In honour of the latest Harry Potter!

Death Eaters: Quite thought Husband wasn't going to get out of bed this morning, but eventually he did. Then I wasted time chatting in the loo before I got on the ice, so we only had about half an hour together before he had to go to work. We tried to walk through the European waltz, as an exercise to practice our 3-turns rather than as a dance, if that makes sense, but we kept going wrong. Not that it mattered! Then we did a Prelim waltz together at 3 times the speed! We also did a Swing Dance and a Fiesta Tango, and our Free Dance, but ran out of time before we could practice the Canadian Cha-cha, which we may want for a recreational match next weekend. Also worked on doing forward progressive runs in "two-handed" hold, where I'm ahead of him, as a posture exercise. Could do the runs, all right - but where, oh where, was my extension? I didn't want to hit him, and my leg wouldn't extend.....

Then after he had gone, I made myself work on things I find difficult, like back cross-cuts and stepping to forward without scraping my toe-rakes.... And ran through the Swing Dance solo, taking up about 1/4 of the ice. Sigh!

Order of the Phoenix: Did manage a pattern of the Willow Waltz solo, again very small, but at least I did it! And my FO swing rolls were a lot better today, I noticed. Other than that, although I had fun and good exercise, it was a bit disheartening - maybe I should have done the things I like, but so much better for me doing things I find hard..... so I feel virtuous!

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Great starter topic for this HP fan! Now, I'll have to get to the rink this week.

__________________

Death Eaten: (Already done in by the death eaters...) Oh where oh where did my LFO3 go? It sure wasn't at the rink this morning. I wanted to work on intro 3's before my lesson, and almost every time I tried the dang turn, even off of a plain vanilla RFO, LFO3 set up, something wonky would go on. I found my toe picks (a feat with dance blades), or I would drop my free side something fierce, or you name it... and I was doing it today.

Then in lesson coach had me working on the turns and they were a bit better, but far from where they were before I got my new boots. Near the end he wanted me to do bits of the American Waltz solo and that was a total fu-bar.

Order of the Phoenix: In my wildest dreams.... based on today's skating.

__________________
American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

DEATH EATERS: Coach was on vacation so she couldn't witness the fact that I have a pretty good forward power pull. Of course next week when she returns I will look like I have never been in skates before.

ORDER OF THE PHOENIX: I actually could do some pretty good forward power pulls. I was able to keep the momentum going and get a pretty decent lean.

__________________
Keeping School Figures Alive!!

Death Eaters: Backward inside edges. And I'm gonna be tested on them next week!

Order of the Phoenix: 1 foot spins have gotten up to 4 revolutions.

Death Eaters: I've got 44 more days to ice at my home rink! Almost there! I will be sending in my fall registration forms on Saturday!!!

Order of the Phoenix: Delaware State Fair in full swing (boy is it HOT outside) and I think I've gained 10 pounds from eating everything! Plus, no off-ice exercise because it's held on the fairgrounds at the rink which is used for exhibits. I'm spreading....................and melting..............

__________________
Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Death Eaters: Forward clockwise progressives. I'm totally clockwise challenged. I'm also dance posture challenged. I may not be jumping anymore, but I've found something just as challenging..........dance.

Order of the Phoenix: I really like the Willow (I just learned it during my last lesson). I'm even getting a crunch on my edges throughout the dance. Love my new dance coach.

Today was Death Eaters, period!
To start, I got a e-mail from my primary coach, cancelling all lessons for today, because of a sick daughter.
Decide to go to the rink (only 5-6 weeks till Peach, doh!) and the ice was awful. Not only was it not cut since 2pm, but there were condensation bumps everywhere.

Now for the Ultimate Death Eater:
Was runnning through a segment of my freeskate, when after I pulled in for a scratch spin, hit one of the many bumps mentioned above and hit the ice, with my knees, elbows and stomach taking the hit. Both elbows are scraped and sore as my knees (I did ice both knees before leaving the rink), but my right shoulder is achy as well. There will be Ben- Gay and Tylenol PM for this girl tonight!

Alsp, tried to express concerns about the lousy ice to the skating director, but she had a lesson with a student and couldn't be bothered!

__________________
Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Terri, I feel your pain! I think you are brave for really going for your elements on such bad ice. We had bad ice, too, yesterday, because they had hockey all day and the ice had really deteriorated, and one cut just didn't do it. I won't go into more details, but I was really mad and did a really good run through as a result --minus the spiral and the crossovers into it, since I had visions of going splat much as you did! My coach was laughing about me being mad, only because I always skate well when I'm mad! He was full of empathy about the ice, though, which was a good thing! At least you have some time until your competition, mine is on Saturday, so this certainly didn't help things!

Pat

__________________
August 22, back on the ice!

Death Eaters:

My skills still stink...no further explanation required...

Order of the Phoenix:

My axels were all 2 footed ( not so good) but I got the full rotation on all of them that I tried!

Yikes, Terri, I hope you are OK!

Good luck on Saturday (and Friday, too), sk8pics! I'll be cheering from afar. I know you'll be fine, lousy practice ice and all!

