ICE-DANCING is a sport of graceful moves performed with skill and precision.

Watching Dancing on Ice, the latest hit reality TV show, made me wonder how a novice can master moves that make audiences gasp.

While celebrities such as Bonnie Langford and David Seaman have been showing off their newly-acquired skills for the TV audience, I went down to Deeside Ice Rink to find out just how hard it is to reach their level.

My coach was Hayley Pardo, a skater since the age of six, who has toured with Walt Disney on Ice and taken part in numerous international competitions.

Hayley and one of the ice dancers in the programme, Marika Humphreys ,trained together as youngsters at Deeside Ice Rink and have performed alongside each other.

I, however, haven't skated since I was 14, but Hayley put me at ease until I found my balance. We chatted as I loitered near the edge, and she explained that ice-dancing requires a great deal of flexibility.

Hayley said: 'The basic principles for a skater are to keep knees nice and soft, not to look at the ice, to keep your head up and to take it slowly.'

It took me a while to remember how to skate, but I managed to get my confidence back slowly.

The next part of my lesson was learning how to stop. Hayley showed me the snow plough, which involves bringing your heels outwards.

When my confidence increased she said the Dancing on Ice competitors are asked to include a required move in their routine.

Last week this was the crossroll. Hayley patiently explained and demonstrated that it involves crossing one leg in front of the other.

It sounds simple but, when you are trying to balance at the same time, it's actually very difficult. I was surprised at how heavy the skates were, and how hard it was just to lift up my leg.

My attempt was very clumsy, and luckily I had Hayley to grab me if things went wrong.

The next move was forward sculling, which makes small circles in the ice. Hayley showed me the move, which requires the skater to bend their knees and bring the toes inwards then outwards.

Again, it sounds easier than it is, because each skate must be doing the same thing at the same time, and it requires lots of rhythm.

We then tried a forward spiral which involves leaning forward while skating with one leg in the air. There was no grace in my spiral, just a great deal of wobbling.

I asked Hayley how the celebrities in Dancing on Ice managed to master the gravity-defying moves in such a short space of time.

Hayley let me into a secret by telling me the novice celebrity skaters actually had about three months of intensive training before the programme - the equivalent of three years of lessons.

But even though the celebrities are performing the routines, their moves are still a far cry from the level of a professional skater.

Hayley said: 'Most professional skaters start when they are six or seven. I teach one girl who has been skating for four years, and she is going to Sheffield for the Novice Ladies section of the British Championships, but that is amazingly good for four years.

'Realistically, you couldn't get to professional level if you only begin skating as an adult. It would be very unusual and I have never heard of it.'

Skaters begin by going through the NISA (National Ice Skating Association) grades system, then they can take up to 10 tests and after that are able to enter the British Championships.

On top of the intense training schedule, professional ice-dancers do a lot of off-ice exercise and often have ballet and make-up lessons.

When the time comes to enter competitions, coaches put in a huge amount of preparation - choosing music, designing and practising routines with the skater and then sorting out make-up and costumes.

Hayley said: 'I keep my fingers crossed. I think it can be worse for the coach, I get so nervous for them and there's nothing you can do once they're on the ice.'

World famous skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have the un-enviable job of coaching each of the couples on the programme.

Hayley said ice dancers need to have good communication and patience, and often brothers and sisters partner each other.

Hayley has seen many of her pupils reach competition level, so I asked her what makes a professional?

She said: 'Some people have a natural ability to become a professional skater - it's 50% hard work, 40% talent and 10% dedication.'

Hayley said that despite my initial nerves, my skating improved as the lesson went on and she was pleased I got my confidence and managed to try some of the moves.

I doubt I will ever master the moves the celebrities perfect, but I will admire them when I tune in on Saturday.