Merrily dancing along

A good start today to my week off (and therefore a week of TONS of practice!). I skated about an hour before the lunchtime break, stopped to have my homemade soup (yum!) and then skated about 45 minutes this afternoon. Not loads of time, but it was quite busy with some school trips.

I spent some time going through various things - 3turns, mohawks, perimeter stroking, Russian stroking and forward edges. I had a good go at drags today - getting slightly lower in them now, and had a proud moment when I saw some snow hanging off the side of my boot! And my knee really isn't minding too much - in general it actually feels much better, so all these lunges must be doing wonders for it (what was diagnosed as maltracking of my patella).

I actually had, wait for it, FUN practicing my advanced BXO's today! In fact, I am actually not using the barrier because I have to, but because it helps me! One issue (a common one I believe when starting these BXO's) was not pushing my hip far enough back, and therefore not staying on the circle line. I have been doing these up the side of the barrier, which forces me to keep the hip pushed right back, otherwise I would crash right into it :) The advanced BXO's in general are really beginning to feel nice and smooth - instead of just feeling like I am scissoring my legs, I can feel when and where my weight should transfer from one foot to the other. And yes, I LIKE DOING THEM! I really am in quite a state of disbelief . . . All those people who when I was despairing about ever managing BXO's, told me that one day I would possibly prefer going backwards - it's still a way off, but I no longer think you are completely nuts :)

After lunch, it was for about 20 minutes fairly quiet, and I could run through my dances:
Novice Foxtrot went well and worked on remembering the points my coach highlighted, namely pointing my foot in the direction of travel on the FXO's, not coming off the FO edge on the swings and not leaving my ass stuck out after the swing forward.
Canasta Tango - I have now memorised this from start to finish and managed a few circuits. Even the cross roll swingy thing (what is this called?!) on the short axis didn't worry me too much. I spent some time over the weekend looking at the pattern and then when I thought I had it, checking it on Youtube just to make sure. Isn't Youtube a wonderful thing?!
Dutch Waltz - this took a little longer to work out as I only started looking at the pattern last night. I actually took it on the ice with me till I had it off by heart, but I think I have it now. Again, I managed to get a couple of circuits in. I like this one as much as the Canasta Tango. It's a good job I'm able to count in my head, otherwise I might have been getting some very strange looks today!

Although D has given me the pattern, I am leaving the Rhythm Blues alone for the time being. I think 3 dances is enough to be going on with for the time being, until they become second nature. Plus, it has some rather nasty looking "cross under" chasse (closed chasse?) type things in it!