Nasty or Nice: 29 Nov - 5 Dec [Archive]

jenlyon60

11-29-2004, 12:09 PM

In honor of the upcoming holidays and those who believe in old St. Nick (who knows if you've been nasty or nice....)

Nasty: I've been learning back cross-cuts with my primary coach. Am starting to get the hang of them, edge-wise, but definitely not getting the push I need to make them keep going after I run out of umph from the intro steps. Mostly because I'm not keeping enough weight on the "back" foot and skating hip and then transitioning my weight to the new skating foot too soon.

Nice: Worked on my 3-turn check with secondary coach today. The check is definitely improving... and ALL of the turns were smack at top of lobe. So we took them off the line and now my homework is to gradually start doing the turns with an entry stroke or 2, to increase my comfort zone and flow. The more I work on them, the more I realize how much MORE there is to doing a nice turn. Today she had me doing the 3-turns with my free foot crossed behind (so that back of skating ankle and front of free foot ankle were touching and outside front of free foot boot was touching inside heel of skating foot boot). Coincidentally, the lady has to do this very version of 3-turns in the beginning of the Midnight Blues.

In my other lesson, besides the dreaded cross-cuts, we were working on back cross-rolls. Which felt REALLY REALLY nice today. Everything felt together, from the head movement timing to the shoulders to the placement of the "soon to be skating foot." I felt like I was starting to get a bit of a nice dance lilt in my timing of the drill.

Ended the lesson working on keeping my weight more strongly on my back foot in back crossovers in both directions....to increase the power of my "under-push."

flo

11-29-2004, 12:29 PM

Nasty: ouch - fell on a double sal kind of sideways on the right hip.
Nice: had great improvment on camels - I have problems because my hips are very open and I flop over. My coach decided to show me the proper arm position for a layover on the back camel.

NoVa Sk8r

11-29-2004, 01:12 PM

Nasty: Still suffering from a sore back. My once-great camel is now weak, my flying camel has flown away, and I still cannot do change spins because they pinch something in my lower back. Lifting Loops yesterday was quite a challenge (more than she thinks, that's for sure). Our loop lift was on the verge of comical. Yet they hurt a little, so maybe dramedy is the best word. Maybe I'm not as strong as I was a month ago?

Nice: Loops and I blocked our holiday program. Surprisingly, I was the one who remembered the choreography (she's supposed to be the brains in this team!!! :) ). We managed side-by-side camel spins where our clasped hands are outstretched toward our lower backs--very Angela Nikodinov. The fact that the spins were pretty in sync was a pleasant surprise. We also did a platter lift off ice and a few OK axel lifts on ice. We hadn't done these in weeks. I'm also getting my flexibility back.

A nice thing about yesterday's afternoon freestyle (besides the fact that there were only a few other skaters out there 8-) ) was that after our holiday program, we did our competitive program, then I did my singles program, then we went back to the holiday program. If that's not enough to send my head into a spin, I don't know what is!
Anyway, I'm glad Loops and I had a good skate; we definitely had a good workout. And weirdly, we had a bunch of kids watching us (I think there was a birthday party going on?). That's just what this showman needed to rev up his performance engine. :P

Terri C

11-29-2004, 06:59 PM

NoVa,
Glad to see that you're skating again! Now if you're a good boy this year, Santa may work out a deal with the Skate Gods to get you your spins back!

For me today:
Nasty
It was cold in the rink, period! Hard to do anything. Couldn't get the "juice" I need to fully run through my interpretive program.

Nice:

Did do a okay runthrough of my freeskate program today. The loop felt good- I actually had some run on the landing! The backscratch is back!!!

NoVa Sk8r

11-29-2004, 08:49 PM

Now if you're a good boy this year, Santa may work out a deal with the Skate Gods to get you your spins back!

Oh, well, I guess I cannot really count on Santa, then. :twisted:

Ask Loops just how 'good' I am ... .

pennybeagle

11-29-2004, 10:17 PM

Ugh...first time back on the ice today since before Thanksgiving...I must still be suffering from overall turkey torpor, because everything felt slow today.

Nice: I managed to get TWO full rotations on my back camel in a camel-back camel combination. I think that's a new record...I've been convinced for a while that the spin is actually impossible.

Nasty: Was trying a hydroblading move. Failed miserably, did the human zamboni, and cut a hole down the seat of my pants going over a sharp ice ridge (since the real zamboni apparently didn't do a good job). :oops: Well, that was the end of the session for me

Mrs Redboots

11-30-2004, 07:10 AM

Nice: Husband passed his level 3 Dance Moves today, despite doing the elements in the wrong order - the judge had asked him to do his back cross-rolls first, and he wasn't listening and went and did the cross-cuts first as the previous skater had done! Duh..... he said afterwards he was in a total daze. I think it's a good job the judge forgot to write the mark on the paper, just "pass", as the written comment was that he was "very slow over the ice". Sheesh. Still, as his coach said, a pass is a pass, so be thankful! The two skaters doing Level 2 moves both failed, as did one of the others doing Level 3 moves - it wasn't the usual judge.

Nasty: This now means he's a test ahead of me :cry: :cry: When I finally got to skate (do you think 2 hours standing in a freezing rink counts as exercise???), I had another go and although I can now feel what I'm doing wrong with the cross-cuts, I simply don't seem to have the strength to correct it. Plus I "lose it" on the back cross-rolls after about 3/4 length, and start turning in... sigh....

After about 20 minutes' skating we were told not to have any music on any more as they were interviewing people for "Strictly Come Ice Dancing" as the rink is calling it, whether or not that is its official title.

I had better explain, for the benefit of non-Britons, that Strictly Come Dancing is now in its second series here in the UK. A Celebrity (usually pretty D-list, but not always) is teamed up with a Dancer, and each week they have to do a given dance, or dances now that the original number of teams has been reduced by half, in front of an audience, a panel of judges, and, of course, a live television audience. The judges mark the Celebrity's effort out of ten, but that only counts for half the scores; the other half depends on telephone votes from the public (a portion of the cost of the call goes to charity). The team with the lowest overall score is eliminated each week. So a popular Celebrity - or, indeed, couple, now that the dancers are becoming known - can remain in even if the Celebrity totally can't dance! The actor/actress ones usually can, a bit, but the gardening presenter totally had two left feet! And it's not worth watching any more since my favourite was knocked out on Saturday :evil:

Anyway, the grand final is in a fortnight, and we think they must be doing the ice dance format either as a final finale, or in addition over the next 3 weeks, we don't know yet.

So, anyway, they coned off the end of the rink to let the Celebrity (a member of a manufactured pop-group, the other half of whom is in I'm a Celebrity, get me out of here, we think, talk about anything for exposure!) and the Has-been - oops, I mean Former Ice Dancer practice. The Celebrity does seem to know what she is doing on skates - I saw some very nice forward crossovers from her - and I imagine all the Celebrities will have some skating ability, or it will be impossible. Rumour has it that one will be a former very well-known footballer (soccer player), and another an equally well-known television presenter..... and this bird I'd never heard of who was there this morning. All the schoolkids were drooling and longing for autographs....

Edited to add: For further details, click here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4052997.stm

Duh!!!! So busy writing about that forgot to mention my own practice, which was okay, but I should have worn snow-boots for the standing around bit as my big toes were so cold by the time I got on the ice that they hurt! Worked a lot on FO edges, swings and chassés, BO ditto, and this new pre-Bronze 3-turn pattern, which is exactly like the Evil Exercise my coach makes me do except you step to an inside edge, not an outside one! If you step to an outside edge, you go round the circle, which is what we do in my lessons. My LFI/RFO 3s are a lot better than the others - I need to push more on my RFI/LFO ones. Certainly wouldn't pass if I were to test them tomorrow, but they are do-able, for a skater at my level, and I'd call myself pretty much pre-Bronze these days. Not in free skating ability, mind..... Also played with alternating 3s, since I'm on record as saying I find them easier than the waltz 8 - and nothing changed my mind. Again, not passable, but I was surprised how easy I did find them!

