Ballet and figure skating

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Fred Astaire had good line and he was a hoofer not a ballet dancer.

My one question about this is: Why oh Why does someone with ballet-like arms with a good turn out in the legs immediately be called a ballerina. Trust me, it takes a lot more in dance to be called a ballerina. Triples are what make Lady skaters special, and if they show great flow over the ice, then we can speak of greatness.

Joe

 

[Mathman]

I think people who are not experts in dance use the language "ballet-like" to refer to any kind of graceful movement or attractive position.

When they say Sasha looks like a ballerina when she skates, I think they mostly just mean that she looks pretty.

 

[passion]

Fred Astaire had good line and he was a hoofer not a ballet dancer.

My one question about this is: Why oh Why does someone with ballet-like arms with a good turn out in the legs immediately be called a ballerina. Trust me, it takes a lot more in dance to be called a ballerina. Triples are what make Lady skaters special, and if they show great flow over the ice, then we can speak of greatness.

Joe

I agree. You could have beautiful arms and good turn out and absolutely suck in ballet.

 

[all that]

Fred Astaire had good line and he was a hoofer not a ballet dancer.

My one question about this is: Why oh Why does someone with ballet-like arms with a good turn out in the legs immediately be called a ballerina. Trust me, it takes a lot more in dance to be called a ballerina. Triples are what make Lady skaters special, and if they show great flow over the ice, then we can speak of greatness.

Joe

Are there a lot of people who are actually calling figure skaters "ballerinas"? That would be odd, since figure skating and ballet are so different. I would think there are more people saying that certain figure skaters "look like ballerinas," meaning that they are showing the type of body control and positioning years of ballet can teach you. But I think most people know that ballet and figure skating aren't interchangeable.

 

[all that]

hmmm. interesting. maybe that is why skaters with balletic line (sasha cohen) have not always been the best jumpers.

Is Emanuel Sandhu a poor jumper? I never really followed his skating, but I do know he graduated from Canada's National Ballet School, so I'd think he's fairly good at ballet.

 

[Kypma]

Is Emanuel Sandhu a poor jumper? I never really followed his skating, but I do know he graduated from Canada's National Ballet School, so I'd think he's fairly good at ballet.

Emanuel has issues with mental strength during competitions, but other than that he has good jumps. His nemesis is the triple Axel, because his takeoff technique isn't quite right (Kurt explaining it when he analysed the Olympics on the CBC), but other than that he's a good jumper when he's not being judged.

Kypma

 

[glenn]

I've done ballet for a couple years, and I can't imagine any reason that proper fifth position would hurt skating ability...

 

[Mathman]

Thanks for posting, glenn. Welcome to the forum! :agree:

 

[passion]

I've done ballet for a couple years, and I can't imagine any reason that proper fifth position would hurt skating ability...

Glenn, I think you are the perfect person to answer my question. I was wondering how specifically your ballet helps your skating? And also, does your skating help your ballet?