Is anyone else scared of putting their foot down behind them?

For the Rhythm Blues, I do the option of only puting my right foot behind my left foot. And it was quite an accomplishment that I can even do that. I've taken some very hard falls on my knee on that move. Now I've even put it in my freestyle program.

Okay but now I have to do the Cha Cha and my refusal to put my left foot behind my right foot has come to haunt me because of course that's the foot that has to go behind in that dance.

I know, bend my knees, flex my foot to keep from going toe first.

Any other ideas? Anyone else conquered their fear of that?

I guess I just have to listen to my daughter's sage advice "JUST DO IT"

J

Try not to rush it. I learnt the Rhythm Blues last wk and when my coach showed me the three step behinds I was a bit dubious. Easiest thing is to stand tall and relax. I found when I tensed up my body I felt like I was going to trip myself up but count inside your head 1,2 for each time you step behind and you should notice an improvement.

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Here, it's no longer an option not to do that middle closed chassé in the Rhythm Blues - I tried it once and got badly dinged for it.

I, too, have awful issues with it. But in the Cha-Cha it's a cross-in-front followed by a cross-behind, isn't it, as in so many other dances - that's way easier. But infinitely. The secret is not to uncross - cross your right foot over, then, instead of extending your left leg, just pick the foot up and keep it still, so you can put it back down in exactly the same place on the beat. Oh, and in that dance, it's a definite cross to the inside edge, you really do need to be on an edge, not a flat, to keep the pattern correct.

The Canadian, as we tend to refer to that dance (it's known as the Canadian Cha Cha over here), is deceptively difficult - the steps are easy enough to do, but it seriously tests your ability to push, if you're going to get any ice cover. Last time we competed it, we had really been working on our pushing - and found, in the warm-up, that we were going to have to change where we started the dance, or he'd be wiping me off on the barrier!

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Mrs Redboots
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Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Having the knee of the skating leg bent (so that you have "space" to sneak the other foot in for the cross-behind) makes it infinitely easier.

A good exercise to help with these is to go around in a circle, do a normal chasse, then do a cross-behind, repeat ad nauseum. Change directions (from CCW to CW or CW to CCW as appropriate) and do the same the other way.

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Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

You'll feel very secure if you do all the things you mentioned plus put your blade down on an edge. Swear.

On the step behinds, bend your knees, make sure your step behind is on an edge, press your hands down and don't lean back! Mine are not great, but are recognizable. The reason my coach has me press my hands down is to keep me from leaning back, which caused a few ugly falls. Good luck!

I remember a roller dance exercise for these that was similar. It is cross front (like a crossover, but place the foot precisely in front) cross behind. Repeat in a circle. I think this exercise was introduced for the Paso Doble, so it was one stroke per beat. I've tried it on ice, much, much slower .

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THanks for advice. Will try the excercizes. Must say that leaning back is not a problem for me. I tend to lean too far forward, hence the bad falls on my knee

The exercise Jenlyon suggested is a very good one. You can also do it on alternating sides, so it takes you down-ice in lobes. Put on some music & do it for 10 minutes or so every time you skate! It will start to get better before long, as you gain some muscle memory.

Learn to love it, as that step will come up over & over as you work on your dances!

So it may be, but it's very horrid! I do do it... also alternating chassé, slide chassé, which is good, too, if you're working on your slide chassés and not sticking your behind out when you do one....

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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!

I have to say this suggestion made me laugh. Not that I wouldn't love to...but one of the reasons it took me so long to get the timing right on these dances is that sometimes I'm lucky to get my music played once during a session. And if you are practicing a few dances plus a freestyle, well, you make some choices because there's a lot of other people who want their music played too.

J

Do you just slide the foot behind or pick it up and place it?
Kay

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Pick it up and place it, for both the cross behind and the cross front.

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