Reflections On Ice: A Diary of Ladies Figure Skating

[@stephaniedavis6531]

Just came upon this today, Jan 6, 2024. A dear friend of mine was an accomplished skater I'm her day. Her friend and skating partner was Billy Kipp. After a knee injury precluded him from competing, he went onto coach. Peggy Flemming was one of his first students. He was killed in the 1961 plane crash. He is buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Allentown, PA. My friend passed away July 14, 2023 at 93. I knew her for a year before she mentioned anything about her skating. I have her wooden skate guards that I will always cherish.❤

[@annieskywalker6405]

Perhaps my favorite documentary ever. Have it on VHS somewhere in a closet. Just love this ❤

[@rhonddadayton2353]

This was delightful and I am so happy to have come across it after such a challenging time that we have witnessed in the 2022 Olympic ladies' figure skating. A breath of much-needed fresh air.

[@Person-mh6xq]

The most beautiful documentary on figure skating!!! Heartfelt, nostalgic, enlightening, and mesmerizing. The gorgeous and often-haunting music added such magic to this journey through ladies figure skating.

[@Will_3000]

For me, the most interesting part was hearing Peggy Fleming discuss her competitors: "I think I could do this. I think I could beat those people, cuz I didn't like how they were skating." If anyone said that now, whoooa.

[@alexanderpatrick4866]

First time I have seen this in 20 years and it is still as wonderful as when I saw it the first time. Thank you.

[@soniquecat4745]

This is such a loooooovely documentary. I love that shows the early days of skating (scandalous showing of legs, oh my!), the segment on Sonia Henie and her competitors, the interviews with the old times skaters... Very interesting to see the "lady like" aspect... which sadly prevails till today

[@SandyKH]

I love this documentary. I bought it years ago on video and haven't been able to see it for years. It warms my heart and makes me love the sport every time I do. Thanks so much for posting and keeping it's message alive.

[@debbienichols832]

I wish today’s figure skaters were as graceful and artistic as skaters from years past. Now all skaters care about are jumps, jumps, jumps.

[@evelyngomez4680]

I’ve watched this documentary multiple times ❤️ I have ADHD and my special interest is pop culture/media history. My brain struggles to keep up with newer information on figure skating, but I love to learn about figure skating history. There are times when I do watch modern day skaters, my heart fills up with excitement when I watch older skating videos ⛸️

[@Jhojsh101]

I wish they did one of these on male skaters... I know about the main guys, but love to hear about the ones I know little

[@jontilley3521]

I did love this documentary I have always loved figure skating. I use to tape every program. But I also remember the tragedy that day in 61. I was 11. I don't understand why the crowds have fallen off the way they have. I think it's an in justice to the sport. My thoughts are with everyone in the sport. My God bless you all.

[@fatima1009]

So sad what happened to the Owen Family and the other crash victims in 1961.

[@sparkybish]

I loved the way Dorothy's hair looked when she spun.

[@stitch8296]

This touched my heart thank you from the bottom of my figure heart for sharing 💜💜💜

[@tarantulabunnydog]

Wonderful documentary. Thanks for posting.

[@johncooksey79]

Thanks sooo much for posting this, I love this documentary, and hadn't seen it since it first came out. A whole new respect for the sport.

[@anfaneygladwin6759]

Wow, such a great documentary. It was very informative.

[@cfjermedal]

I’ve watched this documentary many times and it’s so relaxing and refreshing. Been a figure skater for over 30 years and this is documentary was beautifully done.

[@annnee6818]

Thanks so much for sharing this, it's so interesting 😀

[@operagirl84]

1980 Olympics: Denise Biellmann, second in the short program, first place in the long, 12th in figures = No medal.

[@RaymondHng]

+operagirl84 Biellmann placed 4th overall in the 1980 Winter Olympics. In the 1980 Worlds, she placed CP 10, SP 1, FS 6, overall 6. In the 1981 Worlds, she improved her figures significantly and placed CP 4, SP 2, FS 1, overall 1

[@sandranorman5469]

Opera girl-if I remember correctly in 1980 Linda Fratianne finished 2nd. She had scored 1 in the school figures.

