Ice Charades Speaks Up

I want to add one comment to the dialogue that came up in Tai Babalonia's interview (part 6 specifically) with Jenny Kirk. (I have it linked in the post below if you want to hear it.) This isn't easy for me to write, but it just may be worth mentioning.

The subject of the interview in that section is eating disorders for skaters and the hope the the USFS will be more proactive in helping to combat a common problem in the sport. I, too, wish that were done going forward.

But in my own experience and my own battle with eating disorders, it wasn't skating that caused the problem nor made it worse. That is to say that it was a part of my personality and my warped way of dealing with stress and anxiety of life in your late teens and early twenties. It didn't matter on the ice or off the ice. While having "weigh-ins" and fines as a part of life in an ice show is not great for a fragile mind dealing with body issues, I would argue it was often worse for me when I was in college. I felt more out of my comfort zone in the world of academia and more stress and/or boredom.

Hey kids, don't underestimate boredom and the destruction it can do.

So, I would hope that when/if the USFS is going to tackle the subject for young skaters, they remember the root of the problem may have as much or more to do with the personality type than the factors that skating may play.

What do you think?

Women Speaking Up!

And speaking so profoundly I add. Two incredible ladies in two very different sports.

First up, Tai Babalonia, has been making the rounds on FB if you are a friend. You can go here to the You Tube page with all parts of the nine part interview. Or go The Skating Lesson page on Facebook and check out the podcasts there.

She has a lot to say and it is well worth a listen.

Part 6 of the interview has caused a bit of a stir with the USFS concerning eating disorders. The response can be found on The Skating Lesson FB page here.

Hey, excuse me, Ice Charades, but what does the US Forest Service care about eating disorders in young figure skaters?

Why thanks for asking... You see! That's why they never should have changed from the USFSA. We're always getting those two mixed up.

Curiously, I can't find that response on the USFS page. And I'm not on the Forest Services' page either. I want to see the forest for the trees here, so if someone can find it please let me know. Have they pulled the response? Hmmm.

I think it's a worthy topic for the USFS that's all too common for young skaters. [Hey, Xan, we can do this too!] I think for Tai, as a pair skater, this was an added burden to bare. She and Randy Gardner were/are one of the few elite pair teams that were so close in height. That made for even more pressure to stay thin, on top of all the pressure to win.

So I say three cheers for Tai for speaking up, along with Jennifer Kirk. By doing so, I believe they'll make a difference for younger skaters.

Next up: Nicole Cook

A champion cyclist who announced her retirement today. She did so much more than win races. And she won a lot. She knocked down the barriers against women in that sport. You can read her entire announcement on the UK Guardian here. Wow, just wow.

This is a timely issue because it comes as another famous cyclist is also talking to the press.

If you've followed Ice Charades for a long time, you know I was a big fan of the Tour de France. And I was a big fan during the Lance years. Not only because of Lance, but he was a part of the excitement of it.

It is just so sad for the cyclists to have competed in the era of doping. To dope or not to dope. Anyone wanting to compete at the elite level was confronted with this. Well Nicole is no dope.

So I want to give her the last word on Lance: “When Lance cries on Oprah later this week, and she passes him the tissue, spare a thought for all those genuine people who walked away with no rewards — just shattered dreams. Each one of them is worth a thousand Lances.”

SFGate - Frozen in time: Eight decades Bay Area ice shows

This article was posted in the SFGate.

Okay, technically it's shows that played the Bay Area while on tour.

And specifically, Ice Charades is very jealous of Peter Hartlaub's writing, it's very very funny.

Click here to see all of the pictures - just takes two minutes - and get a laugh for the day. Go ahead, I'll wait.

Yeah, those cats are kind of creepy.

Going Off The Cliff

... I went off the fitness cliff a while ago. Haven't exercised in weeks. What's so scary about that?

Anyway - Happy New Year to all of you!

Merry Christmas

Repost from 12/25/09


There were many times when I skated on Christmas Day ... the Nutcracker in Honolulu was especially nice ... doing three shows in freezing Germany was not so much.

Of course it was sad to be away from home and away from family, but it was fun to be with my family of skaters. We always did a Secret Santa or some massive party because everyone felt we had to make it really, really fun and festive or there would have been a big ol' bunch of depressed skaters out on the ice who were away from home and and away from family.

Nobody wants that.

So for all of you showskaters working today, give the gal next to you a little pinch and remember to enjoy the day. It will help the hangover. But remember, New Year's Eve is right around the corner.

Supr'Ice is right!

Saw an ice show this past weekend at an amusement park.

You too?

There are a lot of them out there right now. Ice shows and Christmas go together like salt and pepper, like peanut butter and jelly, or if you're a fan of Talladega Nights, "like cocaine and waffles."

I finally got to Europa-Park in Germany, which was all decked out for the holidays. Europa-Park has a theme similar to Epcot with several countries from Europe sprawled out among the grounds. It was fun to walk from Iceland to Spain in less than five minutes.

So it was in Greece that I saw their Christmas show "Surpr'Ice." I hope that's not a bad omen.

It was a very good show. I loved the most of the music they skated to and the skaters were excellent. But I must be getting old, because my main complaint was that the music was too loud. It's good to have loud music, no doubt, I think it makes you feel more included in the show, BUT not too loud. It was so loud, it was coming across the speakers distorted. OR, that was my eardrums. Like I said, I'm getting old.

The principal skaters, like I said, were excellent. Watch out - here comes Finland. Both female principal skaters were from Finland.

But it was the male principal skater that did something I'd never seen before ... EVER. Kind of interesting.

His solo program had no jumps. Tricks - like Russian splits, hitchkicks, and lots of backflips - but NO jumps. Not an axel, not a double axel or triple toe loop which is standard fare for a male principal.

Can you think of a number that you watched where the skater didn't have any standard jumps? He did have two backflips in his solo and a backflip for the finale, so the guy can jump. AND he had excellent spins - including a beautiful flying camel back sit and an interesting position on a sit spin that had a lot of speed.

Almost every skater that can spin that well and throw in backflips to boot, can jump well too. There is no reason to think that he can't.

So why didn't he???? My theory is someone (the execs in the park, the choreographer, or the skater) decided the backflips would be better for the crowd than the jumps.

What do you think?

Urgent Casting Call for the Seattle area

Cirque du Noel

looking for
6 Ensemble Girls
1 Solo Boy
1 Solo girl
1 Adagio Pair
Cirque Acts that skate
The Show is December 21 Seattle Washington Arena. Will fly Dec 18 rehersals 19,20,21 will provide salary, transportation,accommodations, & meals.
If you are interested Please contact A.S.A.P Rosstyn at 561-436-0128 or Laurilee at 561-436-0142
e-mail at rglproductions@aol.com or rglproductions@mac.com


Only three days of rehearsal ... how bad can that be?