Why should skaters do Skills and Ice Dance?
Skaters should participate in skills and dance as well as freeskate to improve their basic skating skills and gain exposure to the other areas of figure skating. The Skate Canada Skills program is designed to teach skaters fundamental movements that gradually get more complex and difficult the higher the level. The skills exercises are skated to music and combine edges, turns, and field movements. Ice Dance is a challenging aspect of the sport that develops physical and artistic abilities. Ice Dance is very different from other skating disciplines. Like skills, it is done to music and set patterns for each dance (29 of them – see Skating Test Levels). Movement is based closely on music and rhythm with an emphasis on timing and expression. It is a more social aspect of the sport as it is done with a partner. Unison is also important as is understanding how to work with someone – think of ballroom dancing on ice. Ice Dance is a great way for skaters to stay in the sport longer and can be
