New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-17
Figure Skating in U.S.A.
Is Becoming a Lost Art

the world to-day-Ulrich Salchow, am
ateur, and Bror Meyer and Mrs. Emmy
Bergfeldt. professionals are now IN
this country and practising daily at the
81. Nicholas Rink They will appear
every Tuesday and Friday afternoon at
o o'clock and execute the forty-one pre-
scribed school figures OF the lnterna-
tional Skating Union during the season,
beginning on Friday.
Royalty as Audience
Until the great war set all Europe to
lighting Salchow, Meyer and Emmy
Bergfeldt were the magnets that DIRE"
thousands daily to the lake at 81.
Moritz. Opposed by the most famous
skaters Of other countries, year IN and
wear out. the three Swedish wonders
always carried off the chief honors.
Among those who have watched the
marvellous evolutions on the ice per
formed by this trio are the kings and
queens Of Sweden and Norway and the
President of the Swiss Republic.
To see Meyer and Mrs. Bergfeldt
cutting a maze of figures on The ice at
the st. Nicholas Rink would lead 70
the impression that fancy skating IS
easy Of performance and simple 10
acquire. but such is far from the case.
After finishing d series Of Continental
figures az the rink yesterday, Meyer
was dripping wet from his exertions,
and little beads of sweat glistened on
his forehead, in spite of the frosty air.
This international school of skating
entails d tremendous tax upon the
physical and nervous systems. Every
one Of the forty-one figures are exc
cuted almost entirely upon one foot,
and suppleness of body and strength of
sinew are prime requisites.
After posing for the pictures 10 ac-
company this article, Meyer talked Of
the Continental skating and it's future
m this country. The worlds cham
pion has witnessed the crowds skating
daily at the rink, those who plod
steadily around, lap after Jap, and those
who cut fancy figures in the space
reserved in the centre Of the ice for
that purpose.
Movements Too Jerky
What do you think of our American
figure skaters7" we asked, as Meyer
was removing his skating boots. The
champion shrugged his shoulders, then
smiled blandly and replied: THE
Americans do not know that they have
bodies when they skate. They do
everything with their feet. That makes
their movements jerky. not beautiful"
ITO skate correctly, in the Cont
mental method, one must move freely
from the hips downward. Seel In
strated by twisting the lower part Of
his body about like an acrobat. "And
the hands, the head and the legs, they
81 ~ y.
everything should be graceful lines.
"You Americans have a tendency TO
bend forward too sharply at the waist.
and that destroys the long line, the
line Of curves and beauty. Every
thing must follow that line-so-t the
arms following the lines of the body
and the head held up" and again the
champion illustrated what he meant
The forty-one accepted figures in
the international school. so-called, are
computed as certain values in CON-
petition, each counting certain num-
Der Of points. Correctness of execu-
ton and ease and grace in accom-
plishino them figure when the judges
make their awards. There must be
nothing hurried about the movements
and the figures should be large"
Meyer explained that, although
every one Of the Continental figures
was based on the inside and outside
edges, both forward and backward. the
number OF variations that could be
made at free skating were almost in
finite. Many persons. he said, are able
10 execute the most difficult Of figures
at free skating, but are practically
helpless when II comes to making one
Of the Continental variety.
To see Meyer and Mrs. Bergfeldt
whirling about the rink in perfect time
70 waltz number by the orchestra is
20 witness the true art and beauty Of
fancy skating. Never do they make a
false move. never are they observed
IN an ungraceful pose They are TO
fancy skating what Mordkin and Paw
Iowa arc TO the dance.