Interview With David Santee

First capturing the attention of the skating world by winning the 1971 U.S. Junior title, David Santee went on to a hugely popular skating career than scanned over a decade and saw him on the podium at the U.S. Championships 8 times, in medal contention at both the Innsbruck and Lake Placid Olympics (he finished one shy spot of the podium in 1980) and on the podium at the 1981 World Championships, where he placed 2nd just behind 1984 Olympic Gold Medallist Scott Hamilton. A skater with not only athleticism but a charisma on the ice you couldn't just help but love, Santee developed a huge fan following throughout his career that extended into his professional career where he toured with John Curry's Company, competed professionally and commentated skating on television. Now a coach and highly respected ISU Technical Specialist (who will be officiating at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia), David took the time to reflect on his own skating career, the lessons he's learned in life, the current IJS system and much more in this fantastic interview!

Q: Your skating career spanned three decades and saw you win a total of ten medals on the novice, junior and senior level at the U.S. Championships and the world silver medal at the 1981 World Championships. You also represented the U.S. at both the Innsbruck and Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Reflecting, what are your absolute favourite memories from your "amateur" career? 

A: My favourite moments in my career were the short program from the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid and "The Star Spangled Banner" in Hartford at the 1981 World Championships. Both Scott Hamilton and I were on the podium having finished first and second, so that was a great moment. Lake Placid was great not just because I skated well, but in that I overcame a few bad years of short programs to perform in a high pressure situation.

Q: In contrast, what were the most difficult moments?

A: Probably the two most difficult moments in my career were 1977 Nationals where I was favored to win and came in third, and Worlds in 1979 where I came in 13th in the short program after finishing 3rd in the compulsory figures. I skated last and had a long wait. I couldn't stay loose and ended up missing the combination. I ended up eighth overall. I learned a lot from it so ultimately it turned out to be a positive experience.

Q: You competed against many of the world's best - John Curry, Robin Cousins, Toller Cranston and Scott Hamilton among them. What do you think other skaters can really learn by studying and appreciating their competition?

A: I never spent that much time focusing on other skaters because being an individual sport, if you don't take care of yourself, it doesn't matter what the others do. Having said that, I always appreciated Scotty's toughness and the grace of John Curry. I was in The John Curry Company as a pro and saw close up his genius.

Q: After the 1982 World Championships in Copenhagen, you turned professional and skated with The John Curry Skating Company and competed professionally. What was the biggest adjustment going from amateur to professional skating?

A: The biggest lesson I learned (and learned it early on a tour through Canada with The Curry Company) is you bring it every night no matter if there are 5 people in the stands. There were a few nights in Western Canada where we hardly had any audience and it became a personal challenge to have my best nights for those people who did come.

Q: You're a big hockey fan and a father of a hockey player. What aspects do you love of both hockey and skating the most?

A: I love both hockey and figure skating and both sports are tough in their own way. I love the traditions in hockey, such as the handshake line, the aura of the Stanley Cup, and playoff beards, and I love the speed of the game. Figure skating has always appealed to me because of the blend of athleticism and artistry.

Q: You are an ISU Technical Specialist and also a coach. In your opinion, what are the best points of the new judging system?

A: The best part of the IJS is the accountability that it brings now. You can get instant information by looking at the protocol after the competition. There will always be a degree of subjectivity with any sport where there is judging.

Q: Looking forward to the Sochi Winter Olympics, how do you feel that the U.S. stands to fare in both the team and individual events?

A: I can't comment on who will do well in Sochi since I will be on the technical panel there.

Q: What is your absolute favourite band, favourite movie and favourite book?

A: My favourite band is Fleetwood Mac. Of course, Rocky is my favourite movie. My favourite book is probably "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara.

Q: What's one thing about you most people don't know?

A: The one thing about me that people don't know is that I am a collector. My major collections are movies, Civil War memorabilia, sports jerseys and caps.

Q: What's the most important lesson you've learned in life?

A: There are three rules that I follow in and out of the rink. Be on time, respect the sport and others, and be honest.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Patinage Poetry: The Language Of The Ice

When I told my friend Lee I was writing a piece about poetry and figure skating... he suggested a good old fashioned limerick: "There once was a skater named Decker, who skated and fell on his..." Yeah, no. He's not going to get up real quick and brush off anything. We're not going there. Take two.

The beauty of movement and language are such parallels. Figure skating is all about the interpretation of music and of lyrics and has inspired so many great skaters to put pen to paper and write books or poems that it's really quite unreal. Laurence Owen, who was among the group of 18 young members of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating team that tragically perished on Sabena Airlines 707 Jet Flight 548 was herself a beautiful and prodigal writer and poet. Her sister Maribel, who also perished in the Sabena crash said of Laurence in a 1960 Sports Illustrated article: "You can be talking to Laurence and see she isn't listening—she may just go off and look for some paper and write a poem." Following her death in that horrific tragedy that changed the course of U.S. skating history, Laurence's English teacher Ruth White read one of Laurence's poems aloud to her classmates: "Softly, Softly the spring comes creeping o'er the tired land // All men awake refreshed; They rise to greet the world with joy //And birds sing and all becomes newborn. Gloom is but a shadow of the night, long past; Hope is the light, The radiance." The beautiful poem was featured in the RISE documentary about the 1961 plane crash and you can read the entire story in Patricia Shelley Bushman's beautiful book "Indelible Tracings" and its companion volume "Indelible Images".

Owen was not the only skater to have touched the skating world with poetry. Olympic Medallist Edgar Syers, who competed with his wife Madge Syers at the 1908 Summer Olympic Games in London, England authored 'The Poetry Of Skating' in 1905 and compiled a wonderful collection of skating poetry in his book:

From "La Gerusalemme Liberata"  by Torquato Tasso in 1581:

"Si come soglion la vicino al Polo,
S’avvien che’l verno i fiumi agghiacci, e indure,
Correr su’l Ren le villanelle a stuolo,
Con lunghi strisci, e sdrucciolar secure."

Translation of the above:

"As o’er the Rhine, when winter its broad tide
Has in smooth chains of solid silver bound,
The village girls in crowds securely glide,
With long swift strokes, in many a playful round."

"Fragments from Old Ballads DESCRIBING THE GREAT FROST AND FAIR ON THE RIVER THAMES IN DECEMBER 1684

The Rotterdam Dutchman, with fleet-cutting scates,
To pleasure the crowd shows his tricks and his feats;
Who, like a rope dancer (for his sharp steels),
His brains and activity lies in his heels.

The Dutchmen here, in nimble-cutting scates,
To please the crowd do show their tricks and feats,

The Dutch that in great
Large shoals used to meet,
And clapt their crook’d scates on their foot,
Now no more dare appear
To make folken stare
While on the smooth surface they float."

"Skating" by William Wordsworth (1850)

"And in the frosty season, when the sun
Was set, and visible for many a mile
The cottage windows blazed through twilight gloom,
I heeded not their summons; happy time
It was indeed for all of us- for me
It was a time of rapture! Clear and loud
The village clock tolled six- I wheeled about,
Proud and exulting like an untried horse
That cares not for his home. All shod with steel,
We hissed along the polished ice in games
Confederate, imitative of the chase
And woodland pleasures- the resounding horn,
The pack loud chiming, and the hunted hare.
So through the darkness and the cold we flew,
And not a voice was idle; with the din
Smitten, the precipices rang aloud.
The leafless trees and every icy crag
Tinkled like iron; while far distant hills
Into the tumult sent an alien sound
Of melancholy not unnoticed, while the stars
Eastward were sparkling clear, and in the west
The orange sky of evening died away.
Not seldom from the uproar I retired
Into a silent bay, or sportively
Glanced sideways, leaving the tumultuous throng,
To cut across the reflex of a star
That fled, and, flying still before me, gleamed
Upon the glassy plain; and oftentimes,
When we had given our bodies to the wind,
And all the shadowy banks on either side
Came sweeping through the darkness, spinning still
The rapid line of motion, then at once
Have I, reclining upon my heels,
Stopped short; yet still the solitary cliffs
Wheeled by me- even as if the earth had rolled
With visible motion her diurnal round!"

