Since it is now the height of summer (for those of us of the Northern Hemisphere persuasion), we are either enjoying our flowers or pulling weeds like crazy...thus the theme of this week's lessons/practices,

FLOWERS: Power pulls are coming along. I am finally getting into the rhythm of the thing by bending my knees and shifting my weight. Took awhile but I think they are coming along. Coach seems pleased. When coach is happy, I'm happy.

WEEDS: Those alternating 3 turns. Still have to get my upper body to check corretly because I am still not getting back to the main axis on my back inside edges. It is a slow process...someday i will get it.

__________________
Keeping School Figures Alive!!

Flowers: I PASSED MY INTRODUCTORY INTERPRETIVE TEST!!!!

Weeds: I am STILL twofooting that PITA Loop-jump

__________________
If you keep your eyes on God, you can walk on water.

Flowers:
I had a dance lesson and I'm almost done with the dutch waltz.My spins are looking alot better (thanks to my new blades )

Weeds:
my coach didn't show up today, so there for no axels!!!
~cutie

__________________
Skating is suppose to be fun , no PRESSURE at all

~*Courage*~*Confidence*~*Consistance*~

Well done! What did you have to do for it - we don't have interpretive tests over here?

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

Hi Annabel: Here in Canada, for Interpretive, we are tested for quality of edges and turns, skating skills, use of the ice surface, flow and ease of movement in time to the Music, expression of the character of the music and originality. Jumps are not required and can only be used if they fit in with the mood, flow and theme of the program, and doubles are not allowed at all. The emphasis is on creating a mood or interpreting a story.

__________________
If you keep your eyes on God, you can walk on water.

Flowers: Had adult group lesson last night (now has over 21 people in it of varying abilities) and our coach suggested we form a synch team for the South Island Masters competition in October. We spend an hour learning various things (moving in unison, pinwheel, moving in blocks) and everyone had heaps of fun so it looks quite promising.

Our coach also asked 5 of us (including me and my husband) to consider entering the novice figure skating competition. From what I can see the program is 1 min 30 seconds long, has to have 1 jump, 1 spin, 1 step sequence and is judged as per the ISU interpretative program with emphasis on presentation rather than on technical elements. I reckon I will give it a go just for the experience at least.

Weeds: Still can't do 3 turns, will work on it on Saturday morning.

My morning didn't get off to a great start--didn't sleep good, dragged myself out of bed and to the rink. Nothing felt right, even after I got on the ice.

Flowers: However, nobody else showed up for the 6:30 session! I guess one reward for getting up before Dawn's crack is the empty ice. I did every full-ice pattern I know without fear of running into anyone. What a blast. And, with all that room, I was able to really work on crossovers. Since I got my blade fixed, those CCW crossovers that I've been skidding for months were solid as a rock, and at full speed. I can trust my edges again. Thank you Pat!!

And, I did two (not just one) perfectly centered 2-foot spins. Of course, there was not a soul there as a witness!

Weeds:Not a thing! Except that I wish I could have skated another hour!

Then, I stopped off to get my coffee, and my frequent purchase card was full, so I got it free.

So, are you saying: If NCSkater02 did two perfectly centered 2-foot spins, and no one saw them... they didn't happen?

LOL

Sounds like you had a great skate!

__________________
Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

WEEDS: Bronze moves test in less than two weeks! Back cross overs to landing position was sort of a mess tonight during lesson. We worked on some things and they got better. Back crossovers needed help too....coach got me on track!



FLOWERS: Jumps and Jump combos were just so easy tonight! I landed lutz,half loop,flip. Flip,loop,toe loop,loop. Lutz,loop,toe loop. Sal,toe,loop. loop,half loop,sal. Loop,half loop,flip. Flip,waltz,loop.

I am also getting a good start on back spin. After being off the ice for 5 days while away visiting parents I was very happy with the way I skated tonight.. hitting moves at 6am tomorrow!

__________________
Why are you skating so slowly? Get out of my way!

If you skate faster, it makes everything look better!

You are my idol, MusicSkate Fan. Seriously, wow! Those are some jump combos. I'm hoping to land a sal-loop or loop-loop sometime this year, or maybe next year, or.... And moves practice at 6 a.m. is quite commendable.

For today...

Flowers: Moves weren't too bad, but I think my lobes on the back perimeter crossovers are a bit wonky. I think I'm doing the crossover too early, even though the pattern comes out right. And I've got to stop scraping my toepicks! Waltz-toe felt pretty high, and the salchow felt good, too. The loop was OK - landed a bunch of times, but I know it needs to be higher. Sit and scratch spins were held for a while, but I know the sit spin needs to "sit" more.

Weeds: Backspin - what else is new? Oh well, I'm comforting myself by reminding myself that I can't take FS until I pass moves, so what's the rush? I just wish I was able to pass it.

Weeds:

• During rehearsal for the Fire & Ice I was trying to dodge another skater and I ended up hitting my hand against the wall and broke part of my nail. Lucky for me, it wasn't in the middle of the finger so I could just cut it back and all is well again. But that particular finger is bruised up tonight.
• Was the "clueless gal" again for rehearsals. I'm learning a new ensemble program and was trying to keep up on the routine but half the time I couldn't hear what I was supposed to do. I know what I should do now though... and I should say, it's very cute!!! (Very Betty Boop...) But I sure didn't make it justifiably "Better Boop"-ish...
• And yes, I will be in a cuties bright red skating dress... if you want blackmail pictures, here's your chance!!!
• Couldn't practice much of the Bronze moves b/c it was a very crowd public session tonight. EEEEEEK!!!!
• Camel spins are bad.
• Loop jumps and flips for the most part were bad. I did land ONE flip jump though!!! (I envy you, Debbie!!!)