NickiT

11-30-2004, 07:42 AM

Huge congrats to your hubbie, Annabel. Like you say, a pass is a pass. I bet he's thrilled to bits at the moment.

Just hope we have the same success at this end as my daughter is taking her Novice Field Moves, and Level 1 Elements and Free tests on Monday!

Nicki

Mrs Redboots

11-30-2004, 08:31 AM

Thanks, Nicki - yes, he was pleased. Good luck to your daughter for Monday.

AnnM

11-30-2004, 11:35 AM

Nasty : My nice back crossrolls have disappeared. :cry: Where could they have gone???

Nice : Forward crossrolls are much better. The off-ice exercises my coach showed me have apparently helped out a lot. Also, we did back three turns today and they were pretty good despite not having practiced them in over three weeks. Finally, I had my coach check out my boots because I was worried about needing to replace them soon (right boot issues). She gave me a couple alternatives to try first (new laces and replacing the tongues) that are much kinder to my pocketbook.

Sidenote: It was literally freezing - 32 degrees F - this morning when I left for my lesson. Not usual California weather at all for my area! Plus it was windy. For the first time ever I think, it felt warmer inside the ice rink than it felt outside.

Melzorina

11-30-2004, 02:22 PM

Annabel, can you tell me anything more that you know about these ice dancing programmes, do you have any idea when they are on???

jazzpants

11-30-2004, 03:14 PM

HIP HIP HOORAY to ROBERT for passing his Level 3 Dance moves tests!!! :bow: :bow: :bow: (Don't worry, Annabel!!! You'll get there soon enough...) ;)

Nice: Got my blade aligned this morning. I CAN SKATE AGAIN!!! WOO HOO!!! :mrgreen: (Though I will add that it's only temporary since I'm still waiting for the new boots.) Time to call up my coaches again...

Nasty: Have to spend more money on another new pair of blades. I want to keep this pair attached to the old blade as a backup for emergencies, so I could continue to skate while getting the new pair of boots -- with new blade #2 -- aligned right.

sue123

11-30-2004, 04:45 PM

Nasty: my skating has gone to the dogs. I don't know what it is. i cleaned the ice up pretty nicely today though. But no matter what i did, i would fall. doing back crossovers, which i learned when I was i dunno, 7 and i'm 19 now, left some pretty nice bruises. and you know my problem with my foward spins that i would normally do on my left leg? well, it seems it's not my leg that's the problem, because i can do a back spin on my left leg, so it's the other direction than i normally spin in.

So then, i'm thinking, maybe there's a mental block with these spins, so i figure if i just fall and get it over with, i;d be able to do it. well, i fell and fell again, and no luck. still can't do them. trying some jumps, like a waltz and a flip and whatnot, i think i maybe landed them only twice. and i was doing good up to that point too.

my back 3 turn only worked when i did it accidently. if i tried to do it, it wouldn't work. often times, i would do a very pretty 3 turn after a jump, so my landings on the jumps, not so good, but the tracings on the ice showed a very clean 3. but when i actualy try to do them, forget it, it doesn't work.

then, i'm taking my boot off, and one of the hooks at the top of the boot somehow managed to bend so far in, that it was actually caught in the little hole that holds the hook, so i couldn't get hte skate off. i went over to the rink manager who used a screw driver to pry up the hook. then, i noticed a rather large crease in the ankle of the boot. and i think my feet shrank or my skates stretched out, because i was wearing the same socks i always do, but my skates felt huge.

Nice: I'm getting myself new skates on friday. I'm driving home after my classes, parking my car at my house, and then popping onto the train for a ride into manhattan to get me new skates. so hopefully it'll help.

and even though my hip is so sore and swollen i could hardly sit down because to move it to a 90 degree angle really hurts, at least nobody was at the rink to see me fall that much.

Terri C

11-30-2004, 06:21 PM

Nasty:
I normally don't skate on Tuesdays, but did today to use up the remainder of my punch card, as our freestyle punch cards expire at the end of each month. Today I was reminded of why I don't skate on Tuesdays- it's learn to skate night at our rink and many of the little ones come and get their private lessons before learn to skate. As a result, it was mobbed and having to look out for little ones can get a little irritating.

Nice:
My spins were awesome- all centered. The sit was secure, and centered on the first try!

Now for the nicest part:

One of the made for TV skating specials, Holiday Celebration on Ice, will be filmed in our area this Friday night- yes, I'm going!
Guess where the cast is having rehearsals tommorrow?? At my rink!!! 8O 8O 8O :D :D :D

After the rehearsals, there will be a meet and greet with the cast from 4- 4:30 pm- it's five dollars to attend, but I'm sure it will be well spent!

So, I'll be at the rink tommorow, but not to skate!

UPDATE:
Just got a e-mail from Coach that the rehearsals are closed to the public- so to not to go to them tomorrow or Thursday- I have a lesson on Thursday morning..... we'll see what happens!

nerd_on_ice

11-30-2004, 06:36 PM

Terri C, I feel your pain. I've been skating on Tuesday afternoons (also right before Learn-To-Skate so sharing the ice with wee ones) so I can go to the grocery store in the morning when it's not crowded, but I think I'd rather have crowded aisles than crowded ice!

AnnM, do you mind sharing what you do off-ice to improve your forward cross-rolls? Mine are just "there" and I'd like to make them better. TIA!

PattyP

11-30-2004, 06:42 PM

I rarely post in these threads, but I'm going to attempt to get myself motivated to skate more and maybe sharing progress...or lack there of, will help.

Nice: I'm back at my old rink this week as my coach is at Jr. Nats. and there are no crowds and nice ice. My axel seems to have returned. I did a few nice easy ones. I also found the motivation to skate my program, which I have not done in weeks.

Nasty: The way I skated my program :oops: it was ugly. I seem to have lost my forward sit spin :roll: I'm not getting my free leg around properly on the entry and I fall onto the inside edge. Worked on the d.sal with no success, just can't seem to pull in.

Extra turkey weight is slowing me down too....

Mrs Redboots

12-01-2004, 06:59 AM

I'm skating twice today, as it's the week we go the class and social dancing in North London (which, for us South London types, is like a foreign land!), so I was only on the ice for about 45 minutes this morning, including my lesson.

Nice: Great cheers and well-wishing for "our" skaters as they left for the British Championships, which started today for the Primary skaters, and continue until Saturday evening. We are going up to watch on Saturday.

This left the ice pretty empty and "our" Celebrity and her partner just skated in with those who were there - they didn't get on the ice until I was getting off. They were both friendly and, apart from the presence of cameras at rink-side, you would have thought they were any other skater and coach. In a way, I hope that goes on as it will make for a more realistic film, although getting parental permission if an under-18 strays into shot might be a daunting task....

In my lesson, I worked really hard on my cross-roll 3s. The coach said "If you do them right, I can correct your husband - if you do them wrong, I'm too busy correcting you to see what he is up to!" Secret appears to be to go into the final cross-roll - the one with a 3-turn at the end - with a more deeply bent knee. Also worked on forward and backward crossovers, and in the forward ones, I became aware that I'm not generating nearly as much power in the clockwise ones as I do in the anti-clockwise ones. The "under-push" (to quote JenLyon60) just isn't there, and I'm also not pushing on to the inside edge. First time I've been aware of that, so it's progress.

