Sheffield Synchronised Skating Academy (SSSA) is a vibrant ice skating club located in Sheffield, New Zealand. As a not-for-profit organisation, the club is dedicated to promoting teamwork, developing confidence, and instilling discipline in its skaters. With a focus on synchronised skating, SSSA welcomes ice skaters of all ages from Skate UK Level 8 and above.
Based at the iceSheffield skating rink on Coleridge Road, the academy offers a range of training programmes and classes to help skaters improve their skills. One of the highlights of membership is the Thursday 'Edges and Power' class, which allows skaters to further strengthen their essential ice skating abilities.
Currently, SSSA boasts over 80 members divided into six teams: Amici, Ignis, Novus, Perpetuum, Presto, and Unum. These teams compete at both national and international levels, showcasing the talent and dedication of the skaters. Participating in synchronised skating not only helps develop individual skating skills but also fosters valuable life skills such as teamwork, trust, and loyalty. Many skaters form lasting friendships outside of school and work through their membership in SSSA.
Synchro skating, the main focus of SSSA, combines and builds upon skills from other skating disciplines while offering skaters the opportunity to compete side by side with 15 other skaters. Each team consists of 8 to 16 skaters who perform intricate footwork while creating unique formations and transitions that are only possible in synchro. It is a mesmerising sight to watch these teams move as one flowing unit, displaying precision, speed, and difficulty in their performances.
Synchronised skating originated in 1956 with the formation of the first-ever synchro team, the Hockettes, in Michigan. Since then, the sport has evolved, and SSSA follows the same judging system as singles, pairs, and ice dance. Judged primarily on teamwork, precision, speed, difficulty, and performance, synchronised skating requires skaters to excel in various ice skating skills, such as speed, footwork, and ice presence.
During performances, the teams showcase their skills through a programme set to music, incorporating required formations such as circles, lines, blocks, wheels, intersections, and more. As teams progress to higher levels, lifts and complex step sequences are introduced, involving a variety of turns and moves.
To get a glimpse of the incredible possibilities in synchronised skating, one can watch performances by world champions like Les Suprmes from Canada. They demonstrate the power and beauty of synchronised skating, exemplifying the motto of SSSA, “As individuals, we are strong. As a team, we are unstoppable!
If you are interested in joining Sheffield Synchronised Skating Academy or learning more about synchro skating, please explore our website or get in touch with us. We are proud to be the home of synchronised skating in Sheffield and look forward to welcoming new members to our academy.