UPDATES ON MY DREAM TO LEARN TO ICE-DANCE...WISH ME LUCK!!

[Shyjosie]

Being on a budget is the normal thing, while being rich is rather the exception. Figure skating is as expensive as many other sports where students need a coach and membership in a club. It's hard when you have to realize that what you've always loved to do is not longer affordable. I think, when a skater is really a hopeful and far advanced and talented, coaches and parents will find a way of funding. But most skaters don't get that far, and their training is considered a spare time activity they have to take care of by themselves. So, sadly, some have to stop taking lessons (which doesn't mean they have to stop altogether and don't skate at all anymore, it's just cutting the costs).
Consider, many people never get any opportunity at all to even try a sport like figure skating, or ballet, or horse riding, you name it, it's the dream of so many children and only those whose parents can afford it are fortunate to try it.

 

[LilJen]

@FSWer I think what @LilJen meant is that the skaters had less money than they did before, and many of them had other bills to pay. So to be able to pay those bills they had to spend less on skating, or quit skating altogether. It wasn't that someone forced them to stop skating, as in someone telling them they couldn't skate anymore. But they chose to skate less or not at all because their income dropped and they couldn't afford to pay for it.

Precisely. This was simply an amateur synchro team, everyone doing it just for fun. And without the same amount of disposable income, well, who can pay for ice time, coaching, costumes, travel, etc?

 

[Yazmeen]

FSWer, skaters also may back off from competitive skating and skating full-time when they reach a point where they they aren't moving up in their division or getting the higher results and placements they want. Or they decide its time to move onto something else like college or a career outside of skating. Many just reach a point where they decide they would be better off concentrating on other things and not spending so much money on skating. I have 2 friends who were former pairs skaters and lost their partners and stopped competing because of both the expense and their inability to find new partners that worked for them. (Partner switching and breakups happen all the time in skating). They both still skate and coach. Skating is an expensive sport - not everyone gets to be a Michelle Kwan or Virtue/Moir who has sponsorships and endorsements to help pay for their skating. Most skaters do not achieve those levels but they do what they can afford to do and enjoy skating just the same.

 

[FSWer]

Being on a budget is the normal thing, while being rich is rather the exception. Figure skating is as expensive as many other sports where students need a coach and membership in a club. It's hard when you have to realize that what you've always loved to do is not longer affordable. I think, when a skater is really a hopeful and far advanced and talented, coaches and parents will find a way of funding. But most skaters don't get that far, and their training is considered a spare time activity they have to take care of by themselves. So, sadly, some have to stop taking lessons (which doesn't mean they have to stop altogether and don't skate at all anymore, it's just cutting the costs).
Consider, many people never get any opportunity at all to even try a sport like figure skating, or ballet, or horse riding, you name it, it's the dream of so many children and only those whose parents can afford it are fortunate to try it.

I just sometimes wonder when I watch Skaters on TV. Or even meet Skaters at the Nutmeg Games,how they do it these days. It doesn't even look like they have problems. It seems like they're exempt. BTW. (and you all don't have to tell me if you don't want to. As it's not always safe to say on a Board. But,if any of you DO feel safe enough at giving your name...You ALL have helped me out almost 100%,and I would just LOVE to know who to thank.

 

[overedge]

@FSWer skating is so expensive, especially when skaters are competing nationally and internationally, that every skater will have money problems at some point. Or their parents will.

Skaters might look like they don't have money problems, but the problems usually happen at home or away from the rink. A lot of parents have more than one job to pay for their kids' skating. Or they might decide not to buy something new and make do with what they have, or choose not to do something (like, say, go on vacation) so they can use that money for skating instead.

 

[FSWer]

I have always wondered about that too Overedge. What you REALLY need to be doing the days to support yourself as a Skater (Rec. or Competitive). OR to even support your KID as a Competitor. If you have to be doing,like you have to be doing to pay the Rent these days (working at ESPN. OR a Hospital as a Doctor). Or just making good money. Gee....it feels so GREAT to be ABLE to tell you guys things like this,like I'm telling someone I actually know!! I go to train with my new Couch on June,17th. If there's a Public Skate.

 

[overedge]

@FSWer what you have to do to support yourself as a skater - or if you're a parent who's supporting a skater - really depends on the type of skating the skater is doing. It can also depend on how much you're willing to pay.

It isn't as expensive to support a skater in a learn-to-skate program as it is to support a skater who is competing nationally or internationally. But even a learn-to-skate program can be expensive if the skater or their parents need to buy things like warm clothes to wear to the rink, a helmet, or skates.

