Okay, looks like the previous lesson/practice thread "fizzled" out , so I'm starting a new one and adding two days (to this Saturday), since I practice on weekends!

This is for both Saturday and Sunday for me...

Fireworks:
After taking a small break from my gym workouts and plain taking the time to rest and sleep, I have more energy on Saturday to go thru Bronze Moves and I'm happy to report that all is well again! Sunday wasn't as good as Saturday, but I did managed to go thru two runthrus back to back on both days.

Both days was spent also going at the alt 3's and the spirals on the prelim moves test (my next moves test) and on jumps and spins. I managed one runthru of what will be my test program for Bronze FS. The alt 3's aren't that bad. In fact, they're starting to look like alt 3's! I warmed up with the prelim crossovers moves at the beginning, so I know I've been doing them too!

I have one fellow skater who hasn't seen me in a year and she took one look at my practicing the Bronze moves and was this --> . She said for me to say hi to my primary coach and to tell him that she thinks that I should have no problem passing Bronze Moves next month! I hope she's right!

Duds:
I'm still having what dbny calls it a "blinker" problem... The way I'm landing my jumps right now, if a judge blinks, they won't catch that I'm toe tapping my landing. BAD me!!! Am actually landing my flips cleaner than my loops in fact.

Also a problem... my prelim spirals SUCKS!!! They defintely don't look anything like prelim spirals!!! Hate 'em! Hate 'em!!!

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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!!!

Dud: Sometime last week, the case with ALL my CDs vanished into a black hole. I'm assuming that one of the kids picked it up by mistake and it will turn up eventually, but meanwhile, I have no music to practice to. AND I have a competition on Saturday. Since singing while I skate is not possible, I thought I'd have to withdraw. No great loss, since my ankle's still so weak and painful that the program sucks zamboni chum big time.

However......

Fireworks: I put in an emergency call to my Music Guy and he burned another copy of the FS music for me. Tomorrow I'll pick it up from him and be good to go. As for the program, well, at least I'll get to wear my Pretty New Sparkly Dress again.

No duds, I don't think. All our fireworks went off!

We managed to rejig Poisoning Pigeons to our own satisfaction - Husband suggested, sensibly, putting a pivot spiral in instead of the lift. But then Coach2 pointed out that there were two Technical Merit marks and we had very little technical in it (huh? Okay, not a lot, but some!) so we had better put in a couple of jumps. So Husband decided to do his sal-cherry combo and then straight down into his hydroblade, which is a combination worthy of the NJS, if you ask me!

At which point it was time to leave the rink, not having done a single runthrough with the new choreography and the props. Not that it mattered, we knew what we were doing, I think.

After which, we were extremely busy all day and then came rushing back to compete in the Lambeth Festival, which was held in the evening.

Sandra Dee went very well and both the audience and the judges giggled appreciatively. I finished 3rd out of 5 over all, with 2 3rd place ordinals, 2 2nd (from non-technical judges!) and 1 4th. Very gratifying, as it's the first time in the history of the universe I've ever - ever - managed to finish not last at my home rink! Pigeons also made everybody laugh, and, oddly, finished 2nd out of 3. I'd expected either to win or to come last, depending on what the judges liked. In fact, we did have two first-place ordinals (from the non-technical judges, needless to say), one third (well, there was no pairs skating in it!) and a two 2nd.

So I think, after the last four days, it is definitely fair to say that we are beginning to come off the bottom now!

But there is still a mighty long way to go!

We were amused to learn that the person doing the scoring was Tashakat's old partner's former partner - the one before Tashakat! He's still skating, of course.... but they aren't!

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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!

Fireworks!
I also had a great time meeting everyone at the Pond. It was a wonderful session and we all got to get in some good skating, and then eating!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

Fireworks: Had the day off from work today so I got to skate on 2 very light morning sessions. Also skated on 2 very uncrowded sessions on Sat morning. All told, I got a lot of work done. I was able to run through my FS program several times and got some good practice on spins, jumps, and moves. I think my backspin has returned (shhhh - don't tell anyone, I don't want to jinx it! ).

