My first show

[Mercedeslove]

and my first time skating in front of a crowd was this weekend.

Friday and Saturday went well. I was happy. I even cried Friday cause I was so happy, and the feeling of heasring the music and skating...it was just well.

Saturday was the second day and I was like okay I can do this, and I did. It was also the day all my friends and family came.

Today sucked. I was suck and well yeah female issues as well. I was so not feeling it. No matter how hard I tried I could not find that spark...or whatever and it just sucked. My finace taped it and I watched it. God I wanted to cry I looked sooooo bad.

I know it's my first time, but it was the last day and I should have been more into it. I worked hard and all. I've only been skating for eight weeks and just entered Freestyle 1, so I can't expect to be a Sasha Cohen, but still.

How do you, who have been skating longer then I have, deal with seeing yourself skate for the first time and feeling like a moron or something?

[Thin-Ice]

and my first time skating in front of a crowd was this weekend.

Friday and Saturday went well. I was happy. I even cried Friday cause I was so happy, and the feeling of heasring the music and skating...it was just well.

Saturday was the second day and I was like okay I can do this, and I did. It was also the day all my friends and family came.

Today sucked. I was suck and well yeah female issues as well. I was so not feeling it. No matter how hard I tried I could not find that spark...or whatever and it just sucked. My finace taped it and I watched it. God I wanted to cry I looked sooooo bad.

I know it's my first time, but it was the last day and I should have been more into it. I worked hard and all. I've only been skating for eight weeks and just entered Freestyle 1, so I can't expect to be a Sasha Cohen, but still.

How do you, who have been skating longer then I have, deal with seeing yourself skate for the first time and feeling like a moron or something?

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS for putting yourself out there to perform!!! I can't even imagine trying that after skating just eight weeks. I think it was more like 8 months before I even thought about competitons/performances!

I think we ALL have an image in our minds of how we look skating.. and I don't know any skater who is always happy with how they look on tape. So get used to being disappointed in how the video image is not as good as the mental image of your skating. NOW, look carefully at the video and pick one or two things you're going to focus on for the next time. Is it remembering to point your toes? Holding your head up? Making your arms look like something other than a scarecrow? Practice whatever that is EVERY SINGLE TIME you get on the ice. Then it will become automatic.. and you get to find something else to focus on the next time you perform.

And when you're looking at the tape also find one or two things you are HAPPY about. Are you always smiling? Are you right in time to the music? Do you look gorgeous in your dress? And remind yourself that no one in this sport is perfect... we all have room to improve and we will as long as we keep working at it.

The nice thing about having this tape -- even if you're not happy with it -- is the next time you perform or compete, you can compare the two and see what progress you've made!

Congratulations again and I'm so happy you had fun (at least some of the time!).

[VegasGirl]

How do you, who have been skating longer then I have, deal with seeing yourself skate for the first time and feeling like a moron or something?

With determination, determination to look better the next time and that means practice, practice, practice... and also realistic expectations, as you said yourself, you can't expect to look like Sasha Cohen... and truthfully, after only 8 weeks probably more like Deborah Gibson in her brief exposure on skating with celebrities. So if you want to compare to someone find a closer match. 8-)

[Skate@Delaware]

I will have to tell you:

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

for taking such a bold step!!! So many people skate and just can't get the nerve to skate in front of a crowd, it isn't for everyone.

I have done ice shows for three years now. I have my fair share of horror stories....one I will share:

2005 Spring Show-Down by the Bay, the synchro class did a number to In the Navy....we wore cute white tops, blue shorts, looked like sailors....ok. Well, we did ok the first night, no problem. The second night two girls were absent. Now, we had worked on this for a while and compensated in practice for their absence. So, the night of the performance, when the videographer was there taping (of course!) everyone forgot what they were supposed to do, people were in the wrong spot, and some people were making changes in the middle of the routine! Not a good idea in synchro! It sucked ROYALLY!!! We could NOT have gotten off the ice any faster than we did! Some of the people later said our routine was very "interesting" and "hard to follow" DUH!!!

So, you have good shows and bad shows, good skates and bad skates. Just cut a notch in your skates for the experience in front of a crowd and go with it! I'm proud of you!!!

[Isk8NYC]

Realize that you are NOT alone with this feeling and check out this thread (http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?p=254666).

[Mercedeslove]

Thanks everyone for your kind words of support and encouragment. As well as everything else.

I wasn't alone on the I had three other people with me in the profromance. I also notice I had a hard time keeping at the same pace speed as them. I'm long legged and about a good five inches taller then the tallest girl there and about 6 or 7 inches taller then then shortest. So I'd either be way ahead of them because of speed or behind them because I tried to slow myself down too much.

