- Joined
- Dec 21, 2003
I wonder who the coach was who told the skaters that? I have not heard this before, coaches that I am familiar with never told their students anything of the kind.
Ballet and figure skating
- Thread starter tparker30
- Start date
I think it more difficult for figure skaters to do this because their boots are much heavier than toe shoes. Besides, she has to skate on the blade at speed, which makes it more difficult to concentrate on finding the balance.
Apparently, narrow helps also helps. Lucky for the boys!
The people who have nice ina baurs and spread eagles have good turnout. Damn!
Can you tell a skater has good alignment? What part of the skating does it show up? ie., spins, jumps, other? Is it possible for a skater to appear to have good alignment in skating, but then put them at a barre and they have no clue?
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
In the SP, Arakawa had a minor wobble in her waist to keep balance during that spiral. (But not in the LP.)
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2005
Yeah--if they know how to align their spine correctly, their jumps will rotate faster and their spins won't travel as much. It helps getting over your blade correctly. (Also keeps you from sticking your butt out.)
I disagree it's easier because of the toe shoes--in a toe shoe, all your weight is aligned over your TOES when en pointe. In a skate you're standing flat on your foot and even pushing into the heel. Honestly I feel a lot more secure in skates than even in the demi-pointe position I'm basically forced into for ballroom--the edges bite the ice. In a dance shoe it's just my own strength keeping me up.
I disagree it's easier because of the toe shoes--in a toe shoe, all your weight is aligned over your TOES when en pointe. In a skate you're standing flat on your foot and even pushing into the heel. Honestly I feel a lot more secure in skates than even in the demi-pointe position I'm basically forced into for ballroom--the edges bite the ice. In a dance shoe it's just my own strength keeping me up.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2006
Watching most of the russian pairs, you can tell that they have good allignment, Michelle seems to have it... Sasha is the prime example. Whatever position she is in, her feet are pointed, back straight as an arrow, arms strong.
That just seems like a person who has solid abs, not necessarily ballet.
But I thought Sasha had no ballet background.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
I thought she did when she was a gymnast, if not formally at a ballet school, though her gymnastics program.
A little OT, but I was just watched this program again (Katia Gordeeva skating to Giselle): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfQDYH4xUYs
It's one of my favorites because she looks like such a ballerina in this program (and you can really see what ballet training can bring to skating). Her spins are so centered, her arms/posture are perfect -- few skaters can skate like this!
It's one of my favorites because she looks like such a ballerina in this program (and you can really see what ballet training can bring to skating). Her spins are so centered, her arms/posture are perfect -- few skaters can skate like this!
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
There was no music that I could hear. Watching it without music seemed like a very pretty standard skating routine. I just can't imagine Giselle in a camel or a sit spin and cross rolls instead of glisades. However Katerina did carry her arms well, and she had good expression.
Joe
Joe
You couldn't hear the music? Hmm, the video had music in it....
I
IcyBallerina
Guest
Speaking from my own experience, I would say that balancing a spiral at full speed is even easier than balancing an arabesque on flat. And compared to an arabesque on releve, it's positively trifling. My own theory is that because of the edge, momentum, and and length of the blade, there is a much larger margin of error for centering your balance.
In addition, an arabesque on releve (and I would assume, pointe) requires not only lift and flexibility in the working leg but also incredible strength in the standing ankle. It is MUCH harder than it looks to keep that foot fully pointed!
On top of this, the position required in ballet is much less forgiving as far as upper body is concerned. A ballerina would never work if she couldn't keep her back arched and lifted, no matter how high her leg went. Skaters get away with this all the time! And continuing along the thread of technique and alignment, a skater cannot do a spiral with both legs turned out, as the would be in an arabesque. This makes it easier to cheat for height by opening the hips.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Finally a post for not comparing ballet with figure skating. Thank you IcyBalerina
Good skating doesn't have to look like ballet, and ballet does not need anything from from figure skating.
Joe
Back to the original question of why a coach might not want skaters train the 5th position. I don't know what motivated this coach, but I personally started overly turning out my knees in skating, in certain MIF's and spins -- in the meantime, I was taking some dance lessons in ballet, modern, and Argentine tango. I don't know if all that dancing had to do with it or not, but I actually have to think about keeping those toes pointing IN in order to do certain skating moves correctly.
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2007
That's true, I've been taking dance classes at school for the last 4 years and I just relized last week that I turn out my picking foot in my lutz subconciously, it was causing alot of probems and now I have to think not to turn out. turnout can also hurt closing the in jumps.
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- Joined
- Dec 28, 2006
hmmm. interesting. maybe that is why skaters with balletic line (sasha cohen) have not always been the best jumpers.
