The Webmaster's Editorial







          This page is where I will post my thoughts and/or editorial comments on current events relating to the skating world. Most will be concentrated on Surya, but I may delve a bit into the eligible world as well. I will add more editorials when something is on my mind.




Editorial #1 (January 23rd, 1999):

My Thoughts on Surya:

The first time I saw Surya was when she skated at the 1991 Skate Canada International. Surya put down a masterful free skate, packed with technical difficulty and intriguing, original moves. Since then, she has been my favorite skater, and has only gotten better.

My favorite short program from Surya is her 1996 short program, skated to "The Locket Hunt" from The Little Princess soundtrack by Patrick Doyle. She really took command of the ice for this program, and the jumps fell right with the beat of the music. Surya's "Cries of Beirut" short program from 1994 is a close second. My favorite long program from Surya is her classical, trademark "Four Seasons" program. This program really has it all! Uncanny jumping ability, innovative spins, and wonderful musicality and expression. My favorite part of the program is when she moves with the whiffs of the "winter" section of the music. My second favorite long program from Surya is her 1996 "Swan Lake/Paquita" long program. Who can top a program that begins with a Double Axel-Double Axel sequence from a stand-still position? My favorite exhibition program by Surya is an easy choice -- "The Incantation" by Cirque du Soleil. She moves with such flair and authority in this program! The triples are also all there, including a Backflip-Triple Salchow combination. Surya is always prepared to lay down the technical content. She never holds back, and that is one of the things that I love so much about her! Finally, my favorite professional programs that she has skated to thus far are her "Toy Story" and "Exotica" programs. She has only used "Toy Story" once, but some of the moves she included in it were so breathtaking. It was another one of her programs where she moved to the soul of the beat. She choreographed it herself, and it was wonderfully done! "Exotica" was a mesmerizing program with intrigue and power. I got to see Surya perform this program in person twice, and it only got better with each performance.

More than any other skater, Surya has awed me over and over again with her energetic, unpredictable style. That unpredictability is exactly what I love about her. If she taps out or doubles a triple jump, she doesn't give up. 9 times out of 10, she'll add it in at some later portion of the program! You can watch her in practice all week before a competition, but when it comes time for the big event, you don't know what you'll see. It is some of those added jumps or improvisational sequences that really add spice and flair to her programs.

Although Surya has been criticized over and over for her choice of costuming, I absolutely adore it. Her glitzy earrings and blue eyeshadow add to the pizazz of her exciting, supercharged programs. I love it all! Keep it up, Surya!

I have many fond memories of Surya's eligible career. Her gorgeous 1992 Olympic free skate costume and program were wonderful. That entire program blew me away. A Quadruple Toeloop, two Triple Lutzes, and a Triple-Triple combination! The entire 1993-1994 season was strong, especially her long program to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" at the 1994 World Championships. The power and energy which she emoted on the ice should have been enough to get her the gold she deserved. Triple Toe-half loop-Triple Salchow-Double Toe, Triple Flip-Triple Toe, Triple Lutz-Double Toe......dynamite combinations, all in one program. I felt so sorry for her after her marks were shown. After a horrible Achilles injury, Surya resurfaced in 1998. She wore my favorite costume ever for her long program at 1998 Europeans, and she revived the "Four Seasons" long. She started off so well until her illness took its toll. My favorite part of that routine was the Toe Walley sequence into a Triple Salchow-Triple Toe combination. She wasn't even trying that in pratices that week! Of course, who could forget her last performance as an eligible? Her long program at the 1998 Nagano Olympics was lovely. The illegal backflip, circular footwork, and combination spin made a lovely ending to a great career. And the ending pose with her back to the judges was well planned. Bravo Surya!

Surya continues to impress, and I'm sure she will make many more skating memories in her professional career. Already she has regained and reinstated the Triple Flip and Triple Lutz (conservatively) back into her programs. We have certainly not seen the last of Surya Bonaly. While she was never able to get the gold at the World Championships, I'm sure she will soon capture the World Professional title! Go Surya!