The longest night of the year is this week. With the Solstice, we can celebrate the return of sunshine to our lives, and dawn moving back to early morning where it belongs. Except for our far Southern companions who will see the days shorten. Are you skating in the dark, or are you already in daylight?

Daylight - Sal going quite well, who'd have thunk it after hearing me whine for all these months? Had a couple of change foot spins where I even got a couple of revs after the change.

DD was in the rink skating show last night with her learn to skate group. She was so excited to be the one who was skating, while I left mine at home.

Darkness - Trying to stay off the flat on the dance step, it seems impossible on the FOM. I'm just convinced I'm going to fall backwards onto my head and chicken out to a flat just before the step. I know it's just in my head, I have a good lean on BO edge rolls both ways, but the transition is scary.

Daylight - I have a hard time with off the rack dresses because I'm tall. I tried a twizzle extra large, but it was huge around. I finally took the thing out of the closet and attacked it with the serger. Now it is a stunning custom fit. I think I'll be trimming it up for my next competition dress. One more lesson before coach goes on vacation for the holidays, we'll see if she approves the color.

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It's all about the dress!

Darkness - That's what it is when I start Power class at 6 am. Both DD and I are going backward full speed....coach yells warning but it's way to late - POW a back to back collision. I swear I run into my daughter more than anyone else.

Since it was the last class we got to do "requests" and what they love to do is skate each other's program - so you follow the person around and do their program. DD did her Novice freestyle. Yea right. Even she was too tired to finish it. I had better luck with the pre-pre program. We never got to mine.

Then my DD helped me with the Swing. She's going to start teaching Dance to the lower level dance students since our coach is leaving (yes she's a PSA member and will be taking her basic accrediation test soon) She's picked up a bad habit from our former coach. She yells "NO" when you do something wrong. Told DD "I didn't find that helpful when _____ did it and it doesn't work any better from you" But she did help me with picky stuff "Keep your feet closer on back chasses, point your toe in the swing roll" and straightened me out on the timing of chasses which was off.

Daylight My mohawks are fine now so I can work on other parts of the dance.

I pulled an all-nighter last night and only slept a few hours AFTER the deadline this morning. Also I've been having this flu which makes me nauseous if I try to eat anything other than fruit for days now, and I practiced a lot of sit spins today. So after an hour, I was *completely* broken. Though I think there's a little bit of progress with the sit spin now that I'm bending my free leg like the class coach suggested.

The camel's kind of back though. It felt more secure in lessen yesterday.

I did film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru7xJyWMsYw
I also kinda did a few attempts at a layback and scratch (the not a clue about them being called is for the dutch skating forum), it would actually help if I knew what I were doing, since we're not getting that in class. The only one I was actually bending back on it, not just looking up, was 95% out of the filming area so that sucked.

Apparently I look down on my crossrolls (never knew), and all the uncentered spins do still seem to have that leg which I rush forward which doubletoe pointed out last time, but more spins have been centered since I'm aware of it, so it's working on it.

Darkness:
-my Silver Moves need a lesson. Desperately. Especially the 8-step mohawk and the 3-turns. And the cross strokes.

Daylight:
-pulled off a couple decent sit spins & even a couple sit-change-sits They aren't back to normal, but they're getting closer!
-did a few camels that were better than Saturday's; even tried a couple of camel-sits (not pretty, but I could do them!)
-spirals
-backspins felt more secure
-power pulls have improved some

Daylight Got 30 minutes of practice time in on Sunday- when I normally don't get to skate. I was in jeans, so it was a real light practice. Ran my bronze moves, did some spins and waltz jumps, then went grocery shopping. It was nice to be on the ice.

