Katherine Healy

Doggygirl · Jul 5, 2005

I don't remember ever watching her on TV or anything way back when. I guess she was somewhat of a child prodigy in that she excelled at an early age in both figure skating and ballet. I guess at some stage (must have been mid teens or so?) she chose to focus on ballet, and was apparently quite successful. I know several of you here follow ballet and would be interested in anything you remember about her.

Mean time, there are some video clips of FS exhibitions from her very young days available for download here.

http://fsvids.9.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=487

Of course these are taken from very old video, so the quality isn't that great. Heck, the clip of her at age 6 is in black and white. I found this very entertaining, especially in light of our occassional discussions about skaters who get "tagged" with "Ballerina on Ice"..... (i.e. Sasha) Now Katherine is the closest thing I've ever seen to a Ballerina on Ice.

Enjoy...

DG

Edited to correct a stupid typo. I'm sure I should do that more often.

clairecloutier · Jul 5, 2005

I've only seen Katherine skate once, about six or seven years ago, at the Evening with Champions show. Her skating was very beautiful, elegant, and graceful. At the time, my impression was that her spirals and spin positions were in a class of their own. Her ballet training was very evident.

I've often wondered what she's doing now, and if she ever skates now at public events. I believe she married a New York-area figure skating coach who was many years her senior--Ron Ludington, perhaps?

Sylvia · Jul 5, 2005

Healy married Peter Burrows and, last I heard, they are coaching in Monsey, NY. I believe Healy still performs on occasion with the Ice Theatre of New York ensemble.

Joesitz (RIP) · Jul 5, 2005

I see Healy skate 2 or 3 times a year with Ice Theatre of New York. Three years ago I would have said, she'll win the Worlds, but she's slipping now and since she is doing choreograhy is a hint that she is getting on in years.

From years past I remember her best for the 180 degree spiral and the forward charlotte as well as the back one, and for whipping fortes on ice. Grace, elegance, gives her the closest ballerina on ice together with all that speed and flow.

I know she danced with the Boston Ballet after a stint in acting but I have never seen her dance. I'm sure she was more than adequate.

Joe

jesslily · Jul 5, 2005

The book Young Figure Skater, or a similar titile published 25 years ago featured her, and I think she and Sasha Cohen have a lot of common stuff.

ChrisC · Jul 5, 2005

In the nineties, Katherine skated with the Vienna Opera Ballet. I saw her a couple of times on PBS' coverage of Vienna's New Years Eve concert. She was a principal dancer there for some time.

In 1988 or 1989, she skated in the Skating & Gymnastics Spectacular broadcast on ABC. She also danced on that show with Robin Cousins I think.

She skated like no one else.
ChrisC

Doggygirl · Jul 5, 2005

ChrisC said:
In the nineties, Katherine skated with the Vienna Opera Ballet. I saw her a couple of times on PBS' coverage of Vienna's New Years Eve concert. She was a principal dancer there for some time.

In 1988 or 1989, she skated in the Skating & Gymnastics Spectacular broadcast on ABC. She also danced on that show with Robin Cousins I think.

She skated like no one else.
ChrisC

I was mightily impressed (as I'm sure you can tell LOL!) even with the very old video / sound quality. Just out of curiosity, about how old is she now? IMO, she is the definition of "Ballet on Ice" if there is such a thing.

ETA: The Ex numbers posted on the video site seemed largely in concert with Curry. There was also a mention in the text on the video site that she "went pro" in terms of FS around age 12. I assume that might have been around the time that she focused more vigorously on her ballet potential. But WOW what a figure skater!

Thanks!
DG

Jhar55 · Jul 5, 2005

The only acting I ever saw her in was the movie 9 Weeks with Mary Tyler Moore and Dudly Moore. And then didn't know she was a skater like a few other until a few years ago when she skated with Evening With The Stars.

SK8INGRULZ · Jul 5, 2005

Jhar55, that is the only acting that she ever did.

I remember seeing her skate only once...I think it must have been the Evening of Champions eyria mentioned (however I could be wrong because I don't remember her program being spotlight, I think I remember it being in a lit arena like a competition). I was stunned at her beauty and her positions were friggin amazing. I am such a sucker for that balletic style in a skater I would have been in heaven if she had been a competitive senior skater.

sk8m8 · Jul 6, 2005

Though I can't exactly remember when, I do remember the Lovely KH skating on one of the farewell specials to Paul Wylie as he neared his regular professional career. It seems to me that the show was telecast from Colorodo.

In this special, Healy skated a lovely balletic routine. She only did doubles, but WOW what doubles they were. I remember thinking that this was what skating could be if emphasis were placed back on line and position instead of jumps, more jumps and some spins. K H spins, while not as fast, reminded me of the center that Lucinda Ruh gets on her spins. Perfectly over the circle and exsquisite posititons as she transitioned through the movement.