Also I noticed I seem to spin faster then them. Now two of the girls both started when I started and the other girl is freestyle 4. Would me height have something to do with this or what? I don't know if I will skate with these girls again. Not because I don't want too, but a lot can happen in a year. So if I do skate with them ever again I'd like to know.


My spins and my back spiral (though I could have held it a bit longer) were the best parts in my eyes.

Again thanks everyone, I got a week off, which I need. I'm bruised and battered. So next monday I'm really gunna work my butt off.

[gt20001]

I also competed in my first competition for the first time after just about 3.5 months and i was so nervous i think that led to my demise i didnt do as good as i could have i was in a solo competition and i was very disappointed with my performance and i was absolutely disgusted to look at the video i had to turn away for the first time ugh it looked awful but it made me more determined to work even harder for the next one two months later i am competing this friday and i feel so much more secure on the ice and i dont feel as nervous i think i just needed to get that first time out of the way i really feel like this time will be a little better ( if i can get over being sick) my program is so much better if i could just make it all the way through. Well what i am trying to say is that first performance will probably give you more determination for the next one and it will probalby go easier. Good Luck

[Mercedeslove]

Thanks...same to you. I don't think I am going to compete for a very long time. If my show didn't go good for me, I would hate to see how competeing would go for me.

Good luck and keep up all the good work.

[Sk8pdx]

... I don't think I am going to compete for a very long time. If my show didn't go good for me, I would hate to see how competeing would go for me.

Mercedeslove, I hope you won't hold off performing or competing for too long. In fact, I would encourage you to reconsider this frame of thinking. The more you compete and perform, the more you "practice" competing and performing. This will help you cope better with all the negative self talk that we speak to ourselves. It helps you to cope with how you handle your nerves and emotions etc...

I like to compete just to challenge myself. (otherwise I would keep putting off that darn change-foot spin to pass FS 3) I tell myself "so what the heck if I place last it is good practice". and besides, who in the audience is going to approach you a week from now and say "you should have held your spiral longer!" No one. No one knows but me (and maybe my coach;) ) if I miss a spin or a jump element and besides, when you perform solo, you don't have to match or synchronize with anyone. This is your hobby and your own fun.

I recently watched a video of my skating (it was in a holiday show) from about 2 1/2 years ago and watched a video of my skating from some recording I did a week ago. There is a *HUGE* difference! 8O Just keep on keepin' on! and be proud of what you have achieved!:bow:

[Thin-Ice]

I agree.... competing/performing is a skill, just like spinning or jumping. It's not the same during a lesson or practice as it is when PEOPLE (judges or audience) are watching.

I try to use every competition as a chance to perform. I think of it all as one person skates, then another, then another, then another... and after it's all over, they put a list of names on the wall.

When I first started to compete, my husband would come watch.. and afterwards he would say "Why do you do that to yourself?" (he meant it in the nicest way possible) -- and I would answer "Because the only way I know how to get better at this is to keep doing it and finding little things to improve on". At one point, I was looking for every competition/performance opportunity available (ISI/USFS/local rink show) and I averaged about 2 events per month. At the end of that six months it was kind of like "Oh yeah, today's Saturday, which rink am I going to perform in today?" It certainly helped me get over the "nerves" and when I look at those videos now, I can see the little differences from event to event.. but when I look at the first in the series and the last one.. there is a HUGE difference. I'm still not an amazing skater... but I've enjoyed the process and meeting so many different skaters and seeing so many other performances.

Remember, no matter how well or poorly you do at ANY of these events, you will still have friends and family who love you, bills to pay, job or school, chores to complete, a coach who will tell you to bend your knees more and point your toes... In other words, no matter how you do out there, the rest of your life will be unchanged. But you will be a better person because you took the challenge and met whatever goals YOU set!

[Mercedeslove]

Okay since everyone seems to think the best thing for me would to be skate in front off more crowds...I'm going to look into that. ISI has a site, but there aren't many listed. There is one in Chicago June 17th, but I'm probably to late to sign up and have no idea where I would do that. Nor do I think I have enough time to put a clean program together.

I search google but couldn't find anything...anyone here know of a site that lists all comps and stuff and how to sign up....

That would be great! Thanks ahead of time.

[VegasGirl]

There are also a couple of ISI shows in your area, though I'm pretty sure sign-ups are closed for those and don't know if they ever where open for rink non-members:

Arctic Ice Arena, Orland Park IL: Olympic Dreams 6/2/06-6/3/06
Center Ice of DuPage, Glen Ellyn IL: Tuned In 6/16/06-6/17/06

The ISI Adult Championships are in Nashville, TN this year and there's still time to sign up for those:

http://skateisi.com/HTML/event_info/Adult_Champs/index.cfm

I competed in the Adults in Vegas last year and it was soooo much fun, what a great bunch of people!!!

Other than that, check the bulletin board at your local rink and see what's posted there... and ofcourse look at the schedule in your ISI skating magazine.