Annabel-you and your husband seem pretty well matched as far as partnering goes.

I'm having doubts skating with my husband . He just doesn't seem to either get it or want to extend his strokes to glide longer, or go for a deeper bite on the ice for that stronger push. I have to take baby-strokes and I still out-pace him.

It's very frustrating. I get mad, he gets mad and i feel like just rolling him along anyways .

Does anyone have any suggestions that would help him as far as this goes? Maybe some tips? I'm pretty sure it is a security issue and he might be a bit timid to go faster.

My other question involves the Dutch Waltz-the 2 edges before the first progressive, how much of an extension should there be on the free leg? I'm not sure and having a harder time where the free leg should be on the one on the inside (left leg) for the right edge. It goes left forward outside, then right forward outside edge-this part is awkward....

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

Hi Skate-at Del. Put the focus on power and not speed. Many times all it takes is for one or both partners to actually slow the pace af the strokes and as you said extend them. By doing this you will actually have more powerful crossovers, need fewer and will gain the speed, but controlled.
I would start by counting the strokes out for you both and making sure the first and second steps of the crossover are even. Then you can also work on the reach of the second step.
If he's a real beginner, it may take a while before he's comfortable with this.
I'd also do this side by side without holding on, then with holding. A good drill is to do simple left-right stroking down the length of the ice and then do crossovers at the ends.

Whatever you do - enjoy!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

Celebrity Stupid cold has prevented me from doing any spins and what spins I do are very off centered. Also for some reason my right leg is super owie....feels like a tendon above my ankle on the outside got pulled. I noticed this a week ago but didn't pay it any mind. Today when I was working on some basic jumps it was killing me so I backed off and didn't bother jumping for the rest of the day.

I hate the 3 turn pattern on the pre-bronze MITF. Just thought I'd share.

The waltz 8 pattern still has me confused too - the counts don't seem to be a "waltz" - can anyone clarify what they should be. Right now my coach has me holding the right outside edge for 4, 3 turn, pushing back on the left foot outside edge for 4, then stepping on the forward right outside edge for 4 back to center. Aren't waltzes done in a 1-2-3 pattern? Maybe it's a waltz because it's in 3 parts but the count is different? I don't see my coach for another week and I don't want to practice it wrong, any tips?

Pro I spent some time working on forward crossovers today and I think I made some progress. The "one push-pick up" method was just too weird so I really concentrated on using the underpush and not pushing with the toe and it helped a lot with flow and stability. I worked the crossovers in both directions - at first the clockwise were terrible but with time I think they'll get better. My thing is that I hope they let us warm up stuff before testing because my crossovers need a good 2-3 laps around before they start to even LOOK like crossovers. Backwards crossovers weren't too bad but more scratchy than usual. Perimeter stroking was okay, I practiced in both directions. Edges were better, but I still need to not be so snaky on the back outsides.

I think I might bring the video camera in a couple of weeks to tape how my MITF look because right now I can't believe my coach when she says I should be ready to test in a couple of months. Either she's smoking something or I'm being WAY to critical.

Remember, Pre-Bronze is Pass/Retry and is supposed to be treated as an encouragement test.

Having said that, though, if your elements are close to what your coach or other coaches think is Adult Bronze or standard track Preliminary standards when you're doing them in a training environment, that will ensure that if the dreaded nerves kick in, you can still skate them at or above passing standard.

waltz 8

RFO for 3 counts, RFO3 on 4th count and hold on RBI for 2 counts (1st third of circle), LBO for 6 counts (2nd third of circle), RFO for 6 counts at which time you should be at your center. Repeat on other side with LFO (3 counts), turn LFO3 on on 4th count hold LBI for 2 counts, then RBO for 6 counts, then step forward LFO back to center for 6 counts.

Hope this helps.

You should be able to basically find your center (not as precisely as on the figures version of this exercise, but not be way way off) and the BO-FO mohawk/step forward, you should definitely be on an edge (so that the overall circle has some semplance to a circle, not a nice half-circle on one half and the other half looking like half an eg.

