Gus Lussi question

[manleywoman]

I was just doing research on David Jenkins, and poking around Wikipedia when i came across this:

In April 1990, a documentary film Gustave Lussi: The Man Who Changed Skating was shown on the PBS television network. The documentary was conceived and co-produced by his former student Cecily Morrow and produced by station WCFE-TV.

Does anyone have a copy of this documentary? I'd love to see it. Thanks

[dr.frog]

I do recall having seen this documentary on TV at the time it came out, but I was not really into collecting skating tapes back then. Now, of course, I am at not having saved a copy of it.

Main thing I remember about it was Dorothy Hamill saying something like, if Lussi told you to jump out a window, you'd go ahead and do it -- and make darn sure you were doing it with your head held high and toes pointed. I also vaguely recall some footage of Lussi sitting in a chair giving spin tips to Paul Wylie and Tracey Damigella.

[aliceanne]

I do recall having seen this documentary on TV at the time it came out, but I was not really into collecting skating tapes back then. Now, of course, I am at not having saved a copy of it.

Main thing I remember about it was Dorothy Hamill saying something like, if Lussi told you to jump out a window, you'd go ahead and do it -- and make darn sure you were doing it with your head held high and toes pointed. I also vaguely recall some footage of Lussi sitting in a chair giving spin tips to Paul Wylie and Tracey Damigella.

That sounds like those instructional tapes that are still being sold in VHS format. They featured Paul Wylie, Tracy Damigella, Cecily Morrow, and another female skater. I believe Dick Button and Dorothy offered reminiscences. I had a coach who took lessons from Lussi and loaned the spin tapes to me (great instructional tapes btw). Cecily Morrow produced them, I think there are 3 or 4 of them.


If this is what you are looking for try Rainbow Sports.

[aliceanne]

I just looked it up. It is "Gustave Lussi Systemic Figure Skating" there are 4 volumes. It looks like it has gone out of production so you'll have to go to various places to find each volume. Rainbo has volumeII.

I remember it also had clips of Curry, Cousins, and Fratianne as well. I was hoping it would come out in DVD, but it looks like it is going away.

If you are a non-skater you may want to try one video first - it is primarily an instructional video.

[skatesindreams]

PM sent!

[manleywoman]

I was hoping it would come out in DVD, but it looks like it is going away.

Which is tragic, because I used to have two of the tapes (lost them in my last house move ) and they are amazing. I wish they'd be released on DVD. Every coach should see those, especially the flying sit spin instruction. I want them again, but not on VHS if I can avoid it. I never saw he other two instructional vids.

But I was hoping someone might have a copy of the documentary on Lussi himself. Sigh.

[aliceanne]

Which is tragic, because I used to have two of the tapes (lost them in my last house move ) and they are amazing. I wish they'd be released on DVD. Every coach should see those, especially the flying sit spin instruction. I want them again, but not on VHS if I can avoid it. I never saw he other two instructional vids.

But I was hoping someone might have a copy of the documentary on Lussi himself. Sigh.

There is a photo studio near me that converts tapes to dvd. I am going to try them out with my tape of John Curry's Ice Dancing. The online places make you sign that copyrighted tapes are only for personal use, so I hope they will do it. If it is worthwhile I'll round up the Lussi tapes and do it.

[Screenie]

I have one of the tapes, I didn't know there were 4. I think I bought it in the mid-90s in Lake Placid. He taught an interesting entrance to spins that was basically: LFI, put your right foot under it to be on a RFO, 3 turn, back crossover, spin. He felt it centered the spin better.

[smileyskate]

I'd love to see those too.
Since it was shown on PBS, perhaps you can contact the station and see if they have any suggestions. Maybe they would even re-air the broadcast if they felt there was enough interest. It is a long shot but I do know that people make these requests for programs aired long ago. Also, since they need $, perhaps they are able to sell copies for a certain price, like you see them do all the time for certain programs.

[Kelleys6th]

The thing that amazes me about Gus Lussi is that he was not a figure skater. He was a ski jumper!
A little factoid and good trivia question!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Lussi

[Lacey]

I just sent Gus Lussi through Wiki. Read the article all the way, it talks about his former students at the top and more at the bottom. For instance, Priscilla Hill. I might try contacting some of his former students, such as Priscilla, who are current coaches.