Nasty: Am jealous of Celebrity as she is young and skinny, and, with her partner's help can do moves I'd kill to be able to do! Like go right down so her back is parallel to the ice - AND COME UP AGAIN! I can do the latter, just not the former! So I'm jealous. She's actually a good skater, and (partly because of the "local" thing) will have my vote - she seems like a nice person, too.

Worked on forwards outside swing rolls and chassés. Sigh..... I am simply not maintaining my momentum to the end of the edge, and the coach says it's because I'm on the wrong part of the blade. This is going to be horrible to correct..... but then, I can do it on cross-rolls and inside edges, so why not on outside edges?

Melzorina, I know no more than you do when the various ice-skating shows are to be screened - I expect the BBC one will be the week after Simply Come Dancing finishes, as they have booked the ice for 3 weeks. Yesterday the Beeb's website said that the Torvill & Dean one hadn't had a date set.

jenlyon60

12-01-2004, 07:41 AM

Nasty: New exercise assigned by coach. Well, actually it's fairly simple, I'm just not comfortable with it yet and since my back 3's are abysmal on a good day (except when in dance hold with coach)....

Anyways, my Evil Exercise (to quote Mrs Redboots) is a figure 8 pattern... LFI3, RFO3 (for 1 circle) step forward to start the other half of the 8 and do LFO3, RBO3 back to center and repeat. If possible, also go the other direction (RFI3, LBO3, etc..) to work both sides. And I have this sneaky feeling that when I can do this drill, he will change it to have a BI3 instead of BO3.

Nice: Back cross-rolls were better today. I'm only occasionally lightly touching the toe picks to the ice. I got spared back cross-cuts and had to work on forward cross-rolls... first slow, using the same "point the toes of the new skating foot towards the barrier" idea that I was given for the back cross-rolls. Then 2 slow, 4 fast down the ice, to work on different timings. Next up was a bit of the Tango solo, starting with the forward cross-back chasses and through the mohawk. Because the cross-roll 3 was better today, coach had me add a bit of expression with my left arm which he wants to eventually add in the partnered dance.

My reward at the end of the lesson was 5 minutes of playing with the Midnight Blues.

NoVa Sk8r

12-01-2004, 08:59 AM

Terri,
I am so jealous ... Be sure to tell John Z. that Loops and I say hello! 8-)

(This is the event that will be shown on Christmas Day 2-4 PM on NBC, right?)

Give
One of the made for TV skating specials, Holiday Celebration on Ice, will be filmed in our area this Friday night- yes, I'm going!
Guess where the cast is having rehearsals tommorrow?? At my rink!!! 8O 8O 8O :D :D :D

After the rehearsals, there will be a meet and greet with the cast from 4- 4:30 pm- it's five dollars to attend, but I'm sure it will be well spent!

Terri C

12-01-2004, 10:13 AM

Terri,
I am so jealous ... Be sure to tell John Z. that Loops and I say hello! 8-)

NoVa,
Don't worry- that was part of my plan! I'll post the happenings this afternoon when I get home!

Terri C

12-01-2004, 05:41 PM

Didn't skate today, but went to the rink for a celebrity meet and greet.
Who was there, let's see Yags, Ina/ Zimmerman. Weiss, Yamaguchi, Eldridge, Sato/ Dunjen (sp?), Bobek, and Jumpin Joe.
Nicole or Joe didn't stay for the meet and greet, but the rest did.

For the nasty part:
I didn't recognize Kyoko Ina until I got up close, and I mistook Jason for Steven Cousins, who is not doing the show after all! :oops:

For the most part it was a autograph signing and well if I knew that, I'd have brought one of my big skating books for them to sign. Instead I brought my camera and had someone take a couple of shots as I moved through the line.

I have a lesson tomorrow and they might be there again- we'll see!

NoVa- I'll be sending you a PM!

skatingatty

12-01-2004, 06:20 PM

TerriC, that's cool that you got to meet some of the skaters! I saw Joseph Sabovcik (sp?) standing around the rink at nationals last January and at first, I didn't even know it was him. He is so skinny in person and shorter than I thought from seeing him on TV.

As for my skating--
Nice: Got to skate 4 days in a row over Thanksgiving weekend! Forward to back spiral to forward spiral is getting a little better, though I run out of speed on the last turn. I'm in the adult group number for the Reczone holiday show, and we're almost done learning the whole thing to "New York, New York"!

Nasty: Despite getting lots of sleep, I couldn't land most of my axel attempts on Sunday. My forward scratch-change to back scratch spin still sucks. The forward scratch is fine, but then I often can't get into the back spin at all, or else the back spin is drastically worse than the forward spin. I was able to do it consistently years ago, but then I never practiced it, because it wasn't in my programs. Now I'm learning it again for the Ashburn spin event--eek!

slusher

12-01-2004, 07:47 PM

Nice:

I landed the most awesome salchow of my life last night. It was just so BOUNCY!

Nasty:

It's bounced right out of my life. Couldn't do it today, and my spins have pooped out. I had no legs. Well it is my fault, I did do a 12 hour shift on six hours sleep then went right to the rink, and I stand all day at work.

Did I say Bouncy!!!???? Yippee!!

Debbie S

12-01-2004, 08:39 PM

Who was there, let's see Yags, Ina/ Zimmerman. Weiss, Yamaguchi, Eldridge, Sato/ Dunjen (sp?), Bobek, and Jumpin Joe.

Ina and Dungjen in the same show (yes, I realize they're not skating together)? I hope it's a big rink. 8O

I'm glad you got to meet the skaters in such a small and up-close setting, Terri. I'm sure the kids at your rink were practically bouncing off the walls!

Terri C

12-01-2004, 08:45 PM

You better believe it about the kids bouncing off the walls! They were practically in a candy store.. all they could do when they watched the end of rehearsal in the lobby was this- 8O 8O !!! I was a little like that too!

Kyoko was at one end of the table, Jason on the other- what does that tell you?

NoVa Sk8r

12-01-2004, 10:18 PM

NoVa- I'll be sending you a PM!

Thanx Terri! I'm glad J-Z remembered Loops and myself--then again, how many other adult pair teams has he worked with? :D

Mrs Redboots

12-02-2004, 05:25 AM

Had a lovely time last night at the north London rink. The usual teachers are in Nottingham for the British Championships (isn't everybody?), so we had two different teachers, and some horrible exercises - chasse, followed by 3-turn/bracket (which could be done on 2 feet, they weren't that awful) and repeat on the other foot. I realised I am far too square on in my skating, tending to skate with my upper body square to the direction I'm going - which is why my forward cross-rolls are so good, of course, but doesn't help with other things.

The social dancing was lovely, Christmas music (a Golden Skaters' Waltz to "O Come, all ye faithful", anybody? Or a Paso Doble to "Christians, awake"?!), and lots of MEN - loads of visitors from other clubs. Just about the right amount of people, and you could dance every dance you were able, or wanted to. The ice was great, too, really smooth (much smoother than usual for that rink), and for once, I had the stamina to last out the whole evening instead of finishing at the interval, as I usually do. But oh, can I ever feel my legs this morning!!!!!

flo

12-02-2004, 10:03 AM

Mrs. Redboots...MEN????? Fly one over!

Nasty: Very sore from something - could be a multiple choice at this point!
Nice: Working more on the Novice to Silver program. So far I'm learning the program as it was set for the novice skater - without the doubles and tripples of course, with the same choreography and footwork. It's a beautiful program and great to work on, but I did tell the coach not to be offended if I eventually changed a couple of things. Like when I was learning the basics - I could do the elements, but putting them in a program at speed and out of another element ....! It's been fun to learn and add to my choreography collection. Still not sure if I'll have anything for New Year's event.

Terri C

12-02-2004, 11:43 AM

Sorry folks, no celebrities today.

