Oksana Baiul

[Perky Shae Lynn]

The 25th anniversary of Nancy's attack made me think of Oksana. All three women, Nancy, Tonya and Oksana had difficult lives after the Olympics, for different reasons. I checked Oksana's twitter today, and was surprised to find out that she had a little girl. She seems like a super-doting mother, and the child is precious. Oksana looks happy, genuinely happy. It's really nice to see.

https://twitter.com/OksanaBaiul

 

[Bigbird]

My love of figure skating started with this little Ukranian orphan. I am very happy to see her happy.

 

[sadya]

It seems wikipedia has a picture of Butyrskaya named Baiul attached to their article about Baiul. Is it me or do they really have the wrong photo?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oksana_Baiul

 

[Aussie Willy]

Thanks for posting. I remember the clip with the adult skater who was "telling" her how to present. Seems very happy.

 

[Vagabond]

It seems wikipedia has a picture of Butyrskaya named Baiul attached to their article about Baiul. Is it me or do they really have the wrong photo?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oksana_Baiul

It looks like Baiul to me, though there is (or was) a strong resemblance between the two when they had their makeup and hair done.

Baiul
Butyrskaya

 

[tony]

It looks like Baiul to me, though there is (or was) a strong resemblance between the two when they had their makeup and hair done.

Baiul
Butyrskaya

LOL no-- that is absolutely Butyrskaya.

 

[Alilou]

LOL no-- that is absolutely Butyrskaya.

Yes, I agree. It's Butyrskaya.

 

[Tinami Amori]

It seems wikipedia has a picture of Butyrskaya named Baiul attached to their article about Baiul. Is it me or do they really have the wrong photo?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oksana_Baiul

It's 100% Butyrskaya in early 2000's... no ifs or buts...
https://vostokmedia.com/attachments...44ca54e4/a32562f8ba94c641c02532e1afd21406.jpg
http://38-studio.ru/wp-content/uplo...2647a7459b491ab158f3_2_1400x1100-754x1024.jpg

Bauil's face up close is very different in structure and proportions.
https://st.depositphotos.com/1814084/1657/i/950/depositphotos_16576997-stock-photo-oksana-baiul.jpg
https://www.segodnya.ua/img/article/5196/91_main.jpg

My love of figure skating started with this little Ukranian orphan. I am very happy to see her happy.

If she was not an orphan with a very difficult tragic life, i would have few chosen words for her home decor and furniture, aka "made in Tijuana" mix of "palatial style", "Louis XIV" and "Empire" replicas of replicas, placed in a 2-bdr suburbia townhouse...

 

[caseyedwards]

This is terrible mistake. Time for it to be stopped

 

[Clutz]

This is terrible mistake. Time for it to be stopped

More like a harmless error....remember, Wikipedia information comes from the same morons that post to Twitter and 1990's style message boards. It appears that someone has already removed the picture. Perspective!

 

[sadya]

I still have a soft spot for Baiul. While everyone was obsessed with Kerrigan and Harding, I was obsessed with the donut spin of Baiul and her elegance. I loved her skating in the early years. Good to see her doing well.

 

[Frau Muller]

I still have a soft spot for Baiul. While everyone was obsessed with Kerrigan and Harding, I was obsessed with the donut spin of Baiul and her elegance. I loved her skating in the early years. Good to see her doing well.

Let’s not forget the beauty of her line and those eloquent arms and hands in her ballet-inspired programs, such as the Swan Lake/Black Swan SP and The Swan exhib. For that alone, she’ll forever be in my pantheon of greats. Good to know that she has overcome the sad episodes and has found happiness with her husband and daughter!

 

[SmallFairy]

Her Swan Lake SP was a masterpiece and also a ballet lesson. Her headpiece was everything.

 

[Inessence]

Wish she had hung around until 1998. Would have loved to see her up against Kwan.

 

[russell30]

Her Swan Lake SP was a masterpiece and also a ballet lesson. Her headpiece was everything.

That was a fantastic SP (or TP as it was then!) was so artistic and very balletic, despite the cheat on the Lutz I would have had that 1st.....Oksana and Surya were joint favourites there, No-one knew what shape Kerrigan was in! and Lulu was a bit inconsistent up to that point....

I would have had Kerrigan as the champion but was pleased for Oksana! Glad all is well with her now!

 

[snoopy]

Here are a couple of her pro performances. In addition to great line, she had Unparalleled musicality.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sxdyt3V7D_0

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g4W2u0CXryc

 

[sadya]

I've heard people say these were meant to be her competition programs, but then used for her pro events. Does anyone know more about this or were these just rumours? Either way, these are still amongst my favourite programs ever:
Paquita
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pz6Zkbkhvs
Meditation in Thais
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6_0VlvmVh8

 

[twizzletoes76]

By chance I also just randomly ended up looking at Baiul’s Facebook page a few nights ago when I saw her mentioned somewhere... And, yes it’s heartwarming to see that she has a small child, and has actually returned to the ice to refresh some skills... but still there is so much that is strange (stranni) about her...

She looks WAY older for her age than is normal; she and her agent husband appear pathetically materialistic; and she seems to be a huge admirer of Trump...

So, even though it’s nice to see that she finally found some peace for herself and has a beautiful life, living in a comfortable Las Vegas home with a pool and garish furniture, there is still something kind of tragically comic about her circumstances...

 

[Bigbird]

By chance I also just randomly ended up looking at Baiul’s Facebook page a few nights ago when I saw her mentioned somewhere... And, yes it’s heartwarming to see that she has a small child, and has actually returned to the ice to refresh some skills... but still there is so much that is strange (stranni) about her...

