Crocus Blooming Or Weather Dooming 4-7-4-13 08

[jskater49]

Yea it's lame but it's 9:30 already and nobody's made a new practice thread. I've got crocus blooming but we're back to 38 Lows!

Dooming - tonight I have my first show practice for our dance number - 9 skaters - all higher level than me - adults, teens and pre-teens - some of us are doing the Swing - others the Rocker Fox Trot. I am TERRIFED I'm going to get in the way, screw it up, and get run over.

DD was showing me where I'm going to start and I was whining that there was no way I could get to spot I needed to and she sighs and says "you know if you would actually use your mohawk to curve around it would help"

It was like a light bulb went off in my head - when I try to think about holding the exit of my mohawk, it's hit or miss but when I thought about it as letting the curve of the exit get me to where I need to be - Walla, I held that puppy and I ended up where I needed to be! "look!" I told my dd "When I hold my mohawk I end up in the right spot!" "Wow" she deadpans "You should write USFS with that little tip"

j

[phoenix]

hahahaha, I love your daughter's comments! She'll make a good coach!

My practice yesterday was kind of phoned in, my heart wasn't really in it, & my hip was hurting a lot (never-ending soft tissue pain from falling after stepping on ice w/ guards on 5 years ago). So I decided to just do whatever sounded like fun & forget the hard work aspect. I figure any time on the ice is worthwhile, even if just for the mileage.

[icedancer2]

jskater - your daughter is HILARIOUS!! But she got you there and that is gret!

Our crocuses came up almost two months ago (love the Pacific NW!).

Haven't skated yet this week - just wanted to comment on your daughter and the croci.
:lol:

[blackmanskating]

Blooming: My jumps are doing well. I can't wait until my double sal comes back. Footwork is improving. I'm comfortable enough with brackets that I can actually do choreography while doing them. It doesn't feel like I am concentrating on the turn anymore. That's a good thing. It's a different story though if I skate full speed. It's really hard to control. Feel like I'm gonna break my neck if I fall. Scary!!!! 8O Flying Camel is getting awesome. I got six revs today. I still gotta fix my position though. (Horrible)


Dooming: Twizzles are really hard. I can do them, but I don't make them look easy. :frus: Double axel is still slightly under rotated. Double lutz is gone too. Double toe is still crap!! But at least it's not a toe-axel.


BlackManSkating

[coskater64]

Crouc Blooming: ;-) (Yesterday 50 and sunny)
Got artistic programs to go nicely, since I leave for LP tomorrow, that seems like a good thing. All done with those adult moves tests, very good for my overall skating skills many of the lower moves I had never done before but the end result was good. Back to working on Jr and Sr, dances are going well, it is very nice to be able to bend my right knee and have it point straight ahead instead in or out depending. Working hard on choctaws and power pulls with inside and outside double 3's as well as quick rockers. Starting to do decent Nov spirals to lead to Sr spirals and after AN will start quickstep pattern since foot speed has started to come back.

Weather Dooming: ;-( (Monday, cold and snowy)
Getting the Paso on time, much harder than the Killian and those cross rolls done at full speed are very tough. Can do a "walked" version nicely and on time but I still have almost 6 weeks to get it faster so...it should be interesting. The American is okay, I have to choose, soft well done rise and fall OR extension, can't seem to do both at the moment. A work in progress.


Can't wait for summer will start work on Intermediate Free dance which should be fun and hopefully pass a few dances and maybe if I work really hard my Jr moves.8O

[Bill_S]

Dooming: Several really hard feet-in-the-air falls off the back of my blade tonight. Ouch! I was skating very aggressively, so I got my just reward.

More Dooming: Some rink politics arose, and I'm squarely in the middle of it. I always take the photos for the annual show, with posed studio pictures being made during rehearsal night, and action pictures made during the actual show. Sales benefit the club, and it's not insignificant.

One of the students put in charge of the event officially asked me to take pictures, but then complained when I insisted that another adult skater help me pose the kids. I need that help when groups of 10 kids in skates are running around 2000 watt-second studio strobe equipment with high-voltage wires strewn about.

However the student and the adult skater don't see eye-to-eye, so the student was fairly transparent when she refused to let the adult help. I got angry with the student, and told the her that if she wants the photos, that's the way it's going to be. She was in tears when I left the rink.

