PASSED ALL THREE TESTS!

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.