Biellmann spin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Biellmann spin is a figure skating spin in which the skater executes a one-foot spin while holding the other foot extended over their head and behind them, with both hands. It requires very great flexibility and spinning ability, and is almost always performed by women: the best-known male skater to perform the spin is Evgeny Plushenko.
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[edit] Technique
A spin becomes a Biellmann spin, by definition, when "the level of the boot passes that head so that the boot is above and behind or over the head." Some skaters have better positions than others, but as long as the boot is over the head, it is a Biellmann.
When learning the spin the skater does not usually drop their head into the teardrop shape formed by their body so as to maintain balance.
[edit] History
The spin is named after Swiss figure skater Denise Biellmann, who made it her signature move in the late 1970s. Denise Biellmann did not invent the spin, but was the first skater to perform the move and win a major international title. It is uncertain who invented the spin. Denise Biellmann learned the spin from her teammate Karen Iten.
Janet Champion and Slavka Kohout of the US were also doing this spin before Denise Biellmann. Tamara Moskvina was seen with this spin in the 1960s, specifically at the 1965 European Championships.
Cecilia Colledge performed a one hand Biellmann spin at the 1937 World Championships.
[edit] Variations
Many other figure skating moves are derived from the classic Biellmann spin:
- A cross-grab Biellmann is a variation where the opposite hand is the one used to lift the leg. The other hand may or may not be added in this position. Mao Asada has used it as one of her signature moves.
- The half-Biellmann (also called a catch-foot camel spin) is a camel spin during which the skater grasps the free blade with either hand and raises the free leg upwards while otherwise maintaining the camel position.
- Catch-foot spiral positions where the leg is held above the head in the Biellmann position during a spiral.
- Irina Slutskaya is generally credited as the first person to have ever performed a Biellmann spin with a foot change (i.e., doing a Biellmann, then stepping onto the other leg while in the same spin and performing it on the other leg).
[edit] Overuse
Since the inception of figure skating's new cumulative points-based judging system, many skaters have used the Biellman position in various elements, such as spiral step sequences due to its added point value regardless of the quality of the position. Moreover, performing a Biellmann spin after 8 revolutions in a layback adds a "difficult variation," which can increase the point value of the spin. The Biellmann spin also has the distinction of being classified as a difficult variation of both a layback and an upright position spin, meaning that a person could include the Biellmann in either spin and it would still be counted as a one-position solo spin.
Due to its increased use since the inception of the new judging system, the 51st International Skating Union Congress passed a resolution that places a limit on the number of times that a Biellmann position may be used in a skating program.
