Hello all my skating friends,
Ok, I had decided long ago that I was NOT going to do any Holiday shows. NONE..because I'm working on my Bronze dances and don't have time to work on an artistic/show program. Well, now everyone at the rinks are talking about it and now i want to do it of course. It just doesn't seem like the holiday unless I totally stress myself out and perform in public.

Here is my thought on what I can do...and I need straight from the hip honest responses. Please, don't just tell me that it would be great. Ok, Since I'm working on my Bronze dances and am competiting the Ten Fox in a solo competition in March? Why can't I do the Ten Fox - solo - maybe with different music to make it more interesting with an intro and ending choreographed to it....Dorky or not dorky?

What do you all think?

I think it's a fine idea. 95% of the audience will have no idea that it's a compulsory dance.

We've had people Dutch Waltz in the holiday show before- to holiday music, solo or same sex partnered. This would be even more interesting than that, and give you a chance to put it out in public.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

It's a great idea - there is some music floating around the skating world that is the compulsory dances done to holiday Christmas music and you could use that!

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I think it certainly could work. My dance partner and I were in a show only a few months after teaming up. We did a "free dance" that was really just the Dutch Waltz and Canasta Tango with a choreographed intro and ending - worked great!

If I had a partner I'd have no prob doing this. It's the solo part that I'm concerned about looking dorky...

Could you make it all about the costume? Be a dancing snow man or Christmas tree or something? Kids would love it.

OH...NoooooOOOOoo, lol Not me. Not my style.

You look fine solo. Are you confident enough in the dance to do arm flourishes?

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

I think so...I guess I have to mention it to my coach and see what he thinks. But I think I can do arms.

Okay, if you're going to do a straight-up compulsory dance pattern then, I'd try to break it up with some more choreography between patterns and maybe combine it with another dance pattern as well. Compulsory dances by themselves don't look very showy, because all it looks like is laps going around in the same direction. You need to try to lay out a more interesting pattern on the ice so it's not so predictable for the audience. I think the idea can work, but I wouldn't do JUST a dance pattern.

I think it might depend a bit on what kind of environment your holiday show is. Ours is very low key- so a compulsory dance wouldn't really be out of place, and since it's a mid-level one, I think it would be more interesting than the LTS numbers at least.

If yours is a fancy, production quality one, Clarice is probably right.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

No it's not a fancy one at all. We don't even need holiday music.

Yeah- ours doesn't either. Our synchro team just does whatever our program is. One year we used Thriller for the Christmas show

Most of the kids try to use holiday music (generally without changing their program to fit it) and the LTS numbers do, but some people just skate their programs.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

When I was a teenager, we always had a little solo dance thing in our Christmas show with holiday music. We'd pick one dance from each level and usually had 4 people solo it. It was nice, since most of us who did dance were synchro skaters and didn't do freestyle, we were otherwise unable to participate in the show unless our synchro team (which was out of a different home club) was invited to skate our program.

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2010-2011 goals:
Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything

that sounds nice. but this rink doesn't do that. But it's a great idea!!

The year my DD started dance, she was asked to skate the Dutch Waltz in our ice show. I think if you did a nice intro, ending, and used some arm flourishes it would be a nice program.

Your idea gave me an idea for some bits we needed for our show number....it's a "party scene" and we didn't know what to fill it with, so we are doing some dance stuff (we are partnered up so it will look more difficult than it really is). My partner is lower level than I am and after trying it out tonight it worked great. Thanks!!!

Let us know what your coach thinks of your idea!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Thanks guys! I feel encouraged and feel that I will NOT look stooopid doing this alone. And, my main concern is NOT to look stupid or dorky. Again, I wish I really had a partner but I don't.

I will talk to my coach on Monday!!!

I think Ifound a good song. Christina Aguilera's 'Home for Christmas'. Going to try it out tomorrow.

I have a different dilemma, my "partner" in our ice show is a woman I've known for years at my rink, but she is many levels below me as far as skating goes. So I have to really stretch the choreography to incorporate her skills into the routine (most of the time both of her skates are firmly planted). So far, its going good and I'm happy to partner with her (we get along very well). But at first I was bummed out cause it meant no jumps or spins. I'm over that now and trying to be creative (I'm not a very creative person LOL).

I think you picked a beautiful song!!!!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Thanks Skate@Delaware, I have to run it past the coach first! If we lived closer I'd skate with you. I'm a Silver free skater (don't jump anymore) but can move my feet. Like shadow dancing..that was a suggestion from a friend.

Ok, my coach thinks it's a G-r-e-a-t idea along with changing the music with the beginning and end choreographed! YAY!!!

I made a mistake the song I'm thinking of is "Everybody is Home for Christmas"

Ok, The song I picked is not going to work! I have some others in mind but I have to edit it quickly. Here's my question, (maybe I should start a new thread) I have music already downloaded on my computer, how do I shorten it onto another cd? Nothing fancy, just need to shorten.

You mean cut it a bit shorter? Can your coach edit it for you? That might be the easier thing if you aren't very familiar with editing software.

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

He didn't offer but I'll ask him. I recently downloaded editing software but I must be an idiot cause I can't seem to get it to work. Seems straight forward but...I just left a message for my teenage neighbor for help. lol