The Chicago music montage comes to life over the speakers in the arena at Brennan Park Recreation Centre as Tess Thompson skates into action.
The 18-year-old flows like a ribbon of colour over the ice, spinning, twirling and jumping across the arena. Her movements mimic the ebbing in the intensity of the music, and she seemingly floats through her routine.
Behind the grace of the performance is plenty of hard work. Figure skating is not an easy sport, Thompson says before heading out onto the ice. Thompson first put on skates at the age of three. She travels from her home in Whistler to Squamish to train with Squamish Skating Club coaches Kari-Ann MacDonald and Dominic Turgeon. While the sport demands structured practices and dedication, there’s also a sense of freedom, Thompson says.
“Figure skating is kind of close to dancing,” she says.
It’s the beginning of a new skating season, and Thompson is starting in a new division this year. She’s moving up to the juniors, one of the highest levels of competition. Thompson has a new long program, complete with a new costume and music montage, to roll out this season. The routine is set around the 1964 classic “My Fair Lady.”
“This year I just started landing my jumps consistently,” Thompson says.
During the summer she worked on her double lutz. She’s also practising the double axel, with the aim of honing in on her skills before the B.C./Yukon sectional competition in November. Last season, Thompson earned several medals including a gold and silver in senior girls.
The Squamish Figure Skating Club has grown over the 22 years since MacDonald has coached for it, she says. The club currently has 24 competitive skaters and more than 100 members. The club also offers CanSkate courses to teach youth basic skating skills.
Last week, the club held a “pop concert” that allowed skaters to go through their programs as though they were competing. This coming weekend, they’ll head to Chilliwack for a competition.
To learn more about the club and its programs, visit www.squamishskatingclub.ca.
