Extraordinarily creative skaters

[skatesindreams]

Are you thinking of this, Ozzisk8tr?

Ilia Kulik - Baseball Cap (choreography by Christopher Dean) (World Pro)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmJ30Uf-Aew

1999-2000 Stars on Ice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tileKDK4eg

[DarrellH]

Are we giving credit to some of the skaters that probably should be given to their choreographers?

[Kasey]

Are we giving credit to some of the skaters that probably should be given to their choreographers?

Probably. However, IMO, skaters who can take off-the-wall, different and unique choreography or music given to them by a choreographer, work with it and present it well, have to be considered "creative" themselves, because not everyone could do it. A Klimkin-esque program dropped on someone like, say Brandon Mroz, would most likely fall flat completely. The skater does deserve SOME credit in how the program is presented, or there wouldn't be a PE PCS mark, only CH.

(Not picking on Mroz, he just seems like a very straight-forward, straightlaced skater)

[aliceanne]

Ughhhhh...

The whole program is skated counter-clockwise. They're just skating around the rink and around the rink and around the rink.

There is a lot of flailing but no actual skating ability is showed.

I can totally understand why they were being dumped by the judges and no, not because they skated outside the box.

I remember seeing some of their programs that I liked in the past but this was just awful. But then, most of pre-COP skating seems to me.



Nothing interesting about her skating, other than her spins.

I prefer skaters who use their entire body to express the music, much more difficult to do and maintain speed and flow.

Lucinda's spins are a work of art, her speed, cente, and positions. Most of the COP skaters just try to contort themselves into different positions for more points. I cringe at some of the lumpy awkward positions and spins that almost come to a dead stop while the skater shifts around and tries to grab his/her foot. And don't get me started on those slow donut spins where the skater drops their hip while they try to grab their foot...

[paskatefan]

Torvill & Dean

Dan Hollander

[Sylvia]

I prefer skaters who use their entire body to express the music, much more difficult to do and maintain speed and flow.

I'll take this opportunity to repost the link to one of my favorite exhibition programs of all time -- a young Rohene Ward in 2002 (Vienna Cup): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAdIn-NFKhc

[gkelly]

Just found this pretty clean performance by Allen Schramm, complete with Russian split single lutz toward the end. Although in some ways I prefer the 1981 Nationals performance for its creative recoveries from failed jumps, and for the triple axel attempt .

I also have to give credit to Toller Cranston for laying the groundwork for that kind of whole-body expression.

[aliceanne]

Just found this pretty clean performance by Allen Schramm, complete with Russian split single lutz toward the end. Although in some ways I prefer the 1981 Nationals performance for its creative recoveries from failed jumps, and for the triple axel attempt .

I also have to give credit to Toller Cranston for laying the groundwork for that kind of whole-body expression.

Strawberry Ice is still my all-time favorite ice show. Allen Schramm, Toller, and Sarah Kawahara. I also get a chuckle out of seeing Sandra Bezic rising up out of that clam shell with that haughty look on her face.

I'll look at the Rohene Ward clip too - thanks!

[pollyanna]

I'll take this opportunity to repost the link to one of my favorite exhibition programs of all time -- a young Rohene Ward in 2002 (Vienna Cup): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAdIn-NFKhc

Stunning! Thank you for posting.

Just found this pretty clean performance by Allen Schramm, complete with Russian split single lutz toward the end.

Love his skating, and I also loved the choreography he created for others, most notably Vanessa Gusmeroli.

Toller Cranston is at the top of my list of creative skaters. He really pushed the sport forward into new directions. I am thrilled that Carolina Kostner brought back the broken leg sit spin that Toller was so famous for.

[Meredith]

All this creativity and I love it!

One of my favorite performances is by Ilia Kulik. He composed, played, recorded and cut the music. Then he choreographed a routine to it and skated to his creation in Stars on Ice in 2007-2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL5L6mOQp4A

[Nomad]

I always liked Silvio Smalun.

[Fozzie Bear]

I wanna put in a plug for Delobel & Schoenfelder.

[AxelAnnie]

Vanessa Giunchi was a pretty reliable bringer of the voids during her brief time on the scene:

Schindler's List, 2001 Euros LP

Bolero, 2002 Winter Olympics LP - Not the most original choice of music, but still a fresh and interesting program.

Indian dance music, 2003 Euros SP

Thank you so much for that. Her Schindler's list brought me to tears

[Sasha'sSpins]

Toller Cranston gets huge props from me, I think Klimova/Ponomarenko, and Usova/Zhulin in the '92 Olympics were exceptionally creative especially in their LPs. Of course their choreographers deserve huge credit but how many dance teams could pull off such programs? And I think most skaters need help of some kind especially early on in their careers when it comes to creativity but it takes a great skater to pull off great choreo. I think Debi Thomas's '88 Olympic SP was out there, totally different, very creative, much more fun than the usual.

Amateur skating for the most part back in the day seemed rather limited choreo-wise but in exhibitions skaters like Christopher Bowman, and of course Kurt Browning were beyond amazing. Also skaters like Lucinda Ruh for sure, Denise Biellmann, Oksana Baiul, I personally think Katherine Healy was mesmerizing.

[blue_idealist]

I wanna put in a plug for Delobel & Schoenfelder.

I love that FD!

[vivika1982]

Little creativity from Albena and Max

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaW3USCH83Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-jD68U1gPY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4x6EoabEW0

[skatesindreams]

Toller Cranston is at the top of my list of creative skaters. He really pushed the sport forward into new directions.
I am thrilled that Carolina Kostner brought back the broken leg sit spin that Toller was so famous for.

Another example of Toller's creativity:
Toller Cranston 1988 World Cup Pro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9NARUizht0

Debbie Wilkes comments are very interesting.

[blue_idealist]

Little creativity from Albena and Max

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaW3USCH83Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-jD68U1gPY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4x6EoabEW0

I also love that Xotica FD by them

[overedge]

I'll take this opportunity to repost the link to one of my favorite exhibition programs of all time -- a young Rohene Ward in 2002 (Vienna Cup): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAdIn-NFKhc

Wow, that is amazing. The split flip about 1:15 is just gorgeous.

[blue_idealist]

Oh, there is Alban Preaubert too, although he might not be as voidy as some of the ones already listed. His Flight of the Bumblebee program was entertaining, as were his Rolling Stones program and his Turtle Shoes program from this season.