I learnt this dance (used to be called the prelim foxtrot) ages ago, but recently have started working on it again. My coach says it's the easiest dance to learn (it's only forward runs and swing rolls), but hard to do perfectly. I'm having a little trouble getting the end pattern right (I used to do it differently at my old rink - only going into one of the corners).

The end pattern involves curving round one corner, coming out for a curve, then curving into the other corner (hope that makes sense). My problem is that I keep running out of room before I get to the second corner! I pick up speed quite easily and going too fast may be part of the problem. I've tried slowing it down a bit, but it's difficult to change the way I do it. It's also a bit harder to pull the edges round more when you're going faster too, although I think my edges are quite good (my coach says I've got nice edges - I spend a lot of time working on basic skating). Is it just a matter of practice? Slowing it down? Figuring out exactly where each stroke should be on the end pattern? I did it to the music too (first time in years, really), and found that when I tried to skate to the beat, I had to sacrifice some edge quality and technique to do it. Practice practice practice?

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"It’s never too late to skate at any age." - Alexei Mishin.

Hi

My coach made me go into all of the corners too! It's difficult (more difficult than one corner) but it's a great feeling when you get it.

The 'secret' is lots of practise and making sure that you REALLY work the edges right from the beginning of the dance so that you DO have room to get into the first corner, if you get the pattern for that wrong you're stuffed for the second.

Think lots of knee bend and deep, deep edges all the way through the dance .... oh, and lots of practise! My coaches told me to practise edges and REALLY push them so that it almost felt like I was about to fall over, I know that sounds weird but doing the dance the way that you're doing it really does mean mega edges

When I was doing mine someone remarked to my coach that we weren't doing the Gold test!

Good luck and let us know how you get on


x

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The best whisper is a click

I'm having that same problem on my Argentine right now....I'm used to doing it on an olympic rink, but I'll be testing on an NHL sized one. Bending your knees really is the key. I think you're talking about the Rocker Foxtrot, but honestly, it's been forever since I did that dance, so I can't really remember the end pattern. If there's any type of swing roll (as there is with the Arg), it really helps to stay down in your knees for the entire thing. Also, don't deliberately go any slower -- speed is one of the best things you can have in a dance, you just need deeper edges so you don't crash into the boards.

Perry, no, she's talking about what used to be called the Prelim Foxtrot (I think that it's now called the Novice Foxtrot). It's one of the first dances that you test in the UK and looks deceptively simple! You can do it so that the pattern goes into just two corners or, as icenut is now doing, so that it goes into all four corners. Getting the edges and timing just right is very tricky at the bottom end of the rink as if you get the 'first' corner wrong then the second is inevitably going to be MUCH more difficult.

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The best whisper is a click

I do not like the Novice Foxtrot one little tiny bit! Actually, Icenut84, the secret is seriously bent knees and seriously steep edges. If you are dancing with a coach or professional partner, preparing for a test, let him guide you. And yes, practice, practice, practice is the key, but do bear in mind that for Level 1 the standard isn't that demanding!

Way back when, I remember someone who used to skate at Tashakat's old rink in North London who took her old Prelim test, which is now considered equivalent to about Level 5 or 6, doing the dance solo was a requirement (along with the Canasta Tango and Prelim, now British, Waltz, which were done partnered). She told me that she had worked for six months, six, to get the edges right in the corners and not cheat them (all too easy to do), and then the judges stopped it before she even got to the first corner, in order to pass her! She was furious.....

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Mrs Redboots
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