It's official - after 22 months (backing out the 6 I lost to the motorcycle accident, call it 16 months' work) I have officially passed my first set of ice dance tests - Dutch Waltz, Canasta Tango, and Rhythm & Blues. I'm officially a Pre-Bronze level skater.
Of course, that sort of means that the training wheels can now come off, but that I shouldn't be biking in traffic just yet. :) This isn't a HUGE step, but it is a step.
The morning started with Anna and I meeting up for one last runthrough of the dances. My test wouldn't be until close to 6pm so this was our last chance to double check everything. She put the music on, and when she got over to me, right there in the center of her face was a big red clown nose. She was doing it to relax me - and it worked so well I was useless, on the floor laughing for 10 minutes. It worked of course. After that, how COULD you be nervous?
Things went fine, and I met Will and Anna back at the rink this afternoon for the "big deal". During the Dutch Waltz, I could tell I was holding back - we didn't have nearly the momentum we normally do, and the first pattern (you have to do it twice) was smaller than usual - I got that corrected for the second time through and all in all I think did a credible job.
After waiting for one of the kids to test something, we were back on the ice for Canasta Tango. I realized now that I was holding back, so tried (tried) to get the energy back. My legs were shaking just a little bit at this point - Anna's solution was to "bend my knees more". That's both Will and Anna's answer to just about any question or problem. Not balanced? Bend you knees more. Not enough power? Bend your knees more. Feeling like you are going to throw up? Bend your knees more. Solution to world hunger? Bend your knees..... you get the picture.
During the Tango, we had a bobble that we've NEVER had happen before, and it spooked me for the rest of the dance. Honestly, I thought I'd sealed my fate at that point and wouldn't pass this one. Will tells me that it looked like Anna has lost her balance rather than me. Great - I've now gone on the record as being able to make my partner look bad. Wonderful :) At any rate, I got a pass on it so no harm done.
After another kid, we were back for the final dance - Rhythm & Blues. Now I'm shaking in the legs AND worried about the mutant bobble on the Tango. If I was soft pedaling the Waltz, I REALLY pulled back on this one. Hardly got 3/4 of the way across the ice the first pass, then WAY overcompensated for it on the second pass and almost smeared Anna against the boards. Pulled off the steps, though - and again, got a pass.
Honestly, probably at least one of those "Passes" was a gift from the judge - they don't EVER want to scare away men because there aren't enough of us... but I'll take the gift just to have gotten past this first milestone. Now that I've done this once, hopefully things will be a little easier in the future.
My next test is planned to be the first Adults Moves-in-the-field test in October. That the first level of singles ice skating test and we are doing these in parallel because of the discipline it drives in learning the basics. I don't have to do these as an ice dancer, but I want to. Sort of like continuing to take ballet all through my dance career even though I definitely DON'T have a ballet body. It's good discipline for the fundamentals. The next set of dance tests is probably a year out at this point so this gives me a more near-term goal.
I PASSED I PASSED I PASSED!!!!
My thanks to Will and Anna for getting me through to this point. Will has been immensely patient turning me from someone who couldn't stop without running into something into a pre-bronze ice dancer, all in 16 months. Miracles do indeed happen. Anna for being willing to relearn all these beginner dances just for me and then helping me figure out how to do everything Will taught me, but with someone in my way :) They are great coaches, and wonderful people. Bravo.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Standing on a big block of ice = good thing
DAMN it was hot in Seattle today. Suddenly, the prospect of standing on a huge block of ice tomorrow for my first skating tests doesn't sound so bad. Even if I make a complete ass of myself, at least I won't be SWEATING.
OK - so I'm nervous. Weird, huh? I've been on stage in front of 5,000 people, and I've even stood there NAKED, and this - THIS - is freaking me out? Go figure.
I think I've figured it out, though - this is more like an audition than a performance. I never had any problems with actual shows. I'm a wreck from "places" to my first entrance, but cool as a cucumber the rest of the time. I LOVE being in front of an audience. A nice, anonymous, faceless, audience.
Auditions always got the best of my nerves - and I think dancer-brain is treating this test like an audition. Great. Just what I need. Honestly, I think I'd be better off if there was a huge audience instead of just me and three people who are no doubt smirking behind their hands at a 48-year old fully grown adult trying to pick up this sport cold.
The bright spot is both my coaches say I am ready. As long as I can keep my nerves under control, I should be able to sail through this. In my head, I'm thinking "as long as I don't trip Anna and manage not to smear her against the boards", it's all good :) Dead coach = bad thing.
Wish me luck. I have a runthrough with both coaches in the morning, then an agonizing wait until 5:50pm when my tests start. I didn't even TRY to go to work Monday. No point - I'd be useless. I'm going to spend the day in my studio working on dresses for The Ruby Room's fundraiser fashion show. Hopefully, that will distract me enough.
or not....
OK - so I'm nervous. Weird, huh? I've been on stage in front of 5,000 people, and I've even stood there NAKED, and this - THIS - is freaking me out? Go figure.
