The change of edge is one of the most important school figures and should be carefully practised by every skating pupil. It is not spectacular, although it is very graceful and very easy to acquire.

I like the changes of edge and, like all other expert skaters, find them of the greatest importance at certain times. When one has an audience of skaters I find these figures much better appreciated than at other times. At a private party given on the stage of the Hippodrome, I was skating a difficult figure where there were three small circles at the four corners of a square. I went from one of the corners to the other by a change of edge and a three after it. The skaters who were watching me applauded this figure as generously as any figure of a more spectacular character that I do during the regular performances of matinees and evenings during the week. But they were all skaters and appreciated the difficulty and the beauty of the figure.

The right outside edge forward is the best way to start to learn the changes of edge. It is easier than the change of edge which begins with the right inside edge forward, for the reasons which I have explained in previous chapters concerning the way that the body tends to swing around toward the circle on inside edges and tends to swing away from it on outside edges.

The start of the right outside forward change of edge is the same as for the right outside forward circles and it seems unnecessary to repeat those directions. The drawings, too, will be found precisely similar in the pose for some of the figures as for some other figures. This is one way to get double practise. Every time one practises the outside change of edge forward he is practising the right start of the outside forward circles. Every time he is practising the inside forward change of edge he is practising the start of the inside forward circles.

Start the right outside forward edge circle, as we have seen, by pressing the left skate squarely against the ice and thrusting onto the right foot outside edge. The left foot should be carried well behind and a little across the print with the knee bent and the foot turned out and down. The skating knee should be strongly bent at the start of the stroke. The shoulders should be turned so that the right shoulder is almost over the right foot and the left shoulder twisted well to the back. When nearly half of the circle has been completed gradually turn the shoulders toward the right, which will bring them square across the print or direction in which the skater is moving.

When half the circle is complete the change of edge from the right outside forward to the right inside forward occurs. The balance of the body is here changed from an outside to an inside circle and the general directions which have been given for the execution of an inside edge circle will be found applicable. But the manner of making the change from the outside to the inside edge is most important and this portion of the figure is new to the pupil.

As the outside forward half circle is nearly completed and the change of edge about to occur, the body, which has been carried on a slightly forward balance, is slowly changed to a backward balance, and the left foot, which has been carried behind during the completion of the outside forward circle, is slowly swayed past, close to the skating foot, and carried well in front, somewhat high. Sinking on the skating knee at the time of the change of edge will much assist the full rounding out of the figure. The arms should not be allowed to swing the body around during this change of edge as they are liable to do if carried too high or too far from the body.

Follow same directions for left forward outside change of edge.