Lesson today and we started with a discussion about testing and how there is a possibility that, for the next 6 months or so, testing might be done virtually. My reaction: "Ew." I'm not a fan of this format but I also really want to get my Preliminary dances tested so I can focus more on the Pre-Bronze tests. Mostly, I worry about the logistics of it all. Like, is my rink going to reserve a sheet of ice (we have three!) so that we can record our tests without having to worry about the little skaters getting in the way? Most people are pretty aware of who is running programs but some of the really small beginner skaters don't quite have the whole situational awareness thing down pat yet. I'm always having to look out for them. It would be nice to skate my test without the distraction of having to look out for people. You know, like how tests are supposed to be. I guess if I want to test, virtual may be my only option. Sigh.
Dutch Waltz - We started our lesson by running through all three Preliminary dances in order. I don't know what happened but I got to the end pattern of the DW and...forgot the steps! Not once but twice! Super embarrassing! We ran it a third time and it was good but damn. What the hell. I think this is part of the problem of having 6 ice dance patterns swimming around in my head. They sometimes blend together or get forgotten entirely. This is all the more reason to test my Prelim dances soon and just be done with them.
Canasta Tango - This was good! He just wants me to aim the intro steps more toward the lutz corner. I was cutting them short.
Rhythm Blues - His first attempt at recording us didn't go through so we ran it again. It didn't record much because he literally just propped up his iPad on the boards so it only recorded the part where we do the swing roll into the lilt. But it looked good. My leg could be straighter on the swing roll but he said the lilt was actually quite nice. Woot! The cross behind steps felt nice.
Swing - We spent a lot of time on this and when we have our lesson on Wednesday, I'm going to insist we work on it some more. The steps themselves are fine but the partnering is what's tricky for me with the whole moving apart from waltz hold and coming back into waltz hold on the end patterns. I also have a tendency to not get close enough to him while in waltz hold. This, by far, is the most awkward partnering out of all of the dances. I have anxiety about people touching me or being too close to me and this really pushes my limits. I'm okay getting close to my husband but I don't usually come face-to-face with other people too often so yeah. Every time we run this, he tells me to get closer. Every time we run this I have issues getting back into waltz hold after we separate. I think just running it more will desensitize me to the awkwardness of it all. I'm the awkwardness of it all, lol. Otherwise, it seems as though my timing is good and I'm getting the steps right so it's really not all the bad. Still needs a ton of work, though.
We didn't have time for the Fiesta or the Cha Cha so maybe we'll look at those next time. I also asked him about learning/testing/competing a Free Dance. The Rule Book was pretty confusing. It looks like if I compete with a Free Dance at the Adult level, I would start at Bronze but I'm not sure if that means I need to test the first six dances to be eligible to compete at Bronze. But then the Rule Book also indicates that to test a Free Dance, you start at Juvenile (which has the same required elements as the Adult Bronze Competition Free Dance). So he said he would look at it and try to make some sense out of it for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment