Back Spin, Ho!

Today's lesson was a busy one. We covered a lot of ground!

• forward crossovers -- we started off with my favorite move (not!). Still working on eliminating the toe-pushing. It would help if I would get more comfortable with these. As it is, I can get into a pretty good rhythm with them but it tends to result in a speed that's rather scary. If I go slower I lose the rhythm. Grr. Mostly it seems to help to have (Duh!) more knee bend, then thinking of picking the formerly-inside foot up from/with the toes. This is going to take a lot more work. Lately I've not been that diligent on this, and that has to change.
• stroking -- we worked on stroking, but I "narc-ed" on myself and did them in my weak direction (CW). There's lots not to like here -- in particular my setup for the crossovers tends to be late or non-existent. Pushing off onto the left foot is pretty good, but the push onto the right foot is still (still!) weak, and I don't really get my weight firmly over my skate. Again, something that I really need to fix, and the only way is to "P" it ("Practice", that is!).
• spirals -- not my best day on this move. We worked them in isolation and then in the pre-pre pattern. A connection -- the problem I am having with my RF spiral is really the same problem I'm having with my stroking on that foot (see above) -- I'm not getting my weight solidly over my skate so naturally it tends to be kind of all over. The LF ones were not as good as they have been in the past, I think. I need to get over my feeling of dorkiness that keeps me from practicing these when there are lots of people around...
• bunnyhops -- we just touched on these for a few minutes. Anna says I'm doing better at pushing straight from the toe, but I need a better actual jump (ankle action) and she again reminded me I need to keep my jumping foot straight, not bent.
• waltz jump walkthrough -- we came back to these after a long absence, and I had not really looked at them much at all. It showed. After some remedial work I was able to get this almost back to where it was. I need to work this between now and Monday though.
• backspin! -- lastly, a complete surprise. For the last 2 minutes of our lesson or so (really, in "overtime"), Anna asked me to do a two-foot spin and then pick up the left foot (instead of the right), i.e. into a backspin. I gave this a go and was able to do it somewhat! Not well, of course, but not bad for a first try. It feels sooooo weird! Very bizarre. I was very surprised that I could do it at all. It seems a little ironic that I can do that much and still don't have the scratch spin entrance down... but they are different skills (and different entrances) anyway. I'll have to play with it more.

Anna wants me to remind her next week to come back to the waltz jump walkthrough again. My lessons next week are Monday and Tuesday again, so I'll have a couple of days in which to work on some of this stuff. All in all I was very pleased with today's lesson even though there's so much that needs correction.