Test: Preliminary Dances (Dutch Waltz, Canasta Tango, Rhythm Blues)

This was my very first test.

I stumbled across a testing session at my rink when I just started my private lessons. I decided to stay and watch. There were maybe 20 skaters and their parents and coaches. It was one adult lady testing  the first 2 dances solo, the rest were kids and teens. I was hit by how nervous was everybody. They were stiff in their dresses, hairdo and makeup. After testing some of them were crying. I decided right then that I'll NEVER test. But, never say never...

As I started to work on dances with my coach, I already knew the steps from a friend and I was bored. I knew the steps from the first 9 dances so 3 levels, but my technique was acceptable just for the first level. I needed to keep working on them to develop the technique for the next levels. To keep myself motivated, my coach suggested to test. She said that the first level is an encouragement test, so I won't have reasons to get stressed. I love fashion and she said that I'll get to dress up. She sign me up and sent me to take a lesson with a male coach that would be my partner for the test. There were just 2 weeks left to the test. In a way it was good, because I didn't have much time to overthink. I took 3 lessons. But I surely didn't feel prepared. I was intimidated and uncomfortable to skate so close to somebody. Plus we were going faster together then I was skating on my own. All these 3 pattern dances from the Preliminary level, are going forward in Killian hold. That means that the skaters are side to side, one of the man arms goes around the woman waist.

My new coach showed me the paper that the judges use for the test. It had two sets of requirements
1. Technique: accuracy, placement, unison, form, cleanness, and sureness
2. Timing/Expression: correct timing, expression of the character of the music
The coach said the technique I have is good enough for this level. I definitely knew the steps. The coach said that's the most important thing. He worked with me on the character of the dances. He said that in his experience even for high level dances, presenting the character of the dance could make a just ok test pass.

My test was in January 2017. Getting close to the testing day I felt fairly nervous. I decided to not think about it. Just let it happen. The dress that I planned on wearing, more precisely the nude tights seemed to be stressing me. I decided to wear black leggings instead, and that actually ended up making me feel not dressed-up, just awkward. I was asked to be at the rink with an hour before my test and I was nervous as i arrived, but standing around, I've got even more nervous.  Both my coaches were there but my partner coach was more aware of my nerves so he babysat me a little... well a lot.  He explained me how to breath deeply to relax, how to warm up a little, he told me to put on the skates just 15 min before and bend into the ankles to warm them up. He said not to think about anything, he'll tell me everything I need to do, including when is my turn. I have to say, it helped a lot.

We had 5 min to warm up on ice, and after the 5 minutes they played the music for every dance. I wasn't nervous at all when I first got on ice, but I was rushing through everything, I got a little tired and stop breathing right, and here I was nervous again. And, I was first to go. The first dance was the Dutch Waltz and here is the video. The second the music started my partner coach asked me something. I don't remember what, something about plans for the rest of the day. I didn't have time to answer but it made me smile and forgot all about nerves. I felt very stiff through the 2 patterns I had to do but I didn't feel I made any mistakes.
Canasta Tango (video here) was next, after 2 or 3 other skaters doing the waltz. It was was my favorite dance from the 3, and I felt I gave it a little more confidence.
On the Rhythm Blues (video) I was fairly relaxed, but also quite spent.
As we were getting off the ice my coach said "good job".

The whole test was done in 10 minutes and the judges sent the papers out immediately. I passed the first two dances with " pass +", the last one just "pass". Was I too relaxed on the last one?

All in all wasn't that bad!

Ice Dancing: Rhythm Blues pattern dance and the Cross Step Behind

The Rhythm Blues is the third and last of the Preliminary pattern dances.  It has steps that I already described: Forward Stroking, Forward Progressive and Forward Outside Swing Rolls as in the Dutch Waltz, and it introduces Forward Inside Swing Rolls and the Cross Step Behind that I'll describe after I describe the pattern.

