What do you think it might be like to have a Skating Partner?

[FSWer]

Ok...I think we've talked about this before. But it's been a while. So I think we can do an update. Also a Dream I had and my experience with one at a Public Skate brought this topic on. That is... What do you think it might be like to have a Skating Partner? From my experience I can now say that I think it would really be fun and it would feel very conforting (with the right Partner,LOL) in somebodys arms,etc. What about all of you?

[scootie12]

LOL, well......I've had a few partners I did tryouts with, or assisted in preparation for dance or pairs.  I think I enjoy being solo, although I've toyed with the idea of doing Adult Pairs just for fun.

Back before I quit skating the first time, I was in high demand at my rink because I had enough technical needed at the pairs level, so I kept getting asked by every mom in the building that had a daughter searching for a partner.  So one day I finally cave in and said I'll give it a try.  So...who do I meet up with the next week? Some girl that was shorter than me (perfect, right?), seemingly close to my weight (150lbs), and kinda skated like the Brawny Man.  She had all her doubles, but not much grace, lol.  My first thought, was "OMG....HOW will I ever lift her?"  No offense, but she didn't have the build to be a PAIRS skater, especially considering our weights were close to each other. 

Ironically, by the end of the week, we were doing nice throw doubles and caught onto stroking well.  What killed it? The lifts!  It was too difficult to hold her in an overhead lift, and her mom had it with me when I couldn't throw her into a single twist.

After we cut things off about a month or so later, my coach (who was a junior national pairs champ) said there was no way our match-up would work well because she wasn't built for pairs.  She had strong singles skating skills, but her mom was pushing for pairs, and so was the daughter.  I think they did a few other tryouts and finally called it quits all-together.

I continued to help out other girls with pairs stroking and basic holds if they were just starting out in pairs.

So that's my partner story

Maybe one day I'll have a better experience if I want to try pairs or dance.  I actually think dance would be fun, especially since I think I have strong MITF and figures skills that would make doing the edges easier.

[FigureSpins]

Imagining the partner experience as being all warm and huggy is an illusion.  It's not a fun, loving situation when you're on the ice.  Lifts can hurt both the lady and the man - even just hip lifts. 

While they're skating so close together, they're still on guard to be sure not to click blades or get tangled in one another's clothing or body parts, lol.  Every step is carefully placed to look like a romantic encounter, but it's really not. 

Comforting?  I don't think so - both partners have to pull their own weight.  No one will accept a partner who needs to be supported because that's just dangerous.  While it is comforting to have someone to lean on after a particularly bad skate, both partners have to be willing to provide that comforting shoulder as well as be crying on it.  It can't be one-sided or resentment will form and the team will be in trouble.

It is fun to skate with a partner, but it takes hours and hours of practice to reach the levels of creating that romantic illusion.  In some cases, the work and effort involved in skating as a team gives you ZERO interest in the partner for romance.  Treating your partner as a boyfriend/girlfriend when it's not reciprocated is a recipe for disaster and hurt feelings.  When a romance does develop, it's horrible for the partnership when it ends.  Very few teams manage to stay together after a breakup.