Hi,
There is the possibility of renting private adult ice on Monday evenings.
Anone interested? The session will be limited to around 12 skaters.

Let me know.

flo-- What rink are you talking about? And the time? Depending on the answers to those questions, I might be interested.

Pat

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August 22, back on the ice!

It just crossed my mind....how old do you have to be to be aloud to "adult" skate.

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Lets Boogie!

Hi Hydroblade,
It depends on the skater. PM me if you'd like details.
Thanks!

Where? and When? On a regular on-going basis? or a one-shot deal?

Monday evenings at Ice World in Abingdon Md. It would be for a couple of months at a time.

How far from DC is that? I go to an Adult Public session on Monday nights but could make a trip once in a while.

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Why are you skating so slowly? Get out of my way!

If you skate faster, it makes everything look better!

Depending on where you are in D.C. and traffic conditions, it could be anywhere from 1 hour to 2 1/2hours. Last year, I would travel from College Park, leaving at about 3:30 in the afternoon (weekday), and I would usually get there between 4:45 and 5:15, depending on traffic, accidents, cars broken down on the side of the road (which everyone loves to stop and stare at ), etc.

Edited to explain further that the rink is in Harford County, MD, north of Baltimore, and basically straight up I-95.

Oh, MSF, these sessions would be great for you. Then you could work with flo on learning those adult pair elements. Nyah!

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Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Hi flo,
Thanks for the info. I think that is a little far for me to drive on a regular basis, but I might be interested in it on occasion if it works out. Helpful, I know, . Sorry I can't be more specific. Actually, my coach is now talking about teaching me on Monday evenings in the summer, and I know he won't want to drive there, so it wouldn't work for me most of the summer.

Pat

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August 22, back on the ice!

Sounds like a good session, tho a VERY long drive for me. Also, my Mondays are booked solid. Thanks anyway, hope it works out for enough people to make it happen.

NoVa!!!!! I am not a pairs skater! I am not, I am not, I am NOT!!

But I think I will get a chance to meet Flo on Saturday at the Adult clinic.

Flo: I will be easy to recognize....Male skater with really bad spins!!!!!

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Why are you skating so slowly? Get out of my way!

If you skate faster, it makes everything look better!

Hmmm ... you sound less convincing to me each week.

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Pair skater I hear, hmmmmm
I'll be there - you'll be able to pick me out - I'm in my new skates, and can't stop!

Hmmm, then maybe an ice dancer? No spins required.

Oh yes they are! Alas.... usually a spin is a requirement in a free or original dance! For our Free Dance, at Elementary level, the requirement is a 1 minute 30 seconds (plus or minus 5 seconds) Free Dance which must contain a spin of no fewer than 3 revolutions, a mid-line step sequence and MAY include up to 2 lifts. I can't remember what the solo dance requirements are, if they differ, but I do know a spin is included.

One of our dancers (the one whose picture is in the USFSA Adult Skating brochure) was a "returner", he hadn't skated for 30 years when he took it up again. Only to discover the requirements had changed, and he was obliged to learn to spin.... he did, too! We all teased him about it, as the first year he simply couldn't and made a terrific muck of it, but the second year he had a really great spin, and we were all, "Cor, you've learnt to spin this year, haven't you!"

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

Actually, for USFS Juvenile Free dance test and Intermediate Free dance test, no dance spins required. (There is no Preliminary Free Dance.)

For Juvenile... 2 minutes (probably going up to 2:15 as a result of GC) +/- 10 seconds. Required elements: 0-2 lifts; 1 step sequence (circular, straight line or diagonal), use of varied dance positions and holds to be included are: Killian hold, Foxtrot (Open) hold, Waltz (closed) hold, cross-arm. Also basic dance maneuvers such as layover/drape, pull through legs, side pull, front drop, etc. may be used. Passing average is 3.0/3.0 total 6.0 for standard track; Pass/Retry for masters.

