So, uh, one of the two male skaters who are part of our adult coterie asked me to be his ice dance partner after the adult session today?
We had been talking about ballroom dance, because he does both the ice and ballroom versions, and then he dragged me out to dance around the open area next to the little food court in the rink. I was shocked at how much I remembered after nine years.* Then he asked if I wanted to skate with him.
Unfortunately, I had to inform him that I don't really have time or money to do both freestyle and dance, and I like freestyle much, much better than dance. Not to mention he takes his lessons out at the Franklin rink, which is a hell of a drive for me. He also really, really wants to compete at Adult Nationals, and I...really, really don't.
But we did agree to fool around with the early pattern dances at some future practice, just for fun. He apparently can't find anyone at his (very low) level who will even consider dance, or who has a ballroom background, and the women at higher levels are reluctant to move back. I'm surprised he hasn't managed to talk JB into it, since they're at about the same level in dance, but she's quite tall. That may be a factor. Or else she also doesn't have the time/money for both freestyle and serious dance.
We're also going to try to get a few other skaters together and go social dancing at the studio where he and his wife take lessons, so that will be fun. That's more my speed than ice dance.
I feel kind of bad for turning him down, since with the gender ratio in this sport I know there are tons of women who would kill to be in this position, but...I like the solo aspect of skating. I like spins and jumps. The early pattern dances that I know are SO. BORING. If I had infinite time and money, sure, but alas, I do not.
Anyway, speaking of spins and jumps, I remembered to hold the forward edge and then step up for the waltz jump and got some height this time, even on waltz-waltz-waltz combinations. I also got some nice hops off the toe pick/edge on the salchow. Alas, my toe loops had no height, but I did manage four in a row at one point.
I've managed to get my head around the RFI3 exercise P wants me to do as prep for real backspins, which translated to almost getting in the right starting position for the spin. Success!
* He was like, "You're great! I can totally tell you were trained by Russians! You have that frame!" I'm taking this with a grain of salt the size of my head.
We had been talking about ballroom dance, because he does both the ice and ballroom versions, and then he dragged me out to dance around the open area next to the little food court in the rink. I was shocked at how much I remembered after nine years.* Then he asked if I wanted to skate with him.
Unfortunately, I had to inform him that I don't really have time or money to do both freestyle and dance, and I like freestyle much, much better than dance. Not to mention he takes his lessons out at the Franklin rink, which is a hell of a drive for me. He also really, really wants to compete at Adult Nationals, and I...really, really don't.
But we did agree to fool around with the early pattern dances at some future practice, just for fun. He apparently can't find anyone at his (very low) level who will even consider dance, or who has a ballroom background, and the women at higher levels are reluctant to move back. I'm surprised he hasn't managed to talk JB into it, since they're at about the same level in dance, but she's quite tall. That may be a factor. Or else she also doesn't have the time/money for both freestyle and serious dance.
We're also going to try to get a few other skaters together and go social dancing at the studio where he and his wife take lessons, so that will be fun. That's more my speed than ice dance.
I feel kind of bad for turning him down, since with the gender ratio in this sport I know there are tons of women who would kill to be in this position, but...I like the solo aspect of skating. I like spins and jumps. The early pattern dances that I know are SO. BORING. If I had infinite time and money, sure, but alas, I do not.
Anyway, speaking of spins and jumps, I remembered to hold the forward edge and then step up for the waltz jump and got some height this time, even on waltz-waltz-waltz combinations. I also got some nice hops off the toe pick/edge on the salchow. Alas, my toe loops had no height, but I did manage four in a row at one point.
I've managed to get my head around the RFI3 exercise P wants me to do as prep for real backspins, which translated to almost getting in the right starting position for the spin. Success!
* He was like, "You're great! I can totally tell you were trained by Russians! You have that frame!" I'm taking this with a grain of salt the size of my head.
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