Archive for the 'Figure Skating' Category

Anton Sikharulidze & Elena Berezhnaya Skating to Chaplin & Chaplin’s Roller Skating.

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022

  • (Anton Sikharulidze & Elena Berezhnaya)

  • An Astronaut and Alien

    Sunday, February 13th, 2022

  • (Madison Chock and Evan Bates)

    Happy Valentine’s Day!

    Happy birthday Harriet Andersson (90 years old today)

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    (Peter Weller and Diane Keaton in Shoot the Moon)
    Also a birthday of Alan Parker who directed Midnight Express, Shoot the Moon, Angel Heart etc. (See an obit for Alan Parker who passed away July 2020)

  • Jason Brown & Nathan Chen, The Magical Olympic 2022

    Thursday, February 10th, 2022
  • Jason Brown
    (and Nathan Chen)

  • Jason Brown
    (and Nathan Chen)

  • Jason Brown skates to Nina Simone here

  • Nathan Chen Skates to La Boheme Charles Aznavour at Olympic short program for men.

  • Adam Rippon is Gore Vidal of Figure Skating – Funny & Perceptive

    Sunday, November 11th, 2018

  • Happy birthday Adam Rippon! and the birthday boy responded.


  • USAToday nominates Adam Rippon for political office

  • On Adam Rippon – by Cher (Time Magazine)

    All figure skaters are beautiful, but Adam Rippon is different. He isn’t just a beautiful skater. He has humility, grace and an incredible sense of humor.
    You could see in the leather-harness suit he wore to the Academy Awards that he isn’t afraid to take chances. It wasn’t about the suit, really. It was about the fact that he dares to be different in a world where being different always comes with a cost. I thought it was fabulous, of course.

  • Adam Rippon made a speech at Boston Rally with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Boston Rally protest against Kavanaugh)

  • 1aa-composite-adam-rippon
    Previous post

    Rippon looks like Gore Vidal.

    Adam Rippon, Nagasu at the Oscar – Nostalgia for Nancy Grossman’s Bondage Art

    Monday, March 5th, 2018
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    Adam Rippon and Mirai Nagasu at the Oscar.

    Olympian Adam Rippon’s Oscar Tux And Harness Are Gold Medal-Worthy
    This. Is. Everything.

    1aaGrossmanNancy
    Nancy Grossman .

  • Rippon and Reese were guests at the Colbert Show – (March 8, 2018)

  • Jeremy Abbott – Skates “Pina” – A Phenomenal Performance

    Monday, January 13th, 2014
  • Jeremy Abbott wins fourth US men’s title

  • Click to see large

    A road to Sochi –
    (A video shows Jeremy’s skating as little kid.. he skated like a pro. )

    Fallen Angel – Go Figure

    Sunday, February 28th, 2010

    Dance pair moved from Europian – Russian dominance to North America in 2010.

    This is from old clip. Flamenco was part of original dance number which Virtue & Moir won.
    Elvis on pair dance – he connected emotionally with the American pair…

    No scoring controversy: Canada deserved gold

    At Canadian Notional 2010 (the same number they skated to gold at the Olympics. Tessa had a white dress)
    Their fun gala performance Hockey playe rmeets ballerina

    Davis & White Indian number for Original dance (youtube) (USA championship)

    Davis & White Free skate 2010. US Championship on youtube (They were much more spectacular and powerful at the Olympics).

    Pair Skating Pang and Tong skated flawlessly won Silver but they were the real winners that night they moved the audience to huge standing ovation. (Wait for the commercial – a video from NBC here)

    Grieving Rochette skates to Bronz, the world united with her in tears.

    Watch Johnny Weir Olympic freeskate here. direct link.
    Johnny Weir placed 6th even though he received the standing ovation and skated more beautifully than anyone in the competition. (NBC coverage of freeksate with commercial here)

    New scoring system

    “The individuality has been lost for figure skating. Very few people can make it work. … It’s turned everyone into robots doing the same jumps and the same spins.”
    I know what you’re saying: Well, that’s just Johnny being Johnny. But Stojko was an “athletic” skater compared with Weir’s “artistic” style, yet he has the same complaint.
    “Before, you could really put the personality into your routine,” Stojko says. “Now, so much of your time is spent getting up the points that it ties the hands of the skaters. There are too many requirements.