For skaters that compete, there are ways for them or their parents to save money. Like buying a used skating outfit instead of having one custom-made by a tailor. Or by not doing as much off-ice training. But even if skaters can save money on things like that, there are still very expensive things that they need to compete, like coaching, ice time, music editing, travel, and competition entry fees.

Some parents or skaters make a budget and decide the highest amount of money that they're willing to pay for skating. And then they decide what they're going to pay for within that amount. Other parents or skaters spend whatever they think they have to spend, and look for ways to bring in more money - like taking second or third jobs, or cutting back on what they spend on other things.

 

[FSWer]

@FSWer what you have to do to support yourself as a skater - or if you're a parent who's supporting a skater - really depends on the type of skating the skater is doing. It can also depend on how much you're willing to pay.

It isn't as expensive to support a skater in a learn-to-skate program as it is to support a skater who is competing nationally or internationally. But even a learn-to-skate program can be expensive if the skater or their parents need to buy things like warm clothes to wear to the rink, a helmet, or skates.

For skaters that compete, there are ways for them or their parents to save money. Like buying a used skating outfit instead of having one custom-made by a tailor. Or by not doing as much off-ice training. But even if skaters can save money on things like that, there are still very expensive things that they need to compete, like coaching, ice time, music editing, travel, and competition entry fees.

Some parents or skaters make a budget and decide the highest amount of money that they're willing to pay for skating. And then they decide what they're going to pay for within that amount. Other parents or skaters spend whatever they think they have to spend, and look for ways to bring in more money - like taking second or third jobs, or cutting back on what they spend on other things.

Don't you have enough people on your side too? Not just support yourself? BTW. I understand it will take me a while to learn to Ice-Dance. But I was wondering how long it will take me to at least begin to learn holds,and show Nick and my other coach what I can naturaly do?

 

[overedge]

@FSWer you don't usually get to work on holds until it is safe for you to skate with a partner. And that means being able to skate well on your own and having good basic skating skills.

It can be frustrating to not get to do things you think you are ready to do. But it is part of your coach's job to make sure that their skaters are not trying things that could hurt them or other skaters. Skating as a couple can be very dangerous for both skaters. You are skating very close to each other and moving quickly, and it's very easy for one partner to make a mistake and hurt themselves and their partner as well.

It takes every skater a different length of time to be ready to do a hold and skate safely with a partner. How long it takes depends on how often they practice and how quickly they learn. But no skater gets to skate with a partner until they can skate well on their own.

So if Nick or another coach is not yet teaching you holds, even if you have tried them on your own, it's because they want you to have strong basic skating skills before you try something that could be more dangerous.

 

[Yazmeen]

FSWer, I agree with overedge and want to emphasize the importance of learning to skate first before you are even considered for finding a partner. You must be comfortable skating forwards and backwards, including one-footed skating in both directions and must skate good inside and outside edges, again on one foot, both forward and backward. You must be able to stop easily and also do turns on one foot like 3-turns, or change easily turning forward to backward by switching feet (Mohawks). And these are just the most basic skills, you'd really need much more than this, including being able to do basic pattern dances on your own before you get a partner.

Just because you can do a hold with someone doesn't mean you will be able to ice dance. In a partnership, both skaters must have similar skating abilities so that they can move together easily and perform the same moves. One partner cannot do all the work and skills and just bring the other one along. That will not work and as overedge pointed out, could be dangerous and hurt you, your partner, or both of you.

At this point your need to work on your own skating and become the best skater you can be. That way, if you do get a partner sometime in the future, you'll be a skilled skater who can then be a safe and good partner with another skater.

 

[FSWer]

LOL.,you WOULD need a Partner to DO Holds.

 

[Clarice]

You usually learn the holds with your coach acting as your partner.

 

[FSWer]

...and a coach checks you out on how well you do holds with at least them,right?

 

[Clarice]

Yep, that's how it usually works!

 

[FSWer]

Oh..you guys are sooooooo COOL!!!

 

[Yazmeen]

Yes, your coach can teach you how to do holds. But holds are only a small part of ice dancing. And again, you must learn good skating skills on your own before you learn holds and before your coach can even consider a partner for you. I hope you understand what several of us are trying to say to you. Right now, it is most important for you to learn your basics and become the best skater you can be. Partners and all that goes with partnering, including holds, comes later. Learning to skate comes first. I know getting a partner is very important to you. But I also believe you would want to be a good partner with anyone you would skate with, and that starts with learning basic skating and becoming a good skater yourself.

