Christmas Skating Show Music and Choreographing?

[singerskates]

As soon as my club put up the sign this week on Wednesday, I signed myself up for the show. As of now we've only 4 acts signed up. It's looking like I may have to skate 2 solo programs, maybe more than that.

Music I've chosen and have already edited and remasted are both from Amy Grant; Breath Of Heaven (Mary's Song) from Amy's 1992 Home For Christmas CD and Love Has Come from The Music of Christmas. Both are from Word Records. I've cut down Breath Of Heaven down to 3.5 minutes from the original 5 minutes by moving the first chorus to after the first verse and then moving the second verse to after the first chorus and only using the first to lines of that and then splicing on the last two lines of the third verse and then taking out the 2 and 3 chorus and then using the 4 and 5 choruses to end the piece. For Love Has Come I only had to chop the 2nd and 3rd repetions of the Chorus and end with the 4th and 5th chorus. I've made it that there were only 2 verses for each song too. I also had to play with the music levels because back in the early 90's the sound levels for Christian CD's were not very strong. Plus, certain parts needed to be boosted as well.

I've already started choreograping Breath of Heaven on the ice with my choreographer. We're only at the end of the 1st verse and I've already gone twice around the rink.

I hope I won't have to do my programs back to back. I'm going to be exhausted.

I have to find a Mary outfit at church or something but I can't have the skirt part passed my knees so I can jump. For my Love Has Come I'm going to wear my burgandy box skirt and white turtleneck with my new red Christmas sweater that has a snowman skating and other Christmasy things on it.

singerskates singnskate

[jp1andOnly]

3.5 min is a LONG time for a program. My suggestion would be to cut it a bit longer. If I were a coach looking over who was going to perform and had the option of allowing a skater to skate twice, I would probably choose a skater with 2 shorter programs. This would allow more time for others. I know only 4 acts signed up but how long is the show going to last? This might end up the clincher on who gets to skate. Think about it. ...say the show is 30 min. If you skate both your programs it takes up about 7-10 min. Thats a long time for a show.

The songs sound wonderful and I'm sure you have wonderful ideas. I know in concerts and in some skating shows religious music of any kind is not allowed because it would offend people of other religions. This is why most Christmas concerts are now known as winter/festive/holiday concerts. I think its nice when we can showcase music from all religions and backgrounds together. Makes for a more multicultural event IMO

[luna_skater]

30 min? Our shows used to last two hours. 8O

[plinko]

In our year end show last year, one of the numbers got pulled because the song had the word "pray" in it. Overtly religous themes can be touchy depending on what part of the country you're in.
Also, 3.5 minutes is a long time to watch anyone, even watching some of the seniors at Canadians make me yawn and they're doing high level stuff for 4 minutes and have been working on it for months.

[jenlyon60]

I can't remember the specifics but for my rink's holiday show, all the solo numbers were limited to like 1:40 or thereabouts, unless the skater had competed at USFS qualifying comps (Juvenile or higher) this season... in that case, they were being allowed to skate one of their qualifying comp programs.

[Mrs Redboots]

Brigitte, one of our skaters did a Mary Magdalene programme one year, and what she wore was trousers a bit like harem pants, and then loads of rather drapey matching fabric over her top half. So she could jump and spin, but still looked covered-up. Don't know if that helps.

[alexaandra]

I'm a 23 male year old skater from mexico, I've been only doing figure skating for a year, but they told me I could be in one of teh Crjistmas numbers, however I don't know if I shoul accept as I'm scared I'll look ridicoulous with all the little girls that skate better than me, It could be embarrasing....
What should I do? :?:

[jazzpants]

I'm a 23 male year old skater from mexico, I've been only doing figure skating for a year, but they told me I could be in one of teh Crjistmas numbers, however I don't know if I shoul accept as I'm scared I'll look ridicoulous with all the little girls that skate better than me, It could be embarrasing....
What should I do? :?:Pick a good program, have your coach choreograph the program, PRACTICE, do your number at the show and SMILE!!! :mrgreen: I'm sure your skating friends would appreciate your contribution to the Christmas show! :)

[Mrs Redboots]

It's well possible that what Alexaandra is being offered is a part in, quite literally, a show number, where groups of 6-16 skaters perform a routine on the ice. In which case, don't panic - it's quite probable that all you'll have to do is skate forwards to a fixed spot and stand there, being a tree or something. I was a tree in a show number once! Great fun - at least, rehearsing it was, but on the day I was far too nervous, hated it, and have never skated in a show number again! Nor will I, except to stand in at rehearsals if someone's away! That part, I love!

[Elsy2]

I'm a 23 male year old skater from mexico, I've been only doing figure skating for a year, but they told me I could be in one of teh Crjistmas numbers, however I don't know if I shoul accept as I'm scared I'll look ridicoulous with all the little girls that skate better than me, It could be embarrasing....
What should I do? :?:

Talk to whoever will be arranging your number. If it's a group number, and you have a leadership role over the little ones, it could be worth doing for the fun of it. We often have an older skater on the group numbers for the little ones to help guide them into position, etc. I think they would appreciate your help.

[Mel On Ice]

I'm skating to "Gabriel's Message" by Sting, edited down to exactly a minute. I love this song, and since I was the angel Gabriel for 3 years in a row in my grade school nativity production, I thought I'd be messenger one more time.

I'm wearing a white pull-on skirt and a sweater affectionately known as the "Hostess Snowball". The texture is similar to the fuzzy tops the girls wore in Stars on Ice a few years back. It's a silverly-pink, and quite beautiful.