We had a family of four show up to skate the morning session, so they had to split the ice in half- one half for public skaters, the other half for freestyle skaters. That worked for, a hour or so. It turned out okay because everyone stayed out of everyone's way.

Did manage to work on some more choreography for my interpretive program. Learned how to do a "Jenkins" - RFI edge with a very deep knee and the left foot crossing behind!

Oh and it was COLD too!

PattyP

12-02-2004, 01:05 PM

Nasty: IT'S COLD! I know, I'm a spoiled So. Cal girl, but.... We have had temps in the low 30's this week and our rink has no heating (not usually needed here) and I'm not used to skating in 30 deg temps!. It's hard enough to skate at 6:00 am without being frozen. My old body just would not function this morning.

Nice: My spins were better today and I did manage to land a few axels.

Really nice: My coach, Sherri Terando is in New York at Jr. Nationals with her daughter, Lauren Simm. Lauren placed 1st in her qualifying group (Intermediate B)!! Good luck to her in the finals! :) :) :)

Scroll to the end to see her photo...

http://www.usfsa.org/event_related_details.asp?ri=content/events/200405/usjrchamps/pics/pics1.htm

phillyskater

12-02-2004, 01:38 PM

I rarely post in these threads, but I'm going to attempt to get myself motivated to skate more and maybe sharing progress...or lack there of, will help.

Me too! (Good idea, Patty!)

Nice: Back 3's. I am LOVING my new Pattern 99's and finding that they really help me hold a good edge after the turn. :)

Nasty: Back 3's. Despite the help from the new blades, these are not quite consistent enough to pass the Silver moves test yet (although I had some really solid patterns yesterday, more so than usual). I swear, if I had a nickel for every back 3-turn I've practiced, I'd be rich enough to buy my own skating rink!!! :frus:

Happy skating everyone!

jazzpants

12-02-2004, 09:00 PM

First thing, Terri C... so jealous you got to meet all those skaters, particular JZ!!! What a HUNK!!! :yum:

Nice: Back on "ice therapy" again!!! It's SOOOOO GOOD to be back on the ice and taking lessons with my primary coach after not having skated for a couple of weeks (well, minus my trying out the blade and getting the alignment done right.) Okay, it's not with the purple boots but I'm not complaining for now. And they will be here by Christmas (I hope!)

And OMG!!! My scratch spin is back! I can actually cross the leg again and not worry about going on my toepick again. (I knew there was something wrong with the blade alignment on my other pair!!! :evil: ) I sure hope my skating will hold up well in NYC...

Nasty: I lost my T-stops though. My secondary coach is gonna have a fit. My primary coach is already picking on me about it.

Other notes: Primary coach thinks the MK Gold Stars rocker (or was it toe pick...I forgot what it was...) thought MK Gold Stars are too big for me. Wants me to stick with MK Pros since I've been skating on it for a while. I have no complaints about that, since it's much cheaper and still a perfectly good blade for me.

Terri C

12-03-2004, 10:08 AM

First thing, Terri C... so jealous you got to meet all those skaters, particular JZ!!! What a HUNK!!! :yum:

Acutally, it was my second encounter with JZ- he was one of the coaches at the Adult Camp in NJ last summer. Oh and NoVa and Loops had quite the experience with him, as they came in the day before camp started and got a couple of pairs lessons with him!

LoopLoop

12-03-2004, 10:32 AM

Hey Jazzpants,
JZ IS definitely quite the hunk (lucky me, I got to do pairs elements with him :D ), but he's just so darn nice that you forget after a couple of minutes!

blue111moon

12-03-2004, 11:03 AM

Well, it was nice being back on the ice after almost two weeks off for Easterns, Thanksgiving, and a virus or something that kept me housebound last weekend,. But that was about it for the good part. I did hit one almost-axel that I might be able to cheat my way out of the rotation if I could keep my feet foot up, but everything else was pretty rough.

And to top it off, ten minutes before the end of the session, the hockey boxes were invaded by about a dozen twerpy 10-year-old boys coming in for a league clinic after us. They amused themselves by laughing loudly at the girls on the ice, poking sticks out onto the ice and kicking their skates into the brand-new bleachers and boards. I spoke to them twice, and reminded them that they weren't supposed to be out there without a coach. No good. They moved out of the box to the space between the boards and the bleachers and upped the obnoixous behavior, kicking the bleachers, banging sticks on the boards and the glass and yelling at each other. When it got so loud that I couldn't hear my coach, I lost it. I stomped off the ice and yelled at them to cut it out and get back into the locker room. Now, I used to teach junior high; my voice has volume. The whole rink heard me, including the row of parents of said hockey players sitting under the heaters at the opposite side of the rink. Rhe boys scuttled off and I went back to my (very expensive) lesson. Two mintues later (still before the end of the session) two of the hockey coaches come out and interrupt my coach to ask in a very haughty tone if there'd been a problem with the boys. I said, rather shortly, because I'm still in a lesson, that yes, there was; the kids were being rowdy and obnoxious and I kicked them out. Coach said they had the right to be there. I said not without a coach, and there was no coach with them. Plus our ice wasn't over so no, they weren't supposed to be there. The sign stating those rules was posted on the glass about three inches from the guy's nose. He said I should have talked to him first. I pointed out that he wasn't there, that no adults were there, that I spoke to them twice and then I yelled. And I'd yell again if they did it again. He stomped off. By then the session was over. So I missed ten minuetes of a lesson and ice time and my blood pressure was sky high. When I got off the ice, beside where the hockey parents were huddled, not one of them asked me what happened or what was wrong. Grrrr....

I'm hoping that the clinic was a one-time thing and we won't have to deal with the brats next week. Usually it's high-school or college hockey games after us and the guys are pretty good. I have to remind them that most of the girls on the ice are underage, but they usually don't bother us beyond a little drooling on the glass. :)

Debbie S

12-03-2004, 11:38 AM

Yikes, blue111moon! You were definitely within your rights to get rid of the hockey players. I guess I've been lucky - one of the rinks I skate at has hockey right after FS in the afternoons, but the hockey players that get there early just walk to the locker rooms and ignore the skaters.

Nice: I'm back to lessons after a several-week hiatus. My coach thinks the time off the ice was good for me. We started working on the flip and waltz-half loop-sal. The waltz combo was good, but my flips were all cheated, although my coach considered it a good sign that I stayed on my right foot and didn't put my left down like I've been doing for the past (almost) 2 years whenever I've tried that jump. We also worked on the backspin, and I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get my free leg crossed in front w/o ending up on my toe pick (I have a problem with leaning forward). The spins only lasted for about 2 revs at the most, but hey, it's a start.

Nasty: After about 5 or 6 flip attempts, my left foot became somewhat surgically attached to the ice and would not lift up when I tried to jump. :roll: My coach decided we had "exceeded our quota" for the day and should move on to something else - lol!

slusher

12-03-2004, 12:10 PM

Nasty:

Jumps at speed. Which also means 3 turns at speed, if I want to do anything other than a waltz jump. Ick.

Nice:

I landed a few speedy and high jumps and they felt awesome. It's such a great feeling when things work. And, I had the ice to myself since everyone else is at the challenges.

Mel On Ice

12-03-2004, 01:24 PM

Nasty: try as I might, I cannot get my new bronze program to come together. This is a problem since I am competing it in a week at State Games. Egads! Either I'm skating like a demon and I'm ahead of the music, or I'm too far behind and have to shorten my spiral sequence. I have YET to skate this program to completion, as I run out of music before my final jump combination. Since the music is at 1:29, I have requested my coach please add the extra 10 seconds somewhere. We adjusted a few things last night like putting the sit spin first and moving a loop where a left twizzle used to be, but I'm still not comfortable.

