Mikawendy whispers guilty secret: I took USFS group lessons through Freestyle 5 and somehow never learned a mazurka. I have no recollection why--not sure if I missed part of the series, but they're in Basic 8, so theoretically I should have learned them then. Maybe there's a lot of folks who dislike teaching them....?

ETA: Here's the description from Don Korte's site. I can't tell whether his description is ISI's way, USFS's way, both, or neither. It sounds pretty straightforward, but then so does a bunny hop and those can just feel evillle (especially on the weaker "side").

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There are a lot of people who don't know what they are, coaches included. (One Russian coach, which blew me away. Guess it has a different name in Russia. Here, I thought the name WAS russian.) At a coaches' seminar earlier this year, the terrific on-ice portion included how to teach it, so I've adopted some of the instructor's methods, which helps somewhat.

I was very surprised to hear how many different ways there are to teach the mazurka incorrectly. Stuff like wrong edges, picking improperly, crossing the "hard way", landing on the wrong toe... All, wrong, wrong, wrong.

I know how to do mazurkas because I skated ISI and my coach was a stickler for details. (Germans usually are) I don't do them well, but I can do them. They hurt, though! lol

I teach it the way Don's site describes (thank you for the link). The problem is, not everyone teaches it that way - some programs substitute a half-flip instead. I've had head pros tell me my way was wrong and get the rulebook to challenge me when I explained that I teach the ISI version.

*shrugs* Different strokes. What's really funny is that it might explain why I've taught Basic 8 more this season than ever before. Maybe it's a knack, maybe it's the Mazurka! LOL

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I once heard somewhere that one of the possible uses for teaching a mazurka is to teach the toe-in and takeoff for a toe loop. Is that correct, or does the body rotate before the takeoff more than on a toe loop? *Scratches head* ...So is it really a fancy way of doing a "half" toe-loop?

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There is a mazurka in ISI? What level? Because I never remembered learning that jump. The only "little" jumps I did were 1/2 toe wally, 1/2 flip, 1/2 lutz, and ballet jump...

Blooming: Went to dance club last night for the first time for ages, and had fun. Ought to go more often really.

Dooming: But am fighting off yet another cold, and got very breathless during the session. And Husband and I had a coming-together of skates on a Fiesta Tango which resulted in a nasty fall for him. So we didn't skate today.

Both or neither: I'm very stiff today - probably because we really covered the ice last night! Much more so than normal.

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Mrs Redboots
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Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

I was taught the Mazurka by a coach in the US as preparation for the toe-loop.

It's an uncaptured jump at any level in ISI. My coach just liked to include "different" uncaptured maneuvers in programs to add interest and extra content. She was merciless about performing every element perfectly, too. lol

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I'm not sure if it's that beneficial; I think a half flip is a better "first toe assist" jump. The back pivot is better for learning the toe loop position, IMO. That's why the ISI has both the back pivot and the toe loop at the same test level (FS3).

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I managed to weasel my way out of that mazurka in ISI, heh heh.

Unfortunately never quite mastered that back pivot either, which is coming back to haunt me now during toe loop attempts

Blooming: Fun lesson today, started learning sit-change-sit and worked on camels. Also planned strategy w/coach for not looking down at the ice so much (yeah...I actually need a strategy for this...) and figured out how we need to break down the flip again to bare bones and get it consistent. Also worked on the sit spin a bunch getting that free leg higher and out more, and I do think that's going to work out and get me lower in the spin.

Dooming: Well, I didn't actually do any of these items today - I had a one-rev camel, but still. I don't feel really doomed though, it's just time to go back to basics and fix bad skating habits - sorely needed!

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

Crocus Blooming:
Prelim power threes seem to be stable, which is a plus at this point. In my lesson today did back power XO's to work on the weight shift a bit, and another coach called out "way to go, dbny!" I rarely get to put on any speed at that rink because even when the sessions are fairly empty there are too many little clueless anklebiters wandering around, so it was really fun. Coach fixed my posture today, now I just have to keep it fixed, which means thinking about it all the time. When I got it right, I was able to do a two foot spin much faster than ever, and rock solid, beautifully centered. When that becomes automatic, I won't be popping out of or wobbling on the one foot any more.

Whole Botanic Garden Abloom:
After lesson, I decided to try BO threes, which I've been playing with for a few weeks. All of a sudden, I just knew I could do the Juv back power threes, and I did! Not the whole pattern, because, of course they weren't that good, and I'm not ready to go that fast, but I did them in both directions, taught them to a friend, and then showed them off to coach, who had finished for that session. Got a very big "WOW" from her.

Dooming:
Tried to cheat the Prelim FO threes on the line by stepping to next FO edge about a foot from the line - and found that I still had so much rotation going that I very nearly crashed. Sigh - must get that check! Hopefully, new posture will do it.

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Crocus Blooming: this is skating related, altho my rink is almost closed now...will be after Sunday. My videos came!!!! FINALLY!!! One was delayed due to a death in the family of the videographer (condolences), the other???? who knows???? But I now have my competition "performance" as well as my Nutcracker 2007 vids.

My competition vid is up on my youtube site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhbLeDO28LY
(I had a false start-they started the music without me!!!)

Please be kind-i was skating with a numb leg.....so it was a 'skating for fun' routine. And no, I'm not selling the dress, however I will lend it out (but not the chair)

My coach did say she would be available for lessons here and there at Piney Orchard...early saturday mornings. Might have to take her up on them!

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

[Weather Dooming]
Didn't have the energy last night to really work on axels They are getting so much better that I am disappointed that I wasn't really feeling up to it.

Haven't done my program lately, which means that when I finally have a lesson with coach, I am probably going to die...

Test session is in exactly 2 weeks...I sure hope I'm going to be ready!!!

