Interview With Allison Scott

Leah Adams photo

Three times Jeremy Abbott has stood atop the podium as the U.S. senior men's champion. You know, no big deal! Just a few national titles, right? In 2010, he represented the United States at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. Right now, it's 2013, and Jeremy's preparing for his biggest season yet... which very well might see him heading back to the Olympic Games once again, this time somewhere a little more cold. But they have vodka, so that's the main thing. At any rate... beside every figure skater that makes it "to the top", there is a support system of family, friends, coaches, choreographers and so many others that are integral to that skater's success. And then there are those support figures that go the extra mile... One of them is Allison Scott, who's not only Jeremy Abbott's mother but an amazing person all of her own. She's a huge supporter of the sport, not only a skating parent and an adult skater herself but a blogger, friend, lifelong fan and huge supporter of skating itself. We talked about a little of everything - from what it means to be a skating parent to her own skating and involvement in the sport, the ever controversial and hot topic of judging to her favourite skaters and even bullying within the sport. I enjoy ALL of the interviews that I've done but this one will definitely go down as one of my favourites and I think you'll agree:

Q: Your son is one of MY favourite skaters, the amazing Jeremy Abbott! When Jeremy first started skating, did you ever think he would achieve and continue to achieve the things he has today?

A: I’m not sure there is a good answer to this, Ryan. Looking back now, the past 24+ years just “happened.” All we knew was that Jeremy loved to skate. From the first time he stepped on the ice in Aspen at age 2 to today, this is what he’s lived and breathed. It’s been his life and his passion. Did we ever think he would achieve the things he has? We hoped he would achieve what HE wanted; not what WE wanted. There’s a difference. What we hoped more, though, was that – when we got to the last hill of this competitive roller coaster and looked back – we could all say, “What a ride it’s been!”

Q: The amount of sacrifice that parents of skaters go through to allow their children to achieve their dreams is incredible. Believe me. I know. I didn't make it to the Nationals let alone Olympics and my parents made some serious financial sacrifices to allow my sister and I to both have ice time, lessons, new blades and boots, skating in the summer, spring and fall, clothing, travel... the list goes on. How mentally difficult is balancing a day job and trying to support an elite skater... and most importantly how can people with the means help? I don't think a lot of skating fans even know how they can help support their favourite skaters!

A: I’m not sure we did it well, at least not financially. But I also know we’re not alone when it comes to making extreme sacrifices. Our story is relatively common. We will probably never catch up with the bills. We refinanced three or four times and we still have two mortgages. We are not wealthy people; our house is very small and in an older neighborhood. We both work in the hospitality business, which has suffered some tremendous setbacks in the past four years. Up until that time, we were starting to make some headway. Then, my husband (Jeremy’s step-dad Allen) was laid off in 2008 and had a long period of stringing projects together. After Vancouver, we felt someone from the family should be at  Worlds to help end a difficult season. Allen went to Torino to support Jeremy and while he was there he blew his knee out . That landed him in an Italian hospital on his birthday, then to surgery at home and on crutches for a long time. All of that set us back even further. But Jeremy’s been paying his own expenses since 2009, so now we’re just trying to consolidate. Regarding funding, we have been so fortunate. Years ago, we had people donate to the New England Amateur Skating Foundation in Jeremy’s name.  I t was a true help when Jeremy was pre-Juvenile through Intermediate. After that, we got some assistance from USFS Memorial Fund. It wasn’t a huge amount, but it usually got some of his lessons covered. We’re very grateful for that support and we give to it each year now so other young skaters and their families can keep going. In past years, Jeremy has had private assistance from individual sponsors. One from Japan stepped up with a few years of support to help with skating bills. Unfortunately, this person became quite ill and has not been able to assist. I can tell you, however, we could not have survived without this unsolicited assistance. The other support has come through foundations. There are some out there. Most federations are aware and have contact information. You have to do your homework, though. Criteria for each are different. Then there are the fans. What can you say about fans who step up and help when they perceive a problem. We have had help on so many levels from fans – from offers of tickets, to discounted lodging, to words of encouragement. Of course, people know about Jeremy’s Japanese Fan Club. They are single-handedly responsible for continuing and growing Jeremy’s idea of the Boys Fund to encourage young boys to stay in the sport. Words cannot express our gratitude for those fans that saw the need and supported Jeremy in his efforts. This was a long answer to a difficult question. The “Readers Digest” answer is, yes, people can support their favorite skaters but they need to do their homework, make sure that gifts do not compromise the skaters or their families even further tax-wise, and they also need to know that there are many ways to support, other than monetarily.

Q: I remember when my sister and I were both skating and how much of the edge of my seat I was watching her skate. I think I was more nervous for her than I was myself. How do you and have you dealt with the nerves of watching your son compete on the national, Olympic and World stage?

A: Every parent deals with nerves in their own way. I’ve never been one to really hide or pace. I know parents who absolutely cannot watch. I know others who purposely video their kids because the camera gives them that extra layer of “protection.” Over the years, I learned to deal with my nerves by watching a LOT of skating before Jeremy competes. I’ve been known to go to whatever level of competition is out there the day before and the day of competition. I think I do it to desensitize myself (or to numb myself – aka: brain freeze!). I watch ALL senior men. Of course, I do that because I know so many of them and I truly love them. They’re like my kids. Sometimes, I’m more nervous for my “boys” than I am for my own boy. I want them all to walk off the ice happy with their performances. Jeremy so rarely skates in early groups anymore, that means I’ve got hours of skating before he even takes the ice. By the time the last groups are up, I’m ready. Nervous? Of course. But certainly better mentally prepared. Of course, the Olympics in Vancouver were an entirely different “animal.” I’d suggest people read my blog to truly know how I felt about that experience!

Q: Tying in with my own experiences in the skating world, I certainly know about "skating parents". Some of the nicest people I've ever met have been parents of skaters but the "Stage Moms" you see on shows like Toddlers And Tiaras and Dance Moms are out there in skating... believe me. What have your relationships with other skaters parents been like and does the same cattiness that goes on in rinks across America still exists amongst the parents of elite skaters in your opinion?

A: You know, it’s funny. By the time we’ve all been around the block as many times as we have, there is an understanding and commonality that binds us all in some strange and slightly dysfunctional way. Many of us have been together for more than 20 years. We’ve seen the highs; we’ve experienced the lows. We have lived through more than our share of extreme challenge and in some cases extreme tragedy. We’re “family.” Yes, what I call the Dragon Lady moms and the Darth Vader dads are out there – particularly at the lower levels. But when you have years of shared experiences, and years of having your derrière frozen to metal bleachers, you learn to keep one another company. We understand one another.  

Allison and her husband Allen

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island with 3 things and 3 people, who and what would they be and why?

A: That’s easy. My wonderful husband of 25 years, Allen. My incredible daughter, Gwen, and my terrific son. Family is everything. Three things: a trunk big enough to hide my step son, his wife, my grandbaby, my son-in-law and my mom; a boat and fuel. (I guess that doesn’t mean we’d be stranded, does it?) Oh, and a computer with WIFI so I could blog about the experience…and call for help..

Q: What can you share about your own skills and experiences on the ice?

A: I skated as a kid. I don’t remember ever not skating  -  or skiing, for that matter. I was one who loved to do figures, though I can’t say I was particularly good at it. I still love nothing more than skating recreationally, but it has to be outside. I’m a huge fan of skating outdoors. I was club president for a long time but I truly loved helping with Learn to Skate, and taking my preliminary dance tests. I loved doing shows and with a good friend we designed and constructed many of the club sets in my garage outside of Aspen. That was the best time for me. I loved doing competition announcing, particularly for club competitions. I never felt volunteering to help was a “chore.” It helped me get to know officials and learn the rules of competition.

Q: You were recently a judge on Young Artists Showcase and have been a vocal supporter of this particular event. How can events like YAS bring more viewers to skating right now and most importantly, why should new skaters and choreographers get involved in the future?

