Skating Blogs and Videos

Please do browse all 4 sections below:

1) My personal skating videos and articles
2) General blogs I have written with skating content
3) My 2017 monthly blog series expanding on US Figure Skating’s “Get Up” Campaign
4) Videos I took that were used by the US Figure Skating “Adults Skate Too Tuesdays”

1) MY PERSONAL SKATING VIDEOS

NEW!!  Now one year later, first gold medal at the 2023 Peach Classic for my current emotional program, “The Shape of Us.”

NEW!!  Debut of my new 2023-2024 character showcase program “The Bluebells of Broadway.”

Here is the debut of a new Emotional Program, “The Shape of Us” performed at the Peach Adult Figure Skating Classic in Duluth, GA September 2022

UPDATED!!  Here is an updated better performance of my comedic / light entertainment program “Totally Gay” performed at the Peach Adult Figure Skating Classic in Duluth, GA September 2022

From the May Central Carolina Classic – earlier I won an adult nationals gold medal with this dramatic program “Stranger in Paradise” from the 1955 movie “Kismet.”

My gold medal winning “It’s Hairspray” light entertainment showcase program at the Eastern US Adult Sectional Championship, Philadelphia March, 2022

In May, 2021 I passed my Juvenile – Adult solo free dance test (with honors!) which now makes me eligible to compete at the US Adult National Championships starting in 2022!  Link to dance test.

Spring, 2021.  I entered the American Ice’s Theatre’s Virtual Artistic Competition and won “most dazzling entertainer” for the over 35 age group!  Link to the competition video. The over 35 portion is 56:52 – 1:13:34 in the recording if you want to skip to this piece.  I start at 1:05:54  and the judge’s award for the most dazzling entertainer is at 1:10:30.

My 2019 – 2020 programs continue to evolve with more features being added and skating improvements.  The two immediate below are from the New Year’s Invitational Adult Figure Skating Competition in Woodbridge, VA February, 2020:

My best performance yet of my “Book of Mormon” Light Entertainment Program.

My Pre-Bronze Free Skate program to Harry Connick Jr’s “Wink and a Smile”

Now here are my first two videos of 2019 – 2020 season programs!

My “Book of Mormon” Light Entertainment Program skated at the the Ann Arbor Adult Figure Skating Competition in September, 2019.

My Pre-bronze Free Skate program to Harry Connick Jr’s “Wink and a Smile” from the Ann Arbor Adult Figure Skating Competition in September, 2019.

NEW and improved! Video of my gold medal performance of “I’m Too Sexy” at the Colorado Springs Invitational in September, 2018. To date my best performance of this number.

Video of my “I’m Too Sexy” Pre-bronze Light Entertainment Program, March 2018 at the US Adult Eastern Sectionals, Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Video of my new 2017-2018 pre-bronze free skate program to Michael Buble’s “Spiderman,” September, 2017 at the Colorado Springs Invitational.

Video of my pre-bronze free skate at the May, 2017 Central Carolina Skating Classic competition.

I am the first featured athlete for the 2017 NC State Powerade Games running April – July! Link to cool article on the State Games website.

The professional 4 minute video from the Voya Financial “Retirement Champions” series about my figure skating journey.

Video of my Light Entertainment Program skated at the St. Patrick’s Day Competition in Wake Forest, NC on March 18, 2017

My exhibition program performed at the 2015 Dorothy Hamill Fantasy Adult Figure Skating Camp. Ughh – that was quite some time ago, I feel I am a lot better now.

2) BLOGS WITH SKATING CONTENT

Published March 2020: Introducing Gracie Gold, The Ultimate “Get Up” Story.  Includes my personal experience having her coach me at a competition, with lots of photos and links.

Four Years Later – My Journey as a competitive adult figure skater, including 5 key lessons

Finding a New Passion at Age 59 – my journey begins!

Part 2 of my figure skating journey – It Takes a Village. Many people and groups have truly helped me grow in my figure skating adventure.

The Importance of Outstanding Coaches … in all aspects of life including figure skating.

One of my blogs shares the inspiration story of young figure skater skater Eric Sjoberg

Lessons in Character from a Young Teen shares the inspirational story of 2016 US Novice Champion Eric Sjoberg

A blog ranting about how people stereotype figure skating and some negativity around the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia

As a diversity consultant I featured seven outstanding role models in “Seven Fantastic Out Gay Men of Figure Skating.”

3) MY 2017 MONTHLY “GET UP” BLOG SERIES

The concept of US Figure Skating’s wonderful “Get Up” Campaign is the concept that life, like the ice, is hard, and after a fall we need to get up, grow from the experience and persevere. I am very pleased to be writing this monthly series on various aspects of “getting up.”

January: Introduction to the “Get Up” theme with figure skating examples

February: Stories of Adult Figure Skaters “Getting Up” After Illness and Injury, part 1

March: Getting Up after Career and Vocation Falls. Read these four short inspiration stories of how these people “got up” to move on after falls and troubles in their vocational lives.

April: Adult Figure Skaters – Inspirational Stories of “Getting Up” after illness and injury, Part 2. Please read these 5 very short personal recollections including some cool photos.

May: In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, my May “Get Up” Blog is “Getting Up after Considering or Attempting Suicide.” Often greatly stigmatized, people suffering with this issue can indeed get up and move on to whole and satisfying lives.

June: In “Getting Up from from loneliness and isolation through finding community” I share the inspiring story of adult figure skater Amanda McGowan find a community through skating.

July / August: In “Getting Up from a Life of Hiding and Deception,” my friend Jim shares about “Getting Up” and changing from old patterns of secrecy and deception to living a more productive, honest, rich authentic life as a proud gay man.

September: “Getting Up from Nay-sayers” is about how to deal with one of the most insidious detractors keeping us from achieving our goals – those negative people who love to tell us what we are not able to do.

October: an interview with Joanne Vassallo Jamrosz who has written a wonderful series of books about all kinds of figure skaters, famous and no-so-famous, who all have “get up” stories. Mine is even included in her latest book!

November: In my Final “Get Up” Blog of the Year, I provide a summary and links to my entire “Get Up” Series

4) MY VIDEOS USED IN “ADULTS SKATE TOO”

In addition to making some video’s for US Figure Skating “Adults Skate Too” I am featured in this one posted (link) late January, 2018!

I am so thrilled that the US Figure Skating Committee asked me to make a few video interviews to be used for “Adults Skate Too” Tuesdays. What fun!

My own story of starting to skate at age 59.

A video of skating legend Richard Dwyer, Aka Mr. Debonair, who is still skating at age 81!

Our 2017 US Junior Silver Medalist Starr Andrews started skating after her mother Toshawa Andrews started as an adult. Video with both mother and daughter.

Multiple time US Medalist and Olympian Pairs Skater Mark Ladwig encourages us adults to skate!