Emilie+O.

__Figure Skating__

I am Emilie and I am passionate about [|figure skating]! I have been figure skating for five years. I like to figure skate because I like skating and it's fun learning how to do new jumps and spins. There are also things called field moves. Feild moves are ALMOST everything besides jumps and spins. I skate for The Niagara Centre Skating Club.

__**Jumps**__

I will tell you about the jumps that I have done. My newest jump is a flip jump. That is when you turn and change feet, then you put your toe-pick in the ice and spin once in the air and land on the same foot that you put your toe-pick in the ice with. It is very hard but I am starting to get the hang of it. There is a picture shown here of the steps to a flip jump. My favourite jump is a waltz jump. It is probably one of the easiest jumps to do. You turn on one foot, jump and change direction when you land so you land backwards on the other foot. The jumps that I have done are waltz jumps and toe loops ( a toe loop is when you turn, then put your toe-pick in the ice, and turn while you are in the air. You will land on the opposite foot from the one that you jumped on. It is similar to a flip jump but a toe loop is alot easier.) I have also done a salt cow ( a salt cow is when you turn on one foot, spin and jump. You will land on the opposite foot from the one you jumped on.) I have also done a loop jump ( loop jump is when you turn on one foot, jump and land on the same foot that you jumped on.) Lastly, I have done a flip jump. Most jumps land on the opposite foot from the one that you jump on. But some, like the loop jump, land on the same foot that you jump on.

__Spins__ I will tell you about the spins that I have done. My newest spin is a camel spin. That is when you lift up your leg really high and spin.My favourite spin is a sit spin. That is when you go into a spin and sit very low with one foot up. In the picture shown here, there is a person doing a sit spin. She is holding her leg, but you don't have to. I do not hold my leg in a sit spin. The spins that I have done are two foot spins ( two foot spins are when you spin on two feet.) I have done a one foot spin ( one foot spins are when you stand up strait, and spin with on foot up to about your knee.) I have done a sit spin and lastly, I have done a camel spin. Sometimes I get really dizzy after a spin and I need to take a little break.

__**Competitions and Skating for Fun**__ I have been in a handful of competitions. The best I've ever done in a Figure Skating Competition is third place. I got to stand on the podium! I also got a bronze metal. I was very proud of myself! When I was little, I did something called "[|CanSkate]". That is something that teaches little kids how to skate. I got a BIG trophy for being the best CanSkater in my age group. I also got a couple of metals for CanSkate also. I used to play hockey for a little while before I did CanSkate but I quit hockey and soon realized that Figure Skating was the winter sport for me. But the good thing is, I already could skate a little bit. I also went [|Public Skating] with my Grandpa when I was really little and learned a little bit of how to skate then, so I had some expirience before CanSkate.media type="youtube" key="L7MiDoHzajk" height="229" width="395" align="right" **__Solo__** I have a solo with music that I do for figure skating. A solo is when I basically "dance" on the ice with jumps, spins and field moves by myself for a couple of minutes. Starting last year, I needed to do something called footwork in my solo. Footwork is when you do twirls, small jumps, turns, and other things very fast down the ice. When you do footwork, you use your toe-pick alot. A toe-pick is some tiny little spikes on the front of your skate blades used to do jumps. There is a picture of toe-picks below. My music for my solo is one minute, thirty three seconds long. I do my solo in a competition. I usually have the same music for two years and then I switch music for the next year. My solo changes every year. This is a video of a Figure Skating CHAMPION doing her solo. But of course, her solo is ALOT more advanced than mine. **__Dances__**

This may sound confusing but as well as a solo, I do dances. Yes, their is a difference. A solo is when you dance by yourself, but a dance is when you dance with a partner. There are also routines that you do with a partner that are not dances but right now, I only do dances with a partner. These are the dances that I have done. Those were my Paliminary Dances. Palimanary dances are the first dances you learn. Now I am doing The Swing.media type="youtube" key="CfZAveGM7vs" height="187" width="336" align="right"The Swing is the first dance that you go backwards in.This is a video of people doing The Swing. I haven't really learned any of The Swing yet. I learned a tiny bit last year but haven't got to finish it yet. But when I do continue learning it, I will need to start fresh from the beginning because I don't remember any of what I learned last year!
 * 1) The Duthch Waltz
 * 2) The Canasta
 * 3) The Baby Blues

<span style="background-color: #e024b4; color: #0c0bea; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 165%;">**__My Figure Skating Dresses__** <span style="color: #e524a0; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">I have only had two Figure Skating Dresses. My first one was half lime green and half black. My second dress, (the one I currently wear for competitions) is all dark pink and sparkly. Alot of my friends, including me, like my lime green and black dress better, but I still like my sparkly pink dress too.

<span style="background-color: #d0259c; color: #000dff; font-family: impact,charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 175%;">I am Emilie Oakes and I am passionate about Figure Skating!