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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...

^wow....when you explained the counts like that what my coach showed me makes so much more sense. My biggest problem is the BO-FO transition but...I'll work on it.

Thanks!

Sometimes! Other times... well...

I had this problem, and I was getting incredibly frustrated. Because I knew that he could go faster, and so could I, but somehow, when we skated together it got slower and slower until it was like skating through treacle. Finally coach said that I needed to push, and he needed not to hold back, and that helped - and then one competition we discovered that half the problem was that he tended to tighten up his shoulders when nervous.

Now when we do our warm-up drills we really do try to go as fast as possible, especially when we are just stroking round. Usually one side of fairly quick strokes, then the second side we really get down in the knee and go for power.

Of course, most people would not see much difference between our top speed and that of the hour hand on a clock, but it feels fast to us!

As in most dance steps, your free leg should be as extended as you can possibly make it. Don't forget, the idea of the introductory steps (and those two edges aren't part of the dance, the judges don't start marking you until the first edge of the progressive run) is to get up a bit of speed so you can do the dance with the requisite amount of power and flow. So you really need to get down in the knees and extend as much as you can to gain that speed.

We're just beginning to be able to fill the rink with the Dutch Waltz, which pleases us. Of course, then we'll be told we're far too flat.... but dances are Like That - first you can't fill the rink, then you can, so you're made to deepen your edges so you can't again, and so on ad nauseam!

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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!

You have to do the same transition on the 5-step mohawk sequence in Adult Bronze/Pre-Juv.

And on those tests (and definitely on Pre-Juv), if the FO edge goes straight almost immediately, or takes awhile before it curves to finish the lobe, it will definitely receive negative comments.

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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...

^ my coach refuses to let me even attempt the test if that transition isn't perfect...she says it's so annoying seeing people "fake" it. I have a feeling that I have a lot of work cut out for me with this testing business

As you can see (and as I found out learning this also) there is no waltz to this at all but there is a cadence to it. Pay attention to the count and be sure that both side are ending up the same size (I mess that up) and that you turn the three at about the same area. This move requires a really, really strong check!!!

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

Thanks for all your help, everyone!!!
We went to public skate before class and practiced a few laps of just stroking around in waltz position-it was really nice! That's one way to keep together-holding on like that!

Skating Pro: Tonight's group class was actually pretty good-we worked on back edges and jumps. Coach noticed a "problem" with my free leg on the salchow (more of a lazy wild leg thing-it's sort of out to the side like in a layback position instead of back).

Tottering Celebrity: Re-visited the toe-walley....which will take some re-learning, but I like it much better than the toe-loop (it's my better 3-turn) and I managed a few that didn't feel too bad.

I couldn't really spin that great today (again-migraine) but did one 10-revs!! I know it was 10 revs because it traveled, but not too much, and I didn't bail out, I was able to cross my leg and put it all the way down to the ankle (only get that 1 in 50).

Spent the last hour at work watching my Physics on Ice video.....very interesting. Don't know why he says the back arm must be higher? I did the knee bend-rebend thing on my edges---whoah!!! Freaked me out!

Ok, off to finish my ice cream (great for migraines)

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

There are two things that helped me with that. First, don't rotate until 4 at the earliest. Second, as you step forward, point your leading hand and look at where you want to go, that is, your starting point for the next circle.

Too funny!

Tottering Celebrity:
What with having bronchitis for about 6 weeks, terrible tummy trouble for another 3 weeks (1 wk and a repeat of 2 wks), and spending all my time coaching and not skating for myself, I've been so discouraged that I haven't even been reading these threads. I really felt that everything was falling apart and that I was losing skills at a record rate. Also, since I still don't have a coach, there has been no one to push me. On top of all that, the problem with my L foot is still there. DH and I both looked at it barefoot, on one foot, and we could both see the heel area collapse inward, which the R does not do. I'm not sure any skating boot can fix that, and need to look for a specialist MD.