"Skating" by Robert Snow (1845)

"When to his feet the skater binds his wings,
As of Jove’s messenger the poet sings,
He, like the hare, outstrips the Northern wind,
And casts, in doubling, a keen glance behind.
By art that to the frozen lake conveys
A glowing interest in winter days,
Before the gazer now he seems to fly,
Now with a backward stroke deludes the eye;
Precipitating curves on curves anew,
Retuning ever, to his centre true.
With air of noble ease, and swan-like grace,
He balances awhile in narrow space;
Then sweeps far round with power not shown before,
And on his crystal plain does all but soar.
Yet is his pastime brief; the solar heat
Grows strong; again the lapsing waters meet,
And to dull, plodding earth confine his daring feet."

"Rincomania"  by G. Du Maurier (1875)

"Friends of the fleeting skate, behold in this
A Rincomaniac’s dream of earthly bliss,
Sketched by the frantic pen of one who thinks
That Heaven is paved with everlasting rinks
Where Cherubs sweep forever and a day,
Smooth tepid ice that never melts away,
While graceful, gay, good-natured Lovers blend,
To Endless tune, in circles without End"

"An Elfin Skate" by Eugene Lee-Hamilton (1892)

"They wheeled me up the snow-cleared garden way,
And left me where the dazzling heaps were thrown;
And, as I mused on winter sports once known,
Up came a tiny man to where I lay.
He was six inches high; his beard was grey
As silver frost; his coat and cap were brown,
Of mouse’s fur; while two wee skates hung down
From his wee belt, and gleamed in winter’s ray.
He clambered up my couch, and eyed me long.
“Show me thy skates,” said I; “ for once, alas,
I too could skate. What pixie mayst thou be?”
“I am the king, “ he answered, “of the throng
Called Winter Elves. We dwell ‘neath roots, and pass
The summer months in sleep. Frost sets us free.

“We find by moonlight little pools of ice,
Just one yard wide,” the imp of winter said;
“And skate all night, while mortals are in bed,
In tiny circles of our Elf device;
And when it snows we harness forest mice
To wee bark sleighs with lightest fibrous thread,
And scour the woods; or play all night instead

With snow balls large as peas, well patted thrice.
But is it true, as I have heard them say,
That thou can’st share in winter games no more,
But liest motionless year in, year out?
That must be hard. To-day I cannot stay,
But I’ll return each year, when all is hoar,
And tell thee when the skaters are about.”

On my wheeled bed I let my fingers play
With a wee silver skate, scarce one inch long,
Which might have fitted one of Frost’s Elf throng,
Or been his gift to one whose limbs are clay.
But Elfdom’s dead; and what in my hand lay
Was out of an old desk; from years when, strong
And full of health, life sang me still its song;
A skating club’s small badge, long stowed away.
Oh, there is nothing like the skater’s art-
The poetry of circles; nothing like
The fleeting beauty of his crystal floor.
Above his head, the winter sunbeams dart;
Beneath his feet, flits fast the frightened pike.
Skate while you may; the morrow skates no more."

The beautiful collection of poetry that spanned centuries collected by Syers wasn't the only example of great writing inspired by the ice. In 2012, Jackie Keily and Hazel Forsyth authored "Skate: The Wonderful World Of Ice Skating In Poetry, Prose And Pictures", which includes poems by John McCollough, Brendan Cleary and 1908 Olympic Gold Medallist Edgar Syers himself. McCollough's poem "The Other Side Of Winter" reimagines a different time and world on the river Thames:

"Overnight the Thames begins to move again.
The ice beneath the frost fair cracks. Tents,
merry-go-rounds and bookstalls glide about

on islands given up for lost. They race,
switch places, touch – the printing press nuzzling
the swings – then part, slip quietly under.

Still, there is no end of crystal weather.
I hoard coal, stare mostly at the chimney’s back,
fingering the pipe he gave me on the quay.

Even now it carries his greatcoat’s whiff:
ale, oranges, resolve. I remember his prison-ship
lurking out from shore, huge as Australia.

I’ll write, my dear sweet man, he said
then squeezed my thigh and turned, a sergeant
again, bellowing at a flock of convicts.

I do not have the nerve to light it.
The mouthpiece is covered with teeth marks, sweat.
I look out at my museum-garden,

the shrubs locked in glass cases,
the latticework a galaxy of frozen dew.
There is no snow in New South Wales.

I cannot put the pipe down. It makes things happen.
Last week I heard a crash and ran outside to find
a jackdaw flat on the lawn. It must have fallen

from the sky, its wings fused together
by hardened sleet, its neck twisted as though broken
from straining to see the incredible."

The commonality of these wonderful poems is their connection to the ice, that frozen stage where the skaters we love write their own stories in edges, ebbs and flows. Whether by quill and pen or by rocker and counter, the language of the ice is one that inspires us all deeply.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Interview With Jeri Campbell

Jeri Campbell's story isn't your cookie cutter one. First appearing on the scene at the U.S. Championships and winning the Novice silver medal in 1984, Jeri quickly climbed through the ranks, winning the 1987 U.S. Junior title and finishing just behind Debi Thomas, Jill Trenary and Caryn Kadavy on the Senior level at the 1988 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Denver, Colorado, becoming the Olympic alternate that year. Jeri pressed on and competed at three more U.S. Championships, turning professional at an unheard of young age and touring the world with Torvill and Dean, Dorothy Hamill and in countless other productions. She won the 1994 U.S. Open Challenge Cup and even toured in the role of Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz On Ice. Now a successful coach and choreographer, life has changed so much since her days of competing but Jeri was SO kind to share her story, talking in-depth about both her "amateur" and professional careers, coaching and choreography and even offering some words to Mirai Nagasu, the skater who like Jeri, just narrowly missed her Olympic dream. You're going to love this one!

Q: You competed at U.S. Nationals 8 years in a row, won international events like the Skate Electric competition in Zagreb and the Golden Spin Of Zagreb in addition to winning the 1987 U.S. Junior title and turned professional at the very young age of 20 in 1991, touring the world for 9 years with Dorothy Hamill's Cinderella: Frozen In Time tour, Willy Bietak, Torvill and Dean's tour and so many other events. What moments stand out for you as the most special times in your "amateur" and professional career?  

A: I remember being a young kid around 7 or 8 years old going to see Dorothy Hamill skate in a professional show. At the end of the show, she shook my hand as she skated by and I told my parents I was never going to wash my hand again because she touched it. Ironically my very first professional tour was with Dorothy Hamill. The show was called Cinderella: Frozen In Time. Dorothy was Cinderella and she also produced the show. Working with her was an amazing experience. She was a true pro: friendly, hard working, and pretty fearless when it came to skating. She was doing pairs in the show, learning lifts for the first time, and I just soaked it all in and appreciated the opportunity to work along side of her. Some of my favorite professional skating memories come from skating after the shows were over. We would skate from 9:30 PM to midnight sometimes just for fun. There was a camaraderie amongst the pros. We helped each other on jumps, spins, edge work, and movement simply because we all shared a love for it. We’d laugh out load, be crazy on the ice, and just hang out together. These are up there with my favorite skating memories. As for amateur skating, that for me was so long ago, but I remember the sense of accomplishment I would feel when I would have a good day at competition.  It didn’t matter how big or small the competition was, a good skate felt wonderful. When I do look back at my amateur skating, faces come to mind... Midori Ito, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan, Tonia Kwiatkowski, Holly Cook and so many other great skaters. It was an honor sharing the ice with them. I had a ton of respect for those girls then, and still do.

Q: Focusing on your "amateur" career for a minute, you sadly missed the 1988 Calgary Olympic team by one placement. How hard was that for you to deal with and what advice would you give to Mirai Nagasu, who this year had a similar experience after U.S. Figure Skating opted to send former National Champion Ashley Wagner instead? 