Order of Phoenix: New entrance to the toe-loop today makes the picking much more solid. Also worked on getting more height on sal and toe-loop. Reviewed one-foot sculling, and improved forwards and backwards with some reminders and tips. Tried a forward spin variation, with my free leg in a lay-back type position. I'm mostly losing speed when I change position, but by the end of the session I had hit a few that weren't too bad! Also got a couple of good backspins going. I need to really think of lifting my knee and hip to keep from falling to an inside edge. It's getting there!

Death Eaters: New entrance to the lutz isn't so hot. Lutz is my most inconsistent jump ATM, which is fine with me since it's supposed to be the most difficult single! Just haven't gotten the timing of it quite right yet, but I know it will come since the others have. Flip timing has improved a lot, but is not as consistent as I'd like yet. Loops felt like they regressed a bit today, so I gave them a break pretty quickly and will get back to them tomorrow.

__________________
~No thinking, breathing, or hesitation!~

I think you must have packed it up and sent it to me by mistake, because I had a fantastic one this morning!

Order of the Phoenix: Having had a faintly disheartening day yesterday, today was terrific! I had a super lesson - we started working on the Level 4 Moves, which I've not worked on before with this coach (I've done them in the classes at Alexandra Palace, and practiced them privately, but it's the first time I've done them in a lesson). Needless to say, they were appallingly bad, but I was surprised at how relatively un-bad they were, for me. The first move is none other than our old friend the Consecutive FO 3, but with a back crossover in between each 3-turn ("Will you please push" said my coach - what does he think I am, nuts?), and the 2nd move is FO Mohawks (I kept doing Choctaws!), step to forward on the same side, forward crossover, then push into the FO Mohawk on the other side.

We also worked on Level 3 moves (back cross-cuts & cross-rolls) - the back cross-rolls are still awful, but improve; the cross-cuts come under Death Eaters, and on forward and backward outside & inside edges, which are improving. And back crossovers in both directions - my anti-clockwise ones aren't too bad, my clockwise ones..... well, let's not go there!

But the best of all was after my lesson when I made myself do a Prelim waltz (this is basically 2 chasses & a turn, either a step to forwards or a LFO3, depending on which way you are going), and the first time ever managed to do it very steadily without holding back on the 3s! (Obviously got Jen's by mistake!) Okay, so it wasn't very fast, but it was flowy, and the best I've ever done it solo!

Death Eaters: Cross-cuts. How on earth are you supposed to put your weight on your foot when it crosses in front of you while at the same time leaning backwards? My body does not understand what it is meant to do! Clockwise back crossovers - I ought to practice them occasionally, then I might be able to do them.

Husband and I were taking the Canadian Cha-cha to pieces in our practice; it's really disheartening how many errors you find when you do that, even such basic ones as leaning forwards too far! We ended up doing laps of 2-footed slaloms, of "double whammy" edges and of inside chassés, but we still found we were sticking our bottoms in the air.... at least we match!

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

well, the LFO3 sort of found it's way back home today...

Nothing really falls in either category ... coach #2 liked my forward progressives (we've been re-building them for the past few months because I had an issue with "collapsing my ankle into the circle" on the underpush). She said that now she didn't need to look so much at my lower body and could look at what the upper body was doing.

in the CW direction, she poked and prodded and realigned things such that it felt more better (but painful and strange as I discovered muscles that I'd forgotten existed).

Then in lesson with coach #1, he liked my forward cross-rolls today, beat me up on my back cross-rolls (posture mostly) and then worked with me on the first corner of the American Waltz (LFO3, RBO Swing, LBO swing roll, etc) to reshape the pattern and get more body line. Needless to say, what check I can achieve on an American waltz-style LFO3 is totally insufficiant for what we are aiming for...

__________________
American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

Sounds like the Power 3-turns on the bronze moves test here. Note the use of the word "Power" which I have none of yet on this move. Good luck with it!

Pat

__________________
August 22, back on the ice!

Death Orders: One should really check the schedule the night before one skates. Other wise, one goes to the wrong rink at the wrong time.

Order of the Phoenix: My coach was impressed with the progress I've made on both my mohawks (they're still sloppy at speed) and my landing postion.

Order of the Phoenix: Had a semi-breakthrough tonight on the backspin! (I say "semi" b/c who knows if it will be there tomorrow.) I actually did a couple of revs in position (meaning my free foot was crossed over in scratch position) and exited on my spinning foot. Another skater/coach who happened to be skating by remarked that it was a good position - woohoo! And after a few 2-rev ones, I managed a few ones with 3 revs! Of course, the 3rd rev was with my free leg out to the side - got to work on holding the position longer. But hey, at least I could spin in position without falling to the right.

I also did a few good loop jumps. Another skater asked me how I could jump from a standstill (well, that's the only way I can do the jump) - lol. He suggested that I had too much weight on my front foot before takeoff. I concentrated on leaning back more and really bending down and jumping off the edge/toepick, and lo and behold, I felt myself getting better height and more flow on the landing. Of course, I have no idea if the jump actually looked better, but it did seem that way.

