Just in time for your viewing pleasure Kseniya and Oleg provide us with a "CliffsNotes" tutorial of how ice dancing is scored for the 2013/2014 season, which of course includes the current Olympic games. NB: reference links are provided in the youtube comments. V. useful. Ice dance will be shown live tomorrow, Sunday, (short dance 10:00 to 13:42 ET) and Monday, (free dance 10:00 to 13:16 ET) on NBC. Can't wait!
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
I feel so validated. Do you feel validated?
Well, the Washington Post's Health Section editor says you & I should feel validated. Now that the cat is out of the bag those crowded publics will become even more so! But don't take it from me, read it yourself:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/who-says-60-is-too-old-to-figure-skate-the-sport-offers-health-benefits-but-be-careful/2014/02/07/80da646a-8516-11e3-9dd4-e7278db80d86_story.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/who-says-60-is-too-old-to-figure-skate-the-sport-offers-health-benefits-but-be-careful/2014/02/07/80da646a-8516-11e3-9dd4-e7278db80d86_story.html
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Lesson hiatus
Yesterday morning I was ice dancing at about the same time as the team competition at Sochi. An ironic twist in as much as I wanted to watch this live since it occurred on a Saturday morning when I otherwise could have. My choice: watch an activity vs do that activity. Sorry Charlie (and Meryl), I went to my lesson. (I did make it home just in time to miss Tessa and Scott, but did get to see D & W lift the US Team into third place. Mercifully, a little later, Ashley W. told her personal demons to take a day off and so the team avoided the cut). I watched it all again during the evening high lights broadcast.
My lesson concentrated effort on the three step-behind steps of the Rhythm Blues and the opening progressive/chassé steps of the Canasta Tango. I'm final "getting" the step-behinds. My biggest problem (aside from stepping on the tail of my skating foot blade) is remembering to point the toe of the new free leg skate after stepping behind. That and remembering to hold each step behind for two beats.
As for the progressive followed by the chassé in the other dance, that's also improving but for some reason I have trouble with the timing of the chassé when starting the repeat of the pattern. I seem to want an extra step at that point. Probably it comes down to me not being comfortable with the edge immediately preceding the chassé. Sometimes I do this correctly and other times I'm brain dead.
I did skate a few complete patterns but the morning's freestyle pickup was almost as busy as a public session! Competition season is upon us and lots of skaters and their coaches are working hard to get programs nailed down. As it turns out, this is the last time in February that I'll have a dance lesson. Next week is given over to a hockey tournament and the following weekend is Bowie's Valentine figure skating competition. At some point coach's daughter also goes to district's down in Norfolk, so I'm on my own until some point in March. We'll see what I remember by then!
My lesson concentrated effort on the three step-behind steps of the Rhythm Blues and the opening progressive/chassé steps of the Canasta Tango. I'm final "getting" the step-behinds. My biggest problem (aside from stepping on the tail of my skating foot blade) is remembering to point the toe of the new free leg skate after stepping behind. That and remembering to hold each step behind for two beats.
As for the progressive followed by the chassé in the other dance, that's also improving but for some reason I have trouble with the timing of the chassé when starting the repeat of the pattern. I seem to want an extra step at that point. Probably it comes down to me not being comfortable with the edge immediately preceding the chassé. Sometimes I do this correctly and other times I'm brain dead.
I did skate a few complete patterns but the morning's freestyle pickup was almost as busy as a public session! Competition season is upon us and lots of skaters and their coaches are working hard to get programs nailed down. As it turns out, this is the last time in February that I'll have a dance lesson. Next week is given over to a hockey tournament and the following weekend is Bowie's Valentine figure skating competition. At some point coach's daughter also goes to district's down in Norfolk, so I'm on my own until some point in March. We'll see what I remember by then!
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