I just read that closed thread about figure skating boots and blades vs. hockey and all of that and just have one comment (as I duck out of what I know is going to be another splatfest):

There is a young man I know who is an excellent hockey skater. He got interested in ice dancing and started coming to the dance sessions. He spent the first year learning all of the first 12 dances in hockey skates. He could do amazingly well.

About a year ago he got an old pair of figure skates that had a blade with ALL of the toe-picks cut off (not just the bottom one). He has since passed up through Juvenile Moves and Bronze Dances in those skates. He knows he eventually has to get skates with more support (these boots were floppy!!) and toe-picks, which he will have to get used to before he can start competing [oh, did I mention that he had about 20 girls wanting to be his partner? Even in the hockey skates?].

He is an amazing skater with good balance and has even learned to have better posture than he needed as a hockey player so that he could present himself as an ice-dancer.

My point? Anything is possible.

Almost anything, IMO. There are definitely things he won't be able to do without the proper equipment, and he seems to know that. My daughter had a coach who was an elite level skater. One day he had to teach in those blue plastic rental skates because his skates had met with a mishap and were being repaired. Axels were among the things I saw him do in those skates, and there was no visible difference in his skating. A great deal can be done with talent and hard work.

__________________

I agree, almost anything is possible. I guess I just do not understand why someone would WILLINGLY put themselves through that though, if they have the money to buy the right equipment for the desired discipline in the first place, that's all. Good add-on to our debate though, I really don't know how anyone could pass up to Juv. moves without toepicks (or how the judges wouldn't notice or care), but I guess this guy proves me wrong! Good for that guy. I hope he soon learns the joys of un-doctored figure skating blades.

The judges didn't care because despite it all, he has AMAZING edges!!

Just for fun, one of my coaches used to do some of the lower dances in short track speed skates......

Thats very cool.

This reminds me of one of the hockey bratz who wanted to learn a flip jump. I explained he needed toe pics for that. He begged and begged "cant I at least *try*?" and on and on like that. Finally I had to say "Look, you're gonna kill yourself and my lawyer is on vacation." LOL.

__________________
But here I stand and swear to you
I did the best that I could do
I know my voice was just a whisper
But someone may have heard
There were nights the moon above me stirred
And let me grab ahold
My hands...have touched...the gold
~Lyrics from "Gold"

"America is too great for small dreams." Ronald Reagan.

Bush 2004: Because you don't send a Massachusetts fatcat to do a Texas cowboy's job!

I had a coach who was primarily an ice dancer, but he also taught FS. He came to the rink once in an ancient pair of hockey skates and did some fantastic dance moves and footwork on them.

Years ago, when I started skating, I met a guy who could do sit spins (really low, fast ones!) on hockey skates.

Recently, a college-age girl came to my current home rink and rented skates. She skated beautifully on them and tried doubles. She two-footed the landings probably b/c of the small toe picks. She seemed to lunge forward on her landings. You can read about her skating in my journal:
http://www.skatejournal.com/july04.html#rental

Kay

__________________
Visit my figure skating journal
http://www.skatejournal.com/

When I had my MK dance blades, I had to WORK to find my toe picks. Also, I had (and still have, only different brand) blades that were a tad too short for the boot.

Gee, I wonder who you are talking about. I thought about him reading that other thread too! lol I definately couldn't believe it when he totally gave up hockey skating...he's become some commited to ice dance! Now if only he could get some of his hockey friends to convert...

__________________
- Ashley

At the first World Ice Challenge (an international recreational ice-dance competition), a young Japanese couple came over with their coach. He hadn't realised that there would be social dancing as well as competitive skating, so hadn't bought his skates - he was allocated a hire pair (carefully, mind!) and ended up winning the drawn partner competition in hired skates!

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Hey, no splatfest here! The subject wasn't an issue

I'd like to see this guy skate in 'normal' blades if he can skate that well without toe picks I find it difficult enough to do Free in Dance blades never mind skate with no toepicks at all.