Nice: my frugal skating fashions have paid off! Instead of going all out to purchase a new dress for my Christmas show exhibition, I had a fluffy, sparkly sweater that is a silvery pink that I am wearing wearing with a white pull on skirt. I hoped it wouldn't look cheesy, and got raves about it at the rink last night. Big relief!

Freestyle 3 and Christmas exhibition are effortless, and in good shapre for the competition next weekend.

NoVa Sk8r

12-03-2004, 02:15 PM

Hey Jazzpants,
JZ IS definitely quite the hunk (lucky me, I got to do pairs elements with him :D ), but he's just so darn nice that you forget after a couple of minutes!

Yeah, our pair lesson (in Hackensack last June) started just as soon as Loops stopped drooling! :lol:

JZ allowed me to pick him up in an axel lift. Then he let me know exactly what I as doing wrong. He really is the bomb diggety!

Figureskates

12-03-2004, 02:37 PM

ALL NASTY: I have been laid low by a terrible cold..sore throat, cough, head cold...the whole ball of wax. :cry:

This thing came on so suddenly too...in about a 2 hour period on Wednesday. Needless to say, no ice for me...I don't have the strength to even lift my skates. :oops: :oops: :oops:

I hope none of you get this thing...not pretty!

mikawendy

12-03-2004, 03:59 PM

Nice--
Have improved my sal takeoff so that it is more to my coach's liking, technique wise.

Was able to land the loop from a mohawk entrance--previously I could only do this from an FI3. But most loop attempts (of any entrance type) were two-footed, especially from BXO. File that under Nasty.

Showed my coach the wimpy BO double threes that I discovered one day while I was fooling around. She showed me a trick with the arm/shoulder of the non-skating side that helped me improve my weaker side.

Had some good practice doing backspins on the "proper" (CW, for me) side (I backspin better in the direction I don't normally rotate in, because my right foot is just stronger/more balanced than my left.)

Had fun watching some of the kids work on their recently learned lutzes and axels. Some of them are just jumping beans!

Nasty--
My waltz-falling leafs were WIMPY WIMPY WIMPY. The first ones I ever did were the best, and it's been downhill from there!

Camel--haven't found a consistent hook yet.

Nearly wiped out on back power pulls on my weak foot. (Good news is that they're improving, but it was scary that I nearly yanked myself out from under me.) Then I actually did keel over on an ina bauer--somehow got my weight WAAAAY tooo far behind me.

Terri C

12-03-2004, 10:20 PM

Yeah, our pair lesson (in Hackensack last June) started just as soon as Loops stopped drooling! :lol:

Just got back from the show- I didn't take any notes, but I can tell you a couple of things. One I&Z had unison to die for- I was thinking about Loops and NoVa when I saw this!

Also, there is the JZ I met and worked with at camp and there's the JZ I see in a show, oh brother, what a hunk!

All in all it was a good show when you figure they get it all toegther in a matter of days! There were some re-takes, as Kristi fell on a triple toe, Kyoko fell on the SBS axel she did with John ( meaning more eye candy :lol: ), Michael and Tood had reskates as well as Josef.

Another thing that stood out, at least for me was that they had some Navy folks in dress blues present Michael Mc Donald and the ladies in the cast with flowers at the "conclusion" of the show. Being that my area is Navy dominant, I felt that it was a very touching gesture!

NoVa Sk8r

12-03-2004, 10:42 PM

Just got back from the show- I didn't take any notes, but I can tell you a couple of things. One I&Z had unison to die for- I was thinking about Loops and NoVa when I saw this!
You are WAY too kind!

slusher

12-04-2004, 12:36 PM

Nasty:
Since I moaned about doing 3 turns at speed, today's lesson was all about 3 turns, and that 3 turns are not always the same. There's figure 3's, 3's for skills, and 3's for jumping (freeskate), oh and 3's for dance. I can do 3's for dance, nice waltzy, down up down threes. Figure 3's are all about my hips and quickness. So, to make a long story short, I got a figures (patch) session today. It was fun (Nice) but either I can do the turn and not get back to centre, or not do the turn figure-style and muscle it out back to centre, so that's why it's a Nasty because I was getting frustrated!! Evil coach who has 8th figure gave me no sympathy at all and demonstrated 8th figure so I was suitably humbled.

Nice:
Hmm. Thinking about that one. Will get back to y'all. It was that sort of lesson day.

Melzorina

12-04-2004, 02:11 PM

Nasty: Nothing really.

Nice: With all the coaches being away I had a lesson with some random girl, who was quite nice, she had me doing sit spins and such, something different! There was only 5 people on the patch session afterwards which was quite cool aswell. When people arrived for the public session they were all peering through the glass, which was cool in some ways and not so cool in others. I felt pressure not to fall when jumping, as I was using the circle closest to the window. I'd been using the circle for the whole session and I wasn't going to move being I was being gawped at. I actually found that having people watching, and feeling scared I went into my jumps with more forve and landed them cleanly which felt really good. I was really happy with them. I did about 150 waltz jumps and I was actually breathless when I'd finished, not a feeling I get often. :) I've found out that I'm to do some sort of partner skating, and I'm guessing that I'll have to do it with my inscructor, which should be hilariously funny.

flo

12-06-2004, 11:17 AM

Nice- Finished painting my Oh Holy Night costume for the show on the 17th. Started Oh Holy Night program - for the show on the 17th. 8O
Nasty - my fingers are blue.

LoopLoop

12-06-2004, 12:31 PM

Nice- Finished painting my Oh Holy Night costume for the show on the 17th. Started Oh Holy Night program - for the show on the 17th. 8O
Nasty - my fingers are blue.

Flo, whose version of the song are you skating to?

flo

12-06-2004, 01:38 PM

Josh Groban - It's a beautiful recording.

LoopLoop

12-06-2004, 01:57 PM

Josh Groban - It's a beautiful recording.

It certainly is. He recorded a song called "Believe" for the Polar Express movie, and that's what NoVa and I are using for our holiday exhibition.

NoVa Sk8r

12-06-2004, 02:15 PM

It certainly is. He recorded a song called "Believe" for the Polar Express movie, and that's what NoVa and I are using for our holiday exhibition.
Or considering how up and down our practices are, I'm starting to tell people our program is from the "Bipolar Express!" 8-)

flo

12-06-2004, 02:24 PM

I listened to a clip on Amazon.com - pretty! I want to see the movie.
When is your show?

LoopLoop

12-06-2004, 02:34 PM

The show is December 23, on a Thursday. Not the most convenient time, but oh well.

Terri C

12-06-2004, 06:41 PM

Loops,
My show is December 24- no holiday program for me- I'll be doing the Intepretive that I hope to do at the New Year's event!

starskate6.0

12-06-2004, 07:43 PM

My Nasty
Stll the camel spin in practice today got 1 out of ten.

Nice
skated a show on the weekend at Leigh high Valley , Had a great time skating on my stilts and met some real nice people up there.

In Practice
Landed a double lutz today and something new I plan to reviel at nationals. ;)

The greatest risk in life is not taking one . :)

jazzpants

12-06-2004, 10:12 PM

Nasty: Stomach problems! That darn milk allergy came back to bit me in the butt again. GRRRR!!! And that means... no skating!!! Just as well -- we also have a HUGE storm coming our way and my clothes are still in the dryer getting dried. The Skating Gods are definitely telling me not to go skating tonight! :(

Nice: My nice comfy and warm home and some porridge ("jook") oughta do the trick for my stomach tonight. And my pictures from Skate SF finally came -- and for once I look semi-decent. (But I still ain't gonna post it online -- gotta keep my jazzpants reputation, you know...) :P

Blosmbubbs

12-07-2004, 02:46 AM

Hey Starskate6.0 congrats for landing the d.lutz it's a bi#ch of a jump. What level do you compete?

skaternum

12-07-2004, 08:35 AM

And my pictures from Skate SF finally came -- and for once I look semi-decent. (But I still ain't gonna post it online -- gotta keep my jazzpants reputation, you know...)
Note to all: for a small fee, I can provide lovely pictures of jazzpants in a skating dress.

