I Wish They Would Give More Importance To The Spiral!

[PullingForSasha]

I think it's inherently beautiful. They still do it, but it seems to be something that they want to get out of the way.
I THINK many would agree that what the ISU has done is go for more BLAM! ~ More attention to athleticism than the inherent beauty of the sport. If I could wave my magic ISU wand, I would make it required with a minimum of 5 seconds (free skate) after full extension, giving it a certain amount of points. People here can judge what its value should be better than I can.
What say you, or what OTHER elements would you like to see get more priority? Don't get me wrong. I absolutely LOVE modern skating, but I have always loved the Ballerina On Ice a bit more than explosive athleticism. For instance, my NEW favorite Lady is Isabeau Levito!
All of this aside, Figure Skaters can still do one thing better than Ballerinas: FLOAT! IMO, the spiral is the best example of that.

 

[Diana Delafield]

I think it's inherently beautiful. They still do it, but it seems to be something that they want to get out of the way.
I THINK many would agree that what the ISU has done is go for more BLAM! ~ More attention to athleticism than the inherent beauty of the sport. If I could wave my magic ISU wand, I would make it required with a minimum of 5 seconds (free skate) after full extension, giving it a certain amount of points. People here can judge what its value should be better than I can.
What say you, or what OTHER elements would you like to see get more priority? Don't get me wrong. I absolutely LOVE modern skating, but I have always loved the Ballerina On Ice a bit more than explosive athleticism. For instance, my NEW favorite Lady is Isabeau Levito!
All of this aside, Figure Skaters can still do one thing better than Ballerinas: FLOAT! IMO, the spiral is the best example of that.

Yay, someone else who wants to see spirals held longer ! I hate it when maybe once in the whole program they just kick one leg up behind, up and down again. Like a horse feeling a bit antsy. A long, steady, balanced spiral, preferably with a change of edge, like Michelle Kwan's signature move. I know they have to cram a lot of elements into a program, but I've seen back spirals as approaches to jumps that were more impressive than just a back upright glide, and the jump then comes out of nowhere. Definitely, longer spirals please.

 

[auser]

Definitely, longer spirals please.

Yes, please skating powers that be please listen to @Diana Delafield . I love seeing beautiful spirals that don't feel rushed/disappear in nearly the blink of an eye.

 

[TT_Fin]

Do I remember right. wasn't a spiral sequence years ago a compulsory element in women?

 

[ladyjane]

I was just going to say that it was a compulsory element in women, and there were beautiful ones at the time. But, it needs to be said: not everyone can do a beautiful one and some looked ugly as hell. I think a beautiful spiral could be held longer, and that should be rewarded. But please give skaters who aren't good at doing it, some room to do something else instead (comparable pointswise). I wouldn't know how, but I agree that there can be beautiful ones and I would like to see those again.

 

[icewhite]

I wouldn't like to make it compulsary again. First of all because it's rather easy to do one, but hard to do a good one. We would likely see a lot of average and even bad ones.
I would support a change towards elements being held longer in the choreo sequence though. In general they are just rushed through, often not even two seconds and hardly ever longer, and of bad quality. So maybe they could add either another choreo element which needs to be held longer, or prolongue the length in the choreo s. And they definitely need to start being stricter with badly executed elements. All those bad Ina Bauers and hydroblades are not exactly pleasing either. Give out the negative GOEs... and make the base value of the non-jump elements a bit higher.

I am not fond of the ice ballerina style, btw, unless we are talking about Kolyada. It's very nice and totally fine as part of a variety, but I don't want it to dominate. (And I most definitely don't like different rules for men and women.)

 

[lariko]

I wouldn't like to make it compulsary again. First of all because it's rather easy to do one, but hard to do a good one. We would likely see a lot of average and even bad ones.
I would support a change towards elements being held longer in the choreo sequence though. In general they are just rushed through, often not even two seconds and hardly ever longer, and of bad quality. So maybe they could add either another choreo element which needs to be held longer, or prolongue the length in the choreo s. And they definitely need to start being stricter with badly executed elements. All those bad Ina Bauers and hydroblades are not exactly pleasing either. Give out the negative GOEs... and make the base value of the non-jump elements a bit higher.