Here is a link to the form judges use at tests, it shows the diagram of the dance and the skills they are looking for: http://usfsa.org/content/rhythm-blues.pdf and more explanation is in  the "Rule Book". You see in the drawing that the Rhythm Blues has 16 steps. This dance covers half of the rink's perimeter starting in one corner and finishing on the diagonally opposite corner and the hold is killian like the Dutch Waltz. The count is 12,34 where each is one beat.
Here is the dance done and explained by national competitors ice dancers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koDwfqUv_Jo

Starting point: is on the red cross on my drawing

Intro steps: 4 Forward Strokes: left, right, left, right.
The pattern dance: Again, I will explain this in lobes grouping the steps in the judges drawing, as I was grouping them in my mind to remember them.
1.2.3. Left Forward Progressive, 3 edges LFO.RFI.LFO (1-1-2, 4 beats total)
4. Right Forward Outside Swing Roll (4 beats)
5.6.7.8. (6 beats total). So, here, there are  two, 2 edges progressives, the actual Progressive is the inside edge as I was saying in the Forward Progressive description...
   5. RFO edge 2 beat long with a rise on the skating foot after 1 beat
   6. RFI Progressive (1 beat)
   7. RFO edge (1 beat)
   8. RFI Progressive (2 beats)
9. Left Forward Inside Swing Roll (LFI-SR) (4betas)
10. Right Forward Inside Swing Roll (RFI-SR) (4 beats)
11.12.13 Left Forward Progressive (4 beats total in a 1-1-2 count) and continuing on the same lobe or circle but almost flat not curved
14.15.16. RFI-XB, LFO-XB (cross optional), RFI-XB
Cross Step Behind
As I learnt all these 2 years ago, I don't remember the exact instructions, but I remember the cross behind steps were scary... What I remember are mostly tips:
- First try by the boards
- Try off ice without and with boots plus by a mirror
- Have your weight over your skating hip until you are ready to put the new foot down
- An Exercise: Don't lift you free foot back and high so the calf comes parallel to the ice, this will make you lean forward and loose your balance. Instead, think more like lifting the free knee up and sneaking the free foot around the calf, then slide the foot down flexed (so push the heel down while lifting the toes) so the blade is parallel with the ice and you don't catch the toe pick. Lifting the foot up not back will not mess up your posture and balance. The actual step seams to be somehow between the don't and do... But trying to do the exercise will get you there...

On the judges form it shows that they look for: Accuracy, Placement, Skating Skills, Style, Unison (if partnered). In my understanding it means that you have to know the steps, and where they go on the pattern, have some edges, some extension and posture, and some unison. The judges also look for timing and the character of the dance (for the blues that is a lazy, good mood feeling).

And here is my Rhythm Blues test after learning from a friend for few months, taking a 2 months, once a week 35 min long ice dance group class and just 3 lessons with my dance coach.

I didn't spend as much time on this dance as on the other two at this level. It felt easier... first the tempo is slower, then there were not as many outside edge to an outside edge transitions between the lobes and looking back, that was the thing that was giving me a lot of trouble.

Ice Dancing: Canasta Tango pattern dance

The Canasta Tango is a Preliminary pattern dance or level 1 and has preset steps, rhythm, tempo, and hold for partnering. It requires more types of steps then the Dutch Waltz. There are steps that I already described Forward Stroking, Forward Progressive and Forward Swing Rolls as in the waltz, a Forward Chasse blended with a progressive and the Forward Slide Chasse that I described already. And it asks, but it is optional, for a Forward Cross Stroke.

Here is a link to the form judges use at tests, it shows the diagram of the dance and the skills they are looking for: http://usfsa.org/content/canasta-tango.pdf and more explanation is in  the "Rule Book". You see in the drawing that the Canasta Tango has 14 steps. This dance covers less surface than the Dutch Waltz, but still starts in one corner and finishing on the diagonally opposite corner just the corners are more inside the surface. The count is 12,34 where each is one beat. The hold is reversed killian, I explained the killian in the Dutch Waltz post.
Here is the dance done and explained by national competitors ice dancers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIKwr7qtmWg&t=91s


Starting point: is on the red cross on my drawing

Intro steps: 4 Forward Strokes: left, right, left, right.
The pattern dance: Again, I will explain this in lobes grouping the steps in the judges drawing, as I was grouping them in my mind to remember them.
1.2.3.4 LFO-RFI (2 step progressive)-LFO-RFI (2 step chasse) (each 1 beat, 4 beats total) going imediately into
5. Left Forward Swing Roll (4 beats) that finishes on the red dot
6.7. RFO-LFI (Slide chasse) (2 beats each, total 4 beats) that finishes at the half line of the rink
8. Right Forward Swing Roll (4 beats) that finishes on the red dot