A: In 1988 we still had figures along with the short program and the free skate event. Being that it was an Olympic year and our event was televised live, they had an enormous amount of TV commercials in between each skater. Back then we didn’t have the IJS judging system, so there was no 5 minute re-warm up before you skated. You had to get out there after waiting around for an hour and try to lay down 4-6 triples in your program. Needless to say, I had never been through that before, and I was not mentally prepared for it. Sometimes you have to live through something to really know how crazy the pressure is, and I think I can safely say I experienced it once in my life. After all was said and done, I was 4th after figures, 4th after the short, and 5th after the free skate. My combined points put me in to 4th place overall. The top 3 finishers went on the Olympics, and I was the alternate. For me it was fair and square. I never expected any different outcome for the Olympic team. I look back and think it was an incredible life experience. As for Mirai Nagasu, I wish nothing but the best for her. She has done a lot in the last 4 years since she finished 4th place in the 2010 Olympic Games. She competed in 12 international competitions. She won ten top 4 finishes at those competitions. She has also competed in 4 U.S. National Championships, winning 2 bronze medals. She produced 2 strong programs at Nationals this year. She understood very well the pressure cooker that she was under, and she dealt with that pressure like a seasoned competitor. I think she should be very proud of her body of work. She has shown us that little girls who win medals early in life can grow up, change, go through struggles, evolve and come back fighting harder than ever. She has shown us what being an athlete looks like.  

Q: Being both a huge skating fan and a HUGE Annie Lennox fan, I absolutely loved your "Primitive" program that won you the U.S. Open Challenge Cup in 1994. What was the process of creating this program with Brian Wright like and what was the story behind it? 

A: Thank you for your nice words regarding this program. It was all Brian Wright, and I was lucky to work with him. I decided to do the US Open after a tour I was supposed to do that year fell apart. Meaning the tour funding fell through, so it never happened. Once I made the decision to compete, I had to decide on programs. I had been watching Brian Wright do work with a bunch of talented skaters, Scott Davis, Scott Williams, Michael Weiss, Rory Flack, Matt Kessinger, Jere Micheal to name a few, and I was always in awe of how different each program was, and how amazingly interesting each skater was that worked with him. He had a magic touch that used the body in ways that I had never seen in ice skating before. I called Brian one day and simply asked him if he would work with me for the U.S. Open and set a program. He was very receptive to my call and we made plans for me to go to Indianapolis to work together. The process of putting the program together was just that, a process. It was a life changing process for me. I walked in the doors to the Indiana World Skating Academy where I observed Brian going through the choreography to the song "Primitive". I watched him from behind the entrance door to the ice, and I started to get really excited about what he was doing. I put my skates on, met Brian officially for the first time, then we got started.  Brian would share little storylines with me as he put parts of the program together. He would say things like "this is the part where you are in bed rolling over to the other pillow" and then I would watch his choreography and see him pull his hands near his face and roll his body in a way that made sense to his story. At first I wasn’t sure if he was saying things for shock value, or if he was serious, but I later learned it was usually was both. The story of "Primitive" was in Brian’s head. I think it was personal for him. It dealt with relationships and the process of unwinding in bed and relaxing to the point of falling asleep. While working with Brian we had a few setbacks due to his health. He had HIV and was dealing with complications. He was sick one week and he needed to go to the hospital. This was really the first time that I learned about what he was coping with, and I was really concerned for him. The amazing thing about Brian was even though he was in the hospital for something really serious, he always had a crazy sense of humor that would make you laugh out loud in the scariest of times. He had multiple hospital visits during our time together working on "Primitive". We grew close as friends, and he really became a creative mentor to me whether he knew it or not throughout this process. This wasn't just a skating experience, this was much much more. I went on to compete at the U.S. Open and Brian met me there. He was there for all the practices as well as the competition. He sat in the kiss and cry area after the events. He told me funny stories to keep things light before and after I skated. It was a professional highlight for me. I look back and think what a ride it was from walking in to the Indiana World Skating Academy, to meeting Brian, learning the choreography, seeing him go through his health scares, becoming friends, laughing a lot, training the program and finally competing. It was a real journey that I treasure.

Q: Also in 1994, you won the Dorothy Hamill Crown Pro Competition. What can you share about this competition and experience?  

A: The Dorothy Hamill Crown Pro Competition was an in house competition, meaning it was all the performers in her 2 touring companies with Cinderella: Frozen in Time that participated in the competition.  

We only had a short time to prepare for the competition since we were in the middle of a tour doing shows all the time so it was a challenge to get ready for it. We all set our own programs, then the 2 touring companies met in one city for the competition. It was the first competition I did as a pro skater, so I was feeling a little nervous. I had a pretty good skate and was happy with the overall performance. The other skaters were fun to watch, and really the best part of the whole experience was the 2 touring companies came together for a night, and after the competition was over, we all got to hang out and let our hair down for a few hours and have a little fun.  

Q: You toured for 2 years playing Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz On Ice tour. How you would describe the experience of taking on an iconic role and skating to "Over The Rainbow"?  

A: I loved touring with the Wizard of Oz On Ice show. It was the hardest job I ever had as a show skater, but I look back and think what an opportunity I was given. I had to interview with Kenneth Feld personally before getting the role. Kenneth Feld owns Disney on Ice, so this was a big moment for me. Luckily it all worked out and I got the job. Playing Dorothy was a real challenge. I had to learn how to act on the ice, memorize 2 hours of dialogue, and carry Toto while doing so. Oh, and we had a dog trainer to work with as well. During rehearsals I really had no idea what I was in for, but I learned quickly. I would say it took me 4 months to really settle in to the role of Dorothy. After that, I felt much more comfortable trying to act and do dialogue while skating. I learned what it meant to react by watching other skaters in the show who were great at doing character work. Robin Cousins and Cindy Stuart choreographed the show. They did incredible things like set a number with skaters doing everything going backwards, including their outfits. It was very creative and original. Robin had done choreography for me before as an amateur skater in Lake Arrowhead, and it was great to work with him again as a professional skater on this show. One of my favourite memories of skating in The Wizard Of Oz On Ice show is the sound effects guys doing special sounds when Toto would do funny things. He would race across the ice and then slide in to the header boards. There would be this sound of a skidding car and then a loud crash effect... it was so funny. The audience would laugh every time. There were lots of moments like that that made the tour special. The little details. The moments with the other cast  and crew members on ice and back stage, the funny cat fights between me and the Witch (played by Nancy Barber)... those are the memories I have, and they are all good.

Q: You've coached and done choreography for over 15 years, working with grassroots level skaters to national champions like Tiffany Scott and Philip Dulebohn. What makes a great coach or choreographer in your opinion? 

A: Karl Kurtz was Phil and Tiffany’s head coach when they won Nationals and went to the Olympic Games.  He did an amazing job with them. He asked me to do a show program for them, and I was honored to do it.  Phil and Tiffany used the program when they did the World tour and it was a really fun process to work with them on it. They were really hard workers, and it was great to see them rise to the top of their field. What makes a great choreographer? To me, the best choreographers can seam a program together from beginning to end that never loses your attention. They take you on a ride, tell you a story, and leave you wanting more. They can hide someone’s weaknesses and highlight their strengths without you noticing anything has been hidden. What makes a great coach? For me, I think a great coach is someone who is not intimidated by a student's talent. They are motivated to take it to the highest level. They are willing to sacrifice their own personal life, because that’s what it takes to manage an elite skater. It not only takes a lot of work for the skater to get to the highest level, but a great coach, I think, works just a hard, if not harder, to get them to the top. A great coach understands the process of high intensity training and down time. When to have down time, when to come back up, how long to stay up, when to peak, what to do if you are peaking early, what to do if you aren’t peaking at all...They also understand how to manage a skaters weaknesses. Hire specific choreographers, trainers, etc. A great coach can work through all of that with patience because they understand the process. I also think a coach on this high level understands there will be failures, sometimes many failures before a skater can find their rhythm. I have a ton of respect for coaches who teach elite skaters. It's hard work all around. 