A: Now that the “New System” isn’t new any more – and it certainly isn’t going to go away – it is incumbent on those of us who want to see the art and sport of figure skating evolve to support budding young choreographers who are working from within the system to show it can be so much more than TES and TSS, plus grades of execution and, certainly WAY more than just the jumps. Choreography isn’t a necessary evil that gets a skater from one element to another, it is the thread that forms the fabric of our sport. That’s why I support YAS, and the skaters who are putting themselves on the line artistically to explore potential.  When Audrey asked me to be a “judge” for YAS4 Challenge 4, I was very nervous. “I’m just a skating parent. I’m not a judge, skater, choreographer or coach. I’m just another frozen butt in the stands.” But both Audrey and Doug Mattis pointed out to me that, if we’re going to rekindle a love of skating in a wider audience, skaters need to understand that they are not only performing for scores, they are performing for audiences. That performance needs to reach past the first few rows of the judging stands and all the way to the back row of the arena. They felt I could bring that perspective, so as nervous as I was to express my opinion, I did it out of true love of the sport – the same reason the skaters were creating their wonderful pieces. It’s been an honor and joy to watch every piece, and to express my “uneducated” opinion, as well as voice my undying support. New skaters and choreographers need to take note, and if it is YAS, or some other outlet where they can create, they NEED to create. It will only elevate the sport.

Jacque Tiegs photo

Q: I love Yuka Sato! I'm dying to know... is she as nice in person "as she seems on TV"?

A: In a word? YES! Past that, it would take me a volume the size of War and Peace to describe how incredibly grateful I am to Yuka, Jason and the Detroit Skating Club team for how they embraced Jeremy and made him part of the family. But the relationship Yuka and Jeremy have is one of total respect and collaboration. Yuka has been described as “the skater’s skater.” Jeremy admires her so much and respects not only her talents, but her innate sense of what he needs to further himself artistically and athletically. She always has his best interest at heart.

Q: If someone were coming to your house for your best dinner, what would they be having?

A: (I am fighting the temptation to say “YOYO” which in our house means – “You’re on your own.”) I’m pretty good at grilling and creating something out of “nothing!”

Allison and Doug Mattis hit the frozen stage

Q: You're great friends with Doug Mattis, who was actually one of my favourite professional skaters to watch when I was skating. I've gotten to know him (and you) a bit but don't have a clue how you both first met! Why do you both get along so well and what's the funniest time you've had together?

A: I got to know Doug through his posts online, and through many mutual friends who said we had to meet. We actually didn’t meet until San Jose and we hit it off immediately. Subsequently, we’ve had many opportunities to work together on volunteer projects, most notably for Nick and Tricia LaRoche’s show, “An Evening on Ice.” This year, we also joined forces in tweeting and posting in support of “Skate for Hope.” Both projects are extremely important to both of us and we love collaborating, coming up with fun ideas on how to gain attention and raise money for these causes. The past two years of Nick and Tricia’s show, I’ve volunteered my time and talents out of my deep love for both of them. Jeremy was only able to skate in the first show, but I’m a “lifer” now. What they are doing is so very, very important. I went to “Hope” as a skin cancer survivor. While Doug and I did some work together, I was there more as a support for Carolyn and the program she has built over the past 10 years. It was incredibly inspirational and I’ve made many new and wonderful friends thanks to going. The funniest time Doug and I have had together? Well, most people would expect me to say it was when we skated together last year in “An Evening on Ice” because we helped raise donations. Yes, that was incredibly fun – and funny. But for me, the funniest time I’ve had with Doug was when I stayed at his home in Vegas and got my toes eaten by his puppy Ina. I couldn’t walk down the stairs or into the room without getting attacked. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. However, Doug and I tend to laugh a lot when we’re together. It is also the one thing that is the springboard for our creativity and makes us such great collaborators. I am a huge fan of this man. He is one of those very, very special people who will always be my friend. He’s like my younger (WAY younger) brother from a different mother. By the way, I adore his mom, too! Mama Jill is a force of nature and a very special woman.

Q: What are your honest opinions on the IJS judging system - the good, the bad and the ugly?

A: It’s funny but I’ve never really objected to IJS. There are some very good things about it. Where it fails to deliver is not as much in the system itself but in the lack of explanation of the system to the skating fans. In my opinion, if people got to SEE the scores – the TSS, TES, grades of execution and levels etc – as they are recorded, it would be so much better. Instead, they see a score that makes no sense to them at the time it’s flashed on the Jumbotron; they don’t get to see the larger view until the protocols are posted. With the 6.0 system, there was security. 6.0 equaled perfection. But that was subjective. No one outside of the judges really understood what went into achieving those scores. At least with IJS, there is some outline of expectation with a point value assigned to it. Will it ever be perfect? It’s a subjective sport. “Perfect” is when you take the human element out of it, like Jeremy’s sister had when she was a ski racer. How fast can you make it down the hill. You don’t have to look great; you just have to cross the finish line first. If you have sparkles on your downhill suit, no one cares. It might cause for some comment, but – hey – you won based on how fast you skied. If you sign up for this ride on IJS, get to know it as well as you can. It’s not going away. 6.0 isn’t coming back. One of my favorite sayings applies here: “It is what it is.”

Q: You wrote a piece on your fantastic blog "Life On The Edge Of Skating" about bullying. How much does bullying exist within the skating world and in what ways can it change?

A: My blog on bullying was intended as a pro-active way to spotlight what is happening in so many areas of our lives right now - not only personally, but with  what exists on line,  in homes, schools, workplaces and on playing fields around the world. With the proliferation of social media, bullying has taken on a new form. It’s out there. We’ve all seen it. How many sad young people have taken their lives because they have experienced bullying? There are way too many examples of late. My heart breaks for the families who didn’t know what was happening because their kids were too shy or ashamed, or too embarrassed to tell them. But bullying takes on many subtle and not-so-subtle forms that extend way beyond the more publicized cases. I wrote my blog because, at some level, we have all experienced it. What I’ve found over the years is that bullies usually were bullied; they were taught by example in their homes, and many seem to do this as a way to “get even” for the verbal and sometimes physical abuses they experienced. Education on what bullying is, and how to deal with it, is the only way to help people cope. Like with all things, there is strength in knowledge.

Q: Speaking of your blog, did I mention how much I love it? Only having started to blog in February, it's a whole new world to me to be honest and I feel as if I'm learning as I go. What do you enjoy most about "putting a pen to paper" so to speak and what are the downsides?

A: Thanks! I love yours, too! I started my blog as a journal more than as a blog, per se. I don’t monetize it. I write as a form of “exercise” – or “exorcise,” as the case might be. The fact that it has caught on and gained the respect of parents, coaches and skating fans around the world is encouraging, but I don’t feel compelled to write unless I have something to say. That’s the nice thing about it; it’s not my day job. Because it isn’t how I make my living, I haven’t found many downsides to it. The one thing that has, from time-to-time, been problematic is that people view me as Yoda. I am a bit taller than that; I think I have a bit more hair. What I don’t have is all the answers. I only have my opinions and perspective from being in this sport for more than 24 years. It is difficult when I receive private messages asking for advice on difficult topics. I try to direct people to the professionals who are equipped to talk about these things. If they are coming to me, they don’t have the resources. I try to get them with the people who do. I’m only there to let them know that, on some level, they are not alone. I strive for “universal truths” that transcend our small and frozen world. What I enjoy most about blogging is trying to find those universal truths and to express them in a way that is meaningful, and humorous. I love double entendre. Doug Mattis gives me a +3 GOE on many of mine. I can tell you that my double entendre can beat most quads, particularly when done in combination! At the end of the day, what I really enjoy about blogging is seeing how it is reaching so many people, and how many friends outside of skating I’ve made because of what I write. You can’t put a monetary value on that.

Q: Who are your three favourite skaters ASIDE from Jeremy of all time to watch?

