(((doubletoe))) (((Kim to the Max))) I'm so sorry about your Int. moves tests.

Doubletoe: judging from my experience at Sectional (which was in between my 2nd and 3rd Bronze Moves tests) I was attacking my program with a lot more power and speed. No moves test is ever done in vain! You will see it more when you do your program for Sectionals! Trust me on this. And taking a break from doing this particular test should help you with your nerves when you come back to this again.

And believe me, the worst critics for moves test IS a dance judge. SOOOO the next time before you test again, go thru a critique with a DANCE judge!!! (preferably with the "edge quality Nazi" at your club. Worked for me when I had to face this one judge that kept retrying me at my first two Bronze Moves tests. I finally had him pulled out to do my critique and the next time around I passed. Helps to deal with the fear, KWIM?)

Kim: You're taking this all very well considering... CONGRATS to you on that!!!

Good luck looplover on your test!!!

Make up lesson for Wed with secondary coach!!!

Winter:
Runthru SUCKED!!! I really need to work on the "in-between" stroking. And I blanked out on the footwork after one of the spins too!!! Oops!!!

On top of that, we worked on backspins again. Yup! Trying to get it to NOT flip over to the inside edge! We've made some progress though, but it sure felt weird!!! Fun, fun... NOT (for either me or my secondary coach!!!)

Spring:
I did land a loop-loop on both runthrus and DID land the flip (which is at the VERY END of my program -- just before my ending scratch spin in fact!!!) on the SECOND runthru CLEAN. (First one, I bailed on it b/c someone was RIGHT in my path!!!) How I managed that I will NEVER, EVER know!!!

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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!!!

Hugs to Doubletoe and Kim. Impressive that you are testing at that level. You will get it next time, I'm sure

First there was winter: outside the rink with freezing rain then turned to lots of snow and then rain but the final straw with the weather was that the snowplow went and packed a ton of snow behind my parked car at the rink after skating was done. Then once inside the rink on the ice I found that I wasn't cutting the ice no matter how deep I was bending my knees. At the worst of it I was executing my first watlz jump of the day and just as I was to roll up to my toe instead of springing up like I normally do, I ended up skidding sideways and couldn't complete the half rotation causing me to land on two feet to save myself. After that I went over to my coach and told him. Had to wait about 15 minutes before he got out his stone to get some kind of edge on my blades.

Change edge spiral is giving my grief since Wednesday. I was doing them no problem before. I don't understand why I can't change the edge all of a sudden. CE spiral runs RFO to RFI.

Spring:
Got half of my interpretive finally choreographed between my coach and I plugging away at it. This is the first program where my head isn't planted towards the ice. LOL

Footwork section is actually looking good. But my coach didn't get to see it, as I only started it after he left because he had to make it home before the ice storm hit where he lives. He lives almost in the next county east from me.

April fools: it's winter again. I just couldn't get the falling leaf to work and my split was weak. wonder if it's because my blades were very very dull.

Spring: Even though I'm working on getting over a case of bronchitus, I was able to push through my program at almost top speed and kept with the music including when I was in my sit/broken sit and my snot was spinning with me at a 90 degree angle from my nose. At that point the first time it happened it was pretty bad and I had to stop the program laughing about it all the way to my cleanex box. After that, I made sure to really clean out my nose before doing a run through.

Started a new move for me; LBO catch foot spiral.

Things I need to work on for next week in my interpretive; LBO catch foot spiral (staying off of the toe pick), falling leaf, split. And must play with my footwork more so that I can get the most out of my levels.

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"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing

Yay... well I had the competition today. I fell on the axel, which I had been landing all practise and all warm up etc. But I still won (by a really narrow margin) and I just can't wait to see the protocols if I made ANY levels that I was aiming for. I was counting as much as I could in the spiral although I lost track of time on the last part... And I did mess up two of the spins, so they defiently werent the levels I wanted... no idea if I managed to squeek out a level 2 for one of them or not. Hopefully i got my level 2 for my layback. That one went well in my opinion.

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~
Tidesong

CONGRATULATIONS! Hope you got at least one level 2.