Skating Pro:
Just being on the ice every day to teach pays off, even if I never do anything more advanced than demo crossovers a couple of times a week. This week, I finally felt well, and started to do power pulls in the spare moments between lessons. Surprisingly, the F are feeling pretty good, and the B are back to where they used to be, which was not bad at all. I caught my toepick on the F power crossovers, but didn't fall. It made me realize that I had gotten lazy and sloppy, so I fixed that right away. Today DH and I went skating for ourselves for just an hour on a fairly empty public session, and I was able to work on a few things. F threes, both O and I are coming back ! I even managed a few RBO threes before getting too scared to continue. Best of all, after our analysis of my L foot problem, I decided to try a one foot spin (from two foot) and focus on my foot and ankle. I was able to get three or four revs, and not fall in to the R, which is what had been plaguing me. It looks like it was the #$@%* foot all along! I may make one more visit to Klingbeil and show Don what my foot is doing. Maybe if he sees the problem in the bare foot, he will be able to do something with the boot. I definitely have to bring a gift, he has been so patient with me, and so nice, and really tried hard to fix that L foot problem, and never charged me a cent for any of the four or five visits.

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If you count (out loud if you have to) it will help you with where you need to be....

I'm sorry you've been sick! It seems like EVERYONE has been sick with one thing or the other. If you've been on antibiotics and can tolerate yogurt, it might help your tummy. Sometimes the antibiotics kills all the bacteria in the gut and causes tummy problems.

Glad to hear you made it out to skate for yourself. Take care and don't wear yourself out!

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

Thanks. I haven't been on antibiotics. The GI thing seems to have a life of its own and I'm taking Prevacid for it. You're right about everyone being sick lately! It's really amazing how many people were sick over the holidays. Three of the four in my family were sick, and I think just about everyone I know also had some kind of bug.

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Tottering Pro: As we got on to the ice this morning, something went "ouch" in the back of my left knee - think I've got a minor pull or something there. It's a bit sore now, I must put some ibuprofen gel on it, I think. But not (yet) sore enough to stop me skating - tomorrow is a rest day, so I hope it will heal up a bit then.

Husband now back on the ice after his cold, but as it's his solo lesson day, he wanted to spend most of the time on his free skate programme, not unnaturally.

And when we did get together it was pretty dire, too. The first lift we tried, something went funny and we ended up on the ice in a tangle of arms and legs - unhurt, thankfully, but jolly cold! And when we tried to do our step sequence to the music, it just won't do.... trouble is, this music divides into four, not into three like our old music did, so we haven't quite got time. I don't want to spend half the music on the step sequence, but that is what seems to be happening right now.

Skating Celebrity: Nothing, really. Just slow and awful, as usual - don't know why I bother, really; I can't skate, never will be able to.... but I still love it, isn't it silly?!

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

Ouch that's the muscle I keep pulling, now got what the doc describes as a "bakers cyst" no cure, just got a name.

What a porky pie!! Oh yes you can skate and very well too, many have seen you.

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Tottering Celebrity:
Got on the ice and fell on my first two jumps.

Skating Pro:
It could only get better from thereon, took it easy and managed to do both free and dance lesson and stayed on the ice for 1 full hour with no muscle strains, which is a milestone for me. After that I did the shopping and went into a coma for about 3 hours.

Skating Pro: not really, but a sewing pro-managed to chase everyone down for measurments (yup, it's that time again)....which set off a small avalanche of little girls chasing me down asking if they needed to be measured . Had to announce "NO, I'm not ready to measure anyone else yet."

Worked on the back pivot for my routine. It actually is starting to come together! I remembered to look over my arm!

Tottering celebrity: rink was cold and I forgot my 2nd cup of coffee...my part wasn't being choreographed and I forgot the practice fabric (no big deal, as they didn't need it today but I feel bad anyways). I worked on spins which was better since I'm without a migraine (yay!) and the toe-walley (but had no energy).