A: Wow... so many! I’ve been in love with skating since I was three years old. I’ve loved so many skaters for so many reasons, each reason as different as the decade in which they skated. I’m going to “cheat” here and give you three icons in my mind and three more current but equally inspiring. I can do that because I’m old and it is my prerogative. Top three from past decades ( in no particular order) would be: Janet Lynn, Robin Cousins and John Curry. That’s really not fair since I have a TON of favorites - so for those of you who are skating greats and also my friends in this category... I humbly apologize. Top three from recent years: I’m a Jeff Buttle fan and was even when Jeremy competed against him. I remember walking up to Jeff at the Colorado Springs World Arena when it hosted Four Continents. That was the first time Jeremy competed in Four Continents.  Jeff was sitting with a group of Canadian skaters and I introduced myself. You could tell from the expression on his face he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I immediately launched in and told him how much I admired his skating. He was extremely gracious, but I could tell he was more than a bit shocked. I can’t imagine what they all said about me when I walked away. I think they were all a bit dumbfounded at my “fan girl” moment.   I never got to meet  them, but I’ve always admired Shen and Zhao (can I count them as one?). And - of course - Michelle. What can I say about Michelle other than thank you for being so supportive, such a great role model in addition to inspiring skaters and fans around the world.

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

A: I’m pretty much an open book... or blog. I think the one thing people don’t know about me (yet) is my truly wicked sense of humor. I also don’t think people know I am a huge supporter of artistic and athletic programs that empower and encourage people with disabilities. The one thing that I’m most proud of is that I lost 38 pounds on Weight Watchers.  I’m even more proud of the fact that the love of my life, my husband Allen, has lost 68. We’re celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary September 17. We’re going for 50 years! Of course, if we had married when we both were FIRST married (this is a third for each of us) that 50 years would only be seven years from now!

Q: Looking forward to the Sochi Games and beyond, what are your biggest hopes and dreams for your son - and figure skating in general?

A: My hope for my son is what it always has been for all my children: to continue to find their passion and to love their lives. My hope for skating in general is that it continues an evolution within the system and finds its artistic “voice” again, so we can enjoy the true art and sport of figure skating. I also hope our sport finds new role models and mentors who understand that the best way to pay back to the sport that has given them so much is to Pay It Forward to the next generation.

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.

Still Performing At 77 and 81: Why The Protopopov's Are Truly Amazing!

I wanted to take a moment and talk about how completely amazing it is to me that Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov are still performing. They were announced as once again being among the cast members at this year's "An Evening With Champions" fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund at Harvard University, a show they have been performing in for decades. To give people who aren't really familiar with who the Protopopovs are some scope, they won the gold medals in the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics, four World Championships, defected to Switzerland from the Soviet Union in 1979  and have been performing as professional skaters since 1973. That's forty years! The only other skaters even nearing that kind of longevity as performers are Dorothy Hamill, Robin Cousins, Scott Hamilton and Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean... that said, none of these skaters were winning World titles in the 1960's! The duo actually won their first senior medal at the Soviet Championships in 1955, meaning that they are pushing sixty years skating. Now seventy seven and eighty one years old respectively, the duo truly epitomize that skating is a lifelong sport and that like a fine wine, it gets better with age.

Oleg and Ludmila performing at the 2005 An Evening With Champions show

There's a certain elegance, a charm, a sophistication that these two bring to the ice to these very day. The very best skaters of all time all have that... an understanding of music and how to move to it. The Protopopovs don't rush through their movements, they take time and care to express each note and don't need to still perform jumps and lifts to show what makes their skating magical. I want to applaud what they represent and who they are and the fact they still love skating so much that they get out there and create new programs to perform to audiences that appreciate them not as a novelty but as the legends they are. There is something so truly beautiful and awe inspiring about that.

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 Colin Grafton

Born in Rhode Island (the home of the Griffin Family!), Colin Grafton is a Massachusetts native that competed as a U.S. pairs skater with his former partner Kylie Duarte. Winning a bronze medal at the 2012 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships on the junior level, he then went on to to represent the U.S. at the 2012 Junior World Championships, placing in the top ten. His skating career also saw him represent the U.S. internationally at Junior Grand Prix events around the world. Colin took time from his current travels in Mexico to talk about his skating career, the Sochi Olympics, his former coach Dalilah Sappenfield and much more!:

Q: In October 2012, you announced the end of your partnership with Kylie Duarte. Why did you decide to stop skating together, are you still friends, and what is your current involvement in figure skating?

A: Kylie and I's decision to stop skating together was a mutual one. As you mentioned, Kylie and I accomplished a great deal in our partnership together. We both felt like it was time to take on something new, and take on a new challenge in life. Kylie and I will always be friends. Currently, I have been experimenting with professional skating shows. Since November of 2012 I have been traveling the country of Mexico. I have loved every minute of it, and it has proved to be very rewarding.

Q: You and Kylie skated together for 10 years. That's a long time for a pairs team! What did you guys have in common and what made working together gel with you two?

A: Yes, Kylie and I had a very long a great partnership. We had many things in common which in turn helped our success. Kylie and I come from very similar backgrounds, and also coincidentally, live very close to one another in New England. Because we started skating together at a young age, we grew up together. This is something that is hard to explain, but we learned a lot from one other which helped us be more "in sync" with each other on the ice.

Q: In competing internationally on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, you travelled to places like Austria, the Czech Republic, Great Britain and Latvia. Of these countries, what was the most interesting of these places to visit and if you had to pick any country in the world to live in other than the U.S. what would it be?

A: I have always felt so blessed to have had the opportunity to represent the U.S.A. in so many countries around the world. I have always been so interested in learned about the culture of different countries around the world. I have to say the most interesting place I visited while on the Junior Grand Prix circuit would be Austria. Seeing the old Olympic village in Innsbruck was really something special. Also, the mountainous landscape of Austria was absolutely breathtaking. If I had to pick another country to live in besides the U.S.A, I would say either Great Britain or Mexico.

Q: You were coached during your pairs career by Dalilah Sappenfield. What is Dalilah really like and what makes her a great coach?

A: This is a funny question to me, because I am actually asked "what is Dalilah really like" a lot! Really, Dalilah is a very laid back and easy person to work with! What I liked about working with her is she knows when to push you and how to push you. I also like how each day is set with goals to improve, and there is a great structure for training. I learned a great amount about being a successful athlete and person with Dalilah.

Q: Who are the nicest people you've met in the figure skating world? 

A: This is a very hard question! There are plethora of nice people in the skating world, it would be impossible for me to narrow it down to just a few!

Q: U.S. Figure Skating has been criticized for not coming out and making a statement about the homophobic laws in Russia that will affect athletes and visitors coming to Sochi for the 2014 Olympics. Why the silence and how do you feel about the issue? 

A: I cannot speak for U.S. Figure Skating and their decision to remain quiet on the issue. However, I feel very strongly about this issue. The new laws in Russia have made an immense amount of people worldwide angry. Of course I don't agree with these laws at all, but I am more disappointed and saddened by them. From an athlete's point of view, you work your whole life for one shot at an Olympic Games. Now all of hard work, dedication and sacrifice of these athletes are being overshadowed by these inhumane and archaic laws. The Olympic Games are supposed to be about world unity and peace are they not?

Q: If you had millions of dollars to put on your dream figure skating show, who would skate in it?

A: If I had a million dollars to put on my dream skating show I would have an immense amount of skaters in it! It would be so much fun to have a gigantic show with all of my friends in one place and having the money to fund it. It would also be really cool if we could use the show to raise money for something important!

Q: What is the scariest or most dangerous experience you've ever had on the ice?

A: When I was younger I fell and sliced my upper leg really close to my artery. I had to get 20 plus stitches and it was pretty gross to look at! That was probably the most scared I have been on the ice!

Q: We're in a different age now - social media, YouTube, blogs, live streams... Skating is reaching different audiences in different ways than it has before. What are the upsides and downsides of this?