Q: If someone was coming to your home for dinner and you were making them your absolute favourite meal, what would they be having? 

A: Mexican, Thai or Italian!

Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why? 

A: I would have to say Brian Boitano, Michelle Kwan and Dorothy Hamill. Brian because he was a rock star under pressure, Michelle for her passion, and Dorothy because she was and still is an incredible champion for the sport.

Q: What's one thing about you most people don't know? 

A: I went to school with a concentration in graphic design. I'm an art lover at heart and I like the challenge of acrylic paints. I enjoy getting lost in a painting and obsessing over colors. My Mom was a sketch artist in her spare time when I was growing up and I think I was inspired by her talents. That's where my love of art started, and it grew from there.

Q: Looking back on your life, would you change anything?   

A: Yes, I wish I had more time with my mother. She left us way too soon. I was gone a lot growing up due to skating. That is the one thing I wish I could do is rewind time and pause it so we could laugh together one more time. She had a great laugh and it made me happy to see her happy. My family and I miss her dearly.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Interview With Dick Button

When I started writing this blog, I had one Holy Grail. It was to someday, maybe have the chance to interview two time Olympic Gold Medallist, five time World Champion, Emmy Award winning skating commentator, skating pioneer (first triple jump in competition!) and living legend Dick Button. On January 16, in one of the most hilarious and fabulous phone calls of life, I did. It was a joy.

What hasn't Dick done for figure skating? He didn't 'just' win two Olympic gold medals and five World titles, he won seven U.S. Senior titles (and the U.S. Junior and Novice titles to boot),three3 North American Championships, was the only American to win the European title, the first skater to land a double axel, the first skater to land a triple jump (the triple loop), the first male skater to perform the camel spin and the inventor of the flying camel spin, the first American World Champion, the first and only American back-to-back Olympic Gold Medallist in figure skating, the first and only male skater to hold a National, North American, European, Olympic and World title at the same time, the youngest man to win an Olympic Gold Medal in figure skating.

Take a breath and grab a cocktail or cup of coffee, I'm just getting started. He attended Yale University and graduated from Harvard University. He went to Harvard Law School and was admitted to the bar following the completion of his Bachelor Of Law. He toured with Holiday On Ice and Ice Capades, commentated and hosted skating events on television for decades and decades, largely developed professional figure skating competitions (allowing hundreds of skaters to make a living), won an Emmy Award, judged Skating with the Stars and Battle of the Blades, acted in movies and TV programs with Mickey Rooney, Tony Curtis, Gene Kelly and Robert Goulet, starred in touring stage productions, survived a serious head injury and a brain injury and he is a member of both the U.S. and World Figure Skating Hall Of Fame. Now eighty four years young, Dick is busier than ever. He attended and spoke at the 2014 U.S. Championships in Boston and promoted his brand new book "Push Dick's Button". In this interview, Dick talked about everything from both the "amateur" and professional skating worlds to meeting Ulrich Salchow, his book Push Dick's Button, gardening, having a sense of humor, his legacy and so much more.

Q: A lot of what I write about focuses not on "amateur" competition but professional and artistic skating. I believe, as I know you do, that artistry is so important and underappreciated. Having pretty much single handedly through your company Candid Productions developed professional competition, what was your main motivation for creating events like the World Professional Championships, Challenge of Champions and the dozens of other events you put together over the years? Will we ever see professional competition again like that? Should we?

A: There were too many skaters who, after their amateur careers ended, had other goals such as going to college or university, working for a living or raising a family. They didn't want to sign a contract with Ice Capades or Ice Follies because it was a year long commitment yet still wanted to skate. There was a great gap in those skaters lives. I had spoken to the ISU - Beat Hasler's father George - and asked him if he wanted to join forces but it didn't happen. They didn't understand the needs and requirements nor wish to take advantage of professional skaters. The World Professional Championships were first held in 1973 then languished and came back in 1980. Ratings are so low and there's also no need for it now because the ISU finally got smart and started paying skaters. Nobody was paid anything in amateur championships when I skated. As an amateur you were given a present that was not worth more than $25. When people quit skating, they had to make a living.

Q: I fell in love with skating largely due to the way that you and Peggy Fleming presented it, as I think a whole generation of skaters and skating fans have. What I always loved is your wonderful sense of humor. I think my three favourite Dick Button quotes are "good for you, Lucinda Ruh!", "whatever that was supposed to be, it wasn't" and "there needs to be a little more swan in that Swan Lake."... and of course the one with the "Rusty Hoot". In your opinion, why is it so first-rate to have a sense of humor about skating and what's the funniest thing you've ever seen in all of your years in the sport?

A: Retaining a sense of humor isn't easy. It's gotten so serious. There are so many rules. In my book "Push Dick's Button" I quoted the fact that "rule makers are not rule makers if they're not making rules". I poke fun at myself in the book because I know if I don't criticize myself, I can't criticize anyone else. One of the funniest things I've seen was Suna Murray tripping on a curtain and sliding endlessly across the ice. There was also a funny moment when a Russian pair skater got the sleeve of his shirt caught in the boot hook of his partner and it just kept stretching and stretching, almost like an elephant's trunk. I embarrassed myself by being unable to stop laughing.

Q: "Push Dick's Button" couldn't have come at a better time. Skating is really starting to regain the public's attention and interest and this book will only help that by leaps and bounds. How difficult was trying to sum up so many stories into just one book?

A: I didn't say everything I wanted to say. There will always be three skating programs, three paintings and three books that you write. The first one is the one you plan, the second is the one you do and the third is the one you wish you'd have done. All of these things are true. Writing isn't easy. Just because you might know how to speak, it doesn't mean it's easy to sit down write a book. It's a very difficult process that you have to learn. Writing is a different science. Just because you think blue and pink don't go together doesn't mean you can decorate somebody's place. Just because you think you think you can design a house doesn't mean you're an architect. If I ever do a volume 2, it would be much longer and include many esoteric things. One of the reasons I got started was when a friend of mine said, "I'd love to have you come sit on the couch with me and tell me what the heck we are watching and what's going on". Just because I commentated for years doesn't mean that I could just go from commentating to writing. I have hundreds of ideas to include in a volume two but I'm still reeling from volume one!

Q: You've been asked a million times about your Olympic gold medals, experiences and how you revolutionized skating by landing the first double axel and triple jump in competition, so I'm not going to ask you that all over again as amazing as those milestones are and as much as I respect and think the world of what you've done in the sport. What makes you smile today when you watch skating?

A: Not too much right now. I'm not a happy camper. The new system of judging is there for the extraneous reason of making everything secretive. If Ottavio Cinquanta (the President of the International Skating Union) had his druthers, he would get rid of all the judges and totally eliminate subjective judging.

Q: What direction and action does the ISU need to take to really bring the fandom and fun back to skating?

A: The first thing is to split up the ISU. Both speed skating and figure skating should be in separate federations and not connected to each other. The next thing to do is to get back to common sense and not reward a fall with more points. It's called not rewarding failure! It's a challenge but they should not give any points if you miss it or fall down on it. This is now a point system based on numbers.

Q: I know you love a great layback spin. What makes a layback spin GREAT in your opinion?

A: A great layback spin is in what they call the "attitude" position in dance with the free leg behind, quite high but flat with the knee not lower than the foot of the free leg. That's the problem. Many skaters don't know what a classical position is. With spinning, when Jason Brown did a catch foot donut spin he pulled it up into a beautiful position. He didn't delay. He had an extraodinary extension which he used to enter into jumps. That was magnificent.

Q: What do you remember about meeting Ulrich Salchow?

