Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Promoting Ice Dancing
Ice dancing has never been as popular as singles skating. Skating is expensive and parents and skaters have to cut corners somewhere, and so, fewer and fewer skaters take up ice dance these days.
Also, ice dancing can be more difficult than jumping and spinning. Some skaters can't remember steps; some skaters will only try ice dancing with a partner.
I think one of the reasons many children don't begin to ice dance is that the discipline is not promoted by their coaches or that it is the part of skating one must consider if the skater is not a jumper.
US Figure Skating Basic Skills competitions do include ice dancing, but the events allow skaters who have PASSED the Preliminary Dance Test (which is really a difficult accomplishment) to compete against those who have not tested! This must be changed if new skaters in our sport want to give competing a try at the beginning level, in my opinion.
Does anyone have some ideas on promoting ice dancing? How can we coaches get more boys to try ice dancing?
Also, ice dancing can be more difficult than jumping and spinning. Some skaters can't remember steps; some skaters will only try ice dancing with a partner.
I think one of the reasons many children don't begin to ice dance is that the discipline is not promoted by their coaches or that it is the part of skating one must consider if the skater is not a jumper.
US Figure Skating Basic Skills competitions do include ice dancing, but the events allow skaters who have PASSED the Preliminary Dance Test (which is really a difficult accomplishment) to compete against those who have not tested! This must be changed if new skaters in our sport want to give competing a try at the beginning level, in my opinion.
Does anyone have some ideas on promoting ice dancing? How can we coaches get more boys to try ice dancing?
# posted @ 6:35 AM 
Comments:
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Well, there is always the conflict if ice dance can be done on a freestyle or not...
Today, I took my students to a rink's freestyle which had about 8 skaters total on it. Four of the eight skaters were ice dancing.
No one was playing any music at all, so the ice monitor put dance after dance on for us and the children did great! They weren't getting in anyone's way and the music we were playing was modern ice dance tunes that most teens would like (not the old stand-bys).
Then, all of a sudden, I saw a parent approach the ice monitor and
say, "This is a freestyle session and I don't think my daughter
should have to listen to ice dance music when she practices or keep
out of ice dancers' way, etc, etc..."
(This rink does allow dance on freestyles, by the way, but there is an internal battle going on I think!)
Then there was an announcement on the loudspeaker that no more ice
dance music would be played on the freestyle and the mother gave me
this smirking look.
My students used the rest of the freestyle to freeskate.
Then another ice dance coach approached the ice monitor and asked for the Viennese Waltz to be played and after much reluctance, the music was put on about 3 times.
I did feel we were being singled out once the other ice dance coaches got to play ice dance music.
It just seems like ice dancers will never win. It's hard to promote ice dancing when rinks and other skaters make it impossible to
practice.
I know we don't allow freestyle on dance sessions, but dance on
freestyle (especially empty ones) have been going on for years and
years. It is just annoying to see this freestyle/dance battle ruin
what could have been a nice day at the rink.
My students (young children) just didn't understand what they did wrong either.
Today, I took my students to a rink's freestyle which had about 8 skaters total on it. Four of the eight skaters were ice dancing.
No one was playing any music at all, so the ice monitor put dance after dance on for us and the children did great! They weren't getting in anyone's way and the music we were playing was modern ice dance tunes that most teens would like (not the old stand-bys).
Then, all of a sudden, I saw a parent approach the ice monitor and
say, "This is a freestyle session and I don't think my daughter
should have to listen to ice dance music when she practices or keep
out of ice dancers' way, etc, etc..."
(This rink does allow dance on freestyles, by the way, but there is an internal battle going on I think!)
Then there was an announcement on the loudspeaker that no more ice
dance music would be played on the freestyle and the mother gave me
this smirking look.
My students used the rest of the freestyle to freeskate.
Then another ice dance coach approached the ice monitor and asked for the Viennese Waltz to be played and after much reluctance, the music was put on about 3 times.
I did feel we were being singled out once the other ice dance coaches got to play ice dance music.
It just seems like ice dancers will never win. It's hard to promote ice dancing when rinks and other skaters make it impossible to
practice.
I know we don't allow freestyle on dance sessions, but dance on
freestyle (especially empty ones) have been going on for years and
years. It is just annoying to see this freestyle/dance battle ruin
what could have been a nice day at the rink.
My students (young children) just didn't understand what they did wrong either.
# posted by 
: 9:04 AM
: 9:04 AM
I would love to promote ice dance at my rink, but unfortunately, the ice dance coach moved away, and there is no one else in our area qualified to teach. I think there is a shortage of dance coaches.
Regarding dancing on a freestyle session, I have seen the frustration go both ways. I think a session dedicated to moves and dance would work well. However, in most rinks, there are not specific sessions dedicated to dance and/or moves.
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Regarding dancing on a freestyle session, I have seen the frustration go both ways. I think a session dedicated to moves and dance would work well. However, in most rinks, there are not specific sessions dedicated to dance and/or moves.
# posted by : 8:05 PM
: 8:05 PM << Home
