Audra Lowe: We couldn’t think of anybody better for taking us around the ice than our
own Mar Jennings who if you didn’t know just happens to be a skating
champ. He’s down on the ice with Olympic champion Jo Jo Starbuck.
They both got all the right moves and last year Mar kind of escorted me
around the ice. This year he’s in the good hands of Jo Jo take it away you
guys, have fun.
Mar: (Better Lifestyle Expert) We’re at the heart of New York Rockefeller
Center and I have the pleasure to introduce a 3-time pair US champion and
2-time Olympic champion Jo Jo Starbuck welcome Jo Jo to Better it is so
great to have you here.
Jo Jo: Oh it’s great to be here with you and to meet you audience.
Mar: You look amazing what have you been doing to staying in such great
shape?
Jo Jo: Oh well chasing twin boys around.
Mar: That willd o it right.
Jo Jo: I had twins 14 years ago and I’m married and living in New Jersey and it’s
a wonderful life.
Mar: Well apparently skating is still very much part of your life, your teaching
right now, you are known for your choreography and really making a
difference to a skaters program. Now a lot has happened in skating this
days from when we skated to today.
Jo Jo: Yeah.
Mar: Tell me a little bit how choreography change evolved?
Jo Jo: Well the jumps are very demanding still as it was in the old days but they
have evolved so instead of having one or two or three triples like in our
day now a champion has to has quads and about seven triples plus the new
judging system has added a lot of complexities to the demands in a spin
you have to spin on a forward outside edge, in the back inside edge, and
the back outside edge. You have to do so many variations of everything
from your footwork to your spinning to your in between transitional
moves. It’s very complicated.
Mar: And they’re so much younger these days, I know when you first went into
the Olympics you were 16 years old. Now you have to basically start what
by 1 you have to really get out on that ice or younger and the careers are
now less because of all the jumps as well, right.
Jo Jo: Well I think so, I think the jumping has taken a toll on the body so as you
see on kids and it’s not really good. I wish there were.
Mar: I mean we had snapped like a twig right, I mean we try to keep up with
them today.
Jo Jo: I would love with limit the jumps.
Mar: More artistry because originally figure skating was about figures and
skating, but we want to make sure if you’re coming on the ice what great
tip do you have for mainly that’s retired and they want some great exercise
what do we need to know when we come on the ice.
Jo Jo: Well I adore teaching my adult recreational week beginning students and
teach them—
Mar: Of all ages?
Jo Jo: Of all ages yeah in my class right here at Rockefeller center and at to rinks
from New Jersey I have ages from 20 through 80.
Mar: Fantastic so there’s no end to being graceful on the ice and taking it in.
Jo Jo: That’s correct.
Mar: And you know we’re going to put al ink on Jo Jo, your going to be linked
on our website at BetterTV.com so check it out and thanks so much and
let’s skate into the sunset shall we.
Jo Jo: Shall we do our spin.
Mar: Oh there we go.
Audra: Thank you so much Mar and Jo Jo and of course if you guys are in New
York during the winter season skating right here at the Rockefeller Center
is definitely a must on your list.
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