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Showcase caps year

Skater Emma Vicente performs as the Westlock Figure Skating Club wrapped its season March 18 with the show “Night at the Movies.
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 Skater Emma Vicente performs as the Westlock Figure Skating Club wrapped its season March 18 with the show “Night at the Movies.” Skater Emma Vicente performs as the Westlock Figure Skating Club wrapped its season March 18 with the show “Night at the Movies.”

Members of the Westlock Figure Skating Club hung up their skates for the season last week after showing off all they have learned for parents, fans and spectators in a year-end showcase held March 18 at the Rotary Spirit Centre.

With the theme “Night at the Movies,” the youngest of skaters in the Learn to Skate program, many of whom had never worn skates before this winter, performed various routines that included jumps, turns and spins, to the delight of onlookers.

The slightly older synchronized skaters also performed a routine where they dressed as Troll dolls, and mesmerized the crowd as they mimicked each other in perfect time.

The performances put a punctuation mark at the end of a “rebuilding” year, said coach Tracy Proulx, who has been involved in coaching Westlock figure skating for over 25 years.

“The season was good, but our numbers were definitely lower than usual. We’re kind of rebuilding the club I guess you could say. There was a time when we had ice three times a week and we went down to two times and with our numbers we’ve had to move down to once a week and focus on our Learn to Skate and CanSkate programs,” she said.

To help stabilize the club, coaches have tried to persuade skaters to get involved in synchronized skating, as the ice time required to train older skaters individually is not available.

“With one day a week, we can still really promote synchronized skating,” said Proulx, who said she would like to see Barrhead and Westlock team up eventually to form a larger club.

Synchronized skating is a team endeavour, with groups of at least eight. There are not jumps and spins like a solo figure skater would display. Instead, synchronized skating is more about footwork and skating in unison and putting on a performance, said Proulx.

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