A: Growing up in the age of social media has been really quite amazing, but as you said, there and ups and downs. My favourite thing about social media is the simplicity of communication. I can contact talk with or have a laugh with friends from any part of the world. It makes it so much easier to keep in contact with your friends you don't get to always see! With success comes attention. Coming from personal experiences, social media isn't always nice. There is no filter on what people can say about you on the internet, and it isn't always nice or true. There were many times where I felt my personal information and certain aspects of my personal life where completely invaded and made public for anyone to read about. I cant even imagine how extremely famous people deal with their complete lack of personal space.

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

A: Hmm... one thing about me most people don't know... I love to sing and make music.

Q: If you could go back in time and change one thing about your life (on or off the ice) what would it be?

A: I wouldn't change anything. I like to live my life without regrets and take each opportunity has something to learn from and grow from. I feel so blessed to have had all of the opportunities I have had.

Q: What makes figure skating the best sport in the world?

A: The lessons you learn along the way. I have learned so much about myself, and about life throughout my skating career. These are things I will carry with me throughout my entire life. In addition to this you have the opportunity to travel and learn about the world and meet so many amazing people! Without skating I would be a completely different person. Skating teaches you how to be disciplined, how to be healthy, how to be a great athlete, and more importantly, how to be a good person. I am very thankful for this.

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.

10.0: A Tribute To Brian Wright

The world of figure skating choreography has been both blessed and cursed in recent years. On one hand, you have the world's top choreographers mathematically regurgitating the same programs to the same music with the same jumps, spins and contrived footwork sequences to satisfy the requirements of skating's current judging system. For this reason, the vast majority of the performances we are seeing in competition these days are not works of the art, and sadly that isn't the fault of the skaters or the choreographers creating them... but "it is what it is". On the other hand, you have the Ice Theatre Of New York, American Ice Theatre, Robin Cousins' upcoming show in Great Britain, Young Artists Showcase, the Grassroots To Champions Seminars. You have the Lorna Brown's, the Adam Blake's... you have ProSkaters... the Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding's and Rory Flack Burghart's who are very much doing their part to keep professional, artistic skating alive. We're seeing people like Zabato Bebe, Garrett Kling, Kate McSwain, Jodi Porter... like Yebin Mok, Aerial Ice, Audrey Weisiger, Moira North, Cindy Stuart, Robin Cousins, Doug Mattis, Allison Scott, Jeremy Abbott, Jeffrey Buttle, Shawn Sawyer, Shae-Lynn Bourne... and so many others. These are positive people who through their involvement in the sport have contributed to keeping artistic skating alive despite what competitive skating has turned into. I'm not saying it's all bad, but is it artistic and aesthetic? Come on now.

In a different time not so long ago, things were so very different and I want to look at one man and his vision and choreography. The late Brian Wright was not someone I knew personally but the heartiness, theatre and complexity of the choreography he created honestly has to make him one of, if not my favourite choreographer ever. In this brief look at some of his best work, I'm not going to look at the gems he created for eligible skating. Although (for instance) the programs he created for skaters like Scott Davis and Michael Weiss were masterful programs that brought out the very best in these skaters, some of the work and choreography he created for professional skaters in his career is really some of the best choreography and true theatre brought to life that the sport has ever seen. Regarding Brian and his work, his dear friend and colleague Audrey Weisiger said, "Brian Wright's genius as a choreographer was that he could create programs that he himself loved, gave the performers a sense of expression and emotion in telling his story and we, the audience, were privileged to bear witness to the connection he created between his vision and the skater's performance. He was a larger than life personality, a force of nature, and it is evident from the response you get from people when his name is mentioned that he was, and still is, beloved." With regards to Young Artists Showcase, which was inspired by his work, Audrey went on to say "I have boxes of letters he wrote, as do many of his friends. He always wanted to do a one man show. This is as close as we have come," Audrey said of Young Artists Showcase. I thought it was only fitting with my blogs about Young Artists Showcase that I explored and shared some of the choreography by the man that inspired Audrey to create YAS and still inspire me and many others to this very day with their depth, drama and creativity. Instead of 6.0 great performances, in honor of Brian being a true professional, let's look at 10.0 instead:

SCOTT WILLIAMS - SIDESTREETS 

We all work through emotions in different ways. Not long ago, I found out my roommate was moving, I got dumped by someone I adored and said goodbye to our family dog who passed away in the span of three days. To be honest (as I often do when things go wrong) I didn't deal with it well. I isolated myself a little, listened to a whole lot of Fiona Apple and Tracy Chapman, partied a little and ate my feelings. But like anything else, things get put in perspective when you step back and realize and see first hand the much harder things people go through in life. When the going got tough for Brian Wright, he used the emotion that came from the devastating news that he was HIV positive and created the piece "Sidestreets" for Scott Williams. As some of my closest friends are living with HIV and I have lost other friends over the years to HIV and AIDS, this piece really hits home as well. Skating with his shadow, Scott Williams breathed life into Brian's haunting choreographed and painted a picture on the ice that is truly unforgettable.

MICHAEL WEISS - ABRAXAS

With the coaching of Audrey Weisiger and choreography of Brian Wright, Michael Weiss had the kind of competitive career many skaters dream of and few come to realize: 2 trips to the Olympics, 7 to the World Championships (2 of which he medalled at), Grand Prix and international wins, a U.S. junior title and 3 senior national titles. He also won the national title in compulsory figures. The program that really broke him into contender status came during the 1995/1996 season, when he skated to music from Carlos Santana's "Abraxas" choreographed by Brian Wright. He retained that program during the following season and went on to win his first U.S. senior medal. With powerful jumps, musicality and a strikingly masculine, athletic and sexy image on the ice, Michael's "Abraxas" program by Wright defied how male figure skating programs could come across. Brian Wright's choreography in this program helped create a star that still shines so brightly.

ANITA HARTSHORN AND FRANK SWEIDING - 1492

Until Brian's passing in 2003, Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding's choreographer throughout their entire career was Brian. Without an "amateur" career together, it was Brian's brilliant choreography combined with Anita and Frank's amazing skating that made a dream team and led Hartshorn and Sweiding to wins at countless professional competitions and show appearances around the world. In the interview I did with Anita, she talked about their relationship with Brian: "Brian  was a genius! We would arrive with 2 choices of music and concepts and play them both for Brian, then he would select the choice he preferred. It was team process with us coming up with the music and concept, Brian doing the choreography, with costume designers from Los Angeles, and music editing done in San Diego. We had competitions such as the U.S. Open, World Professional Championships in Jaca, Spain, Miko Masters in Paris, Trophee Lalique, Legends Of Figure Skating Competition, Riders Cup and others to show off our work." At many of those competitions, one of the pieces that brought the house down was Anita and Frank's program to the soundtrack from the film "1492: Conquest Of Paradise" by Vangelis, choreographed by Brian. With Anita portraying the ship and Frank Christopher Columbus, the combination of larger than life choreography, amazing costuming, great skating and a prop came together to create one of my favourite skating programs to date.

RORY FLACK BURGHART - SUMMERTIME

Like Anita and Frank, Rory Flack Burghart was never a skater that her success as an eligible skater. It came later, and with those Russian split jumps, power ranger backflip, great spins and huge smile, Rory was a star as a professional in no time. One of her greatest earlier pieces as a professional was a program designed by Brian Wright to the iconic George Gershwin classic "Summertime". She performed it at the 1991 U.S. Open Professional Championships, advancing to the Masters from the Challenge Cup and finishing 3rd behind Rosalynn Sumners and Charlene Wong overall. On her transition from eligible to professional skating and relationship with Brian, Rory stated in my interview with her that "it was exciting to have a new goal in life. I still had that little bit of competitive feeling because you are transitioning from competitions to auditions. It is a different area of emotion and expression. For me I was excited to bring out more of my personality, and more of my own style to the surface. The greatest thing about being a performer is realizing that a choreographer does not create your style. I was so blessed to have found the greatest choreographer Brian Wright, who helped me bring out my own individual style." This beautiful Brian Wright program to "Summertime" exemplified the very, very best in Rory.

