Beautiful Spirals

[EyesOfLove]

[Not quite pertinent to the intense discussion and hand-wringing about the competitive skaters this season. But I presume I can post on this topic on The Edge. If not, please move this thread to other categories as seen apt]


Why does a spiral move skating fans so much, or at least myself? For this gliding move over the ice, with the upper body and free-leg held erect and proud, evokes a pure, primitive joy of movement, almost approximating the freedom attendant on flight, if you will, for which humans have been known to possess a vague longing from time immemorial. When seeing it executed well and effectively to the highlight of the music, I experience a spiritual exaltation scarcely reproducible from any other move. No wonder it became a signature element in ladies skating along with the layback spin until a program under the IJS got too packed with other elements to leave room for a well-executed spiral.

These are some in which I REVEL. (* please excuse the fact that since I mostly ladies discipline only the list consists solely of women skaters)

4. Sasha Cohen: 2004 Worlds SP- Malaguena: https://youtu.be/sI-cbt1u1uc?t=100

Need I say more? The most immaculate flexibility and carriage in her position beggar description.

3. Carolina Kostner: 2007 Worlds SP- Canon: https://youtu.be/9qSCT15IRpU?t=113

Steady, elegant, if not wildly contortionistic, position, accentuated by the breathtaking speed, the solidity of edging.

2. Nicole Bobek: 1998 US Nationals LP- Liebestraum and others: https://youtu.be/Kfgs3gW82YI?t=5613

Nicole was one of the trail-blazers of the 'really-good-spiral-moves,' whom even Michelle Kwan emulated in improving her spirals. Watch her HOLDING THE MOVE like her life depends on it. Amazing. Something rarely seen among skaters these days.

1. Michlle Kwan: 2001 US Nationals SP- East of Eden: https://youtu.be/WuHu9rwqdrw?t=140

So much heart and abandon you almost feel as though she is not doing the move but becoming it, being transmogrified to the great work of art she is.


I so like this move that I'd like to share with other posters. What are your favorite spirals? By Whom? In what program?

 

[Orlov]

Why does a spiral move skating fans so much, or at least myself?

thanks for this clarification

 

[Seven Sisters]

So few current skaters do those beautiful old-school spirals any more. A notable exception: Karen Chen, who showed everyone how it’s done at US Nationals and Four Continents this year.

 

[MiraiFan]

OMG I had not seen that Kostner program before--just gorgeous!

 

[Tutto]

4. Sasha Cohen: 2004 Worlds SP- Malaguena: https://youtu.be/sI-cbt1u1uc?t=100

I just miss her so much ... sigh..

 

[WeakAnkles]

It's not surprising that three out of the four skaters on your list are American; American audiences always seemed to show more appreciation for a good spiral than almost any other element. Amd advertisements for televised events almost always included a female skater in a spiral beaming away.

I wonder if it is a cultural thing...

 

[lariko]

I liked the first one. The 2 and 3 feel maybe a bit slow, I guess (from the top of the post)?

 

[Weathergal]

[Not quite pertinent to the intense discussion and hand-wringing about the competitive skaters this season. But I presume I can post on this topic on The Edge. If not, please move this thread to other categories as seen apt]


Why does a spiral move skating fans so much, or at least myself? For this gliding move over the ice, with the upper body and free-leg held erect and proud, evokes a pure, primitive joy of movement, almost approximating the freedom attendant on flight, if you will, for which humans have been known to possess a vague longing from time immemorial. When seeing it executed well and effectively to the highlight of the music, I experience a spiritual exaltation scarcely reproducible from any other move. No wonder it became a signature element in ladies skating along with the layback spin until a program under the IJS got too packed with other elements to leave room for a well-executed spiral.

These are some in which I REVEL. (* please excuse the fact that since I mostly ladies discipline only the list consists solely of women skaters)

4. Sasha Cohen: 2004 Worlds SP- Malaguena: https://youtu.be/sI-cbt1u1uc?t=100

Need I say more? The most immaculate flexibility and carriage in her position beggar description.

3. Carolina Kostner: 2007 Worlds SP- Canon: https://youtu.be/9qSCT15IRpU?t=113

Steady, elegant, if not wildly contortionistic, position, accentuated by the breathtaking speed, the solidity of edging.

2. Nicole Bobek: 1998 US Nationals LP- Liebestraum and others: https://youtu.be/Kfgs3gW82YI?t=5613

Nicole was one of the trail-blazers of the 'really-good-spiral-moves,' whom even Michelle Kwan emulated in improving her spirals. Watch her HOLDING THE MOVE like her life depends on it. Amazing. Something rarely seen among skaters these days.

1. Michlle Kwan: 2001 US Nationals SP- East of Eden: https://youtu.be/WuHu9rwqdrw?t=140

So much heart and abandon you almost feel as though she is not doing the move but becoming it, being transmogrified to the great work of art she is.


I so like this move that I'd like to share with other posters. What are your favorite spirals? By Whom? In what program?

