Switching Disciplines

Skate2Music · Nov 15, 2014

Let's say your in your early teens and you've been skating since you were little and your losing most of your jumps quickly but you've always had good skating skills and lyricism to your skating, is it possible to switch to ice dance dance and still reach senior level? Not a skater I'm just curious about discipline switching and want to know how often it's done and it's general success rate.

Barb · Nov 15, 2014

Skate2Music said:
Let's say your in your early teens and you've been skating since you were little and your losing most of your jumps quickly but you've always had good skating skills and lyricism to your skating, is it possible to switch to ice dance dance and still reach senior level? Not a skater I'm just curious about discipline switching and want to know how often it's done and it's general success rate.

It a usual thing, Maia and Alex had 11 and 14 I think, but the most succesful teams were working since kids.

IcyEdges · Nov 15, 2014

Yes, been there done that. It's not because I lost my jumps though. I just loved dance more.

Scatcat · Nov 15, 2014

Work hard, get a partner that works hard and nothing is impossible. It is only impossible if you never try!

blue_idealist · Nov 16, 2014

I think Vanessa Crone was a singles skater at first, although she might have just done both at the same time since she was a kid. Anyone know?

ETA: Never mind, my bad. I think it was pairs and dance she did, although pairs required jumping too..

tulosai · Nov 16, 2014

Elena Ilinykh was a singles skater until she was almost 10 if I'm not mistaken.

ribbit · Nov 16, 2014

Jayne Torvill was a pairs skater, winning the British national championships in 1971 (at age 13) with Michael Hutchinson, before switching to dance to team up with Christopher Dean in 1975.

Buttercup · Nov 16, 2014

Skate2Music said:
Let's say your in your early teens and you've been skating since you were little and your losing most of your jumps quickly but you've always had good skating skills and lyricism to your skating, is it possible to switch to ice dance dance and still reach senior level? Not a skater I'm just curious about discipline switching and want to know how often it's done and it's general success rate.

There are some skaters who made the switch to ice dance relatively late (say, 15 or older) and achieved some degree of success. John and Sinead Kerr were both singles skaters and took up ice dancing late - for them to have achieved what they did given this, the lack of height difference, and being a sibling team is pretty impressive.

Alper Ucar was a very mediocre singles skater who switched to ice dance in his mid-twenties. Last season, he was part of the first ice dance team to represent Turkey at the Olympics.

Sara Hurtado and Adria Diaz were singles skaters who really wanted to do ice dance (discussed in this interview). They made the switch in 2008, when Sara was 15 and Adri was 17. A few months later, they became the first ice dancers to represent Spain internationally.

I think for skaters from countries with a lot of depth, it would be difficult, but if there's not to much competition then it's possible. Being able to compete internationally has to be pretty big, both in terms of experience and as a motivating factor.

dorispulaski · Nov 16, 2014

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Cain_(figure_skater)
Ashley Cain from the US switched from pairs to singles quite late. She has done well enough to qualify to skate at a GP event!

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiffany_Stiegler
Tiffany Steigler changed to dance from pairs quite late.

kinoriH · Nov 16, 2014

Here's Elena Ilinykh at age 9 as a single skater. and only 10 years afterwards she was on the podium in the olympics. Anything is possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjp3YLIjV7I

tulosai · Nov 16, 2014

kinoriH said:
Here's Elena Ilinykh at age 9 as a single skater. and only 10 years afterwards she was on the podium in the olympics. Anything is possible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjp3YLIjV7I

She actually really and truly wasn't half bad for a 9 year old. She appears to have had all the double jumps including double axle and she had good presence and spins too. I actually wonder how it was suggested that she switch. She obviously had beautiful edge work even then, but like I said, for 9 years old, it's hard to imagine someone being much better.

tulosai · Nov 16, 2014

dorispulaski said:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Cain_(figure_skater)
Ashley Cain from the US switched from pairs to singles quite late. She has done well enough to qualify to skate at a GP event!

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiffany_Stiegler
Tiffany Steigler changed to dance from pairs quite late.

It is really too bad about Ashley in a way. She was a truly excellent pairs skater. It is a pity her height prevented her from continuing in that discipline.

fleeting · Nov 16, 2014

tulosai said:
She actually really and truly wasn't half bad for a 9 year old. She appears to have had all the double jumps including double axle and she had good presence and spins too. I actually wonder how it was suggested that she switch. She obviously had beautiful edge work even then, but like I said, for 9 years old, it's hard to imagine someone being much better.

I believe she's said in interviews before that her mother wanted her to go into dance. Maybe because of the injuries associated with jumping in singles/pairs?

tulosai · Nov 16, 2014

fleeting said:
I believe she's said in interviews before that her mother wanted her to go into dance. Maybe because of the injuries associated with jumping in singles/pairs?

I mean obviously either way it was for the best... she's not in the ladies bloodbath that is currently Russia singles skating, and she's probably one of the best female dancers of all time IMO, but she really was VERY good for her age. How curious

Jammers · Nov 16, 2014

dorispulaski said:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Cain_(figure_skater)
Ashley Cain from the US switched from pairs to singles quite late. She has done well enough to qualify to skate at a GP event!

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiffany_Stiegler
Tiffany Steigler changed to dance from pairs quite late.

Ashley was doing singles while she was still doing Pairs.

kinoriH · Nov 17, 2014

tulosai said:
I actually wonder how it was suggested that she switch. She obviously had beautiful edge work even then

I believe THIS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk-iEgA8uzc&list=UUQ5e9nLXiXSO4vaWX2WTQMA had a lot to do with it too.
She was pretty good as a single skater, yes, but her natural dancing skills were much more developed. Even in her singles video you can see the huge emphasis on presentation and choreography.

I think when it comes to switching diciplines (especially from singles) age is a crucial factor but not only. One has to be determind to work very hard. Tatiana Volosozhar switched to pairs at age 14 and by this video you can see the progress she's made. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxhjk80KP1A

Switching Disciplines

Skate2Music

Barb

IcyEdges

Match Penalty

Scatcat

blue_idealist

tulosai

ribbit

Buttercup

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl

kinoriH

tulosai

tulosai

fleeting

Queen Anissina

tulosai

Jammers

kinoriH

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