SCOTT DAVIS - WEST SIDE STORY

Surrounding the time of the 1994 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships, the talk of the rink was Nancy and Tonya, but they weren't the only U.S. figure skaters making their names headlines. Defending his title against a formidable challenge from 1988 Olympic Gold Medallist Brian Boitano, Scott Davis earned his second consecutive national title and a trip to the Lillehammer Olympics with a thrilling performance to "West Side Story" choreographed by none other than Brian Wright. Brian used the music and choreography to capitalize on Davis' strong technical skills, and that triple axel hit right on the music was a thriller, that's for sure... but so was the whole program!

ANITA HARTSHORN AND FRANK SWEIDING - VOICES

Another Anita and Frank masterpiece choreographed by Brian was "Voices", another Vangelis piece that featured avant garde costuming and a torch as a prop. The introduction to the piece told the program's story: "This light burns as a symbol of the human spirit, with has and will prevail against all odds". The visual of the torch burning at center ice and the choreography almost conjured something almost post-apocalyptic right out of Margaret Atwood's "The Year Of The Flood"... burning oil drums and determination. Like in "1492" and every program Brian choreographed for Anita and Frank, the choreography and construction of the program played to the team's strengths (audience connection and thrilling adagio moves and tricks) and downplayed their weaknesses (they didn't have the more difficult side by side jumps or throws or a twist lift like the other pairs they competed against in pro competition). "Voices" painted a picture, built to the end and kept every audience on the edge of their seats.

JERI CAMPBELL - PRIMITIVE

Anyone that knows me really well knows one thing about me. I'm probably the biggest Annie Lennox fan out there. I have one of those old school wooden music posters of Annie Lennox hanging in my bedroom, know every single song she's ever done with the Eurythmics or solo, listen to her all the time and even impersonated her hundreds of times (no exaggeration) in drag shows. In short, I'm a bit of an Annie Lennox fan. Brian Wright's "Primitive" program that he choreographed for Jeri Campbell is an absolute TREAT to watch. It won her the Challenge Cup at the 1994 U.S. Open Professional Figure Skating Championships and was beautifully constructed with sweeping arm movements and attention to detail and the message of the song. "Primitive" is the kind of song you close your eyes and get lost in, and this program is one in the same. You forget the fact she rails off 2 huge double axels, a triple toe, a double lutz and a single axel in this performance and focus on the "in-betweens" and the pattern of her movements. It's a magical piece.

CRAIG HEATH - OLD FRIENDS

Much like Jeri's "Primitive" program and all of the programs mentioned above, Craig Heath's "Old Friends" program choreographed for Brian and skated at the American Open Pro Championships is a lesson in musicality and musical interpretation. There's an innate sense of connection between the elements and a reason for each movement. The presentation of the connecting moves in the program is almost vaguely reminiscent of Toller Cranston - there's a rhyme and reason to each step. Forget the triple jumps, the Ronnie Robertson-like spins, the single axel into the double axel and even where the arms are in a simple three turn are given the same reverance. Another lovely piece.

SCOTT WILLIAMS - BOLERO

Like in the "Sidestreets" piece mentioned earlier, the vision and attention to detail in Scott Williams' "Bolero" program that Brian choreographed are phenomenal. In the wake of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean's iconic "Bolero", Ravel's score from Ten is almost skating suicide usually because every program set to this music is inevitably going to be critiqued as a comparison. This didn't fall short and it DID have something completely different from Jayne and Chris' piece. It's actually really interesting that Scott skated to this music as he really made his mark as a pro while touring with the two. What I like about this program is that it finishes stronger than he started, the entries to the jumps are incredibly difficult (they come out of nowhere) and there is this angular and almost "against the grain" movement going on throughout the program. The final minute of the program with that variation jump into a flying spin is just spectacular.

ANITA HARTSHORN AND FRANK SWEIDING - SADNESS/ENIGMA

The final program I'm going to rave about that Brian choreographed is his "Sadness" Enigma piece that won Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding professional competitions and fans around the world. Using such driving, dark and mysterious music, the good/evil white and black costumes and very sharp movements, this program will go down in history as one of the most striking, DIFFERENT things that I've ever seen on the ice. You stop, you watch and you are mesmerized from start to finish. This kind of program and choreography paints a picture on the ice that draws in the viewer and makes them excited to see what will happen next. And that's the beauty of all of these programs - with Brian's work you WEREN'T able to see what that was going to be. This was absolute MAGIC, as was the similar but very different "Mea Culpa" piece he created for them as well along the same artistic vein. I recommend watching both.

Unlike Audrey and all of these fantastic skaters, I didn't know Brian Wright personally. I would have loved to. I did learn a little bit about his vision and his passion for good skating through each of these programs... and dozens more. He so obviously cared about putting together choreography that benefited both skaters and audiences, that was innovative, fresh and interesting. I can't think of a more fitting tribute than to develop a competition like Young Artists Showcase (YAS) in his honor. As a fan of Brian's work and YAS both, I can only hope more skating fans and members of the skating community take the time to watch and to celebrate artistic skating for what it is. We can't say the sport is dying. The way the eligible competitive skating system is may be killing it, but if we pay attention to the good that's happening in the sport right now and nurture the skaters, choreographers, coaches, writers, photographers, parents, judges and fans that clearly give a damn - we might just give artistic and professional skating the attention that it richly deserves and skating more of a future. I tend to think that would make Brian very, very happy.

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 Tom Dickson

Few coaches and choreographers have helped shape so many skaters careers as Tom Dickson. After winning a U.S. junior title and placing 5th at the 1984 U.S. National Championships on the senior level, Tom went on to turn professional and tour with Ice Capades and Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. He also competed professionally. He has choreographed for elite skaters such as Yuna Kim, Jeremy Abbott, Matt Savoie, Agnes Zawadzki, Rachael Flatt, Brandon Mroz, Caroline Zhang, Vaughn Chipeur, Parker Pennington and countless others and won the USFSA's Paul McGrath Choreographer Of The Year Award in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2013. Tom took the time to give an in depth interview and talked not only about his own skating career but his favourite skaters, his thoughts on the current judging system, his students and the state of skating. A definite must read!:

Q: You won the U.S. junior title and after competing on the senior level, you turned professional and toured with shows like Ice Capades and the Torvill and Dean Face The Music tour. Of your own skating career, what are your most proud moments?

A: My skating career was very much a gradual progression - one that fluxed between choreographer and performer for this all happened once I turned professional. My personal greatest moments as a skater would be looking back at wonderfully choreographed pieces that were by Sarah Kawahara or myself... or a collaboration of the two of us. It is very difficult thing to explain that the dichotomy of working as a performer and at the same time honing myself as a choreographer is what together produced for me a sort of conglomerate proudest moment. Of course I would love to be able to say that I was World Champion and that would be my greatest achievement... but what I learned from great experiences and great teachers and performers over the years far outweighs a big title like that. So in retrospect my proudest moment still happens as a product of my experiences as manifested in a rare skater that I am able to reach and help flourish!

Q: During your skating career, you were coached by the brilliant Carlo Fassi and had choreography done by Sarah Kawahara. What can you share about Carlo as a coach and a person?

A: Carlo Fassi and Sarah Kawahara were the antithesis of one another. They were also strangely alike. Although Carlo was not a creative teacher...his genius lied in what he was able to bring out of skaters. Carlo was also a master of perfection, Sarah on the other hand at times loved to shun proper skating for pure feeling...but secretly demanding out of you movement that required no less than absolute mastery of the skating language. Sarah also demanded perfection simultaneously coupled with choreography that seemed impossible to perfect. Her genius lies in her process to help one bridge that paradox! So... Carlo and Sarah really help me, albeit with different approaches, to combine a honing of mastered skill with a drive for new and seemingly impossible movement . They were both task masters of perfection in their own unique ways. My personal style and vocabulary as a coach and choreographer have been greatly influenced by these two contrasting, yet strangely similar personalities.

