Hi all!

Well, now that my hubby's studio has been dissolved not once but twice since he started with the company he works for (in two different hemispheres no less!), it looks like we are leaving Australia soon to come back to the States. I've been looking around the area of his new job, and where we have tentatively found a new apartment, and the Stamford CT Twin Rinks facility looks really nice -- I like the fact that they have adult group classes for all levels, and off ice options right at the rink. Do any of our skatingforums members skate at the Stamford Twin Rinks, and if so, could you tell me a little bit more about the rink?

I was also wondering if anyone knows if Lea Ann Miller has or has had adult students -- I would love to take lessons from her!

Thanks in advance for your help, and provided my knee behaves, I'll see you all in Dallas!

I live in the area and have skated at Stamford Twin Rinks. It is a very nice twin rink facility and has beautiful soft ice which is usually very well maintained. They have a fairly large skating school, including adult classes one evening a week. I took group classes there for a while, and the level for Adult Group classes generally tops out around the Pre-Bronze level. There is a gym above the rink (requiring separate membership) if you are interested.

While Lee Ann Miller is listed as a choreographer/coach, I have never seen her there and do not know any adult in the area who has ever taken lessons from her. Natalia Dubova has some dance teams training at Twin Rinks and she gives lessons to a few adults of all levels from time to time. Twin Rinks has a policy of having its coaches teach there exclusively (with a few exceptions) as opposed to other local rinks where coaches are free to move around. There is also more emphasis on dance at Twin Rinks than in some of the surrouding rinks and freestyle ice time is a little more expensive than at other rinks.

There are also quite alot of other rinks in the surrounding area, including another rink in Stamford, Darien, part time in Greenwich, Shelton, Katonah, NY and Brewster, NY. They are not as well publicized, and offer a different environment and coaching opportunities. There are some excellent free lance coaches at these rinks as well. You can try different rinks and see what appeals to you.

The Adult skating community in lower Fairfield county is pretty small, loosely knit, very friendly and supportive. You should be able to find what you need here, there are more ice and coaching options than many other places. Welcome in advance to Fairfield County, it is a wonderful place to live and skate!

Pm me when you get a chance and i will give you the low down on the rinks. i live central to that area. i used to skate for brewster but now skate for american academy. but i have skated at every rink in the ny/ct area you are talking about. i will give you the scoop on Katonah, westchester, the ice hutch, new roc city , twin rinks . darien , ridgefield, danbury, terry conners, palisades, brewster...etc. there are a lot of adult skaters out there you just need to kow where to look. twin rinks is nice ice but wierd policies and stuff with their coahes...they don't allow them to teach anywhere else..they don't allow outside coaches in. they live in their own little word. when is the last time you saw a skater from twin rinks (springdale figure skating club) in the top of a results sheet for adults or standard track ? hmmm can't find any? me neither. its a strange little operation. new coaches bring new students to a rink. if you take from there you are only able to set up lessons at that rink. my coach travels....so depending what suits our schedules we do lessons in brewster, ridgefield , katonah, terry conners new roc city... we live in an area wherre there is ice every day at every moment ...somewhere,,,,so come on down we'd love to have you.

Thank you both so much for your help! We ended up missing out on the Stamford house, but we were able to find something in Mamaroneck, which is not too far away, I think? Looking forward to meeting everyone and being back in the NY area!