I think I've figured it out, though - this is more like an audition than a performance. I never had any problems with actual shows. I'm a wreck from "places" to my first entrance, but cool as a cucumber the rest of the time. I LOVE being in front of an audience. A nice, anonymous, faceless, audience.
Auditions always got the best of my nerves - and I think dancer-brain is treating this test like an audition. Great. Just what I need. Honestly, I think I'd be better off if there was a huge audience instead of just me and three people who are no doubt smirking behind their hands at a 48-year old fully grown adult trying to pick up this sport cold.
The bright spot is both my coaches say I am ready. As long as I can keep my nerves under control, I should be able to sail through this. In my head, I'm thinking "as long as I don't trip Anna and manage not to smear her against the boards", it's all good :) Dead coach = bad thing.
Wish me luck. I have a runthrough with both coaches in the morning, then an agonizing wait until 5:50pm when my tests start. I didn't even TRY to go to work Monday. No point - I'd be useless. I'm going to spend the day in my studio working on dresses for The Ruby Room's fundraiser fashion show. Hopefully, that will distract me enough.
or not....
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Well, it's official... my first tests are Monday August 16 at 5pm
Goddess help me, it's all official and scheduled. My first set of dance tests are on Monday, August 16 at 5pm. I received confirmation of the schedule from the Testing Coordinator for the club yesterday. There, interleaved with the names of a dozen or so eleven year olds was mine.
It's really quite strange. I didn't think this whole testing process would phase me, really. I mean, for god's sake I've been on stage in front of 5,000 people when the curtain went up. A little skating test in front of a couple of judges shouldn't be anything that would cause nervousness. Au contraire.... When I was filling out the application form, I felt that very familiar twinge of nerves hit - out of the freakin' blue. What the f? Really? REALLY?
Damn.
OK - so maybe I am a little nervous. My coaches (yes, it's official - I have two coaches now and it's fun to watch the contradict each other during my lessons - great spectator sport) have assured me that I'm more than ready for this. In fact, they haven't decided if I'm to test on the adult track or the standard track. The adult track standards are lower, and I think they are thinking of having me test to the standard track for a couple of reasons - first, it's a higher standard for me to aspire to, and second - I think they get more kudo's as coaches if they manage to drag my sorry adult beginner ass up to that level :)
Either way, as long as I don't lose my head this should go OK, I suppose.
I told Anna that my normal routine as a performer was to be cool as a cucumber until they call "places", at which point I become a wreck until my first entrance. After that, I calm down and it's all just fine - but for those few minutes between times, I have a full on panic attack and believe quite convincingly that I've forgotten everything and am about to make a complete ass of myself.
It's like that old nightmare that most performers have at some point in their lives.... that they are about to go on stage and have no idea what they are supposed to do - or even what show this is. Been there, done that. Far too often.
Well - I suppose the bright spot is that they have me, after all, testing all three of the first set of dances. My personal goal is to pass two of them. If I land all three, then whoopee doodle for me - but I'll call it a success if I pass two and don't do something terribly stupid on the odd one out (like fall on my ass or, worse, trip Anna). Been there, done that.
Sigh. I'll keep you posted.
It's really quite strange. I didn't think this whole testing process would phase me, really. I mean, for god's sake I've been on stage in front of 5,000 people when the curtain went up. A little skating test in front of a couple of judges shouldn't be anything that would cause nervousness. Au contraire.... When I was filling out the application form, I felt that very familiar twinge of nerves hit - out of the freakin' blue. What the f? Really? REALLY?
Damn.
OK - so maybe I am a little nervous. My coaches (yes, it's official - I have two coaches now and it's fun to watch the contradict each other during my lessons - great spectator sport) have assured me that I'm more than ready for this. In fact, they haven't decided if I'm to test on the adult track or the standard track. The adult track standards are lower, and I think they are thinking of having me test to the standard track for a couple of reasons - first, it's a higher standard for me to aspire to, and second - I think they get more kudo's as coaches if they manage to drag my sorry adult beginner ass up to that level :)
Either way, as long as I don't lose my head this should go OK, I suppose.
I told Anna that my normal routine as a performer was to be cool as a cucumber until they call "places", at which point I become a wreck until my first entrance. After that, I calm down and it's all just fine - but for those few minutes between times, I have a full on panic attack and believe quite convincingly that I've forgotten everything and am about to make a complete ass of myself.
It's like that old nightmare that most performers have at some point in their lives.... that they are about to go on stage and have no idea what they are supposed to do - or even what show this is. Been there, done that. Far too often.
Well - I suppose the bright spot is that they have me, after all, testing all three of the first set of dances. My personal goal is to pass two of them. If I land all three, then whoopee doodle for me - but I'll call it a success if I pass two and don't do something terribly stupid on the odd one out (like fall on my ass or, worse, trip Anna). Been there, done that.
Sigh. I'll keep you posted.
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