I just found out that I have the opportunity to skate with the "adult" group instead of the LTS group for the ice show. (I've been kind of annoyed I was shunted down to the LTS group, because the adults are made up of almost entirely coaches- so this is a big thing). However, I have to learn the willow waltz by saturday! I've only ever done the Dutch waltz, so this is a huge jump for me.

I have 3 lessons scheduled this week, but it would be a big help if I could have a jump start on knowing the steps. I've looked at the diagram online, and I THINK I know what it means, but if someone would be so kind as to transcribe the steps into words (even more kind would be to tell me the 1-2-3 beat the step goes on.) That way when I do my first lesson tuesday, I am not completely square one. It's really important to me to get this, so I would really really appreciate the help.

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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)

Unfortunately, I'm on my way out the door now, but my quick suggestion is to work on the drop three-turn, a three-turn in which the second part of the three-turn prepares the skater for the stroke to the other foot. (If you've ever seen the European Waltz three-turns, that's the same type of turn used in the Willow.)

In the Willow, the drop three is a RFO turn that immediately steps to a LBO edge.

For many skaters, this turn is the trickiest part of the dance.

great example

Note that she does a 3 turn as part of her intro steps only, it's a mohawk in that corner.

They are very long three counts. Not two and a half (echo of my coach in there somewhere, )

Thanks for the advice on the drop 3. I've done them with my coach before, so at least I know what they are!

I've watched the video a few times, but I'm still not sure I can ID all the steps in the diagram...

Thankfully this doesn't have to be anything close to perfect- just good enough that I can fake it... but I think it's pretty unlikely I'll be able to do it by the end of the week

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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 have a video on youtube of me doing it. Not a stellar example but it may help you at least identify steps. I can't access youtube here so I can't post the exact link but my videos are under katiescarlett80.

Good luck.

Thanks- that helps a bit just seeing the woman's steps. I'm not a dancer- so reading these diagrams is hard!

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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)

The introductory steps to the dance are optional, and your coach will likely give you your own intro, so I wouldn't fret about that too much.

As for the actual dance: the woman's steps begin with a right backward inside chasse, in which you will be skating backwards on your left foot before lifting the left foot (you will now be on your right foot), and then setting your left foot back on the ice. Back chasses are much like forward chasses--only backwards! That chasse should cross the midline of the rink. Count 1-2 on your LBO edge, 3-4 for the lift/chasse, and 5-6 for the last LBO edge.

After the RBI chasse, you will step to a RBO edge (1-2-3) and then to a LFO edge (4-5-6). Focus on keeping your back against the circle on this step. That will make the transition a bit easier.

From the LFO edge, take a RFI edge (for 1-2-3) in which you extend the free foot (your left foot in front) and follow that with a stroke to your left foot for the LFO edge (4-5-6).

Now comes the drop three-turn. The timing is a bit tricky here, so take extra caution to make sure that the turn happens on 1-2-3--the first part of the turn will take two beats (1-2) with the actual three happening on 3-4. Beats 4-5-6 will include the LBO immediately after the drop three (quick 4-5), as well as RBI (6) and LBO (1-2-3). This section requires very quick tranisitions from forward to backward and left to right, so be prepared.

The RBO-LFI chasse-RBO comes next. (The timing on this is similar to the first one you did when starting the dance.) Count RBO 4-5-6, LFI chasse ("and"/1), and RBO (2,3). Remember, the chasse is very quick, almost as though the step occurs on the "and" beat. For instance, 4-5-6-and-1-2-3.

Two outside edges are next: a LFO followed by a RFO. These are both held for three counts. Follow these with a LFI edge, which is also held for three counts (4-5-6).

Another inside edge is skated, which leads you into the dance's open mohawk. Make sure that the mohawk turns on the 4 beat, so the edge into it is 1-2-3, 4 (the actual mohawk), and 5-6 for the LBI edge out of the turn.

The woman's steps end with another RBO-LFI chasse-RBO exactly (in regards to timing) like the one you did following the drop three-turn. Now your repeat begins!

