Figure Fouetté

I am quickly responding to this video, with more notes later: This is so fascinating, it explains how we learn and train our bodies to dance. It’s basically the same process I described here, which is what I learned at JMBT: Very exciting work.  Watching the video I believe the key missing component for people … Read more

Yes. The reason most adult skaters look like this is because they haven’t learned to twist their spine (shoulders against hips), a movement that is critical to figure skating. Without spinal torsion, the only way to turn things is to turn your entire body, which is slow because it has adult-size mass and inertia. The … Read more

A little history here… there is no single “real music.” In the 1930’s and 1940’s — a time when social ice dance was the backbone of most FS clubs — Skating Magazine published various lists of commercially available (78 rpm) records recommended for each dance. Some but not all of those recordings are now available … Read more

RHV: Many of the positions and even the jumps are ballet based. EF: No they’re not. RHV: Elizabeth Fisch yes they are- there are many ballet positions, jumps end in arabesque, spirals in arabesque, spins in attitude or à la seconde, lifts in ballet positions. An axel is basically a tour jete with extra rotations. The … Read more

How important is ballet for figure skating? Has the IJS caused it to be disincentivized with so many other things to work on? https://www.facebook.com/TheSkatingLesson/posts/pfbid0Rraqd6EUDRkRVMt1A1GFaqRXSvU16SftQw4r759xDFm1gXrgVXDDJ359Yn9W1jchl Ballet develops a number of things that are essential to figure skating, and are easier to develop on the floor vs on ice. For that reason it should be at the … Read more

Original thread: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adultsskatetoo/permalink/2027143018189019/ OP: It tickles me to death to fall. It means I’m pushing my boundaries, and that makes me happy. Here practicing my snap into air position.Eliz: I disagree there is no reason to fall on backspin.OP: Well, I wasn’t working on backspin. I was working on snapping as fast as I could … Read more

Why do some people progress so quickly in skating and others don’t? I have been skating on and off for 20 years and I still don’t have an axel or any doubles. And then I see people who have all of their doubles after 2 years of skating and it’s really discouraging. How are they … Read more

I dunno, I’ve demonstrated plenty of ability to master motor skills as an adult. I did professional ballet training at age 28 and made it into the professional company. More recently (many years later), I won the World Figure Sport Figure & Fancy Skating International Open after only 5 months on the ice. I have … Read more

As you mention, an S-step and then a 3-turn are part of the spin. You have identified issues with both of them, which will cause problems in whatever comes after them (the spin itself). I would suggest a 3-part approach: (1) 3-turns; (2) S-steps with 3-turns; (3) the spin itself. Below are details on each: … Read more

A “figure” in many kinds of dance from the British Isles is a named pattern of movement larger than a step and smaller than a phrase. When English people started skating, they brought their dancing with them and created English Style Skating, which involved a caller and people moving around the ice to make patterns, … Read more