My hardest move (technically) that I can do well and consistently would be either the axel or the flying camel.

The move that I have the hardest time doing, however, would have to be the back outside brackets in the Intermediate MIF's.

Anyone ever do figures?

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

No figures, but my moves coach says I would have been good at them!

What element is easy for you that most people find hard? (Example, I could do a spread eagle the first time I tried one)

For me, a looooow hydroblade which I'm trying to fit into my new program!

Who does your choreography?

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

My freestyle coach lays out the elements, but I work on-ice with a Russian ballet teacher on the presentation. I'm not working on a program right now, so we're doing stroking exercises and working on positioning instead.

Cotton or nylon laces?

Nylon (thin things that cut your fingers to ribbons)


Over-the-boot tights or the 'classic' skating look ...... I'm not asking what you wear just which you prefer

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The best whisper is a click

Neither!!! Guess what I wear instead of those ghastly beige colored tights... (But just to keep my coach happy, I do wear over the boot tights at test sessions and competitions. It's also to cover up my KEWL black boots!!!)

What's the most interesting stories you had regarding picking out your music for a program? In my case, my coach's favorite phrase was "SLOOOOOWER!!! Much, MUCH slower!!!" He finally took "Until The Last Moment" by Yanni (from "Live At the Acropolis.") It was a winner b/c 1) everyone at the session that he was playing this music at started doing creating choreography "spur of the moment" for fun and 2) Coach tried it out for himself and said "OH! I want to skate to THAT!!!"

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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!!!

Flying back from Adult Nationals at Oakland, I began to think of the next year's interpretive program. It was a 5 hour flight, the movie broke, and my friends were asleep. I wanted something fun to interpret. Something that moved, flew, raced and stood still. As I checked and re-checked my watch to see when the flight would finally end - I found it. Time. I wrote out the program on a napkin, gave it to my coach and started on the music the next day. It's been one of my favorite programs.

What has someone told you, right before you stepped on the ice for competition that made an impact on that event? For me my coach said "you have the advantage of speed. Use it". I had never really thought of myself as a fast skater. I kept up my speed and had a great skate.

I think it was when I was feeling really cross with nerves, and biting everybody's head off, and someone said something that made me realise that if I didn't have fun out there, chances are, nobody else was going to have fun watching me!

What have you occasionally been able to do, but not always, and are longing for it to return?

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

Spins! I haven't been working on them very long, and only one-foot upright....but some days, I nail it on the first try, and other days I practically travel right out of the arena....

How does your skating rank in your life's priority list? That is, in relation to job, family, friends, other hobbies, etc.?

At the moment, not as high as I'd like. If I was skating at regular times, having lessons, and actually felt like my skating had some kind of direction to it, maybe. At the moment I'm just going when I can (not more than once a week) and trying to practice everything I've learnt before. It's higher priority than other hobbies though.

Do any of your friends/family skate?

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"It’s never too late to skate at any age." - Alexei Mishin.

My mom's side of the family is French-Canadian, and they all skate. My grandfather was very into hockey as a boy, and I think he must of been somewhat disappointed to end up with two daughters. Obviously, in the fifties, hockey wasn't an option for girls, but he coached local youth teams anyway. He tried to teach my aunt to skate when she was five or six, but from what I've heard she wasn't very good, and he was very excited when my mom took to it better. They never took lessons- I doubt they knew there was such a thing, and there wouldn't have been extra money for it anyway- but my mom really loves to skate and she took me for the first time when I was six. If she hadn't, I'm sure my grandfather would have taken me eventually. He used to love to take me skating, and he finally had to stop taking my nieces and nephew skating a few years ago at age 76 when he had a knee replacement.

My cousin took skating lessons for a few years as a kid- she's 13 years older than me, so this was long before I was born. She just had her fifth child a few weeks ago, and the three older ones- ages 7, almost 10, and almost 12- have all skated a little. Her oldest is, according to my grandfather, one heck of a hockey player, despite being pretty small for his age.

As for my dad's side of the family, LOL is all I can say. They're some of the least athletic people I've ever met. My dad skated twice in his life, once at 8 and once at 18, and flat out refuses to try again.

Who usually accompanies you to tests or competitions?

Competitions: My coach and my mom, every time. My husband, dad and son to two out of three (my son had a hockey game the same time as one of my comps). Tests: My coach to all, my mom to one out of three (she couldn't make the others because they were during her work day). Next year, however, I probably won't be able to afford having my coach go with me to Sectionals and AN, which doesn't thrill me. At least my mom will be there, and she's a former coach, so that should help a lot.


