Late update - only just recovered!

Well, a slight exaggeration, but being my coaches only pupil on Wednesday until a group lesson 2 hours later (and for the rest of the summer), she got rather struck by creativity this Wednesday and ended up coaching me for an hour and a half!!!! The time flew by though - I didn't even realise we were going for that long :)

Obviously worked on tonnes of stuff, so won't bore too much.

Covered all the Level 1 FM's - the things that previously were stated as being passable are apparently not so much (I am hoping this is just increased pickiness, rather than having gone dramatically downhill!!!). It's little things - spirals need to start earlier, legs need to be higher on landing position etc. And apparently my forward and backward figure of 8 crossovers are still not fast enough, even though I do the whole exercise in 1:06 minutes now, rather than the 1:40 it used to be . . . sigh . . .

What we spent a lot of time on was a step sequence. Yup - I now have an almost rink length step sequence for my first free dance! We weren't meant to be starting on it till next month (to be ready for the BAC's in February/March) but as I said, she was struck by creativity and we just kept adding to it. And much to my surprise, I can just about muddle through it, bar some spinny toesteps near the end. I can do them going straight backward, but am rather unconfident on the ones that turn round. But my choice was a back 3 (hahahaha!), a backward lunge (not too keen!) or toesteps which I have at least being working a little on. They are getting much better when I have the barrier to hand, so I think in six months I should just about crack'em! We also did some stuff on a pretty spiral, which makes the most of my previous ballet training by going into a nice attitude position, then pushing into a forward chasse with arms doing what reminds me of a rather prayerful plea - probably will be "God, please get me through the rest of my program!!".

Lastly we worked a bit on Rhythm Blues. Apart from nearly toepicking myself into a faceplant (saved just in time) on the downhill bit of the ice (gotta love Ally Pally) on the cross behinds, she said she was really pleased with it! We'll be working on the Golden Skaters Waltz in two weeks time (she is away next week), but hopefully I may just be able to do the Oxford Adult Ice Dance Open on the 5th October! Better sort out my NISA membership . . .

So no lesson next week as D is off reviewing some show for iSkate, but said I would Be On Hand for her group of SkateUK adults who are having lessons with her throughout the summer to give encouragement where needed :)