9.10. LFO-RFI (Slide chasse) (2 beats each, total 4 beats)
11.12.13. Left Forward Progressive, change lobe into
14. Right Forward Swing Roll with optional cross stroke (opt-XS). I had troubles with this step. I was aware that I had to do "something" to change the lobes direction but I didn't do it properly. So when going solo I heard a lot to start with the left hand forward ( and finish with the right hand forward). It seamed counter intuitive for me :( The other problem I had was that I wasn't completely transferring my weight to the left hip so I was kind of starting on on inside edge witch is very hard  to make it an outside edge once started inside. The last think is that this is not a step but a stroke, so you have to actually put some power into it. The Cross Strokes are part of the Juvenile MITF test, so it's not a beginner skill... I remember I fell few times on this step... Skating with my coach as a partner helped a lot as he was guiding me and positioning me. But I have to say, a year and a half later, meaning yesterday, I did this dance and this step without flinching... So there is proof that in time, every skating skills is gonna improve!

On the judges form it shows that they look for: Accuracy, Placement, Skating Skills, Style, Unison (if partnered). In my understanding it means that you have to know the steps, and where they go on the pattern, have some edges, some extension and posture, and some unison. The judges also look for timing (so the tango rhythm) and the character of the dance (for tango that is aggressive, sharp movement).

And here is my Canasta Tango test after learning from a friend for few months, taking a 2 months, once a week 35 min long ice dance group class and just 3 lessons with my dance coach.

This dance pattern is not so straight forward as the Dutch Waltz. The Dutch Waltz lobes were alternation on the sides of an imaginary long axis and short axis and they were quite equal in counts.When I've first learnt the Canasta Tango from a friend, we were doing the steps straight so we were zigzagging... instead of doing curves. I had targets on ice, like the red dots, and the center of the rink where to start some steps. When I started working with the dance coach he explained the pattern and the circles formed by the lobes, but I was already registered to test so he didn't insist on it. Plus, at the Preliminary level it's not expected  to master or even understand, maybe. But I think this is a good moment to became aware of reading the pattern dance from an image in the rule book or online. Also it is an opportunity to understand that while you are on the same circle you lean towards the inside of that circle, even if there seams to be few lobes there, you don't change the upper body, you don't check... you check before changing the direction and going on a new circle... So on Canasta Tango the first 2 lobes I described are on one circle, the next 2 on another circle, the next 2 on another circle and the last step on another circle.

Ice Dancing: Dutch Waltz pattern dance

The Dutch Waltz is a Preliminary pattern dance or level 1. Pattern dances have predetermined steps and rhytm. The Dutch Waltz is the first dance thought and it has just 4 types of steps: Forward Stroking, Forward Deep Edges, Forward Progressive and Forward Swing Rolls, that I described all in my previous posts.
Here is a link to the form judges use at tests, it shows the diagram of the dance and the skills they are looking for: https://www.usfigureskating.org/content/dutch-waltz.pdf
The pattern dances drawings and requirements are also published in the "Rule Book" each year and there there is more explanation about rhythm, tempo, the hold between the partners.

If you look at the drawing, you see that the steps have numbers, the Dutch Waltz has 16 steps. This dance covers half of the perimeter of the ring, starting in one corner and finishing on the diagonally opposite corner. The intro steps are not a preset requirement, they are chosen by the skater. For testing they are kept simple and few, but for competitions they can more steps and can be an introduction to the character of the dance. The drawing also shows the number of beats for each step and the description describes the rhythm, here, a waltz which is counted 123, 456 (6 beats total in a 2-1-3 count). The hold is Killian, where both partners are going forward, the man is towards the inside of the center of the rink and holds the woman back with his right arm and holds the woman left hand with his left hand.