Might skip this afternoon's adult skate, as I'm fairly tired (from the migraine) and need to recuperate and get my workshop in order. And, I got my badges from my ISI tests, so I can think about where to put them on my skating jacket.....now to find my USFSA badges....

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

Tottering celebrity: quite literally today at the rink as they filmed a bit of 'celebrity fit club' on a quarter of the ice this morning. Quite funny to watch them tottering around in their protective helmets and blue wellie skates. Not that I recognised any of them - well maybe two in the end I'd even heard of so not exactly major celebrities here

Of course it meant that the real skaters weren't allowed to play their music for programmes at all. I didnt actually go on the ice myself - just watched daughter in her lesson.

Earlier in the week my skating pro moment was a lovely sit spin - fast , low , centred and I even got my knees almost close together and one decent loop and one lovely salchow toe-loop while our top skater's music was playing - it seemed like great music for jumping.

Ran through programme which I'm debating on changing now I have a new coach - this went fine without the music, though I nearly fell off my spiral in shock when 'top skater', who normally appears to believe no-one else should be anywhere near the ice - actually apologised to me for getting in my way.
Wonders will never cease!

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'skating is not just a sport - it is an obsession'

Oh, dbny, <<<hugs>>> to you. I hope your tummy and foot etc. are feeling better soon!!!

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Ask me about becoming a bone marrow donor.
http://www.marrow.org
http://www.nmdp.org

Skating Pro Had a good practice and run through today in my lessons, and wore my new dress for my new interpretive program and got a high-five from my coach. I feel pretty ready and I still have a week to go before the NYI, so that's a change of pace. My coach really had nothing to say on parts of the interp, so that was really good because he usually finds something to pick on.

Of course, I too am sick! Nasty cough which has left me with no voice really. My coach seemed to think that was a good thing, Anyway, I feel fine thanks to the antibiotics but I still sound terrible. I can't take the cough medicine before I skate because it might make me dizzy, which is so NOT what I need, LOL!

Oh, I also got a compliment from one of the skate-moms, who told me she'd been watching me for 6 weeks or so and thought I had really improved! That was nice of her.

Good luck to everyone with all their stuff, even if it's just recovering from an illness!

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August 22, back on the ice!

Skating Pro:
I'm in this weird twilight zone, where I'm the slowest skater on my club session (senior bronze kids) but when I skate an adult public, I fly around everyone else. So, today was a flying skating day!

I taught steps to the preliminary dances to a couple of adults, it's always gratifying to introduce an addiction to someone else.

My big toe loop showed up, and I had some fun for a while doing toe loops and toe walleys, they do feel different (inside/outside) edge, but what I learned is that really with my toe loop, after I turn the 3 I'm really on a flat so it's a toe-flat. That wasted a good 30 minutes being persnickety about ice tracings! I like publics because my coach would tell me to get a move on, and sometimes I like to be really cerebral about things.

Tottering Celebrity:
Spins have gone on vacation and didn't leave a forwarding address. They're twizzles I'm travelling so much. I need to find my spin guru guy.

I've also overcommitted myself in the sewing department, I didn't quite realize that the competition that I'm making all these costumes for is, gulp, in two weeks and I haven't even measured one girl yet, let alone have found fabric. It was worth going skating today though, I needed the relaxation and have more energy to go back to lycra land.

SKATING PRO: PASSED my Tango by all 3 judges. Guess I need to change my sig block.

Tottering Celebrity: Didn't pass my American Waltz (but we weren't particularly surprised at that... we put it out more as a "sure, why not, since we're going to be up there")

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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...

Way to go on the Tango!!!
Our club had a program practice today, since I'll be doing the New Years Invitational next week and the kids are competing the week after that.
Save for the end of my program, I'm ready for next week! I've never been this calm approaching a competition.

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

CONGRATULATIONS!

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Congratulations, Jen!!!!

Where did you test, btw?

Great job Jen!! Getting all 3 judges is always SO gratifying.