Nagano 1998: Olympic Insider

ICE DANCING SKATING TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT?

Pasha Grishuk, 25, and Evgeny Platov, 30, have won all the competitions they have entered--21 in all--since capturing the Olympic gold medal in ice dancing at Lillehammer in 1994. What sets the Russians apart from most rivals in the sport--a combination of ballroom dancing and skating--is not only their innovative choreography but also their breathtaking speed. Grishuk, an aspiring actress who has changed her first name from Oksana to avoid confusion with singles skater Oksana Baiul, is particularly admired for her quick, clean-edge turns known as "twizzles." The high technical difficulty of the pair's...

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