The "Bonaly spin" is a spin created and performed by Surya Bonaly. No other skater, male or female, is able to successfully pull off this technically difficult and flexible spin. It is because of this difficulty that it has been named after her.

Describing the "Bonaly Spin" is difficult, but I will attempt to describe it verbally nonetheless. Then, you can check out the video clip I made of it, and truly appreciate the difficulty, flexibility, and balance required to pull off this move.

Verbal Description:

      The Bonaly Spin is normally a stand-alone spin, but Surya has put it at the end of combination spins in the past. It starts out in a half-sit position, during which Surya grabs her right ankle with her right hand, pulls her foot underneath her body and transfers it to her left hand. At this point, she slides her right hand up her right leg to her kneecap. This movement gives a very aesthetic look of Surya curling up into a ball. Now, at this point, her center of gravity is abnormal, and I still do not understand how she is able to maintain the speed and centering of her spin! Nonetheless, this is only the midpoint of her spin. With her left hand now shifted from holding her right ankle to holding the skate blade of her right foot, and her left hand still on her right kneecap, Surya begins to "stand up" out of her ball-shaped half-sit position. Now standing up, Surya's leg is parallel to the ice and behind her, much like a donut spin, but with her upper-body in a normal standing position. From this position, she leans slightly forward, while maintaining her balance, and brings both arms up (obviously moving her leg up as well) into a spiral position. This is the final position of the "Bonaly Spin", out of which she has several different exits.

(NOTE: When I refer to her right ankle, foot, and leg above, I am referring to the non-spinning unit. Although I have only seen Surya do her spin while her left foot is spinning on the ice, I'm sure she could also complete it using the opposite leg while her right foot is spinning on the ice.)

Still Pictures:

The initial stage of the "Bonaly Spin" begins when Surya bends down and grabs her non-spinning ankle. She then must maintain balance and curl into a ball in order to hit the next position of this magnificent spin.	The second stage is the midpoint of the spin, where she lifts her leg behind her midsection.	The final position of the spin, which is also a common Spiral position. Photo courtesy of David Reichel at www.icepix.com

Video of the "Bonaly Spin":

Watch her put it all together, as Surya completes the "Bonaly Spin" at the 1998 U.S. Professional Championships.

Photo courtesy of Ann Jensen.


[ Video Clip of the Bonaly Spin (MPG Format)]