Ice skating: jumping, turning, spinning
In both ballet and ice skating, the best jumpers tend to be more compact. Jumping not only takes extreme athleticism and coordination, it also requires exceptionally strong legs—particularly the thigh and butt muscles. Conversely, the more elongated the torso and extremities, and the taller the dancer or skater, the more difficult it is to pull it all together to get the elevation and make the required rapid revolutions simultaneously (as required in skating).
But it’s the taller dancer or skater who often has the more lyrical flowing line. I’m about to post a video (hat tip: Beverly) featuring an unusual skater of years past—although not so many years past; the performance is from 1999.
Her name is Lucinda Ruh. Ruh managed to achieve a merely serviceable jump, with only a modest number of revolutions. Although her jumps would have drawn gasps of pleasure and astonishment back in 1956, when she skated in 1999 they really were weak compared to the opposition.
Ruh’s problem with jumps most probably was caused by the fact that she was 5’9″, (her height according to the seemingly knowledgeable You Tube skating aficionados), enormously tall for a female skater or dancer. It certainly wasn’t due to any problems with turning itself, though, because Ruh was the best spinner ever—which is also somewhat unusual because spinning, like turns and jumps, tends on the whole to favor the short and compact, although not as strongly.
But spin Ruh did, and in extraordinary fashion. She hardly moves off a single spot as she whirls at speeds high enough to cause her image to blur. I once wrote a piece on the concept of the natural turner; some people have it and some don’t, and Ruh had it. Turns and spins are something you can learn and you can even improve, but natural turners and/or spinners are born rather than made. It probably has a great deal to do with the inner ear and the brain as much as the muscles of the body. Watch, and marvel (and stay with it right to the end of her performance at minute 4:15—you’ll be glad you did). Her costume is lovely as well:
…and she is stunningly beautiful.
I agree with the commentator: her spins are inhuman.
Just wonderful.
Thank you, neo-neocon.
Jim
That was a real treat . I would think she still holds the unofficial title of “best spinner ever”. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone better in spite of all the advancements in jumping.
Aaaah. In our immersion in a political world so utterly devoid of beauty and character, it’s a pleasure indeed to see such natural feminine grace and class.
Oh, how beautiful, and the spins are astounding — and I wish figure skating hadn’t left behind that simple elegance of costume that allows the eye to focus on the graceful lines of the skater, rather than the fussy lines of the skater’s outfit . . . In that last spin at the end, however, when she spun so impossibly fast that she began to blur, I had thoughts of the greatest political incorrectness about the tigers in Little Black Sambo who spun themselves into butter (so fascinating for a child — why butter? What does tiger butter taste like?? Where could I get some ??? )
What a treat! I have been a fan of figure skating for lo these many years since I once briefly dated a figure skater. She introduced me to the hard work, discipline, courage, and grace required to excel at the sport. One should never watch the seeming effortless grace and not understand all the hours of work, bumps and bruises that are behind it.
Lucinda is a particular favorite of mine because, of all the elements of figure skating, I love to watch the spins. Lucinda is the Queen of figure skating spinners.
Beautiful performance, and she certainly could spin. Even the one hiccup didn’t seem to affect it any.
I agree with you on the ability to spin: you either have it or you don’t. Where I’ve mostly seen it is in martial arts spin kicks. While there are obviously considerable differences, the physical principles are similar. You have to be able to spin fast (once), kick with power, focus, and accuracy, and land on balance. Most can adequately learn the technique with diligent practice, but some are naturals who try it once and can do it better than those of us who have been training for years.
I’m so glad you picked up on this, Neo. I knew you’d appreciate it if you saw her, with your love of dance.
Lucinda apparently said she went into a near trance when she was spinning: it’s just something she was always able to do. There are several clips of her on Youtube in different performances to enjoy.
It has a funny effect on me: anything this beautiful brings tears to my eyes.
This is my favorite of hers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ_ou7cSY_I
A few years on, at the World Pro Championships. With even more exquisite spins, and a perfected willowy grace.
One last note! in that clip I just linked above, she’s 41 years old. Forty-one, people. She still looks as young and radiant as ever, but you can see the gorgeous, mature perfection of her art. The first clip is Lucinda at 19, the fresh young bud; the second is the full-blown rose.
Bonus in that second clip is a set of close-ups of the amazing spins, and a brief interview after her performance earns her some 10s from the judges, in which the interviewer says, “Some people say that watching you skate is a spiritual experience.” What a lady.
OOPS. She’s 21 in that second clip, not 41: I misheard the announcer. (Gee, no wonder she looks so fresh!)
How can she do that without getting dizzy? I would have staggered off and collapsed after the first spin.
“How can she do that without getting dizzy? I would have staggered off and collapsed after the first spin.”
That’s the second amazing part. The first is doing the spin and the second is not wobbling around like a drunken sailor after coming to a complete stop almost immediately from a spin that intense and that long.
The following is speculation:
In regards to the comment above about her being in a trance I’m thinking that although from the perspective of the audience she appears to be going faster and faster, I’m betting in her own mind she feels like time is slowing way down. Sort of like that feeling you get in that moment when you see a car accident coming that, although it feels like an eternity, really isn’t. She probably has control over that moment in her spins. She can see what’s happening and react and experience that moment that in other people would be mostly a blur. I imagine that’s how she’s able to come out of it with her balance intact, because even the transition to her is an extended, slow-motion adjustment from the spin to the stop.
Oh, Neo, how fantastically beautiful! As it happens, though I knew her name I’d never seen her skate.
There are no words.
By the way: Agree also about her costume.
Thank you so much for posting this, and to Beverly for her link; and to the other commenters for their remarks.