Transitions in ice dance are almost the most important part of the entire dance. The way you skate, or skating skills, are key because if the judges just think that you have nice elements, or ‘moves’, as many people who don’t know skating call them, they obviously won’t respect your skating as much. The artistry of the movement, is all so important. The way a skater interprets the choreography is a skill that is vital in being able to tell a good skater from mediocre. Transitions are also very interesting in life. This could be from one home to the next, or even to a different ‘best friend’. For me, the hardest transition of all is from when I have been at a lively, difficult, and exciting competitions that are always so different, and then going back to school. It’s not that I don’t love school, because I do, but its just that it is not quite as emotionally amazing, maybe because I am now a little older, and have been doing it almost everyday for years.
At a skating competition, it is sort of scary, but so cool that I can’t even begin to explain. Everyone is walking around trying to look proud, while the judges all walk around as friends and you have to pretend to be happy to please the judges, because they want strong competitors to send out internationally. Also, you for the most part are happy, other than the fact that you can barely handle the crazy amount of nerves. All of the people you compete against are kind of like enemies until the end of competition.
After the 2013 US Nationals, I was so excited and everyone was telling me congrats, and supportive, kind things like this, and I swear, I could not wipe off the smile on my face. Though my event was sort of in the beginning of the week, it did not get boring. The next few days we had many seminars, events (breakfasts, team building etc.), and other skating to watch. It really was one of the best weeks of my life, because while hanging out with my skating friends whom I am very close to, I get to watch, and be a part of a world that I love. Finally, to top off the week, there was an exhibition with thousands of people watching. It was all of the US champions. It was a blast getting to work with all of the seniors (highest level), and freestylers that I don’t hang out with much. We said bye to all of our judges, and thanks, and bye to all of our friends that may have been enemies earlier that week.
As we leave to come home, I am glad because a new adventure was just finished, but sad to leave all of my friends, because I have so much in common with them, even if lots of them are much older. So I fall asleep with a little pain in my heart, but knowing that from here, it only gets better, as I remember from when a judge let me in on something amazing. I had been walking through the arena as I bumped into a technical specialist and a judge. The judge was eating ice cream, and told me that although it is not official who is in the ISP yet, that I was already being selected for an international competition, it just wasn’t clear which one yet. The ISP is the international selection pool, and that is what you get chosen from to compete at international competitions! I literally was speechless, other than saying thank you so much. 