correct) to allow people to ice dance with whoever they want to, but I’m not sure a hundred years from now they will look back and consider this a historic event.”

How AMAZING is this cartoon! Seeing two men dancing on the ice together would not only have made me feel accepted when I was younger but also have educated the bullies. So even if we survive 1 week, then I have achieved what I wanted to – Visibility and Equality. #DancingOnIce 👬 pic.twitter.com/7mINZIWB3x

— Ian H Watkins (@Ianhwatkins) November 13, 2019

Because ice skating is an Olympic sport and you don't just get to switch a partner based on sexuality. If I was playing tennis mixed doubles as a gay man I can't switch the woman out cos it's not my sexual preference. This nonsense needs to stop. It looked ridiculous throughout

— Joel Cheeves🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈 (@CheevesJoel) January 6, 2020

Beautiful routine, it looked like you really enjoyed it ??thank you for breaking down barriers and making history, it’s a long time overdue, looking forward to following your @DOI_UK_ journey xx

— Dr Carl Austin-Behan OBE DL ?? (@CarlAustinBehan) January 5, 2020

“making history”…. Nice (and correct) to allow people to ice dance with whoever they want to, but I’m not sure a hundred years from now they will look back and consider this a historic event.

— Tronads (@tronads) January 5, 2020

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