The Christmas miracles are gone...

Well, well, well... I've just got an e-mail from the park district, at 7 pm, that the in person activities are canceled... That would be the skating that I've just signed up for 2 days ago... I mean, what changed? Truthfully, the covid cases stopped falling, and there is this new strain looming on us. I understand... and I firstly wish that everybody would be healthy and safe. I'm just venting... Just to add to the venting... I've spent 2 hours registering because of the stupid system... and now we don't even get the money back, we are getting credit towards future activities.

The other miracle that fell short... the boots... the sole, inside the boot, is not smooth. It has bumps where the heal is attached and is hurting badly. It can be fixed, by grinding, but the shop works by appointment only, because of covid and they just didn't have availability to help me yet.

And the ice I've found on this other rink... is after an on ice figure skating camp. I don't understand how they bend the rules to be able to skate in a group, large group... Anyway... the ice is terribly chopped...

So yeah... I thought I'll file this in 2020, I don't want to start the new year with bad news. I want to keep up the hope that next year is gonna be a better one...

Breaking in new boots

I planned this post about breaking in the new boots as a diary, I wrote each day after I skated what I did and how the boots felt.

The new boots were heat molded on my foot in the boot shop. Then, the blades were installed using screws on the temporary, not round but oval, spaces in the blade frames, so you can move the blade to the left and right using that oval guidance.

The first feel, off ice, at home, was they were tight but very comfortable. Also I wasn't having any problem in bending the ankle. I wore them in the house, bend the knees and ankles, then I tighten the laces more and repeat several times... It all felt fantastic, except my surefeet insoles (that weren't put into the new boot in the store) were pocking in the soles of my feet. I thought as the boot is tight, there is not enough space for that insole, and I planned to put it in after the boot foam compressed a little. I removed them and put the manufacturer insole and it felt good, just some pressure under the heal.

The first day on ice, Saturday, when I stepped on ice... it felt that I was on rental skates. I felt absolutely no support. There are few things here.  It seems that that lovely comfy foam padding, needs time to compress, it doesn't mold by just heat molding and walking off ice... So when I was pressing into the boots I hadn't have immediate response. I pressed, but I've met no resistance, just soft foam... so I couldn't steer the blades. Secondly, the blades were not aligned properly. It is normal that even if they feel aligned off ice (they were aligned in the store), they need adjusting depending how they feel on ice.  Thirdly, the new boots are a hybrid, they have regularly tall front so they offer support for jumping (up to doubles), but they cut lower in the back, allowing for toe pointing for dance, so I need to adjust to that.  Anyway, I did mostly swizzles and stroking, some shy edges... I've also tried backward swizzles and I fell at the first one The very foamy tongue kept me more upright, so I needed to press way more, but also it felt that after the push, the tongue was bouncing back and pushing me, so I've had to maintain the pressure on it.  I've got off ice often to retie the boots. I've also took the boots off the foot to adjust a little the blade, unscrew a little the temporary screws and move them slightly left or right...  I was more off ice then on ice.

The second day on ice, Monday, the foam felt like it started to compress at points. I was able to tighten more, and had a lot more shoe lace left after I tied them. I also knew better what to expect... And I finally understood the rules of braking in the boots... slowly. Because if you force them, they'll form creases in the wrong places. Firstly, the boot needs to form on the foot, then, and only then, the ankle should be pressed more heavily. This second day I was able to stroke more freely, and do crossovers and chasses both forward and backward. I feel that these are doing a great job in softening the ankle foam. I've realized I have to much space in the toe area and it's gonna be impossible to tighten by hand in that area, so I stopped by the skate shop to have the boots heat molded again. I also mentioned to them that I feel some pain under the heel, like I have a bump. They didn't look at it, but said they can grind the bumps.

On the third day of skating, Tuesday,  I've realized that while the foam has compacted even more, I've  felt extra space in the boots. I've felt some space under the arch of the foot so I've put back in the insoles with arch support. Oh no... big pressure, something pocking in the sole of my foot, not only in heal and the arch, but in what seamed random spots. This day I would have been able to do a lot more on ice, I did a lot more, but just a little of everything because of the pain.  I also couldn't get on an outside edge of both feet, I know that I pronate on the right foot, and in the past I've had wedges inserted under the blade's frame, but the left foot was a mystery. So, I looked/felt inside of the boots and felt the sole uneven, I had a bump in the back of the arch of the foot, including on the outside side, that would explain why I couldn't get on outside edges! 