Duds: I was warming up at the beginning of the first session this morning and all of the sudden felt a stab of pain in my back. On crossovers? I stepped off the ice, stretched (which I had done before I got on the ice, so it's not like I wasn't prepared for moving around), and got back on, but this was not good. I thought, OK, it's a moves practice - but doing moves (at least the 3-turns in the field) requires some twisting and turning of your back - OK, forget moves. I worked on spins, and footwork, and then finally decided I had to work on jumps and start running through my program. As I write this, I've got a heating pad on my back. Grrrr.

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Terri C is a Bronze lady!
Gold Moves, here I come!

Duds:
My home rink is closed for maintainence this week so it is throwing off my whole practice/lesson schedule. I am able to practice at other places but the ice is not as nice. I guess ice that is not so good is better than no ice at all.

Fireworks:
Got some great advice on 5 step mohawk and how to avoid stepping at a diagonal on the long axis from Icedancer2. I just might take up judging.

If progress keeps going this nicely, I think I'll set it a goal to test in December.

I'm still working on Loop. It is inching it's way along at a snail's pace. More back outside edge practice is helping. Now I just need to get the rest of me to coordinate (shoulders, arms, rotation, knee bend...)I am still confident that my baby loop will grow up someday.

Pairs practice went very well on Saturday. Even a simple upright spin is such a rush of adrenaline, it is waay better than chocolate! I am finding side by side elements to be the most challenging. It isn't so much the element such as side by side spin, or toe loop etc.. so much as thinking like One skater -- together. Both a weird and fun thing to conquer.

Fireworks:
This past Saturday and today, I was blessed with great ice and hardly any skaters on freestyle. So what have I done since the ice is so empty?
I actually started to play with figures to improve my edging and the forward outside three to center is for getting more secure three turns on my power threes.
And it paid off in practicing moves on Saturday!!

Duds:
No sound system in the rink today.
Felt either tired or unmotivated or something.
Will not skate again till either Wednesday or Thursday.

But... will skate everyday next week when I'm on vacation from work!!!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Fireworks: Great lesson tonight. I wore a skirt for the first time ever and loved the feeling. I felt like a real skater even if I might still look like a beginner. I was very pleased. My mohawks from left to right were awesome, My FO3s were great, now have a basic T-stop. Everything was wonderful.

Dud: My last lesson- we move next week, and hopefully then I can afford ice time- I still have no job lined up. I'm still waiting on the exchange from Rainbo sports- so still no new skates.

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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)

I am about to debut my new program at a competition in less than 2 weeks and today I went to practice at the competition rink. I also had the final fitting of the dress I'm having made.

Fireworks: Due to the soft, springy ice, I did the best camel spin I've done all year, and also landed a huge double sal on the first try. And the dress fits perfectly (whew!).

Duds: Unfortunately, the soft ice also means less glide per push. When I got a little less power than usual going into my change edge spiral, it ended up fizzling out right after the change of edge. Yikes! That never happens on the hard ice I'm used to skating on at my home rink! The layout of the rink and location of the judges is also the opposite from the 3 rinks I normally practice at, and it's messing me up more than I expected. I sure hope I don't come out of a spin and start skating the wrong direction, LOL!

Duds: Acting on the principle that these things have to get worse before they can get better, the Husband seemed to be in quite some pain this morning. So, of course, he was talking about having broken his ribs... I don't think so! If he had, he'd have been in a lot more serious pain on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.... he says driving is the worst.

So he didn't skate much today - he said even standing on a LFO edge was painful, but it seemed to get better as he went along. And we were working on our waltz hold, and trying to do waltz 3s round each other, so he did a LFO3 and then winced elaborately.... we reckon he's probably pulled a muscle, but will he take pain-killer? You guess! Sheesh, men.....

So we worked on our waltz hold, and I think made a bit of difference - I still find it hard to keep my shoulders open the way I should when I'm dancing with him, and I think he does, too. Then we worked on the Fiesta Tango which was a bit disheartening, although it is so much better than it ever was.

After he'd gone, I worked on the Fiesta solo, which was even more disheartening, and on my dance moves, which were fine until I saw my tracings..... deep sigh. And even my plain vanilla back outside edges are dire. Practice, practice, practice.....

