About Dawn
Dawn Feest is a Yarmouth
Ice Club member from Harwich, Massachusetts who began skating when she was just
8 years old and never looked back. She skated
competitively for many years and joined the Ice Capades after college. Touring and performing in ice shows were fun
and a lot less pressure but a part of Dawn missed competing. She skated with the Ice Capades and other producers until 2002 and then took some time away from the sport. On Dawn’s
40th birthday, she ran into her childhood coach and she was introduced to adult
figure skating. Her return to
competition began at Sectionals in 2012 and now at age 44, Dawn will be
competing in her first Adult National Championships this April.
One of Dawn’s regrets as afigure skater was that she stopped competing.
After touring with the Ice Capades, she viewed figure skating as a
personal challenge. She got back to
training and everything including the jumps came back fairly quickly.
Dawn’s Injury
Dawn was skating a lot:
jumping all the time, performing doubles, and she found she was landing very hard. Over time she developed
sciatica and started seeing a chiropractor
but this was not fixing the problem and actually making it worse.
jumping all the time, performing doubles, and she found she was landing very hard. Over time she developed
sciatica and started seeing a chiropractor
but this was not fixing the problem and actually making it worse.
From the sidelines, Briana Lackenby, Cape Cod Rehab physical therapist & Yarmouth Ice Club coach,
would watch Dawn on the ice and noticed her stiff landings. Dawn was introduced to Briana who not only
treated her injury but also switched up her whole style of skating adding
longevity to her career.
would watch Dawn on the ice and noticed her stiff landings. Dawn was introduced to Briana who not only
treated her injury but also switched up her whole style of skating adding
longevity to her career.
Physical Therapy &
The Burdenko Method
For Dawn, it was all about
meeting the right people at the right time. She began physical therapy at Cape Cod Rehab’s Hyannis location and
with a combination of The Burdenko Method‘s land and water therapy and finding what works
best for Dawn, she was able to get back on the ice pain free. During rehab, which also meant about 6 weeks
off the ice, Dawn was frustrated she could not just and train the way she wanted to. Briana and Dawn found that the Burdenko Method combined with overhauling her jumping style was the only way to treat
Dawn’s sciatica. The pool worked wonders
although Dawn fought it all the way!
meeting the right people at the right time. She began physical therapy at Cape Cod Rehab’s Hyannis location and
with a combination of The Burdenko Method‘s land and water therapy and finding what works
best for Dawn, she was able to get back on the ice pain free. During rehab, which also meant about 6 weeks
off the ice, Dawn was frustrated she could not just and train the way she wanted to. Briana and Dawn found that the Burdenko Method combined with overhauling her jumping style was the only way to treat
Dawn’s sciatica. The pool worked wonders
although Dawn fought it all the way!
Once Dawn was back on the
ice, the focus shifted to quality over quantity. She switched coaches and started working with
Briana for both technical and choreography.
They worked on a lot of stretching and preventative exercises as well as
the quality of Dawn’s skating technique.
She changed her whole approach to skating with softer landings on jumps,
new choreography by Briana, and less hours on the ice (only about 2 hours per
week) and hasn’t run into any problems or setbacks since.
ice, the focus shifted to quality over quantity. She switched coaches and started working with
Briana for both technical and choreography.
They worked on a lot of stretching and preventative exercises as well as
the quality of Dawn’s skating technique.
She changed her whole approach to skating with softer landings on jumps,
new choreography by Briana, and less hours on the ice (only about 2 hours per
week) and hasn’t run into any problems or setbacks since.
While off the ice, Dawn
works a very busy full time job, enjoys spending time with her sister and niece (which included her and her sister running a half marathon in Thailand!) and coaches Learn to Skate for adults. She credits Briana for extending the
longevity of her skating career and is looking forward to getting on the ice to
compete at Adult Nationals.
works a very busy full time job, enjoys spending time with her sister and niece (which included her and her sister running a half marathon in Thailand!) and coaches Learn to Skate for adults. She credits Briana for extending the
longevity of her skating career and is looking forward to getting on the ice to
compete at Adult Nationals.
Adult Nationals
To qualify for Adult
Nationals, Dawn competed last weekend at 2014 Eastern Adult Sectional
Qualifying Event in New Jersey where she took home two bronze medals and an 8th
place finish in the free skate. She will
be performing 3 programs at Nationals: 2 showcase which focuses on audience
appeal, costume, and dramatic theatrical performance and 1 technical free
skate. Her music ranges from Baliwood’s
“Oh la la” to an emotional performance to Christina Perri’s Human and music from Fame.
Nationals, Dawn competed last weekend at 2014 Eastern Adult Sectional
Qualifying Event in New Jersey where she took home two bronze medals and an 8th
place finish in the free skate. She will
be performing 3 programs at Nationals: 2 showcase which focuses on audience
appeal, costume, and dramatic theatrical performance and 1 technical free
skate. Her music ranges from Baliwood’s
“Oh la la” to an emotional performance to Christina Perri’s Human and music from Fame.
Adult figure
skating is very unique. Adults are
skating for themselves. Whether they had
regrets and unfinished business or just love the sport. Dawn has a passion and enjoys setting goals
and seeing improvement both in practice and from competition to
competition. “It’s you vs. you out there
and no one can take that away.”
skating is very unique. Adults are
skating for themselves. Whether they had
regrets and unfinished business or just love the sport. Dawn has a passion and enjoys setting goals
and seeing improvement both in practice and from competition to
competition. “It’s you vs. you out there
and no one can take that away.”
Dawn plans to keep skating
for a long time joking, “The day I retire is the day I can’t get up from that
slide!”
Stay tuned for next week’s
post featuring Rebecca Hamlin & her coach Renee Roos…
for a long time joking, “The day I retire is the day I can’t get up from that
slide!”
Stay tuned for next week’s
post featuring Rebecca Hamlin & her coach Renee Roos…
Blog post by Jen Skiba.