Another factor that impress me with this particular skate is that there was almost no empty choregraphy. The entire number was eloquently thought out and executed.

If anyone knows where a copy of that is, I'd love to lay my hands on it.

your sk8m8, mark

Doggygirl · Jul 6, 2005

Jhar55 said:
The only acting I ever saw her in was the movie 9 Weeks with Mary Tyler Moore and Dudly Moore. And then didn't know she was a skater like a few other until a few years ago when she skated with Evening With The Stars.

I didn't realize she WAS the girl in 9 weeks. When I watched the old videos yesterday I thought she looked a lot like her. I cried a bucket during that movie.

DG

Summerkid · Jul 6, 2005

She also performed in a John Curry special from the early 80's. The highest jump she did was an axel but you could tell she had potential.

Doggygirl · Jul 6, 2005

Summerkid said:
She also performed in a John Curry special from the early 80's. The highest jump she did was an axel but you could tell she had potential.

There are a couple of the John Curry related show performances at the video link listed earlier. She sure did have potential!

hockeyfan228 · Jul 6, 2005

Healy took the gold at Varna (ballet competition) in 1983.

dr.frog · Jul 6, 2005

Healy was also one of Dick Button's protoge's, as well as Curry's; she was invited to appear in some of Button's pro competitions back in the early to mid 1980s.

I've often thought that the reason why Button gushes so much over Sasha Cohen and calls *her* a "baby ballerina" is that she has a definite physical resemblance to Healy. I don't think Healy ever could have made it big in eligible skating competition because of her poor jump technique, but she was a lot better at translating ballet to ice than Cohen will ever be.

jesslily · Jul 6, 2005

Young Katherine and young Sasha were so much look alike...both of them spent a lot of time on ballet and streching...I remember the Katherine book showed that she took lessons from some famous ballet teachers, such as David Howard, and she was even in a professional ballet performance...I think I have watched her skating performance on ice on TV once, her spiral is even more stunning...but Sasha is the one who will be competing at Olympics and could get the gold...

soogar · Jul 6, 2005

dr.frog said:
I've often thought that the reason why Button gushes so much over Sasha Cohen and calls *her* a "baby ballerina" is that she has a definite physical resemblance to Healy. I don't think Healy ever could have made it big in eligible skating competition because of her poor jump technique, but she was a lot better at translating ballet to ice than Cohen will ever be.

Healy does not have poor jump technique. I just downloaded a bunch of vids of her and her jump technique (albeit doubles) is stunning. She precisely goes into each jump and her flowout on her landings is amazing. Even her air position is perfect.

Sasha can hit similar positions to Katherine, but what separates Katherine from Sasha is her precision and body position in all of her elements. Everything that Katherine does on the ice is measured and perfect from her crossovers, spins , spirals and jumps. Sasha is much more "athletic" with less thought to the detail and positioning on the basic elements such as the crossovers and more focus on the jumps and spins (the more athletic maneuvers). Quite frankly, Sasha isn't even in Katherine Healey's league (and I love Sasha's skating). When I watch Katherine skate, I feel that there is a theme or thought that prevails thoughout her skating in terms of its focus on lines and edges and body positions (much like Toller Cranston and Gary Beacom) which is applied to every element which is lacking in many skaters' skating (not just picking on Sasha). Katherine is very much John Curry's protege.

I do appreciate that a skater of Katherine's caliber has received exposure despite her lack of titles. I would rather watch her than a lot of Olympic medalists.

jesslily · Jul 6, 2005

I read the Young Figure Skater book first and watched Katherine's professional performance after. I feel I like young Katherine better. The only skating performace of her I watched seemed showing too much ballet influence. It was just a complete ballet on ice. I think Kathrine is a ballet dancer rather than a figure skater.

hockeyfan228 · Jul 7, 2005

Healy is a lovely, lovely skater, but she does have a wrapped leg on her jumps. It's the only line break she has, but I find it a bit jarring, nonetheless.

Mathman · Jul 7, 2005

Here is Katherine looking Sasha-esque

http://members.aol.com/loisy/cousins/nut89.htm

Here she is in Six Weeks

http://www.dreamstarlets.com/lobby/main/moviesk/khsixweeks0002.html

Katherine Healy

Doggygirl

clairecloutier

Sylvia

Joesitz (RIP)

jesslily

ChrisC

Doggygirl

Jhar55

SK8INGRULZ

sk8m8

Doggygirl

Summerkid

Doggygirl

hockeyfan228

dr.frog

jesslily

soogar

jesslily

hockeyfan228

Mathman

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