Robert Wagenhoffer, who was Men's Professional champion, is one of my all time favorites!
I'll be responsible for linking to Rahkamo and Kokko. They were among the most appealing ice dancers ever. Their style was innovative, narrative, emotionally connected to each other and the audience, always meticulous. Here is their La Strada. Look at their beautiful costumes--imaginative without being glitzy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySkXdaJ9JbI
I also love Renee Roca and Gorsha Sur. He was trained in the Soviet Union and came the the States and found Renee Roca. They had a brief amateur career and a sizable pro career. They always conveyed warmth and simplicity, with a pure style that I think grew out of Sur's classic Soviet training.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1YpsPjofGc
And I remember Olga Markova. Here she is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=899RcbsQKu0
I thought I'd already linked to Lisa Marie Allen, but that was on another thread. I've lost my mind while watching Olympic swimming. Here's what's considered one of Allen's best performances, the 1978 Worlds LP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0xA3hfEU30
Didn't she try to skate pairs, eventually was injured, and retired?
I still look very, very fondly on the performances Alexander Abt had given through the years he competed. He was definitely a dying breed. Smooth, creative, innovative in his own way, just a joy to watch.
Another skater I remember liking as a pro was Scott Davis, but he wasn't on TV much... I think he coaches now?
Thanks to Floskate for making this video which also includes informative notes about the exciting and influential skater John Misha Petkevich.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwUfx-fLg1s
"Misha was a huge influence on mens skating and started the trend towards true artistry, paving the way for the likes of Toller Cranston and John Curry. His skating was musical and athletic in the extreme and he was famous for the prodigous height of all his jumps."
Misha was one of Button's favorite skaters and for me the start of my golden era of skating along with Peggy, Janet, Dorothy, Toller and John Curry.
A more innovative era in skating never existed and this group led the way as they developed free skating into an art.
This thread exemplifies one of the best aspects of skating. On any day, an obscure skater might throw down an absolutely exquisite program, one that viewers will remember for years afterward. This is why it isn't always meaningful to rank skaters, by point scores, number of medals won, or any other yardstick. Skating is both sport and art, and you never know where some unexpected gem will come from.
If one takes classical music as a parallel, there's no disputing that certain composers are generally the titans, with works that reach the height of beauty and that expand the human spirit. But sometimes an otherwise obscure composer can show up with a beautiful little piece that can move you to tears or induce shivers of wonder. One example is this haunting little beginning section of a pastoral suite by the French composer Emanuel Chabrier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgJW9F9EUgI&feature=related
Likewise, every now and then a skater you don't think about much suddenly gives you this wonderful gift, which makes you see life in a different way. Thanks for all the links, so we can see these moments for ourselves.
He was divine and I was madly in love with him. I was too young though....tsk tsk.