WHAT DISCIPLINE DO YOU SKATE, AND FOR WHAT REASON DO YOU DO IT?

[FSWer]

Say,what some of you guys told me about why you Ice-Dance or just Skate on my other thread encouraged me to post this. What I want you to tell me today is....What Discipline do you do,and for what reason do you do it? Also,if you are taking lessons in a Discipline like me,please specify if you are taking them to compete,fun,or both. If you do more then one Discipline,please specify for all. Please also mark all that apply.For me....I am taking Ice-Dance Lessons for fun AND to compete!!!

 

[Yazmeen]

Ice dancing for fun, no partner. Please remember that not all ice dancing is done with partners. There are also solo dance lessons and competitions. Don't leave out the ice dancers who don't have partners!

 

[Shyjosie]

Wow FSWer, that's quite a lot of options to choose from!
I'm taking lessons for fun. I only casted free style, because it's what I predominantly do. My lessons are devided between real free style with jumps and spins, and Moves in the Field, which means elements with edges, spirals, three turns, twizzles...
Yazmeen is right: if you want the ice dancers on here to submit their vote, you should include solo ice dance. Most recreational ice dancers of our age skate solo, I suggest.
...and I really hope that no one skates without "fun"!
ETA: some people who skate won't specify a discipline because for the first years of pactice you do the basics which are the same for everyone (edges, one-foot-gliding, three turns...). Most people who choose not to do jumps and spins will merely do moves in the field. Ice dancing is something people start with when they already have at least the basic skills taught for free style and/or moves in the field.

 

[treesprite]

The choices make it sound like competing isn't for fun. Competing is part of the fun of skating, for people who like to compete. Some people do show skating instead of competing, and some people compete only because there aren't enough shows to do more show skating.

I do (or try to do) freestyle skating. I do it for fun and for exercise. I don't plan on competing in the future. However, I might do programs in rink shows, since they can be short enough to not cause asthma attacks.

 

[Clarice]

I take lessons in ice dancing, although I still do freestyle for group numbers in shows sometimes. Right now, I'm doing solo dance and planning to compete in that, although I also take lessons with a partner so that I can take tests. My partner is not "my" partner - he's a coach who works with lots of skaters on their partnering skills. If I found another partner the right level, I would compete in partnered dance again, but for now solo is fine. It's all fun, but I think I like passing tests best, because meeting those goals shows me how much I've improved.

 

[overedge]

@FSWer as @Shyjosie says, the basic skills of skating - forward and backward stroking, edges, turns - are the same in every kind of skating. So someone could be taking lessons to learn those skills, or practicing those skills, without being an ice dancer OR a free skater. They're just a skater.

Also, especially for adults, skating competitively and skating for fun are not that different. Working on a program for a competition is fun. Working on a move that you want to do better is fun.

And some skaters would like to compete, but there aren't any competitions that fit their schedule or their budget.