In honor of all our dancers at Adults....

Dancers will know the difference, if you are doing everything right and feeling the music, you are dancing the dance. Otherwise you are just walking through the steps.

Dancing the Dance - Had a good power class today. It's my goal never to have the coach have to tell me to keep my arms up. I was kind of gliding with my arms down and she looks at me and I immediately put my arms up "That's the answer I want!" she yells.

Ran through my Auntie Em feature with the music. I do two half flips in a row and the second one was kind of biffed but other than that I think this program is going to be easy enough for me not to screw it up for being nervous.

Did my rhythm and blues with REAL progressives everytime.

Walking - So I'm trying so hard to concentrate on one foot pushes in the Swing dance that I'm doing these massive pushes that give me so much power and speed that I cannot control anything else in the dance. I need to figure out a way to concentrate with a little less "oomph"

Fell on one of my step behinds in the RHythm Blues - caught the toe pick. This is why I HATE step behinds---but I got out there and did it again so it didn't mess with my mind too much

Love the title!

Dancing: Last night was the first time I started to feel like I could get through my Viennese every time with the music, and like it was mostly in control all the way through. I did 3 run-throughs--2 patterns each w/ intro & exit steps, and each time was reasonably pulled together. Progress!! I'm very very happy about that.

Walking: Falling, actually. I caught my heel on one of the cross steps & went down really hard onto my lower back. I actually cried, and I'm usually pretty tough about falls. Had a massive headache the rest of the night, and today my back hurts!! ~~I'm supposed to teach tonight, and I'm not sure I can bend down far enough to get my skates on.

Oh, poor Phoenix - sounds like a nasty one - feel better.

Dancing: Back on the ice after a few weeks of back recovery. Felt good to skate today, and no pain!

Walking: I'm deconstructing my spins to get them RIGHT, and I have to tamper down that frustration of taking 2 steps back to be able to take those 3 steps foreward. (heavy sigh)

Dancing - had a good practice last night. Death spiral is getting better and the footwork should have its final addition next session. It's an ambitious program, and we really like it. Tonight I'm painting the fabric for our costumes.

Walking - I am sore!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

A good title for me this week.

Dancing Recovering from a torn calf muscle I was pleased to feel that I actually 'danced' the rhythm blues with my dance partner today - there was flow, there was edge, there was power (at least it felt that way). Not bad for only 3rd practice after 5 weeks off.

Golden Skaters was almost good - a bit of lilting and flowing and the lovely thing about couples dance is I can blame my partner for any blips since as Mrs Redboots says "In dance the lady is always right!"

Walking - is painful when unsupported by elasic bandage!

Have decided to leave free skate lessons til after Easter as jumping and spinning puts more strain on the calf muscle.

Walking It:
Was sore and stiff this afternoon and no lesson with primary coach (he switched to Thursdays for the next two weeks), but I am determined to get in some practice time!!!

Dancing:
Back at my wonderful home rink again!!! My loop, flip and lutz ARE BACK TOO!!! NOTHING like what happened at the Wacko rink!!!

Walking It:
Still worried about technical program though... I want consistency on the jumps and the spins though!!!

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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!!!

Dancing
-Coach gave me footwork into 2flip and 2lutz. The 2flip footwork is LFO 3, RBO 3, RFI mohawk, LBI 3, LFO 3, 2flip. When she first showed it to me I like, "Yeah, right." But I actually really like it! My 2flip/2flip+2loop is nice and big from that entrance and consistent too. The 2lutz footwork is a little iffier--RBI rocker/choctaw, cross in front to RBI edge, step forwards to LFI edge, then stroke to RFI mohawk, edge change, 2lutz. Although I wasn't landing it too consistently today, it puts me on a nice, solid LBO edge.
-Change edge back camels were great today! I did flying camel, CE, and was able to hold the RFI edge camel forever.
-Flying sits were good too. That'll probably be my flying spin for my SP.
-Joannie Rochette and Shawn Sawyer were at my rink today!

