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Lace up your skates and strap yourself in. In today's Skate Guard blog, we're going back - WAY back - to 1920 to examine the International Skating Union's rulebook and taking a look at just what things were really like for skaters competing in international figure skating competitions in the roaring twenties.
The President of the ISU was Lieutenant Colonel V.G. Balck of Sweden and its secretary was another Swede, Herr Alex Lindmann of Stockholm. The ISU council consisted of two other primary members, Dr. G. Herbert Fowler of Great Britain and Dr. E. Von Szent of Hungary as well as two reserve members, Captain N.J. Backer of Holland and Herr H. Valar of Switzerland. There was zero female representation whatsoever. In 1920, the ISU had a membership of fourteen countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Hungary, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland. For all of you in the U.S. and Asia who are reading this, your federations were not yet members so if you aren't a fan of some of the rules, you'll have to be patient because your federation wouldn't yet have had a vote. So now that you have a little background about just who was responsible for taking the reigns and governing international skating at the time, I want to break down some of the most interesting parts of the rulebook piece by piece just so you can see how much things have changed!
ELIGIBILITY
It's interesting to point out that skaters would have lost eligibility as "amateur" skaters for participation in OTHER sports or physical pursuits where they may have been financially compensated. So for instance, let's say you won an equestrian competition or something. That alone could be enough for the ISU to strip you of your eligible status, never mind skating in a show. It's interesting how gymnastics and fencing instruction were excluded from the list. I don't know why those two sporting activities in particular would be singled out as exceptions? The selling or pledging of prizes for sporting events is another unusual reason that a skater could lose their eligibility. So, for instance, if Lionel Lutzington III donated a plaque or cup to be won in a tennis match, he'd be out too. Competing against another skater who was professional knowingly was another no no, so skaters really had to be on their toes and ask the right questions if they were taking part in smaller events. So for instance, if you were competing in a pretty low key event with skaters from Norway and Sweden only, you needed to be damn sure that none of them were stripped of their status for say, teaching other skaters, or you could be too. The fact that skaters were given a process by which to appeal to be reinstated to "amateur" status was an interesting inclusion as well. I love the fact they used the word rehabilitation and included a probation period. It just screams "alright, we're letting you come back, but you can't compete for a year. You better think good and hard about donating a plaque to a tennis match again!"
JUNIORS AND SENIORS
The distinction between junior and senior? It had nothing to do with age whatsoever and everything to do with results. If you hadn't won a national or international competition, you technically were considered a junior - or ELIGIBLE to skate as a junior internationally - in the eyes of the ISU. There would be an awful lot more juniors in the skating world today, wouldn't there be?
JUDGES AND DISPUTES
Some really neat points here regarding judges. There was clearly no standardized training for judges and it was really up to the federations to submit names and the council to decide who they wanted and who they didn't. The statement "if the number of judges sent does not amount to five, the Club or Association holding the competition has to complete the number up to five" suggests how heavily stacked panels with multiple judges from one country could have been allowed to happen. I also find number twenty one quite interesting - how ludicrous that anyone protesting a result would have to put up more money than they paid to enter to compete in the first place just to cry foul because the three Norwegian judges out of five at a competition in Norway voted for the Norwegian. Quite bizarre and hardly worth the effort or money.
COMPULSORY FIGURES
All figure skating events were required to comprise of compulsory figures and free skating. Figures were required to be contested before the free skating... and AT LEAST six had to be demonstrated by the skaters. The fact that the choice of compulsory figures that would be skated at any international event (including Worlds) would be ultimately left up to the host country would have absolutely given skaters home ice advantage. Without regulations governing this, Denmark's Kjobenhavns Skoitelober Forening (for example) could have easily been like "Okay, Europeans are in Copenhagen so you better be practicing your counters! Hint, hint there sweetie!" JUDGING SYSTEM
I know we have some math buffs out there. I won't hold it against you, promise! Long before the IJS judging system replaced the 6.0 system, this rudimentary system was in place as a guideline for judges that were deciding the results in international events. Think ordinal flip flops were confusing? Try wrapping your head around this bad boy. You might need a mimosa by the end of it. I know I did. At least in 1920 they had wrapped their heads around the importance of the fact it was "desirable, if not actually to publish them to detail, to permit public study of the complete tables for some time." That would have included which judges awarded which results. Poor Ottavio would have just hated it. Good thing Italy wasn't an ISU member yet.
PSEUDONYMS
I kind of love that pseudonyms were permitted and this explains why Nikolai Kolomenkin was allowed to compete under the name Nikolai Panin when he and Ulrich Salchow got into it at the 1908 Summer Olympics. I'm thoroughly disappointed there wasn't a SINGLE men's world champion who used the pseudonym 'Miss Thing' while he had the opportunity. That would have looked fabulous in the history books.
SAME SEX PARTNERS
And now for the pièce de résistance - which I kind of thought was the best thing ever so I had to save it for last! In 1920, the International Skating Union recognized pairs teams that consisted of "a lady and a gentleman, two ladies, or two gentlemen". Whatever you may think of many of the International Skating Union's 1920 rulebook (and believe me, there were absolutely flaws) they didn't have a problem with same sex couples skating together back then. Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy could have very well been champions had the ISU not changed its tune in the years to come. It only goes to show you how attitudes have shifted over time about social and gender norms and how in many ways such as this, skating has totally regressed.
In 1920, figure skating was rebuilding from World War I and getting ready to embark on a new era. I like to think that the sport will continue to evolve and the ISU will eventually wrap its heads around the fact that the rulebook is always open to drastic change for the betterment of the sport. The real question has always been and will always be what is truly best for the sport, and to that question there are no easy answers.
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.
Sketchy judges, 5 AM practice sessions, spill after spill practicing jumps, freezing rinks and that haunting music of the Dutch Waltz on test days... if there's one thing that anyone who's found themselves at a figure skating competition or test day could use, it's a good stiff drink. Many find their libation of choice at the host hotel bar, but what if the drinks were served rinkside? Wouldn't that be so much easier because it was now and not later? If you were visiting St. Moritz, Switzerland in the twenties or thirties, you just might have got your wish.
