The "waist down" thing is really interesting, because it makes a difference between looking like you are skating "on top" of the ice as oppossed to skating "deep down" into the ice...the latter being the more desirable appearance.

Skating on top of the ice renders a "stiff" appearance, because the skater isn't comfortable, constantly trying to retain their balance, skating waist up with awkward shoulders, arms, hands...

Skating deep down into the ice gives a very relaxed appearance, because when you are getting deeper into the ice you are pushing off against the ice, and as a result have to exert less effort to get more glide. This gives a very "confident" appearance where the skater's core is stable, knees are bent, ankles are supple. In this instance the upper body just goes along for the ride with nice straight relaxed arms and very natural looking hands.

"I usually tell people when I'm chorepgraphing that they need to think of energy as electricity and that it flows through the path with the least resistance. A flexed wrist or zombie hands trap the energy instead of letting it flow out of the fingertips. Thinking this way usually improves line and extension in all limbs because it generally leads to straight free legs and pointed toes."

Quarkiki2 - that's how I've been taught, the path of energy. It's all about lines and the flow of movement. A skater can have the same exact body position, and a change in the hand can change the feeling or audience's perception of the element. I've always told my kids to skate to the end of their fingers and toes!

Classical dancers - how were you taught?

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