Maybe Bronze FS isn't so far off for me, who knows?

Also got to watch Flo and a friend working on a pairs interp for HC - looks great so far.

Death Eaters: Spins still travel about a mile across the ice, and my sit spin is on vacation to a faraway place....

Order of the Phoenix: Yesterday, I did some decent sit spins. They were more like "squat" spins but I managed to get about 5-6 revs a few times. For some reason, being lower like that almost made it easier than doing a scratch spin! And easier than shoot-the-ducks... I guess because of the momentum of the spin?
The rink was very uncrowded.

I don't really have any Death Eater incidents. Except a few minor falls, if those count.

This doesn't exactly fit in either category: I fell trying a sit spin right at the end of Toby Keith's "I Love This Bar" (which was playing in the rink) just after he said "I love this bar..." My mom was watching me and when I stepped off ice, she said that seemed funny to her - that I fell after that part in the song.

Phoenix-finally got to skate last night! It was a nice session and, like Debbie said I had the chance to play around with some ideas for a pair interpretive. It was lots of fun. A friend just bought the hinged boots so we're all curious to se how they work out. Debbie really had some nice backspins - mine didn't look like that for a while!

Order of the Phoenix
Primary coach says I'm pretty much ready for Bronze Moves for Sept. now (i.e. "flow and strength of edge" vs. "power.")

Well, I realize now that I REALLY need to warm up well on backward crossovers before doing the test... As soon as I did, my back crossovers on the ends were better...

Edited to add:
I tried a few backspins today... had one bad attempt where I tried to pull in quickly and almost fell off the edge (which is what primary coach wanted me to do ) The others were pretty much 3 revs... but towards the end I "almost always end up falling on the inside edge again", he says... But overall, he thinks I should have no problem with the backspins for the Bronze FS test. YIPPEE!!!

Death Eaters
I STILL think he's NUTS!!! I had so much problems with my alt. back crossovers this morning. I don't know if my skates were on right on something. I still had some problems with FI mohawks but nothing too bad... or at least nothing as bad as Monday nights'. Whether it's up to snuff with the judges... well, I'm not too confident yet... but I got a month to work on this... It did help with this one imagery that primary coach gave me a couple of months ago where I have to pretend my feet are tied together in a way where I could NOT wide step, but have just enough room on the rope to push onto an edge.

Forward crossovers... well, primary coach is happy with it! But I'm not!!! B/c I KNOW I didn't do the stuff that I was supposed to do yesterday that secondary coach taught me...and she's watching!!!

And for an interesting note...

Secondary coach (who was standing next to primary coach on the boards today) got a good laugh b/c as she and primary coach talked about my test date, she realizes that I'm intentionally waiting for the Sept. test session NOT b/c I have a hard time signing up for the test sessions (b/c of the kids to qualify for regionals), but b/c the new adult moves requirement rules would take effect and I would have a better chance at passing the darn thing. (Hey! My primary coach's idea... not mine!!! )

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Order of the Phoenix:

Test program run through went well again, so I'll be more than ready whenever I can get on a test session.

I figured out the trick to get my flying camel going with some good speed and did some GREAT ones last night

Death Eaters:

Axel attempts were so-so. I have a problem bringing my right leg through all the way, so I'm not getting enough height to match the rotation

I only landed 1 lutz last night, but I only attempted 3 and 2 of them involved squeezing my set up in between 2 people who were skating in the lutz corner.

__________________
I've got mad salchow disease!

Death eaters: My blades are really blunt in the inside edges and I have had trouble skating the last couple of weeks. I took them in on Monday to get sharpened (they usually sharpen on Wednesdays and Sundays) and I had my lesson yesterday so I went to pick them up but they had not been sharpened yet so I had to try and make a program up but ended up slipping and sliding all over the rink. Also after my fall I am chickening out of doing anything to hard but I'm working on it.

Order of the phoenix My program has been sorted out even though it looks bad when I do it. Any suggestions on how to try and remember a program?

Order Of The Phoenix: I landed a double salchow today and landed all my axels from back crossovers. Spirals in my field moves test were better.

Death Eaters: I fell on all but one of my double salchows

No way around it! Practice, practice, practice....more practice... (Did I say practice?)

You could also try remembering it in smaller chunks and then put the chunks together too... That's how I had to remember hip hop dance routines (WAAAAY back when I did hip hop dance...)

Then again, I have my brain hiccups on my (1:40) program before... so...

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Order of the Phoenix: plan to skate on Sunday as my fatigue is passing from recent illness; AND only 40-some days until home ice....and I get a coach for jumps!

Death Eaters: Oh No! Daughter just informed me today that she wants to try doing an axel on Sunday ! I suggested that she wait until she gets back into the swing of things mid-September (we are only maintaining our skills) and has a coach of her own and has all her singles consistently landed .... but she is a hard-headed teen and I'm afraid she might attempt it while I'm not looking .... I'm tempted to hide her skates ....

__________________
Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!