Salchow, Spins, Program -- Sound Familiar?

Today's lesson on the 7 a.m. FS at Gilbert (postponed from Tuesday since I was just getting back from my trip).  Session was quite deserted at first (just me and Jenna), though more people did show up later and the 7:45 session was quite crowded (like 10 skaters and 6 or 7 coaches).

Today's lesson:

• salchow -- we started off working these based on my work with Sonya on Monday.  We worked on holding back the free side a bit more firmly after the turn, then bringing it through (not around) and not bringing the skating hand in, just having the free hand meet.  I proceeded to do like 5 pretty good (for me, for now) sals in a row!  Cool! 
• spins -- more work on these, again keeping the free leg/arm back on the step forward until the hook.  I'm still struggling with this -- what a shock :-).
• program -- we then ran the program (sans music) albeit in fits and starts as I tried to incorporate some of the feedback I'd gotten about placement on the ice.  We need to find a new/better ending, not sure what that might be at this point.  We have like 6 weeks to get this stuff finished/finalized so I am not too worried.  

All in all a darn good lesson.  There's so much to do, though!  I need to solidify some parts of the program -- biggest worry is the waltz --> salchow -- and work on getting the thing to gel and not just be a collection of elements strung together.  I think it will be fine, though.  Also I have GOT to figure out what I am doing for a costume.  Grrr I hate that stuff.

As I was leaving I bumped into my old Tucson skating buddy Lauren!  How awesome.  Lauren is an AMAZING skater (I think she's tested through Senior) and just one of the nicest people you could hope to meet so it was really awesome to see her.