Adult skaters come in.

Adult skaters come in.

I want to ask you all who does your programs? Do you choreorgaphy your own programs or do you have someone come in and do it for you?

Re: Adult skaters come in.

Sometimes my regular coach does my choreography and sometimes I get my dance coach to help. Most of the time, though, it's my regular coach since she knows what I do best, and we build a program around those elements. Although one of the advantages of being an adult skater with a willing to listen coach means that if I dislike something she wants to put in, we can find a reasonable compromise.
I don't think there's much worse than having your coach put something in your program that makes you feel uncomfortable doing (some kind of arm movement or something) that, when you do it, makes you say, "Gee, I look like a jerk when I do this." Because that shows in your movement.
I'm lucky to have 2 good coaches I can depend on and a resonable expectation of what looks good on me when I'm on the ice.

Re: Adult skaters come in.

Thanx for answering my questions. I want to get into the choreography area but my skating really sucks. Does your coach usually choreography your programs while you are on the ice? Have you ever had programs choreographed off-ice?It's funny I haven't taken up skating lessons yet, because I can do a 2lutz/1loop, 2flip, 1sal, one time did an over-rotated 3toe. And most of those jumps are consistent for me off the ice. Anyways, let's not get into what I can do. But my question is can a choreographer actually choreograph and entire program off-ice?

Thanx

Re: Adult skaters come in.

I think that it is possible to choreograph a program off the ice. Most of my coaches have laid out my program in their living rooms before bringing it on the ice. I also know many skaters that have gotten their off-ice dance teachers to choreograph a program for them. And didn't Shae-Lynn and Victor get off-ice dancers to help choreograph their Riverdance program?

The only concern that I have is with the timing of everything. Unless you have a good feel for how long it takes to move across the ice doing crosscuts, footwork, jumps, or field moves... I think that it would be difficult to set the timing and pattern.


~Cassie

Re: Adult skaters come in.

When I was a kid, I did a lot of the choreography myself (first off ice, then on), and then my coach would spruce it up by adding connecting elements and proper flourishes/arm movements, etc. As I got more sophisticated, my coach and I would sit down and talk about the key elements and then he/she would put the program together and we'd step through it off ice and then on (each segment, in combination) to be sure the timing was right.

I agree with Cassie that unless you know yourself very well, you've got to do some stuff on ice to get the timing right.

Now as an adult, I'm just starting to work on my first program. My coach is choreographing it and we're just getting started with the "feel." It's really odd to me to be figuring out arm movements, etc. and to make them my own. I think it's just because I'm still getting back my "ice legs" and will get easier with time. It's one thing to be able to do the individual elements. It's another to string them together and make everything look good without dying from exhaustion! :rollin:

Good luck and tell us more about how your program turns out. What will it be for? A test? A show? What elements are you incorporating? Inquiring minds want to know.

re:

Thank you both.

Both of us

My coach usually comes up with the basic choreography and I tend to add to it. Its a mutual process!!! Most often, its more her, but sometimes it can be half and half. She allows me to change things, especially arms, which is nice. We're pretty flexible about what we do, and that helps.

Re: Adult skaters come in.

Excidra,
This is an interesting topic to me. It is also the one area that I am struggling with. My coach does my programs. But, I wish there was more creativity. I have just started to compete, and I have done well, but I have high expectations for myself. I wish that I was more challenged, but don't have enough background to come up with my own stuff very often.

However, now and then I will have an inspriration and certain movements will come to me that are perfect for the program. Also, I do practice off ice in front of a mirror so that I can make sure that my line is good. There is a difference in doing things on the floor and the ice...balance it a huge factor for me.

One other element that lends itself to this cause is the music itself. I find that if I am passionate about my music (and I have to be to skate to it) then some of the movements come naturally. I am not sure that I have said anything profound, but maybe this will help.