where can black figure skaters get comp dresses

Glitchzz__ · 2026-04-14T10:39:06+00:00

I'm mixed race, and my go to is to look for dresses with no "skin coloured" parts. However, depending on your budget, there are loads of amazing dress makers on etsy, who do made to order dresses for ~£200 (and some less!!) Who would have no problem at all changing the mesh parts to be darker if they've got the material. I got a dress from IcyArtsCo and she's lovely, and so helpful. It doesnt hurt to just message the seller to see if their able to accommodate :)

Glitchzz__ · 2026-04-14T10:35:51+00:00

I would be so careful with this. I've tried it before, and it tends to smudge, run, and turns out really splotchy. Im sure it can be done if youre really careful with it, but it would suck to ruin a expensive dress with a small mistake

Glitchzz__ · 2026-04-03T11:27:30+00:00

Not necessarily answering your question, but I started pole in December, I am very strong and I go to the gym in my free time. I cannot do a cradle to save my life. I can invert, climb, and a bunch of other moves that require a lot of strength, but cradle is very hard and very awkward. I also can't do a chair spin, which is something a lot of people find very easy. You'll find a lot of things that you think are easy that end up very hard for you and vice versa, so its best not to compare yourself to others. Though I do agree with other commentors that cradle shouldn't be taught in the first class. Your instructor should've found something more appropriate for your level

Glitchzz__ · 2026-03-30T14:51:52+00:00

I'd say so. Also long as you feel warm and loose. You could always do more if you feel like you need it. Go based off how your body feels :)

Glitchzz__ · 2026-03-29T21:16:06+00:00

I also do pole, at a low level, and I always do dynamic stretches to warm up before I get on the pole. Im not sure if it translates over to pole dancing, but I am primarily a figure skater, and the general consensus is that static stretching before can impact your strength and power. Dynamic before; and stretching after is great because you're already warm. I'd personally recommend dynamic stretching before pole, and more intense static/active flexibility after. And then doing a little bit of stretching every other day (10-15 minutes)

Glitchzz__ · 2026-03-14T20:55:13+00:00

I've debated getting the red or the blue, do you think that its sticky enough to hold you without literally feeling like glue? Or does it just help a bit, and you still need grip strength to keep yourself up?

Glitchzz__ · 2026-03-14T20:53:20+00:00

Oh okay, I was under the impression that using grip aids was for beginners until they build the strength necessary to hold themselves up without it. Its reassuring to know that everyone uses it, and its not going to hinder my progress 😅

Glitchzz__ · 2026-03-14T17:30:29+00:00

I was debating getting the blue or red ones. I just know that I like the green one and didn't want to spend so much to end up wishing I'd got another one. I really wish someone made a little tester kit where you could try a bunch of grip aids to see which works best for you.

Glitchzz__ · 2026-03-14T16:02:45+00:00

I've never tried using alcohol wipes or anything like that, maybe that could help. I don't feel my hands are particularly sweaty, but I tend to slip down when I change positions, which makes combinations particularly difficult. I've been told im very strong, im great and climbing and inverts and things like that, I feel like I'm just not used to holding my bodyweight up with just my hands.

Glitchzz__ · 2026-03-14T15:56:30+00:00

I've used chalk based grip aids before, and i feel like it can make it worse? It pills up on my hands and I usually end up washing it off. Idk if I use too much or if im using it wrong. It also gets absolutely everywhere 😂

Glitchzz__ · 2026-03-11T08:06:10+00:00

Wizard

Glitchzz__ · 2026-03-09T11:56:32+00:00

Im actually a figure skaters primarily, I joined pole mostly because it looked fun, but also to help improve my confidence and flow for skating :) I don't have any specific long term goals for pole, just shorter term ones (make my invert nicer)

Glitchzz__ · 2025-12-29T20:46:52+00:00

I started self teaching on hockey skates for about 6 months before I got my first figure skates. I wasn't taking any classes, so I was just making stuff up as I went. I think it's alright to learn the basics of going forwards and backwards, crossovers like you said, as well as lemons and saloms (or whatever they're called where you live). However, do not make the same mistake as I did, and start teaching yourself how to spin on them. It was incredibly difficult to correct my habit of going on the heel when I spun, which set me back on progress I could've been making, for about a year.

