Winter Storms or Summer Breezes: 10-16 December [Archive]

Mrs Redboots

12-10-2006, 05:41 AM

Bearing in mind that it is summer for our skaters from Down Under, lucky them!

Winter Storms: I miss one practice, and can't do a thing! Simply couldn't skate backwards this morning for ages without going straight up on to my toes - where, oh where, was my weight? Couldn't get it in the right place for love nor money....

Doing the Willow Waltz with Husband I was scraping away like a bad violinist, sheesh....

We spent a long time just doing edges and swings in waltz hold, and tried skating backwards in Kilian hold, too.

Summer Breezes: Husband, by contrast, was having a Good Skate Day, working on his level 4 Dance Moves, and doing the mohawks better than he's ever done them. They're not great, but they have stopped being quite so violent and stiff!

We tried working Willow Mohawks round the circle, which was actually quite successful. As the skating backwards in Kilian was being rather dire, we went back to the circle and started doing the end pattern of the Fiesta. This was fine. I said it was because we didn't have to change lobes, I thought - it is RBO, LBI, round the circle. "Okay," said Husband, "let's do it the other way round." So we did LBO, RBI clockwise round the circle, and that was fine, too. So it is obviously the changing lobes that we, or I, have trouble with. Trying again, and thinking of it, worked better. Not great, not even well, but better!

There was a fair amount of dance music being played, and we danced several Willows, a Golden Skaters Waltz, a Riverside Rumba, a Fiesta and a Swing Dance, with greater or lesser success. Fiesta still horrible! Side pattern is desperate as we concentrate too much on the end pattern. Swing Dance not at all bad, I didn't think - the coach may disagree! We will ask him on Tuesday.

vesperholly

12-10-2006, 10:48 AM

I haven't skated in a few days so no skating comments, but it's more like Winter Gale Force Winds around here - gusting up to 50! 8O

Skate@Delaware

12-10-2006, 03:38 PM

Winter Storms: that's how our ice show rehearsal went today...it was COLD on the ice!!! First, we had pictures for the paper, and someone forgot to turn on the heat in the ladies bathroom (the locker rooms were in use by hockey guys)...luckily, we weren't on the ice for pics but in a side room with an antique sleigh that we use every year, along with the float we used in the local town's parade.

And I'm still having issues with the kids playing games during club time...and people crossing our space while we are in lesson...even though I'm letting them know I'm in lesson :x (and one guy who is doing it is good at spouting rules when it suits him).

Summer Breezes: well, I told my coach I didn't really have anything I wanted to work on...so we changed my routine to catch it up to my new level (ISI Freestyle 2). Changed the spiral sequence, and added a ballet jump and a half-toe walley and a 1/2 lutz and a lunge (but using the same music). Guess I'd better get good at those elements!

Also had one of those moments, towards the end of lessons, when we were working on the loop....where she showed that "for the axel and double jumps your free leg is more of a "d" than an "h""...so when I did my next loop attempt, I almost did it!!! (of course I almost fell, but that's ok). I had my feet crossed, and barely two-footed the landing (all my other attempts are/have been with the feet uncrossed)!!!!! Wow! I was soooo excited, as was she!!!! Of course, I could not do it again...:frus: but did it once, so I can do it again!

Dropped my skates off for a quickie sharpening, due back tomorrow. Maybe I can get it again on Wednesday night!!! My edges are really dull.

Also worked with hubby on some pair/dance stuff-his swing rolls are really flat-so we did work on that, and spent 15-20 minutes on the scratch spin....yeah, I'm like "do it again" over and over again, but he was making progress-just needs to bend his knees more.

Rusty Blades

12-10-2006, 04:13 PM

Winter Storms: In an ongoing quest to figure out what has been giving me a rash on my ankles, I tried skating barefoot today and LOVE the feeling!!! Unfortunately, the itch came back with a vengeance after only an hour. When I got home, I sprayed the inside of my boots with an antibacterial - we’ll see if that helps.

Summer Breezes: After my 5 week distraction with forward stroking and having all my backwards evaporate, the backward stroking and edges are improving rapidly - hopefully I can be to back cross-overs again in a week or two. I also figured out some of the opening choreography that I think looks pretty good (thanks to having backward edges again)!

If we don't have any unseasonably warm weather this week (which isn't forecast) my backyard rink should be skateable by next weekend. :mrgreen: Imagine that! Pretty coloured lights, stereo hi-fi music (of my choice) and unlimited ice time. Oh the decadence! :roll:

DallasSkater

12-10-2006, 05:08 PM

Winter Storms: Area rinks have been more packed in both freestyle times and public sessions. It makes it difficult especially for practice on MIF stuff.

Back spin attempts have regressed. Not sure why but I keep trying!

Summer Breezes: Had a nice weekend of skating. Feeling more confident with the waltz 8 and the 3 turn pattern for pre bronze testing. Have only done the 3 turn pattern on right so far but not as bad as I thought it might be.

Really working on one footed spin from back cross overs. I can now step "into" the circle but sometimes that messes my center up a bit and the recovery is difficult. Seems to be improving though with each attempt.

Although I have worn my new crash pads everytime since getting them, I have not found out if they work well or not as I have not taken a spill yet! Not anxious enough to find out or I would throw my self on the ice!

Practiced all the more challenging parts for me of the Christmas recital. Sure can do it when it is not an actual run through. Hope it is there when I need it the most!

Skate@Delaware

12-10-2006, 07:43 PM

Practiced all the more challenging parts for me of the Christmas recital. Sure can do it when it is not an actual run through. Hope it is there when I need it the most!
Just found out we are having back-to-back rehearsals on Thursday...one starting at 5...the next at 7 pm....think I will die :frus: just zamboni over my body.........

tidesong

12-10-2006, 07:48 PM

Winter Storms:

I don't know what is going on with a set of performances anymore. I'm just taking it day by day instruction by instruction. Its so awfully un-me to not know my schedule to the minute weeks ahead of time. But well yeah, forced to do this now.

Haven't skated all that much, ice is bad as usual and ice time is extremely limited.

Summer Breezes:

Everything not withstanding, I still landed a couple double salchows

aussieskater

12-11-2006, 12:30 AM

Bearing in mind that it is summer for our skaters from Down Under, lucky them!

You *really* want the 40 C heat we've had sporadically since October?? Sure?? There's a summer storm brewing as I type - I can hear the thunder in the background, so hopefully there's a cool change on the way...

Winter storms

Last night was dress rehearsal for the Xmas show. After a 30-min warmup on crowded ice (the warmup was for the whole of the 100+ skaters!), I then stood round in a cold rink for 90 minutes before my 1st number. I was rather chilled. Any suggestions for what to do come show night? (Same warmup, only show night's warmup is from 4.30 to 5.00 p,m, then my 1st number doesn't start until 7pm...so 2 hours from the end of warmup until I need to go on...)