Note to jazzpants: for a large fee, I can not provide lovely pictures of you in a skating dress. :twisted:

jazzpants

12-07-2004, 10:44 AM

Note to all: for a small fee, I can provide lovely pictures of jazzpants in a skating dress.

Note to jazzpants: for a large fee, I can not provide lovely pictures of you in a skating dress. :twisted:ROTFLOL!!! Hmmm? Check your PM (just kidding...) There's enough people who had seen me in a skating dress anyway and it's bound to come out... but I'd rather come out when I make it out to one of these competitions. And guys, how do we know whether or not skaternum is not scamming 'ya??? :twisted: :lol: ;)

BTW: I'm seriously looking into doing Peach Classic this year, since it will take me that long to save up for a trip with hotel and stuff, given that I'm already spent the money for AN for a trip to NYC... (It's not that bad. I get to meet and maybe skate with at least three people I know from RSSIR and maybe one of them from skatingforums.)

I will probably debut another program then, since whomever took my purple skates also took my Yanni program tape!!! :evil: (*sigh* it's not that bad. If I go hunting around, I might find my backup tape. And I was considering trying a new program and getting another choreographer (my secondary coach) this time around -- since I've seen her student's programs and they looked NICE!!!) :bow: :bow: :bow:

LoopLoop

12-07-2004, 11:02 AM

BTW: I'm seriously looking into doing Peach Classic this year, since it will take me that long to save up for a trip with hotel and stuff

Hey Jazz, let me know if you want a roommate for Peach! Although the hotels are pretty cheap there anyway, I think I paid $60/night this year.

jazzpants

12-07-2004, 11:18 AM

Hey Jazz, let me know if you want a roommate for Peach! Although the hotels are pretty cheap there anyway, I think I paid $60/night this year.LoopLoop: I'll ping 'ya when it gets closer to sign up date... :) Let's see if my hubby (or I) keep our respective job by then. (You never know with the computer industry. I've been lucky so far keeping my job for as long as I have...)

NoVa Sk8r

12-07-2004, 11:18 AM

Hey Jazz, let me know if you want a roommate for Peach! Although the hotels are pretty cheap there anyway, I think I paid $60/night this year.
So I guess we're skating pairs at next year's Peach?!
I'll pencil it in my calendar.

skaternum

12-07-2004, 11:28 AM

Oh, man! It would be so great to see jazzpants at Peach next year! Room with LoopLoop and come to the party with us. (Heck, I'll buy your ticket to the party and your o-fish-ul Peach Classic t-shirt if you'll come!) David & I won't be doing pairs then, but I'll be doing something there.

NoVa Sk8r

12-07-2004, 11:35 AM

David & I won't be doing pairs then, but I'll be doing something there.
WHAT?! There goes my reason/motivation for going. 8-)

Oh, but the great skaternum will be performing a yet-to-be-named/choreographed singles program? That's reason enough!

jazzpants

12-07-2004, 11:36 AM

So I guess we're skating pairs at next year's Peach?!
I'll pencil it in my calendar. Man, Loops! Sounds like you already have him trained well to me... :lol: ;)

skaternum

12-07-2004, 12:12 PM

Oh, but the great skaternum will be performing a yet-to-be-named/choreographed singles program? That's reason enough!Pshaw! You don't need a reason to get in front of people and grove to some music. You're a ... dare I say it? ... natural born ... I think I'll say it ... ham. :P And trust me, coming from me, that's a compliment!!! If we could bottle your dramatic flair and sell it to just the pre-bronzers alone, we'd make a fortune.

NoVa Sk8r

12-07-2004, 12:19 PM

Pshaw! You don't need a reason to get in front of people and grove to some music. You're a ... dare I say it? ... natural born ... I think I'll say it ... ham. :P And trust me, coming from me, that's a compliment!!! If we could bottle your dramatic flair and sell it to just the pre-bronzers alone, we'd make a fortune.

Yup, guilty as charged (but methinks that's just on the ice, spirit fingers and jazz hands aside). :oops:

Poor Loops gets stuck in my vibe moments at times. 8-)

I'll think of a product name (NoVa's Super Flair Elixir or something like that?) ASAP! ;)

NCSkater02

12-07-2004, 07:37 PM

Pshaw! You don't need a reason to get in front of people and grove to some music. You're a ... dare I say it? ... natural born ... I think I'll say it ... ham. :P And trust me, coming from me, that's a compliment!!! If we could bottle your dramatic flair and sell it to just the pre-bronzers alone, we'd make a fortune.

Some of us pre-bronzers could use some of that....or maybe something to kill the nerves! Maybe if I was dramatic enough, the judges wouldn't notice me trembling throughout my skate. :roll:

starskate6.0

12-07-2004, 07:38 PM

Hey Starskate6.0 congrats for landing the d.lutz it's a bi#ch of a jump. What level do you compete?

I just passed adult gold mens and plan to compete at the nationals and the event in germany. :) Level II , After that Ill have to do level III , Ill be 46 then :roll: ouch.

doubletoe

12-07-2004, 10:04 PM

I just passed adult gold mens and plan to compete at the nationals and the event in germany. :) Level II , After that Ill have to do level III , Ill be 46 then :roll: ouch.

Hey, I'm very inspired? You're just moving up to Gold now, and you already have a double lutz?! There's got to be quite a story there! How did you manage to work up to it?

starskate6.0

12-07-2004, 11:11 PM

Hey, I'm very inspired? You're just moving up to Gold now, and you already have a double lutz?! There's got to be quite a story there! How did you manage to work up to it?

:roll: "Oh boy" Thats a long story. But Ill try and keep it short. The main reason I was not able to pass gold till now was 1. The move test and 2. I could not spin worth a cracker. :frus:

I started ice skating at 23 in Australia but no one was much interested in teaching a 23 year old how to skate. I actualy got a job in a show in Australia as a chorus skater for about 5 months, my first job was to just stand on a 30X30 ft tank ice and present a girl while she skated.
I then went to Europe on a one way ticket and tried out for Holiday on ice, they told me I was THE WORST SKATER THEY HAD EVER SEEN, ( they where right)
, :lol: :cry: , To cut this short I leaned to skate in Ice shows without the formal training and learned from the skaters in those shows, after three years of getting turned down many times, I skated a small show in spain and was once again told by Holiday and Ice capades" YOUR THE WORSE SKATER IV EVER SEEN" :evil: But there is a happy ending, in 1987 I went back to Australia and auditioned for Disney On Ice and they too rejected me at first but did give me a list of things to make me skate like a good chourus skater should, I skated 8 hours a day for six weeks and in New zealand auditioned again and was hired . I spent 6 years with them and toured the world in 5 shows and 38 countries. during that time skaters in the show tried to teach me freestyle but the directors kept telling me not to skate ( freestyle anyway) :frus: DO COMEDY :lol: So I did . I got preety good on my feet but still could not spin and jumping was hap hazzard at best, I did however learn a back flip for the comedy number. ;) Even though other jumps where much more difficult and required more practice. After 38 countries and 5 productions I gave it all up at age 34 and took on a new career.

