The charlotte (pronounced shar-lot), also known as the candle stick, is a figure skating spiral. The skater bends forward and glides on one leg with the other one lifted into the air. The skater's torso is upright, but during the charlotte, the skater's torso is as close to the grounded foot as possible. When performed well, the skater's legs are almost in a straight vertical split position. The charlotte requires great flexibility and balance.
A charlotte can be performed either forward or backward. It is usually performed backwards, although some skaters have performed it forwards in competition.
The charlotte is named for German skater Charlotte Oelschlagel, who first performed the move in the early 1900s. Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen are generally credited as bringing the move back into popularity during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The position is rarely performed by men, notable exceptions being Rohene Ward and a few others.
Famous quotes containing the words charlotte and/or spiral:
“Last night, party at Lansdowne-House. Tonight, party at Lady Charlotte Greville’s—deplorable waste of time, and something of temper. Nothing imparted—nothing acquired—talking without ideas—if any thing like thought in my mind, it was not on the subjects on which we were gabbling. Heigho!—and in this way half London pass what is called life.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)
“Year after year beheld the silent toil
That spread his lustrous coil;
Still as the spiral grew,
He left the past year’s dwelling for the new,
Stole with soft step its shining archway through,
Built up its idle door,
Stretched in his last-found home, and knew the old no more.”
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–1894)