Return from Lilliput
Apr. 9th, 2006 05:51 pmFiguratively speaking... today was skating pre-screening, in order to be eligible to test next week. And a dress rehearsal, with a bigger audience than I'm likely to have Wednesday morning, probably 20-30 watching. Including Kevin, and the lovely
cyan_blue, who came down just to watch my program. (thanks!) Most of them were parents of my compatriots in the rink -- a dozen or so young ladies, ranging from about 9-14 years old. The judges told them that they'd need to wear dresses to their test performances... "and that means you, too," gesturing at me and chuckling. One middle-aged guy with a beard, in line with a bunch of diminutive girls in velvet dresses, them an age to be classmates of my younger sons. We went through all of the same warm-ups and maneuvers, one by one... the girls seemed as amused by it as I was. I was the towering bearded giant...
Nonetheless, I dispelled any doubts as to whether I belonged there -- I skated a good program, stayed with the music, hit my jumps well. Got applause ;-). The only suggestion from the judges afterward was to pull in my arms to squeeze one more rotation out of my spin. And I felt that I was on top of things, and reasonably graceful. Yay!
Afterward, I worked with Kevin on his moves -- we're doing the same material, now. And persuaded Geri to join me on the ice, which was a lot of fun. Although she fell once (hit a rough spot while she was going backwards) and bruised her right forearm, she got her skates under her and was zipping along towards the end of the public session. A happy afternoon. :)
Here's Kevin, who is now practicing the same moves and hopes to pass me soon... ;)

Before we did our programs, we warmed up... note all of the young women, and then one middle-aged guy...

Here I am, midway through the program, going over forward into a spiral:

Finishing the program, coming out of my two-footed spin:

Nonetheless, I dispelled any doubts as to whether I belonged there -- I skated a good program, stayed with the music, hit my jumps well. Got applause ;-). The only suggestion from the judges afterward was to pull in my arms to squeeze one more rotation out of my spin. And I felt that I was on top of things, and reasonably graceful. Yay!
Afterward, I worked with Kevin on his moves -- we're doing the same material, now. And persuaded Geri to join me on the ice, which was a lot of fun. Although she fell once (hit a rough spot while she was going backwards) and bruised her right forearm, she got her skates under her and was zipping along towards the end of the public session. A happy afternoon. :)
Here's Kevin, who is now practicing the same moves and hopes to pass me soon... ;)
Before we did our programs, we warmed up... note all of the young women, and then one middle-aged guy...
Here I am, midway through the program, going over forward into a spiral:
Finishing the program, coming out of my two-footed spin:
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