This year ice show

This is the second year I skated in two numbers. The adult number and the ice dance number, where I'm the only adult.

The ice dance number was extremely intimidating last year. Even if I was at the same level (tested standard track) as the young skaters, I felt slower and more hesitant. I haven't shared it last year, so here it is:

This year I felt comfortable, and my coach said I looked so. For this number we were split in 3 groups: low level, intermediate and step-ups, they are the best at our rink... While each level performed, the other levels served as a backdrop. Each level performed a pattern dance, with some embellishments added, like hand movements. I liked how the instructor organized the rehearsals. Beforehand, she sent an e-mail to the whole group announcing the schedule and welcoming questions. On the first rehearsal she decided the big movements on ice from the beginning to the end of the song. On each subsequent week she added more and more detail. We had parts where we were supposed to move synchronized and we had music cues, and we had parts where we had to do our own thing.

It's my forth year doing the adult number. I cannot share the video as the music copyright makes it restricted. But I can tell you and it didn't get any easier to rehears for these adult numbers. We are different levels, from Beta to FS5, but we are choreographed together. The instructor accepted very little input and he choreographed detailed chunks at a time, roughly each week a quarter of the number, so if something didn't work, it set us back significantly. Each year we were still adjusting trough the technical and dress rehearsals. And then, it somehow comes together when we perform it and we get excited enough that we want to do it again!

The program, this year, included some circle and lines formations, spiral, jump of choice, another line, pinwheel and spin. I was planing to do 3 waltz jumps connected, but had time just for 2 and a scratch spin at the end that had to be very short as we were running out of time.

I had some goals for this year: to control the nerves, to perform, to smile. I found that thinking on specific goals took away from my overall energy and attention. I think things need to be worked on, but the bigger goal should be to perform in the moment. Adding to that is to keep a positive attitude, as I felt I gave up a little on the scratch spin because i thought there is not enough time for it.

Overall I'm happy with doing the show. I wasn't nervous, I was performing, I learned about working on goals, I did my scratch spin under pressure and time constraints and I saw overall progress in my skating!