Waltz Jump!

Today's lesson:

• perimeter stroking -- we started off with this, CCW only, the complete moves format including the end. This was almost the first time I'd skated it on the "pepperoni dots" as Anna asked me to a while back. I actually practiced this on Tuesday. The problem is getting all 3 crossovers in the shorter space now. I wasn't pleased. Anna said while there were some good spots I still need to be more consistent about getting both extension and correct placement.
• forward crossovers -- again, the moves format. We did this a couple of times. Anna said the CCW ones were okay but the CW were definitely not okay -- in particular the trailing arm is way too low and I'm not over the circle sufficiently. An important correction was that I was crossing between circles on the wrong foot. Instead of crossing on the FO edge, I need to cross on the other foot (FI edge) so that I can then push into the first of the crossovers.
• spins -- just a few points on this. Anna's generally pleased with how these are looking, but reminded me to keep the free side lifted and not drop the free shoulder back. She put it in terms of "framing" the skating foot. The exit is looking a little better; I'm doing a better job of spreading the arms on the exit and getting a better RBO.
• backspin -- we spent a good 5 minutes or more on this. Anna's really pleased with it and said one of them today was almost a full rev. They are feeling slightly less weird.
• bunnyhop -- we did several of these. Anna's main correction was to be more collected and to not let the arms flail around -- as I put it, I need to think of them as a definite, important part of the jump, not just let them do as they will. This helped a lot.
• waltz jump -- the highlight of the lesson (and the day). We started by working on the toe stepover, first out in the open and then at the boards. We then went back to the double bunnyhop. Anna reminded me to really have a focus point for my eyes. That, combined with being more careful with the arms as we'd just worked on with the bunnyhops, made a huge difference. Anna said it made my upper body more "calm." Finally, we were definitely running out of time (actually we were probably over) and Anna asked me if I was ready to give it a try. I said "sure!" in that way I have when I'm not sure but I'm going to do it anyway. So I tried it a couple of times, not quite there but close. Finally on the 4th or 5th try I actually got an honest-to-God waltz jump! So of course Anna had me do it again... in the end I think I did 3 or so and then Anna decided we could leave it at that.

Toward the end of the lesson I was trying hard not to put pressure on myself, even though we were running late (Anna gave me 10 or 12 extra minutes) and I really wanted to land this jump. Part of it was that I will be off the ice for a bit starting Monday due to a surgical procedure, and I only have one lesson left in December (12/16) which will probably be pretty low-key depending on how I am feeling. Anyway, I was really grateful to Anna for being so patient, encouraging and generous with her time. That's just the kind of person she is.

All in all it was a terrific lesson. I'm so happy I could just spit. After the lesson I gave Anna the CD with the accompanying notes on each track that I'd written up. She was pleased and amused, and said no one had ever gone to such lengths before. It's my type-A personality showing again. Unfortunately Anna forgot to bring the JFK soundtrack for me to listen to, but I'm sure we'll get it later.