The Grand Hotel in St. Moritz had a specialized school for waiters where, according to Lesley Blume's "Let's Bring Back: An Encyclopedia of Forgotten-Yet-Delightful, Chic, Useful, Curious, and Otherwise Commendable Things from Times Gone By", would be waiters "learned to ice skate while carrying trays heavily laden with ice, crystal glasses, and cold champagne to the fur-clad resort guests having lunch and cocktails at the rink. Photojournalist Alfred Eisenstaedt immortalized this scene with a 1932 shot of a waiter - attired in formal tails - sailing over the ice with a glasses-covered tray, one leg extended gracefully behind him, the snow-covered Swiss mountains in the background." Eisenstaedt's wonderful series of photographs of the skating waiters appeared in the December 7, 1936 edition of LIFE Magazine, which confirmed that "the little lakes are cleared for skating and waiters serve on skates".
Eisenstaedt's photographs piqued the curiosity in me and I was determined to find out more about these skating waiters in St. Moritz... and a great place to start was by learning what Eisenstaedt himself had to say about this fascinating scene he immortalized. Describing one of his famous photographs in the September 16, 1966 edition of LIFE, he said "This is at the Grand Hotel in St. Moritz in Switzerland - those are the Engadine Mountains in the background - and this is the headwaiter. He is showing how to bring a bottle of whisky at great speed. He could even jump over a chair and keep his tray steady. He was a great skater, that man. All the waiters were black tie and tails. I went back in '47. But the Grand Hotel had burned down and was never rebuilt. The old glitter was gone." The waiter Eisenstaedt was referring to was Rene Breguet and we know based on the photography of these skating waiters by both Eisenstaedt and Gerhard Riebicke that the skating waiters were in full force from approximately 1925 until at least 1936. We also know that somewhere along the line society got it wrong - instead of well dressed waiters in skates bringing you cocktails at the rink things degenerated to cheaply uniformed teenagers bringing you onion rings on roller skates in a parking lot. A slippery slope indeed, wouldn't you say?
All I know is that the next time I'm in a rink and am dying for a cocktail, I'm going to click my heels three times and say "there's no place like St. Moritz" and wait patiently for a well dressed man to show up with a fizzy. A sister can dream.
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.
If you want to talk about a talented AND fascinating skater, Violetta Afanasieva fits the bill. This fearless Russian born skater started her professional career as a teenager with the Bolshoi Moscow Circus On Ice, toured with Holiday On Ice and in 2006 won the Extreme Ice Skating World Championships with her husband and pairs partner Pete Dack of Canada. She wowed Canadian television audiences as part of the cast of CBC's Battle Of The Blades and now couples a professional figure skating career with the beginnings of a coaching career. I'm always enthralled by people and skaters who take "the road less travelled" and Afanasieva's story (and skating) is bound to have you on the edge of your seat wanting to read more:
Q:: You grew up in Russia and obviously have both skating and circus in your blood, your mother being a pairs skater and your father a graduate of the Russian School Of Circus Art. I understand that you actually started your professional career at the age of fourteen when you joined your parents to skate in the Bolshoi Moscow Circus On Ice. What can you share about your early career as an "amateur" skater and what brought you to the Moscow Ice Circus?
A: I started skating when I was about five years old. In Russia at that time any sport was free, but the coaches had a choice of taking you or not. One of my first memories of skating was being on the ice with a bunch of other kids while coaches observed us. Then I remember being picked out to join my coach's group. Training was very organized. My group stayed together through out the whole day. We skated in the morning then went to school together. We had our own school schedule which was different from other non-athlete children. Then more skating, then off-ice, then school home work and sleep. I never played on the street with my neighbours but I would play with my skating teammates between school or training. I remember having a lot of fun. My best friend now and then was one of my teammates. Our training was very strict. We all were afraid of the "worst thing that could happen" - being kicked off the ice. Staying by the boards or retying skates was not allowed. So was chatting. Parents were not allowed to be present by the ice, they would watch us through the little crack in the arena doors and would flee away if they saw my coach approaching them. I remember being very nervous at the competitions but I couldn't resist the feeling of joy of skating in the front of people! Very often when my parents would work in Moscow, I would come and watch them. Since a young age I was captivated by the idea of performing. My transition to Circus On Ice was very easy and desired but before joining the Circus I spent a year or so travelling, performing and competing with the Children's Ballet On Ice where I started learning to hula hoop. The Children's Ballet On Ice is a very popular activity in Russia even now.
Q: You joined Holiday On Ice in 1994 and toured with them for over ten years. I understand that is where you met your husband Pete Dack and developed your adagio pairs act. What can you share about your Holiday On Ice experience and the process of learning adagio pairs skating?
A: My six years in Holiday On Ice were a non-stop creative, learning and fun experience. It was then when I understood the joy of pair and adagio skating. When I was competing, I'd been constantly told by my parents and many pair coaches that I would be good for pair skating. But for some reason, no one could make me skate with a boy. They tried. I have no reasonable explanation why I did not become a pair skater. Holiday On Ice hired me as solo hula hoop act and principal adagio and they found a partner for me. That was before Pete. My Holiday On Ice partner Sergei and I were given a lot of help from previous adagio performers and we learned a lot of tricks. Sergei (he is a Ukrainian pair skater) also taught me some pair skating. I learned that it was a lot of fun to share the ice with someone, interact during the performance, act, be lifted and fly high in the air. We had a lot of opportunities to act out the stories on ice, which I loved to do. I always say that in my parallel life (not the current one, because I love it) I want to be a stage actress. Actors fascinate me. Beside fun on the ice, Holiday On Ice gave me a lot of great friends. Pete and I were a part of a group that hung around together. We went sightseeing in every city the show travelled to. With shared interests, we had a fantastic time. We all still remain friends, even though I haven't seen some of our group in a decade. The wonder of social networking keeps us close.
Q: Since teaming up with Pete, the two of you had some pretty amazing accomplishments as a professional skater, winning the first Extreme Ice Skating World Championships in St. Petersburg in 2006 (and earning six perfect 10.0's in the process) and of course touring with Katarina Witt and in Canada, Europe, South Africa and South America. What have been some of the most memorable experiences from your professional career - both positive and negative?
