Sasha's "fan" spiral

[Simka]

I have read several references to Sasha's "fan" spiral, notably in descriptions of Swan Lake at Campbell's. I can't picture just what this move is. Can anyone describe it for me?

[purplecat]

Here's a screencapture of it:

Fan Spiral (http://www.sashafans.com/media/screencaptures/2003campbells/cc06.jpg)

[Emanfan]

This is why I prefer the men - at least you don't have to endure positions like that. IMO, the still looks awful.

[MQSeries]

Originally posted by Emanfan
This is why I prefer the men - at least you don't have to endure positions like that. IMO, the still looks awful.


Umm, have you ever seen Rudy do the Charlotte spiral down the ice towards you. It's difficult to know where to look....

[Kemy]

hmmm...find a new reason if you dno't like it because Ilia does it...very nicely too

http://www.kuliks-krew.com/photos/tb/Ilia9-19.jpg
http://www.kuliks-krew.com/photos/House/03SJ17-house.JPG

[Azlynn]

^IMHO, those are two very different leg positions. Sasha is much more out to the side, Ilia, directly in front. Upper body is also held differently.

Although, personally I'm not really a fan of either, lol.

[icesk8rchiq]

I think that if the pictures were taken from the same angle, maybe the postition would look similar. They seem to be the same to me. =)

[Kemy]

http://www.webwinds.com/skating/ilia63320.jpg

and for fun...
http://www.rudy-galindo.com/7951_14a.jpg
http://www.rudy-galindo.com/7951_13a.jpg

[Emanfan]

Call me prudish and stuffy, but if Sasha was wearing pants I wouldn't find that spiral quite so unappealing.

[Sydney]

I actually like the fan spiral. Kurt Browning did a nice one in his Casablanca program, which is when I first saw it.

[blurrysarah]

I have much respect for the fan spiral, I can't even hit that position off ice. The old fashioned rules state that women have to wear dresses, but are they *really* suitable for some of today's inventive-but-crotchy moves?

[susan6]

Nicole Bobek once did a kind of fan spiral that I liked. Her way of doing it seemed to emphasize that the word "fan" in fan spiral means the leg is *moving* in a fan shape. So she had her leg held out in front of her, then smoothly moved it in an arc until it was behind her in standard spiral position. All while skating down the ice with great speed on a nice deep edge.

Current fan spirals seem to emphasize the "crotchiness" of the position that you hit in the middle of fanning your leg. Sasha (and Ilia) are holding that somewhat unattractive intermediate position to highlight their flexibility and their ability to hold that edge.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is I kind of wish Sasha would just move her leg in a fan arc in a nice, slow, controlled, smooth motion, instead of stopping it at its height and pointing her nether regions at the judges and audience. It's just not elegant.

[Kemy]

http://members.tripod.com/~GoNicole/olypics.html

4th one down:
http://members.tripod.com/~GoNicole/masters.html

[sillyskates]

Anyone who can sustain that position for any length of time has my respect!!

[loveskating]

Yes...I love the fan spiral, because it is so difficult -- its on a back outside edge, on a curve, and shows great edge control, and the more the extension, the more control it shows.

Sasha gets more lean and extension that Ilia, is all...which only shows even a more solid edge than his...and why should she imitate Nicole, although her leg is in a nice arc...but she gets more lean backwards.

Not sure how Sasha's is "as visually described in this thread" any more than, say, Michelle's split Charlotte (Ariane and Red Violin). Such positions are part and parcel of all skating...I don't tend to notice myself...too busy appreciating the overall effect and the mastery.

[danibellerika]

I don't like how the fan spiral looks(and not because of some reasons others are stating) but I think that it is surely difficult to do.

[loveskating]

Originally posted by danibellerika
I don't like how the fan spiral looks(and not because of some reasons others are stating) but I think that it is surely difficult to do.

That's fair as an aesthitic issue...I've always loved the fan spiral aesthetically. Long before I ever even heard the name "Sasha Cohen", I love it so much, I even did an animation of Ilia Kulik's fan spiral a long time ago, maybe after 99 SOI if I recall!

http://skatingart.net/passionaria/skating/iliablueicesm.gif

I always wonder why people have different aesthetics, but I'm for it...otherwise, the world would be a very boring place, LOL!

Anyways, I adore the use of the fan spiral Sasha makes in Swan Lake...live, to me, she looked like a swan flying with that move...and that feel of flying is what I most love about skating.

[danibellerika]

You know what, I think someone said it well before(maybe at SashaFans though) that the Sasha Curl would work well with Swan Lake and I think it would actually. How sasha's hands are placed in the fan spiral do make me think of a swan though. Your Ilia drawing is really cool. I think my biggest issue with the spiral in general is the bent leg. I remember one time Sasha doing the spiral though and it not looking as bad. Here's a pic:
http://www.bahamill.com/2001sa/102701/sc_DSCF0778.JPG

See,that angle makes it look not as bad b/c her skating leg looks straight(or straighter).

[loveskating]

Originally posted by danibellerika
...I think my biggest issue with the spiral in general is the bent leg. I remember one time Sasha doing the spiral though and it not looking as bad. Here's a pic:
http://www.bahamill.com/2001sa/102701/sc_DSCF0778.JPG

See,that angle makes it look not as bad b/c her skating leg looks straight(or straighter).

So its the bent leg that bothers you? I think maybe a bent leg only bothers me on the oe or ie spiral...on the fan it looks ok to me...what bothers me on a fan spiral is if it is rushed or if the leg is jerky.