Place of Birth :
Ana Vinson was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Family:
Ana's parents, Charlie and Renee Vinson, are artists.
She has an older sister, Kate, who is a student at St. John's College, a liberal arts college in Santa Fe. Kate was a competitive swimmer and an actress.
Ana has a brother named Sam who has been a competitive soccer player since he was seven. He is also a visual artist.
Favorite Figure Skater:
Sasha Cohen is Ana's favorite skater. Ana appreciates Sasha's great extension, flexibility and beauty as a skater.
How Ana Began Skating:
Ana visited the Genoveva Chavez Community Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico many times when she was little. The Genovva Chavez Community Center is a massive facility that includes pools, an ice rink, basketball courts, and other recreational facilities.
When she was five, Ana's mom took Ana skating there one day and she loved it, so they returned to take part in a series of weekly group skating lessons.
Ana Then Became More Serious About Figure Skating:
Ana improved quickly in the group skating lessons. In February 2004, she began private lessons twice a week during the afternoon public sessions with coach Jon Robinson.
She competed in her first competition in Santa Fe in May 2004. She was six years old and won a gold and silver medal.
After that experience, Ana increased her practice and lesson time and soon was skating daily and taking lessons almost every day of the week. Her mom took skating lessons too.
Ana's Test Record and Competition Experience:
In October of 2004, at age six, Ana passed her Pre-Preliminary Moves in the Field Test. She passed the Pre-Preliminary Freeskating Test a month later. In April of 2005, at age seven, she passsed the Preliminary Moves Test, and in December of 2005, the Pre-Juvenile Moves Test. In May 2006 she passed the Preliminary Freeskating Test.
Ana has competed in many events and places in the top three almost ever time she competes.
Music for Skating:
Ana skated to Shakira when she competed at the Pre-Preliminary Level. When she warms up at the beginning of practice sessions, Michael Jackson and the Rolling Stones give her energy.
Education, Talents, and Hobbies:
Ana taught herself to read. She plays the piano and just like her mother, she draws and paints. She also writes original stories. She enjoys swimming and has taken lessons in all forms of dancing since she was three. She also does gymnastics.
Best Skating Moves:
Ana has a huge and beautiful axel. It was not until December of 2005 that she began to land the axel jump consistently, but once she began landing it all the way around, it became her best jump.
Ana also does innovative spirals, spins, and footwork.
Ana Vinson's Goals and Dreams in Figure Skating Mean Sacrifice:
Like many young figure skaters in the United States, Ana shows promise and she dreams of being the best she can be at the sport.
So, in the Spring of 2006, Ana's family made the decision to train at a figure skating training center. So, Ana now trains under 2003 U.S. World Team Member Ryan Jahnke at the World Arena. She works with Janet Champion on spins and did work with Jo Ann Schneider Farris for ice dancing. She also works with some of the famous coaches at the World Arena such as Christy Krall, Irina Vorobieva, and Kathy Casey when time permits.
She trains on the ice for at least three hours a day, six days a week. She also takes off-ice classes in ballet, modern dance, and strength and conditioning.
Ana competed in her first regional qualifying competition in 2007. She was the silver medalist at the 2008 Southwestern Regional in Pre-Juvennile Girls. In 2009, she will move up to the Juvenile division and hopes to qualify for the U.S. National Junior Championships.
Keep checking in for updates on Ana Vinson as she advances in her figure skating career.