[Crocus Blooming]
Ice starts again tomorrow at my regular rink!!

Again, moves are feeling good. Brackets can still be a little touch and go, but they are a little more touch and a little less go...

CW power 3s were much better controlled yesterday and are feeling more, well, powerful

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

It's amazing what a different shape you are from two years ago! And you look about ten years younger.... I am jealous!

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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!

Blooming - everything in Baltimore. I came back, and it's spring!!!!!
Have lots to unpack and throw in the wash.

dooming - I stopped by the Jackson booth at nats as my skate person was there. I had been having some trouble with my left blade's outside edge and wanted him to take a look at it. He looked at my blade and saw right away that it was bent. So - at least I know it wasn't my imagination...... Back down to the skate shop this week.

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You are so kind! I'm feeling the mileage tho!!!!

Maybe it's like the donuts in the case that look good but have been in a day too long

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

After Monday evening's skate, I wasn't able to make it back to the ice before our season ending ice show. No more ice until September.

As usual, I took photos for the ice show. Posed pictures were made during rehearsal last night, and the action photos just a few hours ago. Now I've got 20 GB worth of files to edit and post.

Here's a photo of one of the last events from this evening...the synchro number.



Next year, maybe I'll let someone else take the pictures so I can be a part of the show too.

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Bill Schneider

Dooming: Before today my last three skates have been horrible. My spins were OK but I couldn't jump worth beans. It wasn't that I didn't know how or had a bad day, but my body just wouldn't respond to what I was telling it to do. I'm officially into my geezerhood

Blooming: Had a great skate today. For no discernable reason my body decided to respond. I wonder if nutrition has much to do with it? The highlight was I finally landed one of my retooled axels! Woo Hoo! I've been working on it for months. It's taken me that long to just begin to get to the hang of unlearning my old way of doing things.

Kevin

Blooming: Beginning to get a bit more togetherness in our free dance, and maybe some more speed in our compulsories.

Dooming: It was one of those days when I could not get my skates comfortable, so my feet hurt almost the entire session. I am still having problem with my left inside edges. And Husband kicked me not once, not twice, but THREE times - my left blade is going to be a ruin at this rate. Luckily neither of us lost our footing any of the times, but it was close.

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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'm so mad I could spit. I typed up a long report of ISI synchro nationals and as I was about to post it, my 2.5 year old son hit the sleep button on my kepyboard and totally erased it.

The long and short of it, practice ice and the compulsory program were excellent (we got first against the book). We bobbled in the long program, ended up fourth of five. I felt very good about my skating the entire event, so am pleased about that.

And I'm still mad at my son because I had an excellent and descriptive narratie written and don't want to re-write it. Boo, hiss...

I just came here to type exactly what quarkiki already did (I don't have a long report though).

ISI Synchro Nationals was so much fun. Our practice ice was definetly our best practice ever. We ran both routines better than we ever have. It was very encouraging, and that alone was worth the trip. (Yeah- I know it's supposed to be a competition, but I was just thrilled to know we CAN skate that well!)

Thriller was our compulsory program and it went well. We all came off the ice just ecstatic- it was a fantastic program, the book had no chance against us And we did place first against it.

It was a long wait until our long program. I really enjoyed watching the other teams, especially the higher level teen teams. Backward lunge pass throughs seemed very popular and were impressive everytime! I think my favorite thing to watch was traveling straightline pinwheels. We can hardly even get our circles to travel well. (Something the other adult teams did really well in our next event!)

The long program did not go as well as the compulsory. It was just error after error of stupid mistakes we don't usually make. All the ones we normally make weren't there. I pulled out of our straightline pinwheel to completely the wrong place for our block intersection thingy. I've never done that before and am so mad at myself because I skated clean (except for the stuff I can't actually do yet, and never do anyway) up to that point. Needless to say, after watching the rest of our flight, we knew we would be 4th or 5th. Two of the teams were just incredible, one team we might have had a chance to place above if we skated clean, but we didn't deserve it, and another team skated cleaner on what appeared to be a slightly easier program- it's always so hard to tell what judges will do. We were shocked and happy with our 4th- I just wish we would have skated better. There were just silly errors the whole way through.

This week we have to change the formations to take our 3 skaters who aren't going to the next competition, and then we compete again at our own rink in 2 weeks.

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

[Weather Dooming]
Axels were STILL not landed on my toe!

Couldn't really play music because there was no one working music today and where we have the player is not really conducive to starting the music for myself...

[Crocus Blooming]
Skated back at my regular rink So excited, however I had gotten used to skating on nearly empty ice... Although, we are on the ice that we don't usually use, and it's usually colder and the ice is harder....

Spins were really good today. Jumps felt good as well, lutzes started to go south, but I was able to stop that...

Axels felt really big...one of the skaters commented about how big they are....coach saw a few and asked me to do a few more for her....still nothing....grrrrrrrrrrrr....at least they are closer and my leg is pulling in a little...not quite enough, but better....

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Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

Great picture, Bill_S--very dynamic! I also love how the lighting is making shadows on the ice.

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Thanks Mikawendy!

The light does make for beautiful photos. I just wish it had been a little brighter for photography.

The rink borrows stage lighting from the theater department for the show, but these theater lights are meant for much smaller spaces. In a large rink, it's miserably dim for photography, and a huge majority of my photos have blur in them.

This year I used a secret weapon though - Nikon gave my department a loaner D3 camera (a mere $5k!) and that thing sees in the dark. It captures what you can't even see with your own eyes. I used it together with my older Nikon which is handicapped by comparison. The D3 is my dream camera right now and I want one!

Note to skate show planners - when you turn out the regular lights and use dim light like this, please don't dress half the show participants in black or dark brown! Even the audience can't see what's going on.

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Bill Schneider