A: I went to his house in Stockholm in 1947. He invited a whole group of skaters and all of his trophies were in a good sized room. He said, "I don't want you to leave this competition without having a trophy. I want you to pick any one you want out of this room." They ranged in size from 1-2 inches high to a big silver statue of Peter The Great on a rock. Of course, that's what I really wanted but I thought no. I didn't want to pick one of the smaller ones and insult him either. I picked the trophy you see in "Push Dick's Button". He won in that in London in 1901. Since it was given to me, I gave it to Misha Petkevich on the condition he give it someday to someone else when he felt that there was someone he admired. I admired Petkevich's skating very much so I gave it to him but I also had a copy made for myself. He gave to Paul Wylie and he did the same thing.  When Paul gives it to someone else, each person will still keep their own copy.

Q: What did you think of Jeremy Abbott and Jason Brown at U.S. Nationals?

A: I thought they were both good! Jeremy Abbott had a wonderful short program and was very good. He's an elegant skater with great line and great softness of edges. Jason Brown was superb. His choreography was done by Rohene Ward and that program really had a beginning, middle and an end. You didn't know what to expect. His extension was extraordinary. The music and program was very difficult to skate to because Irish music is up and down, meaning it's vertical stepping. It's tapping and there's little upper body movement but his program was beautifully done.

Q: I know my mother will love this question because no one loves gardening more than her. Ken Shelley told me you're a wonderful gardener so I had to do a little research and saw some wonderful pictures of your farm and garden. What draws you to gardening and what is your favourite flower?

A: I don't have a favourite flower any more than I have a favourite skater. There is not a skater around who doesn't have something of great interest. In addition to skating, I have always been intrigued by landscape and architecture.

Q: At the end of the day, what do you want your legacy in life to be?

A: Thank you for thinking of it. I would like to see proper development of a Museum of Skating Media so that people will know and understand the history and be able to see films of those outstanding performances... of people like Belita, Charlotte, Barbara Ann Scott, The Protopopov's, John Curry, Kurt Browning and so many others.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Interview With Garrett Gosselin

When you hear skaters, judges, coaches and fans of skating all say that the future of Canadian skating is bright, they aren't lying. Skaters like Patrick Chan and Kaetlyn Osmond might only be young themselves but there's a whole generation of ridiculously talented skaters waiting in the wings for their time to shine. One of these skaters is Saskatchewan's Garrett Gosselin, a 21 year old gay and proud skater on a mission. Coached by Eileen and Keegan Murphy of Vancouver and choreographed by Mark Pillay and Lance Vipond, Garrett is a packaged skater (Peter Griffin laugh... package) with a very bright future in the sport. On a side note, Garrett Gosselin and Audrey Weisiger need to talk - Garrett's skating has YAS written all over it! A senior men's competitor on the move, Garrett took the time to talk about his career to date, perseverance, his goals, how dance has helped his skating and much more in this interview.

Danielle Earl photo

Q: Last season, you finished 3rd at the Skate Canada Challenge qualifying competition and in the top 10 at your first Canadian Nationals as a Senior Men's competitor. This year was a very tough Olympic year and you finished 12th at Nationals despite putting some great skating out there. What are you proudest of so far in your skating career? 

A: I would have to say my perseverance in this sport. I am most proud of how I never give up. I've had 2 serious injuries that have cost me the better part of 2 years, yet that was never enough to hold me back from my goal. Despite having lost so much time on the ice, I have learned so much about how my body works and what my body needs to stay healthy. Because of that, I’ve had a full year of no injuries, and that is a huge accomplishment.

Q: You're studying contemporary dance at Simon Fraser University to improve your understanding of music and movement. What have you learned the most on the dance floor that's changed the way you skate and look at skating?

A: I've learned how to appreciate the quality and simplicity of movement. I've always been a natural mover on and off the ice but through my dancing I've learned how to control movement and understand it, which is something I didn't get to learn as much of in skating. In fact, it is surprising how little experience most skaters have in dance, considering how similar the two sports are. Surely they have their obvious differences but when it comes to choreography, interpretation, control, and movement they can both overlap a fair bit. The dance outlet has really benefited my skating in a number of ways; it has given me a new and more knowledgeable appreciation for movement and also for the quality that can be attained within that movement and that is something I want to bring into my skating as well as back into this sport.

Q: You're also an International Studies student at SFU so obviously have a lot of interest in other cultures. What are 3 places in the world you'd love to visit and why?

A: I do have a strong interest in other cultures, and I was born to travel... I can tell you that. I haven't traveled internationally as much as I would have liked to but my time will come and hopefully my future career will bring me places. My top 3 places I’d love to visit are: Germany, because I’m studying the language and the history and it would be really interesting for me to go there and experience German culture first hand. I would also love to visit New Zealand, because I think it’s a beautiful country that isn't usually thought for a top 3 list. Also, my favourite film trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" was filmed there and it would be interesting so see the scenery in real life. Last but certainly not least, I would love to visit the Galapagos Islands simply to witness the vast number of exotic and endangered species of our time. I would be beyond happy! Although, I need to mention the difficulty I have in deciding which places belong in the top 3. I literally want to go EVERYWHERE.

Q: What are the three most played songs on your playlist? 

A: "Be The One" by Moby, "Fire in Your New Shoes" featuring Dragonette by Kaskade, and "Lucky Ones" by Lana Del Rey (I love Lana)!

Q: Looking towards next season, what are some of your goals and what things do you specifically want to focus on in training to improve both your TES and PCS scores? 

A: I've already started getting mileage in on my triple axel. It's been a jump that I had to put aside until I was healthy and now I am more ready than ever. I'm also starting to work on new triple/triple combinations to expand my range for my short program. The sooner I can start showing my triple axel the better and with a more consistent triple/triple repertoire, I'm sure I’ll be on my way to a higher TES in no time. As for my PCS, my coaches are good at pushing speed limit and I always try to play with new transitions into my elements. The dance will also help strengthen my upper body and the clarity of my movements.

Q: What kind of programs do you have in mind for next year to set you apart from the flock or is your mind not there yet? 

A: I'm keeping my short program for this year. I didn't feel like I skated it to my full potential and I want to showcase it a bit more. I will be getting a new long program this year, however I don’t have any information to give about it. I’m still looking for music.

Q: When you have a rough program or a rough day in training how do you pick yourself and remind yourself that tomorrow's a new day and keep that positive attitude going? 

A: I remind myself that nobody is making me do this. I chose to skate because it's what I'm good at and it's what I LOVE to do. I have a huge support team that love me for who I am and I know they will always be proud no matter what. When I have a rough day, my coaches make me push through it no matter what and I always manage to find something positive to think about. My former coach Sylvie Wandzura has taught me nearly everything you need to know about positivity and that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Also, I won’t lie: Sushi is usually a one-step remedy to a bad day.

- Being from Saskatchewan, you must have been so excited to see Paige Lawrence and Rudi Swiegers qualify for their first Winter Olympic Games this year. What makes Paige and Rudi so special?

A: I will NEVER forget that moment. Paige and Rudi deserve every minute at those Games. They have been great role models for EVERY single skater in Saskatchewan including myself. They have inspired me to persevere and to never forget about the strength of the Prairie folk. They have always represented Saskatchewan with pride and joy and they always will. What’s really special about them though, is how personable and humble they are to the skating world. They treat each skater as an equal whether that skater is a World Champion or skating at a local Saskatchewan competition level. They are Canadian Olympic heroes in my eyes.

Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why? 

A: Jeffrey Buttle is and will always be my favourite skater of all time. I admired his talent for years growing up; he was my biggest inspiration. I'll never forget when I saw his Philip Glass Long Program in the 2005 Canadian Championships in London. It was a work of art and ever since, I too, have wanted to create art on ice just like he did that day. I'm a huge fan of Carolina Kostner as well. She's always had a very unique look to her and I love her speed and flow. Her long program from the World Championships last year was phenomenal. Lastly, Daisuke Takahashi. Over the past few years, he has shown huge sophistication in his programs compared to many and of course his technical abilities can challenge anyone's on a good day.

Q: What's one thing about you most people don't know? 