 I went again to the skate shop, that luckily is close by this new rink I'm skating on. The technician there, got weird... I mean this was another technician than the one I started working with. He said well, as I know you didn't choose what we first recommended (I'll come to this later), now you have too much space in your boot. We'll have to work with what we have.  He wanted firstly to try the foam insoles under the surefeet insoles. Maybe using both insoles it will both fill in the space and soften those bumps so I won't feel them and this better fit would also allow me to get on an outside edge.  I knew from adjusting the skiing boots, that that the top of the boot should maintain the round form, if you tighten too much, you'll collapse your arches, so at that point you have to fill in the space underneath so I was happy with their direction. I did try the boots in the shop for 1 minute and they definitely felt better. 

Wednesday I didn't skate but I wore the boots in the house, and I've got the pain back after like 10 minutes, and became unbearable after another 5 minutes. I called the shop and they said they didn't have any appointment until after holidays. I told them, look yesterday I had the appointment to grind, you choose not to, barely even looked at the bump. I have 3 more prepaid, nonrefundable skating days, quite far from my house, but close to the boot shop. After the holidays it's gonna be extra hard for me to drive so far for them to keep adjusting... They said to stop buy in the morning and they'll do their best. I wore the boot more in the house to identify more precisely where exactly I hurt. On the left boot I had a big pain spot in the middle of the foot, not really the arch. On the left foot I hurt on the outside of the sole, just under my heel, this was a terrible pain as it was bone pain. There were also spots on both feet that seemed random, depending on how I stayed in the boot, where I pressed.

So Thursday, before skating, I stopped by the skating shop again I went at 10.30, my  ice was at 1.30... I stayed in the shop all that time. They really had to take me in between clients, and they were truly busy. First chance they had they look at the boots and listen to me. the, between customers, they grounded (meaning sanded by hand) for probably 15 minutes total. I was the most concerned with the bone pain in the right foot, as a bone bruise it's hard to heal, so I would think they would have worked 10 minutes on the right boot, and 5 minutes on the left one. And off I went, skating... Firstly, the great news. Using both insoles fills in the space in boots very nicely. I started to feel I have control so I've even tried backward 3-turns and brackets (that are the most difficult turns I can do) successfully. Then the good news, the pain that bothered me the most, on the right foot bone, was gone. The bad news is that it moved towards the middle of the foot like on the left foot... and the pain in the left foot... still there, a little better but not manageable. Also the outside edge were nowhere to be found. So I had to go back for them to do more grinding and also to add wedges to aligned the blade.  Unfortunately, the next appointment available was next Tuesday and I still had nonrefundable skating time Saturday.

Saturday the fifth day on ice, I almost didn't want to go, as I had no new adjustments. I mostly went to make a video of the outside edges not happening, to show to the skate shop technician. When I've got there, I decided to try an adjustment, to switch the insoles, put the hard one with the arch support in first and the soft on on top to hopefully soften the pressure. And it did... for a while, but when the pain came back, it came back fully... Until I've got the pain I could skate very nicely, the boots felt snug. I still couldn't get on the outside edge.

I had some time to think and talk to some skating friends between Saturday and Tuesday. At first I was hopeful because with 10 minutes of grinding that left foot bone pain was gone. But then I looked again at the inside of the boot and saw that the very back part of the sole had 4 screws, to probably secure the heel of the boot to the sole, and that part, with the screws, was lower. It felt like a lot, towards an eight of an inch. That would mean, of course that immediately after that lower region, there was a risen region, the bump... That's exactly what I've felt in the right sole. So, the logic would be, that a whole eight of an inch should be grounded from where the low part of the sole of the boot ended, to the front of the boot, inside the boot. I just didn't see how that grind could be kept uniform, to keep that anatomic shape of the sole, and how would be grounded at the front of the boot. One of my skating friends knew exactly what I was talking about, she said don't let them grind, that is gonna make it worse, have them try to build up the low part of the heel. Another friend was shocked that I wasn't fitted in the first place with the surefeet insoles in.

Christmas Miracles!