I have no patience for petty feuds that make my offer to help more difficult.

[jskater49]

So I had my practice tonight and the good news is that I did not run into anyone or get run over. At first I was a little terrified because the person behind me looked like she was coming right at me and I totally gave up the dance steps and just skated away from her as fast as possible, but she was doing the Rocker and she actually changes direction and goes more in the corner and misses me.

But I totally could not do any mohawks because I was so nervous. The show is a little less than a month away and we have two more practices. I can certainly fake it with a two foot turn but I sure would like to do a mohawk in the show!

j

[flo]

Blooming; up here in Lake Placid and it's beautiful. I've run into lots of friends and have done two practices.
A bit of weather - knee hurts a lot. I have a practice tomorrow and am then taking Wednesday off and will compete Thursday.

[NoVa Sk8r]

Blooming; up here in Lake Placid and it's beautiful. I've run into lots of friends and have done two practices.
A bit of weather - knee hurts a lot. I have a practice tomorrow and am then taking Wednesday off and will compete Thursday.I need to start packing soon, and I'm not sure if I should pack heavy or light clothes. So, how are the temps in the rinks? 8-)

[flo]

Hi,
The 32 rink has been warm, and the USA ink a bit cooler. Practices have not begun on the 80 rink, as they are putting down the AN logo.
See you when you get here!

[Skittl1321]

Weather Dooming My knees :( I really thought they were getting better. But yesterday I really strained them, and they still hurt today. I do "Curves" and after 40 minutes of skating went to workout. I only made it through half the circuit before I had to stop. I don't want my knees to ruin my favorite hobby (skating, not curves)

Crocus Blooming Had a really nice Monday practice. The session is no longer freestyle so there were a few public skaters (the kind that doesn't know a camel will chop their head off :giveup:) but it mostly went well. I did bronze moves once through and realized I'm woefully out of shape- totally out of breath by the end. (They are getting better. Too scratchy though!). Worked on all my spins and jumps. Ran my program once without music.

[Mrs Redboots]

Blooming; up here in Lake Placid and it's beautiful. I've run into lots of friends and have done two practices.
A bit of weather - knee hurts a lot. I have a practice tomorrow and am then taking Wednesday off and will compete Thursday.
Sorry to hear about your knee. Give everybody my love, especially Jazzpants (there will be a huge Skatingforums cheer for her debut, I hope). Longing to hear all about it!

Meanwhile, back here where the adult season hasn't yet started:

Blooming: Free dance is finally coming-along-nicely!

Dooming: Wish the Swing Dance was. I still rush the entry edge into the Mohawk, although I did think of jskater49's daughter's advice and made the exit edge take me where I wanted to be....

[patatty]

Blooming: Did my best program run through ever today in my lesson. I nailed every jump and spin, and ended right with the music. My axel at the end is usually awful, and even that was pretty good. At least now I know that I have the ability to do the program well, even if I don't always follow through. My spins are improving too. I'm finally getting a back camel - I never thought that would happen.

Dooming: Double salchow and double loop attempts have been bad lately - I keep leaning over on the takeoff and getting nowhere.

Double dooming: I'm dreading Passover week where all the schools here are closed and all the public and freestyle sessions will be mobbed.

[Terri C]

Crocus Blooming:
Freestyle program almost clean today on lesson (yes, that pesky salchow again!), did a sitspin that rocked!! Secondary Coach was still happy with it though.

Weather Dooming:
Our one surface has been taken down and our freestyles were cut back one minute, then back on regular schedule the next. Today got a e-mail from both coaches that now our freestyles will be only 3-4:20 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, because of, get this, HOCKEY TRYOUTS !!:evil: (Uh hello, when are figure skaters supposed to practice for our upcoming test session!!!) While they are offering mornings from wow, 6:30-8am, most school kids would have to be on the ice no later than 6am for a productive session. We're already cut back on Tuesdays as it is, and right now, Primary Coach's blood is nothing short of boiling.
Oh and we have not had a ice cut yesterday or today before the freestyle session starts. Yesterday, rink management was so damn into their weekly meeting that they simply could not take a break for 15 minutes for a ice cut. Today, skating director thought the ice was "fine" but by 4:30 it was totally chewed.