Whew! Hopefully that was more helpful than it was confusing! Don't forget that you'll have those few lessons between now and Saturday, so you should be fine to fake your way through it if worst comes to worst. The good news is that the Willow's steps aren't all that difficult, so you'll likely be fine there. It's the timing that can be difficult; however, this dance has a pretty good rhythm, so if you can skate by rhythm alone, you'll be just fine.

Good luck and let us know how your dance lessons go!

Thank you so so much! That should speed up the lesson, if I can have the steps memorized, then I just need to learn how to do them all. I have two lessons before the weekend- and unfortunately only one other session I can skate on to practice.

Because it's for a show, we are only using 3/4 of the rink, so that solves my biggest problem- ice coverage! (I've only ever done the Dutch Waltz, but I can do a mean dutch waltz on 3/4 of the rink, and a horrible one if you make me fill the whole thing!)

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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)

Try to take as deep of edges as you can since you only have 3/4 of the rink to use.

There's easy ways to do that. Taking deep progressives and keeping your back against the circle when stepping to the forward outside edges will help. Also, make sure to stay down in the knees and ankles.

Um, I'm pretty sure this portion is a progressive, not a chasse, however it has the same timing as the first chasse. After the mohawk (RFI-LBI) is a RBO (1-2) LBI (3) RBO (4-5-6) (CoachPA had the timing a bit different, but this is the timing that is in the rulebook and on the judging form). The only difference between a back chasse and a back progressive is that the back progressive the free foot goes forward rather than up.

Similarly, the three steps after the three turn (LBO [1-2] RBI [3] LBO [4-5-6]) is also a back progressive, just the other direction.


I hope this isn't confusing - I don't want to throw too much at you!

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Gah! What the heck was I thinking?! You're right about the progressives. A progressive (LBO-RBI chasse-LBO) follows immediately after the drop three with the back chasse after the progressive.

In regards to timing, I didn't have my rulebook on me at the time, but what you listed is correct timing for the timing after the mohawk. Ahhh, it's been a long day...

I'd still take out the word chasse for a progressive!

In general the timing for chasses and progressives in this dance are first edge (2 beats) second edge (1 beat) third edge (3 beats). They may start on either beat one or beat 4, but the general timing stays the same.

Your coach will clear all this up, Skittl!

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"Without a struggle, there can be no progress" ~ Frederick Douglass

LOL! I can't win today...

Sorry, I couldn't resist!

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"Without a struggle, there can be no progress" ~ Frederick Douglass

Glad the progressive thing got cleared up, I thought I had completely forgotten the dance!
The hardest thing about the Willow was trying to get it on pattern, all the way around the ice, which meant stretching out all the 3-turns and being really precise about where they started and ended. On 3/4 rink it should be a lot easier!

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You miss 100% of the shots you never take.--Wayne Gretzky

I just wanted to thank everyone again for the help. My coach has her pre-gold dances, but she doesn't coach dance (and is a new coach in general) so I sent her to this page to read through it all too. We worked through the dance tonight and I think I have all the steps down, and I really think I can do this. I'm sure getting it to test standard would be an impossible feat, but I think I can totally do it for the show- honestly it feels easier than the Dutch! (stupid swing rolls).

The best surprise- all the 3-turns are in my direction (i'm a lefty) the only big challenge is the mohawk- and as long as my partner is strong enough to kind of pull me through it, I can do it without a problem too.

I have a lesson with the show coordinating coach tomorrow, so hopefully she'll okay me to skate in the higher group (which is mostly coaches, so I think my partner should be a strong enough skater that I can rely on him/her)

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

Yay! Glad to hear your first lesson with the Willow went well and wasn't too overwhelming. Hang in there!

The actual pattern is identical to that of the Dutch Waltz in terms of what you leave on the ice - the steps, of course, are quite different, but the shape is the same. I love it, but find it very hard to do either on pattern or on time (Husband has no sense of waltz timing, it's unbelievable how he hasn't, and that back edge into the progressive run after the RFO3 is a serious bugger.

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Mrs Redboots
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