How can I advance faster in figure skating?

Figure Skating or Ballet, Lyrical?

• I've been figure skating for about 5 years, and I think I'm coming to a point where I'm not sure if this is something I want to continue with, pursue in. I enjoy the dance aspect of it, not so much the skills. (If you know a little about figure skating you'll know what I'm talking about.) I haven't landed an axle, or any double jumps. This is difficult to explain, but I'm starting to feel that maybe it's not for me. I've been told I'm a good skater, that I have good knee bends, the grace a figure skater has. I'm finding that it's so overwhelming, and I don't enjoy going anymore, that it's just something I do because I've done it for so long, and it's what my parents pay good money for me to do. Okay, this is the semi-silly part. I recently watched Billy Elliot, and it kinda inspired me. I'm thinking ballet might be good for me, because I love the dance aspect and the rush I feel when I skate. But not so much the pressure of trying to land a double, (I have trouble rotating around, I don't stick with it :P) and testing skills and such. If I started ballet or lyrical, I would work hard and take advantage of the opportunity. Could anyone give me some advice on this? Here are my points... 1. Would dance be a good option? Especially since I'm 13, and don't have very much dance experience, and then there's the girls my age that have been dancing for years. 2. I don't have very much experience with ballet, I took it once, but when I was little, and a few times between skating. How would this effect things? 3. What are the components of ballet and lyrical some things I should know about? 4. How would I tell my mom? I've already started skating and made the decision that I wanted to continue (< this was in August) 5. Do you think this is a rash decision? I'm being a bit of a dreamer? (Maybe motivated a little too much by Billy Elliot? :P) 6. What to expect if I were to start? 6. Any advice that might be helpful :) You never know unless you try, I'm only 13 and trying to still figure out what I want to do :) I don't want to go on wishing I had done something differently I apologize for the long intro :/ Thank you so much in advance, you have no idea how much this means to me :)

• Answer:

  Ballet and Lyrical are both just as hard if not harder than ballet. You will still have to jump and turn a lot. If you do not like that, it may not be the best idea. However, if you don't like going to figure skating you should share your feelings. Also, sticking to it is going to be a problem with anything you want and you need to overcome that. 1. I love dance and think it is a great thing for anyone to try. I am a late starter (I started when I was about ten) but have improved greatly and it is not much of a problem anymore. If you really apply yourself you will be able to catch up. 2. It probably won't. The most you have gained is an idea about what class will be like. You really need to study ballet for a while to have anything stick. 3. You have learned a lot of stuff already in figure skating such as stage presence, presentation, and other performing aspects, but jumping and turning are going to be important, they are the wow factor of dance. Another thing you need is extension (ballet speak for getting your foot up in the sky) so flexibility is more of a factor 4. Okay, make up a list of reasons you don't want to continue, beginning with I don't enjoy it anymore. Present it calmly and make it know that you understand she has spent money on it. Then suggest that you want to try dance, using the reasons you gave in your question, such as you like the dance part of figure skating and Billy Elliot. Suggest taking just a few trial lessons to start before enrolling in a whole term. Make sure she knows it is important to you. 5. Absolutely not! Being inspired is nothing to be ashamed of. However, it will be different in class than on the stage. 6. Expect to be corrected, it means the teacher cares. Expect to be tired in class, it is really hard work. You should begin with plies at the barre and other exercises. Then you will do center exercises including turns, and you will end with leaps across the floor. If the class you take consists largely of rehearsals for a performance it is probably not a good school. 7. Discipline is huge! Make sure you finish combinations and start nicely. Also, dance is pain, especially ballet. If you get serious your feet will hurt, you will have calluses and blisters, you will struggle with you body holding you back and spend most of your free time stretching and doing strengthening exercises. There is a great likelihood that you will be incredibly happy with it. You are also crazy. You're right, you never know until you try and regrets are the last thing you want.