Sorry for the rant folks, but I've had it with my rink!!

[Kim to the Max]

[Weather Dooming]
Due to a lack of ice at my normal rink, it feels like I haven't been on the ice as much as I normally am because I was out of town from 3/29-4/2 and then didn't skate on Sunday (went for a run outside instead...that felt good!)...

For some reason, I just could not do a scratch/back scratch to save my life today...

Because of the lack of ice, no lesson until next week Friday...I best be showing some improvement!! Because it will be 2 weeks since my lesson, I could either really impress coach, or I could be a big disappointment....oh boy 8O

Haven't done my program since my last lesson with coach...must have M make me do my program tomorrow....

[Crocus Blooming]
Brackets felt much better today. shhh...don't tell coach in case it is a fluke...the entry edge is still touch and go, but I'm really checking after the turn which seems to help...they are still the work of Lucifer in the burning fires of h-e-double hockey sticks, but they are moving up from the 9th circle to maybe 3 or 4 (Dante's Inferno reference)....

Camel spin and Camel/Sit felt really good....

Something little clicked with my axels...it wasn't landing on my toe, but it felt like I was pulling in better with my arms and legs...I think I'm still exiting too early but they felt better...that's something....:roll:

[Mrs Redboots]

Crocuses: Very quiet session this morning and extra lesson, so were able to run through all our compulsory dances, our free dance AND Husband's free programme! All good, although the free dance & Husband's free need work.

Weather: Husband had to go too early, as lots of dance music was being played so we could have danced!

Am having trouble with rockers and American-waltz-style 3-turns.

Am very, very, very tired!

[Rusty Blades]

Doomed! Coach wanted me to take some time off between Nationals (last week) and summer school (July) but I have only skated 3 times in the last 2 weeks (one practice and two competition events) so I just HAD to sneak by the rink yesterday for a fix of "rink air". Low and behold, who should walk in but my coach - CAUGHT ME! 8O

Blooming: At least my coach agreed that maybe I could skate ONCE a week to keep from getting rusty. (Like any teenager, we'll see how long it takes me to stretch that into TWICE a week 8-) )

[Skittl1321]

Weather dooming It snowed while I was at the rink last night, and has been raining for days other than that. Yuck

Yesterday was not a good skating day. I only did my group lesson (plus the ones I teach). My knees were in miserable shape and really hurt. The kids seemed to be completely ignoring the instructor, which frustrates me because it wastes time. Our instructor had us work on our knee position for waltz jumps by stepping up onto the hockey benches, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get up! I don't know if it was a knee thing or a scared thing, but I couldn't do it. It wasn't a short thing because the kids could! Once my knees get better I'll try it on the skate benches, which are slightly shorter than the hockey box ones. I get the idea he wants though.

Worked on non-swinging salchows. Apparently my salchow is awful and weeny. I had finally got a good head about how my jumps were and the two lessons this week have basically taken that away. Both my waltz and my salchow are now at the point where what I'm doing isn't okay anymore- and the next step to it I can't seem to get.

mostly my knee just hurts horribly. I'm running out of PT from my insurance, it's been 4 months (the original estimate was 6 weeks) and I'm tired of being in pain and putting out a ton of money (even after insurance) if it's not working. It was completely fine last week, and now it hurts so bad and synchro nationals are this weekend! I can't be in this much pain.

I'm considering taking the next few months off synchro (since it's post competition) and private lessons, and just do the 30 minute group lessons to at least try to maintain. Of course that means I probably won't have bronze moves by June. Which I was supposed to do in February.

Crocus blooming Got nothing.

[Skate@Delaware]

Crocus Blooming: YAY-I'M POSTING A SKATING POST!!!! My first time on the ice in 6 weeks and although it felt weird and nervous, I was happy!!!! I swizzled around and tried to get my ice-legs back.

Did some skating, nothing spectacular beyond some backspins (eh, about 3-4 so-so ones), 2 centered scratch spins, and 2 waltz jump walk throughs.

Chatted with my coach for a bit, and some of the other skaters.

also found out the rink will be opening up 4 WEEKS EARLIER THAN NORMAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOO-HOOOOOO!!!!!

