When will Johnny be taken seriously?

[IDLERACER]

On the Weir name, again, in English a weir is a kind of stationery fish trap, often built with nets over poles.

Really? Gee, and all this time I thought it was the Grateful Dead's rhythm guitarist. ​

 

[Ladskater]

I know it would be better not to bother acknowledging the men skating like men comment, but I can't resist. One of the men who skates like a man does a Biellman spin. ROTFL!
Linny

Actually Shawn Sawyer from Canada does the best Biellman I have seen since Biellman herself made the spin famous. He came 9th at the NHK competition. HIs jumps and consistency need some work, but Shawn's spins and spirals are outstanding!


http://www.scratchspin.com/2002/holiday02/sawyer2.html

http://www.scratchspin.com/2003/hagerstown03/sawyer1.html

 

[mpal2]

Count me as a fan who does go to Nationals to see Johnny Weir. He was the main reason why I wanted to see the men's events. I was so sad for him in 2003 and thrilled in 2004. :agree: I can't wait to see what happens in 2005!

I have to agree with previous posts, polished does not necessarily equal feminine. It just equals pretty darn good style.

 

[valuvsmk]

Not any one woman-more that he skates like a woman in gerneral. That is, he is effeminate out there, and that just not something I enjoy.

I daresay that, if you really paid attention to his skating style and applied it to your own, you would become a much better skater - just food for thought.

BTW, since you are the "keeper" of Sasha's friendships, one of her closest appears to be with Johnny.

 

[skatepixie]

His style might work for me...Im a girl.

I know shes friends with JW. Im sure hes a great person and all that. I just dont like his style. I like Plush as a person...but on the ice he bores me. Seems like a great guy in interviews, though. Same with JW.

64-Ive seen John Curry. Loved the edges...was kinda so-so on his style in general. I know JC and JW have wonderful body control. I get that. I just dont like the artistry that they present. That is, the womanly way they express it all and the overall feel to the program.

 

[dmr65]

Ah, ok.. I know what Skatepixie is trying to say.. But, I'll digress..




Denise...

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I think Skatepixie is quite clear in her thinking and that's as it should be. Pink is for girls and blue is for boys. Of course, that kind of thinking will limit anyone who enjoys the arts.

John Curry revolutionized Men's figure skating by introducing style. Before JC, all the Men behaved as just wearing blue. Many still do, unfortunately.

Joe

 

[Doggygirl]

Well...

...good to know that Johnny picked the right color for his costume.

(just kidding)

I certainly understand preferences for different styles. For me anyway, the terms "feminine" and "masculine" really don't describe things.

DG

 

[soogar]

I'll agree with Skatepixie that Johnny does skate like a girl. It's not body control or attention to detail but rather his gestures and mannerisms on the ice that make him feminine. Plush may do a Bielmann, but he's got that "slash and burn vitality" (love this Buttonism) that makes him a man. However I will say that Plush has just come into his own in terms of owning the ice. I consider Dortmund a turning point for Plush in terms of taking command of the ice.

In terms of which girl Johnny skates like... there are no girls that skate like Johnny, however his style of skating and jumps are what the IDEAL girl skater would have. Watching Johnny , I wish he could just don a wig and a dress and skate with the ladies 'cause he can show them a thing or two on presentation and style.

 

[Tonichelle]

His style might work for me...Im a girl.

I know shes friends with JW. Im sure hes a great person and all that. I just dont like his style. I like Plush as a person...but on the ice he bores me. Seems like a great guy in interviews, though. Same with JW.

64-Ive seen John Curry. Loved the edges...was kinda so-so on his style in general. I know JC and JW have wonderful body control. I get that. I just dont like the artistry that they present. That is, the womanly way they express it all and the overall feel to the program.

