Random Figure Skating Questions

[petitebrie]

Perhaps someone from the smaller feds, like Bulgaria's Hristina Vassileva.

 

[mrrice]

After seeing that Adam placed second at his latest event, I was excited to see his performance. I clicked on the link and it had been blocked. This makes absolutely no sense to me. They certainly can't expect fans to from the US and other Countries to travel that far to see a Challenger Event live. With all the talk of skating becoming less popular I would think the ISU would do anything they possibly could to make skating available to anyone who wants to see it.

Couldn't they at least unblock the events after 24 hours so we could at least see how the event unfolded? Oh well.

 

[charmblade]

I think the blocking was due to copyright issues with Adam's music, nothing to do with the event itself. The same thing happened after his last GP. It seems that when he changed the combination of songs in his free program that it caused copyright issues and YouTube is very quick to block these videos.

 

[mrrice]

I think the blocking was due to copyright issues with Adam's music, nothing to do with the event itself. The same thing happened after his last GP. It seems that when he changed the combination of songs in his free program that it caused copyright issues and YouTube is very quick to block these videos.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. You know what, you're probably right about that. Last year Joshes "Give Me Love" program was blacked but his "Schindler's List" program was almost always available.

 

[Bonnie F]

Hello skating people, it's question time again. I know this may sound strange and not very romantic however, I wanted to know if a Dance or Pair Team has ever done a "Break Up" program? I must admit to using this song for one my students competitive dances. It actually wound being one of my all time favorite programs ( For all the wrong reasons ) Every time we'd win, I'd get this evil look on my face.

Separate Ways by Journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LatorN4P9aA

Grishuk and Platov's You'll See comes to mind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOuxoDh5Svo

 

[mrrice]

Grishuk and Platov's You'll See comes to mind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOuxoDh5Svo

WOW!! Thank you for posting that clip. Break up or not, that was amazing. Thank's again Risa.

 

[Bonnie F]

WOW!! Thank you for posting that clip. Break up or not, that was amazing. Thank's again Risa.

It's always been one of my favorites!

 

[mrrice]

Hey Canadians, didn't Eman skate to this song from he Soundtrack of The Fifth Element? It would be great for a soundtrack program. Of course I think I'd rather see Katelyn skate to it than a male skater. But, whatever.

The Diva:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2246g7AzbMc

 

[musicfan80]

All right, here's my stupid questions for this weekend. Thank you to all who have been so nice answering them so far.

1) Does anyone know how men's boots ended up being black and women's ending up being white or tan?

2) I hear there are ice skating rinks and shows on cruise ships. Is it real or synthetic ice? With a full sized Zamboni?

3) I always thought that skaters wore thin socks with their ice skates. That is what I like to wear with mine. But I just finished Apolo Anton Ohno's autobiography and he said he wore two pairs of thick socks with his skates. Ohno said the feeling of the ice was too "intense" for him. Or is it really personal preference? Or is it the difference in materials between short track speed skates and figure skates?

4) Why don't they have more outdoor ice shows? Or even better - competitions?

5) Is there really an "ideal" height difference for pairs teams? What about ice dance? I heard that the huge height difference (5'0 and 6'4) was one major problem for Castelli/Shnapir because putting her down after lifts was less "natural" because of large amount of "space". But is there a different "ideal" for throws? I'm assuming that closer height differences may not be a problem for ice dancers.

 

[Mathman]

1) Does anyone know how men's boots ended up being black and women's ending up being white or tan?

I believe that Sonia Henie is credited with being the first lady to skate in white boots. Together with short skirts and dancy choreography, she glammed up the sport and eventually brought it to Hollywood.

 

[ice coverage]

All right, here's my stupid questions for this weekend. Thank you to all who have been so nice answering them so far.

...2) I hear there are ice skating rinks and shows on cruise ships. Is it real or synthetic ice? With a full sized Zamboni?

Rinks on cruise ships have real ice -- per previous GS discussions earlier in this thread and in an at least one semi-recent GS thread specific to ice shows on cruise ships.

I don't remember the answer to your Zamboni question, although I think that detail was previously discussed.

If you do a little searching, some GS members had firsthand knowledge about the ice on cruise ships.

 

[Mathman]

4) Why don't they have more outdoor ice shows? Or even better - competitions?

My first guess would be comfort of the audiences.

This time of year there are a bunch of outdoor Christmas tree lighting/public skating celebrations here and there that hire top level local skaters to do an exhibition number. (I believe Michelle Kwan is at such an event in Providence, R.I., even as we speak, )

And in the spirit of two pairs of socks, do ladies ever wear two pairs of tights if they skate outdoors in freezing weather?

 

[LiamForeman]

Rinks on cruise ships have real ice -- per previous GS discussions earlier in this thread and in an at least one semi-recent GS thread specific to ice shows on cruise ships.

I don't remember the answer to your Zamboni question, although I think that detail was previously discussed.

If you do a little searching, some GS members had firsthand knowledge about the ice on cruise ships.