A: I would say the thrill of competing in 2006 was the most memorable. We were trained and ready, but of course nervous. There were so many things that could go wrong. Hula hoops are very close to juggling and potential mistakes are countless. It takes a lot of concentration to keep everything under control, while performing and interacting with audience and each other. After skating clean and getting that desired energy charge from the audience, from the adrenaline and from feeling accomplished we both had a full range of happy emotions. These were great feelings that I will never forget. As for the negative memories, I can truly say I have no examples. Of course there must have been small bumps and maybe a couple of unpleasant moments, but negative does not really stay in my memory. It seems funny or silly with time. So when I look into my past or look at the present, I understand how lucky I am. I do what I love. I think my family, my husband and his family are the best. I can rely on my friends and I always had plenty of time to enjoy life and nature. Q: What is one place in the world where you HAVEN'T skated that you would just love to?
A: Oh, there are a lot of places, but number one on Pete's and my list would be New Zealand. My parents toured there with the Circus On Ice and they loved it!
Q: You were a huge hit on the CBC show Battle Of The Blades which was unfortunately cancelled after its fourth season (boo!), pairing up with hockey players P.J. Stock, Cale Hulse and Jason Strudwick. What were the biggest challenges of putting your trust in a hockey player and how did you make it work as well as you did?
A: There were no challenges in trusting my hockey partners at all. My job as a partner comes with a "built in" trust factor. After meeting each of them, I quickly realized how responsible and trustworthy all of them were. Their and Pete's part in this show, on the other hand, was much harder. Pete had to be always alert, teaching and checking technique and being on the lookout for potential malfunctions. I was simply enjoying my work with the hockey players, Pete, our choreographers and everyone involved in the show. The hardest part was on the shoulders of my partners and I am not only talking about my weight. They had my well being in their hands, while being thrown into unknown environment where everything was uncomfortable. I still can't believe what they were able to achieve in the short period of time. I also think it shows that while perfecting sport specific skills, sports teach us work ethics, ability to self motivate, discipline and responsibility. That was a great show to be a part of, Pete and I have tons of wonderful memories and many good friends because of it.
Q: If you were a contestant on Survivor, what would your strategy be?
A: Oh, I love Survivor! Pete and I watch it all the time and of course, I picture myself in their environment and try to question "what I would've done". I've been trying to answer this question for many years now and now answering you, I just don't know! Nice question, by the way! Really digs deep. It's like when someone asks you what books you like. The answer can reveal a lot of information. My strategy... First, enjoy the experience. I learned that through my skating career. Things go by very fast if you don't pay attention. Second, take the opportunity to hear what others have to say, I am sure with all the chit-chat that they do all day, a lot of interesting stuff about different lives will come up and it could help in the competitions. Then, observe as much as possible, and work hard. I probably would anyway. I am not a fan of sitting on the beach. I think, I feel not spoken energy of the situation well, so I would try to read between the lines. Find good people. But after I said all that, I would not make a good Survivor I think. Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why?
A: Kurt Browning! I think he has perfected all aspects of figure skating. His skating is excellent, footwork is outstanding and there seems to be no end to his creativity and flow. He has an unbelievable connection with audiences on and off the ice. His charisma is strong and the fact that he has been skating for many years without losing the spark and love for skating is amazing. Katia Gordeeva. She is my idol and my friend. In my eyes, her and Sergei are yet to be overcome by any other pair team. They had everything: flawless line, elements, charm, character, connection between each other... Off the ice, Katia is a super human. She is a fantastic mother, very down to earth and easy to speak to, very responsible and reliable, but besides all of that she is the life of the party. Katarina Witt! Katarina was my idol growing up. I always watched her with admiration and fascination. She was artistic and shined more than anyone in competitions. Like Kurt and Katia, she is super charismatic. Her post skating career revealed her as a very successful businesswoman. She is as smart as she is talented. There are definitely more skaters that affected me or I look up to or I find inspirational. When I was growing up, Victor Petrenko was one of them. Elvis Stojko, Brian Orser and Brian Boitano also. Now it is Jeff Buttle, Stephane Lambiel, Patrick Chan, Shae-Lynn Bourne, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Joannie Rochette, Carolina Kostner and of course many others.
Q: What is one thing most people don't know about you?
A: I am an introvert. I think due to my profession and my behaviour in public, I come across as an extrovert. Q: What can you share about your life as a figure skater today?
A: I can truly say I am getting a second wind in my involvement with figure skating. My husband and I still perform, but a bit less since we are starting to transition into the coaching community. While watching Worlds in Shanghai, I noticed that I was looking at the competition from a different viewpoint and it gave me a lot of new interest. At the moment, I have only completed the first step with my Skate Canada coach certification, so I cannot have students. What I do now is teach off-ice fitness, core strength, stretching/flexibility and I also teach hula hoop classes which are a fun way to get your exercises in.
Q: What is the biggest lesson that figure skating has taught you as a person?
A: First, discipline. Second, better understanding of people. Travelling and encountering different cultures really lets you see different motivation and reasons behind people's actions.
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.
You'll have to forgive me... I'm still over the moon about the announcement that the 2016 Canadian Championships will be here in Halifax. It's huge! Simply put, we don't get to see near enough great live skating in these parts so that wonderful news coupled with Stars On Ice's annual visit to this Maritime city is kind of a big deal. The Metro Centre - sorry, it's called the Scotiabank Centre now (how deliciously corporate!) - never fails to pack right up with skating fans and skaters from all around the Maritimes - and let me tell you, as a people we like to have a good time and show these skaters some love. If you haven't experienced a Halifax crowd before in person, you wait until next year at Nationals. We're a rowdy, fun bunch that may or may not drink a little. There, our secret's out!
The cast this year was quite similar to last year's with Kurt Browning, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Patrick Chan, Shawn Sawyer, Joannie Rochette and Jeffrey Buttle all returning along with of course, 2015 World Champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford and 2015 World Bronze Medallists Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje. Although on the road to recovery, Canadian Champion Kaetlyn Osmond wasn't back again this year but we couldn't have asked for a better replacement in three time U.S. Champion Ashley Wagner, who was certainly missed last year after being her fabulous self in the 2013 show. As we all know, 2015 marks the twenty fifth anniversary of the Canadian tour and let me tell you, the show's skaters, choreographers and production team pulled out ALL of the stops to outdo themselves offer a show to truly remember! Let's be real here though. Would you expect anything less with a cast like that? Prior to the show, four time World Champion Kurt Browning told me "this year’s show will pay special homage to twenty five years of performing for figure skating’s greatest fans who have always supported the tour and myself personally. All of the skaters will relate their current numbers to past performances that Canadian fans loved. We will even present a special ensemble number that will feature music, choreography and costumes from past shows as well as a look into the future of this successful franchise."
