Sunny because it's sunny right now, stormy... well they are calling for a chance of storms later today...

anyways.. it was Tango day.

Sunny: Large chunks of the dance are definitely better and stronger, and for the most part, the partnering is better. We choreo'd the ending for Pro-Am... another dip. So I get to dip on the intro and dip on the ending...

For much of the lesson, coach and I had the ice all to ourselves.

Stormy: We did a 2-pattern sequence to the music and the 2nd pattern reeked royally. Very little flow from right after the cross-roll RFO3 through to the end of the dance. Said to coach that we need to do a lot of 2-pattern or 1 1/2 pattern sequences, because normally a 1-pattern sequence with exit is pretty good.

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

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

Sunny: Skated on Saturday at rink where New Years Adult competition was held. Quiet freestyle session! no more than 5 skaters on Ice! I had great moves workout! My back crossovers were great! I got to do power 3's...all aspects of bronze moves went well. Worked on jumps...those were good. Only tried a couple of combos.

Stormy: It was a 45 minute drive in the rain to get there! My skates are holding me back....new ones to come soon but not in time for Adult Workshop on Saturday

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

If you skate faster, it makes everything look better!

Sunny: got to skate on Saturday!!! Scratch spin was back!!! Even did some waltz jumps!!! Get to skate on Saturday again at the Adult Edge Workshop-hopefully I won't look like a doofus (unless my back stays cricked, then I won't be able to help it). I even found a 'skate' dress at a thrift shop (or it will be a skate dress when I get done with it.

Stormy: nerve compression on foot started burning/numbing after 1.5 hours so at the end of the session I was ready to get off the ice; I've got to fix something in my skate for it. Lower back was also acting up-get to see the chiropractor today (Monday) to correct it. I have a feeling it was all the junk I've been moving/cleaning/tossing out at home on Wednesday, because it didn't start hurting until Thursday.

MusicSkateFan--don't feel bad-I've got no moves and no jumps! (I've been told waltz jumps don't count )

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

Flo and I managed to start new "how goes it" threads at almost the same time!!!

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

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

Sunny: Yesterday's lesson was a good one. I'd had time since the last one to memorize the pattern for the Dutch Waltz (gotta start somewhere ) so we had a chance to work a little on the presentation of the moves, and to try out the Canasta Tango as well. On the other hand, it needed to be a good one...

Stormy: ...as we got word on Friday that the rink we have been skating at was permanently closing as of yesterday, with dismantling to begin today. That leaves us no prepared fallback position, so I have no idea where or when the next lesson will be.

Rob Dean

oops! Good timing!

I waited to see which thread to post on - glad we came to an agreement - LOL!


Sunny: Looking forward to show practice this evening. I'm going to try and go early so I can see the other groups' programs.

Stormy: Still faking those footwork steps. Ah, well. My skates gave me some stupendous arch cramps last week. I'm going to try and warm up my foot muscles better before putting on my skates tonight. Any stretching tips?

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Sunny: Got our test papers sent off, so all should be in line for Thursday. Coach will confirm later - hope it is, because if it isn't, we won't be able to test until next Winter.

Runthroughs mostly okay, once I slipped on my RFO3 and didn't make it, but mostly they went well. Coach incredibly picky.....

Stormy: But after Thursday, we only have 4 more lessons before we have to compete the thing at Bracknell! We're away for a fortnight and have 2 other competitions to prep for. MAJOR PANIC because test dance is 1 mn & competition 1'30", plus it has been dumbed down to the max for testing.

So I think that as husband is only working for his level 4 moves in his private lessons, and isn't ready to test them yet, we'll grab his private lesson "for the duration" and get his coach to work on the free dance with us, then use our 30-minute lesson with our normal coach to work on the compulsories. Plus I am going to have to do a 2-minute cut of my Interpretive music and get that choregraphed before we go, even though the MC only requires 1'40". Sheesh, why can't there be a bit of joined-up thinking here, I don't think Barbara always realises how awkward things are for the UK contingent....

Sunny again: I almost forgot - I actually spun on the sweet spot of my blades! And husband and I were playing with the "last 30 seconds" of our free dance (we've decided to change it from last year's version, which didn't work very well), and he actually managed to lift me, although from a standstill....

Plus I think we'll get Xavier or Lionel to give us a private lesson during the MC Camp.... maybe it won't be so awful, after all..... and if we come last, that'll be no change there, then!

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

Sunny Had 1 1/2 hours of lessons last night, 1 hour figure skating and 1/2 hour learning to ice dance for the first time. My mohawks are getting much better, my inside edges are pretty good too. Had lots of fun with husband trying to learn dutch waltz.