Walking
-BUT they and the SOI choreographers took up most of the ice and monopolized the CD player, so I didn't get to work on my programs.
-2axels were terrible, but my legs were wiped, so I'm not being too hard on myself
-Starting to worry that I might have compartment syndrome in my left leg and another compartment in my right. Pretty quickly after I get on the ice, the outside of my lower legs just start burning and cramping. Sometimes it gets so bad that I can barely stand. I'm going to get into the orthopedist, but I'm just so scared of having yet another surgery.

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Youtube Videos

Dancing the dance - I skated my program in the skate school recital last night. I stayed vertical and got lots of compliments on my choice of program and 'telling the story'. I love Rockefeller Center - it is sooooo pretty and fun getting to dress up and skate in front of the shiny fountain.


Walking it Through - most of my progam. I got ahead of the music, behind it, ahead of it again, looked down at the ice, muffed my transitions, lamed my camel, and almost toppled out of my upright spin. Everything I'd done perfectly all of an hour earlier in practice. At least I stayed on my feet.

Dancing the dance - I'll get another chance to do the program, I'm going to enter it at the Skyrink ISI comp in June as either an artistic or spotlight, coach is checking to see which is more appropriate. I'll also enter my windmills program in the FS3 ladies event. I've only ever done one event before; wheee - twice as much fun!

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It's all about the dress!

Dancin'

Made a start on Free dance choreography. We only have about 15 secs so far but i think it will be fun!

Walkin'
tried some jumps and spins but calf muscle still hurts when I do those.

Dancing:My forward runs (progressives) are finally starting to come good. I seriously thought I would never get them, as I've been working on them for two years with pretty much no progress (ha ha - progress/progressives - get it?). Well, I'm finally not catching the toe when I do them on a circle, in either direction, though I still can't do them properly at speed or in combination with any other movement. But at least it now feels like we're getting somewhere.

Also managed three and a half revolutions on my two foot spin. My husband tried to teach me the one foot spin entry (though obviously I didn't spin on one foot). It's much harder than it looks, and I never assume anything in skating is easy! Just can't hold the inside edge of the back crossover for more than about two seconds before falling off it, let alone stepping forward onto the other foot!

Walking:Dances. It was a public session in the lead up to Easter, which means some private schools have already broken up for the school holidays (meant to begin next week), so there wasn't much space to do anything 'danc-ey'. Managed some swing rolls at the beginning of the session and a few other odd bits and bobs, but nothing serious.

Won't be skating next week or week after as it would be a waste of time.

Is your husband a coach? I'm asking because there is a teaching progression to almost every skill, and going directly from a brand new two foot spin to a one foot spin entry leaves many things out, so it's not surprising that you can't do it (yet).

Walking:
No practice or skating for me yet, because my antibiotic is making me way too dizzy. I was working on F crossovers with a student today and got dizzy very quickly just from watching. Last pill is tomorrow morning, so I'm hoping I can practice on Thursday. At least I don't have to struggle with lessons this week, as both of my coaches are away.

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No, don't worry, it was more a 'and this is what you learn to do next' thing, not with any serious expectation of achieving it. Given that it's taken three years to even revolve on two feet, the other is a long way off! We're just trying to maintain my singles stuff at a reasonable standard whilst I'm only able to take dance lessons due to timetabling issues.

Stayed for the "Cheap Skate" which was surprisingly crowded. There's a competition this weekend and I think every competitor was on the ice last night, lol.

I've found that, if I take my skates off after I teach, stretch, then put them back on, I skate better on the public/freestyle. The granola bar and drink of apple juice helps too - more energy. Yay!

Dancing:
MITF were okay, but once it got crowded, I gave up on trying to weave in and out to stay on pattern. Did a few threes-on-the-line that were decent. I really think some of the teenagers who coach at the rink look down on me because I can't do them, lol.

Forward spins were actually very good. I did several camels and combinations (Camel-change-Camel, Camel-sit-change-sit-backscratch)

I did three great laybacks where I could actually see the wall, not the ceiling. They were fairly centered.

I banged away at jumps, which I'm paying for today (heel spurs).
Still two-footing the loop and the flip - just not getting over the right side.
I'm close though - have to stand up straighter in the air and keep the free knee up.

