"Break a leg"

[learning_as_i_go]

I think this is the right place for this - apologies if not.

So somebody just wished my DD luck for a competition - they said "break a leg" but then asked do people say that in the skating world.  I had to be honest and say I don't know. 

So out of curiosity - do you hear it in regards to skating?   

[davincisop]

...good question. I have no idea.

[FigureSpins]

Not really, ime.  Most people say "skate great" or "have a great skate."  Most coaches say "smile."

[Skittl1321]

I mostly hear "skate great" or "good luck".

It seems like break a leg would be bad for skaters!  I know it is for ballerinas- they say "Merde" (which isn't a very nice word in French)

[nicklaszlo]

Yes, for shows.

[SynchKat]

I will take good luck wished to me any way someone wants to offer it.

But usually people do just say "good luck" or "skate well", "have a good skate" is another common one.

[sampaguita]

I wouldn't use "break a leg". It might actually happen literally. "Good luck" is the one I hear most often.

[treesprite]

I have broken a leg on the ice for real, so if you were to say "break a leg" top me, I'd have to kick your butt for being an oaf.   

[PinkLaces]

I have mostly heard good luck or skate great.  Also the kids yell "Sparkle, shine, smile."  for their friends.

[VAsk8r]

I've heard adults/teens jokingly say, "Break a leg!" to each other, which is then followed by a few remarks about how we hope we don't really break our legs.

We have a teen at our rink who broke her leg (not while skating) last year and has had a lot of problems ever since. I'm not sure she'd be amused if I said that to her.

I hear "skate great" and "good luck" the most.

[Robin]

I wouldn't use "break a leg". It might actually happen literally. "Good luck" is the one I hear most often.

The expression "break a leg" has always been used facetiously. To the superstitious in the theatre world, the term "good luck" actually brings bad luck, so they say the opposite. Among the superstitious in the skating world, it would seem logical--if you can use the word logical with superstition--to continue the term to the skating arena.

[Skittl1321]

But the problem with extending the term to the ice is that falling is something that is really common.  Though I've seen falls in theatre (once a guy locked his knees and passed out at the top of a raked stage, he rolled the whole way down) it isn't really a problem.  I'm thinking this is why ballet dancers don't say break a leg to each other- it would be a terrible thing to actually happen! Don't want to tempt fate!

[Robin]

I have mostly heard good luck or skate great.  Also the kids yell "Sparkle, shine, smile."  for their friends.

If someone ever told me to sparkle, shine, or smile, I think I'd tell them to f*** off. Nothing is more annoying. Egad! Sparkle! Ick. Either you can skate or you can't. All the freakin' fairy dust in the world ain't gonna help.

[Robin]

Irony is woefully nonexistent in this crowd.

[learning_as_i_go]

interesting - so really it is as I thought - Not really with a hint of yes for shows   As SynchKat said - we'll take good wishes however they are given but looking at this feedback it's probably not a phrase we'll end up using ..... 
Thanks!!