Special figures
Encyclopedia
Special figures were a component of figure skating
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like compulsory figures
, special figures involved tracing patterns on the ice with the blade of one ice skate
. This required the skater to display significant balance and control while skating on one foot.
While compulsory figures were standard patterns derived from the figure 8, the special figures were elaborate patterns of the skaters' own invention. These designs included rosettes, stars, crosses, and other elaborate curlicues. The building blocks for special figures included not only the elements of the standard compulsory figures, but shapes known as beaks, spectacles, and cross-cuts.
Tracing of elaborate patterns on the ice was a characteristic of the American and British schools of figure skating. By the early 20th century, this had been largely displaced by the "International Style" of free skating which utilized the entire ice surface and featured more athletic movements set to music.
Special figures was an event in the 1908 Summer Olympic Games
. Nikolai Panin
of Russia won the event.
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like compulsory figures
Compulsory figures
Compulsory figures or school figures were formerly an aspect of the sport of figure skating, from which the sport derives its name. Carving specific patterns or figures into the ice was the original focus of the sport. The patterns of compulsory figures all derive from the basic figure eight...
, special figures involved tracing patterns on the ice with the blade of one ice skate
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
. This required the skater to display significant balance and control while skating on one foot.
While compulsory figures were standard patterns derived from the figure 8, the special figures were elaborate patterns of the skaters' own invention. These designs included rosettes, stars, crosses, and other elaborate curlicues. The building blocks for special figures included not only the elements of the standard compulsory figures, but shapes known as beaks, spectacles, and cross-cuts.
Tracing of elaborate patterns on the ice was a characteristic of the American and British schools of figure skating. By the early 20th century, this had been largely displaced by the "International Style" of free skating which utilized the entire ice surface and featured more athletic movements set to music.
Special figures was an event in the 1908 Summer Olympic Games
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
. Nikolai Panin
Nikolai Panin
Nikolay Aleksandrovich Panin-Kolomenkin, was a Russian figure skater and coach. He won the gold medal in special figures in the 1908 Summer Olympics. Panin was Russia's first Olympic champion. He was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2009.-Biography:Panin was born in...
of Russia won the event.
See also
- Special figures by Panin
- Figure skating at the 1908 Summer OlympicsFigure skating at the 1908 Summer OlympicsAt the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, four figure skating events were contested. This took place at the Prince's Skating Club, in the district of Knightsbridge...