Darkness I'm not going to be able to test my bronze moves in February I passed PB Free late this summer, and had hoped to have bronze moves ready by February, but my coach hasn't really been focusing on them, and recently I found out I was practicing some things wrong. They aren't BAD, I'd say they are okay- I could take the test to see if I luck into a pass, but I want to be able to skate the test in my sleep before I go and test it. These tests make me so nervous- just reading the test thread, and reading about tests makes my heart pound. So I'll probably have to wait until the summer unless there are some late spring tests too. It seems like all the clubs have February sessions. I wish they would take note of other clubs sessiosn and then scatter them a bit- so you could retry at a different club.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Bronze moves are tricky. They fool you into thinking they are easy, and I discovered if they seemed too easy to me, I was doing them wrong. I practiced the back crossovers for months with my weight on the wrong foot!

j

Darkness - Waking up in the pitch black, driving to the rink in utter dark. Getting my cold sleep-deprived butt moving. Jumps were not happening, I was just grounded.

Coming to the end of my program and wondering why there is so much music left - oh yes, because I forgot the salchow.

Sunlight - Good edges and flow. Nice speed on back spiral. FO mohawk in the dance step getting edgier. Some progress on backspin.

Walking out of the rink into a stunning winter sunrise. It is so beautiful, I catch my breath.

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It's all about the dress!

In The Spotlight: Wow, what a skate! Had a REAL good work out and worked on a bit of everything. Actually had a couple of Toe Loops get UP in the air and land solidly (though the check-out needs some cleanup). A couple of Waltz/Toe combinations really clicked, as did some of the Upright Spins. In lesson with coach, some of the Sit Spins actually happened and were low enough to count.

For an over-weight 58 year old broad who has been skating not quite 2 years sometimes I amaze myself!

Blackout! By the time I got to the office OMG was I stiff and sore!

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Daylight:
All that stretching is paying off - someone noticed the height of my spiral leg!
Managed a decent spiral sequence several times.
MITF were good; moved the crossover circle patterns to center ice instead of using the hockey circles. Much better and controlled.
Threes on the line: almost there! The LFO are still giving me a problem but that's my unpointed toe.
Nailed the Pre-Juv power crossover patterns.

Jumps were good, spins were good. Didn't do any combos - maybe next time.

Darkness:
Not pointing my toes enough on everything.
Camels (fwd/back) are on a walkabout...

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Daylight: Like Rusty, had a great workout in our lesson this morning. Coach worked us mostly on things that required our shoulders to face one way while our hips stayed square, like runs round the circle and stroking in Foxtrot hold.

Darkness: As a result of which, I am pretty darn stiff!

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

LOL me too, why does that happen? Seems like a magnet between us sometimes.

Daylight - practicing for pre-bronze moves, and it seems to be coming along well. Hope to be testing Jan. 14. Back spin - omg, I can start to see some progress - small, tiny progress. Baby steps. One time around before it turns into three turns. Sometimes one and a half.

Darkness - centering spins again - pulling free foot around too fast (same issue as Sessy). Spirals are coming along - getting foot up above hips. But I still feel sensitive about them b/c I have way too much stomach and butt - doesn't look so pretty. Can only bring myself to try them when there are less than 3 people on the ice.

LOL You are just too funny. Rusty Blades I absolutely love you!!!! LOL Congrats on your progress that really is pretty amazing. My mom is 44 and I can't get her out on the ice at all.


DayLight: Worked on edge pulls like crazy today. They were better than they've ever been. I finally got the idea of getting down in the ankles. It's really helping my 3 turns and my jump entrances too. Axels were effortless today. I was actually overrotating the first 3 attempts. Held back the rotation a little and was able to land cleanly. I did at least 10 of them just to set them in my muscle memory. Then we went on to axel-loop and then axel-double loop. axel-loop was fine and I almost had the double loop on the end. I have to work on stabilizing the landing on the axel with the free foot still forward. I'm so used to going into a landing position that it feels funny to hold the free leg in front and jump again. I'm leaning too far forward for the double loop. I don't have the control to go up into a double just yet. But give me time and I'll be there.