Flowers

• Sit spins were good.
• Salchow, waltz jumps and toe loops with minor corrections were okay.
• Backspins itself was good! Come out of the backspin was CRAP, but the backspin itself was good...
• Could do ISI 3 change foot spins now.
• Okay, this is probably a "Flowers" though it sure don't feel like it. Primary coach wanted me to do a half lutz. Tried to do a half lutz and accidentally did a full rotation -- therefore, gaving away my secret that I have secretly been playing around on getting a full lutz. Ooops!!!! Coach goes "Ooooh, I didn't know you could do THAT!!! Do that again!!!" Well, to make a long story short, I'm now officially working on a LUTZ and already I'm very close to landing it!!!

__________________
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!!!

Oh no!!

Oh jeez, what are you complaining about? *phew*

You shouldn't keep so many secrets! Especially from your coach! LOL.

__________________
Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

No thanks. I don't need any additional blackmail pics. I have a couple I can use already.

Excellent - I take it that it was the programme you did in France, or was it a dumbed-down version thereof ("Simple steps, beautifully done!" is my coach's mantra for such occasions).

As for me, no skating yet today as there were tests which over-ran. I normally have my lesson on Wednesdays, but my coach isn't in tomorrow so it was booked for this morning. However, we are planning to be in this evening and my coach is hoping he can fit me in then.

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

Yeah, yeah! Har, har!!! The peanut gallery again!!!

Trust me! The one you have is NOTHING compared to the one for this one number for the Fire and Ice costume -- *THIS* takes the cake! It's so cute, it's SICKENING!!! And besides, if all goes well, by next April, half the adult skating community would see jazzpants in a skating dress anyway...

HEY! It still HURTS, 'ya know!!! Being the trooper I am, I skated thru the rehearsal with it still hurting and nail split. I put a Band-aid on during the ice cut and cut back the nail when I got home, so all is (almost) well again.

Hey! I wanted it to be a surprise for him... well, it wasn't exactly the right time, but I got the desired effect anyway.

There is one more secret that's he hasn't seen -- my artistic program!!! But... he'll see it soon enough... especially if he does make it to the rink earlier enough on Wednesday. (Which he won't... he likes his sleep too!)

__________________
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!!!

Actually, AN next year is in March. Shall we start the countdown now?

Hope your finger feels better soon! Congrats on the lutz!

Oh, yeah! I forgot! And I better go back on the Peanut Gallery thread and get an update on everyone who's trying to make it to AN... (It's been a while, huh?)

__________________
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!!!

Flowers: Coach was free at 6.30 pm, so I was able to have my lesson. The ice was a lot slower than it is in the mornings, which was a nuisance, as I didn't get enough speed & flow, or less than I wanted, anyway. Nothing too bad, but not too great, either. Beginning to get the feeling of the back cross-cuts, now, but only beginning. The back cross-rolls were not as good as last week. Then I had to do that exercise where you sprint up one side of the rink, run round the end, and then push and hold your extension all the way back down to the bottom again, and repeat on the other foot, which would have been a lot better had the rink been less crowded!

Afterwards it was Figure Club, as it was my husband's turn to be on duty, but all we have to work on is dance, so we worked a bit on choreographing our free dance. He also worked on his back edges.

Weeds: Whereupon I retailed to him all the corrections I'd just been given on mine - and the [expletive deleted] promptly did them much better, and actually looked good doing them. He was able to put the corrections into practice, which I can't, always.... Grrrrrr.......

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

Wot, no back-spin?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs Redboots Excellent - I take it that it was the programme you did in France, or was it a dumbed-down version thereof .

Hi Annabel: Yes it was the 'Cat' solo I skated in France, but the longer version of it because in France we were limited to a minute fourty seconds, but for the test the time needed to fall between two and three minutes. The long version of said programme runs two minutes seventeen seconds, and it feels like an eternity.

Flowers: That cat solo is my favourite solo ever

Weeds: The time has almost come to say goodbye to the cat. After Ottawa and SF I will need a new Interpretive

__________________
If you keep your eyes on God, you can walk on water.

Flowers!!!: I landed a few axels! They were a little bit cheated and my position was kind of...strange...but I still landed a few!

Weeds: I learned back 3 turns today for the Jr Bronze skills (even though I still haven't passed preliminary )...they are way harder than they look!! lol Those are going to need some practice!

Hi, Raye! By "SF" do you mean that you'll be skating at Skate San Francisco in Nov??? Just curious...

__________________
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!!!

Hey now--don't rain on my parade! Considering I've only been spinning again for a month, and struggled with it before I broke my ankle, I thought it was pretty good.

Besides, tracings count as evidence.

Now, I just need to start trying scratch again.

Flowers:
Skated very well given the fact that I've been off the ice dealing with illness/death in the family. Did a almost clean runthrough of my freeskate and for the first time ever hit all three spins (sit, forward and backscratch) in program. Then coach and I looked at a old artistic program that I will do at Peach for Interpretive (it was my mom's favorite). Coach says that if I can look at the video, I may get what I've forgotten back.

Weeds:
Simply put and I apologize for posting the news for the upteenth time, my mother passed away yesterday. After having a open cholecystectomy in March, her 71 year old body couldn't take it anymore.

As for the rink today, too many little ones and beginners on freestyle!

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

Hi Jazzpants: Yup, I am planning to compete in San Fransisco in November. I have never been to SF before and skating is a GREAT excuse to go. See you there!

__________________
If you keep your eyes on God, you can walk on water.