Stormy I had missed the previous group lesson as I was overseas and didn't learn how to do outside edges until last night, the coach was grumping at me for not doing them properly. Learning the dutch waltz, which uses outside edges so I was doing pretty badly, luckily husband kept me upright and we didn't fall over. I can't do 3 turns to save myself.

kiwibabe's post reminded me of my chuckle for the day:

I just checked out my profile on USFSA.org, and looked at my registered tests. Now, I tested in the 1980's, so I didn't expect anything to be on the page. I burst out laughing: it shows I passed the DUTCH WALTZ! It's funny because there weren't any freestyle tests passed, which I don't think is accurate since I competed freestyle. It's hilarious to me because I never liked Dance! I don't even remember taking the test!

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Sunny:
Had lesson today- coach says that there is improvement on the power perimeter stroking. Spins were not bad.

Stormy:
Coach told me that between the power perimeter stroking and my salchow, she sees where I have a hard time trusting a back inside edge. She suggested practicing back edges, which I did, that took away any chance of running a program. Or, I should really say, I'm just not that motivated to do my programs- heck I have 4 months until Peach!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Sunny
I did my first test yesterday and passed, it was very easy . Only forward and back cross overs in both directions, bunny hops, spirals forward and backward in all the edges, pivots, 2 foot spin, slides and all the stops.
I'm also very happy with my coach, he's really nice and patient.



Stormy:
I'm learning the axel, but I can't rotate it enough, the best has been one quarter cheated, it seems like I'll never get it.

Stormy: Literally! it is the second on may and we had snow and hail today.
Also I landed my axel a couple times but haven't been able to repeat it.

Sunny: I LANDED my axel a couple times!! Im also testing Keats Foxtrot on wednesday!

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Hurrah for Desert Skaters! YAY for Jeff Buttle and Virtue and Moire!

Sunny:
I found out today that the costume company can supply mine in time for me to be in the coaches' number in our show on 5/21, so I wrote out my check and stayed for the rehearsal.

Stormy:
I'm in the @#!%*# coaches' number. Almost the first thing that happened to me at the rehearsal was that I took a tremendous flop on the little dancy steps, which look easy, and probably are, if you are under 50 and have some turnout. I went straight down with a huge thud and one of those jolts right up my spine to my skull. Didn't even think about my right wrist until a friend asked me about it, having remembered that I broke it on a similar fall several years ago. Right arm is sore, but everything seems OK. I took 600 mg of ibuprofen right away, and will probably spend some time on a heating pad later. Another fun thing about this is that everything they are doing is too fast for me. My coach (one of the best skaters in it), said to me afterwards, that I would pick it all up. Yeah, right, maybe if I had three months instead of three weeks. Anyway, starting at 3 PM, I had skated for 1.5 hours for myself, had 40 min off, then taught for 30 minutes and had another 30 minutes off before rehearsal. I had to stop at the supermarket on the way home, which of course, was in the rain. And I had to cook dinner for hubby when I got home. It was just finished when he came in at a quarter past 11. At least I should sleep well tonight .

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Sunny:
Went to weekend rink and it wasn't as crowded today! HOORAY!!!

Stormy:
The Zam was down for the count and I was skating on CRAPPY ICE!!! They did finally get the Zam running again... just as I was taking off my skates to go to the gym!!!

Also, not much energy in me to skate. I didn't even want to go to the gym afterwards but I need all the gym time I can get.

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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!!!

Sunny:
Much smoother ice and the rink wasn't that crowded tonight so I got some good practice in. Still could get the right amount of speed vs. consistency on the power 3's.

Stormy:
Watched primary coach took a nasty spill on his butt/back. He had to sit in the penalty box until he was able to skate and was escorted off the ice to go home.

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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!!!

Oh dear, Jazzpants, I do hope he is okay. Please give him my best wishes.

My husband landed on his hip today, which hurt. He frequently lands on his bottom, which he doesn't mind, but took a minute or two to recover from his hip fall - he's working on outside Mohawks and cannot keep his feet underneath him. Not too surprising, really, since his sticks his bottom out and looks at the ice while he's doing them..... He has wonderful speed & flow most of the time, far better than mine (some of you would be very jealous of his alternating 3s, I know I am), but his posture is disgraceful for an ice-dancer!

Anyway, Sunny: My boots are so comfortable now I barely notice them! I am loving the responsiveness of my new blades, too - I just bend my knees an inch more and they shoot off way faster ("I told you that!" said my coach. "Yes," said I, "but until now nothing happened when I did it!")

We ran through our free dance a couple of times. It's okay - it'll have need to be, the test is definitely on for Thursday morning! Husband and coach are both convinced we'll fail, but I am optimistic. Anyway, if we do, at least we'll get some feedback - and it's only level 1, when you think what they do pass at Level 1.... well, we'll see.

Stormy: My Interp.... I don't like it! I mean, I do - I love the music, and what I'm trying to do, and some of it's fine, but the beginning is awful. I'm going to have to rechoreograph it, I think, or get my coach to help me. I do want to keep the twizzles if I can (I can do a beautiful double RBI twizzle, and it's the only double twizzle I have), but I am not sure they are working.... Some of it's working just fine, though.... and if I'm going to do a 2-minute version for this country, I shall have to get it up and running before I go to the Mountain Cup, as I won't have a lesson between then and the first competition I want to do the 2-minute version at!