I actually felt comfortable attempting a full Lutz and a Bell jump. Two-footed both of them, but the entry was pretty good.

Walking:
Backspins - I can't pull in tightly without catching the toepick. I really think it's the blade alignment.

Could use a good sharpening.

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Dancing - forgot about everything to do with my program and spent my lesson working on new stuff. We tweaked back outside -> forward inside double threeturns and she got me working on back inside -> forward outside double threes. Needs practice, but it's fun.

Walking - sitspins. my current version might be classified as a "recognizeable attempt" by a generous judge. Coach gave me good hints and corrections though so I got better and I'm thinking positively.

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It's all about the dress!

Dancing: I got up and skate this week. I've been procrastinating about it, and it has been really hard for me to get to the rink lately.

Walking (or running rather): Double run-through!! It hurt so bad! I managed to do all my spins in the first run-through and changed the jumps, and I did all the jumps but changed all the spins on the second run-through. HAHA. It was so painful!

Dancing: I finished! I actually did a double run-through even though I felt like dying after the first one. In total, I actually did my program 3 times today. GO ME!

I went all the way to two-foot spin and half-flip on my own. I don't think it's impossible to learn without a coach. You just have to be mindful of the techniques. A coach will certainly give you better headstart. I'm sure many skaters start doing stuff before their coaches teach them too!
Hey I worked on double 3s and sit spin too! Coach said to put them into my warm-up... I fell from back inside double 3s, but I'm blaming the uneven ice! Keep practicing the sit spin, and remember, it's never too low unless you hit the ice!
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Just walking through
Today has got to be the most un-skatey I felt. Spins were crap, and patience is running out on camel.
Coach started lesson with back double 3s and my head needs to not look at the ice.
Jumps - Did everything from waltz to lutz. Arms are all over the place. Flip was weird because I did it well off ice with coach, but back to bad habits on it. Better distance. Lutz was a very very very obvious flutz. I have to start tap> shift weight> jump. And not tap> wait> side by side legs> jump. I think lutz will be better once I fix the flip proper.
Injured- Shoulder from dance. Injured right hams and probably hip abductor pretty bad. Overdid jumps while hams are injured. I'm going to take a skating break for a little more than a week. Need to strengthen muscles to compensate for a strong quad.

DANCING the DANCE
Coach started on back sit which is nice but it totally killed my hams.
Scratch was nice, and I played with arms positions.
MITF are finally worked on...

dancing the dance: I feel that most of my jumps and spins are probably about at the same level that they were when I stopped skating several years ago. I also chose some music I really like so we can get a WAY early jump on any sort of program for me as it takes a while for programs to sink in for me.

walking: It's the in between stuff, the actual skating with any sort of flow and speed that's not really returning so easily. Plus, my schedule only allows mw to skate 3 times a week, so I'll need to do a lot of off ice work to build back any muscle in my legs and rear end and lower back.

Lesson today:

Walking through it - went over power pulls. So I can do forward power pulls on my left leg but not on my right. But I do backward power pulls on my right leg, not my left. No rhyme or reason to it. My free leg was going off to the side and once I worked on pressing the free leg against my other leg to keep it in front, (or in back) they did improve on both sides.

Spins - I tend to lean out of my spin so she had me work on leaning more into the spin and also stand taller and it improved

Dancing the dance - went through my show program with music. Another adult coach was watching and was very impressed with my spiral (I hold it for about 3/4 of the rink) and said she didn't think SHE could hold a spiral that long.
Coach is very happy with the program. She tried to put some arm movements with the spiral but I'm already thinking "chin up, back flat, leg up, leg straight" we decided that simply going from palms down to palms up was enough movement for now.

Joelle

Walking:
Literally... thru my FS program!!! Couldn't do any of my jump from the loop on up!!! Couldn't do a proper sit spin. Not a surprise... I'm so NOT a morning skater!!!

Also did back 3's during my lesson. Am working on NOT pitching forward on one of the sides. WTH? It's like I' just learing back 3's for the first time AGAIN!!! AUGH!!!