I returned to skating in 2002 with no test levels but because of my experience with the show skating I was able to get through the adult test quite fast ( except for the gold) which I now have. ;)
Its a long story and perhapes another time for details but here I am now

I still do shows in local clubs and other places on request on my Stilts , but please don't ever ask me to skate Freestyle .
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ;)

flo

12-08-2004, 11:22 AM

Starskate6.0
Congratulations!!!!!!
Germany will be great. As there's no interpretive - how about pairs ;)
Congrats again!

starskate6.0

12-08-2004, 12:01 PM

Starskate6.0
Congratulations!!!!!!
Germany will be great. As there's no interpretive - how about pairs ;)
Congrats again!

G-day Flo
What state are you in and How high do you think you could lift me. :lol: :lol: What 8O no interp :cry: boo hoo. but I love the interp. Oh well I guess Ill just have to learn freestyle without falling down. :lol:

As for pairs my jury is still out on that one as I have not got a lot of time to work on my interp and freestyle as it is, Iv had other offers about the pairs, Im still thinking about how I would fit that in. 8O

:?: question for all. What is required in the moves competitions at AN and Worlds :?:
Ill have to do gold, is it all the moves :?: or just a selected few.

Mrs Redboots

12-08-2004, 12:13 PM

starskate6.0

12-08-2004, 12:45 PM

Starskate, you might not be able to do interp at Obersdorf, but you certainly can at the Mountain Cup, which is the previous weekend - so please plan to extend your European trip! The men's category is always enormous fun; we've had South Sea Islanders, mad housewives and cleaners, crazy driving instructors, even a streaker - oh no, that was Becca, sorry.....

:D Sounds great but It would all be a matter of time off to get there .
Iv just been awarded time off for the nationals and the event in Obersdorf and I think thats about all im going to get , But Ill sure give it a go.
I love the interp but im not sure i could compete against the mad house cleaner 8O :lol: " My nember is " Theres a sucker born every minute"

" The greatest risk in life is not taking one". :halo:

skaternum

12-08-2004, 01:08 PM

:?: question for all. What is required in the moves competitions at AN and Worlds :?:
Ill have to do gold, is it all the moves :?: or just a selected few.
Starskate, I recommend that you go look at the applications for the competitions you're thinking about doing. Every competition is different so you have to pay close attention to the events and eligibility requirements for each. There aren't any moves competitions at Adult Nationals.

Both AN and the Adult ISU competition (not "Worlds" and not a "championship", as some want to term it) have announcements that are available on the USFSA website. USFSA adult page (http://www.usfsa.org/Programs.asp?id=46)

And here's some more free advice for somebody just getting into adult competitions. In addition to getting friendly with the materials on the USFSA website, become best friends with the rulebook! Learn it, live it, love it! It's THE authoritative source for info on rules. You're better off going straight to the source than relying on a bunch of strangers (albeit helpful and usually knowledgable) on the web. You wouldn't believe some of the misinformation I've seen disseminated in these kinds of forums by people who are ignorant of or confused by the rules. Present company excepted, of course. No one HERE would do such a thing ... ;)

doubletoe

12-08-2004, 04:18 PM

[QUOTE=starskate6.0
I still do shows in local clubs and other places on request on my Stilts , but please don't ever ask me to skate Freestyle .
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ;)[/QUOTE]

What a great story!! But aren't you going to skate freestyle now? Isn't that why you need to take your Gold test? I was once told that I was "lucky to be a natural jumper rather than a natural spinner because with time, spinning can be learned, but if you aren't a jumper, you will never be a jumper." Now slowly but surely, the spins are coming along. . . so maybe it's true!

Keep us apprised of your progress because I just love this story, LOL!

flo

12-08-2004, 04:46 PM

On spinning: My coach nearly fell over when I finally centered a scratch spin! I had a layback, sit and reasonable camel, but the scratch.... :roll:
My present coach also just recently fixed my camel spin with one suggestion. Now it's much more reliable and faster - but I suppose any spin is faster when you're not falling out of it.

starskate6.0

12-09-2004, 12:49 AM

Starskate, I recommend that you go look at the applications for the competitions you're thinking about doing. Every competition is different so you have to pay close attention to the events and eligibility requirements for each. There aren't any moves competitions at Adult Nationals.

Both AN and the Adult ISU competition (not "Worlds" and not a "championship", as some want to term it) have announcements that are available on the USFSA website. USFSA adult page (http://www.usfsa.org/Programs.asp?id=46)

And here's some more free advice for somebody just getting into adult competitions. In addition to getting friendly with the materials on the USFSA website, become best friends with the rulebook! Learn it, live it, love it! It's THE authoritative source for info on rules. You're better off going straight to the source than relying on a bunch of strangers (albeit helpful and usually knowledgable) on the web. You wouldn't believe some of the misinformation I've seen disseminated in these kinds of forums by people who are ignorant of or confused by the rules. Present company excepted, of course. No one HERE would do such a thing ... ;)

Thanks for the tip 8-) , I realy did not mean to use such broard terms when it comes to all the competitions I was just thinking in general terms :roll:
But Ill find a rule book and look into some of this stuff, and If I ever was misinformed by some advise I got here I would never get bent out of shap about it, Id probebley just laugh about it later and go and have a beer with that person after the competition :lol:

Im in it for the fun and I truly appreciate all the advice I get here and from my coaches and friends on the forum. ;) " the greatest risk in life is not taking one. :D

starskate6.0

12-09-2004, 12:56 AM

[QUOTE=starskate6.0
I still do shows in local clubs and other places on request on my Stilts , but please don't ever ask me to skate Freestyle .
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ;)

What a great story!! But aren't you going to skate freestyle now? Isn't that why you need to take your Gold test? I was once told that I was "lucky to be a natural jumper rather than a natural spinner because with time, spinning can be learned, but if you aren't a jumper, you will never be a jumper." Now slowly but surely, the spins are coming along. . . so maybe it's true!

Keep us apprised of your progress because I just love this story, LOL![/QUOTE]

Hi Doubletoe
Well if spinning can be learned its sure been a long lesson :roll: for me.
Im glad you liked my story , perhapes Ill fill you in on the details over a beer one day. :P I am going to skate freestyle , the goal is to stay on my feet long enough to finish 2:40 8O Ill be working on the spins.

" The greatest risk in life is not taking one. "

starskate6.0

12-09-2004, 01:00 AM

skaternum

12-09-2004, 09:16 AM

I realy did not mean to use such broard terms when it comes to all the competitions I was just thinking in general terms :roll: I figured that, but I've been surprised recently to discover that some of us adult skaters actually think the ISU competition is some kind of adult world championship, when it's really just another open competition. (I.e., there aren't any qualifying events that lead up to it.) I'm just trying to make sure this little urban myth doesn't take hold. Maybe one day we will have our own world championship, but for now, if you've got the money and the vacation time, you can be an international competitor! :)

starskate6.0

12-09-2004, 10:13 AM

Hi Starnum

;) We all like to dream don't we :?: May-be there will be a true world event one day, but this will be great fun in the mean time. I got the time off but only that one week so the competition in France will have to wait another year.
But the event in Obertsdorf will be a hoot. Im looking forward to going. :D

better brush up on my german. :lol:

starskate6.0

12-09-2004, 10:29 AM

Hi Flo

Don't be too concerned about the spin thing, it requires a lot of skill to be a good spinner and if you are graced with that magic ability to bend in all directions you will be a good spinner. Most of us ( me included :roll: ),
have to be content with pushing the limits to MAKE the body bend :frus:

A jump goes up and down, with the body basicly vertical but spins are another story. It takes a lot of skill to be a good spinner and if you have the determination to be a great spinner you will be, Im sure of it. :D I don't think Iv ever seen you skate, but I would realy like too. Come say Hello at a competition some time and Ill be your number 1 spin fan. :D

flo

12-09-2004, 10:37 AM

Starskate:
You actually know me - Phyllis from Ice Club of Baltimore. Gets confusing with all the names, and from a favorite T-shirt - on the internet no one knows you're a frog. :)

starskate6.0

12-09-2004, 10:49 AM

Starskate:
You actually know me - Phyllis from Ice Club of Baltimore. Gets confusing with all the names, and from a favorite T-shirt - on the internet no one knows you're a frog. :)

:roll: "Opps" Yes I do remember, Im sorry, I often have a memory like a steel trap with the door open :lol: :lol: , I forgot about your show, Ill have to look at my schedual again, Did you want me to skate and if so , do you want me to do my stilt number :?: How many hours is it from PHL. :?:
Ill have to get back to you later tonight Im in Erie PA but Ill be able to get back to you later tonight when I land in Allen town about 10pm.