Before I delve into a review of the show, I want to look back to the beginning of the Canadian tour as it celebrates twenty five years. This IS primarily a skating history blog, remember? Building on the success of the American tour, Stars On Ice's CANADIAN tour got its start back in 1991 with a much less elaborate effort than we see these days but a stellar cast nonetheless. The cast (who visited fewer than ten cities including Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton and Vancouver) featured Olympic Medallists Scott Hamilton, Brian Orser, Toller Cranston, Rosalynn Sumners and Kitty and Peter Carruthers as well as Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver, Kathleen Schmelz and Susie Wynne and Joseph Druar. However, one of the skaters who participated in that very first tour isn't on that list and for good reason. Those skaters came, made their unforgettable impressions on audiences and moved on. Kurt Browning has not. As the show celebrates twenty five years, the four time World and Canadian Champion has remained a fixture and THE face of the tour and you know what? He's twenty five times more fantastic to watch NOW than he was back in 1991. This year, Kurt took on the direction of the tour and rather than building on pieces and ideas from the American tour created an entirely brand new show from scratch celebrating the rich and incredible history of Stars On Ice in Canada.
ACT ONE
The show started unusually with Kurt Browning reviving his much loved Rag Gidon clown character on a clean canvas of ice for some - get this - school figures. The piece, "Go Figure", put together by Geoffrey Tyler was a fitting look back into skating history to start the show. "Go Figure" segued into an intricately choreographed and show stopping opening group number to Coldplay's "A Sky Full Of Stars". Similarly to the "Somebody That I Used To Know" opening number from two years ago, there seemed to be a nice balance of "air time" (pardon the pun) for everybody.
Olympic Bronze Medallist and World Champion Jeffrey Buttle followed with an upbeat program to "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars that was choreographed by by David Wilson and Chucky Klapow. Buttle, as usual, was absolutely on point and looked confident in his jumping passes. One thing I'd like to point out is the fact this is the second year that he pulled out a rather steppy number and as much as I usually swoon over his edges and more subdued programs, as Martha Stewart would say, "it's a good thing."
Three time U.S. Champion Ashley Wagner kept the high energy going with a program set to "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit choreographed by Shawn Sawyer. Opening with a big triple flip, I had a nice chat with Ashley after the show and spoke with her about the CONFIDENCE she's brought to the table this season and how much I just went gaga over her free skate at U.S. Nationals. Although this "Rather Be" program was full of great energy (Shawn's choreography WORKS with her, by the way) the big Ashley Wagner news of the night was (straight from her mouth) she's keeping her fabulous "Moulin Rouge" program for next season. I love it.
Slowing things down with a tribute to Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne (how does that work?), two time World Medallists Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje certainly skated on in character, performing those back kicks things that Shae-Lynn and Victor always did. Is there a name? I don't know but if there is let this sister know. Skating a modern interpretation of Romeo and Juliet to Des'ree's "I'm Kissing You", they were just exquisite. I'd have to say this was hands down their finest exhibition piece yet bar done. Inventive lifts, gorgeous choreography and girl, did they ever emote this piece beautifully.
A small part of me knew Canadian Silver Medallist Shawn Sawyer would pay homage to Toller Cranston in this year's show. An even smaller, more hopeful part of me hoped he'd pull out Toller's sickening The Firebird/Magic Bird Of Fire program. Instead, Shawn went in a different direction with a very soulful self-choreographed program to Hozier's "Take Me To Church". I was hoping it would mash into Annie Lennox's "I Put A Spell On You" a la Grammy's, but a girl can dream. All of the tricks we come to expect from Shawn - Cantilever, inventive spins and two - count 'em - two backflips but the jumps weren't all perfect. In the words of Dick Button, "WHO CARES!" I've said it before and I'll say it again. Shawn makes this tour in my opinion. Unlike many 'trick oriented' skaters or adagio skaters for that matter who kind of zoom from trick to trick, Shawn's musical interpretation is fierce and the fact he only did one solo didn't sit well with me.
"Love is a temple. Love is the higher law. You ask of me to enter but then you made me crawl and I can't be holding on to what you got when all you got is hurt..." Mary J. Blige's passionate duet with U2 to "One" is one of those pieces of music that gives you goosebumps and 2015 World Champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford used it masterfully to both put on a show and tell a story. Putting a new spin on a program they first debuted in December in Germany, the present of Canadian pairs skating paid homage to the past: Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini, Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler and Jamie Sale and David Pelletier... This program had all of the power that we are accustomed to from this pair but really managed to draw the audience in and take them on a journey through pairs skating's past as well. What a clever concept. They nailed it.
Kurt Browning's first solo program was a recreation of 1984 Olympic Gold Medallist Scott Hamilton's "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)" with music by Kenny G and Frank Sinatra. Hamilton skated the program, choreographed by Sandra Bezic, in the mid nineties when he competed against Kurt at the 1995 Canadian Professional Championships in Hamilton. In PJ Kwong's March 15 podcast interview with Kurt and Geoffrey Tyler on Open Kwong Dore, Kurt talked about the process of revisiting a Scott classic: "There was a program that he skated a long time ago that really touched me. I thought when I'm older and I've been in the sport long enough and I hope I deserve it, I want a program like that... I gave up and said I want to do THAT program. So I got Sandra Bezic who choreographed it... we're doing it step for step. It's to the point where I'm actually learning triple toe from an inside three turn." No joke. In addition to that triple toe, Kurt brought back the backflip, an element we haven't seen in one of his program in eons. Let me tell you, this program was a MOMENT and a masterpiece; the craft of skating at its best... and not just a nod to Scott and Sandra, but a nod to the tour's past as Scott actually performed this very program in the 1995/1996 U.S. tour. He wasn't perfect but you know what? He was fabulous.