Dancing:
I did one final batch of back crossover (b/c a skater was poking fun saying "why are you off the ice??? Go skate!" So I did against my better sense of knowing when to quit for the day.) I was skating with just one other skater and she was going thru her dances.

Well, I came off the right after that and a skater had commented on how much my crossovers. And then said, "Don't thank me! Those two gentlemen on the next bench said so first!". Then I asked "Are you SURE they're not referring to <said ice dancer's name>?". The reply was "Nope, they were definitely talking about you and your back crossovers!" Those two were part of the coffee club gang, but were long time ice dancers too! They used to pick on me (well, more my primary coach...I was in a lesson then...) to "get off the ice and let the REAL skaters skate!". At the time I thought it was a jab at primary coach b/c he stopped ice dancing.

I thanked the two gentlemen, but really, I'm still . (I'm been working on that for my program since the coaches said that those "needs work.")

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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!!!

Dancing: left for early session today....and was rewarded with an EMPTY RINK!!!! Altho the music was too loud it was ok, since the whole rink was MINE!!!!

Ran thru whole program 3x and did very well! I'm good for Saturday. I will try to go tomorrow.

Did my jumps and other stuff, messed around with everything and left after an hour. Even managed a few backspins with my free foot out and open!

Walking: My spins still need more work, I'm not completing my "curve" when I step out....still rushing thru and not going all the way around (altho it's better....but still). Loop. what can I say???? Why have you abandoned me????

Dancing: talked to my coach on the way to the rink; she has approval to teach at my rink, we will have to has out details; might go with 45-minute lessons every other week just to make it worth her while. And, I'm going to sign up for advanced classes at the rink which will be nice, I'll get extra training (my coach is ok with this) AND get to skate with the other adults....and maybe skate in the end of season show, which I really miss!!!!!

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

Dancing
last night my jumps took me by surprise. Haven't been jumping that well lately, and on a Wednesday night I am usually tired, the ice is rough, it's crowded and I don't have it. But last night, right from my warm up waltz jump, right through to flip, they were higher than usual and felt goooood. Lutzes were flutzing, but at least I'm landing them.

Walking
spins. They were okay, but not as good as they have been. They did improve late in the session when my coach pointed out I'm not hooking them straight from the entry, I was doing the 3 turn then scraping into the circles.
Working on that gave me a fast, low (for me) change sit.

My dance was walking last night, which is ironic actually. I had just ditched my tech program music (it was just too big for me) and decided to use a tango theme, and use dance steps to interpret the music. The irony is that my Fiesta tango was definitely walking last night, and Swing Dance wasn't much better. It's improving, but I need more time with my partner (coach) cos I'm fine solo.

Dancing
the fact that my jumps were better than they had been for ages totally makes up for the rest of it. Felt good.

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Katz

Saved by Synchro!
I was over it, now I'm into it again !

Of course it's not impossible, and I know a lot of skaters who learned things on their own, myself included. But Bunny Hop has told us that she struggles with spins, and in that context, I was suggesting that maybe her husband is jumping the gun on trying to get her to do the one foot spin entry. I don't know whether he is a coach or not, but my guess is that he is not. BTW, as a coach, I've had to do a lot of fixing with students who learned on their own. It's the rare untrained skater who has the observational powers to learn even FXO's correctly.

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Actually, there is a rhyme to it. I would guess you are a CCW rotator, correct? That explains why L forward and R backward are strongest.

Yea - except for 3 turns and mohawks and pivots I do better going clockwise. Why would turning one way or the other make one leg stronger forward or backward?

joelle

Just walking it through: Since the compression fracture in my spine I am now back skating, but literally just walking through dances and dance steps - I CANNOT fall (don't want to do more damage) but the PT says that the general upright nature of skating should be very good for my body and the strengthening of the core and all of that - frustrating to not want/be able to DO anything, but I need to give myself kudos for just being out there and it is fun to just stroke around and do edges and turns and stuff - no pressure to do anything more than just get some exercise.

I do miss my coach and my friends from the other rinks but I'm sure I will see them all in good time.

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