Is there a chance that this girl might skate at HC this year???????? Might be possible now.....

[Rusty Blades]

Blooming: Since I talked my coach into letting me skate, I went for a little practice this morning.

Wilted: In the last 16 days I have skated less than 45 minutes (practice ice, two warm-ups, and two events at Nationals) - it is amazing how fast "skills" disappear at my age! My "skills memory" seems to be F.I.L.O. (first in, last out) cause the only things that worked well were the first ones learned (forward stroking, FXOs).

Blooming: Upright spins and footwork started to come back but I spent 80% of my time backwards and was pleased with my back edges.

Fer sure I am going to need at least one session a week to retain anything for July!

[Isk8NYC]

Welcome back to the ice, Skate@Delaware!

[Terri C]

Crocus Blooming:
Well what do ya know... they finally cut the ice before the freestyle session today!

Weather Dooming:
My right pinky toe is being painful again to the point where backscratches got sloppy and the loop couldn't get airborne. I have a appointment with the podiatrist next week. Now if I can get through Saturday's exhibition and then through Friday (that's when the appointment is). Until then I'll be soaking my feet after every practice.

[liz_on_ice]

Crocuses blooming - this week was our school skate recital. I did my program and did not suck

Weather dooming - it's been a rough two months for skating - I wasn't nearly as polished as I'd hoped to be by now, and I'm still not ready to pass FS3. :frus: changefoot spin. I'm hoping to pass in time to register for the skyrink ISI comp. If I don't I guess I'll pass this year - I don't have an FS2 program.

[Kim to the Max]

From yesterday, as I was being lazy :)

[Crocus Blooming]
Did my program finally....which was good, but...

[Weather Dooming]
It wasn't clean :( The loop jump BARELY got off the ice, and the lutz was crap...

[Crocus Blooming]
The spins were good though!! Fought for the second camel because I didn't have much speed to begin with for it...

Moves felt good...CW back power 3's are feeling a lot better...

I think that brackets have moved from the 9th circle of hell to maybe the 3rd or 4th circle...I'm not sure which yet....my friend had said that I was looking a lot more comfortable doing them, so that's a good thing!

And finally....axels were so much closer to being landed correctly (not fully rotated yet, but on the toe)....they are a lot lighter, and while they are still pretty much flat footed, you don't hear a huge *clomp* when I land, so I'm thinking that I am closer to the toe....my friend said they were too...and she also said that if I stayed in ** that much longer, they would be fully rotated...I am pulling out too soon :) I can feel it, any day now I will do at least one good one....now, I just need to make sure someone is there as a witness!!

[Isk8NYC]

Crocuses blooming - this week was our school skate recital. I did my program and did not suck"Did not suck?" It was lovely! Liz did a great job on such a small rink. Great height on the jumps, too. Congrats!

Have I mentioned that I HATE teaching Mazurkas?
I'm never really sure if they're the same ones everyone else teaches because I'm doing them my ISI way.
As a bonus, they hurt my knee! It's so swollen and tender, I'm glad I don't have to walk up the stairs for bed.

I love teaching Basic 8, but not that jump.

[mikawendy]

Have I mentioned that I HATE teaching Mazurkas?
I'm never really sure if they're the same ones everyone else teaches because I'm doing them my ISI way.

Mikawendy whispers guilty secret: I took USFS group lessons through Freestyle 5 and somehow never learned a mazurka. I have no recollection why--not sure if I missed part of the series, but they're in Basic 8, so theoretically I should have learned them then. Maybe there's a lot of folks who dislike teaching them....?

ETA: Here's the description from Don Korte's site (http://www.sk8stuff.com/f_recog/recog_sj_mazurka.htm). I can't tell whether his description is ISI's way, USFS's way, both, or neither. It sounds pretty straightforward, but then so does a bunny hop and those can just feel evillle (especially on the weaker "side").

[Isk8NYC]

Mikawendy whispers guilty secret: I took USFS group lessons through Freestyle 5 and somehow never learned a mazurka. I have no recollection why--not sure if I missed part of the series, but they're in Basic 8, so theoretically I should have learned them then. Maybe there's a lot of folks who dislike teaching them....?

