.EXACTLY janet etheraeal artistic skating is fascinating to watch im over the jumping beans racing around at one speed. Todays skater should take a lesson from Janet Lynn
The way the audience applauds the spin around 0:40 shows you how special her skating really was. She had the audience in the palm of her hand so much that they were applauding a spin which you rarely see. I still think she might be the greatest free skate skater ever. The jumps have evolved in a bunch of ways since her time but nobody skates with this level of beauty anymore...
The seamlessness between moves is what separates Janet from everyone else. You can't anticipate what move she's going to do because it's almost like a whole. That's what makes her truly unique.
omayra...I completely agree. The turnout of the hip and the free foot parallel to the ice. No one can do this any longer. They do not even try. It's also really beautiful in her 1970 WFSC performance, which is available here.
Most aesthetic rotations ever and the entire routine was full of energy with grace and style. I love her air position with the rotation happening at the height of the jump. She's one of the greatest skaters ever IMHO. Her double Axel has no cheating skid or toe stump, just clean off of the edge with perfect vertical position and rotation at the apex. Plus she made it look effortless, never type casting her jumps and she never ran out of energy late in the program. Fresh all of the way through with beautiful choreography, smooth yet difficult connecting moves and the entire program was a perfectly executed masterclass!
We should talk about the music. Back in the 70s, without today's modern studio production, a lot of the programs had horrendous musical edits, Janet's included. This, program, skated to what I'll call "Impressionist" composers, Debussy and Ravel, sounded much more seamless in its delivery, and was really a step forward in untraditional, though incredibly flowing, choreography. It's really different and remarkable, even the way Janet throws her arms in the air as her ending pose as La Valse comes to its explosive ending. Thanks.
no i dont believe so. there is too much dead time leading into triples for most ladies. damn the triples . i prefer very high double jumps i.e. dorothy hamill , rosalyn sumners, peggy fleming
Seems like the skating is completely risk-free for the observer. Falling does not seem to be a possibility. Maybe I mean the flow of the skating feels seamless and completely natural. ((Even perfect.))
This comment perfectly encapsulates what it feels like to watch an exceptional craftsperson. It is the same for me with vocal music. I appreciate singing that is free of over- embellished showboating and straining. I want to feel delivered. I don't want to notice the delivery.
Nancy's Figure Skating I agree. Not necessarily better, but more exciting. Janet’s constant smile draws you in. Peggy was more of an introvert in her skating style, maybe a little more lyrical and graceful than Janet. But it’s subjective.
Will someone tell me the name of the piece of music that begins at 2:16 and goes until the end of her layback spin?? The slowest period of her program. I can't find it within La Mer at all and thought it would be from this. So it's likely something completely different.
sarahbgln...I THINK (but not completely sure) it is one of the Gymnopedies by Erik Satie. He created at least three of these...the third of which is the most famous. Michelle Kwan also used one in the middle of her masterpiece, Lyra Angelica. CORRECTION! See Pogi's response below.
Dick stated that Janet was second after the compulsory and second after the SP, then I wonder who were the first for those parts of this competition. As Janet was leading into FP, not the same skater won those two. I bet one of them was Dorothy, then who was the other? Julie had already retired at that time, right?
+acatinny Diane Goldstein who finished 4th overall won the figures at the 1973 US Nationals. Janet actually never had won the figures portion of the event at any of her five US National wins. Yes, Dorothy Hamill did win the short. Janet had a slight slip on her double axel/ double toe combo and two footed her single axel.
One of my biggest peeves with figure skaters...wearing tights WAY too dark for their natural coloring. Janet is very fair, blonde, & she's wearing extremely dark tights. Polina Edmonds is the #1 offender in this regard now.
I hear ya on that one. But they only make those tights in that ridiculous color. We can't use tights from target as they'd be shredded in seconds. It's a really thick strong material, which comes in only one skin-tone, umpaloopa.
I would beg to differ as I don't think a light leg color would work well with the yellow outfit especially when contrasting to the white ice. Frankly, she was so cute that she didn't need an overdone skating dress or anything fancy. I appreciate the clean elegance and youthful presentation. Skating dresses have changed drastically since that era where money has become too paramount.
Janet Lynn had the same program which rarely changed, however, Janet skated under several alias one being that of Katarina Witt, right? Why? Cause Janet's mother kept sending the police to make an arrest to stop the sclerodemic patient from skating, thus, Janet was banned from skating in Canada as signed by the Queen of England, right, as kept in the Windsor, Ontario police station of the 1970's?
Katarina Witt skated for East Germany in the 80s. Janet Lynn was of polish descent and grew up in Illinois. She was the world's best at free skating but was not as good at school figures, which held her back. The public didn't like that she never got the chance to shine and win and the sport changed... simply to give better chances to people like her. She made skating an art... felt every beat of the music and let that dictate her steps.
If you know that you can't compare athletes from different eras then why are you trying to do it? And "crappy music selection" sounds a bit hypercritical to me. Ravel's music has been used by skaters for decades and I think it suited her perfectly.
Well since your are going there, let's put the big money, the lighter, stronger boots and blades with the harnesses and all of the training apparatus and tools of today into a young Janet Lynn, who obviously has all of the physical skills and I think she would be very competitive today. Plus I liked her selection of music and her technique as a former competitive skater myself. She is one of the greatest skaters of all time IMHO especially when all skating skills, grace, style, air position and aesthetics are considered.
