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A Besti squat is a figure skating move. It is similar to the spread eagle in that the skater travels along an edge with both skates on the ice, the toes turned out to the sides and the heels facing each other. The knees are bent outwards into a squatting position with the thighs held parallel to the ice and the torso kept upright. In ballet terminology, it is a plié with the feet in second position.

The move is unofficially named after Natalia Bestemianova, who performed the move repeatedly in her 1988 free dance with Andrei Bukin.

References

• "Glossary: Turns and Glides". Figure Skating Journal. Archived from the original on February 22, 2009. Besti Squat: A novel variation on the spread eagle, the Besti squat was named after Natalia Bestemianova, who won the 1988 Olympic ice dance gold medal with her partner, Andrei Boukine, of the former Soviet Union. The movement may be performed on the flat of the blade or either edge. The knees are deeply bent and turned out, creating a squatting spread eagle. Like a traditional spread eagle, turn out should originate at the hips. The torso remains upright or may tilt or bend as desired for artistic effect.

1. Smolowe, Jill (March 7, 1988). "Figure Skating: Katarina Witt took her golden place". Time. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012.
2. Kisselgoff, Anna (February 25, 1988). "'88 Winter Olympics; Ice Dancing: Taking a Step Backward". The New York Times.

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