Hi everyone! I have a question about charlotte spirals--are they only done as back spirals, or is there such a thing as a forward charlotte spiral?

I've never tried them, but I was thinking about the mechanics of them and it seems to me that they'd only be back spirals because going forward with the head that low and the free leg that high would put one's weight too far forward, onto the toe pick...

I've never seen it tried as a forward move, but I gather the results could be quite disasterous.

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Wang chung!

Naomi Nari Nam did a really nice fowards charlotte a few years ago in her program, and executed it perfectly.

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Wow! It seems like it would be REALLY hard to do them forward....never mind backward! lol

This sounds impossible, although I'm sure if someone could actually do it, they'd score a lot of points for difficulty!

This reminds me of a skill that I think is in the Canadian "Moves" structure -- where you are going on a forward outside spiral and then come up on your toe-pick -- sounds deadly! And Canadians care to comment??!!

Alissa Czisny did a forward Charlotte in her short program at Skate Detroit and it looked really good! I can't imagine doing one forwards though, it seems like you'd catch your toepick on it.

Your calves and ankles have to be really flexible so you can keep your skating foot from pointing at all.

Actually Skate Canada (formerlly the CFSA) took out that move in Skills level 4 (now known as Jr. Silver Skills)...it was nuts! It took people forever to get it right, but it wa to be done at slow speeds anyway, hard but not impossible.

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Shudder... That was the most impossible Skating Skills Level... Jr. Silver is the equivalent of novice for our American friends. It was miserable to test that skill too because there was a real range of what was allowed to pass on the front spiral-pull up onto the toe pick-push back off of toe-pick move (in theory all to be done without ever losing the perfect spiral position). Some judges would let it be if the rest of the exercise was strong. Others would fail it for the slightest waver...

Very pretty move when done right (very artistic program inclined) and fantastic exercise for ankle strength and control... At one point, I was able to do them decently in both directions but I was so sick of the blasted things by the time I tested them that I have never done them since. Pity...

I think I remember Oksana Baiul doing this move in her eligible days. I was very impressed. Very balletic skill. I have personally never tried it, but I can see how it would be excellent for control. Maybe some day.

Kay

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