Katherine Healy..How good could she have been?

[Holley Calmes]

However, from what I've heard, ballet dancers are discouraged from doing sports because the muscles they develop distort their lines and inhibit their stretch - so she was probably discouraged from training too much at skating at an early age.

It depends on the individual, but in general, this is correct. I have a number of friends whose kids skate and take ballet, but with a focus on skating. I was looking at some photos they had taken lately, with the girls posed in leotards and tights in some very standard ballet poses (first arabesque, etc).

Without doubt, the muscle development looked strange indeed for a ballet dancer. Perhaps for any kind of dancer. Ballet develops the gluteus maximus, but NOT that much! The most striking thing to me was the significantly larger thigh on top of a very thin calf. Is this usual with skaters?

The girls are beautiful, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with them, but I doubt they'd win any ballet auditions/scholarships. Their line was completely wonky, and it was all of them, not just one of them.

[Allen]

Who knows? I think, however, she could have been a sublime ice dancer with the right partner.

[Skittl1321]

The most striking thing to me was the significantly larger thigh on top of a very thin calf. Is this usual with skaters?

Sounds kind of like Carolina Kostner- she's got those skinny bambi calves/ankles... I always worry she will break.

Most skaters have very developed thighs, but I haven't noticed too many with extra skinny calves otherwise.

[DarrellH]

Sounds kind of like Carolina Kostner- she's got those skinny bambi calves/ankles... I always worry she will break.

Most skaters have very developed thighs, but I haven't noticed too many with extra skinny calves otherwise.

I remember hearing before that genetics plays a big part in that. Bodybuilders have a lot of problems building up calf muscles, if they don't have the genetics for it.

[Artifice]

Katherine Healy was pretty much a genius. This is a girl who skated in prestigious skating galas from the age of 6, appeared in a major movie aged 12, turned pro as a skater aged 12, won Varna at 13, was a prima ballerina with the ENB at 15, quit dancing professionally to go to Princeton and graduate in Art History Magna cum Laude, then returned to dance professionally in Vienna, before finally returning to skating in 1997 after not being on the ice for 7 years. If she had wanted to become World FS champion then she would have done everything in her considerable powers to make that happen. She chose ballet over skating though at a very young age and that was that.

Multi talented for sure. I personnaly wouldn't call her a genius, but it's a matter of personnal definition of this word. To me a genius is someone who achieves exceptionnal and unique greatness in one or several areas. To me KH achieved high level in several areas but not to a point where she can be considered as an ultimate model in any of those areas.
She is still really exceptionnal.

As for her early start in shows I believe it has more to do with her family and personal environment who made so that she could do professional shows, eventhough she was very good with so much poise at a very young age.

I've seen several kids whose names are spread all over the internet, youtube... presented like the great talent of tomorrow (I have a name of a specific skater in mind), we get to see tons of videos of them, and they get hired in pro shows at 7 or 8. And eventually they never win any competition, beated by better competitors who are more quiet, still better. Time and life make so that those very exposed kids never quite reach the level they aimed for, not even something close. On the other side kids who were so quiet at an early age has been building efficiently their career and we see them at the highest level.

KH's case is a bit different because she actually had success as a dancer but her early public exposure made me think of these kids.