to wonder how ice dancers do it!?

[winterlace]

I can stay upright (just!) But the jumps, going right near the side of the rink, but not crashing, lifting, spinning, never losing balance ...

Seriously how!?

practice.

I have a friend who is a proffessional ice dancer for disney on ice! she has been training since she was about 3 years old.

I'm training for a huge walking trek and one of the things that is vital is your core strength. Saying that I can trip over a feather.

Core strength lol that would be why I can't do it then!

Using properly fitted and sharpened skates makes a huge difference, loads better than the ones you normally hire. Its not that hard to learn a couple of simple jumps. Doing what the professionals do is something else entirely!

Hours and hours of training, up at 5am every morning, practice practice practice, start young, like anything else.
Also, all those you see doing it so perfectly will have fallen over learning to do it, hundreds, thousands of times. One of the first things you do is learn how to fall properly.
People who skate recreationally (like me, I'm rubbish btw) have a main aim of not falling over. Those training to be skaters know you have to fall. And fall again. And again.
Luckily DD1 has only had concussion once (someone crashed into her, nothing she could have done, which if anything made it scarier) and DD2 not at all, though both have had many, many bruises and scrapes. And neither of them are even remotely attempting to be olympic skaters (though DD1 toys with the coaching idea). I do get a bit scared sometimes. It's a very dangerous sport.

In a word practice.

If its pairs you have to have complete trust in your partner, that he is going to be where he is supposed to be once he has hurled you in whichever direction. Complete trust that he won't misjudge and bounce any part of you off the ice. Trust that your partner will be where they are supposed to be as if they are out it can have horrendous outcomes.

Ice dancers not so much with the jumps/throws but you still have to have total trust in your partner.

And COFFEE!

4am starts, 11pm practises.

Actually I trusted mine so much we ended up married.

If this is about DOI can I just say how amazing Ray Quinn is. Seriously he could of done this years winter Olympics. Bloody brilliant, Im speechless everytime I watch him.