Q: What was the transition from amateur to professional skating like for you?

A: My transition to professional skating from amateur was like a dream for me. I really didn't enjoy being judged and rated as an amateur. I loved having the opportunity to perform and venture into unencumbered movement, void of rules. I see my performing years as the vehicle for forming my real skating style and personality. As I look back however....my years learning school figures and demanding technique were essential for being able to accomplish and improve as a professional and a choreographer.

Q: Of everywhere you have traveled as a coach, choreographer and skater, what is the most fascinating place in the world you have visited? If you weren't living the U.S., what would your second choice be?

A: I once performed in Kuwait only 2 weeks before the attack by Iraq. I will never forget exiting the plane and seeing everyone in the terminal kneeling on the floor. It was time to pray and one does this regardless of where one is...and one must direct one's praying towards Mecca. Traveling to the Middle East was very eye opening - experiencing a completely foreign religion as well as foreign temperatures. Catarina and I  were in a market searching for a Tabriz carpet and got caught in a dust storm...while it was 120 degrees out. Imagine walking in a desert of fiercely blowing sand in extreme heat! The sights and sounds of Kuwait will always stay vivid in impression. The Turkish coffee was amazing too!

Q: You have worked with some of the best skaters in the U.S. and World over the years, including Yuna Kim, Jeremy Abbott, Matthew Savoie, Racheal Flatt, Vaughn Chipeur, Parker Pennington and countless others. Who was the most naturally talented skater you ever worked with? The most improved? The funniest?

A: I would have to say that Matt Savoie has to be the most naturally gifted skater I have worked with. His sense of personal expression, aesthetic form and artistry took time to bloom but he was so incredibly gifted physically. He landed the first triple axel he ever tried! He had knees that could do amazing things...like jump! Matt could use his knees like a grasshopper! Matt was also very limber and this enabled him to do many things physically that most men in skating simply cannot. He was and is innately intelligent and intellectual and these traits really helped him flourish in the latter years of his career, as he developed artistically.

Tom skating with Catarina

Q: You are married to Catarina Lindgren, who is an accomplished coach and choreographer and a former Olympian in her own right. How did you meet and what do you love most about her?

A: Catarina Lindgren... well... the first time I saw her I went up to my coach at the time, Barbara Roles and said, "Who is that?" Barbara said, "Catarina Lindgren….from Sweden…doesn't she have the most amazing knees?" I agreed. Later I realized that Catarina not only had amazing soft, deep knees but also that unteachable innate gift for truth in movement that so very few have. Catarina had every handicap know to skating growing up in Sweden… lack of qualified coaches, poor training conditions… but in the end her talent and intuitive knowledge of movement combined with incredible physical aptitude and emotional intrigue proved to be one intoxicating recipe for fabulous skater. There are people that still come up to me and remember Catarina's unbelievable organic deep "knees" from her amateur skating. There are crew workers from Ice Capades who were known to have said of her performance of Peggy Lee's "Fever",-  that every man should see Catarina perform "Fever", before they die! What I love most about Catarina both as a person and as a performer is her incredible honesty. Every character she portrayed was shockingly real…regardless of Style or emotional complexity. As a performer she could make you think she was the most glamorous woman in all the World…as a person she is down to earth….Completely devoid of pretense. As a result, this paradox made her the most fascinating performer ever to grace the ice. Catarina was the perfect balance of technical prowess and emotional inevitability… What's not to love about that?

Q: What can you share about your current students and their biggest improvements over the off season?

A: In terms of progress from one season to another, Alex Johnson takes the cake. From 2012-2013 he made the most amazing transformation personally, technically and artistically. My belief has always been that in skating there is no hierarchy….artistry, personal discovery and technical improvement should come together and with synchronicity. There should be no separation between artistic and technical expression because the technical definition becomes the catalyst for personal expression. In one season, Alex Johnson decided that everything mattered and he discovered a sense of reciprocal unity. By this I mean the technical, artistic, musical and emotional components of his skating all improved in sync with one another. I have never seen such a profound leap into virtuosity as this. By the time Alex got to Nationals I knew something poignant would come from him. Even though his short program was less than he and I expected I somehow knew that he would find himself in the long program.

Q: A lot of interesting changes have happened over the last ten years - the end of professional competition as we know it, a rise in interest in synchro skating and theatre on ice competitions, a renewed focus on artistic skating through events like Young Artists Showcase and European ice shows... what do you think the sport needs most right now that's NOT happening?

A: What our sport needs now is foundational education. The sport has become more complicated and the rules more confounded… the stakes more dramatic. It is no secret that I am a huge believer in compulsory figures. It is so ironic that as the ISU eliminated compulsory figures as a means to making the sport easier to watch and understand that they took the most "objective" method of adjudication out of the sport. The ISU demands the ability to make the sport more objective and they take away the most easily objectify-able aspect of our sport — the compulsory figures. On top of this they continue to demand more technical difficulty and more use of musical and choreographically complex language. The problem with this is that none of it is possible without the foundational skills from which to expound on these lofty goals. It would be akin to learning to write a novel without knowing the alphabet or studying ballet without knowledge of the "5 Positions"! Isn't it just as ludicrous to attempt a level 4 step sequence and not be able to explain the difference between a three turn and a bracket! Theater on Ice and other creative avenues are fine…but creative depth is very limited without foundational skills from which to prosper from. Think art from Picasso with his knowledge of traditional painting. One can't create deconstruction without first knowing how to construct! So it goes with creative impulse…it gets quite lost without the ability to organize thought and actions through an educated and trained vernacular. Creativity without formal eduction is just hyperbole…the real substance is in training the body and its movements through a manner that takes command and gives credence to artistic intuition. I love all venues for figure skating whether it be amateur competition, professional shows, Theatre on Ice or Synchronized skating. They all desperately need a codified language in order to flourish from the source they express a desire to wander from! I suggest that compulsory figures…thanks to Jackson Haines,  are the most efficient and elegantly formatted source from which to venture into this excellent source of training.

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

A: Sometimes I discover that some people aren't sure whether I am a skater or a dancer. Although this could be complimentary, I also find it frustrating that many newcomers to the sport cant tell by watching a choreographer skate whether they were first a dancer or skater. To the educated eye it should be easy to see a quality of skating that is unmistakable. I was trained primarily as a skater. However, I have been priviledged to work with many great people so that the dance training and the skating are one in the same. I love to tell my clients to dance like a skater and skate like a dancer!  Great skating cant sacrifice one for the other... They must become inseparable! Another thing people may not know about me is that I am a classically  trained musician and have studied the Oboe since I was 11. Music education has played a huge part in my teaching style as well as greatly influencing my sense of musicality as a choreographer. To know how to decipher and conceptualize an otherwise abstract art form like music through the visual imagery of musical notation is a form of literacy I cant imagine working without.

Q: Who is one skater or choreographer's body of work that every skater could benefit from watching and exploring on YouTube?

A: If you can search one skater on YouTube, make it Belita Jepson Turner! Belita was a British skater performing in the 1940's. Whats makes Belita such required watching is this very amalgamation of dance and skating. She  mastered both to such an extent that she skated with a fluidity and movement sense that was decades ahead of her time. Her sense of edge control combined with spacial awareness and body line is shocking ....not only when compared to her peers but also compared to contemporary skaters! Every skater, coach and choreographer should watch her performance of "Suspense 1946 Part 2". It is easy to see where John Curry got his inspiration. Notice not just her unbelievable extension but how that extension obeys the laws of edge quality and definition.

