What do you call that Michelle move?

Ok, I use "Michelle move" because I think it's safe to say only she does it or no one does it better. She launches into a spiral and then leans her body very close to the ice and stretches her arm to touch the ice with her fingers to support her body (pardon my clumsy layman description) . Does any other skater do that move? If not why? Is it because it's difficult? I would think it is. How would it score under the COP?

The move your are describing is a "Charlotte" spiral. Basically the skater balances on one foot, the other leg is in spiral position, and the skater leans forward as (s)he moves backward.

This was named after a skater who's first name was Charlotte and is a long established skating "in the field" move that was performed far more when jumps where less emphasized in competitive skating.

Sasha Cohen has also used this move to great effect. With her extension and flexiblity, it has often been called "the best in the business" by Uncle Dickie and Peggers during competitions.

I personally like the way that MK incorporates this move into her program and she has also been known to end this long edged move by swinging her free leg around into a spin at the end of the Charlotte.

Hope this helps

Thanks sk8m8. Now I'm confused. Isn't the Charlotte move done in a straight line and not on a deep edge like Michelle does? By the way, Sasha has never done her Charlotte on an edge, hasn't she? Her extension on her Charlotte is jaw-dropping though.

Apache - I think what you mean is the circular arc she makes in a back outside spiral where her hand toches the ice. When I first saw that move some time ago, she actually turned it into a two rotation camel spin. It was quite pretty and effective. She no longer ends in the camel spin, so I would rank it as a particularly nice 'Move in the Field'.

It would be a way for a skater to do a Charlotte Camel - a move no one has even attempted.

Joe

I've seen local skaters turn a back outside spiral with hand on the ice into a back camel spin.

I've seen both Kwan and Bobek do that spiral with about one revolution as they're coming up to the upright position.

Vyacheslav Zagorodniuk used to do a forward outside spiral with one hand on the ice.

In his 1997 long program (I know he kept the program for 1998, not sure about this particular move), Igor Pashkevich did a forward spiral in a catch-foot (donut) position that he was able to twist into a forward donut spin without letting go of the blade -- most amazing. Only about 3 revs in the spin, though.

Apache, are you talking about the move she does at the very end of Fields of Gold?

MM

Mathman said:

Apache, are you talking about the move she does at the very end of Fields of Gold?

MM

Click to expand...

I am guessing that it is the move. If so, she also does it in her Tosca LP, directly after her second lutz.

move

if the move in question is the one she does at the end of FOG and the one Luci is talking about, it's a slide spiral. Robyn Cousins did one (forward) in his Oly LP. Katja Gordeeva used to do one (forward) in her programs. It's a skid on a spiral...except they make it look exquisite and controled when they lean. It's actually quite hard...