Summer breezes

Despite the cold and the fear, we didn't die. This was good. We were slow (glacial), and stiff, and one of the coaches said today we looked nervous (well, duh! It's our first time ever out in public!) But we failed to die.

Not only that, we got lots of applause from the rest of the cast when we managed not to die while I did a drape over his lap (and didn't fall off, though it was a near thing!), and a counter turn in a teapot supported by him (just remind me, how many falls did that little trick cost us over the past 6 months?) I heard it and couldn't help grinning like a Cheshire cat as we finished! What a buzz! Now if everyone could send lots of good thoughts to hope that we can pull the whole thing off when it counts next week...my aged mother is coming to watch, and I *really* don't want to look like an idiot...

Isk8NYC

12-11-2006, 10:14 AM

When I got home, I sprayed the inside of my boots with an antibacterial - we’ll see if that helps.I'm thinking "contact dermatitis" but I'm not a doctor. (Nor do I play one on TV) Whatever it started out as has now "morphed" into something more complicated. I think it's time to consult a real MD to get something to heal your ankle.

As for the cause, the tongue edges might be getting hard and dry. Use a suede brush to give the inside of the leather tongue a good brushing, and clean the outside with saddle soap. The brush will give it some nap and the saddle soap will soften the leather a bit. A suede brush is a metal-bristled brush; they sell it where you can buy shoe polish.

If it's still bothing you, test some moleskin to see if you're allergic to it. If not, cover the inside edge of your skate tongue with it, wrapping around a bit to the outside so you get a smooth edge.

Pretty coloured lights, stereo hi-fi music (of my choice) and unlimited ice time. Oh the decadence! :roll:You know we're all jealous of you!

Isk8NYC

12-11-2006, 10:20 AM

Winter Storms:
The manager didn't do a mid-session ice cut, so by the time I finished giving lessons, the ice was yuck. (Sorry, Casey, I'm not a he-man ice skater. Bad ice gives me fits.)

My legs are getting weak - all of my jumps were pathetic little things, even when I was practicing toe loops with one of my students. I challenged her to jump higher than me and she did! LOL

Summer Breezes:
The inside spirals are looking pretty good! I still think my arms are spastic, but hey, it works.

Good spins and turns are getting better.

I have a lesson scheduled for this Wednesday AM. Can't wait.

flo

12-11-2006, 10:32 AM

Summer - it feels like summer here today. Had a good skate after my 2 month break and it felt like I was never off the ice.

Winter - Blister, the skates are still horrid.

Mrs Redboots

12-11-2006, 12:13 PM

You *really* want the 40 C heat we've had sporadically since October?? Sure?? There's a summer storm brewing as I type - I can hear the thunder in the background, so hopefully there's a cool change on the way...Well, I'd rather a summer storm than a winter one, any day! It's so wet and grey and nasty here, almost no daylight....

Any suggestions for what to do come show night? (Same warmup, only show night's warmup is from 4.30 to 5.00 p,m, then my 1st number doesn't start until 7pm...so 2 hours from the end of warmup until I need to go on...)Is there a cafe or somewhere you can go and sit and watch? Failing that, watch for a bit, then go outside into the car park and get warm. About half an hour before you're due to go on, do a big off-ice warm-up with your husband, and then put your skates back on. Make sure you're well wrapped up while you're in the rink - fleece jackets, a rug and so on.

Good luck and have fun!

Bill_S

12-11-2006, 12:38 PM

Isk8NYC

12-11-2006, 12:49 PM

At least the sits feel low!When you feel the ice on your butt, it's low. I remember the first time my skirt dragged on the ice in a sit spin (during a comp) - I was amazed and thrilled! You'll get it, just make sure your knees can manage coming back up!

coskater64

12-11-2006, 01:03 PM

Summer breeze: Jumped for the very first time in earnest. Managed all singles waltz-lutz and flip-toe and sow-toe combos. Not huge but all fully rotated and landed on my right leg. Feels soooo strange, loop was not as bad as I thought it would be, working on axels in harness Wednesday.8O

Program is about 75% done and very pretty, for me...we'll see how it progresses. Overall, not to terribly awful and a good place to start.

Winter Storm: Back camel and back sit still weak only pressing 72 lbs on Right leg looks like we'll need at least 100. Oi!:frus:

Rusty Blades

12-11-2006, 01:51 PM

... just make sure your knees can manage coming back up!

That's why the sit spin should be the LAST element of your program!

doubletoe

12-11-2006, 02:01 PM

doubletoe

12-11-2006, 02:03 PM

Winter Storm: My improving sit spin felt very low last time I skated, so I took my camera to the rink to make a video to see how far my butt is from the boot tops.

Shouldn't have done that. :frus:

I'm like any other beginning sit-spinner with legs bent just a little bit The thigh wasn't even level to the ice. Sigh.

Summer Breeze: At least the sits feel low!

Try the calf-to-thigh indicator. If you can feel the calf of your skating leg pressing against the inside of the thigh of your free leg, that means your skating thigh is parallel to the ice. It really works! :)

Isk8NYC

12-11-2006, 02:05 PM

That's why the sit spin should be the LAST element of your program!Talk about finishing with a BANG!

I have one student with a killer shoot-the-duck, but she's only able to lower herself; getting back up just isn't happening. The knee strength is probably why her sit spins are weak, unfortunately. But, once she gets stronger, look out! She literally has her butt 2" off the ice.

Alas, I couldn't put the Shoot-the-Duck in her program since she can't push back up out of it. Couldn't have her flop on the ice in her grass skirt, even at the end! It would just ruin the whole "Christmas Hula" spirit. LOL

doubletoe

12-11-2006, 02:24 PM

Winter Storms
I am convinced that the session I skate on Sundays attracts the most self-centered skaters in the county! Everyone seems to be in her own world, even some of the coaches! I had to skip a section of my program and alter the pattern on another section because of a coach not getting herself and her skater out of my way. Then I was so distracted that then I blanked out on the next element and totally forgot what I was supposed to do! 8O

Summer Breezes
Video: The harshest coach you can get, but also the most effective! The notes I took while watching the video of my Christmas recital program on Friday were totally worth the $50 I paid for the entry fee and video! I fixed something I noticed on my salchow entry that I know will help my double sal, I came up with a fix for my change foot combo spin, and I made a major fix to my flying camel which brought it back after it had been AWOL for at least 2 weeks (including the recital on Friday)! :D

Team Arthritis

12-11-2006, 03:00 PM

Bill_S

12-11-2006, 03:08 PM

Try the calf-to-thigh indicator. If you can feel the calf of your skating leg pressing against the inside of the thigh ..

