I'm going to a copetitoin the 21st of may and just for grins Does anyone have any tips on how to impress the judges
thanx in advance
~cutie

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Skating is suppose to be fun , no PRESSURE at all

~*Courage*~*Confidence*~*Consistance*~

skate your best

Keep your head up, SMILE, and skate as if you OWN the ice. Skate to the crowd, not just to the judges -- eye contact brings them into your performance with you. Most of all, have FUN out there.

When you are skating on the ice skate in and do what the big skaters do! like the ones at Nationals and Canadians and such..... when you skate one..... i dont know how to explain it..... maybe someone can help me?!?!?

When you figure that out, let me know. I'm obviously not doing something right!

Skate strong, center your spins, fully rotate your jumps, and SMILE!

If you fall or otherwise mess up, get up quickly and keep going.

If you look petrified, it broadcasts to everyone, including the judges.

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American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

Yep, that was always my problem!

Remember to bend your knees - it sounds obvious, but it's easy to forget.

Good luck!

when you skate, show that you enjoy what you are doing...nothing more painful than to watch a skater perform who looks like they dont want to be there. our attention is always with you but we know when your heart just isnt in it. even when the jumps let you down, maintain commitment to your program. also, please...PLEASE just skate elements that you are able to do. too many skaters try too many difficult elements hoping that this will secure them a higher placement because of the risk factor. sometimes (often!) it is just better to do what you are capable of and to do it well and be proud of your accomplishment...it should never be about results but about skating *your* personal best--your biggest competition is yourself.

i second the suggestion to keep smiling.

Simple steps, beautifully done - i.e. stay with what you can do.

Smile. Make eye contact. Entertain....

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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!

Smile. Exude confidence - they know you are nervous, they don't want to see it!

Keep your head up and good posture! Look happy and no matter what you do, don't act embarrassed or as if you feel silly. That makes the viewer uncomfortable as well.

Give it your all!! And, good luck!!

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"We work in the dark - we do what we can - we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art." Henry James

Oh, and don't do my favourite trick of looking up and presenting quite beautifully to the judges as I go past - and then allowing my head to drop just as soon as I am past....

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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 impress them first on warmups with speed all over the ice and solid jumps.
Also a lot of eye contact.
I try not to show them sign of me being weak.
(Even though I am panicking and almost about to collapse b/c of fear and nervousness)

See if those things will work for you, I doubt that you will have time to think during the warmup.

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Tim David's Website

Wow.. you said in two paragraphs what it's been taking me weeks to tell my friend who is just starting to compete. I'm going to print out your advice and just hand it to her! This is the perfect size for her to pull out of her skatebag just before she goes on the ice.

But how can you not look nervous when you are feeling absolutely terrified? I just wish I could go out and skate like I do in my lesson. I know I can do the stuff, but nerves always get in the way when I'm competing!

Nicki

It's about acting - you have to act as though you aren't scared! Use all the tricks people use when they are about to go on the stage, or into the pulpit, and are nervous - there are a load of exercises you can do to get yourself centred & grounded. Mostly to do with breathing & relaxation - for some people, it's almost more important to do that than it is to warm up!

The one that works best for me is to sit down with both feet flat on the floor - okay, both blades, if you already have your skates on - back straight but relaxed, hands loosely in lap, then breathe in, counting 4, hold for 4, exhale for 8. Try to get your breathing right down into the pit of your tummy. Once you are comfortable with the breathing rhythm, imagine that you are breathing in confidence & skill, and breathing out all the negative things that stop you performing well.... fear, and nerves, and stuff.... sounds ridiculous, written down like that, but it works.

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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!

After my warm-up is done and before I compete, I don't watch the skaters ahead of me. That way I won't necessarily know how they skated (compared to how I hope/expect to skate).

Something else coach told me was that, as long as I didn't take a long time about it, to take 5 or 10 seconds once I'm more or less in place and just settle myself. Shake the arms a bit, step a bit, then stand in place ready to start. When I'm testing/competing with my coach, as we finalize our starting pose, he'll usually say something nice or give me some encouragement. I usually comment something about "let's get this done and over with..."

You don't want to take TOO much time getting to your starting place and getting settled (not to mention that if you take too long, there is a deduction for delay), but you can take a few seconds to settle yourself (and they'll seem like more than you think).

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American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

Or in pairs skating, it's about acting as though you don't hate your partner. That's sometimes harder than the program elements. Tee hee!

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Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Enjoy yourself. No matter what the level, the audience and the judges like to see someone who is enjoying the experience.

Have you tried "Practice competitions" by way of exhibitions or skating shows at your home rink? Sometimes that helps you get used to 'stage fright' (you can get used to it-I don't know if you can ever get over it)

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

After a lot of competitions you will learn more about pacing yourself and what suites you.

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Tim David's Website

Skate well. At the beginning levels, regardless of what anyone says, that's what they care about.

As you advance, I think other things come into play (certainly not for all judges, but I think for some), but if you're just getting into competing you have a long time bfore you have to worry about that.

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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!

Stay within your capabilities and if you are at the lower level remember your basics, the judges are examining that more than the elements. A smooth programme is better than a shakey one.

Actually looking at the last entry I thinks thats basically the same.

just practice and practice before you go.
I tend to get nervous if I am suddenly tested on something. Last lesson I had been practicing my 3 turns for 1 and a half hours, my coach was looking then during the lesson he was like, show me your 3 turns. the things I had been doing quite well for more than an hour suddenly turned to unbalanced messes with terrible edges. he goes, "i was going to move you to level 7 but you need to practice those 3 turns more". i wanted to kick myself.

I know I will pass next time because after this I practiced them even harder and got them so well... it's like, you need to do all your elements as naturally as simple stroking. if my coach had said to me, skate round the rink a few times, i don't think I would have blanked so much because just skating is so natural. so make all your movements practised and natural. yup.

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It's not a matter of the judges not wanting to see it-they almost expect it (especially at the lower levels). Rather, they want to see CONFIDENCE. You can be confident and nervous, but the confidence overrides the nervousness.

Don't mistake nerves for excitement. I had one girl from my rink who was shaking when she stepped off the ice yesterday-it was from the adrenaline rush (excitement) instead of nerves.

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

I know from experience (in dance), and from what others have told me, that if your face stays the same confident, unwavering look (whilst of course including different emotions depending on your program), it will help you get over anything you do wrong with your feet... If you flinch or grimace, everyone will look straight away at your feet to see what you did wrong...

It is all about acting, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.. practise it before hand.. you might feel silly at the rink doing it, but trust me, its nicer and more impressive watching someone with ice presentation and confidence, with arms out and head up, than someone who just does the moves without any confidence, or with a scowl, and looking at their feet, with arms at their side or sloppy... also, practising your arms up definately helps build the muscles

Also, in practise, skate like you are competiting.. the judges watch the practise as well, and in Aussie Nationals, the practise sessions the day or so beforehand are just as important as the day to imprint yourself in the judges mind for good reasons (this is info from hubby ).

And have fun!! Thats why you skate after all.

and if you fall, get up and keep skating

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-Erinna-
aka cassarilda

My Progress Report!
"Did I mention there is only ONE rink in Melbourne?!"
"If you're not flying, you're obviously not trying!!!" - courtsey of the guy who helped me up off the ice after my last spectacular and sore fall