Kurt Browning's a tough act to follow but if anyone was up for the challenge it was Olympic Gold Medallists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. Skating to a Sam Smith cover of "How Will I Know?" Tessa and Scott were spellbinding as usual. The program, choreographed by Jeffrey Buttle, was lyrical and just so well suited to their strengths as skaters and the one thing that I have to say just resonated in my mind watching them this year is how much I enjoy their performances outside of competition. There was something fresh about this program that just screamed "no, don't come back, you're too good for something someone made up and called a twizzle."
Skating to Vance Joy's "Mess Is Mine", Olympic Silver Medallist Patrick Chan looked at ease and probably more relaxed than I've ever seen him. I'm sure that will all change when he gets back to hardcore training, but there was a sense of comfort like a warm cup of hot chocolate that resonated with this piece choreographed by David Wilson.
Next was Joannie Rochette's "La Vie En Rose" program choreographed by Marie-France Dubreuil. I have to say that this was easily one of the highlights of the show. Two triples and a double axel I think? I don't take notes (made that mistake years ago) and try to really focus on enjoying the skating when I go to shows. Joannie's skating just shined in this year's tour more than usual if that's possible and getting to see this gem live was a treat.
Closing out the first set was a FABULOUS treat - a reworked group number based around Kurt Browning's "Brick House" program featuring of course Kurt, Jeffrey, Patrick, Scott, Andrew, Eric and Shawn. So in other words, my favourite - men! This was just something to behold. Like Z snap, you best put down your drink and pay attention sweetie 'cause something mesmerizing is going down.
After the perfunctory World Vision speech (sorry, but I'm not a huge fan of the values of this particular organization) and a quick smoke break where I met a lovely former skater and coach at the Bluenose Skating Club and drank as much wine as one can during a twenty minute intermission, it was back to business.
ACT TWO
The second set opened with a very cleverly choreographed ensemble piece called "Bezic/Seibert Ice Dance System" set to "Hip Hip Chin Chin" by Club des Belugas. A lot of interesting things going on in this one and it was a great way to draw the audience back in.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir were back skating to "Good Kisser" by Usher choreographed by Sam Chouinard and Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon. Again, a good fit and definitely something out of these two's comfort zone. Taking risks isn't always easy but this program choice was something that paid off. And for the record, I'm no Usher fan so that's saying something,
Anyone who skates to The Beatles wins my heart but Patrick Chan already had it! Skating to "Dear Prudence" and "Blackbird" Patrick wasn't perfect in this piece choreographed by Pasquale Camerlengo but again looked at such ease out there flying around. Not to be rude to other skaters because there are so many great, great men out there, but I think they had better look out next season. Call it a hunch, but I think Patrick's going to kick ass and take names.
Cleverly pairing pairs and ice dancing in the piece "Hello" by Martin Solveig and Dragonette, Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford and Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje were fantastic in this piece. Lots of clever choreography with switching partners and juxtaposing pairs elements with dance moves and just a lot of fun!
Joannie Rochette skated her second number to Avicii's "Addicted To You" choreographed by David Wilson and it was quite a contrast obviously to her "La Vie En Rose" piece. She kept the high energy going from the previous number and absolutely sold it. The elements? On the money.
Next up was World Champion Jeffrey Buttle skating to "Here's To Life" by Shirley Horn choreographed by David Wilson. You know, this was the same beautiful craftmanship we come to expect from a Jeffrey Buttle/David Wilson combination, however I have to be real here and say that the music didn't do it for me. But again, like in Tessa and Scott's Usher number, the quality of the SKATING won me over.
The closing number to the show was a twenty minute fifties fancy set to a medley of music by Supertramp. The concept "A Super Tramp's Tale" was conceived by Kurt Browning and Geoffrey Tyler on (of all places) a plane to South Korea. The skaters all played the various roles of workers in a flying machine factory. In his interview earlier this week with Andrea Nemetz in The Chronicle Herald, Eric Radford explained the creation process of the theatrical piece which almost had an otherworldly vibe as "like free verse, with us all bouncing ideas off each other that take shape slowly" adding that "it's so much fun to add a character dimension rather than being all about showmanship and steps. It’s really nice to think about how my face looks instead of how my edges are." You know, it's funny, my interest in the ensemble pieces on the tour waxes and wanes over the years depending on the concept and choreography - I'm definitely a solo kind of guy - but I really wanted to like this and just couldn't wrap my head around it. I'm all for abstract - trust me - but this almost reminded me of one of those early nineties free dances where you needed a brochure to explain what was going on. There were some parts that worked, Shawn Sawyer as the foreman on huge stilt skates and the final section to "Give A Little Bit" for instance but the more I look back on this piece, the more I was befuddled by it. I thought I got it, then I didn't, then I needed another drink (which I got).
A revival of a piece of music Todd Eldredge used on the 2005 Canadian tour, Former Take That star Robbie Williams' "Let Me Entertain You" served as the musical backdrop for four time World Champion Kurt Browning's second solo and the finale of the night. It offered a wonderful contrast to his soft and stunning "One For My Baby" program in the first act and a much needed happy ending after that Supertramp business, including a SECOND backflip from the man himself. I could watch him all day and I hope that someday that's an option.
And now... for a fitting end to one hell of a skating season! Thanks Ashley!
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.
Halifax, Nova Scotia isn't exactly the figure skating capital of North America. Aside from the 1990 World Championships, the city I live in and love dearly did host the inaugural Four Continents Championships back in 1999 but has only three times hosted the Canadian Championships and Skate Canada International. The last professional competition the city saw was The Gold Championships in 1996 and the last time the Canadian Championships were held here was back in 2007. I attended and let me tell you... it was a TIME!
Speaking of attending things, this very morning I attended a press conference at the Nova Scotia Sport Hall Of Fame on Argyle Street at the invitation of Skate Canada. On hand with a VERY exciting announcement to talk about were Olympic Silver Medallist Patrick Chan, Halifax's Mayor Mike Savage, Skate Canada's Chief Marketing Officer Mark Haliday and Scotiabank Centre's President and CEO Scott Ferguson. I'm sure you can put two and two together. Time to finally let the cat out of the bag to stretch its legs a little... The 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships will be indeed be held RIGHT HERE in beautiful Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Considering the buzz about town this time last year was that Halifax was getting Nationals and they ultimately went to Kingston first, I couldn't be more thrilled this is finally happening. It will be great for the city and great for skating! CBC analyst, author, coach and skating AUTHORITY PJ Kwong told me that, "Halifax holds a special place in my heart. In 1990, I was in the audience at Worlds in Halifax and the mood in the building was electric. I remember hearing the voices of the announcers (one was announcing legend Wilf Langevin) and loving the way the audience was responding. I decided that week I wanted to be PA announcer. Thanks Halifax! I have been there a few times since and I think the skaters love coming there because they are so receptive."
