? for Chicago area skaters

[backspin]

Who would you say is the best ice dance coach in the Chicago area? (make it a broad area--say, within 2 hours or so)

[SkateGuard]

I don't really like the idea of identifying the "best" coach in a certain area. We have many coaches who teach dance, and it depends on a lot of factors:

Is the skater male or female? Or is it solo dance?
Where in the area? There are a couple of coaches I like that teach in the city, and a couple in the north burbs, but I don't know anyone in the southern area.
What level--beginning or advanced? Adult or standard?

There are a couple of coaches I don't like--I watch them drag girls through preliminary and pre-bronze tests, and I wonder if they are really learning the technique. I would really recommend going to a test session in the area (summer is approaching, so there will be tons), and looking at how the different coaches handle the skaters at different levels. I'll be on a lot of those sessions--I'm trying to finish my pre-bronze, pass my bronze, my pre-juv and silver moves by next year US AN's. Right now, it's the swing dance every 28 days until I pass.

I don't think anyone can name the "best" coach in anything. It all depends on the relationship between coach and athlete. I have seen good skaters flounder with excellent coaches because the skater-coach relationship isn't working, and I have seen skaters flourish with a coach who is considered not very good because the relationship is so strong.

I love my coach to pieces, and she does all three for me: freestyle, moves, and dance, plus figures (and she can coach pairs and synch). If I meet an adult skater who is new to the north burbs, I tell them to talk to her because she is the most knowledgeable when it comes to adult skating. She had a student take the entire moves sequence in a short period of time, and she passed all but gold on the first try (is that right Cinderella?), but passed 28 days later. And if she can't coach you, she has so many friends in the area that she can find someone appropriate.

But you need to do the legwork to find a coach appropriate for the skater.

Erin

[icecat]

There are quite a few good ice dnce coaches in the area, and it really depends n what you are looking for in regard to being competitive, etc. You should look at results...who have they coached to what level, watch their technique, set up meeting and maybe a test lesson. We all have personal favorites, of course, mine are Christopher Hyland and Oleg Epstein. Chris was my daughter's coach for years until we moved out to Boston so her partner could attend college.His technique is excellent and his choreography creative. He puts his heart into his coaching.My daughter just returned to Chicago recently to take her Senior moves, (she passed every moves test on the first try)since she had taken all of her other tests in her home club.He brought them to Nationals and sent them to International competition. Since training in Boston, they have gone on to medal at Nationals in Novice be members of Team USA with International assignment, and return to Nationals at Junior. THis will be their 5th season together.He is currently coaching Christian Wilson, another National competitor. Oleg had previously coached Melissa Gregory and Dennis Petuchov before they moved to Morozov. So it really depends whatyou are looking for, and where; other coaches include Jeremy Leib, Roz Druce Evanson, Julie Pounder , Robert and Richard Peal, Marcie Little, and Lizzie Hill. Good Luck, I love Boston, but really miss Chicago!

[backspin]

thank you icecat, that's very helpful. I will be doing a lot more research, I'm just looking for a place to start.

[SkateGuard]

icecat, I just wanted to say that I have been cheering for your daughter for a few years and hope many well wishes for her and her partner's continued success.

I also highly recommend Chris Hyland. He's a friend of my coach and one of the people my coach is using to find me a partner. Along with his success in the standard track, he has attended several Adult Nationals and has a national champion adult team. (They won pre-bronze in 2003; I think they medalled in bronze this year.) He also got in the spirit of AN's, playing Papa Henjie to a wonderful Sonia interp this year. While lots of these coaches are very talented, we do have a problem in Chicago about coaches who don't understand the difference between kids and adults. (And no, I'm not going into specifics; it's not worth it, and I don't know all the coaches on icecat's list.) I know there isn't as much of a difference in dance as in freestyle and moves, but personally, I would prefer a coach who knows the difference between teaching an adult and teaching a kid.

Erin
who is going skating tomorrow for the first time since AN's. Hooray!

[backspin]

To tell you the truth, I want a coach who'll coach me more like a kid than an adult. I don't really consider myself an adult skater, even though technically I am one...... :??

[techskater]

I think what Skateguard is saying is that her coach is very good at adapting her teaching style to what is appropriate for the skater (good at teaching adults). Many kid coaches expect the kid to adapt to their style...

[SkateGuard]

Actually, I was referring to the idea that there is a difference with test structure, competitions, moves, etc. I have talked to a lot of adult skaters who struggle with moves because their coach doesn't even know the difference between pre-bronze and bronze.

Also, my coach knows what you need to be able to do if you are in champ gold, for example.

The thing that I love about my coach is that she treats all of us (kids, adults, exceptional) skaters the same, regardless.

Erin

[Cinderella]

I shouldn't be posting here because I know nothing about dance coaches (the original thread), but I just HAVE to take a moment to brag on our mutual coach (she teaches techskater, skateguard, and me, among others).

One of the things I like about her is that she is always ready to take you to the next level -- before you're even aware that you are ready to go there. Skating is never boring; she is always presenting challenges.

AND she is wicked fun. :bow: