Off colour

As D is off to France tomorrow for some competition, my lesson was brought forward to today.

I have been a bit off-colour the last few days, with symptoms of a headcold, and a dodgy throat (possibly hayfever?). I didn't give myself a hard time at Lee Valley on Sunday, but still like it today, and a feeling that I would get tired very quickly, so we abandoned the stop-watch timed things today. I just managed to keep it together for my lesson as well, before everything fell apart! We concentrated on elements today, rather than dances.

Forward Stroking: Pleased with these - good depth, and a good push off the inside edge.
Forward Edges: Good (and passable). Just need to try and get an extra metre on the first inside edge.
Backward Edges (from Level 2 FM's): Not done backward edges this size before and had a bit of support. Not too bad though, once I worked out where legs should be swinging back, bending, straightening etc. D has given me an exercise to work on increasing the power in my backwards push and I also need to push out more to the sides for each lobe.
FI Mohawk exercise: Better, maybe slightly faster. Fitting two in on a long axis, which I was actually quite impressed with, thinking it would be more like five!! We added arms as well today, which I always like dong - it tends to make me forget about the scary things I am doing with my feet!
FO Mohawk exercise: D clarifed the pattern on this today, and it feels like it will be better for that. I also need to check my shoulders on the mohawks. I will get these damn mohawks up to speed, even if it takes me five years!!!
Toe steps: Glad to say that since the last time we tried these, I can cross in front, do three backward toesteps and cross over in front again. Now I have to then do another three toesteps but turning at the same time. Slightly trickier!! Worked on these afterwards and they are getting there.
Ina Bauer: I find it so hard on these to remember everything at the same time. Main points are to keep my shoulders checked, weight over my front leg but not leaning in a strange way.
Inside Spreadeagle: Managed a couple of reasonable ones, amongst the slightly odd attempts. Got a bit frustrated with myself when D was trying to get me to go into it fast, but I just can't do it yet!! I prefer to build up my speed into it slowly I think, being the slightly fearful adult I am :)
Forward spin: Improvement on my entrance - as D said, I am stepping forward into it much more smoothly now and not like I am "going for a teabreak!". Only managed double revs today, but smooth, and a good exit I think.
Backward pivot turn: This is where things started going wrong - although I got the hang of these in practice afterwards, I fell right into a puddle trying these in my lesson, only having tried the forward variety before. Right on the still slightly bruised bit that I fell onto a couple of weeks ago when I fell off my Bauer. Ouch.

And then it was time to practice. Some bits went okay, as already mentioned, apart from the fact that the ice was horribly wet, and I had already fallen into a lake so was very soggy by this point. But things started going wrong - namely when I decided to try a few dances anyway, and my stamina was shot. Started tripping over my toepicks, which I never do, and nearly fell on my backside doing a Dutch Waltz!! I could understand it on the Rhythm Blues, but the Waltz has never given me that sort of problem before! And then I nearly fell over again doing a mohawk exercise, and very much annoyed and fed up by now I decided to get off.

So, all in all it wasn't a bad lesson considering I am not 100%, but the crappy practice afterwards and the general feeling of unease today put me in a bad mood and very negative state. Which is not like me at all.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day.