For Intermediate FD: currently 2:15 +/- 10 seconds, GC proposal to increase to 2:30 +/- 10 seconds. Required elements: 1-3 lifts; 1 step sequence (circular, straight line or diagonal). Passing average 3.2/3.2 total 6.4.

Note that these are the test requirements. The "well balanced free dance" recommendations are much higher... (these were for the 2004-2005 season)

for Juvenile FD (well balanced free dance requirements): 1-2 lifts, 1 or more dance spins (at least 1 rev), 1 or more synchronized twizzles, 1 or more step sequences

well balanced FD requirements for Intermediate FD: 1-3 lifts, 1 ore more dance spins (at least 2 revs), 1 or more synchronized twizzles, 1 or more step sequences

Enjoy....

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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...

Ice dance? No ... we don't want to punish him!

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Hey Nova, Please give ice dancing an honest try before you decide it is punishment. Hundreds of people enjoy the discipline required to refine each dance & find a real thrill in flying around the ice in total harmony with a partner at breakneck speed -- they can't all be wrong. I realize you are just joking here, but seriously, ice dancing is a MUCH bigger thrill than you can ever imagine, and a very challenging & rewarding sport.

BTW, earlier when I said "no spins required" I was referring to freestyle type spins, not the dance spins done with a partner in a dance position. Quite a different feeling, I think.

For the record, I DID try ice dancing (while in NC)--it was horrible. Hmm, maybe it was just the music? I don't hate ice dancing, I'd just rather crawl naked across four lanes of broken glass on a freshly salted highway than participate in it. Grrr ...

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

I agree with NoVa. I tried it. I learned 4 dances. I hated every second of it. I hated the dances, the music, you name it. I thought maybe it was just because the low level dances were boring, so I made sure to go see world class skaters doing the international level compulory dances when I went to Worlds. Nope -- not any better. So I thought maybe it's the idea of "compulsory" that I don't like. So I watched every OD and FD. Nope. I can't take the over-the-top drama, the hair and body glitter, the yards of illusion on one costume, the facial expressions that make Gloria Swanson look like she had botox, the "theme" of a free dance that's so internal you have to have a freakin' paragraph to explain it... I could go on, but you get the idea.

I respect ice dance, but I don't like it. <sticks out tongue> Can't make me!

Skaternum, I love it when you tell it like it is! And your Swanson comment--priceless!!!

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Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Ice dancing? Hmmm? I would try it, but I have so much "basics" to correct that I don't think I could do justice trying that right now... Of course, Annabel (or another ice dancer) is gonna pipe up around now to tell me that it'll actually make my basics much easier. Trust me, it doesn't...

I did have a funny experience with the 5 step mohawk. One of my fellow younger skaters, who does not know about the 5 step mohawk on the pre-Juv or Adult Bronze moves test, came up to me and asks if I was doing ice dancing. I could see why she thought it looked like ice dancing, b/c I often do the 5 step to someone else's ice dance waltz music.

Skaternum: that's two for two today on the funny comments!!! You're so EVIL!!! (Trying NOT to do a belly laugh right now b/c I'm still recovering from the stomach flu and belly laughs is quite uncomfortable for me at the moment.)

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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!!!

No, dear, trust me - it does! And I totally agree about doing moves to music - it makes them far easier. And yes, I know the dance music is cheesy, and boring, and repetitive.... and very unforgiving! No skating in spite of your music, when it's dance, everything has to be totally on the beat, in time - and in unison!

If I hadn't seen NoVaSk8r & LoopLoop skate - and they are awesome - I'd tease him about being lazy..... as it is, in all good conscience, I can't.

Ice dance is a totally different discipline to free skating, but the two do reinforce each other. Had I done more free skating, I might have more speed across the ice and be less turn-challenged than I am now..... but I can skate in time to music (or at least know when I'm out of time!) and I have pretty good edges..... especially with my new blades!

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

Actually, practicing the 5-step mohawk sequence (or 8-step on the Silver/Juvenile test) to music to help keep an even cadence is a very good training aid until the even tempo is in the body memory. If the cadence is extremely uneven, it's points off on the MIF test.

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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...