Here is the dance done and explained by national competitors ice dancers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na8a7kh_rxU

Starting point: is on the red cross on my drawing

Intro steps: 4 Forward Strokes: left, right, left, right towards West, witch would bring you to the axis in my drawing.
The pattern dance: witch I will explain in lobes grouping the steps in the judges drawing, and i will add the beats in parenthesis
1.2.3. Left Forward Progressive, 3 edges (6 beats, in a 2-1-3 count))
4. Right Forward Swing Roll (6 beats)
5. Left Forward Swing Roll (6 beats) that falls exactly at half the axis
6.7.8. Right Forward Progressive, 3 edges (6 beats total in a 2-1-3 count)
9. Left Forward Outside Edge (3 beats)
10. Right Forward Outside Edge (3 beats) that will bring you towards the corner of the rink so you have to start the new axis on the short side of the rink
11.12.13 Left Forward Progressive, 3 edges (6 beats total in a 2-1-3 count)
14. Right Forward Swing Roll (6 beats)
15. Left Forward Outside Edge (3 beats) when you finish this step you bring in the right foot toward the ankle of the left but they are not touching, so you have space to twist the left blade from going forward to 45 degrees to stroke on the next step
16. Right Forward Inside Edge (3 beats)

On the judges form it shows that they look for: Accuracy, Placement, Skating Skills, Style, Unison (if partnered). In my understanding it means that you have to know the steps, and where they go on the pattern, have some edges, some extension and posture, and some unison. The judges also look for timing (so the waltz rhythm) and the character of the dance (waltzes have a soft, elegant look).

And here is my Dutch Waltz test after learning from a friend for few months, taking a 2 months, once a week 35 min long ice dance group class and just 3 lessons with my dance coach. Honestly, the coach helped a lot during the test...

Besides showing off the progressives and swing rolls,working at this dance is an opportunity to understand and apply the concept of transitioning between the lobes, meaning how to check at the end of a lobe so you can start the new lobe. I explained that on the Deep Forward Edges. I didn't have this understanding, as I was learning the first dances from a friend not a coach. Testing with my coach as a partner was helping my transitions, plus at this level the edges and lobes don't have to be deep and that was helping as well, but I feel I had to play "catch up" later, even now, after a year and a half... and that takes away from the enjoyment of "dancing".

(Update Sept 25, 2018) As I was writing about the third Preliminary pattern  dance, the Rhythm Blues, I realized I wished I knew when I first learnt the Dutch Waltz that it is not an easy dance. Actually comparing the 3 Preliminary dances, for me, it felt the most difficult. And it feels the fastest between the 3... 

Skating technique: Forward Swing Roll - Ice Dancing steps for beginners

First a little rant... I'm trying to skate 5 days/ sessions a week, Monday trough Friday, instead of 3 and a half, the half being my private lesson after my regular Monday session. Usually I was taking it easy on Monday sessions because I was  feeling rusty after not skating over the weekend, plus I didn't want be tired on my lesson. Now I moved my private lesson on Thursday. So on my skate yesterday, Monday, I felt I could push a little harder. But guess what, I lost my focus for a second on the last 3 turn from my Pre-Juvenile MITF pattern (that has  32  3-turns total) and down I went. It was a quite heavy fall but luckily on my good hip... Latter in the session I was doing the alternating backward chasses on the long axis, always looking ahead of me over my shoulder. Well, somebody that was going backwards straight, so quicker then me because I was on lobes, AND wasn't looking, bumped into me. We were both going relatively slow so it wasn't a terrible crash, but I fell on my bad hip :( I'm feeling it a little today. And I don't know how to avoid falls like these. I guess I actually know, I cannot, it's gonna happen from time to time... Skating today, I realized that my hip is fine, phew..., my butt is hurting, not the hip. Still, I was hurting and not very happy to skate. Also the session wasn't as empty as last year. Last year there ware some toddlers with coaches and some adults, being that the kids are in school. Today there were the z"old" toddlers and adults, plus some kids and teenagers working on choreography and Freestyle with their coaches in 3 of the corners. On "the empty"  Tuesday sessions I was planing to train the dances, well, I cannot if the corners are taken. Feeling frustrated!

Going back to Ice Dancing, after learning the Forward Swing Rolls we have all the steps for the first dance. My next post it's gonna be  the Dutch Waltz!

Ice Dancing first steps are Forward Stroking, Forward Chasses, Forward Progressives that I already covered, and Forward Swing Rolls. As with all forward skating you should feel the weight on the blade on the back of your foot arch. Also watch your posture, extension meaning both higher lift and straight leg, bend into the ankle for a strong push, leg should be turn out from the hip, toes pointed, look up, all that I described on forward stroking.

