This is probably the strangest request ever, but does anyone know where I could find patterns or descriptions or something of the old figures? I finished my (Canadian) skills tests over two years ago and after spending all summer doing the same 2 footwork sequences for the half hour every day of skills....it's a little boring!
I've tried searching the 'net for them, but couldn't find anything very helpful, so any ideas would be great!
Thanks,
Catie

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Well, those figures are not so old! In fact a lot of people are still doing them, at least in the US.

The USFSA has patterns of the figures with minimal description. If you have never done figures before, however, it might not be enough to give you an understanding of how they are done.

I would hope that your coach could point you in the right direction. It was only about 12 years ago that figures were dropped from the competition track.

Good luck. Figures can be really great!

Hi, Catie.

If you have a library near you, you can look at old skating books. Older instructional books will contain diagrams and descriptions of figures. I'm American, but remember taking out Barbara Ann Scott's biography that was written circa 1950. These books provide a wonderful glimpse of our sport's history, too.

Cheers,
Raine

I suggest that you track down a copy of Maribel Vinson Owen's excellent 1961 book "The Fun Of Figure Skating." She covers all the figures that, at the time, comprised the first and second USFSA figures tests. Many U.S. libraries carry the book, or you can probably find a copy online at a reasonable price: I found mine for about $10 US at www.alibris.com. She also wrote another book (I'm not sure of the title -- maybe "A Figure Skating Primer" or something like that?) with even more advanced figures, but I haven't gotten that far yet

There is also a book by Carlo Fassi -- don't know the name but I think it's the only one he wrote -- which covers a lot of the school figures. He doesn't give nearly the detailed description of body position, etc. that Vinson Owen does but at least he gives a fairly comprehensive listing of a number of the school figures.

It's great to know that there are people out there who are still interested in this stuff! My coach says that when she and others of her generation die off there won't be anyone left to even teach figures; that they will truly become a lost art.

Side note: I attended the 1999 U.S. Nationals in Salt Lake City, the last such event at which figures were contested. At the completion of the event, some of the officials (judges, IIRC?) came out onto the ice and laid roses on the competitors' tracings. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

I have the vinson book. Its from the 30's...pre sonia as movie star, I believe. I got it for $7.50...

Thanks for all your replies, I checked out our local library today and couldn't find anything, but I'm gonna try the main city library and the one at university next week, see if they have anything. The books all sound great if I can find them!

xo Catie

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