To answer your question about why are spirals such moving elements: When used well - and you obviously have some great examples there - a good, or in these cases, great - spiral helps convey the emotion of the music and the skater. It takes a great deal of skill to perform a good spiral - steady edges, balance, and more - but although I'm sure many audience members appreciate the technical aspect of a spiral, I think the artistry is what grabs you first. I feel this way about a spread eagle, which I've always been a great fan of. ex. Brian Boitano https://youtu.be/MleTnhI-lOw?t=169 https://youtu.be/OCKGA00-3Ek?t=195 Jonathan Cassar https://youtu.be/RN9ZbcEUp2c?t=184 Also some step sequences seem to "lead with artistry" even though they are technically difficult, it's the emotion that grabs you first. (ex. Denis Ten: https://youtu.be/1aGjv8F0EW8?t=164)

 

[el henry]

Thank you for the thread, Eyes of Love, and for this description:

“Why does a spiral move skating fans so much, or at least myself? For this gliding move over the ice, with the upper body and free-leg held erect and proud, evokes a pure, primitive joy of movement, almost approximating the freedom attendant on flight”.

They certainly move me :yes: athletic skill required to hold a dramatic long spiral, the blade to ice skill, the smooth movements, I *love* a good spiral. And I love it in the men. Of course, I think I can say that this is true not just as fangirl but even if you don’t like the move, Jason Brown is the current master of men’s spirals.

In every comp where I can hear the audience reaction, Jason’s spirals elicit ooohs and aaahs and applause from the audience. Korea, Japan, Finland, Taiwan, and of course the US of A.

At least for Jason, the appreciation is worldwide

 

[macy]

Alissa Czisny :luv17: she was so exquisite

 

[PyeongChang2018]

Shizuka's were brilliant! That unassisted free leg spiral.

Mao's were pretty good. Kim gets a lot of crap for hers because of the free leg position, but she had deeeeeep edges and could switch edges magnificently.

 

[Seven Sisters]

Alissa Czisny :luv17: she was so exquisite

AND her spins. We should have another whole thread devoted just to fabulous spins. Fans of Alissa, Jason, young Roman Sadovsky, etc., would be all over that one as well

 

[Orlov]

It's not surprising that three out of the four skaters on your list are American; American audiences always seemed to show more appreciation for a good spiral than almost any other element. Amd advertisements for televised events almost always included a female skater in a spiral beaming away.

I wonder if it is a cultural thing...

I have always been very interested in this question. Of course, the spiral is a beautiful element of figure skating, but like many others. So personally, I have never understood this American "obsession" with the spiral. And I have always been interested in the cultural basis of this preference. For example, I also have personal preferences, "obsession" - arms. If a lady skater has gentle, flexible hands like the wings of a swan - like Maiia here - this has a very strong aesthetically effect on me. I know that this is certainly determined by the Russian, ballet cultural tradition.

 

[PyeongChang2018]

I have always been very interested in this question. Of course, the spiral is a beautiful element of figure skating, but like many others. So personally, I have never understood this American "obsession" with the spiral. And I have always been interested in the cultural basis of this preference. For example, I also have personal preferences, "obsession" - arms. If a lady skater has gentle, flexible hands like the wings of a swan - like Maiia here - this has a very strong aesthetically effect on me. I know that this is certainly determined by the Russian, ballet cultural tradition.

Per Russian ballet standards, her wrists are atrocious.

 

[macy]

AND her spins. We should have another whole thread devoted just to fabulous spins. Fans of Alissa, Jason, young Roman Sadovsky, etc., would be all over that one as well

oh goodness yes. IMO she is the greatest ladies spinner of all time. her layback was just

 

[Orlov]

Per Russian ballet standards, her wrists are atrocious.

if you don't understand, this is not about "ballet standards", but about cultural preferences.

 

[brens78]

Jason Brown’s spiral

 

[TontoK]

For those who think spirals are an American thing...

Get back to me after you watch this video, beginning with the exit of the death spiral at about 3:10 all the way until about 4:05.

You will not see anything more beautiful today. Maybe this week. Maybe this year. Revolutionary at the time, and 50+ years after the fact, still the GOAT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrL54VzA1T4

 

[ribbit]

For those who think spirals are an American thing...

Get back to me after you watch this video, beginning with the exit of the death spiral at about 3:10 all the way until about 4:05.

You will not see anything more beautiful today. Maybe this week. Maybe this year. Revolutionary at the time, and 50+ years after the fact, still the GOAT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrL54VzA1T4

I completely agree--Americans have no monopoly on either the appreciation or the performance of jaw-droppingly beautiful spirals. I would add the stunning pairs spirals by another Soviet/Russian pair with a claim to GOAT status, Gordeeva and Grinkov. I can't post videos right now, but the spiral sequences in both their Olympic LPs were just phenomenal.

 

[el henry]

Me three for the love of spirals as a worldwide phenomenon.

Having seen just about every clip of Jason out there, I have yet to see one of an audience that does not clap for his beautiful spirals. No matter where in the world that audience is.

Pairs spirals are also :thumbsup: