Lesson today! I was feeling some sads today since it would have been Test Day for me had it not been canceled. But at least I still got to skate today and I'm super thankful that the rink is open at all since rinks nationwide are starting to close again. There is always a bright side.
Cha Cha - Since that is what I was working on when it was my turn for a lesson, that's what we started with. First, he wanted to see me skate the pattern on my own without the music. I did well except for the times I had to break out of the pattern to avoid other skaters. Seeing that I knew the steps, we partnered it without the music. He had a couple of corrections. One was to step wider on the Inside Chasse (which is particularly scary because I'm afraid of stepping too wide onto his foot). He would also like for me to make the end pattern curvier. I was doing the whole thing in an arc but it should curve in toward the center when I do the cross behind steps and then out toward the end boards for the inside swing roll. I'm pretty surprised with my ability to do the cross behind steps. I struggled with them initially when I was learning them in the Rhythm Blues but now I know I have to flex my foot so it's flat when I put it down. That makes every cross behind so much easier to execute and virtually eliminates the fear since I won't trip on my toe pick. Woot! Since I did well with the partnering, he wanted to run it partnered with music. We actually did well! I was slightly behind the beat on the end pattern because I'm still not entirely comfortable with it but it's pretty good! Yay! We Cha Cha'd!
Fiesta Tango - I knew it was coming so I studied the steps on my own before he taught it to me so I wouldn't be so lost. I know the steps but wow the partnering is difficult on this! We are supposed to change hold positions twice in the pattern and there's mohawks and other steps and I'm really afraid I'm going to kill him. Why is he not afraid of me? He...should be. I'm a hazard. So yeah, there is a lot of work to be done with this, specifically with the end pattern because that is where all the danger is. The dance is fun up until that point and then it's instant anxiety.
But hey! I now know the first SIX dances and can skate at least four of them pretty well. I think in January (if there's a test session) I would like to test all three Preliminary Dances and possibly the Cha Cha and Swing if they are up to snuff. I have a feeling Fiesta Tango will take a while so I'm in no rush there. Ugh, I did not expect to like Ice Dance this much. Who am I even?
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