There is no way on earth, though, that I could voluntarily mutilate my blades, they cost FAR too much

__________________

The best whisper is a click

I have MK Dance blades, too and the toe-picks are practically nonexistent -- I showed him these blades and he thought he would consider them. Money is definitely an issue for this guy, though -- hmm -- maybe he would buy MY MK Dance blades and I can get the Ultimas! (thinking aloud here).

Yes, Ashbugg, you know who I'm talking about -- awesome, eh?

I have a pair of 9" MK dance blades that are in good shape, but they're probably too short.

I may know of someone with a used pair for sale... don't know the size but am guessing in the 10 1/2" to 11" range.

Yeah it is pretty amazing lol. It's really such a shame that he can't skate at my rink for like, 3 more years lol!

__________________
- Ashley

Looks like he is taking pre-silvers coming up!

__________________
- Ashley

Yes, Ashbugg, you know who I'm talking about -- awesome, eh?[/QUOTE]

Very interesting! Why not give the rest of us some clues? Age? Training site? etc

I saw a young man in Pierrefonds, Quebec practically crawl onto the ice last year and this year he is competing and loving it! I don't know his name but he's about 16 and very handsome. Someone who you would figure feels he's too cool to humiliate himself learning the basics of skating. When I saw him compete, I was more impressed than I was with the higher level champions. Now that's a champion!! I don't know if he had his picks filed off though............

A few of the guys at our rink will wear hockey skates to skateguard on public session. The one competes Novice level, and I was watching him do Novice moves in those hockey skates He was trying to spin too, and they were pretty whonky, sort of like a gyroscope gone wild!

I'm not sure how old he is...maybe 20, 21? I think he skates for the Portland Ice Skating Club and he skates at the Mt. View Ice Arena. He used to skate at my rink...but certain circumstances now prevent that.

__________________
- Ashley

Well, I'm not so much for giving out names and stuff on this forum (feels too much like icky gossip -- I mean, what if one of my skating "friends" posted a story about me and used my name? Well, unless it was the story about my wining the Olympics or something, I would be completely humiliated!!)

Anyway, this un-named young man passed his Europoean Waltz this morning -- in new boots and blades!!

His choice for a cheap dance-like blade? The Ultima Synchro blade!! Toe picks and short back and all -- it looked pretty good to me, but I could tell he was having a little bit of a struggle, just as any of us getting used to new equipment might be, but in his case, considering he is so new to figure skating and definitely to toe picks, I'd say it was darn good!!

Pretty impressive. I was wondering if he passed. That dance holds up a lot of skaters!

__________________
- Ashley

Well done to your friend. Synchro blades are a good choice for dancers - I have them, and love them.

I thought of this thread last night, though; we were visiting another rink and there was a dance interval - and sure enough, someone was dancing in hockey boots. Nothing too advanced, only the basic dances, but they were doing very well, I thought.

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

This young man is now preparing to take his Novice Free Dance, Novice Moves, and American Waltz on Sunday!

__________________
- Ashley

hey, more than one dance coach has tried to recruit hockey players into dance. fyi, lots of canadian hockey guys also ice dance. the usa is just macho wierd about it.

think about it. hockey players have great balance, really great edges, can stop and redirect momentum in a heartbeat! all they need is posture!

no where in ice dance is it necessary to have a toepick. unless, of course, you like toe pick highlights in your od or fd.

com'on you hockey guys, lOOk at all those gals in need of partnerin' out there and think about it!

__________________
life's not fair. don't whine, work harder. f.carroll
you have to run as fast as you can just to stay in the same spot. l. carroll

Yes, this should be interesting!! I"ve heard rumors that he and his partner will be trying to get to Regionals in Novice Dance this year!!

I'll let you guys know how it goes -- I will be trial judging his tests this weekend.

Yes, I've heard the Regionals rumor as well.

__________________
- Ashley