McMaster figure skaters celebrate season with holiday ice show

This holiday season, McMaster's figure skaters put on a holiday show, bringing a celebration of talent, teamwork and holiday spirit to the ice

The McMaster Varsity Figure Skating team hosted their annual holiday ice show on Nov. 23, 2024 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Westoby (Olympic) Arena. The event showcased the skills of the team's skaters and was open for anyone to attend.

McMaster Varsity Figure Skating competes in three main categories: free skate events, ice dancing and synchronized skating. Rian Cocchetto, co-captain of McMaster Varsity Figure Skating, explained the details of each category.

"Free skate events are your jumps and your spins . . . then there's dance which is ice dancing and resembles a ballroom dancing style. And then there's synchro or synchronized skating which is our big event at the end of competition which has 16 people in it," said Cocchetto.

Catalina Costiuc, co-captain of McMaster Varsity Figure Skating, explained how the roster for the team is selected.

"In September we have an open tryout where we invite anyone who wants to try out to come. And then the coaches . . . are really involved in choosing the roster and once the team of, I believe, 23 skaters are chosen we typically have three competitions in a season," said Costiuc.

The show began with the team's opening remarks and skaters were given five to six minutes to warm up. The skaters cleared the ice and then the performances began shortly after.

"Essentially, we try to split up as much as we can so we have a dance performance then a free skate performance and even an artistic performance which is similar to free skate except you display your artistry and not so much your jumps and spins . . . and we had synchro as the final show number," said Costiuc.

Costiuc emphasized the purpose of the team's holiday ice show. "Because we want to give the opportunity for everyone to skate, we allow people to basically perform whatever they wish. If they have their own solos from their past competitive careers they're free to perform them. It's really just to showcase the hard work that we've been putting into our practices," said Costiuc.

Holly Marini, assistant captain of McMaster Varsity Figure Skating, clarified that the athletes on the team's competitive roster are not the same as those who perform in the show. "Our competitive roster is 18 but at the show we always try and give everyone [team members] an opportunity to skate in front of their friends and family. If they're not on the competitive roster we offer them the opportunity to skate," said Marini.

Cocchetto, Costiuc and Marini all agreed that, despite the nerves they feel before every performance, the anxiety gradually fades as they begin to skate. "I've always felt that nervous energy before I skate. But with that being said, I've always loved to perform, so it slowly fades away as soon as the music starts," said Marini.

Cocchetto shared that the team does a pre-show ritual as a way to mentally prepare before every synchronized performance including before their final performance at the holiday ice show. "Before we go on for synchro, we line up and we'll massage the person's shoulders in front us and then we'll turn around and do it to the other person," said Cocchetto.

Cocchetto highlighted that Alistair Lam, the team’s sole male member, and Catalina Costiuc, the other co-captain, consistently deliver outstanding performances. "Alistair is always a fan favourite," said Cocchetto.

The show also included a raffle and bake sales where attendees bid on bags containing the team's merchandise and goodies or purchased baked goods. Costiuc emphasized the crucial role of fundraising events in supporting the team.

"We do these shows because we want to obviously show the hard work that we've put in. But we also want to fundraise for our team because fees can get expensive, especially with having ice off campus, that's a big cost to cover. So it's amazing to see all the support and our friends supporting and the crowds cheering on for each event," said Costiuc.

To support McMaster Varsity Figure Skating, you can attend their upcoming performances. You can stay informed about their events and activities by keeping up with their Instagram.