Upside Down & Inside Out
For anyone who has been fortunate enough to have an Olympic experience as an athlete, coach, trainer, parent, or organizer, these past...
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Getting The Edge
- Sep 21
- 3 min
The Unexpected Advantages of Choreographing on Zoom
None of us ever imagined that a global pandemic would happen, yet it did when Covid 19 ravaged the world and threw all of us into life...
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- Jul 13
- 2 min
Don't Do as I Do (Do as I Say)
While teaching an edge class in Shakopee, Minnesota at Go4Gold recently, I was enjoying the music and energy in the building from the...
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- Jun 19
- 1 min
And It's A Wrap!
It is with gratitude that I thank Amy Nunn and the Chaska Summer Camp for having me yet again to help with this incredible program. I am...
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- Mar 31
- 1 min
The Young Artist Showcase is Back!
The Young Artists Showcase (YAS) is an online figure skating choreography competition originally founded in 2010 by Olympic Coach Audrey...
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- Nov 28, 2022
- 2 min
It Takes a Village
Every coach needs a barrage of support to reach their intended goals for every one of their skaters to insure growth and success. To...
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- Oct 21, 2022
- 2 min
What is the Missing Piece that Causes Some Skaters to be Unprepared?
Recently, long-time colleague and elite coach, Cindy Caprel and I were exploring some of the reasons for the successes we have had on the...
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- Sep 8, 2022
- 2 min
The Trifecta: What Does it Mean to be a Coach?
Being a coach in any sport is a serious responsibility ensuring the safe development of our athletes. We are responsible for so much,...
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- Aug 21, 2022
- 2 min
Earth, Air, Fire & Water
I woke up in the dark hours this Sunday morning as I have for 22 years now. I found myself lamenting the fact that after all of these...
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- May 26, 2022
- 3 min
What? Me Retire? No Way!!!
When I left the President’s Reception at this year’s PSA Summit in Chicago, I headed to my hotel room looking forward to an inspiring day...
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- Feb 2, 2022
- 3 min
Getting Skaters to the Olympics was Never a Goal
Over the past 30 years, I cannot begin to tell you how many attendees at the various seminars, coaches’ trainings, Judges’ Schools or PSA...
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- Jun 8, 2021
- 2 min
Something's Coming, Something Good
The upcoming remake of the iconic West Side Story on Broadway this fall, with Jerome Robbins original choreography, makes me realize the...
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- May 6, 2021
- 2 min
As the Blade Turns
This week was the annual judging of the PSA’s virtual U.S. Open Professional Figure Skating Competition. This wonderful event is...
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- Apr 28, 2021
- 2 min
Young Artists Showcase Enters it's Eleventh Year
In 2020, I was tapped to be one of the judges for the Young Artist Showcase. It was a fantastic and memorable experience. It is exciting...
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- Feb 15, 2021
- 5 min
The Secret Sauce for Competition Success
As we anticipate moving back towards our “normal” skating world, I wanted to share my contribution to this nationally published and still...
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- Jan 2, 2021
- 3 min
A Fresh Start
As we wrap up this arduous year dealing with the pandemic and its ramifications, it’s time to look forward with hope and anticipation....
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- Dec 3, 2020
- 1 min
And the Silver at the 2020 NHK Trophy Goes to....
Congratulations to Kazuki Tomono on his Silver Medal finish at the 2020 Grand Prix Series, the NHK Trophy. Working with Kazuki the past...
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- Oct 18, 2020
- 1 min
Judging the Young Artist Showcase 2020
Now in its tenth year, Audrey Weisiger's Young Artist Showcase (YAS) continues to develop and inspire young skaters/choreographers to...
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- Sep 6, 2020
- 2 min
The Silver Lining
As the world continues to move through the current pandemic, creative ideas have surfaced in many aspects of our lives and throughout the...
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- Jul 13, 2020
- 1 min
Happy Birthday Michelle!
While journeying home from a recent trip to choreograph and train the skaters at the new International Ice Academy of Colorado, I...
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- Jul 8, 2020
- 1 min
The International Ice Academy of Colorado
Last month, Dalilah Sappenfield introduced her new Ice Academy of Colorado in Monument, CO. This week, I had the wonderful opportunity to...
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- Jun 27, 2020
- 1 min
Special Balanced Edge Method On-Ice Seminar
On July 2, 2020, Phillip taught his Balanced Edge Method seminar, which encompassed skating skills and ballet on ice. This new...
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- May 12, 2020
- 1 min
PSA Virtual Summit, May 19 - 21, 2020
Phillip was selected to be a panelist on the Vision Exchange Making Coaches Connections session. Coaches will learn how to best navigate...
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- Apr 15, 2020
- 1 min
Beauty Comes in so Many Forms
Art, nature, love, friendship, families, colors, music, forms, and shapes can bring us great beauty, inspiring moments and great joy. In...