Thanks for that tip. I'll start paying attention to those areas instead of thinking about the strain involved. On my '"strain meter", I'm already there although reality is very different.

Bill_S

12-11-2006, 03:16 PM

LOL yeh I hate seeing closeups of my rear too
Lyle

Ditto!

When I get the sit improved as much as my old knees can take, then I'll get an appropriate overall shot (no close ups!) and happily live within my limitations.

doubletoe

12-11-2006, 04:29 PM

Thanks for that tip. I'll start paying attention to those areas instead of thinking about the strain involved. On my '"strain meter", I'm already there although reality is very different.

Like many things in this complicated sport, the sitspin is only partly a strength move; a lot of it is technique. One great thing about the calf-to-inside-of-thigh position is that in order to feel that, you need to lower your butt AND push your free leg forward as you get lower. In doing that, it helps keep your weight from shifting to your heel and that makes it easier to get down and up. You also need to keep your back tight and arched and your chest pushed out instead of concave. The centrifugal force helps, too, so it's easier to get up if you're spinning. ;)

Terri C

12-11-2006, 06:46 PM

Summer Breezes:
I'm finally back on the freestyle bandwagon! Yippee! After all these years as a Pre Bronze skater, it feels good to be "Bronze" something, even though it's only moves.

Winter Storms:
Spins are a mess and my jumps need height!

Skate@Delaware

12-11-2006, 08:20 PM

Winter Storms: for some reason, our ice has become progressively harder....maybe there is a hockey tournament coming up, or the rink manager just wants it harder so they have less maintenance to do during public sessions. Makes it interesting!

Tonight was dance...and my mind is once again blank for all except the dutch waltz. Oh well. That and even the dutch waltz is nowhere near "test quality" according to dance coach. Whatever.

Summer Breezes: Skates are sharp, once again!!! Hubby dropped in on dance class again, which was nice because it was dutch waltz night! It's the only dance we pretty much know. Also, the dance coach agreed to pick him up for a few private sessions to help him with his issues. We have an exhibition we'd like to skate in January, and he'd like to do the dutch waltz. We have music and costumes, so we just need the dance!

Debbie S

12-11-2006, 10:12 PM

Summer Breezes: Don't I wish it was summer - lol! Let's see....my cross strokes are improving - I'm glad we worked on them in lesson last week. I went to off-ice conditioning class tonight, where we mostly did Pilates, and a bunch of jumping, and I survived - lol. The kids in the class are either working on or landing axels, so the instructor has us practice them on the floor - I of course have nothing that even resembles an axel, on or off the ice, but she said that my attempts didn't look too bad.

I had 1 sit spin where I really felt that I got low, so low that it was a bit of a struggle to get up - lol. I also did some nice forward scratch spins (hopefully no stumbles at NYI) and was able to do backspins with a correct exit. I really want to get at least 5 revs on it consistently before signing up for Bronze CM at NYI.

Winter Storms: If I can do a sorta axel off-ice, you'd think I could land my loop, or flip, or waltz-half loop-sal - grrr. Messed up both loops and the flip in the program run-through I did, plus my footwork was slow. Sit-change sit has been gone since HC. The odd thing is that I am now able to do a back sit from a pivot - I wonder if maybe practicing the back sit by itself has messed up my timing when doing it from a forward sit?

My back 3-s are giving me problems again - I think I'm back to having alignment difficulties. The fact that both sessions were filled to capacity definitely didn't help moves practice.

Winter Nor'easter (that's a storm that comes up the U.S. east coast and blankets everyone with a foot or more of snow): On the way home from the rink tonight, I checked my cell phone voice mail and had a message from Sk8pics that she is in the hospital and not to panic (8O ). She developed some clots last Thursday (a common side effect of being inactive for long periods) and has been there since Thurs night, but she could go home tomorrow, or if not, then Wednesday. She suggested I call her tomorrow instead of tonight, and she asked me to let everyone on the forum know why she hasn't been here in a few days, and that she hopes to be back online soon. She also mentioned that she hoped Terri C did a good job on her Bronze Moves test, so when I speak to her tomorrow, I'll be sure to let her know the good news! :)

Send good thoughts and healing vibes for a speedy recovery, everyone!

Mrs Redboots

12-12-2006, 06:02 AM

She suggested I call her tomorrow instead of tonight, and she asked me to let everyone on the forum know why she hasn't been here in a few days, and that she hopes to be back online soon. She also mentioned that she hoped Terri C did a good job on her Bronze Moves test, so when I speak to her tomorrow, I'll be sure to let her know the good news! :)Please will you also give her my love, and tell her I'm thinking of her. She's a great competitor, and I long to see her back in the European competitions.

I'm like any other beginning sit-spinner with legs bent just a little bit The thigh wasn't even level to the ice. Sigh.You should have seen Husband's so-called sit-spin this morning - his bum was higher than his head! Must remind him of the calf-to-thigh thing....

As for me, although we skated well and I was pleased, I am also fed-up as the coach says I'll never be good enough to pass Level 4 compulsories (Fiesta and Swing Dance). Sigh. I am not totally sure I agree with him - I've seen dances passed that are as good (or as bad!) as anything I can do. I do agree we aren't quite ready, certainly with the Fiesta, but to say I'll never be good enough..... hmph. :roll: :roll: :roll:

Thin-Ice

12-12-2006, 08:18 AM

As for me, although we skated well and I was pleased, I am also fed-up as the coach says I'll never be good enough to pass Level 4 compulsories (Fiesta and Swing Dance). Sigh. I am not totally sure I agree with him - I've seen dances passed that are as good (or as bad!) as anything I can do. I do agree we aren't quite ready, certainly with the Fiesta, but to say I'll never be good enough..... hmph. :roll: :roll: :roll:

I'm hoping your coach is trying to use reverse psychology on you.. or to make you so upset with him you'll take an "I'll show him" attitude and then go out and prove him wrong. If it's something other than that... I'm not sure I would be able to keep taking from a coach who told me that kind of thing! I always think it's my coach's job to help me achieve whatever I think I can.. and let me decide after I've fallen 50,000 times that may I don't want that jump/spin/move as much as I don't want to hurt.

Months after I stopped taking from my first coach (she had to retire after having back surgery), she told me I would NEVER have a lutz. At first I wanted to burst into tears, then I became angry... and I never forgot the smug look on her face.. which made me glad we had to have a parting of the ways.

