Costume vault holds
treasure chest of memories Clinton Figure Skating Club skating mom Amy Elmore remembers her skater’s favorite ice show costume. It was one of the “Fraggle Rock” characters from the popular 1980s TV show.
“They were so realistic,” Elmore said. “They looked just like the characters on the show.”
The “Fraggle” characters were just one set of thousands of costumes created over the past 67 years from a collection in the Clinton, New York, club’s huge costume vault housed in the back of its ice arena.
For the club’s annual “Fantasy on Ice” show, virtually every costume in the vault has either been used or recreated over the years, and the memories this vault holds are endless.
“There are still costumes from 40 years ago,” Costume Chair Beth Allen said. “My mother helped make the Singin’ in the Rain costumes back in 1980 and I’ve used them for the shows I’ve done, four times. This past year was my 10th year as ice show committee costume chair, and we used them again.”
Allen and her amazing team of skating mom seamstresses do not go into the costume
Hamilton takes part in
Sk8 to Elimin8 event Olympic champion Scott Hamilton joined Barnard College senior Nicky Bernstein at New York City’s Wollman Rink for a Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer fundraising event.
A total of 55 participants skated eight miles each (72 laps around Wollman Rink) and raised more than $40,000 to be donated to the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation. Twenty percent of the funds were donat- ed to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Sharsheret.
Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer prides itself on being a peer-to- peer fundraiser. In preparation for the event, partic- ipants were encouraged to reach out to family and friends and ask for donations.
“Although the fundraiser’s goal was $25,000, we went above and beyond, simply by asking,” Bernstein said. “The Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer team was helpful every step of the way, motivating us by ensuring that Scott was eager to join us and skate eight miles in NYC.”
52 JUNE/JULY 2017 vault until the show’s theme is chosen.
“Then we walk into the vault and see what works,” Allen said. “For instance, next year we’re doing an Olympic theme and we’ve already fi gured out the costumes for the opening number. Flames, so we’ll use skirts we made 10 years ago that look like fi re.”
The costume committee tries to decide on numbers based on the thousands of cos- tumes in the vault.
“It helps if the costume chairperson has been around for a few years and actually knows what is upstairs,” Allen said.
Each year, the club sets aside money for one entire new set of costumes to add to the collection.
“There are also times we planned an entire costume, only to fi nd out we are one short. Then we scramble to make one, or change the entire costume,” Allen said.
Fortunately, the club has dedicated seam- stresses and tons of material to work with.
“When I say 1,000 pieces I am probably
being naïve,” Allen said. “It’s more like 5,000. From mice to bunnies to lobsters and turtles to elephants and China dolls to every fl ower you can imagine.”
Add to the list 12 sets of synchro dresses, 60 poodle skirts, multicolored sequined skirts used for crayon boxes and sequined vests used for the club’s 50th anniversary celebra- tion. There are also leotards in 10 colors, hats in every shape and size, pants, shorts, shirts and even pajamas.
Allen feels fortunate to work as costume chair, and the joy the costumes bring to skat- ers, former skaters and audience members is worth the many sewing hours.
“When I walk in the costume rooms with a new volunteer I laugh and say, ‘I wore that back in the day,’ “Allen said. “There are a lot of new things, but we keep around the old. They’re still in great shape and hold a lot of memories. These costumes can tell many stories. Many friendships were made wear- ing them.”
— Joanne Vassallo Jamrosz
(l-r) Jesse Bernstein, Scott Hamilton, Nicky Bernstein, Nadav Erich, Vivian Bernstein, Stanley Bernstein
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