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What I don't understand is why we have to pay our coaches for the lesson if we stand them up, but they don't have to give us a free lesson when they stand us up!

****Hugs**** to both of you. Ghastly feeling, not having skated as well as you know you're able, and the judge not being able to pass you. Been there, done that! But you'll pass one of these days, you wait and see.

Congratulations! A win is a win - don't knock it!

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

My coach is a softie! She has one student who doesn't show 50% of the time (a young girl who just can't get out of bed for the 7 a.m. session) but she wont charge the skater for no-shows. I have never seen that skater punch her ice card either!

It isn't a big deal for me if my coach can't make it - I know what I need to work on and can always use the extra practice session.

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

Thanks, my husband is saying the same thing; he comes to all of my tests and says I skate these moves with a lot more flow, speed and power than before. That's a good recommendation about a judge's critique session. I have to admit I'm somewhat relieved that the edge quality comments from the dance judge weren't the cause of the "retry" this time, since they were only in reference to my brackets and back double 3's (which were still passing). But yeah, maybe a practice test with a judge might help put me on the spot and help me get used to doing those back power 3's under pressure without getting myself too pumped up over them. . . Then again, as long as I *know* it's not the real test, I bet I'd be just fine.

Yay!!!!!! I can tell that you are now entering a whole new level in your skating! Can't wait to see you kick butt at Sectionals & Nationals!

TIDESONG - Congratulations!!!!! Let us know when you find out if you got those levels!

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Early spring: I passed!!! Wow, I had no idea of how that was going to go. I wasn't nervous before the warmup for several reasons: 1) too stressed out in every other area of my life, which helped today 2) listened to Foo Fighters 3) watched Johnny Weir's nationals freeskate twice before I left 4) knowing that a lot of people fail this the first time took the pressure off.

Then I kept doing the toe loop wrong in the warmup and I drove my coach nuts. Then I got upset and the nerves came back.

But, in the end I got all of the elements...almost ran out of music because I did some mysterious extra footwork (LOL)...as a result my sit spin was slow and higher than it should have been (sit spin was last in program). But it was enough, and some things were pretty good like the backspin (omg!), scratch, salchow.

So, what I take from this is, giving skating less importance in my mind makes me test better. Interesting inverse relationship, there...

Yet more winter: My toe loops. Apparently I'm pre-rotating. I dunno if I did it in the program or not, no judges commented on it (I got a 5.0, 5.1, 5.2). But the coach was not pleased by them and I have to get them right, I have incorrect muscle memory.

Whew! No tests for a while.

Ok. Maybe silver moves in May.

__________________
Revised Official 2010 Goals checklist
Skate __
New boots __
(lowering the bar for 2010 as I haven't skated in a year)

Thanks everyone, sorry for the video quality... my mum doesnt really know how to zoom so...yeah. But I'll update it with the final goes and stuff if/when I get them.
But yeah I got it up already since better now when I'm all hyper and still adrenaline high than later when I'm back to the normal pace of life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KP72-mRbTM


congrats looplover!

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~
Tidesong

Thanks! I feel kind of bad posting it because it hasn't been a good test taking week here on the forum

(Really, I only passed this the first time because I've already passed ISI Freestyle 4, so I've already tested most of this stuff plus flips and loops. The only new thing was the backspin so that's why I'm really psyched about that spin)

__________________
Revised Official 2010 Goals checklist
Skate __
New boots __
(lowering the bar for 2010 as I haven't skated in a year)

[Thursday's Skate]

Not my best...
Spring:
Uhhh...three turns were better...had some nice convos with the steward

Winter:
Spirals were terrible...took a NASTY fall on one, just caught the edge of my toepick. Straight down on my side...had to brush ice from my fringe down to my boot covers. Resulted in a badly swollen knee for a few hours, grazed him, and grazed/bruised elbow. Spins weren't happening...edges were okay I suppose, could have been better...pretty crowded ice too. Was one of my worst skates in a while.

Just an update....saw coach today (who was still very sick and looked it ), at LTS where I was helping out and she told me that no one from the pre-pre level passed their moves either... That is very disappointing to me because it is hard on the skater to get a retry at that level...at the higher levels it's a bit easier because there is so much more expected, but at that level, I feel as if there is no way that everyone messed up so badly that all of them got a retry...something just doesn't appear right...but, then again, I am not a judge and did not see the tests, so, who knows, but I am disappointed for those skaters who took that pre-pre test....

