DVD illuminates fine points of figure skating

For the millions of spectators who enjoy watching figure skating but who might not be able to distinguish a flying sit spin from a death drop or a loop from a lutz, help now is available in the form of a video produced by the University.

The DVD, which was completed just in time for Winter Olympics viewers, is titled Simply Skating: A Lesson for the Spectator. The idea originated with Jack O’Neill, co-director of the UD Ice Skating Science Development Center, and features nationally known skaters who work and train at the University, including world champion Kimmie Meissner.

Created by the College of Health Sciences’ Division of Special Programs, the DVD can be viewed on a computer monitor or a television and is about an hour long.

Madeline Lambrecht, director of the division, says the video was designed to help viewers better understand the terminology of figure skating and the elements of the various jumps, spins and connecting steps that make up a routine. It’s especially timely, she says, because it explains in detail the new judging system.

“I think most of us who watch figure skating appreciate it for its beauty and symmetry, as well as the athletes’ skills, but do we really know what to look for—what constitutes a double axel, for example?” Lambrecht says.

In his introduction to the video, Philip Dulebohn, a former national pairs skating champion, says that understanding more about the technical aspects of the sport “will help make a performance come alive.”

The DVD also includes a short feature on a new, hinged skating boot that was developed at the University and now is manufactured and sold by Jackson Ultima, a Canadian sporting goods company.

Simply Skating can be ordered via the web site [www.udel.edu/DSP] or by calling (302) 831-4549. The Division of Special Programs previously created online and
CD-ROM instructional programs for figure skating judges.