New Kulik/Gordeeva skating center

[lulu]

Ilia's jumping video: Besides the jumping, Ilia also had excellent footwork and choreography (as a professional skater) as well. Katia's basic skills are nothing short of divine. I would love to take basic skating skill lessons from Ekaterina Gordeeva.

[Garden Kitty]

I wish them all the best. Ilia and Katia would be a wonderful coaching duo - each has a lovely combination of great technique and performance quality. Plus they both seem to really enjoy the sport and seem eager to share their enthusiasm for skating. That would be a very attractive combination for skaters of all ages and levels. I know Ilia has done a number of coaching seminars in the past, and the skaters have always seemed to enjoy them and found them beneficial.

[overedge]

I don't see what the big issue is with the ice size.

Yes, it is not Olympic or NHL size, but it's certainly large enough to work on most elements and to do program run-throughs.

And IME you have to be able to adjust your competitive program to any size rink and to the features of the rink you're competing in each time - e.g. where the gates in the boards are, what markings there are on the ice, what "features" of the rink you're going to use to help you in your program (like what object you're going to look at to steady yourself when you come out of a spin). So your home rink ice being smaller is not a disadvantage.

[Skittl1321]

Yes, it is not Olympic or NHL size, but it's certainly large enough to work on most elements and to do program run-throughs.

I wonder how moves and dance patterns on a small rink work.

[overedge]

I wonder how moves and dance patterns on a small rink work.

I am certainly not a high-level ice dancer by any definition but on the dances I can do, you make the lobes a LOT deeper and fit the pattern in that way.

I once competed in solo ice dance on a rink that was about 2/3 smaller than my home rink, and I think I did some of my best leaning and edges ever. Because I was desperately trying to finish the pattern before I ran into the boards

[carriecmu0503]

I don't see what the big issue is with the ice size.

Yes, it is not Olympic or NHL size, but it's certainly large enough to work on most elements and to do program run-throughs.

And IME you have to be able to adjust your competitive program to any size rink and to the features of the rink you're competing in each time - e.g. where the gates in the boards are, what markings there are on the ice, what "features" of the rink you're going to use to help you in your program (like what object you're going to look at to steady yourself when you come out of a spin). So your home rink ice being smaller is not a disadvantage.

I mean no disrespect, but have you ever skated, overedge? While it's not that big of a deal to go back and forth between Olympic and NHL size rinks (Olympic rinks are 15 feet wider) it still definitely takes a little adjusting. And that is with only a difference of 15 feet in width. With Katia and Illia's rink, you are talking about SEVENTY FEET in LENGTH! That is a HUGE difference. Yes, the rink is big enough to work on elements, but to do actual program run throughs- I don't see it. You can't just adjust to being on a rink that is 70 feet longer and remotely expect to fill out the rink. Now I wonder if that is why Liza T. was so criticized for having her whole program on only one end of the rink last year, getting almost no adequate ice coverage. I wonder if she trains on a small rink such as this in Russia?

Forget about practicing dance patterns on that surface. The whole timing of the dance would be off when trying to fit it on that short of a surface.

[lulu]

I am certainly not a high-level ice dancer by any definition but on the dances I can do, you make the lobes a LOT deeper and fit the pattern in that way.

I once competed in solo ice dance on a rink that was about 2/3 smaller than my home rink, and I think I did some of my best leaning and edges ever. Because I was desperately trying to finish the pattern before I ran into the boards

Ha! Maybe Katia & Ilia did this on purpose to give their skaters an 'edge' over the competition. But seriously, everything I'm reading about the rink sounds wonderful. I love their inclusive "skating is for everyone" philosophy, both Katia and Ilia are fantastic skaters, and they have given a lot of thought to their sport over the years, and it shows. Their students are lucky to have them.

[overedge]

I mean no disrespect, but have you ever skated, overedge? While it's not that big of a deal to go back and forth between Olympic and NHL size rinks (Olympic rinks are 15 feet wider) it still definitely takes a little adjusting. And that is with only a difference of 15 feet in width. With Katia and Illia's rink, you are talking about SEVENTY FEET in LENGTH! That is a HUGE difference. Yes, the rink is big enough to work on elements, but to do actual program run throughs- I don't see it. You can't just adjust to being on a rink that is 70 feet longer and remotely expect to fill out the rink. Now I wonder if that is why Liza T. was so criticized for having her whole program on only one end of the rink last year, getting almost no adequate ice coverage. I wonder if she trains on a small rink such as this in Russia?

Forget about practicing dance patterns on that surface. The whole timing of the dance would be off when trying to fit it on that short of a surface.

Um, yes, if you would read my post you would see that I have actually skated, and in rinks of many different sizes. And I stand by what I said. With a much smaller rink I would definitely not take a program directly into competition at a larger rink without first running through it on a comparable-size surface, but it would not be completely impossible to practice it on a smaller rink.

[carriecmu0503]

Um, yes, if you would read my post you would see that I have actually skated, and in rinks of many different sizes. And I stand by what I said.

Yeah, let's see you learn and practice the ice dance patterns on that. It may work for the lowest dances, but intermediate or upper level ones? Probably not. You'd be totally off time and/ or off pattern. And like I said, how do you expect to just adjust to a rink that is suddenly 70 ft longer and have to fill out that surface? Magic? I don't think so. It's one thing if your rink is a little smaller, like Lake Arrowhead, you just push harder and deal with it. Just pushing harder is NOT going to work when you have 70 more feet to deal with. That would totally affect a program's choreography.