Puxatawney Phil (Pennsylvania Groundhog/Forecaster) says six more weeks of winter...
...wonder what our resident meteorologist FigureSkates says in his forecast?

You have my sympathies. I do hope you both get an easy pass with high scores next time.
(I promise to totally ignore you until you tell us the results - I think I am a jinx!)

Congratulations!

Congratulations - I was going to come watch your test, but I was afraid that I'd be a jinx!

My twins aren't ready for the Pre-Prel MITF test yet, so I was feeling sorry for myself about not being able to test today.
I left the rink right behind a guy on crutches who only had one leg. Made me think that there are worse things than reskates and retests.

Early Spring:
Taught Basic 4&5 classes today. The kids really want to learn and every success is so satisfying for both of us, lol.

Edges were very secure, all the three turns have become so much easier since I started patching, but I really think it's taking lessons myself that's helped.

Jumps and spins were solid, nothing fancy, but no stumbles or trips.

Yet More Winter:
The blades for my twins aren't going to be in until next week. They're both complaining about their achy little feet.

My new patch blades are here (MK Silver Test - only $75!) so I took my Patt 99's off my old Klingbeils. Skate shop guy said he can mount them next week for me - can't wait.

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Congratulations!

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

That is so true! For my 2nd Bronze MIF test, my panel was composed of all dance judges (well, they also judge MIF and FS, but their primary area is dance) and I got comments like "forcing edges" (on back perim stroking, and I remember thinking, OK, well I did bend my knees and ankles to get on the edges, but I thought that was what you were supposed to do - but what they meant was I needed more smoothness and flow in the transitions - I just looked too awkward) and also comments about forcing turns on my power 3's. Actually, 1 of the judges passed me, so the fact that a high-level dance judge thought my moves were passable was encouraging.

When I retry, I will probably have at least one of those 3 judges on my panel (2 are regulars at my club, which is very dance-oriented, so every test session has to have high-level dance judges - the third judge has since moved away). I fully expect to get another retry, but my goal is to be closer to passing than the first time...and I know I'll get really nitpicky comments.

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

Congratulations to Looplover and Tidesong
Hugs to Kim to the Max and Doubletoe. You'll get them next time.

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Happily defying the laws of physics when I skate...and not in a good way

If I could meet ole Axel Paulsen, I would kick him in the teeth

President and Founding member of the I hate Toe-Loops Club

Still a member, but trying to get out of the Pre-bronze peanut gallery.

Visit my skating journal

I don't understand that either!

j

Early spring: finally, finally finally getting more of a handle on why I haven't been able to do a lot of steps (moahwks and chocktaws specifically) that I used to do easily - a couple of years ago I totally screwed up my neck and basically could not turn it to the right very well, so I started compensating for it which really screwed me up big time!!

So doing lots and lots of yoga and pilates, plus a great massage therapist has rendered my neck to be much more flexible and so now I have no pain and can turn my head - BUT I was in such a bad habit of not turning my head that I still was stuck on those turns and steps - so the other day I just looked over my right shoulder and viola! - Foxtrot Mohawk, Ten-Fox Mohawk and Blues Choctaw - done!! Easy!! Argentine twizzle? Better! Killian Choctaw? better! Quickstep Choctaw? Well, still stuck, but lots of other things better - back-to-front on many many places where you go from left back to right front in MITF and Dances - Better!! Hooray!!!

I am so grateful to have been able to do so much good work this week!

With the figures - my RFO-LBI3 is better - especially the BI3 - my coach was pleased with the improvements that I had made over last week - still can't control and exit of the turn but that will come as well. The RFO3 is still difficult because the position of it in a figure is so much different than in dance and moves - but that will come too?

will I be competing that figure at PCAS? Time will tell as I still don't know whether there is anyone else competing low-test figures (does anyone out there know of anyone who is signed up to do this?) - if not I'm not going to compete (hopefully they will refund my $$$$$$$$ LOL).