Olympic Silver Medallist, three time World Champion and seven time Canadian Champion Patrick Chan expressed his excitement about returning to training and competition and going for an eighth Canadian title here in Halifax. "Who knows, maybe it will be nine? Ten?" he joked. Fellow Canadian Champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford and Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje were also in the house and excited about the announcement.
Mayor Savage earned even more brownie points with this skating history buff when he shared his excitement (and knowledge) with me about skating in Halifax and the significance of Nationals coming back to the city: "Deeply rooted in Halifax’s culture and heritage, our community has a natural connection to skating through recreation and sport. From historical traditions of skating on our frozen lakes with blades made by Starr Manufacturing, to recent investments in permanent surfaces like the Oval, Halifax celebrates skating as a way to achieve a healthier, happier community. Halifax is proud to host many past and future national and international figure skating championships, welcoming competitive athletes from around the world and recognizing the importance of skating and its natural role in our community."
This event offers enormous potential for our local economy as well, with an expected four to five million dollars in economic impact to the city and province. Hotel rooms will exceed three thousand, five hundred for skaters and families alone.
The opportunity to welcome so many of you while attending Canada's Nationals in person literally right down the road from me will be such a treat and I cannot wait! As the focus of the blog is so largely to share skating history, I'm very much thinking about organizing a meet and greet or a skating history lecture with special guests or something along those lines during Nationals week so I can catch up and meet with all of you who will be attending in person. I think it would be a blast. Something with wine and cheese and nibbly things... it would really be rude not to, now wouldn't
it?
So, what do you need to know? The dates are January 18 to 24, 2016 and tickets go on sale TOMORROW (May 2) at ten AM Atlantic time and all event packages range from one hundred and twenty five to one hundred and seventy five dollars (plus surcharges). You can book your tickets online at http://www.ticketatlantic.com, by phone at 1-877-451-1221 or in person at the Scotiabank Centre. There are tons of hotels and restaurants in walking distance as the event venue is right in the downtown core. And don't you worry, there are plenty of Tim Hortons too. You're covered. Now, if you'll excuse me... it's soon time to get ready, grab a bite to eat and head off to the very venue that will host the 2016 Canadian Championships for the kickoff of the twenty fifth anniversary of Stars On Ice tonight. Stay tuned for a full recap tomorrow!
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.
It goes without saying that the career of three time Swedish Champion Alexander Majorov has been an incredible one. He's a bronze medallist at the World Junior Championships and has won gold medals internationally at the NRW Trophy in Germany, Graz Ice Challenge, Warsaw Cup and Lombardia Trophy. However, as is a recurring theme in the stories of many elite skaters, injuries ranging from back problems to Achilles tendon injuries have almost robbed Majorov of it all. Rebounding to make it to his fifth World Championships in Shanghai where he finished twenty third, he looks towards a brighter future. We talked about the lessons skating has taught him and his philosophy on the sport, goals for next season, favourite skaters and much more... and I think you'll love reading this short but sweet interview: Q: You've had some incredible accomplishments so far in your career. You're a three time Swedish Champion and four time Nordic Champion, represented Sweden at the Sochi Olympics and you won the World Junior bronze medal in 2011. Looking back at your career so far, which moments have been the most special to you?
A: I'd have to say that the most special moments have been the Junior World Championships where I took third place, the short program at the Olympic Games and the European Championships in Zagreb in 2013.
Q: My understanding is that you were born in St. Petersburg. How did you come to represent Sweden in the first place and how do you think your career would have been different if you'd represented Russia?
A: I was almost born in Sweden and I have lived here for my whole life. Competing for Sweden was a normal choice because I was a Swedish citizen. I like Russia, but I never planned to compete for the country. Q: What would you say was the most important thing you learned recently when it comes to skating?
A: I think to never give up on your dreams. I have had a hard time with injuries since the summer of 2014. It took me seven months to come back. I thought my career was over but then I suddenly started to compete again. My first competition coming back was the European Championships in 2015. Q: Looking forward to the next season, what are your main goals in training and what can you share about your new programs and plans for next year?
A: My main goals are to recover fully from my injury and to be able to do the quad toe-loop again. I will keep my free program and change my short. I can say that the short program will be fun music: a totally different style with some lyrics in the music. Q: If you weren't a singles skater and had to be a pairs or ice dancer, which would you pick and who would be your ultimate partner?
A: Oh, that was a tricky one. I would say pairs. I'm not so tall, so I would have to pick a small partner. Maybe Julia Lipnitskaia. Q: Who are your favourite skaters of all time and why?
A: Kurt Browning, because of the amazing skating skills he has. He makes figure skating interesting even for people who don't like the sport. Also Evgeni Plushenko, because he has the most amazing jumping stability in the whole world. Q: If you could be any animal on a carousel, what would you be, and why?
A: Maybe a dog, because dogs are lovely animals with huge hearts. Q: What is one thing most people don't know about you?
A: I can tell you a couple of facts that most people do not know. I speak three languages fluently: Swedish, Russian and English. I also understand German. I can speak it a little, but not fluent like the other languages. I really enjoy to drive road bike bicycles in the summers in my town, I see it as meditation on wheels. I play acoustic guitar a bit. I'm not a pro... but it works. I'm studying to be a physical therapist in university on the side of skating. I have been studying for four years and next summer I will have my Bachelor exam. I think that is the right name for the exam? Q: What is your philosophy towards your skating?
A: To try new and special things in skating even if people don't like it. For example, when I'm changing skating styles or using costumes that are totally different from 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 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.
You read the title of the blog correctly and laughing in the face of political correctness, the Fat Men's Skating Contest was exactly what this unusual and quite well received figure skating competition held on the same year of the Great Chicago Fire occurred. Held in early February of 1871 in Springfield, Illinois' west end, the event was organized by a Mr. Townsend who was the proprietor of the city's rink. Competing for the prize of "a silk tie in the latest cut" were seven competitors, all (how shall I put this?) men of some bearing... Rubenesque, if you will. The crowd at the rink that day was standing room only.
