Preliminary Test, BI8

My figures lesson with Lynne on the Chandler coffee club.

I warmed up with edges as usual.  I forgot to bring my scribe, unfortunately :-(, but I went and ran through FO8, FI8 and waltz-8 and then it was time for our lesson.

Today's lesson:

• Preliminary test -- we laid it out in staggered circles.  FO8 was reasonably good, though I had to correct my first RFO circle.  FI8 was pretty good.  Waltz-8 was about the same as usual.  We then spent some time working on waltz-8 and it actually improved a lot!  We got me to keep the free foot in front on the L side (the RBO edge) and it really helped me stand up straighter and keep the free leg close.  I know I've had that correction before so I'm not sure why it was different today.  Have to remember this for practice!  I tend to get going a bit fast after the first circle and then I get sloppy.  Grrr.  I do much better when I slow things down and keep it more deliberate.
• BI8 -- some quality time on this.  I really struggle to control my upper body on the RBI after the push.  We spent some time just working on getting a better first push and it really helped, actually.  Still getting a small/short BO then flip to BI on the push, but I did better at realllllly getting my foot out there for the push so it's more perpendicular and closer (no widestepping).  When I do that I can get a pretty nice size circle.. awesome.

Starting next week we'll start the new "ice cafe" LTS structure on Wednesdays at Ice Den Chandler.  I signed up for the month of March.  We'll see how it goes.  In talking with Lynne, my plan is to skate the lesson (it will be patch!) as my warmup, then have 10 minutes to scribe my circles etc., then lesson with Lynne from 12:20 to 12:50.  Practice time other than that?  Who knows...