The World of Test Days

Dutch Waltz passed November 2nd.
Canasta Tango passed December 14th.

As a figure skater in Canada, and I am sure in the States, too, there are such things as test days. They are what they sound like - selected days during the figure skating season (which usually ranges from September to May) where Skate Canada sends an evaluator over to critique a skater. There are tests in ice dancing, skating skills, free skates, etc. It's a regular part of a skater's career.

I am not going to go into the requirements the evaluator looks for because your coach will definitely tell you all about it, so I will describe how I get through the major hurdle during my tests: nerves.

Nerves are inevitable, both during test days and in competitions. How I get through them is with the mentality that there's nothing you can lose (aside from the $10 participation fee). No, you will not die if you fail the test ; no, the world is not going to hate you if you trip/forget your pattern. With enough practice, you will find that when you step onto the ice, the dance steps just come naturally to you. If you are truly nervous, ask your coach if he/she can recite some of the steps while you dance: my coach asked me if I wanted him to recite it. The most important thing to do during your test is to smile! Enjoy your dance, focus on the wondrous feeling of the ice gliding away under you, and make dumb jokes, if necessary. Well, I made dumb jokes during my test so I won't freak over every little detail. Ha.

Arrive at the rink early; the official suggestion is to arrive 45 minutes early in the case when tests before you finish early, but I always find that 30 minutes early is more than enough. You will get a practice run-through of the dance before you do your test. Take that time to warm up, relax, and breathe. Remind yourself that you've practised, you know your stuff, and you are going to have a blast.

Best of luck to all testing teens! After that first test, the nerves will disappear out the window.

Next post: How Not to Die and Still Get to Practice in a Public Skating Session

A Responsibility/Sharing of Sorts

Well, I've read a lot of blogs on adult figure skaters. But never (yet) have I read a blog by a teen who took up figure skating as a teen. So that ended up into the creation of this blog, Icing Upon Ice.

I'd like to share my experience as a fellow teen who started figure skating at the age of 14 in December 2010, not yet old enough to either drive myself to the rink, work to pay for my figure skating sessions, nor (in the most likelihood) become good enough to actually compete for money/glory. I hope to outline my own struggles as a mean to reach out and sympathize with other teen figure skaters out there and tell you that you are definitely not alone.

As a starter to a first blog post, I am sure many of you have been asked this question: "Why in the world did you take up figure skating? You are not going to take it anywhere". Trust me, I've doubted why I decided to continue skating after I learned the basic gliding forwards and backwards (and when I just can't get low on that sit spin, but that's another topic for another day). For one, it really isn't a cheap sport to play. And if you live in an area where they don't offer private practice sessions, or if you just can't afford it and must be stuck every week in public skating sessions like me, it gets discouraging. Or when school work gets in the way, etc.

But I love figure skating. I love the sport, the thrill of spinning, the adrenaline from jumping, and most of all, when I overcome and be able to do an element I've been working on for months. It's the best feeling in the world, gliding out there on the glassy ice and seeing half the people stumbling around you. That is the Icing up on the cold ice (grimaces at my terrible pun). The sweet passion of doing something you love. Or the pride when you see people skating on TV and thinking, "I can do better than that!"  (Battle of the Blades, anyone?). That's what keeps me going. That's what keeps me moving on bad practices when you can't get that darn toe pick to stay off the ice during a spin or when you fall on a loop jump. Figure skating is often more than just landing all the jumps and perfecting all the spins; it is also about being optimistic and adamant enough to continue something you love.

I put up this blog to share my experience and hopefully hear some similar stories (so I can know I am not alone!), but if no one does read this, I am perfectly content to use this blog to document my skating life as a record of my teenage years. Thank you for visiting, and may the odds be ever in your skating's favour!

P.S. I also love to read and write, and may occasionally slip in a literary post here and there. ;)
P.P.S. I do not own The Hunger Games, although my ♥ for the series is great.