Ice Dancer Adventures: Leave Room for Jesus!

So in Tuesday LTS we are using half the time to work on ice dance elements, mostly just swing rolls, chasses, and progressives.  It is actually quite difficult, because we have to go across the short axis.  Which means I do chasse on one lobe, progressive on the other, chasse, and then come to a screeching halt halfway through my progressive because I'm worried I'm going to hit the wall.  The rink is just too short!  Also- my lobes are too shallow.
One of the things Carson is really focusing on is the extension in the swing roll, and to make sure it comes through straight and close to the boot, and not around the leg.  (Apparently kicking your partner is not a desired outcome?)

Yesterday we did back swing rolls for the first time.  OMG! Are you kidding me?  I have decent back outside edges, but the second you tell me I have to a) keep my torso perpendicular to the axis and b) not swing my leg around, but swing it through, they go to pot.  HORRIBLE.

Carson then decided we should do them in waltz hold, because it makes them easier.  He was right about that, because, at least as we were doing them, my body stayed perpendicular to my partner, but not to the axis.  Taylor was helping with our class, so Carson danced with Elka (she is tall) and I danced with Taylor.  It was pretty funny.  We couldn't figure out where the girl/boy hands went.  We are both used to being girls!  I went home and checked with Kevin, and what we did ended up being right, but it is just different with a guy...

Anyhow- a good waltz hold is close.  Taylor and I were so far away from each other it was comical.  The edges were decent, but Carson laughed at our pitiful hold (Taylor, like Carson, is also new to ice dance, but unlike Carson doesn't have extensive pairs experience, I think she has pre-bronze with Carson, and they are testing up to either Silver or Pre-silver at the next session.)  I said something about "leaving room for Jesus" and neither had ever heard that expression!  Taylor said she even went to Catholic school.  (One of the kid skaters later said they DO use that expression at their church lock-ins, so thankfully I'm not showing my age, which isn't THAT much older than Taylor and Carson. The girl says they are also told girls are red and boys are blue- no purple allowed!)  Anyhow- at Catholic dances, they wanted partners to make sure to stay apart- and not let their hold get too close.  In ice dancing, that is definitely not ideal!

I tried to practice dances on public afterwards, but it was a mess.  About 25 freeskaters leftover from lessons, and then a bundle of publics.  And one of the freeskaters was in lesson doing power circles, which pretty much rules out everything, since they take the entire center ice.  But I did do step behinds around the rink, and they are getting a little more comfortable. I just cannot shift my weight to my left side.  Getting my right foot to 'slip' out after my left sets down is impossible if I'm not holding onto the wall.  Hopefully it will be fine when holding onto Carson. That's the same as a wall- right?

In other news, yesterday was an awesome spin day.  My scratch spins were all awesome and centered, and any that started out bad I was able to correct in the spin to get on the right track. I'm pretty excited about that- being able to correct a traveling spin into a centered one I think shows a lot of control.  Or maybe luck?  But I'm doing it a lot more lately, so I think control.  My sit variations were also good, although Carson really wants the pancake to be pancaked.  I pointed out to him in the 90s before Lucinda Ruh started leaning over, a lot of people did front (and back) tucks sitting upright.  But he said "it looks like a pancake, judges are going to expect you to be in a pancake!)  Urgh.  Taylor urged me to extend my arms backward when I put them behind my back, so I started trying that.   I also had some good progress on my change foot spin.  Still can only do it from a snail's pace forward spin, but more and more I'm keeping the backspin going, and my leg is not tucking back.  It still isn't crossing though!