You can see the influence of the school figures in the choreography - the figure eight patterns of the routines, the nature of the foot-work (lots of mohawks and brackets etc.) - it gave free skating a different look.
What a joy! How effortless he made it all look. The height and length on the jumps and the long running edges on the perfectly controlled landings are remarkable.
Now that is a natural athlete, a natural jumper. There was no technical or equipment technological soundness like what we have now, the ice quality was more basic and raw, costumes were merely uniforms and not geared to their specific likings, and a lot of skaters in the earlier eras didn't really cross their feet tight in the air while jumping. Imagine pulling off triples and triples axels that way. He did it that way! He could have done quads.
WOW. There is room there for quads on all his jumps. If you combined his height with the rotating skill of say an Elvis Stoijko or Mao Asada you would have 5 revolutions in a hurry. Awesome.
David was at least capable of doing higher level triples.
There is footage of him doing a Triple Axel, which was remarkable because he was skating on natural outdoor ice, which is uneven, chewed up and inconsistent in composition, using skates designed for drawing pictures on the ice rather than jumping.
He probably never performed them in competition because he probably would have been marked down. Judges really looked down on skaters that were "merely acrobats above the ice".
Great clip, thanks so much for reposting this. I doubt we'll ever see a male skater perform with that amazing combination of class, elegance, and masculinity again.
agreed! even by today's standards, he would be seen as an impressive jumper. and I kinda like the tux lol! he looks like a Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly on ice. A true class act.
Wow! Beautiful
No1Gollywog 10 months ago
Wow! Beautiful
No1Gollywog 10 months ago
This is really cool to watch :] Thanks
TheDanster4 10 months ago
I love seeing these old clips from the past. Thanks bardtoob! 5*
npe1 1 year ago
It would be nice if they had the music he originally skaed to insted of this ultra-lounge music which doesn't fit at all.
SOLE2SOUL 1 year ago
Wow, how classy. Nice to see a man in 'men's clothes' instead of the panzie outfits worn today.
iamzbacku 1 year ago
brilliant - thanks for sharing.
koolaidnhemlock 1 year ago
Holy Cow!!, he wears a TUXEDO, in an outside rink...with "rubber" skates O.O
his jumps are ABSOLUTELY beautiful!, wonderful technique and speed, man, where have you been all this time? :P
but seriously, he's awesome!, i wonder why actual skater don't try their techniques..I dunno
abharo11 1 year ago
What happened at 2:14?
octopussy1234 2 years ago
It seems to be funny, near fall on the flying sit spin but he hangs on to it.
Hey-I saw Bing Crosby at the end there!
faeryquene 1 year ago
@octopussy1234 Looks like he almost sat down on the ice like Janet Lynn did with a flying sit spin.
HattieLovesCattie 1 year ago
Wow! a male figure skater actually wearing men's clothing - how refreshing!
Seriously though, why doesn't he try the triple axel - he made it look so effortless in that other clip.
md65000 2 years ago
i think the bar got higher as skating got more popular- he would never think to land a triple axles like Kimmie Misner and Midori Ito did
Buddymagnet 2 years ago
@Buddymagnet
Errr . . . there is footage of him landing the Triple Axel on a news reel posted here on Youtube.
bardtoob 2 years ago 3
@Buddymagnet Watch HIS INCREDIBLE triple axel here on youtube
MrAmazingness1234567 1 year ago
You can see the influence of the school figures in the choreography - the figure eight patterns of the routines, the nature of the foot-work (lots of mohawks and brackets etc.) - it gave free skating a different look.
Chutson353 2 years ago 2
What a joy! How effortless he made it all look. The height and length on the jumps and the long running edges on the perfectly controlled landings are remarkable.
transmissionofflame 2 years ago
ohh my facking god he's great!!
TheClaiireXD 2 years ago
this guy is simply amazing. i love how clean his moves are i mean there are like no mistakes :)
chloeyhamer1997 2 years ago
what an effortless grace!!! bring him back please!
dvdneely 2 years ago
there is something so sweet and charming about this...can i say that a man in a tuxedo who skates just simply warms my heart!!!
dvdneely 2 years ago 3
out of this world
best male skater ever imo
ImmaculateRecovery 2 years ago
amazing! hes from the future sent back to that time!
freerunRobinson 2 years ago
Now that is a natural athlete, a natural jumper. There was no technical or equipment technological soundness like what we have now, the ice quality was more basic and raw, costumes were merely uniforms and not geared to their specific likings, and a lot of skaters in the earlier eras didn't really cross their feet tight in the air while jumping. Imagine pulling off triples and triples axels that way. He did it that way! He could have done quads.
lookscudkill 2 years ago 8
WOW. There is room there for quads on all his jumps. If you combined his height with the rotating skill of say an Elvis Stoijko or Mao Asada you would have 5 revolutions in a hurry. Awesome.
tanbark1 2 years ago 2
David was at least capable of doing higher level triples.
There is footage of him doing a Triple Axel, which was remarkable because he was skating on natural outdoor ice, which is uneven, chewed up and inconsistent in composition, using skates designed for drawing pictures on the ice rather than jumping.
He probably never performed them in competition because he probably would have been marked down. Judges really looked down on skaters that were "merely acrobats above the ice".
bardtoob 2 years ago 3
i am shocked that men's skater used to skate with their taxido!! He's great even for now!
agenteayana 3 years ago
He was an incredible jumper. Check out the clip of him doing a TRIPLE axel in 1957!
MissFit29 3 years ago
Great clip, thanks so much for reposting this. I doubt we'll ever see a male skater perform with that amazing combination of class, elegance, and masculinity again.
barkingtree88 3 years ago
agreed! even by today's standards, he would be seen as an impressive jumper. and I kinda like the tux lol! he looks like a Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly on ice. A true class act.
dvdneely 3 years ago 2