he recent film The Cutting Edge may have starred
Moira Kelly and D.B. Sweeney as a prima donna pair skater and an ex-hockey
player who team up to try for Olympic glory, but on the cinematic ice, the real
stars were their skating doubles. Sharon Carz of the Los Angeles FSC, who
had placed forth at the 1991 Nationals with then-partner Doug Williams, and John
Denton of the Arctic Blases FSC, who had placed fifth at Nations in 1990 with
partner Angela Denewith, were chosen for their talent and physical resemblance
to the actors. They went on to spend several months rehearsing and filming
on location in Toronto.
"It was quite an experience," Carz
remembers. "We not only had to be an Olympic pair teams, but we had
people shooting with cameras between our feet. We had to get a triple
twist together in about four weeks. It was difficult for me because I'd
only had one partner. But John is strong. It was more timing and
consistency that we had to learn.
"At times it was almost scary," she
adds, "because of the risks involved. As pair skaters, we take risks,
but when you add all the other factors of the lights and cameras, plus a partner
you've never skated with before, well..."
Doing the film yielded some interesting benefits
for Carz, who subsequently doubled for an episode of Beverly Hills 90210.
Having turned down Denton's request to pair up threes years ago. She has
now indeed become his real-life partner, finishing ninth nationally this
year. And, she says, " Now, without having to avoid cables on the
ice, or having a camera following or doing the same thing 10 times in a
direction you're not used to skating, it's almost ridiculously simple to just
compete.