Now, I don't have a consistent lutz.. but I have landed several in competition... and I thank my INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE current coach for getting me to that point. Although about six months after I started landing the lutz, she did confess she didn't think I would get it ever.. but she wanted me to come to that realization on my own. She was really thrilled when I did land it.

phoenix

12-12-2006, 09:01 AM

As for me, although we skated well and I was pleased, I am also fed-up as the coach says I'll never be good enough to pass Level 4 compulsories (Fiesta and Swing Dance). Sigh. I am not totally sure I agree with him - I've seen dances passed that are as good (or as bad!) as anything I can do. I do agree we aren't quite ready, certainly with the Fiesta, but to say I'll never be good enough.....

If my coach told me I'd never get any further than XX, I'd probably move on to another coach.....unless I agreed with him. I do believe that hard work & determination can get you a long ways in this sport. There are days when I get discouraged & it's very important to me that my coach believes in me & believes I can accomplish my goals.

You work really hard, and that is all any coach can hope for in a student.

For me:
Summer: I skated really strongly yesterday. Coach gave me a new, semi-scary exercise last week which I don't enjoy, but I realized yesterday that working on that one has made another scary exercise much easier! They are related & the new one has taught me where my weight should be which has made the other one much better. Yay!

Winter: Knees are still not bending nearly enough to get the edges I need for my dance. I'm now spending LOTS of every practice running through parts of the pattern & doing very repetitive exercises to get the edges deeper.

jazzpants

12-12-2006, 10:02 AM

Winter Storms: LITERALLY!!! Which is probably why secondary coach was not at the rink at the time that I called. Given that I am her LAST lesson for the day and her long commute coming to my home rink, I think it's safe to say that she's not gonna show up. Even sadder is that this is would have been my last lesson for the year and I have her Christmas present! :cry: I am going to NYC as of NEXT Tuesday and won't be there for about 10-11 days.

Summer Breeze: I can go back to bed!!! :D http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/muede/d035.gif

Debbie S

12-12-2006, 11:09 AM

Mrs Redboots

12-12-2006, 12:15 PM

If my coach told me I'd never get any further than XX, I'd probably move on to another coach.....unless I agreed with him. I do believe that hard work & determination can get you a long ways in this sport. There are days when I get discouraged & it's very important to me that my coach believes in me & believes I can accomplish my goals.I should like to move on, but Husband still wants to stay with him, and more importantly with Coach2, who is his free skating coach. And given rink politics, there aren't really any other coaches I can move on to and have that happen. Sigh..... so I'm a bit stuck right now.

Trouble is, reverse psychology doesn't always work for me - I've been known to give up when told "Oh, you won't get that...." rather than say, as they usually intend, "F*** you, just you wait and see....".

doubletoe

12-12-2006, 01:10 PM

I am also fed-up as the coach says I'll never be good enough to pass Level 4 compulsories (Fiesta and Swing Dance). Sigh. I am not totally sure I agree with him - I've seen dances passed that are as good (or as bad!) as anything I can do. I do agree we aren't quite ready, certainly with the Fiesta, but to say I'll never be good enough..... hmph. :roll: :roll: :roll:

"What? You think I'll NEVER pass my Level 4 compulsories? Oh, come on now, you may not be the best dance coach in the world, but you're not THAT bad!" (Hee hee) ;)

jazzpants

12-12-2006, 01:43 PM

Update on Sk8pics: I talked to her a few minutes ago and she was in the process of being discharged from the hospital :) , so she couldn't talk for long. I'm going to give her a call later. She did, however, want to know one thing before hanging up - if Terri passed her test. I told her the good news, and she was very happy. :P

Thanks for the good thoughts - I'll be sure to share everyone's well wishes with her later.Good!!! I was concerned (not worried, but concerned) when you wrote that she was in the hospital!!! Glad to see that it wasn't serious and she's being discharged. :D

To add to my entry: Secondary coach wrecked her back! :cry:

Summer Breeze: I was worried that she was gonna show up only to find that I didn't show up for the lesson... and SHE was worried that I was gonna go trotting thru the Winter Storm and the nasty morning commute to get to her lesson only to find that she's not there. LOL!!!

Annabel: He's trying the reverse psychology thing... it's the oldest trick in the book... and since you said that you're not sure that you agree with him, I think it's working! ;)

Terri C

12-12-2006, 03:47 PM

renatele

12-12-2006, 05:11 PM

Summer Breezes: had a lesson today, first one since mid-August (I'm not counting one trial lesson I had in between then and now). LOVED IT, every second of it. Still had a bunch of fears after my head-banging accident, so the coach knew that I just want to get the confidence back, thus worked my tush off on basics, as well as confronting my fears - and I did not refuse to do anything he asked me to :) and as I kept doing it, my fears were melting away... Couldn't ask for a better skate today.

Winter Storms: NOTHING!!! I don't care if my back cross-strokes still stink, the fact that my fear has dissolved as I kept doing them makes it all a summer breeze to me.

BatikatII

12-12-2006, 05:45 PM

Winter storms:

part of our rink is out of bounds due to the curtain and props etc being up ready for ice panto which starts tomorrow. Rink management decided to start the holiday timetable (which basically seems to mean giving most of our patches over to junior discos) this week which also means my morning lesson gets turned into an ice cut.

Summer breezes: went along anyway a bit earlier than usual for a practice and had the remainder of the ice (about 3/4s and its a full size rink so not too bad) almost to myself - just one other high level and very friendly teenager. Practised my field moves for inter-bronze test and thanks to coach's amazing ability to get me to do the right things, found there might even be hope of testing (and passing) them before the system changes. I'd prefer about another year to perfect it but reckon if I concentrate on them for the next couple of months I can get in as much ice time on them as I would have over a year if I was just doing them for 10 minutes a time as usual.

Coach arrived and had the bright idea that if the ice cut took it's usual 15 mins then we could do a little bit of work in the 'backstage area' and then use the main part of rink for the rest of the half hour. Zamboni guy appeared to agree this was OK but then was in the cafe when ice cut time came. We had 5 mins on main rink and then he brought the Zam on. So I had a very strange lesson 'backstage' in a Zam's width of nice ice (that he'd just travelled over to get to break in curtain) and then the guy did one of the slowest ice cuts ever (not sure if it was deliberate or what) so got only about 3 mins of lesson on the nice ice.

winter storms: the cut ice was fantastic but I couldnt stay any longer :cry:

summer breeze: I'm beginning to get the hang of the back 3's - yay!

Skittl1321

12-12-2006, 08:22 PM

Summer Breezes: I passed Basic 7 last week (we found out this week) and Basic 8 this week! I can move onto Freestyle 1 now! (But I'm not going to continue group lessons, so level won't matter) I'm so excited I've passed all the basic levels!!!

I also found a way to make my boots not hurt so much- take the nylons off! I skated barefoot today for the second half of the class, and except for some rubbing on the top of my big toe (which I figure I will let blister a few time until I have a good callus) it works great and my feet fit into the boots well. (I forgot my knee-highs this week and wore thin socks instead. 10 minutes into the lesson I not only had pins and needles in my left foot, I could no longer feel my right foot at all. I did my waltz jump for the "test" and skated off the ice as fast as I could to relace. I just took the sock off, relaced, and finished the test no problem).