She looks WAY older for her age than is normal; she and her agent husband appear pathetically materialistic; and she seems to be a huge admirer of Trump...

So, even though it’s nice to see that she finally found some peace for herself and has a beautiful life, living in a comfortable Las Vegas home with a pool and garish furniture, there is still something kind of tragically comic about her circumstances...

Well, as they say it takes all kinds, or it takes a village, hoping her tomorrows are better than her today's.

 

[lala]

There is no picture on her wiki page right now..Did a FSU member delete it?

I crazy loved her Swan Lake. I have seen a video where Jayne Torwill watched Oksana's gala number and she was fascinated by it...

 

[sadya]

Yes, that was at the Olympics:
https://youtu.be/qI27ulyzUoM?t=281

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Lets not forget her "business card"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZVsSoyMXdU

L-O-V-E

and here's where Verne actually mentions "the business card" (although Verne gets it wrong with the music.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5emTblCcD-c

ahhhhh, Ice Wars, who didnt love it?

I still have this on a VHS tape in my closet.... True Story

In addition to Dorothy (I was a bit young then) Oksana was the first figure skater where I noticed how someone could express themselves with the use of their arms.... Angela Nikodinov would be the next one to influence me with exquisite arm movement.

 

[sadya]

She looks WAY older for her age than is normal; she and her agent husband appear pathetically materialistic; and she seems to be a huge admirer of Trump...

I just googled Baiul on Trump and you are correct. I read a tweet of her supporting him. I am shocked she supports someone so unrespectful towards women and someone who is against lgbtplus community and against foreign people and against other religions and etc I still love her old programs, but I am disappointed.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

I think we need to take a step back here. What she looks like, what sort of decor she likes, and what political views she has is her business. The best way to promote democratic values, including respect and tolerance, is practicing what you preach.

 

[Vash01]

I still have a soft spot for Baiul. While everyone was obsessed with Kerrigan and Harding, I was obsessed with the donut spin of Baiul and her elegance. I loved her skating in the early years. Good to see her doing well.

I didn’t see the pictures, but I loved Oksana’s skating in the early years. Saw her skate with COI a few times too. She had amazing presence on the ice. She was a true performer. I didn’t like her much later (pro) programs, after she completely lost the jumps.

I just googled Baiul on Trump and you are correct. I read a tweet of her supporting him. I am shocked she supports someone so unrespectful towards women and someone who is against lgbtplus community and against foreign people and against other religions and etc I still love her old programs, but I am disappointed.

I am disappointed but not too surprised. I have seen Russians and people from the former USSR like him . Is it just because they hate communism (and hence embrace Trump because they see him as a successful businessman) or because of his worship of Putin? Hard to tell. Sadly one of my Russian friends was happily predicting his victory before the 2016 elections, and I had to change the topic. I suspect that for them attitude toward women or lying are not deal breakers. We have seen educated Americans with that attitude too.

In the last 10 years or so I have not liked Baiul, on or off the ice (just from reading about and watching her). This is just one more reason to dislike her.

I still fondly remember many of her performances in her early years.

The Swan exhibition
94 Oly Black Swan SP
94 Oly LP
Arabian (the feeling begins)
La Isla Bonita
Color of the night
Meditation from Thais
Ave Maria
Enigma

 

[lala]

Yes, that was at the Olympics:
https://youtu.be/qI27ulyzUoM?t=281

that is! thank you..

 

[Vash01]

that is! thank you..

This was one of the most beautiful exhibition performances I have ever seen.

 

[tony]

The thing that sticks with me about Oksana is that I never recorded anything to VHS prior to 1998, and of course YouTube and online skating videos weren't around until later-- but I remembered so much about her programs just after watching them one or two times because, to me, they were so captivating. The Feeling Begins (or 'Arabian' or whatever it was called), I could probably have done the opening minute of choreography on my living room floor as an 8 or 9 year old-- I just thought everything about the program and the way she moved was stunning. Same with several other programs.

A total side note- but I was really disappointed in the last few months to see a video of Jill Trenary performing to the same music with a very, very similar concept prior to when Baiul debuted her own program. Oksana listed Jill as her favorite skater many times, and I think we know where the influence came from now.

 

[Bigbird]

Sadly one of my Russian friends was happily predicting his victory before the 2016 elections, and I had to change the topic. I suspect that for them attitude toward women or lying are not deal breakers. We have seen educated Americans with that attitude too.

Baiul, unfortunately is just living what she's learnt from life. Retraining a vast number of people to think differently in the era of Putin is an uphill task, but there are others who I imagine think quite differently.

 

[Vash01]

The thing that sticks with me about Oksana is that I never recorded anything to VHS prior to 1998, and of course YouTube and online skating videos weren't around until later-- but I remembered so much about her programs just after watching them one or two times because, to me, they were so captivating. The Feeling Begins (or 'Arabian' or whatever it was called), I could probably have done the opening minute of choreography on my living room floor as an 8 or 9 year old-- I just thought everything about the program and the way she moved was stunning. Same with several other programs.

A total side note- but I was really disappointed in the last few months to see a video of Jill Trenary performing to the same music with a very, very similar concept prior to when Baiul debuted her own program. Oksana listed Jill as her favorite skater many times, and I think we know where the influence came from now.

I had recorded Oksana’s performances on VHS, starting with the 1993 worlds (and I think they showed her 1993Euros performance too). IIRC I made a compilation video of her performances until - I don’t remember. I still have the VHS but I don’t have a VCR anymore. I had bought a DVD-VCR combination with the intent to transfer my VHS tapes to DVDs but it never worked.

I remember Jill Trenary’s pro performance to TFB, and most probably it is on one of my VHS tapes, but why were you disappointed?