A: Only a few people know that I’m obsessed with J.R.R. Tolkien and his creation of Middle-Earth’s "The Lord Of The Rings". I have all of his books. I have all the movies and all the video games. The best part is that I'm not even embarrassed to share it. I'm a geek! Oh, also... I was a Boy Scout for 9 years.

Q: What do you care about most in life? 

A: I care most about my family and friends. Sharing time with my family and my other half, Shaun Gheyssen, is something I cherish over anything. Shaun is a professional ballet dancer in Atlanta, Georgia with the Atlanta Ballet Company. I love adventure and a challenge and having him at my side to experience it all with me is a dream come true, so I couldn't be happier. I am lucky to have so many loved ones in my life.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Interview With Doug Wilson

When in the first few moments of our phone conversation Doug Wilson serenaded me with a rousing version of "O Canada", I just knew I was in for a wonderful time and I don't think I had any concept of just how wonderful a time I'd have. His 50 year journey in sports saw him as the producer and director of ABC's iconic Wide World Of Sports and in that journey he worked with Dick Button, Peggy Fleming, O.J. Simpson, David Letterman, Frank Gifford, Julie Moran, Terry Gannon and Jim McKay. He travelled to all corners of the sport presenting every sport imaginable and started his lifelong love affair with figure skating in 1964 when he covered his first U.S. Championships and watched Peggy Fleming take come the crown. He went on to be in attendance for almost every U.S. Championships from 1964 through to 2008. "I've been so blessed, Ryan," he told me. "Figure skating was at the core of it all. It was the number one for me." Doug has been honored by the Director's Guild Of America with its Lifetime Achievement Award in Sports and won 17 Emmy Awards for his tremendous work and was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall Of Fame in 2003. "When I got the envelope in the mail in 2003, I thought it was a fundraiser," laughed Doug. "I was dumbfounded and overwhelmed and I called Dick Button and do you know what he said?... 'My, they're really going to extremes.'" Sharing his compelling and inspiring story in his new book "The World Was Our Stage" (which is required Skate Guard reading because I said so), Doug is not only a legend but a wonderfully warm, humble and entertaining person. He was SO kind to take time out of his busy stage and book schedule to talk with me about his book, amazing life, love of figure skating and experiences. This one deserves a Pinot Grigio. Go ahead, treat yourself. The Olympics are coming! You're allowed a big girl glass. I said so. Enjoy!:

Q: In your new book "The World Was Our Stage", you talk about your amazing 50 year journey with ABC's Wide World Of Sports. You were with Wide World Of Sports for almost the show's entire run from 1961 to 1998 and you were there to witness and present so many of figure skating's greatest moments. What did you love most about producing and directing this program and bringing skating into the homes and hearts of billions?

A: Well first of all, I was a theatre guy. I was a jack of all tracks, master of none jock as a kid - a good wrestler, played soccer but I really wanted to be a singer, actor and performer. I got a job as a production assistant at ABC. The first two years I was doing all kinds of other shows and then that developed into my role with Wide World Of Sports. The key to the show was in the opening phrase that we all heard - and I believe Johnny Esaw used to use it too: "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport... the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat... the human drama of athletic competition... This is ABC's Wide World of Sports!" The show was really about the human drama of athletic competition. The show wasn't just a sports show. It was a show that told stories; it was sports theatre. Having been an active athlete and had those experiences, it was the perfect marriage for me. Once u realize that sense of theatre of presenting sport, you look at it like this: on Broadway the script's already been written, it was OUR job to follow the plot lines. What sport is ultimate theatre? Figure skating. Ultimate sports theatre. It's got everything every other sport has plus artistry plus a touch of soap opera built in. To me, with Wide World Of Sports I was in heaven.

Q: You obviously worked very closely with Olympic Gold Medallists Dick Button and Peggy Fleming in producing Wide World Of Sports. Why do you feel they were your best choice as figure skating commentators for ABC and what do you respect and enjoy most about them as people?

A: Individually speaking, Dick Button became the iconic voice of figure skating in a very real sense. I mean, he has the credentials (being a North American Champion, the last North American man to win European Championships, 7 times national champion, 5 world titles, 2 Olympic gold medals)... then you have his passion for artistry of the sport... then he's brilliant! He's got a law degree, is so articulate and has this wonderful sense of humor. He's a real Renaissance guy. Dick agonized over everything he said on the show and didn't want to walk away from any show not feeling he had analyzed anything to the best of his ability. He agonized over that... being sure he was saying what he meant. But who could be better? Peggy Fleming is a national treasure of the United States Of America. She is iconic. People love Peggy Fleming. I remember when Tom Collins convinced her to do one more tour. He begged her to do it and she did and I went down to watch the first rehearsal and Peggy went out on ice and she comes over the boards and looks at me and says: "They're all skating so fast!" This is what happened. She was the headliner of the show, people came in and a spotlight in went down lighting center ice and there was no announcement... she just came out and skated into the light and the place went nuts. That's the kind of effect she had. She just skated balletically and artistically, no triple jumps, none of that stuff... and they just loved it. She has great feeling for the sport and really cares a lot about it and was so articulate. Then you have Jim McKay - nobody better! Then later on, Terry Gannon who is a brilliant, brilliant guy. The king of take 1's. And back to Peggy... she is beautiful! That didn't hurt.

Q: You just returned from Boston and the 2014 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships. What, in your opinion, were the most fascinating moments and memories that came out of this event? 

A: Jeremy Abbott's short program. Oh yeah. Jeepers creepers! Jason Brown's free skate and always, always Davis and White. They're just magical. I'm sure there's going to a great North American showdown at the Olympics. You never know what will happen. As Dick Button says, "Ice is a very slippery thing". I was very surprised at how good Castelli and Shnapir are... really good. As for the ladies, Gracie Gold is going to be marvelous but I want to talk about Polina Edmunds. What I think is going to happen in Sochi is when that little girl gets out there, she's going to surprise everyone. I think the Russian fans are going to go nuts for her! Number one - she's young. Number two - she has the look of a Russian ballerina. She looks just like a Russian ballerina would look. And Number three - her first name's Russian. She's going to one of the most popular athletes for the Russian audience. She's young and hasn't quite reached that maturity/womanhood stage but they're just going to love her. The other big moment from Boston was when they did the presentation with all the Olympic Gold Medallists. I stood there with my wife and I said "how blessed can a person be to say I'm friends with all those people?" They're all extraordinary great people. I had that moment of thanks.

Q: How challenging was marketing figure skating to audiences that previously weren't familiar with the sport? What kind of obstacles and roadblacks did you come across in that respect?

A: The sport is a great sport. What we did with the TV show was bring it to them. I'd like to give some credit to the way we showed it and the way it was discussed on air - with Dick, Peggy, Jim, Terry and Carol Heiss in the beginning, the sport sold itself. We were the conduit. I personally think - and a lot of people might be surprised when I say this - that figure skaters are greater athletes than the guys that are playing for the NFL. Think about it. They have every quality that someone who's a linebacker for New York Giants have - strength, ability, speed, timing, focus, grace under pressure, balance - a great skater has to have all of these. Once they've got that, then they have to become artists. I don't think NFL players have to communicate artistry to the 50,000 people in the arena. Figure skating goes up and down in popularity for a variety of reasons. It will never not be popular on some level. It is what it is. It's wonderful.

Q: You really globe trotted for so many years in your position. What was your favourite place that you travelled and what was your least?