    Look what they can deliver, so refreshing. We need to rescue talented figure skaters from these judges.

    Happiness is warm gun Yu na bond girl

    The former world champion Buttle on twitter (His 2008 World skating here)

  • I hate being entertained by well choreographed, musical programs! More tacky posing to catch breath for the next jump is what skating needs.
    Now I’m going to go watch a real sport where they really push the envelope: under water basket weaving.
  • Men’s Long. Abbott has one of the most beautiful programs in the event.
  • Unfortunately, Jeremy Abott who is now US champion melted at the Olympics.. He did not have enough experience in the international competition.
    Here in this clip performed flawlessly.

    Film Composer & Figure Skating 2009

    Monday, March 30th, 2009

    R.I.P Maurice Jarre – who was 84. (Father of Jean Michel Jarre)

    His breakthrough came in 1962 when provided the soundtrack for the epic Lawrence of Arabia, for which he was awarded an Oscar. He went on to compose music for more than 150 films.

    Here are some figure skaters who won their gold with his film scores.

    One key element to great skating is to watch how the skaters use their arms. (Most skaters are quite happy to frail their arms chasing after points like a cash machine – not good. Yagudin, Sasha Cohen, Johnny Weir, John Curry, Matt Savoie, and Buttle take their time and avoid this trap. )

    Watch Johnny Weir’s Dr Zhivago
    Johnny Weir did not compete this year. He got sick in Korea – here is Johnny talking about his friendship with Yu Na Kim. (Great jacket. Weir’s other passion is fashion. Johnny seems happy even though his rival won gold this year. Evan’s a bit over the top emotionally)

    Most of youtube figure skating clips are in Korean these days – the whole country has gone crazy for Yu Na Kim.
    Her rival Mao Asada, last year’s world champion did not medal this year. The silver went to Canada’s Joannie Rochette and the bronze to Japan’s Miki Ando. We usually see unhappy or disappointed silver and bronze winners, not this year the two seemed very happy to stand next to magnificent Queen Yu Na.

    Yu Na Kim animation video is here.

    Canadian Patrick Chan, who is only 18, won Silver. . here
    This Frenchman who defected to Italy skates in a Macaroni Western.
    Long legged Carolina Kostner had a disaster performance, but no matter, she can win for having the best costume. Carolina won siver here at European Championship.

    Figure Skating 2008 World Championships

    Sunday, March 23rd, 2008

    This was the most satisfying and fantastic men’s competition we have ever seen. Two artistic skaters were rewarded with gold and bronze and an athlete came back to sneak in to take the silver.
    Jeffery Buttle – Gold

    Buttle followed up Jourbet’s spectacular skating with this beautiful and flawless performance that beat Jourbet. (Ararat was from a film by Atom Egoyan)

    See also Buttle’s short program on youtube. (Music by Astor Piazzolla, choreographed by David Wilson)

    Brian Jourbet – Silver

    Brian Jourbet performed brilliantly with great power. He has improved in many areas. Kurt Browning helped him with his footwork.

    Johnny Weir- Bronze (Short program – he placed second)

    Johnny skated conservatively in his long program for the worlds. He was very honest, saying that he had a Michelle Kwan moment referring to the time Kwan lost the gold to Tara Lapinsiki in the Olympics,’
    (Here is a clip of his long program from the Nationals.)

    Tilt-a Whirl

    Thursday, January 31st, 2008

    I have been watching old elegant skating by John Curry on youtube. Today is Philip Glass‘s birthday; a good way to celebrate his birthday is with a piece done by two great skaters from the forgotten past. Curry wanted to introduce the idea that figure skating can also be an art form, not just a sport with medals, winners, and losers.

    He was light on his feet like Fred Astaire, see here. Today Sasha Cohen, Johnny Weir, and Matt Savoie have inherited Curry’s elegant skating.

    Nocturn by Grieg

    Here is a piece by Twyler

    His life was cut short with AIDS.
    Found this article claiming that he died in the arms of Alan Bates.

    Costumes, Ice and Sand

    Friday, February 17th, 2006

    Today is Isabelle’s birthday my all time favorite cross-dresser.

    Isabelle Eberhardt Isabelle Eberhardt (Feb. 17, 1877 – October 21, 1904) was an explorer who lived and traveled extensively in North Africa.