There are a lot of people who don't know what they are, coaches included. (One Russian coach, which blew me away. Guess it has a different name in Russia. Here, I thought the name WAS russian.) At a coaches' seminar earlier this year, the terrific on-ice portion included how to teach it, so I've adopted some of the instructor's methods, which helps somewhat.

I was very surprised to hear how many different ways there are to teach the mazurka incorrectly. Stuff like wrong edges, picking improperly, crossing the "hard way", landing on the wrong toe... All, wrong, wrong, wrong.

I know how to do mazurkas because I skated ISI and my coach was a stickler for details. (Germans usually are) I don't do them well, but I can do them. They hurt, though! lol

I teach it the way Don's site describes (thank you for the link). The problem is, not everyone teaches it that way - some programs substitute a half-flip instead. I've had head pros tell me my way was wrong and get the rulebook to challenge me when I explained that I teach the ISI version.

*shrugs* Different strokes. What's really funny is that it might explain why I've taught Basic 8 more this season than ever before. Maybe it's a knack, maybe it's the Mazurka! LOL

[mikawendy]

I once heard somewhere that one of the possible uses for teaching a mazurka is to teach the toe-in and takeoff for a toe loop. Is that correct, or does the body rotate before the takeoff more than on a toe loop? *Scratches head* ...So is it really a fancy way of doing a "half" toe-loop?

[FlyAndCrash]

There is a mazurka in ISI? 8O What level? Because I never remembered learning that jump. The only "little" jumps I did were 1/2 toe wally, 1/2 flip, 1/2 lutz, and ballet jump...

[Mrs Redboots]

Blooming: Went to dance club last night for the first time for ages, and had fun. Ought to go more often really.

Dooming: But am fighting off yet another cold, and got very breathless during the session. And Husband and I had a coming-together of skates on a Fiesta Tango which resulted in a nasty fall for him. So we didn't skate today.

Both or neither: I'm very stiff today - probably because we really covered the ice last night! Much more so than normal.

[PhysicistOnIce]

I once heard somewhere that one of the possible uses for teaching a mazurka is to teach the toe-in and takeoff for a toe loop. Is that correct, or does the body rotate before the takeoff more than on a toe loop? *Scratches head* ...So is it really a fancy way of doing a "half" toe-loop?

I was taught the Mazurka by a coach in the US as preparation for the toe-loop.

[Isk8NYC]

There is a mazurka in ISI? 8O What level? Because I never remembered learning that jump.
It's an uncaptured jump at any level in ISI. My coach just liked to include "different" uncaptured maneuvers in programs to add interest and extra content. She was merciless about performing every element perfectly, too. lol

[Isk8NYC]

I once heard somewhere that one of the possible uses for teaching a mazurka is to teach the toe-in and takeoff for a toe loop. Is that correct, or does the body rotate before the takeoff more than on a toe loop? *Scratches head* ...So is it really a fancy way of doing a "half" toe-loop?
I'm not sure if it's that beneficial; I think a half flip is a better "first toe assist" jump. The back pivot is better for learning the toe loop position, IMO. That's why the ISI has both the back pivot and the toe loop at the same test level (FS3).

[looplover]

I managed to weasel my way out of that mazurka in ISI, heh heh.

Unfortunately never quite mastered that back pivot either, which is coming back to haunt me now during toe loop attempts 8O

Blooming: Fun lesson today, started learning sit-change-sit and worked on camels. Also planned strategy w/coach for not looking down at the ice so much (yeah...I actually need a strategy for this...) and figured out how we need to break down the flip again to bare bones and get it consistent. Also worked on the sit spin a bunch getting that free leg higher and out more, and I do think that's going to work out and get me lower in the spin.

Dooming: Well, I didn't actually do any of these items today - I had a one-rev camel, but still. I don't feel really doomed though, it's just time to go back to basics and fix bad skating habits - sorely needed!

[dbny]

Crocus Blooming:
Prelim power threes seem to be stable, which is a plus at this point. In my lesson today did back power XO's to work on the weight shift a bit, and another coach called out "way to go, dbny!" I rarely get to put on any speed at that rink because even when the sessions are fairly empty there are too many little clueless anklebiters wandering around, so it was really fun. Coach fixed my posture today, now I just have to keep it fixed, which means thinking about it all the time. When I got it right, I was able to do a two foot spin much faster than ever, and rock solid, beautifully centered. When that becomes automatic, I won't be popping out of or wobbling on the one foot any more.

