The butterfly is a common skating move that often leads into a spin. Here's an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3cXh...eature=related

Here's an incredibly high martial arts version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS04X...eature=related

i happened upon this martial arts move called a "butterfly twist" . Here's an excellent tutorial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQizf3NKvII&feature=fvsr

I seem to remember somebody doing this on ice maybe in the early 80s? The skater was male. Does anyone know if anyone still does this move on ice? I have not seen it. It would be a fabulous ice move and I wonder why no one does this especially someone like Stojko who was into martial arts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQizf3NKvII&feature=fvsr

Kay

__________________
Visit my figure skating journal
http://www.skatejournal.com/

I've never seen it on ice.....but I did see it on roller. (Men's WC solo freedance). Here it is at 1:08.

" target="_blank">http://<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-h1jXA0sLG4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-h1jXA0sLG4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

I remember writing on a roller forum a few years ago asking what the heck it was. No one knew. Thanks for the answer. It is a butterfly twist. I love it!!!

I would love to see a butterfly twist on ice too if anyone has a link. My daughter started learning butterfly twist two weeks ago in her martial arts class. She has a decent butterfly (good height and butterfly position) but it still takes a lot of courage for her to try adding the twist.

It is a common martial arts move and a lot of kids can do it. So I would think for someone like Stojko, it is an easy thing to do.

As for Pandora's link, while the move is cool, it is not the butterfly twist that we usually talk about. Maybe roller has a different definition?

My son does this one as a matter of course; he's studied martial arts for years, which may be why he's good at it, but, his coach teaches it to all of her skaters, with a range of success. Never heard it called a "butterfly" though!

That roller link was fascinating. Looks like the skater did at least 1 horizontal revolution. The prep and landing were not the same as the martial arts version, but there was definitely a horizontal twist.

Kay

__________________
Visit my figure skating journal
http://www.skatejournal.com/

Kind of reminds me of Michael Weiss's "Tornado" except that's a backflip with a twist, not a butterfly.

__________________
-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Yes, I saw it a couple years ago on the video I linked. I loved it!!

I actually tried it a few times at the skatepark on inlines.......um.....it wasn't a good idea. Ouch!!

I will leave this move to the martial artists/elite ice skaters.

Brian Boitano 1988 Short Program 2:00 in.
Is that the butterfly twist you're speaking of?

This is my second fav olympic program.

__________________
Great forum quotes:
On Falling: '...it doesn't matter, it's what you do AFTER you fall that's more important' ISK8NYC

Actually that was a deathdrop.....But one done so well that it almost hangs sideways in the air. (So I see where you found the similarity.) From what I remember, Boitano was known for his deathdrop. He is awesome!! Thanks for the video.

The butterfly twist we are talking about is kind of a sideways "barrel roll." It takes off in a horizontal position forward (think camel position), then flips over so that at one point your head & back are parallel to the floor (facing the ceiling), and then lands after doing one revolution sideways. http://http://www.flashmavi.com/wushu_jumps_butterfly_twist_how_to_learn_XZZT.shtm l

Boitano's deathdrop is a little bit more vertical and he lands in a back sitspin. It looks like a butterfly twist should land on a (forward inside edge?) and not in a spin. (I cannot do this move, so I can't say for sure, but it looks to me like it would be that edge.)

Wow. Fantastic height on that Brian B. clip.

Stojko doesn't do the 'fancy' martial arts, probably why he never did this move. that seems more wushu than kungfu

I wonder if I'm kind of missing the point of this discussion. The martial arts butterfly twist looks, to me, like a slightly more extreme version of what I've always heard called a butterfly on the ice. I think I've heard arabian cartwheel, too. I can't see the first link the OP posted because it's private, so I'm not sure what you're looking for as it translates to the ice.

Kay, is this the skating move you're talking about? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1CFX...eature=related

If it is, I know Kimmie Meissner did them frequently. I'm pretty sure other skaters still do them, and I know coaches still teach them.

__________________
Youtube Videos

No, those are stars. The one she means is almost a "horizontal roll" in the air. (It actually jumps up and rotates fully sideways.) I think this might be an arabian cartwheel on ice....But I have never really seen one. Maybe Robin Cousins or another great jumper from back when....

OK. Here we go. It was Robin Cousins. " target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Xt7uF7pFQ04...mbed></object> Arabian is at 5:39 (it looks like a butterfly, but it is higher and more horizontal.) Incredible!! The move Kay had originally referred to (martial arts) looks to be a bit more rotated horizontally (maybe a double version of this). Not sure if such a thing is possible on ice....But this is probably the closest thing I have seen. Awesome!!

Pandora is right about the horizontal twist. Kerrigan is doing stars into an Arabian cartwheel (no horiz twist). Robert Waggonhoffer (sp) did an Arabian that was a true vertical aerial cartwheel. I have not seen anyone but him do that.

Kay

__________________
Visit my figure skating journal
http://www.skatejournal.com/

I was thinking about Robert Waggonhoffer as well.

__________________
Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

I found him. I found it. Move is at 2:47. " target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/8VpRLVzvT8s&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> It's not the twisting butterfly Kayskate was mentioning, (I think that had more revolutions and was more horizontal), BUT....WOW!! This thing is a "handless cartwheel" on ice (or an incredible variation of an arabian.) Wow!! This guy was awesome!! So embarrassed to say I had never heard of him. ....I'm so glad you both mentioned him. What a tallent he had!!!! How sad that he is gone. Rest in peace, Robert.

Thank you for posting this. He was a beautiful skater.

__________________
Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/