Winter Storms: Well now I have to go back and redo almost every basic skill and make it "good" rather than "passable"- you know? I also really need to work at doing mohawks and 3-turns at speed. My instructors have determined that the only thing holding me back is fear, because it's not technique. Oh- and I really want a "real" scratch spin.

Thin-Ice

12-13-2006, 02:35 AM

"What? You think I'll NEVER pass my Level 4 compulsories? Oh, come on now, you may not be the best dance coach in the world, but you're not THAT bad!" (Hee hee) ;)

Oh doubletoe, this is BRILLIANT!!! :twisted:

Annabel, you HAVE to use this line on your coach the next time he says you're not going to pass your L4 compulsories!!!

Skate@Delaware

12-13-2006, 08:48 AM

I didn't go skating yesterday because I was home working on costume stuff....I just have too much stuff to do this time of year.

I'm really stressed, hubby came home from work last night and gave me about 10 candybars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!!!! Can you OD on chocolate???? :lol:

Rusty Blades

12-13-2006, 10:20 AM

Can you OD on chocolate???? :lol:

No, you can NOT - I know - I have tried (often)! :roll:

Summer Breezes: I skated barefoot again, this time with a generous spray of antibacterial before putting my boots on and had no rash or itch problems. Lawrdy I love the feeling of skating barefoot!

Summer Breezes: Worked first on the backward edges, stroking, and glides that disappeared in November and am VERY pleased they are coming back so strongly - my new coach even commented that they look fine 8-) I should be into backward cross-overs before Christmas.

Summer Breezes: In lesson, we worked through the details of about the first 1/3rd of my choreography, figuring out what works, what fits, and what to avoid. It is coming together nicely.

Summer Breezes: Finished the session on back edges and stroking - feeling MUCH more comfortable!

Winter Storms: Not here! Not today! :mrgreen:

Mrs Redboots

12-13-2006, 10:55 AM

Oh doubletoe, this is BRILLIANT!!! :twisted:

Annabel, you HAVE to use this line on your coach the next time he says you're not going to pass your L4 compulsories!!!I more or less did..... something very similar, anyway.

He started off by saying that I'd have to go to the gym and do masses more off-ice training, then he started comparing my skating to that of a couple of 13-year-olds who skate.... however, eventually he admitted that (a) my chances of passing Level 3 Moves are about 50% and rising and (b) the judges wouldn't actually look at him in horror if he entered me for Level 4 compulsories. I said that I thought that they'd probably tell me to come back in three months, fair enough, but that I didn't think they'd think he was daft! And I don't actually expect to pass level 3 Moves, but do want to have a go, just in case!

Anyway, we spent most of the rest of the session working on the end pattern of the Fiesta, and he actually helped take it apart and put it back together again, reminding me where my weight needed to be, and where my upper body ought to be, on each edge, which was helpful.

BatikatII

12-13-2006, 11:08 AM

winter storms:

Had dance lesson today and got dance coach to look at the level 3 dance moves, (back cross-rolls and back cross strokes) - which I have practised for free skating tests but not for dance ones. She was not impressed as apparently I do them like a free skater (!) with nowhere near enough curve and holding on edges to satisfy dance moves requirements.
Then she had a look at my inter-bronze field moves and decreed I had more chance of passing them, than of getting 'dancified enough' for dance moves tests. That's fine by me if I can do it as it would give me level 4 moves when the system changes.

Summer breeze - she reckoned that the only one that wouldn't pass was the number 4's (back outside 3's and mohawks on a circle) but that I should put my papers in anyway and hope for a late test date. She also cleaned up my inside 3's to crossover's (alternating), by reminding me to get my feet together for the push and also by trying to make the back cross rolls more dancey they are good enough for freeskating test!!

Gave me some more input on the back 3's and I am now fairly confident that on my good foot i.e LBO3 I should be OK but RBO3 still needs a lot of work. However I am happy that I could now put a LBO3 in my programme footwork and be able to do it.

During group lesson (only 2 of us there!) she taught us the Killian - gee that is hard. In the end I did manage a 'survival version' which was in time but the steps were a little wild - my cross behind was more of a wide step back but it was in the right general direction and it was fun to try. Then she tried to get us to do rockers - also not easy!

Skate@Delaware

12-13-2006, 11:39 AM

My husband has been having a hard time focusing during his time on the ice...too many things to work on and he didn't know where to start or what to do. His coach suggested a "routine" or plan. Hubby asked me to work one up for him and this is what I've got (so far):
Off-Ice Warmup: march in place, lunges
On-Ice Warmup: 1 lap each of stroking, deep slaloms, alternating crossovers (done deliberately slow), swing rolls (concentrate on deepening the lobes).
Moves: Edges-FO,FI,BO,BI 2x each done on line-look in glass; crossovers on the circle 2x each direction; Mohawks LO,RO,LC,RC 2x each done on the circle; Chasses front and back done once in each direction; 3-turns LFO, RFO, LFI, RFI 5 each time done on the little blue circle (don't whip arms)
Jumps: waltz and toe-loop do each 5 times concentrating on body alignment, leg placement
Spins: Scratch and 2-foot do each 5 times going slowly making sure shoulders are square and weight is back further and skating leg in scratch is bent

I'm hoping this is enough for him to do during his 2 hours skating time. I've placed it in this order so he can get warmed up enough for his lesson (he has an hour before that time)....and if he has enough time left over he can fill it with extra stuff or run through things again (at his discretion). He tends to spend an hour on one element. I do plan on changing it up every so often to prevent boredom, stagnation, and to add new elements.

Anyone think of anything else, or have any advice?

jazzpants

12-13-2006, 12:07 PM

Oh doubletoe, this is BRILLIANT!!! :twisted:

Annabel, you HAVE to use this line on your coach the next time he says you're not going to pass your L4 compulsories!!!LMAO!!! Yes, THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! That is BRILLIANT!!! Tee hee... :lol: (I'll have to use that line the NEXT time my primary coach tells me that I won't get my Silver Moves 'til the next millenium!!! MUHAHAHAHAHA!!! :twisted: )

Skate@Delaware

12-13-2006, 02:06 PM

LMAO!!! Yes, THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! That is BRILLIANT!!! Tee hee... :lol: (I'll have to use that line the NEXT time my primary coach tells me that I won't get my Silver Moves 'til the next millenium!!! MUHAHAHAHAHA!!! :twisted: )
Yes!!! It sounds a lot like my dance coach...when I asked her if my Dutch Waltz was good enough to test, she said "No, but it's good enough for an exhibition because people won't know what it's supposed to look like" then she went on to say what test quality was and where mine was lacking...