I think I shall be a much happier woman on 27 June!

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

I will. And no worries... he'll be okay. I did noticed that he went around the rink with the person that escorted him off the ice... just went around with the friend and talking afterwards right before getting escorted off the ice. And I did see him walk out of the rink with the friend, so I think with some ice he should be okay. (Or at least I sure hope so... I have a makeup lesson today with him!)

Good luck on your test!!! Pass or not, at least you'll get feedback from the judges.

__________________
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!!!

Good news, bad news, who knows? Be of good cheer and just fake it. Remember: when I tell you to try the little steps on the wall, I mean it.

SUNNY:
Practice went all right last night. They rearranged the group again and because the choreographers are in it, they've stopped watching the other skaters. We're getting near the end of the program.

Other than the "dancy little dance steps", I'm doing well with the routine. Speed's not an issue - it's the artistry. Did a couple of great back spins as well as a sit spin.

STORMY:
Have to work on the artistic arms and motions. And the deathly dance steps.

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Just curious, where is this?

Sunny today:
Moves rocked on lesson today, as did my scratch and sit spins and salchow!

Stormy:
Coach #2 asked me to try a chage foot spin today- I haven't done one since my ISI days!
I also felt that my toe loop was a little off- Coach said it was good, but it didn't feel right. i told her I noticed that the jumps are backsliding because of moves!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Benfield Pines Ice Rink in Severna Park, Maryland. There are other rinks around, so I've got places to practice; so I am sorrier for the rest of the regulars there than for myself; one teary teen mentioned that she had been skating there since she was two at the last session on Sunday, and the sale was finalized in the middle of a lesson etc. session, just a few weeks before everything was due to go down for maintenance anyway. What difference would three weeks have made to the buyer? It seems gratuitously cruel. Anyway, I am on hold for lessons until my coach is in with another rink.

Rob Dean

Ran through all the elements for the pre-figures test.

Sunny: Edges forwards and backwards A-OK. Figure eights Ok except for a curious little wobble on my left leg when I shift my foot from back to front. Coach sez standing up straighter should solve the problem. I do OK on my right and she sez my back is nice and straight.

Stormy: Waltz 8. Ok except in the transition from backout edge to forward outside edge. Too scratchy and I don't open my hips up enough.

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

Ok, I did the Wow! or Woops! thread so I'll just say on this one

I skated today!



Only 14 weeks off ice.

Sunny: I skated today and my coach was in a good mood and I landed my axel! yaaaaay! thanx everybody for your advice! it helped.

Storm: my program is still a little shaky

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Skating is suppose to be fun , no PRESSURE at all

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

Edited to add: Welcome back on the ice, NCSkater02!

Sunny:

The majority of the moves are stable or getting better...

Power 3's are stable but still slow. When I try to go fast, things fall apart, so my coach says to go slow until I get my technique consistent... This could be a while... but he reassured me that I'm much better than 6 months ago on this move!

5 step mohawk... except for the two RFI mohawk hops on the second half of the move, he's happier with the move... he did occasionally have to remind me to make my edge deeper and curvier on step 4. I didn't seemed to hop on the first half of the move.

The rest of the moves are fine except for back crossovers on the end patterns, so I made my coach work me on this for a good portion of the lesson. Things got better over time... but I gotta practice some more.

There were only two storms today though...

Stormy 1:
I took a tumble today. Primary coach immediately yells "YAAAAAY!!!! Jazzpants fell down again!!! YAAAAAY!!!" before asking if I was okay... (and before I had a chance to say "I'm gonna kill you for this someday, but you're injured now...) I'm okay. Knee is slightly bruised but I could still skate...

Then he yelled out to his Gold Men student "Now if we could get <Gold Men student's name> to fall too!" (Yelling out loud intentionally so <Gold level student> WOULD know he's razzing him!!!) Alright, so I got a Gold level man who's an even bigger chicken than me...

Then another fellow skater (former student of my primary coach but now skating with another coach) mentioned after the session that he thought it was humorous that I fell -- he thought he'd never see the day that I take a tumble in front of him...(Oh, brother!!! )

Worst part, I wish I could say that I fell from doing something spectacular but...I fell from running over the orange cones laid out for public session!!! (Which ironically is one of the things I'm dead afraid of having lessons during public sessions. Guess I got that fear taken care of now!!!)

Stormy 2:
Primary coach said that this morning was getting out of bed "like he's an old man." He was in such pain getting out of bed. He also had a hard time sleeping b/c he sleeps on the side where he's hurt. (OUCH!!!) But he did say that he's already feeling a little better than last night. But until next week, he'll probably teach me from the penalty box. I feel so bad for the guy...

__________________
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!!!