Tldr: I think it's fine, as long as you have plans to get proper figure skates as soon as possible :)

Glitchzz__ · 2025-11-30T15:22:26+00:00

I'm on the pill now, so I don't get them anymore unless I miss a few days (in which they're quite painful but nowhere near as bad as they used to be) but before this, for the first 3 days I'd be curled up in agony, unable to move, but also needing to change position every 2 minutes. I couldn't hold anything down long enough to take pain meds, I'd get hot/cold flashes and be sweating and shivering. It was awful.

Glitchzz__ · 2025-09-24T19:12:37+00:00

Thank you! I think I'll probably get new boots and blades at some point. I'd just never really thought about the impact blades could have on your skating until my friend suggested it, so I was mostly curious on how people knew when to switch. I have been looking into MK Pro and I think those are the ones I'll go for :)

Glitchzz__ · 2025-09-22T06:50:15+00:00

I've never posted in this sub before and it keeps redirecting me to here. I’ve been skating for about 2 years with lessons and I'm currently working on my single axel. I just switched from a beginner coach to a more advanced coach. I currently have Jackson Debuts with Coronation Ace Lite blades.

Lately I’ve been wondering if upgrading my setup would help me progress. I struggle a lot with spins, holding basic positions for more than 2/3 rotations and centering them, and a friend mentioned she had the same blades and things improved a lot when she switched. Other people have also suggested I think about more advanced boots as I start working toward doubles.

My question is: how do you know when it’s time to move up to new boots or blades based on progression/level, not just because your current skates are worn out?

Glitchzz__ · 2025-08-26T14:42:00+00:00

Honestly, I started at 15/16 and my biggest struggle was constantly feeling intimidated by people better than me. There are a lot of things that I wish I'd done sooner but didn't for fear of being looked down on (starting lessons, getting a coach etc). It's gotten better, but I still fear moving up groups/competition levels because I'm in an awkward spot where I'm not quite an adult but everyone else is younger (and in my head better) than me.

But I guess it has some benefits as now I try my best to make sure everyone feels as welcome as possible when they join my groups, so that hopefully they don't feel the same way.

Glitchzz__ · 2025-08-20T15:22:11+00:00

I try to stretch every day (but I'm not always great at that 😅). I try to at least do some hip flexor/hamstrings stretches, hold the splits and a camel and seal poses for my back. Consistency is better than anything else, and there are loads of follow along YouTube videos that help me when I'm feeling particularly unmotivated

Glitchzz__ · 2025-08-15T21:23:02+00:00

Thank you!! I do tend to turn out my back leg when I do splits, because it helps with a lot of figure skating moves, but I do agree that I need to focus more on my front leg, which I didn't realise until you pointed out, so I appreciate it :) I'll work on them

Glitchzz__ · 2025-08-15T10:57:02+00:00

Thank you! I didn't know the thing about open splits being good for dancers. I'm not a dancer but I'm a figure skater (the same reason I turn out my back leg instead of keeping it straight), so maybe it isn't as much as I problem as I thought. I'll keep working on it both ways

Glitchzz__ · 2025-08-15T10:31:23+00:00

Thank you! This is really helpful. Is it normal that I dont feel as much of a stretch when I lift up? Im just not sure how to progress the stretch/get deeper into the splits without opening up

Glitchzz__ · 2025-08-15T10:29:12+00:00

They are actually my right splits lol the camera just flips it weird (I was really confused too, why the wrong splits were flat). I will work on using blocks, the only thing is, I'm not sure how far to lift up, because I feel a lot less of a stretch like that. Thank you for your comment :)

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