The last cruise I went on, and I think another one had real ice. I thought great I can skate! The ice was terrible and was the smallest patch of ice I was too afraid to jump. It makes the ice shows on cruise ships so much more incredible to think you only have a tiny piece of ice to perform on. I hung out with the skaters on that cruise and I asked them HOW can you do everything? Pretty much had my attitude, sink or swim baby. Very impressive.

 

[Mathman]

The last cruise I went on, and I think another one had real ice. I thought great I can skate! The ice was terrible and was the smallest patch of ice I was too afraid to jump. It makes the ice shows on cruise ships so much more incredible to think you only have a tiny piece of ice to perform on. I hung out with the skaters on that cruise and I asked them HOW can you do everything? Pretty much had my attitude, sink or swim baby. Very impressive.

Even the tiniest rinks can, however, support adagio pairs teams. I have seen quite a few very cool acts that consist mostly of the man spinning slowly in a small circle with an ensemble of amazing acrobatic lifts.

 

[skylark]

5) Is there really an "ideal" height difference for pairs teams? What about ice dance? I heard that the huge height difference (5'0 and 6'4) was one major problem for Castelli/Shnapir because putting her down after lifts was less "natural" because of large amount of "space". But is there a different "ideal" for throws? I'm assuming that closer height differences may not be a problem for ice dancers.

Some people thought there was too much height difference between Gordeeva and Grinkov, she 5'2" and he 6'0". Some criticized the pair when she first won worlds and olympics, saying she looked like a little girl skating with a man. (At 1988 Olympics she was only 5'0", but grew over the next couple of years.

Watching Castelli/Shnapir, I always wondered if pairs skating didn't put undue stress on his body, because he had to get so much further down in his knees to lift her, whether for lifts or throws, and then to put her down gracefully.

Duhamel/Radford have the same height difference as Castelli/Shnapir, (Meagan 4'10", Eric 6'2"). Honestly I do think such a great height difference - 16 inches! - detracts. But this year, Meagan has finally brought her presentation skills nearer to Eric's level, and I notice it less. Eric isn't as stick-thin as Simon, so I worry less about his knees and back.

Alexa Scimeca said in TSL interview that when she first began to work with Dalilah, Dalilah told her that at 5'2", she was too tall for any of the American boys (available at the time, presumably), and they'd have to look for a partner internationally. Then Chris Knierim's former partnership ended, Alexa and Chris tried out, and the rest is history. Chris is 6'2".

Sui is 4'11", and Han is 5'7". So maybe the Chinese either see height difference as less important, or they restrict the girls' diets to make sure they stay very light. The Second Mark, by Joy Goodwin, details the efforts to keep Shen Xue's weight down. Shen is 5'3" and Zhao is 5'10".

In Gordeeva's book My Sergei, she said she had strict dietary rules imposed by the skating club, even though she was always tiny. I believe she said that before she was paired with Sergei, officials looked into her family to make sure she wouldn't get too tall. I recall another detail: her grandmother prepared her meals. She'd say, "I know you want dessert. You can't have dessert today, but you can have it tomorrow. And look what I made for you today!"

So I'd conclude that "ideal height difference" varies greatly among schools of thought, and visual taste. I don't know:think: the answer to your question, - sorry! - but I think it's interesting.

 

[Mathman]

Did someone mention Michelle Kwan upthread? Here is a short vid of her at the Providence holiday thingy today.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10207003480397428

Is she as amazing as she was a decade ago? Vote here:

(a) The same.

(b) Even more amazing now.

 

[qwerty]

After seeing that Adam placed second at his latest event, I was excited to see his performance. I clicked on the link and it had been blocked. This makes absolutely no sense to me. They certainly can't expect fans to from the US and other Countries to travel that far to see a Challenger Event live. With all the talk of skating becoming less popular I would think the ISU would do anything they possibly could to make skating available to anyone who wants to see it.

Couldn't they at least unblock the events after 24 hours so we could at least see how the event unfolded? Oh well.

Hope I'm not out of line posting this link (then again, I probably found it on here in the first place...) but unblockyoutube.co.uk is perfect for watching Adam's programs this year! Just paste the blocked link in at the bottom.

Blocking has to do with music copyright, not ISU.

 

[skylark]

Did someone mention Michelle Kwan upthread? Here is a short vid of her at the Providence holiday thingy today.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10207003480397428

What is most amazing to me is what this 22-second clip demonstrates:

1. Speed is not the most important thing in spins.

2. Expression through movement is far and away more beautiful than perfect technique. Great technique is only the beginning point.

 

[mrrice]

Hope I'm not out of line posting this link (then again, I probably found it on here in the first place...) but unblockyoutube.co.uk is perfect for watching Adam's programs this year! Just paste the blocked link in at the bottom.

Blocking has to do with music copyright, not ISU.

I keep forgetting that Adam is skating to Pop Music. Thanks qwerty

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Anyone watching the Family Skating Tribute on ABC? It's on tv right now where I'm at.