Ice Theatre Of New York to Present Edge Class At Bank Of America Winter Village At Bryant Park

Ice Theatre of New York will present Edge Classes on Tuesdays from 6:30am-7:45am, November 8-29, 2022 held at the Rink at Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, NYC. Skaters can drop in for one session or attend all four. Single sessions are $25 each and will consist of warm-up, edge class instruction and some time to free skate. For details on participating, call the ITNY office at (212) 929-5811 or email itny@icetheatre.org.

Skaters must have their own skates and be proficient in edging and turns. Please check the ITNY Edge Class page regularly for updates on cancelled sessions.

Taught by ITNY Outreach Director/Performer, Sara France, the Edge Class allows adult figure skaters to hone their skating skills in a 60-minute session set to music, followed by an additional 20 minutes of free skating. Skaters must be proficient in their forward and backward skating with speed, able to do forward outside/inside three turns, and forward inside mohawks. Classes begin with simple exercises, then moves on to more complex patterns and ensemble skating - "birding" - exercises.

Developed by Olympic Champion John Curry as a daily class for his skating company, the format is now used to teach the Ice Theatre Ensemble and guest skaters. The classes' on-ice format is similar to that of a dance class with a large group lesson being taught to music. Participants perform a sequence of steps ranging from basic to advanced difficulty. Sequences are then performed in small groups to develop spatial sensitivity among skaters and to facilitate flow on open freestyle sessions. The basic material may be incorporated into skaters' daily warm-up routines while more advanced sequences may be modified for use in programming.

Mastery of the edges is the key to skating. The skater of the future will be the one who combines the athleticism of the triple/quadruple jump with the artistry that comes only through the mastery of the edges. Jumps and flying spins are energetic developments of edges and turns that are performed on the surface of the ice. Balance on these basic edges and turns not only facilitate athleticism but also are inseparable from artistry.

In the ITNY edge classes, skaters gain a repertory of exercises designed to develop skills necessary for accomplishing the athletic elements of skating. These exercises help create the freedom of ice movement essential to style. The classes focus in-depth on these basics:

• Grounded knee bend (Plié)

• Dynamic placement of the free leg

• Twisting and the use of the arms to shape space

• Full use of the eyes for balance and style

Through full and proper use of the body, skaters come in contact with their basic strengths and ultimately discover their own unique ice personalities.

To join the ITNY Edge Class email list, sign up on the ITNY home page or email itny@icetheatre.org.

Sara France (Ensemble Director) joined the Ice Theatre of New York in 2018, bringing her passion for ice dancing and broad knowledge of skating skills and disciplines to the company. France has translated her skills to many different areas as an ensemble performer with ITNY, in addition to being a choreographer, edge class instructor, aerialist, inline skater, dancer and off ice instructor. Her dedication to skating and desire to share her love of the ice with others has made her a sought after instructor and performer. She believes strongly in the ability of skating to transcend barriers, teach life lessons and give opportunities to all who wish to make their home on the ice. In addition to her work with ITNY, France's skills have been highly valued in training developmental through internationally competitive skaters, working as a coach, choreographer and program director. She is a faculty member for Shattuck-St. Mary's International Figure Skating Center of Excellence training camps and a welcomed guest coach in skating programs around the world. France has worked with competitive athletes representing over 40 different countries and facilitated the transition to professional careers for many young skaters. She takes particular interest in developing strong foundational skating skills, mentoring coaches, as well as teaching those who wish to further refine their mastery of skating technique. Her well-rounded education on the ice has allowed her to flexibly work in all disciplines of skating, as well as successfully lead instructional programs as a skating director. She is honored to be the Director of Outreach Programming for ITNY and looks forward to sharing the joy of dancing on ice with students around the greater NYC area through these efforts.

About the Ice Theatre of New York

Founded by Moira North, ITNY's mission is to celebrate and advance dance on ice as a performance art. Through its performances in both traditional and site-specific venues, ITNY presents ice dance that helps to open one's eyes to seeing skating in new and unexpected ways. ITNY was the very first ice dance company to receive dance program funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. www.icetheatre.org ITNY is also supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, and NYC Council Member Mark Levine and by Dance/NYC'S Coronavirus Dance Relief Fund. Additionally, ITNY receives funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Lisa McGraw Figure Skating Foundation, the Will Sears Foundation, and its generous private patrons.

About Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is popularly known as NYC's only free admission ice skating rink. Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is open daily through March 5, 2023, and in addition to The Rink, the annual winter event features fun, outdoor activities including The Holiday Shops by Urbanspace, delicious food and drink offerings at The Lodge, the Curling Café, Cozy Igloos, and Bumper Cars on Ice. For more information, go to WinterVillage.org.