Do elite single skaters train dance steps? | Golden Skate

Do elite single skaters train dance steps?

callalily

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 11, 2005
Here is a youtube video of Brian Joubert doing the Kilian. He's certainly having fun, but he won't win any titles!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myoICkrMcZs

I also saw a video of Lambiel doing the Quickstep...same sort of thing...very basic. It doesn't seem to be something they put time or effort into, although that's a shame in a way. There are probably many single skaters who would benefit from practising dance regularly.
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Could a top singles skater do a Ravensburg Waltz or a Yankee Polka?


In answer to your question - Yes. In times past all skaters learned all levels of school figures and all levels of ice dance even if they compete as a single skater. As far as I know they still learn most of or all of the dances. Someday a skater - like Kurt for example - may want to become a coach so they must learn the dances as well to be a well rounded coach. I would imagine Kurt is excellent at ice dance.
 

singerskates

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Jeff Buttle has been ice dancing with his sister for years. It's one of the reasons his in betweens and footwork are so good.

Now if he would just stand up on the take off of his lutz ever time, start working on the Quad Flip and just skate for fun instead of trying to place or win and get all up tight because of it. Jeff's jumping content would be so much better.

Also, Jeff needs to get his spins a bit faster to keep his spins distant score wise from the rest of the men.

If Jeff could do all this, he would have a good chance of winning the Olympics but only if he skates for fun.
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
A lot of singles skaters test all the way throught the dance tests. Many do it for fun, or maybe for a backup ,and it helps with footwork!
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Someday a skater - like Kurt for example - may want to become a coach so they must learn the dances as well to be a well rounded coach. I would imagine Kurt is excellent at ice dance.

Kurt won an ice dance competition with his partner when he was... 10.... IIRC...

Scott Hamilton wrote about helping all of the little girls at his rink test up to teh next level of dance because there weren't many male ice dancers around at the time... lol
 

beep_beep

Medalist
Joined
Aug 3, 2007
Alissa Czisny also trains some ice dancing. They showed it in one of the ice diaries espisodes, I can't recall which...
 

callalily

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 11, 2005
I read a chat transcript with Shawn Sawyer from 2005, in which he was asked whether he had ever tested ice dances. He replied that he had stopped at age 12 after failing his European too many times (I can relate, I did exactly the same thing!). He then added that he had started again a couple of years ago, just for fun, and was now on his Rocker Foxtrot.

So perhaps testing all the way up is no longer the norm for all elite singles skaters.
 

passion

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 17, 2005
Good question. Specifically, does Mao or Yu Na practice ice dance? There edges are so good. If they didn't practice ice dance, how did they get such nice edges and flow?

BTW, I don't think skills (Canadian system) does anything. It teaches you turns and that's about it. You can get through the whole six levels and still have bad edges.
 

silver.blades

Medalist
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Country
Canada
Good question. Specifically, does Mao or Yu Na practice ice dance? There edges are so good. If they didn't practice ice dance, how did they get such nice edges and flow?

BTW, I don't think skills (Canadian system) does anything. It teaches you turns and that's about it. You can get through the whole six levels and still have bad edges.

Well if your judges are any good, they won't pass you if you don't have good edges. You can't do a proper rocker, counter, 3-turn etc without knowing which edge you're suposed to be during each phase of the turn and being on the right edge.
 
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