Fireworks: But I finished on a high note, managing to do a relatively good Russian stroking pattern with just one crossover in the middle, first time I've managed that, and the Bronze change-of-edge exercise wasn't good, but it was a lot better, and covered more ice, than I've managed so far!

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

Ooh I do hope he feels better soon and that he hasn't done too much damage. I took a hard fall on my ribs a couple of years back. I actually heard a crack as I hit the ice and I couldn't inhale properly for several days afterwards. A trip to minor injuries was called for and they diagnosed torn intercostal muscles and most likely a cracked rib too. I was ordered not to skate for a month but was back once I felt better after three. Yours was quite a nasty fall and given the adrenaline flowing I doubt it would have hurt at the time, but understandably will be quite tender now. Send him my best regards! Oh and I must check the lost property this afternoon for his fleece!

Nicki

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www.myspace.com/insatiableskater

I don't think it's worse than a torn muscle, as it would have hurt worse a lot sooner than it did. I really think it has been all that driving that has aggravated it - we had a long drive on Sunday (I did offer, but...) and then he had to go on-site yesterday and said it was very sore when he came home. But there, he wouldn't even let me drive down to the rink this morning, so it can't be that bad. And he says that it gets easier with movement, rather than stiffer.

Thanks for checking re the fleece; it hadn't been handed in on Monday, so let's hope it has been by now!

I'm still fine - I was very stiff all over on Saturday, but have been fine since. Mind you, I did land soft.....

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

Fireworks:
Had fun meeting everyone at the Pond, and the food after was great. Skate@Delaware, can I borrow your LFO spiral sometime?

Sunday, skated two sessions that weren't very crowded--the second session was just me and 3 other skaters. Worked a lot on the three turns in the field. BO3s are improved, and BI3s happen more when I remember to get my shoulders placed right and look in the correct direction. Lobe size and flow isn't there yet, though. Same with 8 step....

Duds:
Lutz attempts. Grrr.

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

Here's hoping he feels better very soon.

I picked up his fleece today so if you pm me your address I can get it in the post to you since I doubt I'll see you before the autumn.

Nicki

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www.myspace.com/insatiableskater

Duds! Haven't skated since June 23, haven't even been able to get motivated to work out.

Fireworks! I start "summer skating school" tomorrow, meet my new (summer) coach, 45 minutes sessions for 2 weeks, then two hour sessions until August 18! WAHOO!

Duds! Being bored stiff being off the ice, I was playing around with one-legged Bosu balance exercises, spins and turns on the spin trainer, and "kitchen floor skating" yesterday. (I am a re-beginner and don't even have my backward edges yet but the mind remembers a lot of moves.) Since my strength has improved considerably, I was playing with jump takeoffs and rotations and everything went well up to the axel takeoff - sharp pain in the takeoff knee - OH OH! (I smashed my knees at age 19 and that's what took me out of skating.) Scary! We are NOT going to try that again for a LONG time!

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

first lesson since the open. I'm still trying to make sense of my marks (one judge marking me hugely lower than just about everyone else adn the
othertwo judges.

Fireworks: Anyway, wouldn't you know, I did a perfectly decent loop and flip at first time of asking today. Coach just looks bemused - 'how come you can do it great and then you just can't?' well I wish I knew.

Mind he did say my flip had actually been big and strong on one day last week and I need to get back to doing them like that. Well I wish I could too!

I think my boots are finally feeling like mine - I really enjoyed doing alternating waltz 3's today and felt I was really getting down in the knees again which is a relief after hardly being able to bend them since the new boots. Pity they hadn't felt so good last week.

DUD; coach has hurt his back trying to lift boulders in his garden but still managed ot give me a lesson. Hope he's better soon.

Major fireworks: The BI 3 is BACK!!! I used to do figures and could do all of the 3s, but that darn BI 3 has been gone, like, forever!! I was watching a friend of mine take a lesson from his coach on those 3s and overhearing her instructions, and I got it!! I gave her a hug (should have paid her!!) -- so exciting! (Hijacking lessons is about as bad as hijacking threads!).

Also met sk8pdx at my rink this week and had fun talking with her and working a little on Bronze Moves, which we are both working on. Maybe talking her into becoming a judge, among other things!( ).

