This is a variation on the theme common to many of us! The common theme is how not to look tentative and scared even though you're shaking in your boots, and a board search provided many suggestions for that (which I have carefully filed for the next test level which is scary for me). Problem is, my issue is how not to look tentative and scared when you're *not*! (I can do plenty scared without any help! )

I'm testing the Swing dance with coach in a week or so, and love doing it. When coach partners me, she says I feel confident and secure on my edges and push plenty hard enough for the level of this test. (Not that all of those things can't be improved!!)

At the last test I passed, the judges said that while I was technically correct, I was tentative and was going to have to be more confident and strong and not be pushed/led around by coach. At the time, coach was somewhat surprised at the comment since to her I had felt reasonably confident and she didn't feel that she had pushed or led me round. Anyway, we thought we'd better address it for this test.

Because she can't see me when she's partnering me, she asked DH to watch us from where the judges stand. DH watched and said it looked good (legs matched, pattern and timing correct etc), but that I looked "tentative". Grrr!!! When we asked what I need to alter to look more confident (since I really didn't feel tentative or scared at all), he couldn't really tell us. But obviously the "tentative" presentation is still a live issue...

Any suggestions??

This is an on-going theme with me...when I skate my pattern (pre-bronze) my coach says I look "tentative" and unsure as well. She says I need to appear confident and secure, like I OWN the ice (almost in a Diva-sort of way).

She did suggest that I raise my head a bit more (chin up) and push my shoulders back so my posture is better to present more, as well as really extend my legs. That was her advice to me, it may or may not work for you.

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

Believe me, it's an ongoing theme with a LOT of people!!

It's hugely to do with posture, and free leg extension (at least in dance). If everything is stretched to the utmost, help strongly, head up, shoulders down, back straight, then you look more confident and strong.

If your free leg is bent or relaxed, or even held very low to the ice, if you're looking down, back rounded, shoulders up or forward, you will look scared and tentative, whether you feel that way or not.

^ Sounds like great advice! To that, I might add, it's going to be pretty hard for any judge to say you look tentative if you keep a big grin on your face the whole time!

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

This will sound silly, but are you a guy? If so, it may be a "lead" issue--even if you're doing the dance correctly, it may look as if the female coach is "leading," since she presumably is stronger in the dance. No idea how you would fix that though!

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You miss 100% of the shots you never take.--Wayne Gretzky

Maybe if you consciously try to project "aggressive and arrogant," it will even out to "confident" for you?

Thanks everyone! Will try to get all this down by next week

(To sk8lady - no, I'm female. Can't find excuses there!)

I think the best thing I do is really love the music (no help there for ice dancing) and the program and enjoy being out there no matter what. When you enjoy it, it shows in confidence. My most nervous time is standing there before the music starts! When I want to think about feeling calm, I remember my first fs test. I remember being very nervous and starting the program, then shortly after that I hit a pose in perfect time with the music, just where it should be. I smiled and from that point on, I felt like it was really my program and that I had all the time in the world. Loved it!

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Having good stamina helps - add aerobic activities to your cross-training such as power walking/jogging/biking/etc. When you're stronger, it makes you more confident.

I agree with the "love your music/program/dance" advice. If you like what you're doing, it shows in your skating and smile. You can choreograph smiles and expressions into the program to help that along a bit, but you can tell the skaters who hate their programs by the expressions on their face and uncentered spins, underrotated jumps, and sloppy footwork.

My students also skate better when their appearance is good. Pulling their hair back off their faces lifts their chins because they can see where they are going! Makeup makes it a special occasion, even just a little blush and eye color. A well-fitting outfit that's comfortable and pretty gives them inspiration to skate their best. I think a good appearance adds to their confidence level. Just mho.

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Just another suggestion: try skating the dance with someone other than your coach a few times, preferably someone at or below your level. When you have to guide someone else, it upps your confidence in knowing you're on time and in step.

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We continue to be total twins, you and I, Aussieskater! I have exactly the same issues! My coach says it's a matter of kneebend and really getting down into the ice and pushing, not just looking as though you're pushing (even though, as I keep telling him, if I pushed any harder I'd have a baby).... And full extension helps, too, also head up and smiling....

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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!

Thanks Isk8NYC - that's a good suggestion. I usually practise with DH (who is not at a lower level than me). The only problem is that given the dearth of ice dancers (or ice skaters generally!) downunder, it's hard to find a male ice dancer lower than me!! I'll certainly keep my eyes open though.

Mrs R, I truly think our coaches just need to have billboards made up for them to wear - one side saying "Bend Your Knees! More!" and the other "Stop Looking Down"! Then they could save their poor voices...

Yeah, I know; it's easier to find a partner when the steps are the same for both the man and the woman. The skating club I used to belong to had some women who knew both the men's and women's parts. Those ladies were very kind to practice with the lower kids who were preparing to test a dance. Looking back, it was good because it did keep the skater from "relying" on her partner.

I preach to boy students/parents about what a great idea is it to be a male dance partner, just for tests. It's a nice part-time job for a high school/college kid without the huge time commitment of coaching.

And my first sip of coffee takes flight... *goes to get screen cleaner*

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I just had this video image of a coach using the "nun clicker" - I remember teachers having them in the 1960's. They were these little metal hand-help things that made a loud CLICK! CLICK! when you pressed down with your thumb. I think they are still in use for training animals.

We could have coaches CLICK! CLICK! every time they want us to bend our knees more.

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Unfortunately, those who need to see them wouldn't see them. . . because they are looking down.

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

They are - and they scare my poor little Maltese half to death! That's actually a pretty good idea, though - a skater could surely hear that clicker thing across the ice. I have one coach who whistles - easier on his voice, and we can hear it all over the rink.

And the best thing is that this "click" reminder to bend the knees would apply to just about everybody on the ice!

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--renatele

Hi

Well, my previous ice skating coach who is now no longer a skating coach, once told me that if I look down whilst skating, it shows to other people that I am either nervous or scared.

I think that the best bet to show that you are not scared in ice skating, is to look up, and also with a smiling face.

londonicechamp

Is this a test anxiety issue? try to video yourself in practice. Are you tentative in practice? If you have a vid of your test, you can compare.

Kay

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I've heard this alot, and I'm not sure it's necessarily true. I look down most of the time when I'm walking too. I think it's just the natural position for my head. It takes EFFORT to remember to look up- it has nothing to do with nerves, just another thing to think about in skating

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-Jessi
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Thanks everyone! Your suggestions must have worked (I certainly took them all to heart) - I passed the test tonight with no comment about "looking tentative" or being "pushed around"!

Congratulations!!

Oh, brilliant! Well done you! You're definitely a better skater than me now. But I'm not jealous, nooooo.....

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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!