Townsend organized a panel of six judges (all 'eligible young ladies'), arranged for a doctor to be on hand if any of the imposing gentleman skaters injured themselves on the soft ice that day and like something out of a Tonya Harding celebrity boxing match, had all seven men weigh in on a Fairbanks scale and be announced by the city's clerk Frank Fleury. The seven contestants were three hundred and fifty pound B.F. Haines, three hundred and twenty five pound W.M. Grimsley, three hundred and ten pound B.O. Stanley, two hundred and ninety five pound J.A. Nafew, two hundred and ninety pound Martin Hickox, two hundred and eighty five pound James Rayburn and two hundred and fifty pound J.H. Currier.
As described in the February 4, 1871 issue of The New York Clipper, "Mr. Haines was particularly clever in plain work, while in the 'ground stop' feat Nafew excelled all others. The 'long roll' and 'spread eagle' were most admirably performed by Hickox, and Stanley in the 'grape vine' showed considerable skill, as the figures cut upon the ice indicated. Rayburn performed various feats, which showed remarkable nerve and endurance, and Currier gave the 'spread eagle' and competed with Nafew in the 'short stop' feat."
The all female judging panel conferred and decided that the portliest of the competitors, B.F. Haines, was the event's champion. The audience loved it and both Fleury and Haines apparently both gave charming speeches. Haines donated the prize to the benefit of the Home For The Friendless, a local temporary shelter for women and children displaced by the Civil War that was conceived by Reverend Francis Springer, a neighbor of President Abraham Lincoln. At approximately nine o'clock the evening of the competition following the competition and speeches, there was an exhibition by the Ives Brothers and a skating party.
One can scarcely imagine anything called a Fat Men's Skating Contest being held in present day... but this fabulous footnote from figure skating history serves as a reminder in these days of ridiculous body image expectations in figure skating that not now or EVER does any champion skater have to be a size zero. Just sayin!
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.
Who's ready for another trip in the time machine? This one will take you all the way back to 1916 and the cost of the book that I'll be quoting from today was a paltry (by today's standards) twenty five cents. That's right... a quarter. Try taking your quarter to Chapters and seeing where that gets you. The book in question is the "Hippodrome Skating Book: Practical, Illustrated Lessons In The Art Of Figure Skating As Exemplified By 'Charlotte', Greatest Woman Skater in the World" and as described, it is an instructional skating book authored by none other than the German professional skating legend Charlotte Oelschlägel, whose story was chronicled in detail in this April 2014 Skate Guard blog.
The recent blog offering some very sage advice from U.S. Champion Maribel Vinson Owen was full of some wonderful timeless advice. As was the case of Maribel, Charlotte's voice is going to jump off the screen and resonate with you in very much the same way. I know it did with me. At times authoritative, humorous, delightfully old-fashioned and downright blunt, get ready for today's skating lesson from the one and only Charlotte:
"The arms should not be held close to the body nor should they be flung violently about. If the former position is taken the skater looks stiff and awkward. If too wide reaching out of the arms is permitted the skater appears to be grasping at imaginary straws like a drowning man. Both extremes are bad but of the two it is better to allow the arms freedom of poise and carry them gracefully extended than stiffly hung to the sides of the body. Fencing and interpretive or folk dancing furnish interesting examples of the right use of the arms during vigorous action. The individuality of the skater is often revealed by the carriage of the arms as much as by the tracing of the figures."
"The men ought to be told that there is nothing more ungraceful or unsuitable for skating that long trousers. Knickerbockers are tight fitting coats with just a bit of military cut are the right costume for the men who would skate well and look well. The best European skaters among the men all skate in woolen tights, but they are a little theatrical and do not always increase one's admiration for the wearer."
"Jerkiness and noticeable pause in the execution of the figures are bad form. The momentum should be continuous and even. Unless it is, the figure will be badly done and the balance interfered with. The whole print of the complete figure should be in the mind of the skater before he starts. Room for its execution should be found and even a clear idea of where the prints are to be made on the ice should be in mind."
"Do not be ashamed to ask questions of those who skater better than you do. Make pencil sketches of figures that interest you and write down the correct carriage of balance foot and arms until you have learned them."
"The plunge is the main thing in learning to skate backward. Make up your mind some fine morning that you are going to practise outside edges backward or inside edges backward all of the skating session of that day. Then do it. Skating is a matter of will power after all and not at all a matter of strength. I took up skating just because I was not strong and the doctors said it was outdoor life or a little narrow box for me."
"There can be no comparison between the delight of waltzing on ice and waltzing on a ballroom floor. There is an exhilaration and rhythm about ice waltzing which nothing equals."
"Certain programmes are generally followed in free skating. Starting with a series of running steps, to get momentum, then a long spiral and a spectacular jump, toe spins; large figures in the form of an eight, dance steps, a spectacle figure to time of music; finishing with a spectacular spin on one foot, crouched down close to the ice with the other foot curled about the skating foot in front: this makes a combination which suggests what can be done. The spread-eagle is another important figure to introduce into free skating programmes."
"Jumps and pirouettes, done by both partners or by one are also pair skating possibilities. One of the most spectacular pair skating jumps consists of a leap by the lady from the outside forward edge to the outside backward edge around her partner, or sometimes almost over his shoulder. This is done at high speed and is very pretty as well as very daring. This is true skating and at the same time acrobatic skating of the most difficult character."
"Encourage games and races and figure skating competition. Get up moonlight skating parties on the ice. String lanterns about and have a costume skating carnival. If the circumstances permit make a gigantic bonfire and provide hot coffee and other refreshments. In some parts of northern Europe large parties of young people skate great distances on the rivers, stopping at various towns for lunch and dinner and returning by train."
"Theatrical skating, such as I do, has to be fast and sensational."
"The selection of judges is most important. These should be themselves good skaters, familiar with the style of skating now generally accepted all over the world as correct... They should be encouragers of skating and do everything in their power to interest the competitors and the public in the event. Much of the interest in future depends upon the judges. No sport can long carry the handicap of unfair or biased judging."
