Edge / dance class in hockey skates?

[jjane45]

I have a hockey buddy who talked for years about wanting to do an "edges" class. Since my rink does not have such class, I suggested beginner dance class to him. He says he's OK with the patterns but refuses to put on figure skates, as the switch probably negatively impacts his hockey skating. No idea how our (excellent excellent) dance coach will respond though. Have you seen anyone take edge / ice dance lessons in hockey skates?

I mentioned to my friend if his willing to show up in figure skates, there will be lots of ladies waiting to partner him lol. Maybe he will reconsider after all.

[Clarice]

I haven't seen it in class, but I've seen a few adult men participate in adult dance numbers in club shows while wearing hockey skates.  At least one of them has taken up ice dance, in figure skates, since.  I've heard of guys doing synchro in hockey skates, too.  I think it would work fine for edge work, at least at the beginning, but would probably be a problem for things like toe point.

[Skittl1321]

I can't think of who it was, but I've heard stories of a man who took the first 6 dance tests in hockey skates.

(It's not dance, but here is a figure skater in hockey skates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPcdn6K47hc  I think beginning ice dance would be completely possible for some edge work.)

I also had a figure skating coach require us wear hockey skates for a freestyle lesson.  Something about "if you don't stop dragging those toepicks I will take them away!"  That lesson was terrifying. I will never wear hockey skates again!

[jjane45]

I also had a figure skating coach require us wear hockey skates for a freestyle lesson.  Something about "if you don't stop dragging those toepicks I will take them away!"  That lesson was terrifying. I will never wear hockey skates again!

I skated once in my friend's hockey skates, thought turns were WAY easier compared to figure skates, everything else quite unstable. Managed to eek out shaky three-turns

To ladies looking for dance partners: try drop-in hockey once a while

[MadMac]

I know of a skater who did a lot of her practicing for upper-level MIF tests in hockey skates. I don't see a problem - edges are edges with or without toepicks. Now if you want to do a lot of big jumps and spins, toepicks would be mighty handy.

[CaraSkates]

One of my coaches also teaches power hockey skating skills so I will occasionally have a lesson with him wearing his hockey skates. He can do all of the Junior MIF patterns in them (excluding the toe turns in the footwork LOL!) and he does them well....he can also do an axel in hockey skates. Beginner ice dance is nothing harder then 3-turns through Bronze dances so it should be no problem at least through that level and maybe further - my coach has excellent rockers, choctaws and loops in his hockey skates!

[nicklaszlo]

INo idea how our (excellent excellent) dance coach will respond

I think coach will freak out.

[jjane45]

I think coach will freak out.

LOL and I bet my friend will wear hockey jersey if he's allowed to attend the class.

Actually I was talking to a lady later this afternoon, she said years ago the dance coach told her hockey skates are fine for (obviously beginner) classes. I am really curious still.

[Skittl1321]

If it is a class for adult beginners, it seems a coach freaking out about a hockey skate wearer would only turn people off.  Welcoming them might actually increase the ice dance population, even if the hockey skaters don't THINK that is what they are there for at the time.  They would of course have to be respectful of ice dance in class.

[jjane45]

The coach is pretty open minded, but since figure skating and hockey programs never mingle at our rink, the dance class may be implicitly offered to adult figure skaters only. I'm sure my friend was not able to take some classes at another rink because of his skates.

[nicklaszlo]

If it is a class for adult beginners

It is neither for adults in particular nor is it for beginners.  Currently one of four people in the class is a kid, while in the past it was all kids.  I was told not to take the class until I passed Delta.  And despite what Jane said, there are hockey skaters in the actual adult beginner figure skating classes.

[jjane45]

Sorry for the incorrect information, nicklaszlo. Now I recall all the regular skates vs. hockey skates discussion on Xan's blog, hockey skates are indeed admissible in LTS.

Since you had to pass delta, it's a beginner figure skating class. At the other rink I believe the prerequisite for beginner ice dance is ISI FS3. Although as others mentioned, edges are edges, and beginner dances don't involve toe picks. In this case the barrier for my friend is likely the skill level requirement, not the equipment. Ha!

So what element might be missing for a proficient hockey skater from the LTS curriculum? Prealpha, alpha, and beta are easily passed. Between gamma and delta, three turns and mohawks are the question marks, bunny hops and lunges are not quite relevant to dance, FO / FI edges... Well my friend wants to learn edges! LOL

[jjane45]

Well, dance coach says my hockey friend is welcome to try the class, but will be responsible to learn 3-turns and mohawks because stroking exercises will involve them. I am curious how it will work out!

[sarahspins]

The class I take is supposedly an adult FS workshop (meaning it's taught to whatever level the skaters are at) but last spring there was a hockey skater in the class too... she was working mostly on speed and moves similar the the bronze and silver level MITF.  It worked out well for her - I'm not sure if she'll be rejoining the class this fall, but I didn't have a problem sharing class time with a hockey skater - ultimately our goal is still to skate better, and she wasn't out there doing stick/puck drills or anything

3 turns and mohawks are indeed possible on hockey skates (I never had a ton of trouble doing 3 turns in my patch skates - no toepicks on those!)... I don't see any compelling reason why ice dance can't be done in them, or really any of the MITF.

[icedancer]

We had a hockey guy at our rink who we taught to ice dance - he took his first 9 or so dances in his hockey skates and then got a pair of figure skates with all of the toe picks shaved off and got through some Moves and more dances in those!  Eventually he bought some dance blades and competed Novice Dance at Sectionals for a few years - I remember the judges commenting on how good his edges were and of course I knew it was because of his hockey background.

There is another guy I know who is a Gold level dancer who does all of the dances in his hockey skates because they just feel more comfortable.  So yes, it can be done.

[davincisop]

We had an ice dance class at my rink but we don't have any guys that figure skate. So the girls taking the class recruited some hockey players who reluctantly did it with them. All but one guy wore figure skates and each one took a nasty fall at one point in the class. There was only one who refused to wear figure skates and it of course was the one guy known for ripping huge ruts in the ice.

[jjane45]

All but one guy wore figure skates and each one took a nasty fall at one point in the class.

Ops, any details on the types of falls? Skaters all experience nasty falls here and there, but I wonder if there are specific "traps" in figure skating that hockey skates are more vulnerable to.

(On a side note, I need to be very careful remembering rollerblades don't have toe picks and heels when it comes to stopping!)