Thinking of carol singing, you see......

Our couples lesson this morning, and the coach was in "Let's see how nearly I can kill them before they kill me" mode! Actually, I think he was trying to kill all his pupils this morning, he has days like that....

Sweetly Singing: We started off with ordinary figure-8 crossovers/runs round the circle, which he said had improved. Then he wanted to see our spin, and that went reasonably okay, except we were struggling with our free legs on the backspin section - mine was bent, husband's was too high. I know I still do have issues with that - usually I can't get my free leg into the right place before the spin ends.

He then required us to work on an exit, which we hadn't done before. Then we practised drop-downs - semi death-spirals, but where the woman is supported on her arms. Then we worked on our lift - I don't want to do the hip lift, I don't think, as it stresses my back. But I have seen a photo of our regular lift, and it looks awful, so we worked on changing my legs - now I have to have my legs crossed, would you believe? Yikes....

Husband, most gratifyingly, asked where my weight had gone.... hey, it's not that long since he last lifted me, and I still weigh more than he does, more's the pity!

Coach then tried to have Husband swoosh between my legs, since he is more flexible than me, but it didn't work and he nearly picked me up off the ice! Sheesh.....

Ghastly Noise: So we moved on from playing with choreography, and ended with the Swing Dance, which was awful as we went badly out of time in the swing rolls. So we then had to skate several laps of just swing rolls, and someone else put the music on, so we were able to do it to the music, and they were better. But both of us had trouble with the pushing, since we both found it easier to bring our feet together and then bend, which put us out of time, rather than bending as we bring our feet together! So we didn't bend enough and our pushing suffered! BUT I did feel that I was really getting some lean on my edges, and really trying to track Husband through the forwards section.... it does improve. I wish our Fiesta was as good, but it isn't.... Yet.

More sweet singing in the choir: After the Husband had gone, I spent most of the rest of the session pottering around with a friend, but when we got cold I went off to work on my dance moves, and found both of them much improved! Although I can only do them down one side of the rink - the other doesn't have anything to focus on in the right place, and the ice is never quite so good as it's where people congregate. But it's mostly not being able to focus. But I was really getting some edges, which is great. Not good edges yet, but better than they were. I am beginning to feel that I just might be able to test these before spring, which I have never felt before!

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

We'll start with Ghastly!!
Coach used magic camera on his phone to video my Kilian. Then showed it to me. I watched, then handed it back to him with the comment, "Thank you for not laughing at me while I skate." Him, still stone serious: "Yes. And today is better than it was before!" Oy. So then we worked on knee bend & skating with speed (!) for the rest of the time. Killer new exercise: 2-beat outside edges in time with the Kilian music. And he wants EDGES, almost 1/2 circle lobes. Also, cross steps in time w/ the Paso music. Lower in your knees. More. More. Lower.

Sweet (maybe just semi-sweet):
Worked the last few days on KNEES, specifically on the Kilian steps, and I do think it's improved. I've also been trying to fix this weird kicky thing I do w/ one foot on fwd progressives. We'll see on Friday if he can detect any improvement.

Kilian choctaw is hugely improved. When I'm doing it slowly (my favorite speed!), it's fairly effortless & requires no extra checking to hold the exit edge. Now I just need to ramp it up....

Err, I already posted this in the last thread, but didn't realize that the date was already the 12th. Reposting here because I'd like any advice I can get on improving the posture and arm position in the spins...

Some new videos (taken with my digital camera even, so the quality is good) here: http://kc.sk8rland.com/video/ice_skating/2005-12-12/

Sweet Singing: Well my spins are not *too* terribly bad these days.

Ghastly Noise: The last 2 videos especially show examples of "when spinning goes wrong". Not only that, but my posture is bad and arms are uneven in all the spins. Sigh...gotta figure out how to fix it. And I need to exit spins in practice more, it's apparent that I never do it.

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Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

Sweet singing: I had one of those "a-ha" moments in my dance lesson yesterday. My coach explained how back progressives should "actually" be done, as opposed to how I was doing them and I noticed a similarity to the Silver moves back cross-strokes, for how the foot on the inside of the circle is supposed to be used to create power. I like to see my efforts in one area, say MIF, help out in another area, in this case, Dance. It definitely works the other way too, where Dance helps FS and MIF.

Ghastly noise: Am I ever going to be able to do a decent outside mohawk? It needs open hips, which I do not have the genes for, apparently.

ALWAYS!!! That's the gospel from my coach! Get into the habit of exiting (nicely) every spin, even if they suck!

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

I don't do freestyle (dance/MIF only) but my coach wants me (and other students) to finish nicely out of everything we do, even if it's just a drill. Nice extension (front or back as appropriate), nice carriage, nice arms, nice fingers.

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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...