Isk8NYC

12-13-2006, 03:09 PM

Winter Storms:
Woke up with a knot in my back. The click-of-death back crossover fall this morning didn't help very much.
Scared the Dance coach (who doesn't know me) -- I think he was worried that I had broken a hip!

Why is it I can do the inside spiral pattern for Prel MITF by itself, but not after I've done the outsides?
Arrrgh. Weak, jelly legs - must be a Harry Potter jinx!

Summer Breezes:
Very nice stroking, edges and simple spirals.
Crossovers are actually crossing, when I remember to hold and point.
Otherwise, I tend to do very fast progressives. And here I thought I had NO dance skills! Hahaha!

Team Arthritis

12-13-2006, 03:11 PM

Hi Delaware I like your list. I often like doing the 5 step Mo sequence during warmup and maybe add 2 foot stuff like 2 footed spins and pivots - try going both ways! and 2footed back to front front to back all ways and combinations.

Also - one of the pros was practicing for the show working on being extra expressive. Its fun to mimic that up down, twisting etc. Try to mimic other people's programs - just bring them to your level.

Lyle

Clare

12-13-2006, 05:26 PM

Winter Storms:

Inside 3s- how the heck are they even possible?!

Summer Breezes:

After struggling massively with a complete mental block when it came to backward crossovers, tonight brought somewhat of a breakthrough. It seems that the brain vs feet debate is silenced when I force myself to concentrate on counting and keeping a rhythm going rather than over-thinking everything.

I actually managed some respectable CCW crossovers which I hope to build on now that I hope I've conquered the majority of the fear.

Clare

Tessa

12-13-2006, 07:08 PM

Summer Breezes -- I finally 'get' the pre-juvie backward power crossovers. It just all clicked today. Coach and I were happy. I ran the pattern two more times just to make sure. I've been so frustrated because they look so simple and basic and I just wasn't getting the weight change the shift and the step ... well any of it! But I've been steadfastly practicing and it finally paid off. I can't wait till Sunday when I get to skate again just to make sure they're still there.

Winter Storms -- why oh why oh why oh cannot I do backward three turns? After coach let me bask in my glow from previous pattern we did the threes and they just bite. Coach had me doing them on the wall, like I'm in remedial back three turns 101 and they still bite. Oh well.

Also -- worked on loops -- from three turns and also my 'big girl' loop from back x-overs. Most of the jumps were cheated so that's stormy. Oh well. 5-step went okay.

Terri C

12-13-2006, 07:23 PM

Winter Storms:
It's official- my body forgot how to spin!! Coach was aghast at seeing my spin attempts today!

Summer Breezes:
Well the jumps are there.

cecealias

12-13-2006, 07:58 PM

Like many things in this complicated sport, the sitspin is only partly a strength move; a lot of it is technique.

So true, doubletoe! When i was in learn to skate, i fractured my ankle badly and as an adult learning to skate i was convinced i'd never be able to learn how to spin on my left foot without travelling or even get anywhere low enough for a sit spin..... never mind getting my rear end that low. Definitely right technique does take one quite far, not to mention less effort! I can do every required spin in the book now.

Skate@Delaware

12-13-2006, 08:24 PM

Thin-Ice

12-14-2006, 03:14 AM

Winter Storms:

Why is it I can do the inside spiral pattern for Prel MITF by itself, but not after I've done the outsides?
Arrrgh. Weak, jelly legs - must be a Harry Potter jinx!

You didn't get this from me.. but we've had some of our local kids say the same thing.. and they just "accidentally" do the inside spirals first, then do the outsides. I don't know if your coach will go along with that though.

Mrs Redboots

12-14-2006, 04:50 AM

winter storms:

Had dance lesson today and got dance coach to look at the level 3 dance moves, (back cross-rolls and back cross strokes) - which I have practised for free skating tests but not for dance ones. She was not impressed as apparently I do them like a free skater (!) with nowhere near enough curve and holding on edges to satisfy dance moves requirements.Sounds like what's wrong with mine!

Then she had a look at my inter-bronze field moves and decreed I had more chance of passing them, than of getting 'dancified enough' for dance moves tests. That's fine by me if I can do it as it would give me level 4 moves when the system changes.I'd have to take Prelim, and the same problem applies - those [expletive deleted] back cross-strokes!

During group lesson (only 2 of us there!) she taught us the Killian - gee that is hard. In the end I did manage a 'survival version' which was in time but the steps were a little wild - my cross behind was more of a wide step back but it was in the right general direction and it was fun to try. Then she tried to get us to do rockers - also not easy!Sooner you than me with the Killian! Guildford have invented a slightly dumbed-down version which they call the Killian Canter, which is still fast and furious, but no evil Choctaw! Haven't learnt the steps to it yet, though.

phoenix

12-14-2006, 09:18 AM

During group lesson (only 2 of us there!) she taught us the Killian - gee that is hard. In the end I did manage a 'survival version' which was in time but the steps were a little wild - my cross behind was more of a wide step back but it was in the right general direction and it was fun to try.

Woo hoo, welcome to my world! Or, "my reality" as my coach likes to say.

Winter Storms: My Killian is still suffering from being too flat, & yesterday we actually backed it up as far as the cause of the problem; it's the progressive in the middle that's too flat, which makes for a flat cross step & then it all falls apart from there. I think it's largely to do with that wall looming at me & I'm cutting the corner to avoid it.

I truly think if I could skate this dance on an Olympic sized rink it would be much improved (15 extra feet to play with). I used to run patterns on the larger rink where I sometimes skate, but it screwed it up so badly when I went to the smaller one, that I stopped doing that.

Summer Breeze: My footwork is getting better! After 1 1/2 years of working on them, choctaws are fairly decent (I have several exercises w/ them), bracket/3/brackets are actually becoming semi-not-scary, and twizzles are much much better. I can tell esp. w/ the twizzles because coach is now giving me new exercises which contain twizzles along with other steps so they're more complicated/hard.....before all I did was plain twizzles.

doubletoe

12-14-2006, 12:18 PM

So true, doubletoe! When i was in learn to skate, i fractured my ankle badly and as an adult learning to skate i was convinced i'd never be able to learn how to spin on my left foot without travelling or even get anywhere low enough for a sit spin..... never mind getting my rear end that low. Definitely right technique does take one quite far, not to mention less effort! I can do every required spin in the book now.

:bow: Even a layback? Any tips? LOL!

cecealias

12-14-2006, 12:34 PM

Sure! That was my biggest challenge cause i started out with the worst scratch spin in history probably. i'll pm you.

doubletoe

12-14-2006, 01:50 PM

Sure! That was my biggest challenge cause i started out with the worst scratch spin in history probably. i'll pm you.

