A New Program for Sectionals

by Mary on January 25, 2014

stroking

at Fiesta Skate last year

I have a new program! The music is quite different from anything I’ve skated to before and I like that. I was drawn to its playfulness and upbeat, driving energy. I won’t be skating slow, graceful and balletic movements– this piece is going to be fast.

I’m eager for this piece to start feeling like a real program performed with the music and not just a sequence of figure skating elements. It takes a lot of time and repetition to really skate to the music, and a lot of choreographing to add the arm movements and other details that make the program artistic. I got a late start this time since it took me a long time to pick out and cut the music.

My freestyle coach Lisa is really good at choreography and what she comes up with makes us both happy. I have the footwork and jumps pretty well set but we’re still deciding which spins to include.

My music is from this song, Return to Patagonia by Lemon Jelly:

A couple months ago my knees were not happy so I re-started my old PT exercises several days a week. I hardly jumped at all in December and the beginning of this month. Last week I added the jumps back into my program to see how I would do and my knees held out OK.

Based on that I signed up for a big competition, the Pacific Coast Adult Sectionals, which will be in Ontario, California, in early March. Last year was my first time at Sectionals and I had a good experience. This year I will be moving up to the Ladies IV age category of women aged 51-60. I watched this group compete last year and they looked great and were doing some pretty cool things on the ice.

Now that I’ve taken the plunge and signed up, it’s time for me to ramp down my other skating projects like the Gold Moves and really focus on this program. Wish me luck polishing it up, if I get it where I want it to be it’s going to be a fun program.

{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }

Eva January 25, 2014 at 6:41 pm

Wow! Sectionals! That is so exciting, Mary! I am sure your new program will be awesome. You will do great! Where did you get that gorgeous dress from the photo above?
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mary January 25, 2014 at 6:48 pm

Thanks, Eva. The dress is by Kim. She is an Adult Gold skater I used to train with before she stopped skating to concentrate on her skating dress business. I’m happy to support her business, she’s very creative and her work is excellent. She also made the black dress for my rose program and I’m hoping she’ll make me a new dress for this year’s program. Her website is on Etsy here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SkatingDressesByKim

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Brittany January 26, 2014 at 1:22 am

How exciting about switching up your musical routine and going to sectionals!! That photo of you is gorgeous!

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mary January 26, 2014 at 6:49 am

Thanks, Brittany!

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The Wimpy Vegetarian January 27, 2014 at 6:27 pm

How incredibly exciting! I’m so happy for you! You look fantastic on the ice.
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mary January 28, 2014 at 3:01 am

Thanks, Susan!

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Jules January 29, 2014 at 7:15 am

Cool music! So exciting when it comes to a new routine and new music…I have just chosen my music for this year today! Good luck… I look forward to watching your progress!
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mary January 29, 2014 at 4:01 pm

Thanks! I’m glad you have your music figured out, too, it can be hard to choose!

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Marcia January 29, 2014 at 7:40 pm

I am so excited for you! PLEASE post a video when your pull your program together. I think my daughter just picked her music but we haven’t heard the final cut.
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mary January 29, 2014 at 10:37 pm

Thank you Marcia! Picking the music and getting a good cut of it is quite a process, isn’t it?

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Kiran January 30, 2014 at 8:45 pm

This is so exciting! Good luck, Mary. You look so poised and beautiful 🙂
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mary February 1, 2014 at 12:46 am

Thanks, Kiran, good luck wishes are appreciated!

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Lori January 31, 2014 at 6:09 am

Great music and beautiful purple dress too. 🙂
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mary February 1, 2014 at 12:47 am

Thank you, Lori!

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Joanne January 31, 2014 at 8:38 pm

Such a happy workout. Believe and you’ll make it happen. 🙂
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mary February 1, 2014 at 12:48 am

It is indeed a happy workout, that’s a nice way to put it! And I do need to believe in this program and put my mind to making it what I want it to be!

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Tara January 31, 2014 at 11:40 pm

That is so cool to be dancing to such fast paced music! The song sounds fantastic. Make sure to post a video whenever you are done competing!
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mary February 1, 2014 at 12:39 am

Thank you Tara, I definitely will share a video of that program!

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Patricia February 14, 2014 at 1:11 am

This promises to be the best ever. And PT is magic if you keep it going. Good luck on this energetic and elegant program.

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mary February 14, 2014 at 2:16 am

Thanks, Patricia!

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