Ditto on jumps and spins here... on MIF, it would depend on whether I'm actually doing a pattern or doing parts of a pattern. If I'm doing the entire pattern, I'm expected to finish it off nicely, even though I looked like I'm about to collapse on the ice from being exhausted and in need of oxygen.

Ghastly noise:

• AHHHH!!! The sounds of CROWDS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON in a public session! Great business for the rink, but horrible, HORRIBLE skating situation for practicing moves.
• Loops and flips were not there. They were close but not there... (Did someone swipe my loop and flip???)
• Couldn't even set up spins b/c the rink was so crowded. Even the center was too busy b/c the Monday night crowd was busy trying to get in whatever spins and jumps they have. (Plus, my primary coach was in the middle of a lesson with one of his students who he's trying to get into competing at Sectionals.) They're trying to crunch in a slew of moves and FS tests before the AN deadline. So I tried to do moves, but the hockey and the general beginners were there. GRRRRR!!!

Sweet singing:

• Whatever Bronze Moves drill I can do in a crowded public session was pretty decent.
• Back crossovers are better...

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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!!!

Hey Casey -

You asked for some advice so I thought I'd throw this out there...but who am I to talk? Anywho...

It seems like you're rushing into the spin. I mean, speed is good and all, but you come to your spinning position way too fast. Take a couple of revolutions to get settled in the spin, leaving the free leg extended fully and checking posture. I notice your head tends to droop a little, and you have "helicopter arms" - something I suffer from as well. I think that taking your time getting into the spin should help fix some of this. Remember - like Dorothy Hamil says on the Lussi spin video, you don't have to enter a spin fast to actually spin fast. Take your time, work on your entry and you'll see an improvement. This is something I was working on when I was last skating

I so sympathise with Phoenix on the 2-beat outside edge drills (must do those - they sound horrid!) and with Joan on the outside Mohawks. I don't have open hips either, Joan, and mine are clunky, to say the least of it.

Forgot to say that Husband and I stumbled and kicked our way through the 14-step when the music for it came on (we had a pretty empty rink this morning). Unfortunately, I could not remember whether you did the run or the cross-behind first after stepping to forwards - and I've forgotten again, even though my friend did show me! Plus the other day we were trying to dance the Foxtrot and I discovered I'd not exactly forgotten, but was just not very sure of the step after the lady's back run - I know there's a back cross-roll and a step to forwards, but I think either Husband or I am missing an edge somewhere.....

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

14Step...

Cross-behind (cross-back chasse), Cross in front (really a Progressive/run), mohawk, back inside, then restart.

Remembering the saying "cross-behind, cross-in front, mohawk" with the right rhythm helped me alot.

Foxtrot...

after the ladies back progressive/run... LBO cross stroke 2 beats), RFO (2 beats with a slight change of edge to RFI on the very end), LFO (2 beats), then RBO (the killer closed mohawk) hold for 4 beats, then LFI, RFI (2 beats each) and restart.

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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...

Ghastly noises only: no skating today, must wait until tomorrow! I've taken a "holiday" from it (so nice to go shopping, pick up Chinese food and not have to rush to the rink back from the rink to the daycare home then to scouting, etc) ......Talked to the dance coach and found out she won't be teaching until after the holidays! DARN! There goes our chance to get something set up for the exhibition (Jan 15)! With hubby's schedule tight (he works 2 jobs) we were hoping on squeezing in something during the rinks modified holiday schedule (they dropped 2 freestyle sessions ).

So now we have music, outfits, but no dance steps! I'm not good enough on the Dutch Waltz to teach him, can barely eek it out of myself. I'm hoping a solution presents itself soon. This will be the one thing that really clinches skating for him! He's so Type-A if he meets with to much disappointment, he won't do it again.... I'll have to see if maybe I can work on it a bit, then she can smooth out all the edges (there will be a lot of smoothing to do)!

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

skate@delaware: is there another coach at your rink who does a lot of choreography? There's someone here who, along with coaching her own students, does a lot of programs for other kids as well--so it's very kosher to work with her on new programs. Maybe there's someone there who could do that? Or what about a college skater kid who'll be home for the holidays w/ lots of free time & eager for some extra spending money?

Talk to your coach--maybe you could work around this glitch...

Oh, regarding the loop, that HAD to be me. I did five in a row Monday, all with good landings and, for me, decent ice coverage. Which is anything over 12".

My flip is way gone....stolen by someone else....same person who took yours! NOTHING there, nothing.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I can open into an outside spread eagle position without even thinking about it. Yet, despite my "open hips", I cannot do a decent outside mohawk yet to save my life. Think Ten Fox, and 14 Step, which coach showed me the steps to (the 14 step). EEEK!

Annabel, you had me laughing on this one. I'm sure if I ever tried to partner with anyone I'd stab them first and trip them second.

It's a problem at my rink-too few coaches. We are mostly a recreational/hockey rink so we don't have that many available. As for college students, we don't have any.

