- the perfect spin

Once the skater is accomplished, the thing about spins is this: they allow a subtle expression of artistic creation, a certain mixture of the psychic atmosphere, a twisting dynamic artisanship of grab and release, inward pull and outward explosive color, as the arms and hands trace colored space sculptures and both extend and trellis, making vortexes that twirl and grow at the same time that they are being created, taking the two dimensions of torque and angular position and adding the third dimension of movement across time, and the fourth dimension of the trail itself of what has been.

- fingers

So what's the deal with the fingers? I realize when you are learning to skate that balance, legs, and feet are all that is on your mind, and shortly after that is what to do (and when) with your arms, but once you start competing it's time to think more about your presentation.

I have no problem if you watch old videos of the top skaters to see what they did with their fingers, but my general guide is to have graceful feathery fingers if you are a lady, and classy fingers if you are a guy.

Feathery fingers? Keep your middle two fingers together, and relax the other fingers. You don't have to remain frozen with those hands, but that is the general idea. Classy fingers? Fingers together with your thumb held back, like you're helping milady up into her carriage, or doing a bowing and sweeping introduction.

It's probably not in the top 5 important things about skating, but appropriate fingers do show your polish.