Defending ice-dancing champions Susan Wynne and Joe Druar, competing in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships for the 10th time together this week, have worked hard over the past two seasons to improve their compulsory dance.
Surely, it paid off.But Tuesday night as the 1990 Nationals got under way for the seniors in the Salt Palace, Wynne and Druar got a little unexpected help during their first pattern - tango romantica - from a fan seated near the judges.
"This woman kept going, `Work it girl, work it,"' said an enthused Wynne, mimicking a sort of hip Southern accent. "`Attitude girl, don't forget attitude, woman,"' said Wynne. "And then she kept waving at me."
"She was great," said Druar. "I was just laughing. When the crowd gets into it, you forget what you're doing stepwise and just do what you've been doing for 10 years."
Only maybe better.
Wynne and Druar were easily first following the compulsories Tuesday, with the original set pattern coming up Thursday and the freestyle Saturday.
Compulsories in ice dancing count 20 percent of the final score.
Standing second after the compulsories are April Sargent and Russ Witherby, who placed second overall in the '89 Nationals in Baltimore.
Wynne/Druar's scores ranged from 5.6 to 5.8 on the first figure and 5.5 to 5.8 on the second - good for compulsories - and they had first places from all nine judges. Sargent/Witherby went from 5.4-5.7 on the first and 5.6-5.7 on the second, a paso doble. They were second on every scorecard. Third across the board went to Suzanne Semanick/Ron Kravette.
Compulsories were not the tea of choice for Wynne/Druar until recently, when they began an "intense" project. "We've been building to where we don't have a weak point," said Druar. "We used to be scared of them. Now we're not."
With Coach Sandy Hess, they worked much of last year on them, and they had a cram course the past month. "We really drilled, and that showed tonight," said Wynne. "We've gained an understanding of technique and how to make them work, which we've never had," she said.
It shows in aggressiveness and speed. That gives them "bigger patterns" than other skaters, says Hess, noting that because they set deeper edges with speed, they cover more ice and cut deeper "lobes" toward the center of the pattern. They control themselves enough to almost perfectly trace the patterns all three times around.
"We go for the lobes," says Wynne. "We're short (5-foot-2 and 5-7), and we have to do something. We can't stretch those legs. Joe takes an incredible edge, so I just hang on for dear life," Wynne says.
"Quads," answers Druar, proud of the fact that a couple of years ago, skaters were tested for strength and he had the best quadriceps. Wynne was best at pushups. "She beat me," he says.
Sargent and Witherby say they, too, are at a good point of their careers. "I don't think we've ever felt this comfortable with our skating," says Sargent, adding the couple was "very satisfied" with second place.
"We're to the point where we can just really enjoy it and feel confident," Witherby says.
They missed the '89 Worlds due to injury - Wynne and Druar were fifth - but stand to make the team again if they maintain second. In dance, the top two senior couples go to the Worlds in Halifax, Nova Scotia, next month. In other senior events, the top three advance to the U.S. World team.
Skating competition continues through Sunday, mostly at the Salt Palace.