A: St. Moritz became a very important part of my personal life as you can read in the book. I was over there in 1967 as Associate Director to cover The Cresta Run. I tried it and became addicted it. I rode over the Christmas holidays and am going back to do my own man show which is a reflection of my book. It's so hard to pick a place but that place became part of my life. I don't recall ever being in a place where I was saying to myself "I gotta get out of here, I'm awful". We were always there to cover a special event of some kind. Secondly, with Wide World Of Sports, we were treated so, so well. The doors were open and everyone was wonderful. I learned in travelling that the will to win is not really any different in Jackie Stewart racing in Monaco as it is with wrist wrestling guy in Petaluma. There's always magic in the air. Going to Bucharest to cover Nadia Comaneci.... that was an adventure! I consider her one of the greatest athletes of all time. She always come to mind... the first perfect 10 in the Olympics. Then I think of Dick Button saying "just because a child can play the minute waltz in a minute doesn't mean they're a great pianist." Her greatness was in my opinion what happened AFTERWARDS when she came back as a woman to dominate. It's like Michelle Kwan. Michelle gave me an autographed photo to give to my granddaughter Kira. "Why is MK a great champion?" I asked. She answered, "because she skates so well". I responded that "Michelle is a great champion because of how she conducted herself in victory and defeat." Those are the kind of stories from around the world that stand out.

Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why?

A: You're a rascal! If I tell you about my favourites, how do you think the others will feel? If I told you my favourite skaters, there would a whole bunch of other skaters who wouldn't speak to me for a while. I'll put it this way. My favourite skater knows who my favourite skater is.

Q: What's one thing about you most people don't know?

A: How scared I've been. I do my show and do readings with my book and I'm in front of an audience but I still always get so nervous. Bob Hope was asked at 92 about going up there and telling jokes and he said he still got nervous going up there then. It's a nice compliment to have people feel I'm comfortable, relaxed and doing my job as a communicator or performer but it's like this... it's not easy. I was almost never completely happy when I left a TV truck. People would say "great job" but I always knew what I missed. There was always that. People at home didn't know I missed but I did. The only way I could try to do justice to these skaters was to go to those practice sessions and pre-block and study what they did. When I was directing, I would see let's say Michelle Kwan's magnificent spiral and look at the whole picture. The skater speaks with the whole body. In Michelle's case the emotion that went into that spiral just glowed right out of her face every time. If I didn't know when that spiral was gonna happen or when there were little subtle times someone would have a moment with a simple foot moment that I wouldn't have known how to present that. A lot of figure skating coverage you see on TV is what I call it zone coverage. Skating is ebbs and flows and moves and sways. It's such a marvellous emotion filled sport but lot of people film it doing zone coverage. It's very nice but to me, I want to know that if skater is going to start diagonally across the ice. I want to know what they're going to do ahead of time and know that skater's going to move right into camera. The only way to know all of this is ahead of time and to go there and watch them, write it down and have that system.

Q: What did you learn the most about yourself looking back and writing this book that you didn't expect?

A: You're really getting home runs here and making me analyze. I became increasingly aware of how fortunate I've been. It continues in the aftermath of the writing book in connections with people responding to it. The connection in the concourse in Boston - people came up and said these wonderful things. All of these skating fans had such different favourites. Many people commented on the "Leading Ladies" part of the book. Many people didn't realize that Elaine Zayak became a World Champion and only has half a foot. Elaine is SUCH a great lady and a nice person! The book has had me welled up almost on a daily basis to be thankful for what life has given to me. I've been surrounded by great people in the TV business and athletics. I've been in the right place at the right time and had a great time. I've had this extraordinary voyage. Also, I think about how Jim McKay focused on the history... and I was also a witness to history. In China in 1980, I was there for the first visit of U.S. skaters in China. It was grey, with no cars... bicycles and piles of cabbage on the sidewalk... the whole experience was incredible. To go again in the 90's and find a KFC sign dominating the main street and vitality, cars, people and commerce thriving... it was just extraordinary. Then to have been in Munich in 1972 - going from euphoria to halcyon 6-7-8 days before tragedy and terrorism became part of our lives. Who do I thank for this gift? To be able to call Scott Hamilton, Brian Orser, Dorothy Hamill, Linda Fratianne, Brian Boitano, Carol Heiss Jenkins, Peggy Fleming, Dick Button all friends. Jeepers creepers! I can't imagine anyone having been more blessed than I've been.

"The World Was Our Stage" is available by on Doug's website at www.dougwilsonabcsports.com. 

Get your copy today! No, really... today. You heard what I said! Don't make me come down there! 

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Salman Rushdie, Censorship In Skating And Making The Moment

Not really... this blog's called Is That A Skate Guard In Your Pocket Or Are You Happy To See Me? for a reason.

At 2012's World Voices Festival - a week long series of performance art, readings and conversations - literary great Salmon Rushdie said in a speech about censorship that "Great art, original art, is never created in a safe middle ground. Originality is dangerous, as it is at the edge." That quote, that statement got me thinking about what all of the skaters that have really significantly and artistically influenced the sport had in common. It wasn't their ability to perform consecutive twizzles, contort their bodies into unattractive spin variations or land quad toe/triple combinations - it was and continues to be their understanding and mastery of the art of developing a relationship between themselves, the knives they skate on and the music they skate to. The skaters whose performances last as memories in our mind are the storytellers, the game changers and the true bards of the ice.

What's interesting to look at when we think about the topic of censorship related to art in Rushdie's talk at the World Voices Festival is how that really pertains to figure skating and how it has historically. Is this "new" judging system not a way of uniforming skaters and discouraging originality and personality? That's a whole other issue that I certainly feel I've given my two cents on MORE than once and feel a bit differently on now that I have seen Jeremy Abbott and Jason Brown be truly rewarded for their artistry (yes, artistry... not "PCS") at the most recent U.S. National Championships. Has "amateur" skating always been encouraging of its original artists? Of course not.

Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. This, believe it or not, finished 8th. Yeah, 8th.

It took Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay a country change from Canada to France, 'paying their dues' and an 8th place finish with their groundbreaking and genius "Savage Rites" program at the 1988 Calgary Olympics before they were finally given credit for their difficult yet theatrical programs by finally standing on the medal podium in 1989 at the World Championships. Gary Beacom's poem Karma alludes to his treatment in the amateur ranks: "The abuse was enough to make him prone // To kick the mean judge in the shinbone, // But his utmost revenge // Was the thought that the bench // Was tormented by fire and brimstone." In his 1987 Maestro interview, John Curry said of presenting himself artistically after he'd come of age: "I was told I shouldn't use my arms. I shouldn't do spirals. I shouldn't try to make everything look so graceful. I was actually told not to be so graceful and I couldn't understand why. And it was because they couldn't accept it from a young man, which they could from a child." Whether treated poorly by judges, coaches, parents or spectators, skaters who've scoffed at convention and pushed that envelope have traditionally fought a lot harder than most against that censored, streamlined 'norm' that has traditionally rewarded technical excellence over inventiveness and safety over courage.

If we censor skaters while they are coming up the ranks by not encouraging them to skate to whatever the hell music they want to skate to wearing whatever they'd like we're not doing them the justice of allowing them to partake in that relationship between music, skater and ice. They're just going to end up with that competition result, that clean lutz and that passed test. If coaches, choreographers, judges and skaters (in all disciplines, "amateur", professional and even recreational) all put aside preconceived notions about what is and isn't 'how it's done' and go for broke and really push that envelope again, that little piece of individuality that was lost when the 6.0's went away can return. We just need to put down the Bizet CD's and pick up the Jean-Michel Jarre, Dead Can Dance, Grace Jones, Yma Sumac and Janis Joplin ones. As the season heats up for artistic geniuses like Jeremy Abbott and Jason Brown, it cools down for so many other skaters. It's time to revisit what performing is about and look towards another season with vision and a pushed envelope in mind. If Abbott and Brown's receptions in Boston were any indication, the public doesn't want censorship, it wants performance and that moment. Rushdie sums it up best in an article for "The New Yorker" where he again talks about censorship: "The creative act requires not only freedom but also this assumption of freedom. If the creative artist worries if he will still be free tomorrow, then he will not be free today. If he is afraid of the consequences of his choice of subject or of his manner of treatment of it, then his choices will not be determined by his talent, but by fear. If we are not confident of our freedom, then we are not free. And, even worse than that, when censorship intrudes on art, it becomes the subject; the art becomes “censored art,” and that is how the world sees and understands it."

