Debi Thomas is a trailblazer in figure skating. Debi is the 1986 World champion, the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, and a two-time U.S. national champion. She is also a physician and a member of the ‘Battle of the Carmens’.
Debi faced struggles after her skating career ended. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder by April 2012 and was featured in a 2015 episode of the television series, Iyanla: Fix My Life, on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Shepard Clark has helped Debi rediscover her love of figure skating by encouraging her to train to compete at the 2023 World Figure and Fancy Skating Championships.
In this interview, we discuss compulsory figures, Shepard’s Rolls Royce named Sonia Henie, finding purpose on the ice, the glamorous Carlo Fassi skaters, Katarina Witt, Dick Button, phone calls from Dorothy Hamill, the wonders of JoJo Starbuck, why Trixi Schuba is the human scribe, and whether Kira Ivanova really deserved to win the figures at the Calgary Games.
Debi Thomas: The Comeback (A TSL Interview with Debi Thomas and Shepard Clark, Compulsory Figures)
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Gus Lussi technique
Василиса Кагановская и Валерий Ангелополь
анна щербакова 2023
24 Comments
That's interesting about pausing before doing the figures and Oksana pausing before doing her program. I should try that before I have to do a small presentation before a class. I have noticed that I pause before parallel parking, and I used to do it before throwing the bowling ball. It gives my mind a second to organize, see, what it's going to do.
I remember when I first heard that figure skating used to be actually skating figures on the ice, I was surprised. But even though I knew that, I never really saw it. So I'm halfway through this video, but I feel like even though I've been watching figure skating since the 90's, I don't really know the sport. I feel cheated. Watching that clip of them doing the figures at 1:02:09, that's exciting stuff! Maybe it should be brought back somehow. Hopefully we can see more through the World Figure and Fancy Skating. I love the black ice, it's so pretty and easy to see the figures.
I love this so much. Thank you 🙏🙏
Thank goodness figures are gone as I think it ruins creativity and expression of movement. It looked so boring also having to watch and the skaters seemed to hate all those hours waiting to create them.
Really nice to see Debi looking healthy and happy.
Shepard is a pleasure to listen to; Very informative and articulate. I remember first seeing him skate on ABC to the music of POTO and wearing a silver top and black pants. Please consider having him on again when you do recap of the 2024 World Championship.
A story I heard when growing up and doing figures was that the reason we had to show the long axis before doing a figure was due to Dick Button. According to the story, Dick Button started a figure and was way off balance. He adjusted so that he was in control, but on a completely different axis. There was no rule against at the time and the resulting figure was good enough that he won. I love this interview and the focus on figures. Thanks you!
This is immensely wonderful. Thank you so much for this – a big smile on my face all the way through. And Debi, if she ever gets to read this, know that she is loved and respected globally (esp here in the UK), so immensely happy to see her. And Shepard what an artist and so much passion. Dave, thank you so very much for this (and all the other who provided videos).
So happy to see Debi! These videos of the figures are amazing. Thx so much. Great job.
For Debi, my respect to you- you have always been one of my all time favorite skaters. I followed your career in real time, and in addition to your dynamic, powerful skating, there was always something so special about the way you skated. I knew you were competitive with figures, but only now do I realize just how much and why the details of the figures themselves were so important. I now wonder if that something special in your programs was the high strength and quality of your figures technique. Welcome back to the ice, and so wonderful to see you involved with this most important project. For Debi, Shepard, and all those involved with reimaging the role of figures, thank you! And how exciting to bring the legends together to be involved in the heart of this beautiful artform and for the preservation of the integrity of figure skating as a whole. For Dave, Bravo! What an intriguing, consequential subject, beautifully illustrated in this presentation. Please follow up on this topic, and it would be wonderful to hear Debi and Shepard speak to the injury prevention and longevity of career that may be intricate with training figures and ideas for training the current generation. I never knew the skaters had special figure blades for figures, and it is very clear in the videos how much strength is needed. This presentation is worthy of award recognition.
What an incredible interview with Debi and Shepard! I can hardly wait to see them compete at the 2023 World Figure & Fancy Skating Championships and Festival! Dave, thank you for interviewing these two figure skating legends! 🙂 ❤
Again, your channel kills it with great content! Always wishing Debi the best! She was one of my favorite skaters!
I think given the state of the sport now, a serious reconsidering of how this element of the sport can be added back is a worthy topic of conversation. Maybe it’s worth less overall but a “moves in the field” edges could be worth considering to reintroduce to competition followed by a short program where technical merit is weighted higher followed by a free skate where the “second mark” is weighted higher. As of now we have two programs that are basically the same except one 1.5 min longer which doesn’t make any sense.
Beautiful edges❤
I saw Debi, Liz Manley, and Doug Mattis in a show at Lake Placid leading up to the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Liz out-skated Debi as she was to do at the Olympics as well. Debi always seemed to have so much on her plate with both skating and pursuing a medical career. Debi definitely had the talent to win the Olympic Gold, but sadly it was not to be. Even Roz Sumners came to realize after Katarina won her second Olympic Gold medal that she was competing against someone who thrived during competitions.
Shepard has so much passion for the sport. How nice he and Debi have come together. It was interesting to hear Debi's thoughts on finishing fourth on the first figure, yet winning the next two. The 4th placement seemed sketchy and undeserved. Debi was a great skater in her day and had many fans. What a credit to the sport of figure skating!
this is extremely interesting. Thanks You!
Way to go Debbie
Ok, Dave. When will you be interviewing Queen JoJo??
REALLY digging these icon interviews. For others who like them too, I recommend looking up the series of interviews Scott Hamilton did at the beginning of the pandemic. I’ve watched his interview with Brian Boitano a few times.
Brian still practices his figures. I think he should do the WF&FSC!
Figures acted as an age floor because it wasn't until after the puberty hormones settled in at 18 that the female skater had the focus and attention span to perform great figures.
Once the age floor was eliminated, it was an immediate race to the bottom.
Free skaters can pass their Gold dances but dancers can't pass the Gold figure test. This was a unique skill, much like throws to pair skaters, that was taken away from us. After which all authority over proper skating skills was handed to ice dancers. Singles skaters are now considered the brutes on the ice who need proper instruction from the dancers. It was most certainly never that way before. Never once knew of a free skater who worked with ice dancers on edges. It would've been absurd
Dave – irrespective of the commentary and likes and dislikes, one thing that noone can deny and I think we all have to be thankful for – you are pushing the analytical side of FS with the aim and desire for the sport to develop and flourish while showing incredible respect to its history and making the archive information accessible and VERY compelling to watch!! Thank you 🙂
I attended the seminar that Debi did near DC. It was an amazing experience and she shared so much of her knowledge and insight. Can't wait to see how she does at this competition. We even talked about school figures as I had to do them BITD.
Love hearing more from Shep about the mission and the process of the figures under World Fancy Org
Thanks for posting Dave, this is great – I think Shepherd's name is spelled wrong though?
This is so interesting.
What a great interview, glad to see her so passionate about the sport:)
We need figure ASMR videos.