LOL! My problems are a stiff upper back and an aversion to having my head upside-down. . .

jazzpants

12-14-2006, 06:59 PM

Winter Storms:
No loops or flips landed this afternoon. Primary coach actually at one point bet me an entire year's worth of lessons if I land the next loop jump clean. His only saving grace was a slight brush with the free foot. He yelled "TOE TAP!!! TOE TAP!!! OH, YESSSS!!!" (then admitted that he had a heart attack b/c it really looked like I was going to land it clean...) :lol:

Summer Breeze:
Well, not that great... I went over footwork and transition drills to practice getting faster on my footwork. I did them but it was slightly slower than what he intended for me to do... The good part was that towards the middle of the lesson I did the footwork transition well enough I told him that it was "slow." He said that he said "It wasn't THAT much slower actually!!!" (Of course, this was after he was yelling "Did you FALL!?!?! Did you DIE!!! Do you need a STRETCHER!!?!?!") :lol:

The sick part of my lesson with primary coach... later on he told me "Do a good toe loop and risk going out on a stretcher now. This is a good time for it!!!" I thought he was joking around but I went ahead and do my toe loop w/o toe waltzing. He admitted it was better and went on to something else. But when I came off the ice after my lesson, there was a security guard from the Yerba Buena Gardens and an ambulance crew hovering over this one older woman in a cart, including a guy carrying a stretcher!!! HOLY COW!!! Jay wasn't kidding around this time!!! 8O :twisted: :lol: (Woman may have a dislocated shoulder. Otherwise, she's quite fine!!!)

Skate@Delaware

12-14-2006, 09:50 PM

Winter Storms: Well, that's how it was for show rehearsal....it was bad and the rink's temperature dropped about 10-15 degrees during our 4 hours there (they are dropping the ice temperature because Saturday, the heaters come on). I was a popsicle by the time I got off the ice! Our parts went well, but I don't like transitioning from cw back crossovers to frontwards (at a fast pace)...not my natural direction (I'm outnumbered here). I had a stomachache tonight (had it since last night-didn't skate last night because of it). I didn't feel 100%. I hope it goes away soon.

Summer Breezes: Found out spinning in a poufy skirt is fun..sort of..because my spins were mostly centered...and I am in a different dressing room with the big girls this year (thank goodness...guess all that cussing paid off!!!) I have an extra part. I get to push out a chair for Clara to sit on so she can get "crowned" by the Sugar Plum Fairy, and then I pin it to her hair. Exit stage right. My skating was ok.

Well, they say a bad rehearsal makes for a good show!!! 8-) I will let you know-curtain is 7pm Saturday.

Rusty Blades

12-15-2006, 09:48 AM

Winter Storms: ?? :?: Nope, not here!

Summer Breezes: Backwards is coming back, STRONG and fast, even the RFO3 turns were working this morning, pretty much EVERYTHING was working well this morning :mrgreen:

In lesson we went through the next couple of passages of my music and put moves to it - about 1/3rd done now. Showed off my whole-length-of-the-rink rock-stable one-foot glides - coach likes :halo:

In second solo I went back to backward glides and edges with my iPod.

As I was driving to work after skating I realized that, for the first time since I started skating in January, I am really beginning to feel like a "returning figure skater" rather than a "rank beginner" . . . . how big a grin can someone have before their face breaks? :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Mrs Redboots

12-15-2006, 11:01 AM

Winter Storms: Mucho angst in our rink today - the elites have an exhibition tomorrow at the formal opening of a NEW RINK (Yesssss!!!!!) in East Anglia, and it was getting to them. We have learnt to ignore them, but I was seriously tempted to get 20p worth of Minstrels out of the machine and feed them to one skater one at a time....

Summer breezes: Today was playtime for us, partly because Fridays always are, with no lessons, and partly because it's Husband's birthday - he has now graduated to Age Group 5. Both of us worked on our respective dance moves - his are really coming along now, and if he relaxes into his Mohawks, they're really nice. If he forgets to relax, it's hopeless. Mine - well, we'll see.

Together we did some exercises, including working on our nemesis stroking backwards in Kilian hold. It's just the changing lobe we can't do. Then we spent time working on the end pattern of the Fiesta, doing it individually round the circle - I kept getting giddy as I was standing in the middle watching Husband, so I was turning in small circles on two feet. No wonder the coaches stand outside the circle!

Finally, just as we were about to get off, someone put Tango music on so we did our Fiesta to music, and it was quite a lot faster than ever before, which is pleasing. We really need to pay serious attention to the side pattern, to get that better, and we might even have a dance! I still wide-step on the step to forward - and scrape slightly, but less than before. I scrape badly on the Willow, but think it's about weight transfer as much as anything. We shall see....

Raye

12-15-2006, 12:48 PM

As I was driving to work after skating I realized that, for the first time since I started skating in January, I am really beginning to feel like a "returning figure skater" rather than a "rank beginner" . . . . how big a grin can someone have before their face breaks? :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

WAY TO GO DIANNE!!! YOU'RE GONNA KICK BUTT AT CAN :bow: :bow: :bow:

Rusty Blades

12-15-2006, 12:54 PM

WAY TO GO DIANNE!!! YOU'RE GONNA KICK BUTT AT CAN

Awe, I don't want to kick anybody! - I am a lover, a laugher, a nut, a clown, a people-person - I gave up being "competitive" YEARS ago . . . . I just want one of the three podium spots - LOL!!!

Team Arthritis

12-15-2006, 01:29 PM

- I gave up being "competitive" YEARS ago . . . . I just want one of the three podium spots - LOL!!!

http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/frech/a010.gif
you just made my sip of water come out my nose!
Lyle

dbny

12-15-2006, 09:17 PM

Summer Breezes:
I had an amazing lesson today, after 10 days of inactivity and almost a week of just fooling around on the ice. We spent almost the entire time on FO and FI threes, which are always getting better, but still not quite there, except for the ONE perfectly checked RFO three I did today, for the first time ever. At the very end of the lesson, I mentioned that I used to have a rudimentary one foot spin and would like to get it back. I did what I usually do to show coach what is going on, and much to my surprise, she had me go into the spin in a completely different way, by bringing my arms in with my foot (from a F pivot) and keeping my skating knee down. I got onto one foot right away, and on my third try, got FOUR revolutions 8O.