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

A: If I go solely by my immediate emotional reaction to watching them skate, my three favourite skaters of all time happen to be female. It's not only about what they do... but primarily about the unique stamp they have left on their art and what it means to be a feminine figure on the ice. Whenever I lack inspiration in my work these are the skaters I turn to for spiritual renewal! I study and learn from them every time I watch. In chronological order: 1) Belita Jepson Turner: Many of the reasons I love her skating so much have already been explained in previous questions. Her ability to exude feeling and embody her movement while taking total mastery of it just completely astounds me. Belita was like Terpsichore...the muse that enraptures you and makes you not be able to take your eyes away from her. She was the iPod of her time..like the musical mp3 that changed the way we think about music...Belita was a skater that completely altered our perception of what the body can do on ice. 2) Janet Lynn: John Curry once described Janet's skating as magical and "elfin".  Elfin is a very curious adjective and one that I agree with completely. One can't describe Janet's beauty on the same terms as that of Belita's. Her elfin quality refers to a strange enigmatic quality both curious and slightly mischievous. Janet's always feels as though she's daring to look up into the sun like a young girl that has escaped her cottage and is simply just enjoying a summer day in the forest with complete abandon. She is like the rarest of fine wines that was a product of just the right time place and sunlight and location. Perhaps this is why Janet's greatest works were to Impressionistic pieces such as "Afternoon Of A Faun" by Debussy. Just the right feeling at a given moment as if she is living the moment for the time through the soul of her skating. This is indeed a very rare quality and I don't believe any skater has ever captured it since Janet. Its as if the greatest shafts of sunlight shone upon her faces in a way that will never happen again in another time. 3) Catarina Lindgren: Although she is my wife and I have known her for years, my impression of Catarina's skating would not change whether it were the first performance I'd seen - or the 101st. Catarina took off where Belita left off... with incredible range of movement and legs that could develop in the stratosphere and knees that could find the center of the Earth. Catarina had the rarest of abilities to skate with complete command but give the feeling she is completely vulnerable to her movement and performance. Regardless of character it was as if she gave up her soul into the persona... so that when she was the evil Black Queen of Spades in a chess production,  one really believed she was from Hades and the depths of evil. When she skated a Billie Holiday ballad you felt the movement was absolutely inevitable . You just couldn't imagine the movement and the performance to be any other way. She became the essence of Billie Holiday's voice. Catarina's honed technique and organic movement gave her the ability to sublimate her movement into a variety of completely diverse and nuanced roles... unlike any other skating performer on the planet. Anyone that has ever had the pleasure of seeing Catarina perform will now exactly what I mean.

Q: What do you think is the biggest improvement about the CoP/IJS judging system over the 6.0 system? What about the biggest problem?

A: When it comes to the IJS the biggest improvement is also the biggest problem! There is some irony in the fact that we have attempted to make our sport more judgeable... more objective and this has partially been accomplished. We have given numerical values to everything we possibly can... even to levels of quality as seen in the G.O.E (grade of execution). This is all good when creating more objectivity in our sport. In addition we have explained the subjective part of our sport with great efficacy and eloquence as seen in the description of Program Components. Herein lies the irony - our efforts to judge the sport better are unbalanced because at the same time we make the objective more objective we make the subjective more nuanced, intellectual and slightly obtuse. Don't get me wrong - I completely agree with and love the descriptions of the Program Components - they are absolutely true and articulate. But at the same time doesn't it seemingly contradict the very scaleable values of the other side of our sport...that other 50%? It's like saying with conviction that 50% of our sport can be done with a calculator and the other is in essay form... they really don't interfuse. No matter how hard one tries it is nearly impossible to put objective values on those incredibly nuanced and brilliantly written Program Component descriptions. Unfortunately many skaters and coaches don't know what to do with them! The hard reality is that figure skating really is 50% sport and 50% performing art. The key to its success lies in training and developing skaters with that thought in mind... then the sport can be more perceptively adjudicated.

Q: How can we encourage skaters of all ages to nurture and explore skating's artistic and professional side?

A: My son Kai is studying dance and also studying film making. It has been really interesting being a part of these two worlds as they have so much in common. I realized that children enter the dance world because they love the feeling of dance. In film making kids get hooked because they love the visual aspect of film and movement on camera. My son's film making style has been greatly affected by his dance education. He has a certain choreographically element to his editing and synching of sound and music that I don't believe would have been detectable if he had not danced. I feel the skating world does not attract enough people (coaches and skaters) who are drawn towards dance, movement and music. Many children start skating because they love to win competitions and this is fine. The problem arises when they discover that they know nothing of 50% of their score…and most likely neither do the coaches! They suddenly realize that they need to learn to listen to their music and move like a dancer. They need to learn to phrase music and understand rhythm  and tempo. They need to move from their core, find their center and point their toes and have port de bras and a sense of epaulment . They don't understand the terms piano and fortissimo or rubato or retard. If the coaches demanded this of them think of how different the outcome would be!!  I could go on and on about the vast bastions of empty, one dimensional training that go on in ice rinks around the World! Its no wonder that there is a lack of artistic and professional skating! We need to encourage a different more well rounded type of skating that attracts and percolates these talents that I speak of above. The coaching tends to be very one dimensional. The emphasis is on learning to jump and that is where it stops. There needs to be so much more. There should be a much more serious emphasis on the performing aspect of our sport/art…for example coaches seriously entering their students in showcase type competitions. There is great opportunity in putting emphasis on these disciplines. Often coaches don't allow time in year-round training for these things and that is a shame. They think it is a venue for 2nd rate skaters. I say…raise the bar and make it a first rate venue. The multi-dimensional emphasis, at an earlier age would naturally develop more, well rounded skaters that would make either great competitors and or artistic - performance oriented type performers. Part of the problem now is that our sport doesn't produce very interesting, compelling talent unless the emphasis can be about jumping. When you put these skaters in show type environments they fall flat. I would love to see skaters train so that they can perform a piece without a triple jump in it and make it compelling. There are only a handful of skaters in the World that can do this and that should not be the case! So I feel the start of producing and nurturing the artistic and professional side of skating lies in bringing up the skaters in this manner. There should exist no hierarchy that says jumps and technical skating are the most important. That is the fault of the coach and it s the coach that nurtures that initial direction and guidance that creates the blueprint of the skater. Coaching needs to nurture the complete aspect of what it means to skate, jump and perform to music. Small steps towards stimulating and exciting children in physical, emotional and musical ways can go miles towards producing compelling performers,  down the line in their careers. What one learns is that cross pollination enriches the skater. Understanding musical phrasing helps strengthen technical jump timing. Learning to fill space multi-dimensionally,  as a dancer helps to fill and take command of the big ice arena….in turn helping to complete skating elements with more confidence. Every coach needs to ask themselves if they are achieving this. If not… rethink and regroup as this is where the nurturing starts. The beginning seed is where the future flower blooms.

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.

Lidwina, The Patron Saint Of Ice Skating

The story of Lidwina, the patron saint of ice skating, is fascinating but not for the faint of heart. She was a Dutch girl born on a Palm Sunday and raised alongside eight brothers to a father and mother (Peter and Petronella) who were a "poor noble" and 'poor commoner". By all accounts, she was "a lovely and charming girl". At age fifteen, in a severe winter Lidwina (known as Lidwina of Schiedam) was skating with girlfriends when she fell and broke a rib and was put in bed in her family home. After her injury, gangrene set in and Lidwina became partially paralyzed.

She never fully recovered and became progressively more disabled and ill throughout her life. It is believed that she became paralyzed with the exception of her left hand and that parts of her body... "fell off". Blood is reported to have spontaneously poured from her mouth, ears and nose. Some historians have hypothesized that accounts of her affliction may have actually been describing one of the first known cases of Multiple Sclerosis, which of course would not have been known at that time (Lidwina lived from 1380-1433).

Much of Lidwina's time was spent in prayer, meditation and in offering her pain to God. Devoutly spiritual, she developed a devotion to The Eucharist, was visited by saints and had visions in which she was shown a "Heaven and Purgatory". Miracles reportedly occurred at her beside. After Lidwina's fall while skating, she fasted constantly and became reputed as a healer and holy woman, although many viewed her as being 'under the influence of an evil spirit' due to her deteriorating health. Her hometown of Schiedam created a document that attests to her fasting. She ate only a little piece of apple, then part of a date, watered down wine and then river water that was contaminated with salt from the tides. This document created by Schiedam town officials (which still exists) also claims that she shed skin, bones and part of her intestines, which her parents kept in a vase until Lidwina had her mother bury them after they drew much attention. She lost her sight seven years before her death but continued to fast and report visions until her death at age fifty three.

