Duluth East Freshman Qualifies for Figure Skating National Showcase

DULUTH, Minn.– a Duluth east freshman is gearing up to compete in a national level competition for a figure skating showcase.

Since age 7, Brynn Sterling of Duluth has been learning and growing with this sport.

And next week, she will represent Duluth for the U.S. Figure skating National Showcase.

When it comes to figure skating, there’s a lot of moving parts; costumes, finesse, and of course, nailing the basics.

But with the national showcase coming up, it hones in on storytelling, and theater.

“It kind of expands her horizons. It gets her to try new things different ways, and how to move her body in different ways. And it’s, it’s been actually enhancing her normal competition as well, and her confidence in movement and skating skills,” explained Angie Lien Peinaar, Brynn’s figure skating coach.

Sterling clinched her spot at nationals for excelling at regionals earlier this season.

Since then, she has been practicing 6 days a week.

And from the sounds of it, she’s loving every part of it.

“It’s really cool that I get to do nationals. I’m super excited for it. And I love the club a lot, so I enjoy doing, like, competitions and this kind of stuff,” said Brynn Sterling, figure skater with the Duluth Figure Skating Club.

Sterling has been working on a character performance, portraying Rosie the Riveter, an emotional performance to the song ‘Stars’ and finally, a lyrical showcase of ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’

And while she is on the ice, a lot is going through her head.

“I’m thinking about how I had to make it look like I’m showing emotion through my whole body, and then lyrical. I have to make sure I’m like, sassy and make it look like I’m in a music video,” explained Sterling.

With showcase skating, students often have to take on a set of new skills.

“Lip syncing is a whole new thing for most kids in skating. So that’s been like, a new challenge, like just standing there and like singing the music together. Like, do we know the words and can does it look like we’re the ones telling the story with our mouths and our movements out there. So, it’s been fun for me to like jump into that,” said Peinaar.

Brynn and her family will hit the road to compete in Rochester Michigan next week.