Darkness: Flying Camel still sux. Double lutz still isn't happening for me. I have no idea why. It's probably all mental. Ohh well. Today was a good skating day.


BlackManSkating

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Proud to be one of the few black men out on the ice

Goals
Pass my Silver Moves Test
Finish Choreography for Silver Program
Land a Clean Double Toe and Double Lutz
Work on Double Axel and Rockers
Speed up back Camel

Okay, this is REALLY the last lesson with primary coach for this year! HONEST!!! (Actually I got a phone call from primary coach that afternoon asking if I want to take a Monday night lesson since I'm gonna be there anyway. I took it!!! So I wasn't lying when I said last Thursday was my last lesson with primary coach for the year... )

Daylight:
Landed a bunch of loops and flips!!! Camel spins are getting there. Just have to STAY DOWN!!! (The torso that is...) The new footwork for the FS program is slightly smoother but still slow in parts.

Darkness:
No Loop-loops landed during the lesson. Landed one RIGHT AFTER the lesson and the guy who was watching my lesson saw it and cheered!!! This brings me to...

Also, back sits are funky.... and I gotta learn to do this spin faster, since I want to guaratee that I'll get in at least 3 revs. in during my program in position. Of course, doesn't help that primary coach made me do this spin at the beginning of the lesson AND the public session (i.e. NO WARMUP!!!)

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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!!!

Daylight:
I actually got to skate today!! After bad weather and bad luck (my car got hit on Thursday and is now in the shop ), I FINALLY got to skate today! It was wonderful after not being on the ice for a week.

I also contacted the person on campus who coordinates the LTS at our rink and she's going to keep me in mind for LTS in the future soooo excited!

Got my skates sharpened...but, that also leads into the "darkness"....

Jumps were good...minus the lutz...

Moves were really good today! I was able to get my power circles to exit on opposite ends, the power-3 pattern felt good, back double-3s were good...the outsides need a bit more control, but nothing horrible, brackets were decent...still turning too early on some of the back outsides, and the slide chasse pattern was nice and fast and controlled.

Darkness:
With the skates sharpened, I found that I was skidding a bit into my spins...don't know what that's about....but I do know that a previous sharpening had caused a "dip" right behind my toepick (darn hockey sharpener! ) so, my current sharpener is trying to get rid of that, so every time I get my skates sharpened, I need to readjust.

My mind is playing tricks on me with my lutz. I didn't land a one tonight The lutz is that one jump that always gave me issues as a kid, which is quite weird because my flips are awesome (I know...not the same jump...they are on different edges, but to me they have similar qualities). I only ever landed my lutz in competition once So, I definitely think I have something mental going on...I KNOW I can land that jump, and I have done it, but shoot, there is just something about it!

The ice was really crowded today...was only able to try 2 lutzes without gaining points for taking someone out....but, the second session was empty...nice for doing moves

Daylight: I've been practicing doing my axels in a "program" atmosphere - ie, out of steps/preceeding elements. So far it's been flying camel, lutz, spiral, axel, and the axel is about 90% successful. Axel-loop still isn't very consistent as it depends on a just -right axel to get the loop off, so I may have to do just one axel in my competitive program. Also officially learned the Blues today!

Darkness: Blues will require much practice before it is ready to solo at Sectionals. I may have to work on the Damn Tango more, as I can see how the steps for the Blues really builds on things you learn in the Tango.

Daylight - lesson this morning, worked hard on toeloop takeoff and finer points of program. Showed her the dress I'm planning to use - I have a twizzle velvet tress in XL, which I bought for the length because I'm tall, but was just huge around. I took it in by adding princess line seams and now it fits great and has more interest with the extra lines. I'm going to add stones and feathers (coach said think bird for the program) to dress it up for competition.

Darkness - coach on vacation, no lessons till sometime in January. sob.

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It's all about the dress!