Here is how they look like, done by national Ice Dancing competitors.
And here are mine, done 6 months ago and that is a year and a half from when I started to work on them.

Forward Outside Swing Rolls on alternating lobes:
Each lobe is a single edge. It is a Deep Forward Outside Edge, so read that post first.
1. Stroke on a deep outside edge. Reminders: bend the knees and press stroke into the ankles, keep the weight on the stroking foot, that will became the free foot, to get a strong push. Place the skating foot on an edge, perpendicular to the axis on which the lobes are alternating, knee bent. Upper body has the chest towards the inside of the circle, as on the forward crossovers, not as on the basic forward outside edges. Arms are hold laterally, a  more than 45 degrees between them, but somewhere you can still see your hands. Lean towards the inside of the circle, but don't let the hip fall in. After the stroke, the free leg is gonna be extended 45 degrees, turned out from the hip, toes pointed.
2. At the top/ middle of the lobe straighten the skating leg and bring the free leg near the skating leg, in a straight line, not around, while pressing onto the skating foot and engaging the core to hold the edge and balance. At the same time counter rotate the upper body to balance the leg movement.
3. Continue the movement of the free leg, extending it forward tangent to the lobe. So keep the foot over the lobe tracing. While the name is "swing" roll, you don't have to swing your leg. The motios should be controlled from the core. The upper body will have the back at the inside of the circle and will stay like that to start the new lobe.
When you change lobes you bring the free foot down, while you re bend the skating foot and follow the instructions from the deep outside edges on keeping the weight on the skating foot and an outside edge and then flipping on an inside edge just before stroking.

I think the outside Swing Rolls have something similar in the upper body movement with the Crossrolls, but I'm not sure, I didn't properly learn the Crossrolls just yet.

Let's go over my troubles with the Outside Swing Rolls. When I first learnt them I didn't know I have to start with the upper body towards the inside of the circle, so I didn't have anything to counter or "check" my free leg movement. Then, I was starting to bring the free foot down and forward before I was at the top of the lobe and I was swinging the free foot around to help me turn. I wasn't pressing into the ice on the second part of the lobe, so my weight wasn't totally on my skating hip and I didn't have the best edge. I was also bringing the free foot forward turned out from the hip and that was actually making me drop the hip and the edge. Now I'm thinking to pigeon toe the toes like on the Forward Circle Eight.

Foreword Inside Swing Rolls:
This are Forward Inside Deep Edges where at the top of the lobe you bring the free foot forward not at the ankle. Read there about the upper body positioning and the transitions between an inside edge to an inside edge.

Skating technique: Forward Progressive - Ice Dancing steps for beginners

Ice Dancing first steps are Forward Stroking, Forward Chasses, that I already covered, Progressives and Swing rolls, all forward. As with all forward skating you should feel the weight on the blade on the back of your foot arch. Also watch your posture, extension meaning both higher lift and straight leg, bend into the ankle for a strong push, leg should be  turn out from the hip, toes pointed, look up, all that described on forward stroking.

Forward Progressives on a circle:
A progressive is a kind of crossover.
1. stroke on an forward outside edge with the free leg extended 45 degrees back
2. and then a crossed over on an inside edge of the previous free foot.
There are two points that makes a progressive different from a crossover. The second step (that crosses over)  is placed on the ice before crossing! That gives this step a more polished look. This is the first correction I got over and over again. Watch it here.
The second difference, that it wasn't insisted on in the beginner phase, is that after the second step, the foot that was on the first step the skating foot on an outside edge, crosses under but doesn't extend laterally, as in crossovers, but a little more back. The reason is to mach the partner feet extension when they do a backward progressive. But this correction is needed at the second level dances, so don't worry too much about it at the beginning. There is not done in the video from before either.
My coach wants the upper body and arms square, so perpendicular to the circle, so I can practice the lean of the body towards the inside of the circle sideways. Another reason for this is to learn to keep the upper body still, with the same lean, when you under cross. When I do crossovers on a circle I twist the upper body towards the inside of the circle.
The abbreviation use in Ice Dancing is:  LFO, RFI and Pr written near a curved arrow that shows the direction of traveling, and repeat for CCW skating and RFO, LFI and Pr and repeat for CW skating. (Updated Sept 25, 2018)