I wish everybody Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

As for my Christmas... it wasn't a white Christmas as I always wish for, but it made up with very nice gifts. The stars aligned and I've got nothing short but few Christmas miracles!

Firstly I've got the boots! They've arrived to the shop very late on the day before Christmas, but it was enough time for me to stop by and have them heat molded and my old blades transferred.  This is done by appointment only because of covid, so I've got very lucky. 

AND I've finally found ice for this last week of the year. This rink sells electronic punch cards of 5 sessions, and because I don't think I'll go there again any time soon I wanted to use all 5 sessions. I've scheduled 5 days for this week, well, last Saturday, this Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It's gonna be a good schedule for me to break in the boots.

AND I've got ice at my home rink for the whole months of January and February and first week of March. It was an adventure, I had to buy each slot separately, because their system is stupid, and it didn't recognizes my click for accepting the covid waiver if it was more then one item in the cart.

AND the covid cases are falling nicely in my area, that's why my home rink is opening, hopefully we won't have another spike after the holidays...

AND, the 5th day of Christmas (that would be today, December 29th) it snowed too!!!

Buying new boots and other adjustments

 I declare this to be the month of adjustments. I'm exhausted... the skating in itself is way easier that the scheduling of skating... At least it is not the month of bad news, as I complained about September... and October. 

So, my home rink announced it is opening  January 4th. That's great news, right? Only I've e-mailed the rink director to thank her for the news as I wanted to wish her happy holidays also. And she answered  let's wait and see if it's actually happening. The covid slowed down in my region, but... It seems that my home rink will wait a little more to see what's gonna happen as they set the registration very late, for December 29th. The problem is that the rink I skate now had the registration already... and I hadn't registered. And there are days that are already sold out. My activity is now not as much skating as it's betting on which rink it's gonna open.

I've already told you I've got no ice for the last week of December, as it got sold out at this rink I'm skating at now. I've called few rinks on Saturday and I found ice! But... I couldn't register... I needed to make an account, that takes up to two business days to get set (it is already two business days), then I need to purchase an electronic gift card, then I'll have to call to reserve spot by spot... if they'll still have some available, which I cannot see online.

I also found out that my club will, maybe, have a test session at the end of February... I wanted to wait to change the boots to after I test The Pre-Juvenile moves. But now the Christmas exhibition is done, and as I will not test in the immediate future, I've decided to buy new boots. 

So the new boots... Long story... I decided in something with low cut back to help with the toe pointing, they are considered a high intermediate boot: it is Riedell (like my old boots) Flaire. I went to the same shop from where I bought my first boots. They measured me again, came with the same size 5.5, and they had them in stock, only they felt too big, not in length but the toe box.  They also had in stock 5, the right foot felt good, but the left those were hitting/hurting my left toes (my right foot is smaller than my left).

The boot fitter recommended semi custom... $70 extra to have an in between size 5.25.   And I would have to wait up to 6 weeks for them to be manufactured. I wanted to think about it because it didn't make complete sense for me, it wasn't so much the 5.5 lenght bothering as those felt big around. The shop also had in stock size 6 narrow, even if I haven't measured narrow (I said long story). Well, those felt good, of course I need them in 5.5 and those were not in stock, but the boot fitter called the factory and they had them there. They are supposed to come in 2 business days so I've placed the order.

Only there is this general problem with mail delays, plus, there are the holidays... so... so... There is nothing to say after the so...

But wait, my skating this week needs adjusting too. I was hopping I'm gonna be in the process of breaking in the new boots, now I don't have a plan. Plus... I bought ice 2 hours later than my usual spot, as that was all I could find... and  it's throwing my whole day off. And I've got traffic both ways. But the worse part is that the ice was unbearably chopped. That it's the 3rd session without cutting the ice. I left early yesterday... I canceled my lesson today, I'm actually considering not going today. Yes, it was that bad...

Now, my actual skating... Each time after an ice show I've had a little drop in enthusiasm, like an awareness that the glamour (from the Christmas show) is gone, I have to go back to hard work. This time I have the extra problem that I don't really know what to work on. That is related with me waiting on the new boots and not knowing what ice I'll have. I don't feel comfortable jumping in my old boots... or going fast for higher dances. So I'm doing all the slow stuff, the new skills I've learner. It is just that I think I would need extra help on those from my coach, and, all the work on these slow but more difficult skills will be interrupted when I'll have the new boots to break in. I warm up with the Pre-Juvenile test and then I improvise... as I said I adjust...