My group coach would normally be available, but she is taking vacation for 2 weeks. She is the only other coach qualified to teach ice dance. All the rest are freestyle only.

As long as it's not the Canasta Tango, we'll be ok! (that dance gave me nightmares-I discovered my 2 left feet!) The Dutch Waltz is fine, as long as hubby doesn't freak out with the tempo-I'm incorporating that waltz and some freestyle moves into an original dance. When the other coach becomes available, she can "fix" us. It's just frustrating. Neither one of us wants to drive the 1.5-2 hours to the other rink that has ice dance (SCW).

Should be interesting!

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

Except if it's a busy freestyle session, you might be careful when exiting since you won't be able to see behind you. One time in a lesson, I was lucky to not have decided to push to the BO edge to exit--a girl zoomed by doing senior moves and it would have been a major collision. (Of course what she was doing skating that close to someone already in a spin and in a lesson is a whole 'nother discussion!)

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

If the coaches at your rink aren't able to choreograph something for your exhibition in time for the exhibition, maybe you could see how your coach feels about you going to another rink to have a different coach choreograph something simple, then you could bring it back home to work on with your coach?

Edited to add: sorry, I didn't read the part where you said you didn't want to drive to another rink. Perhaps one of the freestyle coaches has enough dance background to help you with something simple? Sometimes coaches who primarily coach in one discipline are also able to do a little in others because of their past experience with testing and competing?

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

Or you could try stabbing and tripping at the same time? Killing two birds with one stone--er--blade?

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

Thanks, Jen. Walked through Foxtrot with coach this morning, and no problems (except on the Mohawk, which I'm still not good at), so I think it's Husband, not me.... And even if it is me, it's still his fault (2nd law of ice-dance!).

Ghastly Noise: My Christmas flashers don't fit on my new blades!!!!! Husband's need new batteries, and I don't know whether they'll fit on his new blades either, but maybe mine will fit on his, and then maybe his will fit Other Woman, since hers were stolen a few weeks ago.... We'll have to have a sort out. I will have to go to dance club tomorrow since it's Husband's birthday and I can't not dance with him on his birthday, can I - so maybe we can get something sorted then. He didn't skate this morning because there were to be tests, so the session wasn't starting until 8:30, plus he thinks he's getting a cold.

Sweet singing: Lovely empty rink again this morning, after the tests. And one of my coach's pupils was praised for her basic skating in the test - all too often they get told they have lovely elements, but can't actually skate! Lesson went well - I actually managed a whole lap of cross-cuts AND back cross-rolls. Coach decided that since I was always getting the first side, to change and start in the opposite corner, so I can focus on the café sign as I get tired. And it worked! But oh dear, I so know I have hamstrings and calves.... They still need work, of course, before I can test them, but at least we know they will be testable in the not-too-distant future.

Also worked on waltz 3s, with more flow than normal (but I still scratch a bit on the step into the 3-turn, especially clockwise), and then spent time working on swing rolls and chassés. I made coach hold my hands when going backwards, as I knew that way I could just focus on getting a good edge and good extension.

And we finished with stepping through the Foxtrot, as mentioned above. A good lesson, I think, and a lot easier than yesterday's in some ways, except that I'm as stiff as a board now!

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

ghastly - it's freezing here!!!!!!

Sweet - Had a lesson last night and worked on the counter move. Also worked on a better flying cammel. Lots of fun, and it went by too fast. I have our show this weekend. I'll be skating to Silent Night while my friend plays it on guitar.

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

That sounds SO cool! Might you have it video'd to share? How do you practice it?

Hi,
I'll ask someone to tape it. Practice???? Actually we finally got together last Saturday. He played through and I skated. I'm going to use it as a finale piece, so all the skaters come on the ice for the second verse.

Mikaand Ross - you too!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

Sweetly singing: After several weeks of not skating well my jumps are back. Spread eagle axel is clean and easy as is 2sow and 2toe. May have managed a 2loop but I think it was cheated about 1/4 but it was really easy.

Spins are solid especially 3's into back camel, coach wants it in the program...may kill me.

Ghastly noise: working on Foxtrot end pattern much better all the edges are correct but need more knee bend...as always.

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Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

Mika: I'm going to ask my private coach if she is up on the dances.....she hasn't mentioned it before, her handout states "freestyle and moves" but it's worth a shot. Her choreography is really good-my routine is nice! If only I could do it real credit...(ps-we do have busy freestyle sessions, but I'm supposed to look over my shoulder a bit anyways....so I haven't taken anyone out while exiting my spins <yet>)

Mrs. Redboots: Where do you get Christmas Flashers???????? I want some!!!!

Casey: your spins are much better! I showed one video clip to my hubby so he could see how you are supposed to step out from the back crossovers (we could watch it frame by frame-geeks we are)

eagerly awaiting show day so we can finally skate in a warm rink (it's the only time they turn the heaters on) !!!!

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