Skate Pixie, I'm with you on I don't like his style. Just letting you know you're not alone

I'm also with Mathman on the costumes... I always expect to see Rudy Galindo when I see Johnny... Not saying it's an insult, jut never cared for that type of costume. *shrugs*

I'm not saying that his skating is "gay" or "wrong" just not for me, and I think that's what skatepixie is saying. That's what's great about skating...

and I think that could be why the media hasn't really used him to sell the news... he's not the stereotypical manly skater like Tim and even Mike are... so they shy away from it.... just my 2 cents

 

[curious]

johnny is like oksana baiul lots of flow and DRAMA

 

[bronxgirl]

why does anyone car if Johnny's style is "masculine" or not? You either enjoy his style, or you don't. Is Irina's style "masculine" because of her athleticism? I wouldn't say so, but again, to me you either enjoy a skater's style or not. gender identiy issues should have nothing to do with it.

 

[skatepixie]

You can be graceful and have control and still skate like a man. You can have huge jumps and all that and still skate like a girl. Its the mannerisms that really make it, to me at least. Im not saying that male skaters should have no artistry or anything like that. Look at Alexei. Very artistic, but very manly too. Thats the kind of thing I prefer style-wise. Im not saying theres anything "wrong" with JW. Its just not what I enjoy.

 

[SkateFan4Life]

Well, I am not an expert on ballet or anything, but Weir's skating style does not seem sissy to me. Unlike many skaters, both men and women, Johnny is always in total command of his body. Male does not have to equal clumsy. Mathman

I agree with you - Johnny Weir's style is anything but "sissy". He's a top male skater with great athleticism who also has great artistry. IMHO, this could be an unbeatable package. He has a natural, strong sense of musicality, and he interprets the music beautifully. I think Johnny is a World champion in the making.

There are few male skaters out there who have a genuine sense of artistry. Most of them just uncork quad and triple after quad and triple. I'm not faulting any of these guys, believe me. They know that they need those jumps in order to win medals. With the new scoring system, however, athletic skaters who also have a strong sense of artistry may leap to the head of the pack.

Go, Johnny, Go!

 

[PrincessLeppard]

Johnny is very elegant on the ice; he skates like a Russian. His skating, to me, is reminiscent of Alexander Abt and Evgeni Plushenko, but he isn't a clone. Johnny has their grace, excellent edges, magnificent camel spin and their ability to interpret music.

Pixie, Toni, if you don't like that style, that's fine, but to call it "girly" or "feminine" is just wrong on so many levels. It's 2004. Can we please accept that elegance is not a strictly feminine trait?

 

[skatepixie]

I never said elegance is just a girl thing. Ever.

 

[Ladskater]

I think Skatepixie is quite clear in her thinking and that's as it should be. Pink is for girls and blue is for boys. Of course, that kind of thinking will limit anyone who enjoys the arts.

John Curry revolutionized Men's figure skating by introducing style. Before JC, all the Men behaved as just wearing blue. Many still do, unfortunately.

Joe

Hey, it was Toller who broke the mold and made it popular for the male skaters to express themselves artistically and to wear avant-garde costumes!!!!

 

[Ladskater]

Johnny is very elegant on the ice; he skates like a Russian. His skating, to me, is reminiscent of Alexander Abt and Evgeni Plushenko, but he isn't a clone. Johnny has their grace, excellent edges, magnificent camel spin and their ability to interpret music.

Pixie, Toni, if you don't like that style, that's fine, but to call it "girly" or "feminine" is just wrong on so many levels. It's 2004. Can we please accept that elegance is not a strictly feminine trait?

Actually, he reminds me a little bit of Toller. Very expressive. Nice change from jump, jump, jump.

 

[Jaana]

As far as I remember Toller Cranston, I cannot see a resemblance between his skating and that of Johnny Weir. Cranston was kind of exaggerating in his moves and went over the top in artistry, in my opinion. I did not see his artistry as beautiful or sensitive. It was strong. Have to add though that after he left the amateur skating, I have not seen anything from him.

If one has to find a resemblance from the past, I would say that there is a much closer one between the skating of John Curry and Johnny Weir.

Marjaana

 

[dorispulaski]

Johnny reminds me more of Toller Cranston than John Curry. One of Toller's SP's is on Rinkside. Try downloading and see whether you agree. The smoothness of Johnny's skating is very like Curry, but the mannerisms are more like Cranston's. BTW, I loved the skating of both Curry and Cranston, and was watching skating during their careers.

When I first saw Johnny a couple years ago, my first thought was, "There's a fellow whose channelling Toller Cranston."