The Lexettes, a synchronized skating team based in Lexington, traveled to Irvine, CA, in Nov. to debut their programs at the Fall Classic, their first competition of the season. The trip lasted five days as skaters prepared and practiced for the two programs they would present to a nine-judge panel.
The Fall Classic was the first of approximately six competitions in the Lexettes’ season. For many skaters—especially those competing for the first time at the junior level—the event allowed them to adjust to the competition mindset and learn to be comfortable under pressure.
“Getting all the judges’ feedback and seeing what the audience thought and how we placed with other teams was a really good opportunity to improve,” Kara Kwak, a Lexette and sophomore at Lexington High School, said.
The feedback from judges plays a key role in helping the team’s improvement throughout the season. Team member and LHS sophomore Audrey Lu explained that the team’s ultimate goal is to qualify for international competition.
“The goal is to go to Worlds, but otherwise, Nationals would be the last competition,” Lu said, describing the goal as challenging, but not unattainable.
To achieve this, the skaters’ training and practice schedule is rigorous.
“As a team, we have practice four times a week, and we have off-ice twice a week, fitness one time a week, and I also practice on my own once or twice throughout the week,” Alice Wang, team member and LHS junior, said.
At each practice, skaters train a variety of skills both on and off the ice.
“If we don’t have off-ice or video review, we start warming up. After, we get on the ice and we do drills or our coach tells us what elements to do,” Lu said.
Each program is composed of six to eight elements, such as spins and lifts, designed to highlight each individual’s unique strengths.
Not only do skaters learn technical skills, but they are also trained to express the different emotions of the two programs: the short and the free.
“Our short program is about revenge and a broken love story. Our free program music is [Vivaldi’s] The Four Seasons, so there’s a contrast between fall, winter, spring, and summer,” Kwak said.
Skaters train to portray emotions in the music not only with their facial expressions, but also through their body language. Many of the Lexettes skaters have skated for almost their entire lives, learning these skills from experience.
Synchronized skating, although not as widely recognized as singles figure skating, requires a high level of discipline and skill. The Lexettes describe synchronized skating as not just fun and unique, but also a difficult and intensive sport.
“I wish the LHS community understood the aspect of teamwork, and knew that devotion carries a lot of our successes,” said Lu.