[BittyBug]

I have one of the tapes, I didn't know there were 4. I think I bought it in the mid-90s in Lake Placid. He taught an interesting entrance to spins that was basically: LFI, put your right foot under it to be on a RFO, 3 turn, back crossover, spin. He felt it centered the spin better.

One of the coaches at my rink trained with Lussi and she was a fanatic about this setup. And there was no arm wind up. Very weird, but it definitely worked for her. (Not so much for me.)

[aliceanne]

One of the coaches at my rink trained with Lussi and she was a fanatic about this setup. And there was no arm wind up. Very weird, but it definitely worked for her. (Not so much for me.)

What I found useful about the tapes is that each skill is broken down step by step and you get to see skaters try them repeatedly.

I always had a problem dropping my arms upon entering a camel spin and would have to readjust. After watching the tapes I noticed that Cecily Morrow held her arms high on entering the spin and they naturally dropped to the correct position. I tried this and it solved my problem. This might not be a useful technique for someone who doesn't have that problem.

[orbitz]

Both Paul Wylie and Dorothy Hamill trained under Lussi? They both have similar techniques for their scratch spins and both do great ones. I wonder why we don't see many more skaters with similar scratch spin. Surely Mr. Lussi must have taught spin to more students than just Paul and Dorothy.

[aliceanne]

Both Paul Wylie and Dorothy Hamill trained under Lussi? They both have similar techniques for their scratch spins and both do great ones. I wonder why we don't see many more skaters with similar scratch spin. Surely Mr. Lussi must have taught spin to more students than just Paul and Dorothy.

Lussi wasn't a primary coach. Other coaches sent their students to him to solve technical problems. Button, Curry, Cousins, Hamil, Wylie were some of his notable students. He primarily helped Curry with his jumps.

I think most skaters and coaches picked the methods they found useful from Lussi's system.

[bardtoob]

Lussi wasn't a primary coach. Other coaches sent their students to him to solve technical problems. Button, Curry, Cousins, Hamil, Wylie were some of his notable students. He primarily helped Curry with his jumps.

Which is understandable because he was about 70 when he started working with all the above skaters except, obviously, Uncle Dick, who came to Lussi when Lussi was about 40.

[kwanfan1818]

Which is understandable because he was about 70 when he started working with all the above skaters except, obviously, Uncle Dick, who came to Lussi when Lussi was about 40.

In the documentary he was coaching from a chair as an old man. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, though.

[manleywoman]

Aaaaaaaagggghhh! Someone on eBay was selling the Gus Lussi tapes. I put in a bid, was outbid by $0.50 hours ago, and then I told myself when I got home I'd rebid. And I forgot and just found out I lost. Grrrrr.

[leafygreens]

I have all three Lussi tapes and can confirm that yes, there are interviews with various skaters in the beginning, Ludington, Hammill and others, who discuss their history with Lussi and some of his quirky training techniques. This may be the "documentary" you are referring to. Since both were produced by Cecily Morrow, she probably used the same interview footage. Mine are old and starting to disintegrate and they were very expensive! I never saw a 4th volume for sale. I wonder if it was ever produced.

These might help - maybe they're not out of print?:
http://skatetape.com/systematicfigur...spins-vhs.aspx
http://skatetape.com/systematicfigur...spins-vhs.aspx
http://skatetape.com/systematicfigur...jumps-vhs.aspx
http://skatetape.com/systematicfigur...volumeset.aspx

[aliceanne]

One of the coaches at my rink trained with Lussi and she was a fanatic about this setup. And there was no arm wind up. Very weird, but it definitely worked for her. (Not so much for me.)

I had forgotten about that set-up. I just tried it last night. When you complete the final 3 turn it is virtually impossible to "step outside the circle" because you are on a tight inside edge facing forward. You are forced to step forward instead of turning and stepping back (outside the circle) which is a common mistake.

I've been taught with and without the arm wind-up. It doesn't matter to me.

I really do want to see those tapes again!