Our ‘Ice Buds’ skating group put on a performance at the seasonal rink at Seattle Center on the 2nd. We did two group numbers and some solos, and I was able to skate my holiday number to ‘Believe.’ It was a good experience putting on a show for a random public audience.
The ice surface at Seattle Center is tiny and it’s ‘cut’ with shovels, not a Zamboni. Given that, I’d been worried it might be too rough to skate at all, but it was better than I’d anticipated. My music started playing while I was still down-ice in a line at the end of a group number. For all these reasons my number was different than I would usually skate it.
Luckily I’d gotten good coaching advice to follow the natural curve of my edges instead of trying to lay out my program just as it would be on a bigger ice. That allowed me to actually skate instead of shrinking my program down into bitty strokes.
I was glad I could skate on that day and that I got to have a nice dinner afterward with my Ice Buds at one of my favorite restaurants, ‘Purple.’ I’m not the only one in our group to have squeezed in the performance and the girl time among various adulting challenges. I’m really glad coach Lisa Clinton arranged the performance opportunity for us.
Today I was supposed to perform again at my club’s holiday show. Unfortunately my back had other ideas. It flared up yesterday and despite some meds, no figure skating is going to happen today. I’m disappointed since I had worked on the program since June, and this show was going to be my chance to really skate it. On the plus side, I’m pretty sure this is an ordinary injury that will settle down, nothing extreme like the problems that led to my back surgery.
This was me working on my program yesterday before my back decided to act up.
Related Posts:
Happy Holidays! Solo at Holiday Ice Show Skating my 'Believe' program at a community ice show.
New Skating Projects Skating with my Ice Buds, in Sun Valley, and at the Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer.
Holiday Attitude Check | Keeping the Holidays Positive Taking a minute here and there to find the joy in some holiday activities. Sometimes it takes me a while-- even with activities that I signed up for.
Holiday Ice Show Duet Skating a duet for a holiday ice show.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Ooh, Mary, nice footwork sequence (I especially like how you incorporate the eight-step moves sequence and the back pivot) and what a lovely expression (love the smile at the finish). I was worried when I saw the rough ice but it didn’t register at all in your smooth skating! Sorry to hear about the back issues–here’s hoping the holidays find you rested and pain-free.
Thanks. After all that work on the moves it’s good to get to use them for something. The pivot is my wrong way and was giving me some trouble (the falling leaf is my wrong way too but seemed to be working). The Seattle Center performance is when there was the rough ice. This is just the normal ice where I practice. The back is not getting better yet but I will pursue solutions.
You always skate with such pure emotion, Mary. That’s one (of many things) that I admire about your skating. I hope your back issues go away soon and that you find some time to relax during the holidays!
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Thanks for that affirmation, Eva, that’s nice to hear!