The ball of twine is an awe-inspiring figure that has become an icon for what special figures used to be. Despite its apparent complexity, it is pretty easy to skate. Here's how.
How to skate the ball of twine
Category: Figures
World Figure Sport exams
Last weekend I was at the World Figure Championship in Vail, Colorado. Exams were being offered, and I decided to study the system experimentally by taking a few. This post is an account of my experience. Since this blog is about studying the history of skating and not my own skating, this post focuses on… Continue reading World Figure Sport exams
Figures removed
Back in the day, skaters used to do figures as well as freestyle. Figures are patterns on the ice that skaters draw with their blades. There is a standard list; figures on it are called compulsory figures or school figures. When they were required in competitions, they counted for a percentage of the skater's overall… Continue reading Figures removed
Pons asinorum
The Latin phrase pons asinorum (asses' bridge) is used for something that is difficult for beginners, but quite simple once you've learned it. It's the nickname of the fifth proposition of Book I of Euclid's Elements: "In isosceles triangles the angles at the base are equal to one another, and, if the equal straight lines… Continue reading Pons asinorum