- Joined
- May 17, 2011
Math~
My biggest complaint about Alissa's hips being unsquare is that her free leg does not create a line with her skating leg- rather, it is to the side in relation to her skating leg. If she were to try to get it in line without demonstrating more hip flexor flexibility she would need to turn her upper body almost sideways.
As for squaring the hips, I'm not looking for completely square hips, but a position that does not "sideabesque," as a ballet teacher of mine once said, and a free leg that continues the line of the skating leg. Depending on the depth of the edge, the free leg may even lean a bit with the body to keep in line with the skating leg. As for the edge affecting the hips, it can. I've found it possible to do fairly square spirals on both inside and outside edges, but a change of edge definately requires a bit of a change in hip angle as well as attention to not letting the free leg wander to steer the edge. Some skaters seem to use a more open hip on outside spirals, but I find that inside spirals actually require a greater degree of stretch through the hips than outside- this most noticeable on an outside-inside serpentine. This is probably why most ladies' skaters used to do an inside-outside serpentine instead.
I really hope we'll see serpentine spirals again. Blasted ISU and their COP mangling.
I do, however, prefer Sasha's more square position. I don't think the lowering of her upper body is necessarily due to the squareness of her hips so much as it has to do with the degree of her split. It's comparable to an arabesque penchee in ballet- almost all dancers who go for a full split in their arabesque must significantly lower their chest (unless the dancer is rediculously flexible like Alina Somova). I don't mind Sasha's upper body position as she maintains a nice arch and keeps her head up.
As for the spins, I have to say that I agree with the posters who've expressed a wish to see Mirai show a more classical position in her basic layback. I think everything else about her layback spin is superlatively good, but her basic position could use a little improvement in turnout, leg positioning, and toe point. That said, when she goes for the classical position it's not terrible like many current skaters. It just could be even better, and I think she's fully capable of fixing it with just a few days' work.
As for the baby Russians' laybacks.... yikes. I don't know if I'd even call a few of those positions laid back.
My biggest complaint about Alissa's hips being unsquare is that her free leg does not create a line with her skating leg- rather, it is to the side in relation to her skating leg. If she were to try to get it in line without demonstrating more hip flexor flexibility she would need to turn her upper body almost sideways.
As for squaring the hips, I'm not looking for completely square hips, but a position that does not "sideabesque," as a ballet teacher of mine once said, and a free leg that continues the line of the skating leg. Depending on the depth of the edge, the free leg may even lean a bit with the body to keep in line with the skating leg. As for the edge affecting the hips, it can. I've found it possible to do fairly square spirals on both inside and outside edges, but a change of edge definately requires a bit of a change in hip angle as well as attention to not letting the free leg wander to steer the edge. Some skaters seem to use a more open hip on outside spirals, but I find that inside spirals actually require a greater degree of stretch through the hips than outside- this most noticeable on an outside-inside serpentine. This is probably why most ladies' skaters used to do an inside-outside serpentine instead.
I really hope we'll see serpentine spirals again. Blasted ISU and their COP mangling.
I do, however, prefer Sasha's more square position. I don't think the lowering of her upper body is necessarily due to the squareness of her hips so much as it has to do with the degree of her split. It's comparable to an arabesque penchee in ballet- almost all dancers who go for a full split in their arabesque must significantly lower their chest (unless the dancer is rediculously flexible like Alina Somova). I don't mind Sasha's upper body position as she maintains a nice arch and keeps her head up.
As for the spins, I have to say that I agree with the posters who've expressed a wish to see Mirai show a more classical position in her basic layback. I think everything else about her layback spin is superlatively good, but her basic position could use a little improvement in turnout, leg positioning, and toe point. That said, when she goes for the classical position it's not terrible like many current skaters. It just could be even better, and I think she's fully capable of fixing it with just a few days' work.
As for the baby Russians' laybacks.... yikes. I don't know if I'd even call a few of those positions laid back.
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I didn't intend to offend anyone, sorry.
