The Illusion Spin
- Thread starter gsk8
- Start date
- Joined
- May 19, 2011
There are some good illusion spins but there are some really ugly ones too.
I think what defines a good illusion spin is the ability to keep a straight line from the head to the toe without bending/kicking the free leg to sustain the motion.
I think Adelina has one of, if not the, best illusion spins right now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rrC93Oe2QE#t=91
I think Anna Pogorilaya has one of the worst ones of the top ladies. Whereas Adelina's illusion seems to start at the top of her head with her free leg following the motion, Anna's illusion is completely driven by her kicking her free leg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cWVnXsR7x0#t=125 The leg is bent and wild looking...it's just not a pretty move for her.
I'm trying to think of some other nice illusions. I see a number of nice illusions in footwork but not that many great ones in the spins nowadays.
I think what defines a good illusion spin is the ability to keep a straight line from the head to the toe without bending/kicking the free leg to sustain the motion.
I think Adelina has one of, if not the, best illusion spins right now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rrC93Oe2QE#t=91
I think Anna Pogorilaya has one of the worst ones of the top ladies. Whereas Adelina's illusion seems to start at the top of her head with her free leg following the motion, Anna's illusion is completely driven by her kicking her free leg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cWVnXsR7x0#t=125 The leg is bent and wild looking...it's just not a pretty move for her.
I'm trying to think of some other nice illusions. I see a number of nice illusions in footwork but not that many great ones in the spins nowadays.
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2010
I'm not very fond of illusion spins, only Sotnikova and Asada make me appreciate this move.
I think Alena Leonova showed a good example in her 2012 world short
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iais8SwERwU#t=200
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iais8SwERwU#t=200
Some illusion spins look more like a failed camel than an actual illusion, so Im not shocked to hear that illusions were failed camels originally. Although I like her, I think Edmunds has an awkward illusion, she doesn't dip her head down or get her free leg extended into the air high enough. I like illusions in combination to other spins, I don't like them in step sequences where some skaters have been putting them
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2012
I find there are better 'illusion spins' in dance than Ice Skating.
Were the judges fooled? lol She was the 1952 world champion and 1952 Olympic bronze medalist.
http://www.ifsmagazine.com/articles/32447-jacqueline-du-bief
I agree with lilahozi - Most skaters perform the illusion spin rather poorly. As a former baton twirler, I was pleased to see a common baton twirling move (toss illusion, toss double illusion, etc.) on ice, but mortified by the poor technique I saw from (the vast majority of the) top-tier skaters. Skaters could definitely take some tips from baton twirlers when it comes to illusion technique!
We're seeing a lot of illusions as entries to spins this season, especially forward illusion into layback, as so far the most common example of the new difficult entry level feature.
For the last several years we've been seeing them in step sequences as one way to include full-body movement.
For the last several years we've been seeing them in step sequences as one way to include full-body movement.
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
I like Sotnikova's illusion and she executes it very well ... would prefer a bit more of a split but it's still clean -- a lot of illusions look sloppy, like Osmond's and Kostner's, but it's an incredibly hard spin to execute properly, since your core is constantly shifting up and down, rather than a static core position (like most spin positions) where you don't bob your centre of gravity up and down.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
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Jason Brown does an illusion as part of his final spin in River Dance. I think it looked pretty good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J61k2XjRryM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J61k2XjRryM
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2012
I agree that Sotnikova has the best illusion spin, not just the straight line she keeps, but also she can do that continuously.
hwell:- Joined
- Jun 14, 2014
Many do them to get points but they look just plain ugly.
The only one who has a good one is Sotnikova, she executes it very well.
There are SO many possible positions, I don't get why say Pogorilaya chooses THIS position when it clearly does no good for her :/
The only one who has a good one is Sotnikova, she executes it very well.
There are SO many possible positions, I don't get why say Pogorilaya chooses THIS position when it clearly does no good for her :/
