Most spectacular and most applauded of all the items on my programme in the ice ballet in “Flirting at St. Moritz,” at the Hippodrome, are the backward outside edges or circles. Probably the very simplicity of them adds to the effect which they create in the mind of the crowds. The series of jumps which I make from a forward outside edge to a backward outside edge, is nowhere near as hard as it appears. And the complete revolution in the air which I make from one outside backward edge to the same edge again is dependent upon the accuracy and firmness of the outside edges. These are but two of the simple, yet very spectacular features of my exhibition which are based on the outside backward edges.
The outside edges backward are very popular for exhibition and spectacular purposes. But they are fundamental figures which must be mastered by every skater who hopes to make real progress in the most beautiful of all sports.
First the beginner must get a little confidence in skating backward by what is called “sculling.” The friend or helper is more important in learning the fundamental backward figures than in the forward figures. The best position for the helper when one is learning the backward strokes is facing the beginner; thus the beginner will skate backward and the instructor or friend will skate forward, right hands joined to left hands.
By a gentle push from the instructor or friend, the beginner is sent backward. Then should begin the waving lines made by the skates on the ice as the learner sways from side to side and throws the balance of the body from one foot to the other and from one edge to the other. Probably the beginner will not realize that he is making a sculling or waving mark on the ice until he has examined the print of the skates. It is an excellent practice to look at the marks which you have made in the ice. Often the accuracy of a curve or circles, or the correct tracing of a three or counter or rocker will be impossible to determine until the print has been examined. The judges in all great contests study the print on the ice as much as they do the carriage of the skater.
CIRCLE. Right outside edge, backward. (ROB)
The sculling motion and strokes should be continued until the skater realizes that he is making a slight outside edge with each skate as his body changes its balance. Then learn to take the foot which is not being skated on, off the ice, carry it forward of the body toward the helper and trust to the outside edge of the skating foot.
When some considerable practice has been done in this manner and a part of a circle can be accomplished on the outside edge backward it is time for the beginner to start the full circles, or at least to learn to make the figure large and try to get back to the starting point.
The backward outside edges require nerve and daring. Here the skater’s qualifications for the sport will often come out. Skating backward in any circumstances is trying work to the beginner, and the curious balance of the outside backward circles is a hard thing to learn when one is at the same time distressed by the perfectly natural fear of skating backward. But make up your mind, clench your fists, grit your teeth and pluckily go at it.
Standing with both feet together on the ice, the starting stroke is made by pressing firmly with the flat part of the left skate on the ice and lunging backward strongly on the outside edge of the right skate. The chief difficulty in mastering this important figure comes from the innate hesitancy of the beginner to throw his balance backward. If this backward lunge is firm and strong, more than half the difficulty of the stroke has been mastered.