[overedge]

Yeah, let's see you learn and practice the ice dance patterns on that. It may work for the lowest dances, but intermediate or upper level ones? Probably not. You'd be totally off time and/ or off pattern. And like I said, how do you expect to just adjust to a rink that is suddenly 70 ft longer and have to fill out that surface? Magic? I don't think so.

What part of "I would definitely not take a program directly into competition at a larger rink without first running through it on a comparable-size surface" did you miss?

[jjane45]

Given the amount of ice available in Southern California, I'd prefer to train at full size rinks for FS programs, dances, and MITF. Why risk shrinking a pattern to 2/3 REGULARLY when there are full size rinks around?

Everything else sounds great about the rink, and I'd love to take a stroking lesson for Katia too!!!!

[MoreIce]

I noticed Courtney Hicks in their welcome video. Interesting to see her working with them as well. The facilty does look beautiful.

[AnnM]

I don't know how I'd get through a lesson with Ilia without blushing and giggling like a teenager.

Although maybe this is the motivation I need to resume skating regularly.

[marysy]

I don't know how I'd get through a lesson with Ilia without blushing and giggling like a teenager.

Although maybe this is the motivation I need to resume skating regularly.

I feel the same about Katia! Quite honestly, I'd be happy to pay the lesson fee just to watch her practice or stroke all day...I might be too embarrassed to show her what I can (or in this case, cannot) do!

In the rink schedule, the reserved time in the evening says that Ilia is practicing for the Medal Winners Open in Japan -- how I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that!

[paskatefan]

Wonderful development for Katia & Ilia. May they have lots of success & inspire a whole new generation of skaters.

[Susan M]

Yeah, let's see you learn and practice the ice dance patterns on that.

Do they have a dance coach on staff? Maybe they aren't thinking about ice dancing yet.

IMO, ice size only starts to matter when skaters reach more advanced levels. Little kids only use half the ice anyway. Maybe they arrange for ice time elsewhere to prepare their more advanced skaters for competition.

I wonder if their longer term plans include addition of a second, full size rink. It is often a good business approach not to start to big too soon.

[misskarne]

What is the title of the book?

Just found it on the library website, it was "Skate Talk: In the words of the stars" by Steve Milton. It was published around 1998, I don't remember if Ilia was already OGM in it. It had a bunch of interviews with other skaters and stuff too, there was Toller Cranston IIRC and several others.

I don't know how I'd get through a lesson with Ilia without blushing and giggling like a teenager.

Me neither. And then he would ask me to jump and I'd be all "Yeah right! Like I'm going to show Mr Gorgeous Triple Axel my piddling waltz jumps?"

Do they have a dance coach on staff? Maybe they aren't thinking about ice dancing yet.

It seems like they are the only two coaches "on staff", but on the website it openly welcomes other coaches to the rink to pop in as long as they're accredited. Which IMO is a fabulous idea.

[AragornElessar]

He admitted to landing a quad Axel on the floor once.

I really need to get that book out of the library again and scan that page for posterity.

First off...Congratulations to Ilia and Katia for finally getting this off the ground and going. I know it's been a dream of Ilia's for a long time and I hope it's all the success he's dreaming it will be.

Second...I remember watching the then Champions Series Final coverage and they were showing Ilia backstage warming up on the floor. My Dad was ooohing and awwing over the one jump he'd just done and how impressive it had been. I turned to him and told him it was even more impressive than he thought. The last jump on the floor of Ilia's they showed? A Quad Toe.

Didn't think Dad's eyes would be going back in his head again. LOL!!!

[sandi]

Just found it on the library website, it was "Skate Talk: In the words of the stars" by Steve Milton. It was published around 1998, I don't remember if Ilia was already OGM in it. It had a bunch of interviews with other skaters and stuff too, there was Toller Cranston IIRC and several others.

Thanks for the info! Look forward to reading it! There are used copies on Amazon for less than four bucks including shipping! Definitely ordering it when I get my paycheck.

[Aussie Willy]

I mean no disrespect, but have you ever skated, overedge? While it's not that big of a deal to go back and forth between Olympic and NHL size rinks (Olympic rinks are 15 feet wider) it still definitely takes a little adjusting. And that is with only a difference of 15 feet in width. With Katia and Illia's rink, you are talking about SEVENTY FEET in LENGTH! That is a HUGE difference. Yes, the rink is big enough to work on elements, but to do actual program run throughs- I don't see it. You can't just adjust to being on a rink that is 70 feet longer and remotely expect to fill out the rink. Now I wonder if that is why Liza T. was so criticized for having her whole program on only one end of the rink last year, getting almost no adequate ice coverage. I wonder if she trains on a small rink such as this in Russia?

Forget about practicing dance patterns on that surface. The whole timing of the dance would be off when trying to fit it on that short of a surface.

Hmmm I find your attitude a bit rude.

In dance timing is timing. You skate to the beat, not the ice surface. And I agree with overedge that if you skate on a smaller rink, you make your edges deeper and work harder at it. It is what my coaches have always told me. It is not such a bad thing.

And I have seen skaters from a tiny rink (less than 1/3 Olympic size) successfully expand a program to a full ice surface. It can be done.

Anyway skating is skating. Kulik and Gordeeva probably have some of the best edges in the business. Want to get advice from the best then you will go there, not matter what the surface size is.