I think for me the question should be, "Does skating ever NOT make you crazy?" In all honesty, it makes me crazy but it keeps me sane, too- and I think you all probably understand that! (Needless to say, my family does NOT).

How long did it take you to get through your rink's learn-to-skate program? (ISI Alpha-Delta, Basic 1-8, Adult 1-4, etc)

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!

a few weeks ;-)

Seriously, I had been a competitive roller skater in figures and dance and so the pre-alpha-delta was basically "free" for me.

That brings me to my question:

What activity had you done before that you think best helped your skating when you started!

Hugs!
Danielle

Reading online skating forums, actually! (FSW in the old days) I do other sports as well but none skating related, but I think knowing som much about the principles and edges etc. really helped! Also: watching skating tapes.

What elements did you have in your first program (not dance)?

My first program was an ISIA FS2 program. It was 1985, and I was 14. I remember a two-foot spin, a 1/2 lutz, a 1/2 flip, and some kind of footwork/edges pattern. My music was an instrumental version of the Beatles' Yesterday. I got my first trophy in my first competition with it: Third place out of four!

What's the best thing you've ever found in a competition goody bag?

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

Oops. POsted at the same time. Here's my answer to Black Sheep:

Best thing I ever found in a goody back was a pair of black gloves. Very useful.

Question: why did you put together your first program? Was it for a test, competition, exhibition, just for fun?

That's what I've got except it's called 'MX5' over here Great aren't they .... apart from only being able to fit one other person in

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The best whisper is a click

No, it was for my Prelim Free test. It started out as Toccata and Fugue and morphed into the them tune from Angel (well, not exactly morphed, changed completely actually!).


When can you tell that your blades are getting blunt (I just 'know' but can't pinpoint HOW I know .....)?

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The best whisper is a click

Depends what I'm working on! Right now, for example, I'm working mainly on the Tango, and when I do the back outside edges into the cross-behinds, as well as the deep LFO into the cross 3, my blades start to skid when they're really dull. I notcied them doing it this afternoon, so I need to try to remember to leave them at the rink to be sharpened on Wednesday.

About how often do you get your skates sharpened? I usually get mine done every 3 or 4 weeks, but in the summer when I'm skating more I like to have them done every other week. I'm weird that way, LOL.

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!

I get mine sharpned every 3 to 4 weeks. I have found if I let it go to when they get dull, they go all of a sudden. One minute I can hold an edge and the next minute I am slip sliding all over the ice.

How long does it take you to get warmed up on the ice. It takes me about 20 minutes to get my rebuilt knee up to speed.

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

On Ice? Not that long. Usually 3-4 minutes stroking excerises.
Off Ice right before my ice session- 20 minutes at least. That is when i stretch, jump rope, etc.

Where you/Are you going to be in a holiday show this winter?

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~Sk8Bunny~
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"I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?"

Yes, I participated in a group program to March of the Wooden Soldier with other adults from my club. It was sort of a synchro number (when we were in synch that is)

Have you done anything recently (or not so recently) that you suprised yourself by being able to do? I just did a catch-foot spin the other day after years of not being able to find my foot nevermind grab the blade.

Coming back to skating after NOT skating properly for nearly 18 months I was stunned and shocked to be able to do a BACKSPIN and a CAMEL SPIN!!! Those that know me from before will remember my trials and tribulations with these spawn of satan's moves!


What pressie will you be giving your coach for Christmas?

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The best whisper is a click

Bottle of red wine. He wouldn't thank me for anything else!

How long a break are you having over Christmas, or aren't you?

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

2 weeks off from school, and probably only christmas eve and day off from skating. there is a chacne, however, that i will be made to take a 4 day break from skating. i dont want to, but you know how parents can be..... lol

Is your rink decorated for the holidays?

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~Sk8Bunny~
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"I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?"

There are some decorations up, yeah - things like fairy lights. I didn't see that much decoration though. But they might have put up more since I was there last week.

If you go skating with a friend/family member who's not a skater, what "wow" move do you show them?

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"It’s never too late to skate at any age." - Alexei Mishin.

i don't show them anything usually, unless they ask me to show them something...but all my friends and family skate now......

same question as icenut84

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Waffles & Vodka

Breakfast of Champions

Depends what I'm working on. The only such person I ever go skating with is my mom, and she only sees me skate every few months, so I just show her whatever I think has improved most since she saw me skate last. Or, if I've had extra lessons with another coach, I might show her something they taught me, or something one of my friends taught me. I don't do singles anymore, so I don't have any flashy "wow!" moves to impress people on public skate. Actually, that's not quite true. I can hydroblade- to the *untrained* eye it probably looks good.

Do you get your competitions on videotape, either by a friend/familiy member or the professional videographers?

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!

I buy one copy of the video from the professional. The quality is much better.

What type of music do you like to listen to while skating?

anything as long as it's not the music that this lady put on yesterday...it was opera i usually don't care but it was giving me a killer head ache and sounded awful out on the ice....


Do you like to watch videos of you skating??

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Waffles & Vodka

Breakfast of Champions

Yes, but only because it's like a train wreck. It's so gruesome, it's fascinating!

Were you pleased or appalled the first time you saw a video of yourself skating? I, of course, was appalled. I kept wondering, "Who is that little stick figure out there, with the legs that don't bend??"

i thought the same thing when i first watched my self skate!! i hated it!

Do you have a favorite competition you like to go to or to watch?

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Waffles & Vodka

Breakfast of Champions

Lake Placid Dance! That's like the most fun competition. I competed there in 1997 with my partner, and I've done solo dance the last three years. The competition is incredibly stiff since there aren't any restrictions - I skated Novice two years ago and the girl who won my group had passed her Golds- but it's so, so fun!

How many skaters were in your group the first time you competed?

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!

wow i just realized something...the first time i skated singles it was just me and this other girl....and i forgot the end of my program and got second...the first time i competed(solo) Dance it was just me and one other girl and i got nervous and almost went to go start when the the msic started, instead of waiting for the intro to be done....yeah i was a full beat ahead of the music,got second there too...hmmm i thinki see a pattern

Same Question as CanAmSk8ter...

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Waffles & Vodka

Breakfast of Champions

In my first competition, I was the only skater in Ladies Bronze. Mercifully, they didn't cancel my event.

Does your local news media (tv, newspaper, whatever)ever cover local figure skating? Do they do it as a "human interest" angle? Our local media have all but ignored the local skating clubs, but my club has a PR person who has been busting his butt to try to get local coverage. He was finally successful.

We have two major training centers in our area, so before big events (Nats, Worlds, Olympics) there are usually a few articles in the local paper about local skaters who are going. Before the last Olympics there was a special insert in the Sunday paper in January about all the athletes training in the state who were going, and about half were figure skaters. Occasionally we have an article about a local "kid" who's not really an elite competitor yet, but not very often b/c we have so many elites.

Are you asking for anything skating-related for the holidays, and if so, what?

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!