" The greatest risk in life is not taking one ". :bow:

NoVa Sk8r

12-09-2004, 10:50 AM

On spinning: My coach nearly fell over when I finally centered a scratch spin! I had a layback, sit and reasonable camel, but the scratch.... :roll:
Flo,
I find your spin troubles hard to believe. Your layback was absolutely gorgeous in Philly!
But, then again, isn't it Dick Button who says (time and time and time and time again!) that the forward scratch is the hardest to do (I beg to differ)? ;)
Anyway, can't wait to see your spins again at the New Year's.
(BTW, Loops and I are now working on side-by-side camel/broken leg sit spins!)

flo

12-09-2004, 11:01 AM

NoVa Sk8r

12-09-2004, 11:14 AM

Nova - go for it! That would be great as a pair.
Thanks! :oops: I don't think I've ever put a scratch spin in my program! I'm having more success with the camel. I'm very open hipped, and usually flopped over out of the camel. It was great for the pair flop over camel (a variation of the tango)! My coach told me to touch my right hand to my left knee, and I actually have a consistient spin!!
Hope to see you in Washington!

Our pair spins are very hit or miss lately. The sbs ones, though, have come a long way. I'm still hoping one day that we can do sbs flying camels. The current problem is that we have different entries: Loops does the RFI 3-turn, and I do the back crossover entry. We're working on it.
As good as my spins may be, they usually fizzle out when done in a side-by-side fashion. Grrrr ... :evil:

I'll be in Washington, in one shape or form ... but I've yet to even download the application, and I don't know what events I would do. Here's to procrastination!

Terri C

12-09-2004, 11:23 AM

I'll be in Washington, in one shape or form ... but I've yet to even download the application, and I don't know what events I would do. Here's to procrastination!

Are you nuts??? Let's see- pairs would be one event, right?? Oh and if I were you, since you are a legitimate Silver skater now, you better do singles or else!!! :twisted:
Gee, why did I ask the first question- I already know the answer to that one!

Terri C

12-09-2004, 11:27 AM

Ok -time for me to chime in on my ice session today!

Coach and I finished my Interpretive program for New Years (that is if I get to go- CRC is Plan B if I can't). It will piss me off if I put this program together for nothing!

My forward spins were awful today, but jumps (even the loop cooperated) and the backscratch were sweet!
I do have to get back in the gym- my stamina is awful as well!

NoVa Sk8r

12-09-2004, 11:32 AM

Are you nuts??? Let's see- pairs would be one event, right?? Oh and if I were you, since you are a legitimate Silver skater now, you better do singles or else!!! :twisted:
Gee, why did I ask the first question- I already know the answer to that one!
Well, definitely pairs (don't want an irate Loops on my tail!); everything else is open: singles, compulsories, spins, interp.

And for the record, I'm not nuts. Maybe just a little unstable and erratic at times. ;)

flo

12-09-2004, 11:39 AM

Hi Nova,
Side by side spins are more difficult. Aside from the spin itself, you have to get them in synch with entry and speed, match positions, be close, but not too close that you run into eachother, and watch eachother!
Have you tried a pair flying camel? Those are interesting, and you don't see many.
I enter the solo flying camel from a R counter or a forward camel. How about you both doing sbs camel-jump-back camels? Then you will have the same entry.

Terri C

12-09-2004, 11:40 AM

little [/I] unstable and erratic at times. ;)

Just a little??? :roll:

NoVa Sk8r

12-09-2004, 11:54 AM

Hi Nova,
Side by side spins are more difficult.
Have you tried a pair flying camel? Those are interesting, and you don't see many.
I enter the solo flying camel from a R counter or a forward camel. How about you both doing sbs camel-jump-back camels? Then you will have the same entry.

Yes, difficult indeed. But for some reason, our sbs spins end up being in sync more often that not. I can't explain it--nor do I want to attempt to (Note to planets: Keep lining up as you have in the past!).
A pair flying camel. I've never heard of aht, just the sbs flying camel. I think images of Berezhnaya keep dancing in our heads when we even consider doing sbs flying camels. Loops usually points across the rink, and says, "Start your spin over there." :lol:

The camel-jump-camel is a good idea; I used to do that in my singles (as well as camel-jump-sit). Might be interesting to resurrect it for pairs. Loops and I are definitely not afraid to try new things!

flo

12-09-2004, 12:02 PM

doubletoe

12-09-2004, 12:43 PM

8O " Opps . I think I screwed that up..

sorry doubletoe. anyway its late and Im in Erie PA tonight, Ill talk to you guy's tomorrow. Ill keep working on the spins .
"The greatest risk in life is not taking one" :bow:

Heck, if a spin isn't working, just try holding the entrance edge longer. It fixes it at least half the time, LOL! (BTW, the sitspin is the one spin that does not work for.)

Mrs Redboots

12-09-2004, 03:08 PM

We don't do pairs pairs, if you see what I mean, but we do do artistic pairs, and although we haven't a proper side-by-side spin, we have this bit in our routine where I pretend to slap his face with such force that we each twirl in opposite directions, then I slap his face the other side, and we twirl the other way for 2 revolutions. At the moment, it's two-footed, but our coach would *like* us to be able to do it on one foot.... I don't think so....

starskate6.0

12-09-2004, 10:05 PM

Heck, if a spin isn't working, just try holding the entrance edge longer. It fixes it at least half the time, LOL! (BTW, the sitspin is the one spin that does not work for.)

Yep.. you are right, and that does help, i hope Ill learn a decent camel by nationals this year. ;)

starskate6.0

12-09-2004, 10:15 PM

When I was starting pairs, we had to plan our spins so we would travel in the same direction, and not into eachother! One coach burried our spins in a corner close to the judges so they had to strain to see us!

Hey Flow

Im in Allentown again tonight and be back in PHL tomorrow, I will have to check my schedual but im pretty sure i can do your show on saturday the 18th. Ill bring my stilts and do that for you and if you need another number Ill do my interp for you. :D

Let me know what you need , I did a show last week in Liegh high valley and they loved the stilt number. Send me some directions and if there is a rehursal, and any details , ( starskate@mac.com )

skaternum

12-10-2004, 09:27 AM

I think images of Berezhnaya keep dancing in our heads when we even consider doing sbs flying camels. Loops usually points across the rink, and says, "Start your spin over there."Those of you who remember seeing David & me doing our sbs camels at Peach Classic in 2003 must surely remember it in this way! I could actually hear everyone in the stands suck in air. (Me included.) We'd gotten a little off center in our straight line footwork down the rink, so when we set up to do our camels, he took a big ol' windup and a big ol' step into the spin (spatial relations are NOT his strong suit) and pretty much pushed me up against the board. I had no where to go to get away from his blade coming at me, so I aborted that spin as fast as possible. Everyone let their breaths out at about the same time, too. I'd rather be upright to see it coming and move than get sliced out of nowhere. And that's why we do sbs sit spins now. :D (Which is frustrating, because we usually had good unison on our camels. But it's not worth it if you're bleeding!!)