I am not fond of the ice ballerina style, btw, unless we are talking about Kolyada. It's very nice and totally fine as part of a variety, but I don't want it to dominate. (And I most definitely don't like different rules for men and women.)

^This, except more inflation of the non-jump elements. Spirals can be okay, but they don't fit every program and every skater, period. There is zero need to calicify figure skating in some 70's era, because Kwan or whoever else did it back then. FS already looks terribly than dated. Needs more innovation and energy, not same-old retro stuff.

 

[el henry]

Spirals are such exciting movements. A forward looking sport would emphasize the difficulty, beauty and skating skills necessary for a well done and well held spiral.

instead of the old fashioned and boring jump jump jump, throw in a non-jump element because my choreographer told me to, jump jump. See, I did another jump, that makes me less boring. Not.

Of course my former tagline was fangirl of men's spirals and split jumps. Some competitors today can do marvelous spirals and in my opinion if figure skating wants to stay relevant, it will determine a way to encourage more. More well done and well held ones. Particularly the men.

ETA: I'm not a fan of compulsory elements, but I am not a fan of compulsory jumps either. So I am a true libertarian.

 

[macy]

I was just going to say that it was a compulsory element in women, and there were beautiful ones at the time. But, it needs to be said: not everyone can do a beautiful one and some looked ugly as hell. I think a beautiful spiral could be held longer, and that should be rewarded. But please give skaters who aren't good at doing it, some room to do something else instead (comparable pointswise). I wouldn't know how, but I agree that there can be beautiful ones and I would like to see those again.

my thoughts exactly! i do really miss a great, well done spiral sequence, but not everyone can do good spirals. i'd love to see them bring it back but with another option if you can't/don't want to do it.

 

[Rebecca Moose]

I was just going to say that it was a compulsory element in women, and there were beautiful ones at the time. But, it needs to be said: not everyone can do a beautiful one and some looked ugly as hell. I think a beautiful spiral could be held longer, and that should be rewarded. But please give skaters who aren't good at doing it, some room to do something else instead (comparable pointswise). I wouldn't know how, but I agree that there can be beautiful ones and I would like to see those again.

I agree. Everyone talks about how gorgeous spirals were in the 90s, but that's rose-tinted nostalgia: most of the American girls had stunning spirals, but almost everyone else in the world had ATROCIOUS spirals, of which Dick Button frequently reminded us.

I actually don't mind how it's structured now: skaters have a choreography sequence in which they can do beautiful, held spirals or some other moves/footwork if they don't want to do a spiral. I just wish the ISU would eliminate the levelled step sequences in the long program -- hideous, boring, banal!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

When it was required and had to be held a particular amount of time, many had beautiful spirals or even acceptable passing ones, but lately there are too many that look very bad.
It's learned early in skating skills and it wouldn't be hard to have skaters practice them and at length to perfect them if it was a required element again.

But then again, I want a full-on required footwork sequence with difficult requirements back again, especially in mens. But that's not going to happen and I've had to accept that.

 

[Diana Delafield]

I was just going to say that it was a compulsory element in women, and there were beautiful ones at the time. But, it needs to be said: not everyone can do a beautiful one and some looked ugly as hell. I think a beautiful spiral could be held longer, and that should be rewarded. But please give skaters who aren't good at doing it, some room to do something else instead (comparable pointswise). I wouldn't know how, but I agree that there can be beautiful ones and I would like to see those again.

Maybe encourage a choice between a sustained spiral, spread eagle, or Ina Bauer? (Just a first random thought -- I'm sure there are other moves like those that look impressive when done at speed and held.) I love doing spirals myself, and in combinations with a pairs partner, and my Bauer move still looks pretty good because I have a naturally flexible spine. But I've never done a good spread eagle in my life. Not enough turnout in the hip joints in spite of years of ballet as well. They're either on a very short curve and look more like hockey players' two-footed turns, or, as one coach sighed, "Just don't do that with your back to the judges' bench. Sticking your butt out at the judges is not a good look."

