Figure SkatingFigure Skating
Most famous people, like Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan werent famous before their carrers as figure skaters. Sasha was only 4 when she started to skate and Michelle was 5. Rachael Flatt, Kimmie Meissner, Stephen Carriere, Even Lysacek, and Johnny Weir were all just regular skaters before their carrers.
To begin skating, you need to go to an ice arena that has a learn-to-skate program. Like the Steel Ice Center, Ice Palace, Ice world, and for more, go to www.usfsa.com. The levels you will start off with are Snowplow Sam, then basics, then freestyle and so on. To see all the different levels, please go to the link called LEVELS: FIGURE SKATING.
Some of the jumps include the waltz jump, which is very easy, , bunny hop. Then you start with half turn jumps, then full turn jumps. Most people do the 2-turn jumps and then some do the 3-turn jumps. To find out about more jumps, go to the link called MOVES: FIGURE SKATING.
Some of the spins would be a one-foot spin, a two-foot spin, a scratch spin, and many more. I think the spins are the best part about skating. If you wish to know more spins, please go to the link called MOVES: FIGURE SKATING.
Places and things you can practice with for getting higher, without being on the ice, are Parketts, a rotating disk, jumping jacks, pulling arms in with weight machiene(with an adult around), or run. Running helps you get faster.
Places you can go are the preforming arts school in high school, you can be a full-time skating teacher at any rink, you can go to special places and be trained as a special coach for any figure skating olympist, or you can just have a talent that only 25% of americans can do well. Some people like Kimmie Meisner, Michelle Kwan, and Sasha Cohen got to the olympics. You can go that far if you want to.
Figure skating is very uncommen and is a wonderful talent if you want it to be. Just remember, you may not be as good as the olympians, but you can do something that your friends and family can't. You just need a little practice and you could be on T.V. one day. Sound like fun?
By Keri Miller
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