Winter Storms:
My usually empty public session was full of out of control young teenagers 8O. I spent the first half hour rescuing them with a quick "hands on table, knees straight up and down, grab knees to regain balance, don't look down and go get smaller skates" and also shooing them out of the center. It was unbelievably chaotic, and they only had one guard on the ice most of the time. Then it started to calm down, as they got tired and literally wiped out. By the time my lesson came around, we actually had some clear, but chewed up ice.

mikawendy

12-15-2006, 09:57 PM

jazzpants

12-16-2006, 12:55 AM

Summer Breeze:

Worked out my schedule temporarily where instead of trying to go skating on Saturdays that I go on Friday nights. The public session on Friday nights isn't so bad and I am getting a lot more skating done! The only bad part is that I will be working out at the gym on both Saturday and Sunday, but it's a small price to pay... and I will get more time to work out than I've been doing b/c the branch of the gym I go to only allows gym members to be at the gym for 2 hours for a buck. Now it's 2.5 hours for free!!! :D

The other good part... I might be able to get some window shopping and even trying out a few new restaurants on Saturdays. :D

So this is my temporary schedule 'til March when my weekend rink clears out a bit.

I got a couple of good camels today when I was practicing.

Winter Storms:
Just don't have any ummph on my flip or loop, though I had had a few more close clean landings today, at the end I was just too tired and lethargic to fight whatever clueless Wayne Gretsky wannabes are around (and we're talking both kids AND GROWNUPS!!!)

I am expecting one tomorrow afternoon. I'm staying home after the gym (with maybe a stop at Whole Foods Market so we won't starve!!! :P )

More Summer Breezes:
I managed to keep up with the Wayne Gretsky wannabes in speed and I still managed to set up a reasonable jump. Either they're not moving fast enough or I'm definitely getting some REAL speed towards the end of the session!!! 8O (Which also ironically caught the attention of a skating coach who was training a young lady on axels and double sals. Seems I was starting to catch up in speed to the young lady... NOW to get her jumps...)

Clare

12-16-2006, 06:04 AM

Translation, please, for a clueless American? Are Minstrels a kind of boiled sweet (hard candy over here in the U.S.)? :D

Minstrels are soft chocolate covered in a crunchy chocolate shell. Similar to M&Ms but a bit bigger and without the colour - and tastier, IMO :)

Clare

mikawendy

12-16-2006, 05:26 PM

Minstrels are soft chocolate covered in a crunchy chocolate shell. Similar to M&Ms but a bit bigger and without the colour - and tastier, IMO :)

Clare

Interesting--in the U.K. there also are Smarties, right? Also similar to M&Ms (and have a colored candy shell), but I've always thought they've had a hint of orange flavoring in them. I usually have liked them, but every once in a while I've gotten a package that was stale, probably for having sat in a store for too long. (In America, we have something called Smarties, but they are chalky fruit-flavored sweetish/tartish candies usually given out at Halloween.)

Rusty Blades

12-16-2006, 05:55 PM

Dull & Gloomy: (Not quite a storm!) Short session today at the home club - went in way early to help set up for the CanSkate kiddies Christmas “friends & family skate” and had 2:45 to kill before we got to skate for an hour.

Summer Breezes: More time on backwards and turns. There is more to life than backwards and turns, isn’t there? :roll:

After skating a group of about 16 of us “adult” skaters (adult in age if nothing else) went out for lunch together - nice gathering and a chance to chat a bit beyond the brief pleasantries usually shared on the ice.

jazzpants

12-16-2006, 08:06 PM

Summer Breeze:

I'm starting to kick thru on my waltz jump and I'm getting a wee bit more height!!! :D I was thinking of a visual that my secondary coach suggested. Worked for my "skating niece" for her axels and it's working for me now for my waltz jump. :twisted: It will be a VERY NICE and high waltz jump when I finally master this jump and a good prep for axels when I finally get to work on them. :D

Skate@Delaware

12-16-2006, 10:07 PM

Summer Breezes: Well, tonight was our opening night for the Nutcracker on Ice. For the most part it went well. There were a few glitches (which I mention below). The rink was nice and warm(er) and I brought in a heater for our dressing room (aka the Ref's locker room, complete with smelly hockey stuff!!!). I also kept up with my decongestants, so I wouldn't have dizziness and all that to contend with (still fighting that battle).

For my numbers, my elements went well, even my spins. I didn't get a chance to do a salchow on my 2nd show part, as somehow there were too many skaters in the way 8O (that didn't happen in rehearsal).

Winter Storms: My first number went as rehearsed except the director removed our prop over safety concerns (it was a table) and then we had nothing to do for 10-15 seconds....In the second number, somehow we got all jammed up and two of us had no room to salchow. Then the leader of our number forgot to cue us for the arabesque pinwheel...oh well. For the part where I go out and help pin the crown on Clara...the backstage hand didn't cue me and I was late...luckily, we improvised and I did manage to get pins into her hair to hold down the crown (she jumps and spins a lot with that thing on and it will FLY off!!!).

All-in-all, a good night!

Isk8NYC

12-17-2006, 07:38 AM

I just want to point out that Mikawendy is always interested in candy. She looks like she never eats any of it, she's just fascinated by the topic! ROTFL!

Winter Storms:
I tried out my new Klingbeil's on Friday afternoon. They feel wonderful. I only did a few weak spins and a bit of bad footwork (my specialty!), but I think they'll be great.

Summer Breezes:
This is odd: I moved my Gold Seal blades to the new Klingbeil's. Just to have a spare pair of skates, I put my old Pattern 99's on my old Klingbeils. I wore the old Klingbeils to teach this weekend - I can't believe how sure-footed I feel, even with the Patt99's being incredibly dull!

Since this was the students' last session before the break, I let them goof around a bit. I taught them how to do partnered spins where you hold hands and pump in a big circle, then glide. (I'm sneaky - that's how I teach beginning mohawks and spread eagles.) One of the kids let go and linked arms with me - we did that really cool upright spin that pairs teams do! It probably wasn't recognizable to anyone else, but I knew what it was!

The Holiday Skating Exhibition was last night. Everyone had a good time; it was very informal and laid-back. My students did well, although each of them messed up something. Honestly, 17 out of the 20 skaters messed up something, so they were on par with everyone else! LOL

Mrs Redboots

12-17-2006, 09:28 AM

Interesting--in the U.K. there also are Smarties, right? Also similar to M&Ms (and have a colored candy shell), but I've always thought they've had a hint of orange flavoring in them. I usually have liked them, but every once in a while I've gotten a package that was stale, probably for having sat in a store for too long. (In America, we have something called Smarties, but they are chalky fruit-flavored sweetish/tartish candies usually given out at Halloween.)
I used to love Smarties when I was a little girl, long before M&Ms came to this country! They (M&Ms) are the newcomers, as far as I'm concerned. These days I don't like milk chocolate very much, so don't eat either.

I just want to point out that Mikawendy is always interested in candy. She looks like she never eats any of it, she's just fascinated by the topic! ROTFL!Fair enough, she's allowed to be!