 

[4everchan]

I'd like skaters to skate more, really skate i mean smooth gliding with tons of ice coverage. There is a general lack of fluidity in the sport right now and that kills presentation. Excellent spirals are nice but I can live without them. I cannot live without smooth and powerful fluid skating. There is no point skating to music if there is no fluidity in the movement.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

What about adding some sort of scoring bonus for a choreo sequence if it features a 'sustained gliding edge element' held for 5 seconds? Maybe someone can come up with a better name for this element, but my main point is to let people do long edges but still have room to be creative with it - not just spiral/spreadeagle/bauer, but also different types of hydroblade, or that open backward 4th position slide that Kevin Aymoz/Aleksandr Selevko have done sometimes.

I also like those choreo sequences that are more dancy, like 2nd step sequences. But for those who want to see more held positions in skating, maybe this is the way to go? Either type is better than a throwaway afterthought choreo sequence that still nets decent marks if the skater's overall score is high.

 

[Mathman]

The thing about the spiral is that it is (perhaps the only?) move that is unique to figure skating. Higher, faster, stronger? We don't need figure skating for that. Pole vaulters jump higher, race car drivers go faster, weight lifters are stronger.

Second, the layback spin. IMHO the moves that we should most cherish are those that define figure skating as a sport.

 

[DancingCactus]

Spirals are interesting now that they are rare. When everyone was doing them, they became boring at one point. I think a variety of nonn-jump, non-spin elements should be encouraged. Especially in women, where we also have less hydroblading, cartwheels, crazy kicks and so on to add variety to a program beyond bending your spine out of place.

 

[noskates]

I wish they would replace that ugly Bielmann with a spiral. While some may think they aren't particularly challenging physically, to do one with grace, lift and hold it is quite challenging.

 

[moonvine]

The thing about the spiral is that it is (perhaps the only?) move that is unique to figure skating. Higher, faster, stronger? We don't need figure skating for that. Pole vaulters jump higher, race car drivers go faster, weight lifters are stronger.

Second, the layback spin. IMHO the moves that we should most cherish are those that define figure skating as a sport.

I miss a simple, beautiful layback spin without all these difficult entrances and exits. And you kids get off my lawn.

 

[streams4dreams]

What about adding some sort of scoring bonus for a choreo sequence if it features a 'sustained gliding edge element' held for 5 seconds? Maybe someone can come up with a better name for this element, but my main point is to let people do long edges but still have room to be creative with it - not just spiral/spreadeagle/bauer, but also different types of hydroblade, or that open backward 4th position slide that Kevin Aymoz/Aleksandr Selevko have done sometimes.

I also like those choreo sequences that are more dancy, like 2nd step sequences. But for those who want to see more held positions in skating, maybe this is the way to go? Either type is better than a throwaway afterthought choreo sequence that still nets decent marks if the skater's overall score is high.

^ This. Similar to how there are levels in spins and step sequence, there could be levels in choreo sequence, so for example, a longer held spiral / spreadeagle / etc could up a level and earn more points. By increasing the base value of the choreo sequence, rather than relying just on the goe, skaters would get better rewarded for doing an element well, while still having the freedom to perform elements they prefer (as opposed to requiring everyone to do a spiral).

 

[4everchan]

I don't mind the suggestions to make some moves count in a choreo sequence but as a fan of Patrick Chan, I know very well how a skater can have absolutely fabulous skating skills but not such great spiral, spread eagle, Ina Bauer moves. I don't think Patrick was very interested in hydroblading either. So what would we do with that hypothetically? Penalize a skater who doesn't have the natural balletic flexibility/turn out to perform these moves??? There is a reason why the layback spin is no longer mandatory for women. And there is a reason why women can get level 4 without doing a Bielmann position in the layback

What I love is the idea of adding a characteristic/rhytmic dance like choreo sequence... but i would keep one choreo sequence with moves in the field that doesn't require people to reach for unhealthy for them positions. If there were such a requirement, a less flexible skater may have to opt to some move that are uncomfortable for them or just plain ugly... and we would get back to where we were when spiral sequences were mandatory.... I used to have a love hate relationship with the pairs spiral sequence... OMG those would be so hit and miss... So happy they are gone

I know Patrick was able to do some of these moves but he certainly didn't think he was fabulous at them and they were not comfortable... and we cannot accuse Patrick of being lazy in terms of developing skating skills and his skating in general... He even added a different quad late in his career.