Whole Botanic Garden Abloom:
After lesson, I decided to try BO threes, which I've been playing with for a few weeks. All of a sudden, I just knew I could do the Juv back power threes, and I did! Not the whole pattern, because, of course they weren't that good, and I'm not ready to go that fast, but I did them in both directions, taught them to a friend, and then showed them off to coach, who had finished for that session. Got a very big "WOW" from her.

Dooming:
Tried to cheat the Prelim FO threes on the line by stepping to next FO edge about a foot from the line - and found that I still had so much rotation going that I very nearly crashed. Sigh - must get that check! Hopefully, new posture will do it.

[Skate@Delaware]

Crocus Blooming: this is skating related, altho my rink is almost closed now...will be after Sunday. My videos came!!!! FINALLY!!! One was delayed due to a death in the family of the videographer (condolences), the other???? who knows???? But I now have my competition "performance" as well as my Nutcracker 2007 vids.

My competition vid is up on my youtube site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhbLeDO28LY
(I had a false start-they started the music without me!!!)

Please be kind-i was skating with a numb leg.....so it was a 'skating for fun' routine. And no, I'm not selling the dress, however I will lend it out :lol: (but not the chair)

My coach did say she would be available for lessons here and there at Piney Orchard...early saturday mornings. Might have to take her up on them!

[Kim to the Max]

[Weather Dooming]
Didn't have the energy last night to really work on axels :( They are getting so much better that I am disappointed that I wasn't really feeling up to it.

Haven't done my program lately, which means that when I finally have a lesson with coach, I am probably going to die...

Test session is in exactly 2 weeks...I sure hope I'm going to be ready!!!

[Crocus Blooming]
Ice starts again tomorrow at my regular rink!!

Again, moves are feeling good. Brackets can still be a little touch and go, but they are a little more touch and a little less go...

CW power 3s were much better controlled yesterday and are feeling more, well, powerful :P

[Mrs Redboots]

My competition vid is up on my youtube site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhbLeDO28LY
(I had a false start-they started the music without me!!!)It's amazing what a different shape you are from two years ago! And you look about ten years younger.... I am jealous!

[flo]

Blooming - everything in Baltimore. I came back, and it's spring!!!!!
Have lots to unpack and throw in the wash.

dooming - I stopped by the Jackson booth at nats as my skate person was there. I had been having some trouble with my left blade's outside edge and wanted him to take a look at it. He looked at my blade and saw right away that it was bent. So - at least I know it wasn't my imagination...... Back down to the skate shop this week.

[Skate@Delaware]

It's amazing what a different shape you are from two years ago! And you look about ten years younger.... I am jealous!
You are so kind! I'm feeling the mileage tho!!!!

Maybe it's like the donuts in the case that look good but have been in a day too long :lol:

[Bill_S]

After Monday evening's skate, I wasn't able to make it back to the ice before our season ending ice show. No more ice until September.

As usual, I took photos for the ice show. Posed pictures were made during rehearsal last night, and the action photos just a few hours ago. Now I've got 20 GB worth of files to edit and post.

Here's a photo of one of the last events from this evening...the synchro number.

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~schneidw/skating/images/show_08_synchro1sml.jpg

Next year, maybe I'll let someone else take the pictures so I can be a part of the show too.

[kander]

Dooming: Before today my last three skates have been horrible. My spins were OK but I couldn't jump worth beans. It wasn't that I didn't know how or had a bad day, but my body just wouldn't respond to what I was telling it to do. I'm officially into my geezerhood :cry:

Blooming: Had a great skate today. For no discernable reason my body decided to respond. I wonder if nutrition has much to do with it? The highlight was I finally landed one of my retooled axels! Woo Hoo! I've been working on it for months. It's taken me that long to just begin to get to the hang of unlearning my old way of doing things.

Kevin

[Mrs Redboots]

Blooming: Beginning to get a bit more togetherness in our free dance, and maybe some more speed in our compulsories.

Dooming: It was one of those days when I could not get my skates comfortable, so my feet hurt almost the entire session. I am still having problem with my left inside edges. And Husband kicked me not once, not twice, but THREE times - my left blade is going to be a ruin at this rate. Luckily neither of us lost our footing any of the times, but it was close.

