What is your favorite figure skating element?

[joyjoy]

Hi, I was just curious as to the types of elements figure skating fans like to see the most. In ice dance, pairs and in singles skating, there are different elements that stand out and I wanted to know what you think. Please respond! Thank you!

Mine are:

Ice Dance: the types of lifts and how innovative they are

Pairs: I love the throw jumps. I think it's scary for the female to be thrown but I also like to see the height she is being thrown at and how smooth the landing is.

Singles: (Ladies) the layback spin: I think that I have been listening to Dick Button too much and find myself constantly looking for the leg extension and the arch and criticizing whether it's a good layback or not. :)

[Lark]

I like when everyone stands up. Those falling elements are too over-rated. ;)

[Roma]

I love walleys! I especially love a walley-reverse walley- triple jump sequence.
Another fave- Ilia Klimkin's spin combo/ triple salchow surprise. If you ever saw it you would know why I call it this!
Surya Bonaly's split leg back flip/triple salchow combo was another thriller.

[loveskating]

Hmmm. I love and respect all the elements, and so appreciate when they are raised to new heights, say spreadeagle by Boitano and Wylie, for instance, but have partialities, I guess.

In ice dance, I'm partial to the twizzles and the Kilian (sp?) type moves, dunno why...and anything innovative, for example I loved G&P's low spreadeagle (beastie?) into his spreadeagle, innovative, difficult things like that.

In pairs, the throw triples and lasso lifts (G&G's most of all) and anything innovative, like S&P's death spiral entry, D&K's throw w/o setting her down, or B&S's pairs spiral right into a huge throw 3. I love the innovative pairs spins.

In singles, probably the spirals and jumps for ladies and the jumps and spins for men. My favorite jumps to see are axel and lutz. I kind of like the quad when someone can stick it, like Plushenko. However, with men it seems to me that these days artistry is harder to come by than it is for women, so with the men, I truly appreciate complex and detailed skating as opposed to jumping and mere power/speed.

[iceskater2]

As an adult skater, I tend to like the moves I can copy. My favorites are knee slides of all types. I spend hours and hours working on my slides. My favorite is one I named the Pasha (she personally taught it to me) in which you glide forward on one knee skating on the other foot with your arms extended back with a real low arch in your back. I can maintain the position the entire lenght of the ice. This move is always a WOW factor when I do it.

[vesperholly]

WHEN DONE CORRECTLY,

I love the split triple twist. Very few pairs can do this right - always too crashy on the landing. Sale/Pelletier have the best right now. I don't care for quadruples, or the Chinese technique of the ladies' messy leg position and near-horizontal spin.

Jocelyn

[Alexeiskate]

I love spread-eagle, even the one where the skater's butt sticks out.

I also love watching any spin that is fast and is in good position.

[Lindsay]

well for singles i love watching flying camels when they have good position..it looks fun lol! and then for pairs the throw are sooo awesome and the lifts and the twist(as long as they are done right) watching Jamie and Dave is so entertaining becaue they have all that!

[jeb]

I love the fast, intricate footwork sequences the best.

[melanieuk]

I like unusual spins such as Klimkin's backspin on inside edge in weird positions.
Or Stephane Lambiel's grace and flow (and great spins of course).

[RobinA]

Ina Bauer
Mazurka jump
Delayed axel

[Ellyn]

To watch? I would say a step sequence with at least two of the following characteristics:

acceleration
complex turns and reversals
meaningful use of images and body positions
detailed relation to the music

[Azam356]

I love death drops and I especially love Brian Boitano's death drops No one can do them like he does I like spread eagles also.

[HeatherC]

Ladies-Michelle Kwan's spiral and falling leaf, Sasha's Russian split jumps, and Sarah Hughes' layback spin :D

Mens-Todd Eldredge's spinning (in general!) and Brian Boitano's spread eagle and death drop 8O

Pairs-Jamie & David's death spiral (their forward inside with the awesome entrance), triple twist, and 'snuggle' (from Love Story) :D

Dance-Shae and Vic's hydroblading moves and Naomi & Peter's hydroblading too. :D

And if any skater has awesome footwork in their program, I just LOVE that. Doesn't matter which discipline it is either. I could watch Alexei, Kurt, Todd, and Scott do footwork all day on the ice. How about a footwork contest?! Something to ponder for next year's SOI maybe?! LOL ;)

[venice]

I love the Tano lutz. I'm surprised more skaters haven't tried that.

