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NEWS & NOTESFamily Spotlight
by Liz Mangelsdorf
ISI World Team Recreational Championships will be here before you know it! Have you ever thought about how much fun it would be to have your brother, sister, mom, dad — and even your whole family — on the ice with you?
Family Spotlight is a special event designed to allow family members to participate together in ISI competitions. Every member of your family can show their skating skills on the ice at the same time. This event is open to two or more family members of any age and skating level.
Have you ever seen “Family Game Night” on TV? My daughter and son love watching this show
and always say, “We should go on that
show!” They see how much fun those
families are having together. The Family
Spotlight event lets you do the same thing
with your family, but on the ice. You get to
compete against other families and earn
team points for your rink team — and
everyone in your family will receive a medal!
Family Spotlights should be fun and entertaining; typically, they are portrayals of characters using costumes and props to create the story or theme on the ice.
High-Level Tests
When deciding on your theme, start by thinking about something that your family can relate to and which/how many family members will be performing. Popular movies, TV shows, music and books are helpful in coming up with creative ideas.
Costumes can really enhance your program and help your character come to life on the ice. Check your closet, old Halloween costumes or clothes you use for playing “dress-up.”
If you decide to use props in your program, keep in mind that they should be “purposeful props.” That means the prop should be “used” by the skater(s) as a way to help illustrate the theme of the program. Don’t just have a prop on the ice for the sake of having one.
Always know your audience (in this case, keep in mind that you are performing for judges). Your theme should be easily recognizable and your music should match the costumes, the props and the choreography. Don’t make the judges “guess” what is going on during your program.
Duration: 1:30 minutes
Judging Criteria: Music & Choreography, Costume & Prop, Originality, Duration, Judge Appeal
Liz Mangelsdorf is ISI’s managing director
I have a question I cannot seem to find the answer to. Do the family members have to be skaters? If I do something with my husband (a non-skater, but who has figure skates and can skate around decently), can I do that? Does he only need to be an ISI member and/or LTS member? (No level/no test). Is there a minimum number of people for a “family” event? (Are two people enough?)
Thank you!
Hi Laurie,
The only requirements for participating in a Family Spotlight are that all participants must wear skates, be ISI members and be family members. A minimum of 2 skaters is all that is needed for a Family Spotlight and there is no limit on how many family members can participate.