The Nutcraker Exhibition Program

I'll start at the beginning. This exhibition was a series of solo numbers on Nutcracker music. It was organized as some kind of replacement to the beloved annual "Nutcracker on Ice" production that this rink puts on each year, for 45 years! The production follows closely the actual ballet, with a huge number of skaters, and this year, because of covid situation,  it was not possible to be put together.

I've told you how difficult my preparation was in the last few posts. As rinks, including this rink, have recently closed because of new covid restrictions, I thought that the exhibition will be canceled. I found out it will go on just two weeks before the show. I scrambled to fit my old Freestyle program on the Nutcracker music and to revive Freestyle elements that I don't regularly train.  This was also, only the second time I ever performed a solo program, the first time being when I tested for  Pre-Bronze  Freestyle, the same program on different music. I just added some intro steps because the Nutcracker music was a bit longer than my previous music. 

I had two worries. One, to hold the performance together, don't fall, don't be totally awkward... Two, and maybe even more important, I was worried that I won't be able to enjoy, being that the program was prepared in such a short time and it was not muscle memory and I knew I'll have to think a lot during the performance. But, while it wasn't perfect, I've done it better in practice, but I've also done it worse, I think the performance was a fair display of my current abilities. And I did enjoy it!

And here is the video

And here are the thoughts running in my head during each step...

It was the first and only time I had the music played on the rink's speakers, I've only trained the program with music playing in one earbud, from my cell phone. I prepared to be overwhelmed, but I was perfectly happy, maybe the fact that I love the music a lot, helped.

I started a little after the music started, just as I usually did in practice, that made me have to rush a little to keep the first swing roll on 3 or even 2 counts, while allowing 4 counts for the next one. Then, I did a dropped 3-turn into a back 3-turn. When I practiced without music I held those edges a little shorter, but I had no problems in following the music and waiting to turn it, then holding the exit edge to put the next edge on music. There is a little lean forward after the 3-turn, that's just my current technical ability, no surprise there. 

On the next two inside edges and the inside edge spread eagle I was able to let loose and really enjoy. I'm very happy to see in the video the improvement I made in the arm movement. The arms and especially the hands are way more fluid then in the old program.

I may have been so loose, that I've forgotten I have to slow down the 3-turns series. In the old program those were more toe picks turns, not 3-turns, they were done on a line, in front of the judges for the test, building to the hand pointing towards them (that was suppose to show confidence by interacting with the judges). On the Nutcracker waltzy music, I had to hold those turns longer, and being 3-turns they needed to go on a curve, that I actually liked. But... then, I had to be sure to control to finish facing  towards the spectators. The first 3-turn was rushed, I had to adjust on the second one, to the point that I felt that the third one was late. That made my arm gesture towards the spectators rushed, it looks like I'm dismissing something, but I haven't realized that during the performance. I feel if I would have worked with a coach, or at least filmed a practice, I could have made more out of this hand movement, and the next gliding element. The gliding element felt better then it looks. The skating knee should be more bent, so it would be clear it is not spiral (bad spiral), or more stretched... and the free leg should be more stretched... 

Next are a series of steps leading to a salcow jump and I had to control myself to do them slower than I would have enjoyed ( where the music was taking me). I had a hesitation on the first mohawk, is the "bad side", the harder one to control, but you cannot really see in in the video. Then, at some point I'm not on music... that was on purpose, as I learned from practice that if I let myself go on music there, I catch to much speed and excitement and I cannot do the salcow...

Ok... slacow was tiny, as the other two jumps yet to come. But, I'm training the jumps, basically... never. So I'm happy I was able to do it. Next is a matching 3-turn as with the one before the salcow and a gliding on a back edge, with extension, after which I've change the arm movement, from pushing away (that was originally choreographed), to a more balletic gesture. I've decided to do that just before the show, I've never trained it. And I'm mentioning it, so I can share the extent of how many thoughts I had to control for this performance. With more time to train, the majority of these thought become automatic gestures, body memory. I'm thinking now, that that dismissive arm movement could have been changed into a presenting one. I'll know better for the future...

