Not all sports played on ice involve 200-pound men skating as fast as they can against each other while holding sticks. In fact, the world of figure skating is one of intense technique, precision, beauty and sparkly dresses. Hours of practice are put into just a two-minute program, which is then mercilessly judged by an old lady who has probably lost her ability to smile because of years spent scowling. In any event, this sport has been under appreciated on our campus. After winning its fourth straight national championship this season, the figure skating team's dominance has not been approached by any Dartmouth team in recent memory. For this reason, I have decided to delve into the mind of figure skater Hallie Damon '08 and figure out what makes her tick. My money is on the sparkly dress.
The D: Tell us a little bit about how figure skating is judged.
Hallie Damon: Well, I skate two freestyle programs. There is a panel of five judges and they rank all of the skaters from one to however many there are. Then they take an average of where you are on the lists. The judges base their rankings off of two categories: technical scores and artistic scores. The technical scores are awarded for good footwork, jumps, etc., and the artistic scores are for musical interpretation.
The D: What is it like being part of the most dominant sport at Dartmouth? What have you guys won like seven national championships in a row?
HD: [Laughs] It was exciting. We were on National Public Radio. Having the national championship trophy presented to us by President Wright (nationals were held at Dartmouth this year) was cool, too.
The D: Does it bother you that you don't really get the same press as sports like football or basketball, even though you dominate the competition?
HD: Well I have to admit, even though we're only a club team, it bothers us quite a bit.
The D: How do you regain your composure after a fall?
HD: Oh, that can be really hard. You have to practice the program over and over again. You only have two minutes. I tell myself to take my time and not rush. I can't get too excited and think ahead. I visualize my programs in my head beforehand.
The D: Who is your figure skating role model?
HD: Definitely Michelle Kwan. I love her. For nationals, my friends showed up at the rink with shirts they made with Michelle's body and my head that read "Hallie Kwan" to cheer me on. Also, last year was really exciting. I worked at a skating competition and she was there to work it with me. I was playing too cool, and she came up and said hi to me!
The D: Was it awesome?
HD: It was awesome.
The D: If you could design your own ice skating dress, what would it look like?
HD: I basically started the sport because of the dresses. Ummm, there would be crystals everywhere. Obviously.
The D: Who on your team has the most pairs of shoes?
HD: I'm going to go out on a limb and say me. I have tons!
The D: What is the biggest misconception about figure skating?
HD: I guess that it's all pretty and not very athletic. We are brutal and beastly athletes.
The D: What is the strangest thing you've ever seen on the ice?
HD: That's a really hard question. Sometimes skating is really like "Blades of Glory." One of my competitors skated to what started out as Beethoven and ended up like "Jock Jams." Some of the outfits look like they went through paper shredders.
The D: Finish this sentence: When I wake up in the morning, I....
HD: Am listening to Fergie's "Glamorous!" Duh. It's my alarm ring, and my personal anthem.
