Partnering...too soon?

Greetings. I'm an adult skater chasing childhood dreams of skating with a partner. Alas, it's not particularly clear to me how that works. After taking private lessons for almost a year, my coach wants me to take the pre-preliminary and preliminary tests this fall. Since I wasn't sure which discipline I would want to go into from the beginning, I ended up splitting my time 50/50 between freestyle and dance. A month ago, at my constant insistence, coach paired me with one of his other students and we did two lessons together just to get a feel for moving around in various holds. Regrettably, we tripped at some point and I ended up in the hospital with a bruised rib (she managed to walk away unscathed). While my partner is not particularly thrilled at the prospect of continuing, I am left absolutely enamored and cannot stop thinking about getting back out there. What I wonder is whether it is too soon to be partnering at this point. From what I've read online, skaters typically start solo and only after achieving some relative degree of success do they involve another person. Is that the only way? If so, what is a typical timeline for this process?

Welcome eonice!

No, I don't think it's too soon. As long as you know the steps to a dance and the hold (or when to change the hold) you should dance with others.

Some rinks have social dances. If yours does, take advantage of it. Don't be scared! When you're a beginning dancer, skating with someone of a higher level will help you progress faster. And skating with another beginner will get you both comfortable into partnering up.

You will soon find yourself to be a hot commodity - a male ice dancer seeking a partner!

sandraskates said:

Welcome eonice!

No, I don't think it's too soon. As long as you know the steps to a dance and the hold (or when to change the hold) you should dance with others.

Some rinks have social dances. If yours does, take advantage of it. Don't be scared! When you're a beginning dancer, skating with someone of a higher level will help you progress faster. And skating with another beginner will get you both comfortable into partnering up.

You will soon find yourself to be a hot commodity - a male ice dancer seeking a partner!

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Thanks for the feedback! I had a chance to speak with my former coach over these last few days and got the same message. Looks like the most significant challenge coming up will be finding a new partner. Also, the NY tristate doesn't appear to be a hub for social dance events--the few rinks which previously hosted shut them down due to attrition.

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You're welcome!

I am sorry to hear that the social dances have disappeared; I know the East coast once had many rinks that offered programmed / social dance sessions. I'm sure those sessions have been given over to the big money maker - hockey.

I hope you enjoy your challenge of finding a suitable partner. There are so many options for adult skaters now. You never know - you may find yourself at Adult Nationals some day. . .

Dang, I've always had a pipe dream to compete with a partner in adult dance events as well. Too bad you aren't Canadian. Finding an adult partner is, as others have said, very difficult.