Then, I have a chasse into a swing roll and two dropped 3-turns. When I practice I've tried different arm movements, both up, the inside up, the outside up... I haven't really had a plan for the show... I just didn't feel I had enough place in my mind to think about this too. But, I'm actually so very happy how they've turned out, they came from the inside, feeling and living the music. 

The Waltz jump is immediately after one of this 3-turns (counting as a difficult entrance)... it was ok. Immediately after it is a Forward spin from an inside 3-turn. That is not my regular entrance, and I'm happy that it felt way more comfortable then when I tested the program on the other piece of music.

A chasse goes into the more difficult direction crossovers  and into the spiral. I decided just before the performance, when I saw where the video camera is, to change the placement of the spiral, initially should have started exactly near the camera, going away from the camera... 

Then I had a half flip, oh, how tiny... and entrance into the scratch spin. The plan was to hear the music while I spin and if there is extra time to continue the spin with a back pivot. I didn't expect the spin to happen, as I couldn't make it happen in the warm up. I expected that I'll bail out of the spin and I was prepared to have to improvise. But... the spin happened! Unfortunately I forgot about the back pivot... I change the weight to the other leg, and did some kind of pose... I'm quite sure I would never ever be able to repeat that end thingy I did.

So, there is was, done and done. 

I ended up enjoying for the most part both the performance and the preparation... and I am so happy that it also brought joy to my family and friends. We are all ballet and Nutcracker lovers... and my performance was a nod to that...

And here is the video filmed from a little higher, through plexiglass, so not so clear, but this perspective catches the flow a little better.

Last minute preparations for the Nutcraker Exhibition Program

The ice rink that hosts this holiday exhibition of solo numbers on Nutcracker music, announced us that we will have half hour practice time on Saturday, a day before the show. That took off the pressure from my Friday practice, that I thought would be my last one.

On Friday I firstly did a 10 minutes warm up because that's what I would have the day of the show, then the program. It went reasonably well. Then I worked a lot on my back spin. Firstly isolated, to get the good muscle memory of the technique. Then I did it with added steps and it was going well. Then I did the program several times. I was able to do the spin each time. BUT... I had to slow down a lot to be sure I'll be in control, and I felt it really took away from the overall program flow and speed. So... I scratched it. I am happy I've got this opportunity to be motivated to train it. I definitely improved it, and I feel motivated to keep working at it in the future. I've ran the program several times more with a forward spin in the middle and a forward scratch spin at the end. I was surprised that I had to concentrate to put the proper steps before those spins, I was already getting used with the steps for the other spins. But, overall, I was felling good enough.

On Saturday, at the exhibition rink, I was firstly hit by how different the ice felt. It is a colder rink, with harder ice, or put it differently, the rink I skate lately has very soft ice and is very warm. I honestly panicked a little, as I missed few salcows in a row (my edges slid as I jumped, I couldn't hook with the toe pick in the ice). Ready or not I started to ran the program, and I found myself hit with another bad surprise. I've got confused on where I faced when I started, so towards which end I should go at certain points. I also found myself  improvising again. We were just two skater on the rink so, I played a little bit to push the layout towards the ends. The program was designed more in the center, as I didn't have the power and speed to push it to the ends, but now, with the little extra speed I have, I found myself running close to the board towards the spectators. It wouldn't be a problem, it' s just that they, won't be able to see me. I'm reminding you, I'm allowed to invite just two spectators, but the show will be live streamed. I've settled into a pattern and I worked a little more on how much oomph, performance and excitement I'm able to actually control and not miss the elements. I finished the practice quite content that the content of the program is properly showcasing my current abilities, while allowing to enjoy performing it. And I felt excited for the next day.

On Sunday, the day of the actual show, I was instructed to arrived at the rink with no more the 20 minutes before my show time. I made it 25... to allow for the check in. That didn't take any time, just a temperature check. I was then sent to the second rink to warm up. I was supposed to have 10 minutes just before my performance, but I had 20. That may have ultimately not been an advantage because I skipped my short off ice warm up so I felt quite stiff on ice. The ice was also terribly chopped. I did  some warm up crossovers and power pulls. I did the forward spin and the scratch spin. Ups... the scratch spin totally disappeared on me. I've realized it was because of the dress. I wore a dance length circle skirt that, as I was starting to spin lifted, got into my peripheral vision and made me afraid to cross my leg. I've let it go and did the jumps, they went ok on the first try. So I let them be, and tried the scratch spin again... nope. I ran my program without music, then with music from my phone, twice. The scratch spin still hasn't happen... And I was all sweaty and worked up.

