Tarasova

What do you like to watch more, competitions or ice shows?

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Champagne in 2005, 2008, 2009 - who's next out of the pre-bronze club...?

Wang chung!

COMPETITIONS! Ice shows, especially after paying (usually) big bucks to get in, are usually dissapointing. I hadn't gone to a show in years, but last year's COI my friend got me a ticket free so I went.

What was your best competition ever?

Results-wise, this past Nationals, where my synchro team won the second freeskate, and finished second over-all. Team-wise, two years ago where my synchro team had one of those perfect, amazing skates where everything was right on, we came off the ice in tears because it was our last skate together, and we moved up to finish in the top 5. I've had two personal best synchro-competitions where I just performed like there was no tomorrow, and felt like I couldn't put a foot wrong even if I tried: once was our short program to the music from "Rainman" at a competition in 1999, and the other time was a competition this past season to music from "The Godfather."

What's the ugliest skating dress you've ever worn?

I don't wear ugly skating dresses

Erm ..... it would have to be this thing I wore for one of my first competitions! The leotard bit of it was beautiful, red and black velvet BUT the skirt made my hips look the size of a zamboni The skirt was two pieces of georgette, the top piece black, the bottom red ....... yak!


Wedgie or acres of illusion fabric ..... which is the biggest skating fashion crime?

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The best whisper is a click

Wedgies, definitely! While I'm not a big fan of the nearly-naked look, at least it "is" possible to use lots of illusion fabric tastefully. There's no such thing as a tasteful wedgie!

How much padding do you use inside your skates? I'm likely one of Bunga Pads' biggest customers - I always use ankle sleeves (pulled low over my heel), gel pads on my ankle bones and on the front of my ankle, and toe pads on my 4th toes.

I don't use any padding inside my skates. The only time I had to was when I got a compressed nerve near my ankle, so I cut up a shoe insert to make a donut-shaped pad. I can't think of anyone else that doesn't use some form of bunga pads inside their skates - so many skaters have them! They must do an incredible business.


Now, how much crash padding do you wear when you skate?
- I wear a small pad on my hip all the time (it's where I always fall), and then I put in 2 larger ones when I work on double axels.

I never wear any crash padding - I'm not working on the jumps where you need it, and I rarely fall when skating anyway.

Which competition from years past (recent or not) do you re-watch most often? I'd say 2001 Worlds.

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

1996 Worlds. Specifically, Elvis' long, Michelle's long, and Shae and Vic's free dance.

Do you wear gloves when skating?

Usually. Sometimes I take them off when I'm partnering if I'm having trouble with a change of hold or something.

Have you ever done figures?

Yes, but not when they were around competitively. My coach is a HUGE supporter of figures, having done them all his life for HOURS a day. So I had him teach me the basics to help with my edges and turns while learning the Moves in the Field. I practice them every so often and sometimes we work on them in my lessons. They have helped me tremendously!

What's your favorite style of music to skate to? (Mine is jazz!)

For practice, my favourite "background" music is middle-of-the-road; dance music is dance music is dance music, I'm afraid!

Do you enjoy learning/dancing compulsory dances?

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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!

I haven't done dance properly for nearly 4 months (since my old rink closed) but plan to start up again next week (hopefully). Yeah, I loved doing compulsory dances (as long as I didn't have to dodge too many people, lol). I especially liked doing them on the dance intervals - sometimes there were only a couple of us doing the dance, and it felt great to skate in front of people, I felt like a *proper* skater, and it felt like a great opportunity to show people what I could do. My favourite trick was to skate them with my hands clasped behind my back, which really makes you use all the parts of your body and your edges properly and is great for improving your balance and really getting those shoulders etc in the right positions.

Would you ever consider becoming a coach in the future?

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

As a seasonal instructor at my local seasonal rink, I don't have enough experience as of yet, but when I can find time and a place to teach in the summer, I might work towards becoming a private coach after that.

What music are you tired of hearing over and over in skating programs (i.e., what do you think is overplayed)?

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

I think music from Beauty and Beast is a bit overdone. For example, there are 2 people in my club skating to music from B&B!

What is the worst ice show theme you've ever had to skate as a part of? For example, mine is "Saving the Future For Our Children" - let's just say it didn't work so well...

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I've got mad salchow disease!

My mom was the skating director when I was a kid - most of her shows were really great. One of the best ones was magic carpet ride (a song from the 70's) where the first group (mine, actually) was dressed in a harem costume, then soloist harem girls would fly on a magic carpet around the world, checking in on the group numbers and other solos (I did China).

In one show, though, she blew it. I don't remember the theme at all, but I do remember being stuck skating my solo as Mother Goose, with the little learn to skate kids. (Ok, maybe the show itself was ok, but I sure did hate that solo!)

How many hours can you skate in one day before you drop of exhaustion?

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

I've been known to do 5 or 6 at training camps and stuff. 3 is pretty much the most I can do on a regular basis.

What does your favorite skating outfit look like?

I have two, actually. One has navy and green diamond patterns with the same color sparkles, interlaced with yellow sparkle lines on the bodice and long sleeves, with a V back, and it has a plain blue velvet skirt. (Hard to describe, but it's really cute!)

My other favorite is my testing dress. My coach is letting me borrow it for an extended period of time. It was the dress that she did her last test in and was passed on to me for my tests. It's a simple blue velvet, sleeveless, racerback dress with a small sunburst pattern of clear crystals on the front. It's my favorite not because of looks, but because of sentimental value!

What move is your personal nemesis?

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"Without a struggle, there can be no progress" ~ Frederick Douglass

Any type of combination with a double toe on the end ...... i just can't seem to pick right for the second jump. Ask me to do any combo with a double loop on the end, I'm fine .... the toe, forget about it! Go figure!


Erm ..... what skate order would you prefer to skate in?

First after warm up. It's the order I usually do get since I'm not usually in a big group. Plus, I hate waiting after warm up...more time to get nervous!

What's the farthest you've traveled for skating? My farthest was to Atlanta (several times) for Peach Classic.

Atlanta for me too- two and a half hour flight. Syracuse and Lake Placid would be ties for second with a five-hour drive.

Wouldn't you know, I thought of a really good question earlier and I can't think of it now.

If you could have your pick of any current eligible or pro skater as a pair/dance partner, who would you choose?

Charlie Butler, because I've met him several times and he seems to be a really nice person. If not him, then Ben of the B & A fame because he looks like he has a lot of fun skating. The weirdest thing about this answer is that I don't really like dance .

Can you rank the skating types from your most favorite to least? (ie, for me, freestyle, mifs, synchro (the last time I did it it was called "precision"), dance, pairs, figures.

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

Freestyle, Synchro, Moves. I've never done dance, pairs or figures, but I really want to start dance lessons in the fall.

What's the worst dress you've seen on a skater (eligible or pro)?

The dress I picked out for my Perfect Strangers ISI Artistic program three years ago. Goregous colors--pink, purple, and lavender all tye-dyed together--but it had this high skirt that went all the way up to my chest, so it made me look pregnant!

Does your club/rink have a website?

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

Yeap!
Yerba Buena Ice Skating Center

...and it is a beautiful rink to be in!!!

How many skating rinks are within 50 miles radius of your home? I have about a half dozen rinks (maybe even more???) within the 50 mile radius...

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Within a 50-mile radius, only one year-round.

The rink in my city is open only during the winter, so from Oct-April, that would make two.

But I am in the South...so...

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All that glitters has a high refractive index.