[RoseAugust]

A fast deep edged (nice lean) spiral.

[joyjoy]

Just wondering: what is a mazurka jump? I have never heard of it and would appreciate an explanation and what skaters have done this before.

Also, I have seen skaters like Hughes and Witt (I think when she was an amateur) do "illusions." I don't see the beauty or the purpose of it. When I see skaters doing it, they are usually doing it in when spinning. But it seems that when they do an illusion in the middle of aspin, the spin suddenly loses some speed. It seems to cut and stops the spin. Why do it then? Someone please explain! Thanks.

[love2sk8]

If the illusion is done right, the speed of the spin doesnt always slow down..but its a hard spin to do:P

The mazurka is kinda weird to explain..But its basically just a hop..when skating backwards, pick into the ice with your left foot, allowing your shoulders to turn out of the circle. Not even half a rotation is done. Landing is done on right foot facing forwards, then step onto left foot. (like a split jump landing) In the air, the right foot will do a scissor motion before landing. I know this is confusing..hope it helps??

[Ellyn]

Originally posted by joyjoy
Just wondering: what is a mazurka jump? I have never heard of it and would appreciate an explanation and what skaters have done this before.

Basically it's a half toeloop with the legs crossed in the air. love2sk8's description would be for a counterclockwise jump, but it could also be done in the other direction with the right foot doing the picking.

Brian Orser is the skater who comes to mind as being best known for them in the VCR era.

Also, I have seen skaters like Hughes and Witt (I think when she was an amateur) do "illusions." I don't see the beauty or the purpose of it. When I see skaters doing it, they are usually doing it in when spinning. But it seems that when they do an illusion in the middle of aspin, the spin suddenly loses some speed. It seems to cut and stops the spin. Why do it then? Someone please explain! Thanks.

Because it adds difficulty and variety to the spin? Because when done well it can be eyecatching and attractive? Because it's a cool acrobatic move that can be easily translated to skating? Why not?

[love2sk8]

Originally posted by Ellyn
Because it adds difficulty and variety to the spin? Because when done well it can be eyecatching and attractive? Because it's a cool acrobatic move that can be easily translated to skating? Why not?

Well said..I love that spin:D

[wvgal57]

a perfect layback! Sasha Cohen's is just amazing, Sarah Hughes is also very, very nice and Irina's to die for CatchFoot Layback and then that layback she did in "Timeless" and "Cowboy Dance" at the very end...just laid back like a 7 to the ice and with her foot down, with the speed Irina maintains, it was gorgeous!

[in2sk8n]

Ina Bauer
Charlotte
traveling death spiral
men doing the spread eagle (rarely looks as well done by women)
beillman spin (not when done by men, the ankle position Plushenko gets
is ugly)
Tano lutz
All the more creative lifts in pairs
Excellent foot work sequences

[icyboid]

For me, spirals are the most aesthetically pleasing element, and also the most fun for me to do.
The sensation of letting momentum carry me as I glide with my body parallel to the ice makes me feel sort of like I'm flying. (I know, it sounds childish :oops: )

[kayskate]

Josee Chouinard's inverted back camel. I like unusual moves in any discipline.

Kay

[bleu]

pairs - throws jumps. As long as the landing is smooth like chocolate whip. Height also excite me but only if the man throws the woman as though she is weightless and of course she must lands smoothly not wobbly. Having said that, my favourite is the throw loop of Tristian and Islode. Best one is the world 2001. It is fast and precise just like in the textbook. I still have to see one like this. However, I still like to watch other skaters like Jazzy and Annabelle when they are on.

Honourable - split twist. As long as they are verticle and straight. Otherwise, I am no fan of lateral twists. Then the death spirals. The ladies hip has to be raised and form an arc!! Otherwise it is not a death spiral but a flat spiral.

ladies - laybacks

men - jumps...any kind.

dance - straight line footworks

[Chico]

I enjoy seeing new and interesting skills. Or, skills that aren't familiar to me. I also enjoy seeing just plain clean edging and footwork. As a skater I know this is a skill to be done correctly and well. Consistency...this is something else I admire.

Chico

[Sing_Alto]

Brian Boitano's spread eagle and death drop
Sasha's layback and spiral
Robin Cousin's skid spiral
Dorothy Hamill's scratch spin
Michelle Kwan's charlotte
Underhill & Martini's "leap of faith"