Major dud: The ice is worse than ever!!! School is out, the munchkins are out in droves, and one of the other rinks is closed this week!! And the bad spot (whole side) of the rink is lumpy-bumpy galore because of some sealing problems... will probably be like this forever!!!

On the other hand, I think this is the only rink in town open on 4th of July, with a normal schedule! How great is that?

And the people are nice, too.

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

You can borrow my spiral anytime you want to, I've not been using it lately!

I really had a great time with everyone up at The Pond! And, the food was really nice, it was good to try stuff I've never had before!

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

Fireworks
First skate this evening for a week, due to dodgy right foot still. Didn't dare practise jumps, but spins and edges are coming on. Managed 6 revolutions on a sit spin and 4 on a camel

Duds

Jumps!! I am SOOOOOOOO frustrated with this foot problem.

I was getting to grips with loops and was starting to land the odd flip. Now it's all gone out the window.

Avery good skater at the rink suggested trying jumps on the other foot. By the end of the session I'd just about managed a waltz jump. (Not so much a jump, but got air between the ice and my feet lol!)

One of my friends at the rink has almost perfected waltz jumps off both feet. I am so jealous!

We need to make this into a running game - do you think you can manage to conjure up something dastardly for us to try next week, which she won't shame us with?

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"Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. They may be summed up by the phrases:
(1) It's completely impossible.
(2) It's possible, but it's not worth doing.
(3) I said it was a good idea all along."
- Arthur C Clarke

Jumping the other way is very good for you! Never thought I'd say that but since my coach has been making me do it I realise how much it helps with confidence and technique when you go back to the right way.

My coach makes me do lengths of the rink doing alternating waltz jumps (3 jumps) ans then alternating salchows and toe-loops. you know you are improving when you get to the end of thw rink and can't actually remember which is your 'good' way. My coach also managed to confuse me so much doing this that I would happily do flips because I 'thought' I was doing toe-loops!!!!

Ooh, now there's an idea! CW salchows Sonic?

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"Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. They may be summed up by the phrases:
(1) It's completely impossible.
(2) It's possible, but it's not worth doing.
(3) I said it was a good idea all along."
- Arthur C Clarke

I, too, had a great time at the Pond with the whole crew, even though some of you were late and then I had a lesson too (I'd missed a lesson the day before and I need all the help I can get!) I'm glad everyone liked the food, too. Home Grown is one of my favorite places to eat in Newark!

I had a good lesson and practice on Sunday and Monday, with my primary coach on Sunday and on Monday with one of my other part-time (although lately pretty frequent) coaches. My back spirals have improved to the point that in Monday's lesson my coach was nonplussed to see me doing the left back spiral with more height than my RFO spiral, which has always been my best. I was so tired by the end, though, that I could hardly stand up!

Happy skating everyone!

(AHEM, waiting to see pictures on line... )

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August 22, back on the ice!

A judge yes, ice dancer, no. Pairs is my passion!


Dud:Totally crappy ice! I could hold edges better in a gravel pit. but like I said earlier, I guess crappy ice is better than no ice at all.

Fireworks: Yes, the people are very pleasant and it was great that it was the only rink open even though it is a holiday!

Fireworks:
Meeting Skate@Delaware, Sk8pics, flo, and Mikawendy at the Pond was lots of fun, as was dinner afterwards. I especially appreciated Sk8pics' choice of restaurant! The food was excellent, the ambiance pleasant, and it was quiet enough for conversation. Isk8NYC will be posting a pic or pix when she gets back from her mini vacation.

Dud:
Not being an early riser, I was too tired to do much skating that day, since I had to be at a seminar at 8:30 that morning. To add insult to injury, the seminar was in a glassed in room over the bleachers at the Rust Arena (U Del), and we could hear great music and knew that there was elite practice going on behind us all the time. It seemed that every time we had a break, the Zamboni came out . Finally, the next to last speaker mentioned how he had enjoyed seeing Kimmie Meisner practice that morning . At the end of the seminar, Isk8NYC and I took the PSA Basic Accreditation test, after which I basically crashed.

Annabel - hope Robert feels better soon!

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