 

[overedge]

@FSWer there is a very big difference between doing a hold while standing still, and doing a hold and then skating with your partner in that hold - even if the skating you are doing is just basic stroking.

You are skating right next to your partner, so you can't see all of what your partner is doing, which is kind of scary. And you also have to figure out how to coordinate your movements - like, you don't want to be extending your free leg if your partner is slightly behind you, because then you might kick them.

You also have to move at the same speed and stay close to each other, otherwise you can't maintain the hold. That is a lot harder than it looks. You would be surprised how difficult it is to keep the hold when you and your partner are moving, even if you can do the hold very well when you're standing still.

And this is just for basic stroking. It's even harder to do all these things well when you and your partner are doing a compulsory dance (pattern dance), where you are doing steps like three-turns or mohawks, and doing the steps in time to music.

This is why your coach wants you to have good basic skating skills on your own before teaching you how to skate with a partner. If you don't have good control of your body position and your skating speed, even doing something simple like stroking with a partner could be very dangerous for both of you.

 

[FSWer]

Well,I go tomorrow...so wish me luck. I understand very well what your saying. I must admit I feel really conferdent with myself when I have tried it with a skater.

 

[misskarne]

I hope you have a great time tomorrow!

 

[FSWer]

I hope you have a great time tomorrow!

HEY!!! You got me RIGHT to were I need to be today!!! Because here is my report from my lesson for today. First I must say that I just found out that I am in good hands with the girl who is my 2nd coach. As she was one of Nick's students. He will be back in Aug. For today though, I must say that the girl worked with me on using both feet,Swizzles,standing on 1 foot, (and about why my feet slide back when I lift my foot. I'm putting my foot back) and a little bit of walking backward, to get me ready for when I learn to skate Backward. She also explained a little bit about Ice-Dancing to me,and said that there ARE some jumps in it. She also actually said that I did well today!! BTW. I was wondering if anyone here knows the answer to this. I was watching Freestyle Skating after my lesson,and a mother of one of the Skaters sat down next to me,and I asked her what Level her her Daughter (one of the Skaters that was on the Ice) was,and she wasn't really sure. She said she calls her Daughter a Freestyle. BUT that the Coach calls her a High Beginner. Can anyone help me understand the difference? What is Freestyle VS. High Beginner?

 

[Sylvia]

Glad to hear you had a productive lesson with your new coach, FSWer!

High Beginner is a beginning level of Freestyle (also known as Free Skating). The different levels of competition are published in the competition announcement for the Nutmeg State Games: https://nutmegstategames.org/images/docs/Announcement3.pdf
Page 5 has a chart that illustrates the Singles Free Skating events. Basic Skills events are the lowest level in this competition and then come the Introductory event levels of "Beginner" and "High Beginner."

 

[FSWer]

So,it's just on the verge of becoming a Freestyler?

 

[gkelly]

Yes, that's a good way to think of it.

 

[overedge]

So,it's just on the verge of becoming a Freestyler?

High Beginner is a level of Freeskate, so someone who is a High Beginner is a freeskater.

 

[FSWer]

Hi again my Sweethearts!! I just got back from Newington Arena this afternoon,and I must say it was a GREAT TRAIN today!!! I got to watch the Freestyle sesion before Public Skate started. I got my Skates on in the Stands,and got ready to get on the Ice. I skated around for a bit My girl Coach came a little bit after,and we started my training. She worked with me on Swizzles,my 1-Foot Glide,balancing on 1-Foot from the wall. As well as checking me out on gliding on 1-Foot while holding onto her hand. LOL., I also toyed with her a bit,with dancing with her to music,and she said it was great. She also said today that I am inproving!!!! Nick my first coach was there too. But to only Skate. At the end of my lesson,I practiced a bit of skating backward on my own,as well as even got the chance to ask another Public Skater to skate with me,and tried my 1-Foot with HER...and she complimented me!!!! After I got off the Ice...I watch some more Freestyle until my Staff came to get me.

 

[Clarice]

That's great! I'm glad you had such a good lesson!

 

[Kecasyl]

Way to go @FSWer! Keep up the great work!

 

[FSWer]

Thanks everyone....AND.....THANKS for all of your support!!!

 

[ioana]

Glad you were able to have a good lesson @FSWer. Sounds like you're making some good progress with your basic skills so you're definitely on the right track. Fingers crossed you are able to figure out a good time to keep having lessons -or at least keep skating on your own.

 

[FSWer]

HEEEEEEEEEY!!!! I'm glad to be able to feel so...SAFE with you guys...AND be able to share my life with you...ALL!!! It's like you ALL are training me!!!