Yet more winter: Unbelievably crappy ice at my main hockey rink made it difficult to really practice figures (or anything else) at all as there was not one good clear place without a lot of lumps and bumps and ridges and tiny pebbly crappola ice to do anything. We did the best we could but man, you could kill yourself out there!! I wish my coach would just bite the bullet and change to another rink - ANY of the other rinks in our area would be fine with me!!!!!!! and I think her other students would be fine with this as well, but since she's taught there for - well, I think about 30 hyears I don't think she's going anywhere soon...

But maybe... there is hope out there....

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

If I stand up a student, I do give them a free lesson, and I know at least one other coach who does also. It only happened to me once, and it really hurt, because when your student pays anyway, they are out that one payment, but when you have to give a free lesson, you are out what you would have made when you stood them up, plus the freebie.

CONGRATULATIONS!

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Oh you wouldn't have been a jinx!
I wondered if any of you would be testing...yup I didn't see that guy but I would have thought the same...

__________________
Revised Official 2010 Goals checklist
Skate __
New boots __
(lowering the bar for 2010 as I haven't skated in a year)

Well, in my case, just seeing that judge is enough to scare me into doing really well. (I know he's really a nice guy, but his presence just scares me!!!) Given that, it's supposed to be just a little easier for you to get used to having a judge like this tough one do your test and build up your confidence. The best part is that he does welcome someone asking him to critique a practice test session and you get his input on what he's looking for. And there were a couple of things that I didn't expect him to mention about. (Relaxed shoulders was the big one for me... I scrunch my shoulders up a lot and I'm trying to relax (lower) them when I skate.)

Sorry to say, I won't be at Sectionals... but I will definitely see you at Nationals!!! (Cost for traveling to Nationals is too pricey for me to consider going to Sectionals this year. GRRRR!!!!) We'll see if I will get in a good loop-loop and flip for AN... The runthrus are promising though.

Congrats to our newest Bronze FS lady!!! YAAAAAY!!!

Congrats to you on your win in the competition, fellow software engineer!!!

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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!!!

(((((Helen88))))) HUGS! Those "catch-toe" spirals are the worst! Someone once told me to just focus on my toes during spirals: Point the toes of the free foot and LIFT the toes of the skating foot. That advice has saved my life! It's impossible to catch the toepick if you are lifting your toes up inside your boot.

YAY!!!!!!

Ah, one of my favorite movies: Groundhog Day!

__________________
"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

I've started skating regularly during the week again, and I'm so happy doing it that everything is early spring.

I've been doing basics: laps, edges, crossovers, progressives. Then working on FI mohawks, first 3 dances, and today started throwing in FO three turns and a bit of FI three turns.

FINALLY got the gospel of knee bands (after I'm-not-going-to-admit-how-many years). It makes skating a whole new activity! Mohawks are so much easier, stroking so much more powerful. My legs are tired, but oh my I'm going to get so strong.

I'm particularly working on BI edges, because I noticed in FI mohawks that what was holding me back was being contorted on the exit edge. Practicing being able to glide on a BI with a comfortable fluid posture.

[ETA: and (not so) amazingly, having a good BI edge position helps the FO 3-turns also! Now just to work out the FI 3-turn puzzle.]

The twins will (hopefully) be ready to test by the May test session. Their new skates and blades are ready, so we'll be picking them up later today. (I teach a group lesson on Thursday nights.)

Only skated about 40 minutes today; I was running very late.

Early Spring:
Jumps were good, but SSDD; started working on a waltz-loop in the hopes of stopping the hip drop I've been doing. Flip is soclose yet so__far away. (See core strength, below)

Spins were pretty good, spirals were AWESOME - got a couple of compliments. (I love spirals.) Managed a few change-edge ones as well, woot!


Yet More Winter:
Back pivots (either edge) are a misery for me - started working on them today in the hopes of improving my toe loop. Worked for the standalone toe loop, but now I can't put it in combination, lol. Fix one thing, break another.
I can do this, right? (Now I remember why I skipped competing in ISI FS3.)


I definitely have some serious core strength weaknesses; I can feel the waist-breaks and inability to hold onto things.

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