Being Ambsextrious

[Aussie Willy]

Yes that is right. When in ice dance you learn to skate both guys and girls steps. A word my coach and I developed.

For years being a girl I learnt girls stuff. But over the last twelve months, have taken to learning the boys stuff, which my much shorter than myself female coach loves because she can be the girl which is what she is.

Anyway it is great learning exercise and have found being on the boys side is a real challenge in terms of posture, positioning and also making sure that you have the holds right. Something as a girl may be important, but you kind of take it for granted.

So anyone else here do both roles? And how do you find it and what do you get out of it?

[Ozzisk8tr]

I've done both male and female roles, and how I feel depends on who I'm with at the time. Sometimes I feel really satisfied, other times I feel dirty, and other times I'm like "Well that was a waste of time".
Oh, you're talking about skating...

[Lanie]

I have not learned the men's steps in ice dancing yet, but I don't care about it. I probably never will considering I am very short. I always had the girl roles in my all-girl dance classes because I was short, so they'd pair taller girls with me who had to dance the men's steps.

[Spazactaz]

After I started partnering I pretty much had to learn all the girls steps for 20+ dances as well. I've never been the girl while partnering though.
Basically, I just find it straining on the brain! :p It was hard enough to keep so many memorized with just the boy steps... along with all timing, etc.

[danceronice]

LOL, not for skating, but I have lead for beginner classes at studio parties sometimes, when it's something like salsa or very pre-bronze East Coast Swing, where I don't have to think too much about the footwork and I've done it a LOT. For dance, it's considered helpful to learn the opposite role, and it's absolutely necessary if you want to teach, as female pros usually have male students and vice-versa, plus if you're coaching a couple you have to be able to coach both parts.

[sk8muse]

Ambisextrious! Funny
How about Pan-gender dance? Hermaphrodice dance?
Many years ago, my son was to take some of his lower level compulsory dance tests with a female prop who injured her knee the day of testing. He wound up taking the tests with his male coach (about a foot taller than my son) dancing the female role. Funnier than sin! The judges were laughing so hard, they couldn't possibly have seen what they were "judging." And, yes, he did pass. Much to my son's relief, this was all before youtube...