The Binghamton Figure Skating Club’s Learn-to-Skate Program held its Spring Exhibition on March 22. More than 50 skaters, many of them children, took part in the event at the SUNY Broome Ice Center.
A crowd of close to 300 parents, relatives, friends and ice skating lovers were all smiles in the stands of the SUNY Broome Ice Center on March 22.
More than 50 skaters, many of them children, took part in the Binghamton Figure Skating Club’s Learn-to-Skate Program Spring Exhibition.
The program started with the Learn to Skate production number. Children dressed as «minions» from the «Despicable Me» movies skated to last year’s top hit «Happy,» by Pharrell Willilams. The production also included a four-person dragon, with one of the four being BFSC board president Alex Feingold. Да, семинары для бухгалтеров Киев, бесплатно.
«Everybody’s got a positive feeling about it,» said Feingold, who also performed the samba and a swing dance in pairs routines. «Nobody got hurt. Nobody embarrassed themselves. I didn’t embarrass myself.»
Other show highlights include Matthew Essigmann, a student at Davis College who is also a youth instructor. He skated four times during the show, including the swing dance number and a European waltz.
«I did this when I was younger, like when I was 15 or 16, then it just didn’t really fit into my schedule when I went to college at Davis College, so I coach here,» Essigmann said. «I’m still in shape though, I do a few routines. I still have some jumps left in me.»
Two of the more colorful characters in the show were Isadora Park and Darcy Kasper, who entertained the crowd as Shrek and Fiona, respectively. The pair used the same routine to win the Couples Spotlight Platinum division at the Ice Skating Institute World Championships in Boston last July.
Park and Kasper are accomplished skaters and also worked with the younger skaters at practice. Park is from Elmira and is a junior at SUNY Plattsburgh. Kasper, from Mansfield, Pa., is 16 and has been skating for 10 years.
«The first time I skated, I knew from the get-go that I wanted to be a skater,» said Park, a singer and songwriter who recorded her own version of Nicki Minaj’s «Grand Piano» for Kasper to use in the exhibition.
«I’m not really into jumping. I’m more into ice dance and synchronized skating, to be honest.»
Kasper skated one more time at the end of the program. Dressed as Raggedy Ann, the yarn-like locks of her red wig floating behind her as she skated to RaeLynn’s country hit, «God Made Girls.»
«For this show, I would say we start in October or November working on our programs,» Kasper said. «The easier programs, like our big production number, we don’t start that until later in the year because we have to work with the Learn to Skate kids.»
The youngest of the kids was four-year-old Thea Yarkoni, who dressed as Tinker Bell to skate to «When You Wish Upon A Star» with coach and head choreographer Sarah Park. Another youngster was Lily Bronson, who skated a Hawaiian program with props from the movie «Lilo and Stitch,» as well as a Willy Wonka-inspired number.
Although the majority of performers in the show were kids, there were several adults involved. Some, like Feingold, Sarah Park and BFSC board members Roberta Rittenhouse and Fred Hottenstein, are accomplished skaters, while others are beginners.
Park starts choreographing the program for the children months in advance. Also included in the preparation is putting together the kids’ costumes, which Park visualizes and Hedy Clothier sews.
Past year’s production numbers included «The Little Mermaid» and «The Lion King,» and Park says next year’s kid-friendly theme will be the Pixar film «Monsters Inc.» She believes that will be as fun to watch as this year’s exhibition.
«I just like people to be happy when they’re out there and having a good time, because that’s really what it’s about,» Park said. «Staying happy and staying healthy, it’s good for the kids.»