Camel spins - what makes them good? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Camel spins - what makes them good?

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
Can you point to an ideal camel spin that fits your definition (pre-COP if necessary), because that shape you illustrated is hard for me to imagine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVt3I4IL18s&t=1m17s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVt3I4IL18s&t=1m50s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfluAux0Sf0 (just gonna link the whole thing, it's something that should be watched at least once a month anyway :p)

See how the free leg and upper body raise up from the flat of the back, forming a shape similar to what I was talking about?
 

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Here's another example (change-foot camel near the beginning of the program) of the camel sideways (somewhat twisted) position combined with the forward outside edge. Again, it's a pretty nice-looking position and I think she's doing it to make the outside edge easier, i.e., to make the spin harder.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
All of the last three had straighter supporting legs and, I think, slightly squarer shoulders than Alissa. Not totally sure about the shoulders. I find it hard to admire a bent-legged camel spin unless of course that's an intentional variation.
 

backhand45

Rinkside
Joined
Jun 13, 2011
Maria B

I have never skated at a competitive level however, I am a former professional dancer and continue in the activity as a judge. In 1999 I attended several skating competitions with a good friend who's daughter was quite good.

We'd be sitting together and at times I just couldn't help myself. I used to complain constantly about the horrible camel positions during spins. I'd say things like....

"Take a dance class" or "It's all about those hips ladies"

" Fine, they can't point in skates but is anyone talking to these girls about how to turn out ???? "

Well, in 1999 ( I'm old ) I saw Maria Butyrskaya win worlds and I called my friend and said "Now that girl knows how to do a real camel !!" Unfortunately, her daughter said she didn't like the way Maria skated and couldn't believe that of all the skaters to chose from, I chose Maria. I didn't know skaters by name back then and I know she wanted me to say Kwan but IMO Maria's camel was the best of any skater I'd seen.

Her free leg rotated out while the hips remained square. She also had beautiful turnout. When Mr Button commented on her wonderful position I thought to myself. I knew I wasn't crazy, that is a good camel......
 

aftertherain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
^She was very pretty as well. :)

I've always likes Michelle's camel spin, but I also thought it could be a little faster as well..

Actually, the reason why I posted was to ask a question. When a skater is doing a wobbly camel spin, are they doing that on purpose to be considered an "edge" spin or are they just bad at it?
 

skfan

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
I have never skated at a competitive level however, I am a former professional dancer and continue in the activity as a judge. In 1999 I attended several skating competitions with a good friend who's daughter was quite good.

We'd be sitting together and at times I just couldn't help myself. I used to complain constantly about the horrible camel positions during spins. I'd say things like....

"Take a dance class" or "It's all about those hips ladies"

" Fine, they can't point in skates but is anyone talking to these girls about how to turn out ???? "

Well, in 1999 ( I'm old ) I saw Maria Butyrskaya win worlds and I called my friend and said "Now that girl knows how to do a real camel !!" Unfortunately, her daughter said she didn't like the way Maria skated and couldn't believe that of all the skaters to chose from, I chose Maria. I didn't know skaters by name back then and I know she wanted me to say Kwan but IMO Maria's camel was the best of any skater I'd seen.

Her free leg rotated out while the hips remained square. She also had beautiful turnout. When Mr Button commented on her wonderful position I thought to myself. I knew I wasn't crazy, that is a good camel......


i will speak as a fan who only knows what she finds aesthetic and doesn't know the technical details that go into it.

yes, for me too, maria b. had an amazing camel spin. of course sasha cohen had nice camel spins too, but nearly all sasha's spins were superlative. i can't say maria's other spins stood out the way her camel spin did. maria had a rigidity about her skating that looked sexy and commanding to some, but didn't appeal to me--i prefer my dominatrix to look like nicole bobek :) the other skaters whom i remember for their one truly outstanding spin were: angela nikodinov for the best layback ever, elena sokolova for the best sit spin ever :) because unlike sasha cohen their other spins weren't nearly so amazing as their one great spin--as much as peggy waxed eloquent about that camel where angela joined her hands behind her back it just didn't look so nice to me.

to me, the position is #1 and no one struck a better position than maria b IMO. nicole bobek, when she felt motivated, could equal maria :) nicole had so many spins that were lovely, as did yuka sato. i sometimes liked MK's camel for the position, even though the speed wasn't always amazing--although in the 98 season she had decent speed in both directions and a fairly good position. i liked the camel variations from the taj mahal and winter programs. spins were not MK's strong point.

i love dorothy hamill and caryn kadavy, but i didn't find the hamill camel that attractive to look at (i appreciate it overall, but it isn't one that sticks in the mind), and i didn't much like kadavy's camel spin, which always threatened to turn into that not-so-lovely donut spin. i think jill trenary and debi thomas also had nice camel spins. ekaterina gordeeva too, as both single and pair skater.

i like miki's camel spin very much--i prefer hers, mirai's and mao's to the other COP ladies.
 
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Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Well, in 1999 ( I'm old ) I saw Maria Butyrskaya win worlds and I called my friend and said "Now that girl knows how to do a real camel !!"

watching the 99 worlds does not make one old... that'd make me ancient :laugh: (first worlds I remember vividly was 94, but I know I watched all the way back to 89) ;)

welcome to teh boards, post often, post long!
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
^My first worlds was in 1999 :).
About Maria, this is my fav program besides otonal! She had a tone of personality on the ice!
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Miki's camel spin was a little wobbly going in and she travels somewhat. Alisha's is well centred and she is balanced right over her blade. Also Miki's camel spin - though a traditional camel spin - did not involve as many revolutions as Alisha's. I would imagine Alisha picked up higher marks for her camel spin than Miki did for hers.
 

skfan

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
Miki's camel spin was a little wobbly going in and she travels somewhat. Alisha's is well centred and she is balanced right over her blade. Also Miki's camel spin - though a traditional camel spin - did not involve as many revolutions as Alisha's. I would imagine Alisha picked up higher marks for her camel spin than Miki did for hers.

as a mere home watcher, i value position over speed. of course poor centering is distracting, but miki's centering is generally pretty good too. IMO alissa could afford to sacrifice some speed for better extension and position on (camel) spins and spirals. she's certainly not lacking in flexibility from where i sit. but hey, i'm not on any judging panel :) i would never value something that looks less attractive just because it's difficult technically, like, all those blade grab death spirals and ugly dog at hydrant spiral positions.
 

gio

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Maria Butyrskaya had one of the best basic camels in the business. I also remember her lovely upright spin with both hands in the back.

And as seniorita, 1999 Worlds were my first Worlds too. :)
 
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