[@lb4585]

Same with midori ito in 88. She was so heldback by figures ugh

[@clairepierson15]

beauyiful ty

[@lesleywallace8773]

There should still be some sort of mandated school figures.

[@pepitone201]

I find it odd that this documentary states that Laurence Owen would have been thr favourite for the 1961 Worlds, if held, Sjoukje Dijkstra had already won medals at both Worlds and European championships. Sjoukje was the 1960 Winter Olympic silver medalist ( second in figures, third in free) The 1959- 1960 skating season was the first major international season for Laurence. At the 1960 Winter Olympics, Laurence placed sixth overall ( sixth in figures/ sixth in free) However, one week after the Winter Olympics had ended at the 1960 World Championships held in Vancouver, Laurence placed seventh in figures and dropped to ninth overall. Dijkstra won the 1960 World silver ( second in figures / third in free)

[@cherylkavanagh3387]

Loved this.

[@hellosweetheart3350]

They look so young!

[@kawai99100]

Enjoyed that!

[@pavlakellerova9751]

Dívky měly krásné postavy. Dlouhé štíhlé rovné nohy ... Ano, bruslilo se venku. Byly povinné figury. Ale bylo to úžasné. Dnes se nedívám. Malé 12 školačky s křivýma nohama. Vystresované, hysterické nadopované...brrrr. 🤦🤦 Mají zázemí jako princezny, týmy, maséry, zdravotníky, štáby. Kryté haly. Úžasné kostymérky, kadeřnice, stylisty, vizážisty... Chybí jim pouze: radost, nadšení a pokora. Chybí jim láska ke sportu a též rozevláté vlasy Dorothy Hamill, Peggy Fleming.. Nemají základní povědomí a úctu k prvním dámám ledové plochy. Na každou ŽENU, která bruslila dlouho, vnesla nové prvky piruet, krokových variací, vážek letících nad ledem na jedné noze budeme vzpomínat do navždy. Až těm holčičkám tohle všechno přijde ma mysl, možná začnou bruslit bez drog, bez dopingu, bez negativních emocí. Potom teprve vejdou do síně slávy jako tyto legendy 🌹

[@annnee6818]

So everyone agrees school figures are hated but wants to keep them. anyway. Lol. And they say Stockholm syndrome doesn't exist.

[@KateKay28]

I think it’s more the maturity of years and realizing what our coaches were trying to develop in us by doing figures. They really did teach one the mechanics in a way MIF never can.

[@annnee6818]

​@KateKay28 I don't know if "understanding what it's there to teach you" outweighs the confusion for the viewer, the distaste of the athletes and the manipulation of the sport? You can learn whatever it is you're supposed to learn from figure skating another way?

[@menoraho383]

I want

[@sandranorman5469]

She was the Founder of Biellmann spin

[@lesleywallace8773]

@@sandranorman5469 Tamara Mosvina did that spin as a pair in the late fifties or early sixties . Tamara Mosvina was is the famous Russian Pairs Coach .

[@trytobenice7234]

🩰 0:12

[@maryk446]

Many pictures of the young Sonia Henie resemble Greta Thuneberg.

[@annnee6818]

Whenever Dick Button talks about other skaters, I've only ever heard him throw shade... maybe he is just not a very nice man.

[@annnee6818]

​@@jand2001 he's reporting at top level events, they can't all be bad. Just because someone is a skating legend doesn't mean they're immune from jealousy or being wrong.

[@ItsFazsha]

Bring back school figures! Punish the Janet Lynn types who only promote beauty and grace on ice! These pixie girls with their ethereal interpretations of music need the discipline of tracing lines, by golly, and we're going to force feed it to them whether they like it or not!

[@harveygirl95]

ItsFazsha 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

[@annnee6818]

I think the absurdity of this is why they changed it, right?

[@michaelvaughn2091]

Interestingly, Janet has recently spoken out about the importance of figures and has lobbied that they be reinstated in competition.

[@davidawilliams8603]

Nice documentary...no other type of ethnicity of non-European origin.

[@sandranorman5469]

Davida Williams I

[@Vikinggirl1679]

Debbi Thomas. One of the best American figure skaters of any color. Not only a champion on the ice but intellectualy as well. She's now a doctor