My favourite pastime as a young skater was watching Worlds videos. Before there was Youtube and live streaming, we had to patiently wait for the Worlds DVDs to physically arrive in NZ soil before we could watch the competition. And once they were here, I would spend hours pouring over the DVDs and fan girling over all the amazing skaters. And to be honest, I still do! (if anyone tells these skaters that I’m this obsessed with routines from more than 10 years ago, I will kill you).
Whenever I say a name like Tanja Romano and I get a blank look back, my heart breaks a little. So I’ve come to realise that skaters these days don’t know the excitement of receiving that glorious pack of DVDs full of the World’s best routines all in 1 neat little package. You guys don’t know what you’re missing! So let me take you back in time to a world that didn’t know Rollart and there was hardly any rules. A world that thought toe stop steps in a footwork sequence was revolutionary and a world where a toe stopped axel was called a mapes. Let’s look at my favourite routines from 2000-2010!
Luca D’Alisera
If you’re only going to watch one routine, watch the 2005 short programme and listen to the screams. This guy is literally a rock star. He is known as the King for a reason!
This ICONIC purple number 2004
The Ricky Martin mashup 2005
The Olympic routine edited by Jayson Sutcliffe 2005
Here for this bronze beauty 2006
Daniel Arriola
This skater from Argentina was art on skates. There were many amazing programmes but the one that really stood out to me as a young skater was his final skate where he tells the story of his skating career. He does iconic moves from each of his most famous programmes and also tells the story of learning how to skate… he does a SINGLE WALTZ JUMP, figures, dance, and pretends to take his skates off at the end!!!! TEARS!!!
The Bird routine of 2009
His last routine, 2010:
Check out the years on his costume!!!
Luca Tocco
If anyone knew me in 2007-2009, you know how obsessed I was with the blue matador outfit. Once you watch his routines, it’s obvious why this skater does shows now. You’ll be spending a long time with Luca… I couldn’t choose just 2.
The Velvet Blue Matador outfit of 2007
The Step Up movie we didn’t know we needed 2008
The Gun Show of 2009
Tanja Romano
If you were a skater in the early 2000s and you DIDN’T have a massive poster of Tanja Romano on your bedroom wall then you’re lying. I remember seeing her at my first world championships in 2011 just walking around (her last skate was 2010) and being completely starstruck! I mean… She has 15 World titles! Who wouldn’t be!
Still obsessed with this tango 2005
The long programme dreams are made of, 2008
The last skate! 2010
I honestly could go on forever! And I haven’t even touched on free pairs, dance couples or solo dance and hardly went in on the ladies’ programmes… There’s too many amazing routines to mention!
I hope these at least get you going down a rabbit hole of artistic skating and you discover how awesome our sport is!
Lots of love,
Mac
Wanna learn how to skate? I teach classes of all ages!
Check out the North Shore Artistic Club for kids classes and my Hey Macarena Adult Classes!