Daylight Passed Freestyle 1 for the fourth time! LOL (The group lessons I take do elements up through Freestyle 4, but for whatever reason the coach only evaluates us to Freestyle 1- because most of the kids can't do the waltz 8, or chasses or whatever the "extra" in the level is. I've actually passed through Freestyle 3, although now my backspin has regressed, I couldn't pass it now).

We worked on mohawks for the first part of class. He asked for a 5 step mohawk, so I did 3 lobes of it, and then realized everyone else was going in a circle. I skated back- and asked if I did the wrong pattern, because I was confused how it wasn't changing feet. Turned out everyone else was doing a 4 step mohawk, and not well, so he told me to just switch to that. On my bad side I worked on speed in this pattern (since the 4 step is fairly easy) and was only sort of wobbly. On my good side I really could fly, got a great compliment from the instructor, then switched to outside mohawks instead- just so I wouldn't run down the kids. The outside mohawks are slowly getting better. My "good" outside mohawks might actually be better than my bad inside mohawks.

I also got a compliment on a split jump- but I don't think it was because it was good, so much as because I was the only one opening into a "center" split instead of a "side" split.

Before LTS I had to go shopping, but there were so few people on the ice I grabbed 20 minutes of solid practice time for moves instead. I really pysched myself out on the 3 turns and was putting my foot down on the left side almost everyturn, if I could even get into the turn. The 5-step is a little better, but pretty pitiful. My alt forward crossovers are going well, I just need to count how many I do, because the second side tends to have more power, and I do fewer. Can't do that! My backward alt crossovers have the same problems. My backward crossovers to back outside edge are getting better. I'm not leaning over like a tippy bird anymore! BUT my left leg was shaking like crazy when I was holding the right edge. Don't know what that is about.

I'm also a bit worried about my focus, especially on the back crossovers. My coach is having me do them fast with power, placement of weight is obviously important, but secondary to a strong push from both feet- and I've noticed another skater who is practicing with her coach, who is going very slowly and methodically- showing every weight transfer. I know she can skate fast- so I'm assuming she isn't doing it on purpose. Same on power 3s. My coach wants fast and strong- but another (different from the first) skater and her coach are doing the same move, but slow and methodical, with even size lobes on both sides of the axis (my crossover lobes are larger than my turn lobes). I guess i need to dig out my rulebook. I probably also need to stop paying attention to other skaters and just listen to my coach!

Darkness LTS is over until January- and then I miss the first class. I used to really dislike group lessons but this instructor is fantastic! He really does a good job of working with the group, and he's a really great coach when he works one on one.

Also, I have really bad tendonitis in my feet/ankles and it hadn't been bothering me for a long time, and skating hasn't really aggrevated it. Well yesterday something (non-skating) got it really flamed up, and then skating was just horrible. During the group class we did half-loops and I thought my foot was going to fall off it hurt so badly (since I was landing on the foot that had been hurting). My moves mad it hurt a bit too, but nothing like that jump! Today I can hardly walk, but I don't think that's so much to do with skating- since this has been going on for years and years.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Darkness

It's so dark and cold in the morning!

Daylight

First time in weeks I've actually made it to my lesson on time.

We started with the 5 step mohawk but worked more on steps 2-4 than the mohawk. I seemd to be reluctant to really open up and look back on the back outside edge. Also worked on really bending my knees and leaning so I step forward on a true outside edge. She doesnt' even want me to do anything other than those on the line for now.

Then we did my two foot slaloms that are preparing me for power pulls. She said they looked good and I'm better at getting power from both feet...but we didn't move ahead to one foot yet.

Then we dragged out my artistic since I'm competing that in mid-January. I dont' think I've done it since I competed it in November so I was amazed that I remembered it. I thought I did it better than when I competed it but when I said that to my coach she said "You think so?" and made no more comment.