Can you give an example of an "ah-ha" moment what you finally understand how something is supposed to be done? You know, the moment that leads up to you actually doing it right?

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

Oh yes! A very vivid one! It would have to be the backspin last summer. I argued and argued with my coach, "I'm spinning on the outside edge! I'm spinning on my right foot! I'm doing a backspin." He was never satisfied, and then one day, as he broke it down in a simple exercise.....I got it!!

I was so embarrased and had to swallow my pride and tell him that he was right. He just smiled 'cause he knew he was right. But I finally got it, and that was all that mattered. Now I can whip out a beautiful backscratch!

Where is the most unique or bizarre place you have ever skated when away from home?

The most bizarre skate I've ever had was in Chur, in Switzerland, on an outdoor rink when it was pouring with snow. They had cleaned it just before we went on, but by the time we came off it was an inch or more thick - it does show you how much time you spend on two feet....

What did you do in your most recent lesson?

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

Last lesson we worked on the Salchow and my entrance into a spin. Both not very pretty but progress is slowly being made. In both cases it is rushing the move that is the problem. My coach wants me to have these down so that I can "practice my butt off", as she says, at Lake Placid next month.

How often do you get your blades resharpened?

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

Every 5 weeks or so. Went 6 weeks this time, and I was desperate!

How often do you skate?

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

Right now, because I have competitions and tests coming up, I'm skating seven days a week- 2 hrs 15 minutes on Monday, an hour and a half Tuesday through Friday, and 45 minutes Saturday and Sunday. During the school year I usually skate an hour and a half Monday through Friday, and forty-five minutes every other Sunday. I get Saturdays off during school because I teach learn-to-skate most of the morning, and do off-ice in the afternoon Saturday and Sunday.

What's the next big "event" you're looking forward to?

PEACH CLASSIC!! I can't wait!

Not to bring up bad memories, but where did you have your "worst" skate? Mine was at Charter Oak open a few years back. Totally messed up my camel spin, then popped, of all things, a waltz jump loop combination. It was bad.

I've had more than I care to admit, but one of my worst was definitely in Pre-Juvenile free about eight months before I quit singles. First I managed to cheat my double sal and both cheat and two-foot my axel. Then I proceeded to single my double flip- and fall anyway. Yes, Pre-Juvenile and I fell on what was basically a single flip.

In my defense, I had a huge surprise right before I skated- my best friend was competing later that day and she came into the locker room while I was getting dressed; when I asked her if she had seen our coach yet, she said, "Oh, she didn't get a hold of you? She went into labor last night." This was something like three weeks early, and she had taken a nasty fall on the ice a week or so earlier, so I was more than a little worried. Luckily, both she and the baby were fine. And she laughed when I told her about my double flip.

How many tests have you passed, total?

All my freeskates, comp and test stream...
Dance only up to like junior bronze lol..
Figures up to 4th...but they took them out when i was around 11
I'm on my 2nd skill but i dont do them

Most recent jump accomplishment?

A consistent flip-loop combo. May not sound like a big deal to others, but I'm tickled. Also, I've been trying to add speed to all my jumps and, most importantly, to skate all my elements with my head up (I have gotten in the unfortunate habit of looking down when I skate....not attractive!). Pushing myself to attain those goals has also been a big accomplishment.

Question: Do you buy skating dresses (or other skating items) but not wear them? I find myself ordering skating dresses because they are pretty, but you know, I've never once worn one. I know own 3, and I have another one on the way. It's my secret shopping shame.

YES. Which is why I've tamed myself to only buy ONE Del Arbour dress a year, ususally when she comes to my club's competitions. They always look so pretty on the rack (and I luuurve Del's dresses), but I hate wearing dresses so I really don't know why I buy them. I only wear dresses to test and compete.

Most recent spin accomplishment? Mine is learning flying sit.

Oh, I got TWO!!! Backspin is VERY VERY close! I start off fine, but fall to the inside edge after about 2 rev now. The other is the camel spin, even though it's only about 1-2 rev and not that pretty... and on a good day I could do a wimpy 2 rev camel- 1 rev sit combo too!!!

What new skills or goal would you want to get end of this year? (Me: I want to be a BRONZE lady by the end of the year so I can be eligible to compete at Adults National!!!)

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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!!!

I want to land an axel! (And learn a flying camel, and master evil brackets, and...)


Do you take your skates on vacation?

Actually I do. When I went to Disneyworld, I took them to go skating at an ice rink in Kissimmee.

CW or CCW?

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!