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- Mar 29, 2020
- 1 min
Michelangelo Inspires Winning Pair Program
My motivation in creating this national championship program came from the athletic drawings of Michelangelo taken from the book in this...
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- Mar 29, 2020
- 1 min
The Ever-Inspiring Ansel Adams
In our home, we are graced with a number of beautiful black and white images captured by the renowned photographer, Ansel Adams. His...
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- Mar 28, 2020
- 0 min
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- Mar 28, 2020
- 1 min
PSA Taps Phillip Mills to help Coaches "Stay Connected"
On March 30, Phillip was part of a team of three other nationally renowned coaches each sharing information in a Professional Skaters...
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- Mar 19, 2020
- 3 min
Sensei Says: Stay inspired – Stay home – Stay in shape – Stay Calm
Being resilient and tough is part of being a figure skater. And right now, the most important thing we can all do is to stay in shape so...
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- Mar 17, 2020
- 2 min
Iron Clad Components of Success
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon with elements of chromium and nickel. And many boots are comprised of leather, wood, and glue with...
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- Mar 12, 2020
- 1 min
2020 Young Artist Showcase Inspires
Now in its tenth year, Audrey Weisiger's Young Artist Showcase (YAS) continues to develop and inspire young skater/choreographers to...
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- Mar 5, 2020
- 3 min
Phillip Sensei
When the Student Becomes the Teacher It was a chilly day in 2009. While choreographing and training skaters at Ice Castle International...
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- Mar 2, 2020
- 1 min
Ellenton Ice Plex in Florida
Thank you to Cindy Caprel, Lyndon Johnston, and Matt Smith for a wonderfully creative week at Ellenton Ice Plex in Florida. What a great...
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- Feb 24, 2020
- 5 min
Reflections: The Intersection of Ballet and Choreography
As I reflect back on my many years of creating choreography for U.S. and international figure skaters, I feel fortunate and honored by...
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- Feb 24, 2020
- 1 min
2019 - 2020 Season
The 2019 – 2020 season provided opportunities to work with many talented skaters who competed at various competitions in the fall...
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- Jan 17, 2020
- 3 min
Creating Excellence: It Takes a Village
The past several years have brought seemingly constant and evolving changes to our sport of figure skating. We have experienced ongoing...
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- Jan 1, 2020
- 1 min
Will Joy and Artistry Regain Center Stage?
For the past few seasons, we have witnessed the evolution of figure skating as it continues its emphasis on jumping. Those triple axels...
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- Nov 25, 2019
- 2 min
What a Sport, What a Journey!
Our fall 2019 season culminated with many skaters having worked extremely hard throughout the summer and fall. So many athletes competed...
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- Aug 28, 2019
- 1 min
Coach and Skater – Working Together to Teach this Exclusive Seminar
The Denver Figure Skating Club hosted its Skating Stars Technical and Performance Seminar on September 1, 2019 with “skating legends...
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- Jul 17, 2019
- 1 min
Phillip Mills featured in Japanese Short Documentary about their Elite Skater Kazuki Tomoro
Phillip had the the honor to create Kazuki Tomoro's short program for the season; Misha Ge choreographed his Long. While the choreography...
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- May 17, 2019
- 2 min
This Year’s PSA Conference
The 2019 Professional Skater Association Conference was in Palm Springs this year. Coaches from across the nations gathered for...
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- May 16, 2019
- 2 min
This Year’s PSA ConferenceJourney!
Polina Edmunds The 2019 Professional Skater Association Conference was in Palm Springs this year. Coaches from across the...
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- Apr 15, 2019
- 1 min
Phillip at Camp Again
For over 10 years, Phillip Mills has been assisting skaters to improve their presentation and skating skills through his Creative Edge...
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- Mar 4, 2019
- 2 min
Inspiration at Altitude
Inspiration comes in all sizes, shapes, colors and configurations. I never know when I will see or feel something that inspires me to...
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- Feb 14, 2019
- 1 min
Phillip at Seattle Skating Club
The Skating Club of Seattle is once again offering its annual skating seminar on March 3rd featuring choreography by Phillip Mills,...
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- Dec 17, 2018
- 3 min
The Skating Club of Seattle is once again offering its annual skating seminar on March 3rd featuring
It was a chilly day in 2009. While choreographing and training skaters at Ice Castle International Arena in Lake Arrowhead, California,...
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- Nov 19, 2018
- 1 min
2019 Sectionals
Congratulations to Phillip's skaters on their stellar performances at U.S. Figure Skating Sectionals last week. Senior Ladies Pacific...
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- Nov 8, 2018
- 5 min
Tatsuki Machida Tribute from World Figure Skating
When Kumiko Hamada, editor of the Japanese publication World Figure Skating, asked me to share my thoughts and experiences about working...
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- Sep 12, 2018
- 3 min
As The Blade Turns and the IJS Rules Change
After the ISU Congress we all find ourselves in a frenzy about the newest updates and changes to take affect for the new competitive...
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