I moved to the main rink, where I was allowed another 5 minutes warm up. I skated softly around  the rink just to feel the ice, tried the scratched spin again. I became quite self aware of my skirt rising to the waist while spinning, and that the "whole world" will see my panties during the live video stream, as the camera man was at ice level. Before this, each show I was in, was filmed from above... I've tried the scratch spins several more times and it only got worse, at least my confidence did... It hit me that my spiral will have the most unflattering position as I would skate away the camera, and I quickly tried a different layout on ice so I would skate towards the camera while in the spiral position. And then I was like... I'm as ready as I will be, let's go!

I'll tell you now, I was happy with how the performance went. I'll go over it in detail when I'll have the video to share.

Exhibition program emergency

The exhibition on Nutcracker music is going to be Sunday. And, I'm... not ready...

From when I've written the last post, I've skated 3 time. My biggest worry was if my old program was gonna fit to the music, and I think it kind of does. But I've never really get to skate the program to the end, that's not encouraging.

These are the problems I've countered. I'm skating faster then when the program was created, and I tested it. My skating skills are improved... That's great! Also, I enjoy the music a lot and I'm able to interpret and project emotion in a natural manner. That's great too! What it's not great is that I haven't improved the jumps and spins, as I haven't worked on them much, and I cannot do them with the extra speed and emotion. So I will have to calm down and go a little slower.

Trying to skate the program on the music, I found myself tempted to add a step here and there. I have no experience in improvising, and it confuses me... enough to make me hesitate on the next steps. The conclusion is that I'll stay with the choreography.

I wanted to challenge myself a little and do a back spin. I wanted to put it at the end but I found myself all worked out and without the patience to concentrate on it. It is also a very slow spin for me and the end is on a crescent rhythm, it just doesn't work. The new idea is to put in in the middle of the program... The bigger problem is that I've messed with this spin's entrance so much, I ended up not able to enter the spin at all, at points.

I'll skate again on Friday. After the warm up I'll have to immediately work at the quality of the jumps and spins by themselves, not in the program, with special attention to the back spin. I'll also work on in from the steps. Then put everything on music. I'm thinking I might have the time to do the back spin, AND a simple forward spin immediately after in the middle of the program, then, at the end to do a scratch spin. Then, I'll work on the moves test, to clear my mind. Then I'll do the program again. If the back spin is not working I'll have the forward spin in the middle of the program and the scratch spin at the end. I'm rarely finding the scratch spin appropriate in programs 9to match the feeling of the music0, but, as I said this end of the music has a crescent feeling, so it works.

Hopefully, on Friday I'll have a clear plan on what I'll do for the actual exhibition. I mean I have to...

Working on MITF Pre-Juvenile and 5 minutes warm-up

 On the private lesson I've filled in my coach about the intention to test the moves and we ran all the test. We didn't have time to talk after, so I don't know his opinion if I'm ready or not to test. I've made some uncharacteristic mistakes. I think I've put a little more oomph into everything and that made me lose a little from the precision. Anyhow,  here are the corrections:

• Crossovers: Fill the corner when finishing the backward ones and take the back crossovers around the end of the rink. It is the second time it happens when I show him this move, that I put too much power when I start the back crossovers, and I'm getting more speed and bigger lobes than I'm used to, and I think I'ms getting afraid I'll run out of ice... I think this is a strong move, the speed and power are a plus, the cutting of the corner would be fine for the test. My problem here is, that I don't need that uncertainty and stress that I'll run off ice... I need this move smooth, to keep my cool for the rest of the test.
• 3-turns: I always get correction on 3-turns, but I did the pattern, without stumbles and with flow. Anyway here are the corrections I've got on the 3-turns: FO 3s Lift over hip, the free skate touches the skating skate, after turn, the skating skate and knee pushes into the free skate and knee. Don't extend the free leg so high, it destabilizing the exit edge. BI 3s Don't drop free hip, push hip under at turn, let the exit edge run. FI 3s After the turn the free skate pushes into the skating one. Turn on the ball, not middle of blade. BO 3s Hold the leading arm higher, turn  under it.
• Power pulls: were fine. Again I've put a little more knee bend and power then usually, and I've got off rhythm on the backward ones, but I've self corrected. Correction from the coach on the backward ones, alight and pull the  shoulders back over the edges
• Backward circle eight was fine, as it always is... But I've lost my focus and I made the last one bigger... 
• 5 step mohawk  we didn't have time for it, but it was good move for a long while.