Skating's Nostradamus? Perhaps Charlotte was. Her thoughts on judging do seem to be almost prophetic in a way in light of the judging scandals that would eventually rock the sport so incredibly that the IJS judging system would be adopted. I think her and I would be on the same page with regards to disagreeing with anonymous judging though, as she went on to say "The judges' cards should be carefully kept and shown afterward on demand." That said, I TOO would be absolutely fine with men skating in shorter pants. I hope Charlotte's musings on the art/sport have brought the same amused smile to your face that they have mine. As in life, some things change, but some things never go out of style.
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.
To say the experience of representing your country at the Olympics is a rare dream come true for most figure skaters is definitely the understatement of the year. To be able to do it more than once in more than one discipline is surely rarer. Austria's Miriam Ziegler is a member of that elite club, having competed at the 2010 Vancouver Games as a singles skater and the 2014 Sochi Games as a pairs skater. Miriam was gracious enough to open up at length with me about her journey, discussing everything from her transition from singles to pairs skating with her on and off ice partner Severin Kiefer, her goals for the upcoming season, favourite skaters and much more in this must read interview:
Q: You've had an incredibly accomplished career as both a singles skater and a pairs skater, competing in the ladies event in Vancouver and the pairs event in Sochi as well as at the European and World Championships, winning four Austrian titles (two in singles and two in pairs) and competing in countless international competitions. I want to start by talking about your singles career. What were your proudest moments and the most challenging ones?
A: One of my proudest moments was winning the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2011. I was the first Austrian skater to ever win that title, which was probably the highlight of my singles career. At the Youth Festival, I first experienced the Olympic spirit and I was able to perform two perfectly clean programs. I absolutely loved being a part of this inspiring competition and I was hungry for more. The following seasons were particularly difficult for me, especially during the 2010 Olympic season, I was struggling with my confidence and I had a hard time coping with the fierceness of my fellow national competitors for the Olympic spot. After being called up to the Olympic team, external pressure combined with the expectations I had for myself became a big obstacle which unfortunately ended up influencing my Olympic performance. I missed two major elements in my short program but was actually able to focus on the positive aspects of the experience. When I got back home, I realized that not everyone shared my positive outlook and I found myself being influenced by the pessimistic perception of my performance by some. I took a step back from skating for a couple of months and then slowly started to train again but the fun never came back and I seemed to have lost the light- hearted approach to my skating.
Q: How did you reach the decision to ultimately focus all of your decision on your pairs career with Severin?
A: Even though I competed again in the 2011/12 season I was pretty much done with skating. Jumps were frustrating me and skating just wasn't as much fun anymore. I failed to reach the level I was at two years before and after one season of skating, I decided to quit. A year later, Severin asked me to have a tryout with him. I hadn't skated for a year and I was not in shape at all but pair skating had always fascinated me. I had never had the chance to try it, so I said yes. After a couple of tryouts, I knew that pair skating was what I had been looking for. I loved having someone else on the ice with me. Learning the pair elements was not easy and I enjoyed being challenged. Pair skating was the only thing that could have convinced me to come back to skating.
Q: At Worlds in Shanghai, you didn't have your best skate in the short program and unfortunately missed the cut for the free skate. What did you learn most from Worlds and this past season?
A: Even though I missed the side by side triple salchow (which was the first element) we still managed to perform the rest of the program very well. Therefore, I learned that mistakes can happen but that that does not mean that the rest of the program has to be bad. It is worth it to fight for every single element. I know that this was only our second season together and that the second season is always the hardest, especially when you had as good a season as we did last year. I learned that not always achieving your goals is a good thing because you can learn more from defeats than you can from victories and it makes me want to achieve them even more.
Q: How did you come to move your training base from Austria to Germany?
A: Just before Worlds last year, we and Eva Sonnleitner decided to go our separate ways and Severin and I moved to Berlin to train there full time. Since then we mostly work with Knut Schubert, but Rico Rex is still there to help out. We are also working on our side by side jumps with Stefan Lindemann.
Q: What are your main focuses in training right now and what can you share about your programs and plans for the 2015/2016 season?
A: Our main goal for next season is to get the triple twist. The second goal is to improve our skating skills. In May, we will go to Vancouver to work with our choreographer Mark Pillay on our new programs. We will get two brand new programs, which we're really looking forward to. Our short program will be pretty jazzy but we have not decided on music for our free program yet. We hope that our new programs will be entertaining and more sophisticated.
Q: What is your favourite element and your least favourite as both a pairs and singles skater?
A: It is really easy to say that my most hated singles element is the double axel. It always felt as if I couldn't really control what was happening and that it was lucky when it worked. I still refuse to work on it in practice. It is harder to say what my favourite singles element is. I really like spins and my favourite jump is the loop. In pairs, I love to work on throw jumps but I don't like twists and death spirals.
Q: If you hadn't have become an elite level skater, what is another passion you would have loved to pursue on the same level?
A: If I wouldn't have become a figure skater I don't think I would do any other sport on that level. I would go to the gym from time to time but not much more. There was a time I really enjoyed writing poems. I think I would have saved money and then travelled the world while writing about it.
Q: How would you spend your perfect day away from the rink? Where would you go, what would you eat and who would you be with?
A: My perfect skating free day is meeting some friends for brunch then sitting in a park in the sun all day (preferably in Vienna) and then ordering pizza and watching a movie at home with Severin, since he is my boyfriend as well.
Q: Who are your three favourite skaters of all time and why?
A: I think skaters are truly great if they have an inspiring personality. Since I don't know any past skaters personally, I can only talk about current skaters. I love Carolina Kostner. Her skating is phenomenal but she is also so kind and humble which makes her so fascinating to me. Another great skater is Jason Brown, who I think has the most interesting programs and transitions. I admire his attitude on as well as off the ice. Since I am now a pair skater as well, I will also name Cheng Peng and Hao Zhang as my favourite team. Even though they are completely different personalities, they match perfectly on the ice and I always get goosebumps when I watch them skate.
Q: What is one thing that most people don't know about you?
A: Most people probably don't know that I am a soldier in the Austrian army as an athlete because this is how the government is funding their athletes. I was even trained to fire a gun.
Q: What is the best advice you can offer to anyone wanting to switch from singles to pairs?
A: I can recommend pair skating to everyone. Even though skating with someone else is sometimes hard, the work always pays off and accomplishing a goal with someone else is always a lot more fun than celebrating on your own.
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.
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