Forward Progressives on alternating lobes:
This has 3 steps: 1. outside edge, 2. inside edge crossed over, 3. longer outside edge and repeat on the other direction. The transition between lobes is the one I described in Advanced Deep Forward Edges. Here are mine, done 6 months ago and that is a year and a half from when I started to work on them. The abbreviation is LFO, RFI, LFO and Pr and the curved arrow (CCW) and RFO, LFI, RFO and Pr (CW)

I have a harder time controlling the rotation, so changing the lobes for progressives then for chasses. And there are few reasons:
- my RFO edge is not always at its best. I'm not always over my hip and foot before talking a stroke on the other foot. I lean with the upper body forward, so I'm not on the back on my blade where I'm suppose to be. I also don't hold the free foot at 45 degrees after the stroke, I let it slide back. Holding it laterally helps holding the outside edge
- I change the lean, or loose the lean on the under push.
As I was saying on the chasses description, there are more things to be improved from now on, but this is "good enough for this (beginner) level" as my coach says.

I will come back with more corrections after I cover all the other beginners steps and beginners Pre Bronze pattern dances.

(Update Sept 25, 201). As with the Chasse, at first I thought the Progressive is a combination of edges. Now I think it is just the inside edge that "progresses" over the outside edge, equivalent with the cross under step in Crossovers. Read more on the Rhythm Blues pattern dance post.

A Progressive is also called a Run.

Monthly skating review: progress and goals adjustment

Reviewing the last month skating, there are few things...

The hip is good, but occasionally I do  something that gives me some discomfort. Like a failed drop 3 turn in Ten fox, that turned into an awkward stop. I also skate just 3 days per week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday mostly because as the school is still out, the rest of the sessions are very, very crowded. But it seems that I feel comfortable having a day off between the skating days both mentally and physically. I don't hold back on anything, extensions, power but I do feel the hip muscles are tired afterwards.

Skating just 3 times a week (plus one half hour private lesson) is half of what I was skating before hurting my hip. I'm not happy but not surprised that the progress is slow. Plus I'm working on all Ice Dancing, MITF and Freestyle so I don't stay on anything long enough to make a difference. Also, these different activities get my muscles tired differently. Ice Dancing tires my quads. I cannot jump well after that... But usually the beginning of the sessions are emptier, so I can do Ice Dancing patterns. After 20 min into the sessions it gets crowded, then Ice Dancing is a no go... I really have to prioritize each day what to work on, but I don't skate enough for that. So how was last month's progress, or let's make it the summer progress? I would say that there is a slight improvement in everything I do, emphasis on slight...

On the first week of September the rink is closed on Monday for Labor Day. Then the ice is rented on Wednesday for kids camp... I'll probably go one day on the crowded package ice and I'll have my regular Friday. Can you read my frustration between the words?

As school starts, we'll go back to the regular schedule. I plan to skate Monday trough Friday but take it easier somehow. I will have to try and see what works. There are few points that I have to consider.
I'll have my lessons on Thursdays. I plan to make it 45 minutes, 15 min MITF or Freestlyle and 30 minutes Ice Dancing. On Tuesdays, the ice was, so I suppose it will still be, quite empty. That will be a good day for Ice Dancing and the big MITF patterns. So I'll have to see how I feel the rest of the days to effectively fit in MITF that I want to test and some jumping. On Mondays, after not skating 2 days in a row, I usually feel stiff. So that would be a good day for warming up everything and taking it easy but who knows... On Wednesday I may be tired after the designated Ice Dancing day on Tuesdays... On Fridays something interesting will happen. I was mentioning that I started Ice Dancing accidentally because an older skater (75 looking like 60) offered to teach me. She cannot do on ice what she could, not even close, so she needs something to motivate and excite her to come skating. And myself, I'm bad at remembering choreography, so I think she can teach me the steps to dances I don't know. So we plan to skate half hour together. The thing that worries me is that she likes to go fast :)

The first test day at my rink is end of October. I would  hope I'll get to have something ready for testing, between Pre-Juvenile MITF, Willow Waltz and Ten fox.