To the skaters reading this, go after next season and every performance you give with that fire to be yourself and to the audience members reading this, keep encouraging skaters whose work speaks to you as being special. Those words just might be the fire that keeps them going and striving towards making that moment happen.

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.

Interview With Vanessa Grenier And Maxime Deschamps

In their first season together, Vanessa Grenier and Maxime Deschamps achieved the impossible: standing atop the podium as Canadian Junior Pairs Champions. What made this feat even more incredible was that although Maxime had competed the previous year as a pairs skater, Vanessa had no pairs experience and was a former Senior Ladies competitor. Already showing consistency, attack and technical prowess in their skating, their free skate at the Nationals this year commanded audience and showed nothing but HUGE potential for the future. Vanessa and Maxime took time for their training schedule to talk about their win at Canadians, plans for the future, partnership and much, much more in this all new interview:

Q: You've had so much success in your skating careers already and you're both just getting started. You won the Canadian junior title this year in Ottawa and really proved yourselves in doing so. What have been the proudest moments so far in your skating careers and what's next for you?

A from Vanessa: That title is certainly one of the best moments so far but what we remember from that competition is also our performance in the long program. We both felt really good and we did a program that looks like the ones we do in practice. We gave everything and we were really proud of how we skated. We can say that we were able to fully enjoy the moment as we skated a clean program. I think our smiles were sincere throughout the whole program because we were really having fun on the ice
and living the moment! We are also very proud of the whole season. We worked hard and we saw the results. We've shown a constant progression and we've received tons of good comments from everyone.

A from Maxime: Our goal this season was only to make a good impression and we think we made more than that with this title. It is beyond our expectations. We never thought, when we started together, that we would reach this level so fast. From our first competition of the season to the last competition, we improved our short program score by 12 points, and and our long program score by 25 points. We were improving our score at every single program we were doing in competition and that was the goal we set before every competition.

Q: Vanessa, you competed as a singles skater prior to teaming up with Maxime and have won the silver medal on the junior level at Canadians, been a top ten ranked Senior Ladies competitor in Canada and had success internationally as well. How difficult was making the transition from singles to pairs?

A from Vanessa: Much easier than I expected! I had the perfect partner to start with, because he had the experience and strength to guide me and hold me. There is no pair element he can't do, due to his strength and experience, so that made my job easier. I only had to focus on myself to make the elements work. I also had to develop my strength, flexibility and presence on the ice a lot during my singles career, as I had to be strong on my own if I wanted to perform well. So even without the experience in pairs, I was bringing something else to the team. In a different way, my intensive training in singles was indirectly a good training for pairs.

Q: Maxime, last year you finished in 7th in Junior Pairs at Canadians with your former partner Naomie Boudreau. What made you decide to switch partners and what really clicked the most with Vanessa that helped you make such a quick jump in the standings after only one year together?

A from Maxime: In pair skating, the match makes a big difference. With that other partner, the match just wasn't the right one. We weren't working for the same goal. I was expecting for better results and we knew that we wouldn't achieve them together. Changing partners is definitely not the most thrilling part of skating. Finding the good partner is so difficult. I think we both made a smart move in searching for new partners. She also had success this year with her new partner Cédric Savard, as they came 3rd in the Novice pairs event. I'm happy for her and I think she is also happy for me, it's just better for both of us this way.

Q: Canada is a country that's just full of pairs skating legends - Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini, Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler, Jamie Sale and David Pelletier and countless others. Who is your favourite Canadian pairs team and why?

A from Vanessa: My vote goes to Jamie Salé and David Pelletier. Talk about finding the right partner! They are the perfect example. Together they had a chemistry like no other. They've had memorable skates, not so much because of their technical abilities, but because of their performance level. They were connecting with each other and that was something special. They had the power to make us feel something as spectators - to believe in their stories and connect with them. They were special and they still are when they perform in shows. As for the other pair teams, I'm a little too young to remember them, but I heard so much greatness about many of them! They all have their unique qualities.

A from Maxime: Same for me... Jamie Salé and David Pelletier. The day I saw them skate at the Olympics is the day I told myself I would be at the Olympics one day. Before that day, I was just skating just to improve my skating skills to play hockey. After that day, I had a dream. In the beginning, I wanted to compete singles but at the age of about 16 years old, I realized it would be impossible for me to go as a single skater. I started doing pairs. There were pair teams training at the place I was skating at that time, and I was so impressed by the lifts. When my coach told me to do my first lift, I just remember telling myself that I wasn't strong enough to do this. Then I tried my first lift and I fell in love with pair skating. Salé and Pelletier were already my idols. I wanted to become as great as them. I still remember their entire program at the Olympics - the "Love Story" program. It was one of the best programs ever performed, because of the chemistry between them. It was incredible. The fluidity on the ice was amazing. They were flying and everything was looking so effortless.

Q: What are your long term goals in the sport and what do you want to focus on next season the most?

A from Vanessa: The 2018 OLYMPICS! This is the first long term goal that we planned. However this is really far, so our focus is not so much on that right now. We want to plan one season at the time. We will start pretty soon our 2 new programs for the next season. We want to make them much more elaborated and tricky. We're going to have fun with our choreographer Julie Marcotte, choreographing our new Senior programs. Our choreography this past season was built after less than 2 months skating together. We improved so much during less than a year that we need 2 completely new programs to show our new abilities. We have to bring our programs, this time, to the level we are now. We also have to consider that we will still improve. As for the technical aspects, in the next couple months we want to learn new lifts, new throws, and we also want to add the triple twist. This is where our focus is for the off-season. Adding to that, we hope we made a good impression enough to be sent to international senior competitions in the next season. I don't think Max wants to add anything to this. We've discussed so many times about our goals and we agree on all of them. We are truly working in the same direction.

A from Maxime: Haha... Right! She said it all.

Q: What's one thing about you most people don't know?

A from Maxime: One thing people don't know about us is that after every competition, Vanessa and I go for an ice cream! We made a deal this summer because ice cream is a thing she loves but she can't eat it in her plan. I decided to support her and stop eating ice cream except for when we are going together for the traditional post-competition ice cream.
   
Q: Describe your absolute PERFECT meal - appetizer, dinner and dessert!

A from Vanessa: A warm appetizer (because I'm always cold) followed by a good salad (pretty much any kind, it is always tasty and so refreshing). The dessert isn't part of my regular planned diet, but after a competition, as we mentioned, an ice cream is required... haha. On a regular routine, any meal that has fresh vegetables in it is just the perfect meal because it's refreshing; it tastes good. It gives me good energy and makes my body feel good.

A from Maxime: I like any kind of meat, so any meal that has been well cooked and has fresh meat is perfect for me. For dessert, I really enjoy cheesecake!

Q: What do you consider the most challenging element in pairs skating - lifts, throws, side by side jumps, twists... or something else? How have you worked to improve your consistency on it/them?

A from Vanessa: Death spirals! This is what caused me the most trouble of all the different elements. It's not related to any element of singles, which is maybe why it took me more time to learn. It also looks really easy when we watch, but it's not! Even during the practices at Nationals, I was still figuring out stuff that helped me improve the death spiral. It's a tricky one I find, especially the back inside (the one we had in the short).

A from Maxime: Side by side spins is definitely not my favorite element to work on. Everybody who did pairs knows how hard it is to time the rotation. The only way to succeed in this element is to practice again and again. When we were skating singles, we were both excellent in spins but in pairs what matters is the synchronization and the match of the positions. We have to rotate at the same speed, have the exact same positions, the same timing in the transitions of the positions, etc. and we haven't even talked about the speed. We're not even there yet. It requires good control and consistence. That element is the one I find the hardest.

Q: What do you love the most about being out on the ice?

A from Vanessa: You never get bored of skating because there are so many different elements and aspects of your skating that you can improve. It requires skill, power, strength, control, grace, fluidity, endurance... and the most rewarding thing is when you can showcase all of this in a program in competition and you can simply enjoy the moment!

Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.