I was supposed to run through my freestyle during my practice but no one was playing music and I'm not good at "push and run" so I just ran through it without music. THis January is my daughter's last competition and then she's going to focus on testing - I think after this I too will just work on dance and moves. I never really did like freestyle. Today I don't like it anyway.

j

Daylight: Last lesson with Coach1 for the year (we have two more lessons with Coach2, though). Last time we have to get up at 5:45, as I finish work tomorrow, and until I find a new job, 6:00 will have to do and it feels much more civilised!

Darkness: Still don't really understand how to finish off my edges properly. Coach1 was trying to help me do this today.

Do find it hard to keep my hips forward and to rebend properly for the push-off on forward swing rolls. I keep dropping my hips, and sticking my bum out. Sigh.

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

Daylight
Well I'm techincally on holiday in the US and my jumps aren't gone, so I guess thats a good thing, I skated outdoors for the first time ever and even once in the rain lol... (and it was still less wet than my local rink on a bad day... go figure)

I also skated at hackensack... if anyone else saw me idling the whole day away there... please come up and say hi... kinda bored doing that because my mum can only send me there in the morning and pick me up after work... won't be there tomorrow though, friday next

Darkness
My knee kinda hurts... but I brought my tennis ball and exercise band so I can continue physio exercises incase my knee would go bonkers (and it did) so yeah...

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Tidesong

I totally agree about that murphy's law thing!!! Always happens, I personally think that its due to the different pressure when the lesson is done. Anyways I always tell myself that it only means that if I can land it infront of coach, then its going to be so much consistent by then no?

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~
Tidesong

How fun!! Where did you skate outdoors?
Sorry you're a little bored, but I must say, if I had to be stuck somewhere all day, that rink would be at the top of the list! Whom have you seen practicing there this week?

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Darkness:

Screwed up my first loop on my first run thru. Secondary coach stopped the music immediately and had me start over.

Daylight:

Landed my loop on the second try at the second and full run thru and then made me go thru the beginning again right up to the loop and landed that one, just b/c I just don't wanna have to go thru another try at the beginning b/c I'm just so tired from the second full run thru.

Darkness again:

Flip is in need of a LOT of work. It's landed clean for the most part, but I need to fix quite a bit of the technique.

Waltz jump was funky until...

Daylight again:

I "walk thru it" at the wall a few times, THEN it's okay!

And in off ice training news:

My other personal trainer (not the ballet one) did another measurement, since by now I should be at my goal for her:

Weight: 122 lb. (this is with gym clothes on, which means I'm really somewhere between 120-121lb. Oops! I lost some! I'll gain it back again in NYC though. JUUUUUST wait!!!

Body Fat %: Well, not to trust that little machine but... I'm now at 25.4%

Hip: 36"
Waist: 29 1/2" !!! (Nothing for over a month!!! God, I hate that tummy!!! )
Chest: 32 1/2" (It shrunk!!! Gotta go find some clothes to "add some more to the top"!!! )

I can't remember the arm measurements. We are now working on maintanance and it seems the goal is to tone more at the arms, upper back, shoulders... basically all upper body and abs. She said I need to "redistribute the weight around." Of course, she said "Short of surgery, I can't redistribute my abs to my chest. Sorry!!!" (DRATS!!!)

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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!!!

darkness......did not skate tonight. Son was (is) sick with bronchitis and looks terrible! Altho he can stay home by himself I felt better staying home with him while hubby went to work....so I worked on costumes.

My coach did call and remind me that next week she would not be there for lessons (day after Christmas)...Which leaves about 2 weeks to prepare for the exhibition! YIKES!!! At least my program is only 1 minute long! And I haven't done crossovers in about a month!

Oh well....it's just an exhibition! I can HAM it up!!!!

as one of the girls at the rink says, "GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!!"

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

Be careful with the feathers...they tend to shed on the ice. An old trick is to spray them with Aquanet Hairspray....try it a bit first (not on the dress!!!!) and see how that does.

Most rinks ban feathers, fyi, because of the shedding; you just can't seem to get away from it.

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