Posthumously, Lidwina's grave became a place of pilgrimage. In 1434, a chapel was built over it. Her relics were taken to Brussels, Belgium in 1615 but returned to Schiedam in 1871. In 1890, Pope Leo XIII of the Roman Catholic Church canonized the skater and made her a saint. She is known as the patron saint of ice skaters and the chronically ill and her "feast day" is observed on March 18, April 14 or June 14 depending on the region and area's tradition. The Church Of Lidwina, which was opened in 1859 in Schiedam closed in 1969, and her statue and relics were removed and moved to the chapel dedicated to her in a rest home in West-Frankeland. In Schiedam, the Intorno Ensemble foundation presents a bi-annual musical theatrical production about Lidwina, the town saint, in one of Schiedam's churches. Of her suffering at the end of her life, Lidwina allegedly said, "If I live to be healthy by Ave Maria again I would not want to."

This bizarre and heartwarming history makes it so fitting that Lidwina was named the patron saint of ice skating. Surely one of the parables in this story is that if you fall down, you can't give up.

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 Jodi Porter

Organizations and cooperatives like the American Ice Theatre and New York Ice Theatre have literally been the life support and life blood of professional skating in recent years. Imagine taking a gifted artist like Beethoven or Chopin and making them play nothing but "The Wedding March"... over and over again. Now watch any figure skating competition and draw the parallel. Jodi Porter and American Ice Theatre (AIT) have created a safe space for choreographers and skaters to express themselves, create fantastic new works and learn and develop their choreographic skills. People like Jodi have in essence kept artistic skating alive in so many ways... and being a lover of expression and creativity, I've been so looking forward to a chance to interview Jodi. We not only talked about AIT, but also Young Artists Showcase, Ricky Harris, her background and how we can continue to revitalize the sport

Q: You are the founder of American Ice Theatre, which is based in San Francisco. This organization has really brought to the forefront the artistry of skating and helped fuse the art of skating of art with dance. What was your background in skating prior to creating AIT and what was your main motivation for creating the Ice Theatre?

A: Thanks Ryan, yes we founded AIT in SF in 2003 and are currently in the process of moving headquarters to Chicago where I recently relocated. People are excited to have a platform to create and present professional work and we have some expansions planned for the near future. My motivation to start an ice theatre company sprung from wanting an opportunity to choreograph work that blended my experience with dance and skating and at that time in the mid 90’s there wasn’t an opportunity for me unless I started my own company... so that’s what I did. In skating I competed for 10 years, but never accomplishing what I had hoped.  At age 15, I missed Sectionals at the Novice level by .10 after having severe tendonitis and I remember being crushed.  I never really recovered and ended testing out my Gold Freestyle and started a new journey in the shows which renewed my love of skating.  I toured for seven years and had many great opportunities.  I actually loved doing principal pairs which I never did competing. After the shows my pursuit of choreography led me to dance and changed my life. I happened upon one of the top two modern dance programs in the US at the University of Utah completing a BFA and followed that with a position as Associate School Director for Ballet San Jose which was a dream come true.  These experiences really prepared me to create a company fusing the two worlds.

Q: What have some of the most interesting projects you've been involved in to date been?  

A: Well, there are so many interesting and fun projects... I would have to mention being an Assistant Cast Coordinator for the 2002 Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies, choreographing a couple of  events at the games. (Opening for the Exhibition of Champions/Bud World Party)  Starting one of the first official cheerleaders (Grizz Girlzz) for a professional hockey team. Directing and choreographing pro cheerleaders for Lacrosse. Winning a first place trophy at the Grand Prix Italia dance competition with students from Ballet San Jose. Creating and teaching Master Choreography Techniques. Working with Ricky Harris to launch the workshops. Creating and working on our new project Dance2Ice Barre. I love seeing the enthusiasm for artistic skating and would have to thank The Young Artists Showcase for including me in their list of judges. However, I think the most interesting projects are yet to come from my growing list of students...

Q: If you were to create an original piece of choreography for any 3 skaters in the world, who would they be?

A: Kurt Browning, Shae-Lynn Bourne, and  Stéphane Lambiel of late.

Q: You have been instrumental in bringing the Ricky Harris workshops to life and teaching a whole new generation of skaters about different choreography techniques that help skaters and choreographers paint a clearer picture through movement. In what ways do you think Ricky's teachings and beliefs are unique to anything else and how can they breathe new life into skating?

A: I feel very honored that Ricky chose me to continue her workshops. She was the pioneer of choreography fusing dance concepts into skating, and her work has come full-circle for me.  She was so ahead of her time! Ricky developed teaching methods that are clearly unique - for example “energy balls” - teaching students how to move energy through their bodies in different ways... genius!  The concepts apply today more than ever.  Ricky handed me over 100 lesson plans, so no two workshops are alike.  This is unique and teaches not only how to make a more artistic skater, but opens skaters up to creativity and creation as an artist. Yes, I believe by getting “hands on” training,  skaters will have the skill set to breathe new life into skating. 

Q: You also offer master classes in master choreography and through these classes have certified and worked with fascinating people like Garrett Kling, Kate McSwain, Katherine Hill, Robert Mauti, Madeline Stammen and Zabato Bebe. What are the most fascinating and creative things you've seen in these classes and what is actually involved? 

A: I love teaching Master Choreography Techniques!  It is so rewarding for me to share the information I learned and pass it on to the next generation.  It was a difficult road putting myself through school and pushing against the grain in our sport for the past 20 years.  My hope is to make it easy and accessible for others to become educated and be able to critically articulate work.  It is magic for me to see when their eyes are “opened” to see how and why great choreography works. Some students are like sponges and their work transforms.  It is so exciting to help make a difference in people’s lives.  After this school year we will have close to 50 AIT Certified Choreographers and like a small army, I know they will make such a difference... more than I could ever do alone.

Q: There has been a lot of talk about the positive impact of ice theatre and things like Young Artists Showcase, which you will be judging next week. What else can the skating community come up with to revitalize the sport and bring new fans to the artistic side of skating?

A: Thanks to Audrey Weisiger, Sheila Thelen and the crew. By shining a light on artistic skating, people are coming out of the woodwork to be involved!  It is fantastic! I so much appreciate having an opportunity to share my knowledge to a fresh new community that is being created.  It is spurring new projects and new enthusiasm that I believe IS revitalizing the sport. Like the arts, we need to find a way to be current and relate to our culture of today. If that means creating digital works, collaborating, re-evaluating what adds value I am all for it.  I think the mentality of old-school skating is breaking down a bit.  Why is dance topping the charts right now? Well, they tuned in to what the audience is looking for.... We need to be ready to embrace and create a new future to stay afloat.

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

A: I grew up with humble beginnings. Coming from a split family I had to work very hard for all of my accomplishments. 

Q: There has been a LOT of openness and frankness as of late about the USFSA and the direction it seems to be taking with its elite skaters and programs. Do you think that the USFSA is respectful towards its athletes, listening to its fans and understanding of the real situation the sport is in right now? 

A: I don’t want to comment on USFSA, but I know there is a lot of success to be had through collaboration, partnering, and support. The more we can work together and support each other the more strength we have.  That has always been my motto and I actively support organizations that have an interest in the future of skating artistic and otherwise.

Q: What kinds of changes do you think need to be made to ensure a brighter future for the sport,  its fans and skaters?

A: Teamwork. We all need to ban together to ensure our sport sticks around. All hands on deck. 

Q: What is the biggest secret to good choreography in your opinion?

A: Education! I don’t care who you are, learning the "craft"... will only make you better.

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.