I'll keep up the good work for this test. Each skating session, I'll start with the "5 minutes warmup" and continue immediately with the rest of the elements for this test to mimic what the conditions of the actual test.

Monthly skating review: progress and goals adjustment

I write a post with this title at the beginning of each month... it is supposed to be a monthly review. I find it fitting that is has "adjustment" in the title, as that seams to be the main skating related effort I put in these days.

I'm happy to report that the covid cases dropped in my area. We are still under heavy restrictions waiting to see what will be the impact of the Thanksgiving travel and gatherings. So my home rink is still closed, but there are still rinks open for practice ice. Last month I went  skating twice  a week to the rink where I used to take private lessons. Last week I even added a lesson.

I'm putting as much effort as I can into MITF Pre-Juvenile test preparation. I'm trying to test this for more then a year, from last summer, when something went wrong with the registration, then I've hurt my hip, then the winter holiday season slowed me down, then covid happened, then I've got to get back the skills and confidence, then I had blade problems, now, the test sessions are scarce and they fill out the moment they are announced. I want to be ready to test, so when a test is announced I can register immediately.

Lately I've started each skating session with the "5 minutes warm up" for the test that I've described in my last post,  and the test. Then I've worked on the test on the skills I've felt I needed improvement (mostly the 3-turns). Then I did something else (spins, the slow new skills I'm learning), then I went back to the 3-turns. I'll keep up the good work for this test, I'll continue starting with it each skating session.

What I'll add, is the Nutcracker exibition program. I stopped working at it two weeks ago, as the rink that organizes it closed, but it seams it's happening!  The rink did close, but then they allowed private rentals, including private lessons. For the exhibition, the skaters will be staggered, in 10 minutes intervals. Each skater should come fully dressed, skates on, 20 minutes in advance her skating time, warm up for 10 minutes on the second rink, then move on the big rink, do her number (2 minutes), then leave. Each skater can have 2 people with her, and the coach. The event will be live streamed. It sounded a little weird at first, then, I thought that it's gonna actually be sweet, like a private moment for each skater and very immediate family or friends.

Going back to the program... I'm gonna do my old pre-bronze freestyle program, the only program I ever had, on Nutcracker music. I want to challenge myself and add a back spin at the end. My back spin is consistent at this point, but I do it on a line and with a slow entrance. I've had mixed results when I've tried it from steps, with a shorter and faster entrance. I also want to finish the spin with the free leg inside, so I can do a back pivot after, and I keep forgetting that. I'm used to the landing position exit. The rest of the program elements should be fine, but I haven't practice the program from when I tested it, so I hesitate at points, it takes me a second to remember what comes next. And I have other challenges... Firstly, the music it's a little longer, the rhythm it's a little faster, so I think I'll have to add some moves to fill the program. To complicate things, the music doesn't have strong sections, but it's kind of one tone, so it doesn't help me structure the program and look for points to check my timing. I'll have to try it many many times and see what I can fit in and what not. And... at the rink where I skate now, it is complicated to put music, I'll have to try earbuds... I'm planning to skate 4 session until the exhibition and I'll do my best.

I also want a new dress and if you remember, I sew them myself. I had a dream of a silver gray lace and mesh ethereal one, but besides the fact I won't have the time to make it as it's a bit complicated, I also think it may not be a good fit for the occasion. I've also wished for a very simple, like stark simple, white dress. I hope I can make that. If not, I'll use the old gold dress. 

The goal for this Nutcracker exhibition was to get joy and I'm determined to let it be a joyful process even if the choreography, the skating elements and the dress won't be perfect... 

The second part of this month should be mostly about moves. Plus, I'm gonna add it here as a goal, so I won't forget... I have to work on the loop jump consistently. I want eventually to be able to have Bronze Freestyle program and I need the loop jump for that.