    Isabelle did not have to fake to be a princess, (unlike Johnny Weir) she was a real Russian Princess, who was imprisoned at one time suspected of spying. She died in a flash flood. Her life was a mess.
    Isabelle Eberhardt was a true eccentric, flamboyant, courageous and totally unconventional.

    More images of Isabelle, here.

    Johnny Oscar Wilde Warhol Weir Johnny Weir

    “Weir is a charming, funny kid from rural Pennsylvania. He isn’t afraid to say anything – even to call himself “princessy” or to describe a competitor’s short program as “a vodka-shot-let’s-snort-coke kind of thing.” His favorite book is “The Devil Wears Prada” though his favorite author is Leo Tolstoy. He’s a fashionista and a Russophile. He’s learned to speak Russian and wears a vintage CCCP Sweater. He went shopping on Via Roma and considered buying a mink-lined umbrella. He calls his family ‘country bumpkins’.” (read more here.)

    Now lets focus on the champion males from very recent competitions. Rufus and Plushenko won the best in show and the bad news for other competitors is that Plushenko will continue his amateur career. The Russian federation will not allow Plushenko to retire, they have no successors. The good news is his body may not hold up to the next Olympics – his specialty is executing those incredible jumps and he has been plagued with injuries in the past.

    Jeffrey Buttle Jeffrey Buttle (thanks to David Wilson – the choreopgrapher)

    Here are my picks of the best from the Men’s figure skating competition last night.

    1 Jeffery Buttle’s brilliant transitional movements
    (Buttle did not channel Glenn Gould last night choosing instead his more reliable old number.)
    2 Happy to see Lysaceck coming back from his disasterous short
    3 Matt Savoie

    “Matthew Savoie delivered another beautiful program. His presentation may be understated and quiet, but it stirs the emotions of the audience. Savoie reminds me of the legendary John Curry. His skating is pure, effortless and moving. He can be proud of his Olympic experience.” (Zimmerman from yahoo) More photo and praise for Matt here.

    Matt Savoie Matt Savoie

    Matt Savoie should play abbe of the diary of the country priest or Lancelot du Lac– he is the ideal skater to tackle Robert Bresson. The law school can wait, he should entertain us – see the clip of “The Mission” from US National 2006″.

    See The placement here. Both Savoie and Takahashi should be on top of Joubert.

    But the judging system seems to be fixed – they still manage to cheat. The order of finish, second through forth is exactly the same as last year’s world men’s championship except that Plushenko is back from injury to take the gold and move the others down a position. The new system is so complicated that nobody can figure it out – very clever.

    Dale from Scribble writes about Olympics.

    Princess Diaries – Sasha Cohen and Shahzia Sikander

    Sunday, January 15th, 2006

    Romeo and Juliet at Marshall 2005

    Sasha CohenIndian Miniture

    Sasha Cohen won her first US Gold last night! The image on the right
    is by Shahzia Sikander, see more at Crownpoint Press and here.

    The two elegant, exquisite lolitas or (Princesses) are growing and maturing as artists – both naturally gifted one with pen and brushes, another with skates on ice. Both are endowed with genuine creative spirits.

    Sasha is a Scorpio Rat “This person is generally lithe and agile as well as quick-spirited. He or she will probably enjoy all manner of graceful sport and prove able at competitive games”

    Off ice Sasha takes cooking lessons, designs clothes and talks to her fans from her website.

    Reflect Sikander Reflect by S. Sikander

    Shahzia was born in Lahore, Pakistan and graduated from Rhode Island School of Design.
    “IB: You began your interrogation of miniature painting in the late 1980s in Pakistan at the National College of Art in Lahore. What was your initial interest in working this way?
    SS: I elected to work in the miniature format in 1988 during my second semester of foundation year at school. The choice itself was an act of defiance. At that time, there was no interest in the miniature painting department ” (via)

    “Shahzia Sikander: No. I’m interested in the very fine play with tradition, but the intention was not to subvert or to reinvent, but definitely to take it on, to learn the language before you can talk.”
    (Via A Conversation with Shirin Neshat and Shahzia Sikander)

    Another Princess, Chelsea was spotted in India.
    Why Chelsea Clinton visited Rajasthan? (via 3quarksdaily)
    Margaret Cho visited India too, read her blog and see the pictures.