Working towards my first program part 1

If you've red some of my older posts, you know that I was doing Freestyle group lessons for 5 years, then I hurt my left ankle so I stopped jumping and spinning. I started Ice Dancing and MITF (moves in the field). That was more than 2 years ago. I've always had the intention to come back to jumping but there is just so much training time in a week and I was filling it with Ice Dancing and moves. Now, as I hurt my left hip 6 months ago and I couldn't work on power and extension that I need in Ice Dancing and MITF, I was thinking how to still learn something while not pushing my body physically. So I thought to to link all I have together and to have a program choreograph for me. It's gonna be an USFSA pre-bronze program for testing. I wanted to maybe be able to use it as an ISI Artistic program to show it at my rink very casual summer competition, but I think the requirements don't mach.

An USFSA pre-bronze Freestyle test doesn't actually require a program, but you can do one, if you choose. The requirements are 2 jumps (could be 2 half jumps, so easy jumps), 2 spins (I think they require a 2 foot spin and an one foot spin), forward and backward crossovers and a spiral or lunge. The program could be maximum 1.40 minutes. My choreographer/ coach would like to put 3 jumps in, just in case I mess up one, so those plus the spins will take a lot of time. It's not gonna be much time left for the artistic side. An artistic programs requires strong edges, flow, choreography, innovative moves and musical interpretation and is has no score for the technical elements.

My goal in doing figure skating in general is toward enjoyment and self expression. That made me want to progress as much as possible so I can move more freely and securely. I use the process of testing to structure my training and progress. Similarly, I would like to use the process of learning and showing a program not for competing but for developing knowledge to choreograph myself, again not for a competition program but for moving around the rink for my own enjoyment.

I work with a new coach because my main coach doesn't do programs (he is a busy Ice Dancing coach). We had 4 lessons and we plan on few more before really choreographing the program, just so he can see what I can do. But he's teaching me in between all the planning, both technique, and how to approach the elements so I can eventually put them together myself.

The first lesson was about arm movements. He was asking me to do things I know (like power crossovers) and he showed me different arm movements to add to those. Meanwhile he also judges the quality of my elements. He introduced the choreography concept of stepping outside the circle, making a new circle, so creating interesting patterns on the ice, while teaching some arm movement on left forward crossovers and then step on a right forward outside edge.

The second lesson was about turns (steps). Programs ask for a step sequence made of turns (like mohawks and 3-turns for this level). The same turns  are used between jumps and spins and are called transitions. Again, he judged what I can do. For example I can do Ice Dancing 3-turns (dropped 3-turns) faster then the Freestyle power 3-turns... He put together a third of the rink circular step sequence that was 2 strokes, right forward mohawk, 2 right backward power 3-turns  and a double back 3-turn. We got stuck on a pretty flourish on the inside edge of the double back 3 turn. That I could almost do :) And I've got an update on the 3-turn instruction that was all things I knew. But just hearing it from a different voice sometimes helps. I told him after this lesson that I would like easier steps (then back power 3-turns and double 3-turns that I never did before) so I can have more speed, less struggle and feel more artistic. I think one of the purposes of a program is to push you to improve your technical content. I just feel that this being my first program, I'm all pushed already. We decided on the music. I had in mind a piano intro to a song I love but was just 1.30 min. The coach wanted 1.40. So I tried Audacity software for the first time. I was trying to add  from the main song and cut from the piano intro but it seamed to have no focus. Then I tried to chose a part from the main song and I didn't like it. I ended up copying a little of the piano music and pasting it somewhere. Now I have 1.45 min and it's fine as long as I don't move the first 5 sec. I think it's actually great to have 5 seconds to breath before skating.

The coach saw me trying some Salchow jumps just before starting the third lesson. He asked if I wanted any help. I hesitated because I didn't do jumps in a while and I was struggling to remember the entrance and the motion of the jump but I said yes. I was also planning to work on jump technique with my main coach and I was worried not to get confused between the two of them. But I'll have to put jumps in my program and with my main coach I work hard on dances, it doesn't seem I'll do Freestyle soon. I was again happy with him refreshing what I knew. He also added to it! And I felt it helped... Then he gave me some steps that  would potentially work on my music. I was soo happy that I learned them quickly. It was a huge worry for me that I won't be able to remember the choreography. But, I have to say, I really think he explains it so it is easy to remember...

Last week was about how to continue after a jump landing. And the coach gave me 3 options. Step forward on the left leg and continue with forward crossovers on a new circle. There is a little bit of a tricky part when changing the orientation of the upper body. I definitely needed it explained. The second option was to step into a left forward power 3 turn and change direction. AND, the third option, a tap toe for those times when you don't lend perfectly... As I said, I feel he teaches me strategy and choreography options. Exactly what I asked for!

One thing he insists on from the first lesson, and I'm not doing it yet, is to add an intro and an ending to each element I do. So, few strokes, add arms, turn, then jump or spin, then few steps out and arms again. I think it's a very good advice to get used with connecting steps.