[quarkiki2]

I'm so mad I could spit. I typed up a long report of ISI synchro nationals and as I was about to post it, my 2.5 year old son hit the sleep button on my kepyboard and totally erased it. :frus:

The long and short of it, practice ice and the compulsory program were excellent (we got first against the book). We bobbled in the long program, ended up fourth of five. I felt very good about my skating the entire event, so am pleased about that.

And I'm still mad at my son because I had an excellent and descriptive narratie written and don't want to re-write it. Boo, hiss...

[Skittl1321]

I just came here to type exactly what quarkiki already did :) (I don't have a long report though).

ISI Synchro Nationals was so much fun. Our practice ice was definetly our best practice ever. We ran both routines better than we ever have. It was very encouraging, and that alone was worth the trip. (Yeah- I know it's supposed to be a competition, but I was just thrilled to know we CAN skate that well!)

Thriller was our compulsory program and it went well. We all came off the ice just ecstatic- it was a fantastic program, the book had no chance against us :) And we did place first against it.

It was a long wait until our long program. I really enjoyed watching the other teams, especially the higher level teen teams. Backward lunge pass throughs seemed very popular and were impressive everytime! I think my favorite thing to watch was traveling straightline pinwheels. We can hardly even get our circles to travel well. (Something the other adult teams did really well in our next event!)

The long program did not go as well as the compulsory. It was just error after error of stupid mistakes we don't usually make. All the ones we normally make weren't there. I pulled out of our straightline pinwheel to completely the wrong place for our block intersection thingy. I've never done that before and am so mad at myself because I skated clean (except for the stuff I can't actually do yet, and never do anyway) up to that point. Needless to say, after watching the rest of our flight, we knew we would be 4th or 5th. Two of the teams were just incredible, one team we might have had a chance to place above if we skated clean, but we didn't deserve it, and another team skated cleaner on what appeared to be a slightly easier program- it's always so hard to tell what judges will do. We were shocked and happy with our 4th- I just wish we would have skated better. There were just silly errors the whole way through.

This week we have to change the formations to take our 3 skaters who aren't going to the next competition, and then we compete again at our own rink in 2 weeks.

[Kim to the Max]

[Weather Dooming]
Axels were STILL not landed on my toe!

Couldn't really play music because there was no one working music today and where we have the player is not really conducive to starting the music for myself...

[Crocus Blooming]
Skated back at my regular rink :) So excited, however I had gotten used to skating on nearly empty ice...:roll: Although, we are on the ice that we don't usually use, and it's usually colder and the ice is harder....

Spins were really good today. Jumps felt good as well, lutzes started to go south, but I was able to stop that...

Axels felt really big...one of the skaters commented about how big they are....coach saw a few and asked me to do a few more for her....still nothing....grrrrrrrrrrrr....at least they are closer and my leg is pulling in a little...not quite enough, but better....

[mikawendy]

After Monday evening's skate, I wasn't able to make it back to the ice before our season ending ice show. No more ice until September.

As usual, I took photos for the ice show. Posed pictures were made during rehearsal last night, and the action photos just a few hours ago. Now I've got 20 GB worth of files to edit and post.

Here's a photo of one of the last events from this evening...the synchro number.

Next year, maybe I'll let someone else take the pictures so I can be a part of the show too.

Great picture, Bill_S--very dynamic! I also love how the lighting is making shadows on the ice.

[Bill_S]

Thanks Mikawendy!

The light does make for beautiful photos. I just wish it had been a little brighter for photography.

The rink borrows stage lighting from the theater department for the show, but these theater lights are meant for much smaller spaces. In a large rink, it's miserably dim for photography, and a huge majority of my photos have blur in them.

This year I used a secret weapon though - Nikon gave my department a loaner D3 camera (a mere $5k!) and that thing sees in the dark. It captures what you can't even see with your own eyes. I used it together with my older Nikon which is handicapped by comparison. The D3 is my dream camera right now and I want one!

Note to skate show planners - when you turn out the regular lights and use dim light like this, please don't dress half the show participants in black or dark brown! Even the audience can't see what's going on.