Joan Orvis is a National and International coach and has been coaching for over 26 years for the Braemar-City of Lakes FSC located near Minneapolis, MN.  She is the head pro at Braemar and she's also the Director of the City of Edina skating classes.  Joan is PSA Master Rated in Freestyle and she's also rated in Figures and Group Teaching.  Joan was a national competitor in singles and pairs and she is a recipient of the Jimmy Disbrow Award.  She also skated for Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies and Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies International.  She is the coach of a number of high level competitors including Alex Johnson, the junior men's bronze medalist at the 2009 US Championships.

Please leave a comment below in appreciation of Joan's willingness to share her knowledge and insights about skating and coaching.

Most recent videos at the top...

	Joan Orvis continues her explanation of how she teaches the loop jump.  Joan covers some important practical aspects about teaching the jump.
	Joan Orvis explains how she teaches the loop jump.  In this video, Joan addresses the primary aspects of the loop jump including proper creation of rotational energy.
	Joan Orvis adds some final details to her discussion of the waltz jump.  Joan covers important timing issues during the take-off that skaters often do incorrectly (and coaches often teach incorrectly).
	Joan Orvis emphasizes important details of the waltz jump that are often taught incorrectly.  Joan gives clear and specific reasons for teaching the jump the recommended way.  All Learn-To-Skate instructors should watch this video!
	Joan Orvis continues her explanation of how she introduces the waltz jump.  In this video, Joan covers three important truths for the waltz jump that everyone needs to know and she again relates everything back to figures.
	Joan Orvis explains how she introduces the waltz jump.  Joan focuses on proper edge awareness and control.  She also draws pictures and offers helpful exercises.
	Joan Orvis offers important insights about "ankle pressure" and "edge pressure" when discussing edges in figure skating.  Joan discusses details of using the ankles that are generally unknown to most current skaters and young coaches.
	Joan Orvis double three turns in the context of school figures.  Joan covers edges, alignment, blade usage, and the specifics of proper body movement for double threes.
	Joan Orvis talks in detail about the basics of school figures.  Joan explains the important aspects of having skaters an figure patterns.  There's lots of information in this video, and Joan does a good job relating it back to today's skating environment of jumps and spins and moves in the field.
	Joan Orvis shares her philosophy and thoughts about coaching.  Joan provides tremendously powerful insights into coaching and the coach-skater relationship.  Helps get into the mindset of a great coach.
	Joan Orvis shows how she introduces the toe loop to young skaters.  Joan provides a helpful exercise and adds half a dozen important points.  Great video.
	Joan Orvis covers forward inside and outside three turns.  Joan discusses the importance of control on these turns as it relates to jumping.  She also covers hip and shoulder positions in detail.
	Joan Orvis discusses where speed and power comes from.  She focuses on edge pressure, proper alignment and control.
	Joan Orvis explains how she teaches the backward inside and outside edges.  Joan breaks down the backward inside and outside edges in detail.  One highlight is a simple way to help young skaters learn the back inside edge push.
	Joan Orvis discusses some common mistakes that skaters make when learning forward inside and outside edges.  Joan covers at least 7 errors and explains why each of these issues need to be corrected.
	Joan Orvis explains how she teaches the forward inside and outside edges.  Joan breaks down the forward inside and outside edges in detail. Good jumping and spinning require good edges, so don't overlook this great information.