You can't teach an old dog new tricks, but a 51-year-old figure skater has shown dogged determination to nail a new element.
David Sargent, 51, passed his senior bronze European dance step at testing at the Centennial Arena on Dec. 6.
“I failed in April when I didn’t do my three-turn right,” Sargent said. “So I have been practicing my turn ever since April just for this day.”
There were 35 tests attempted on Dec. 6 by Okotoks Figure Skating Club members and 31 passed.
Sargent, who has won a world championship in adult men’s gold division skating, said although he prefers skating in solo competition, testing for dance pays dividends.
“It helps improve my footwork and that will help me the next time that I compete,” he said. Sargent added reaching higher levels in his testing allows him to skate at a higher level competitively.
Vanessa Kirchenberger passed her senior bronze 14-step dance. She was on the ice with dance partner Dan Moir for all of about 60 seconds for the test.
“There is a lot of preparation and practice for that minute of skating,” said Kirchenberger, a Grade 10 student at Holy Trinity Academy. “For me, I’m not all that enthusiastic about dance — it’s just more of a fun thing. I was able to relax. (Solo) competition is when I get nervous.”
She said having a good partner in instructor Moir helped her get the passing grade.
“It really helps a lot,” she said. “In dance, I’m able to follow my partner.”
It’s not as if Moir and the girls he is partnered with are out there for the first time on the day of testing.
He made several trips to Okotoks to dance with the girls of various heights and abilities to prepare them for the test day.
“I have been doing this for a long time so I get used to dancing with partners of different size and ability,” Moir said. “You have to come out to practice with them so they know what to expect on the day of testing.”
Moir comes by his skating ability naturally. He is the brother of Scott Moir who won the 2010 Olympic gold medal in ice dance in Vancouver. Don’t expect Dan Moir to go out and rent the Academy Award winning movie “Oliver” anytime soon. He had to dance to “Consider Yourself” from “Oliver” several times during the testing on Dec. 6.
“Oh, it’s my favourite song,” he said sarcastically. “I’ve heard it so many times, but I am able to put it out of my head.”
Okotoks figure skating coach Kerri Roberts said she was delighted with the test results. She said with just a few minor adjustments, those skaters who didn’t pass will do so next time.
“I told them I was really proud of them because they all tried their best,” she said. “What they did wrong was so small that they are very close to passing.”
As Sargent proved, one failure means the chance to try again and succeed.
By passing The Europe on Dec. 6, it allowed him to try and pass his silver rocker Fox-Trot on Dec. 7 in Calgary.
“You have to take these tests in succession,” Sargent said on Dec. 6. “I can’t take my silver test until I had passed my bronze.”
