purple skates
Shadow Dancing
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Awesome!
I think it just takes a lot of practice.
There's a certain move for the Foxtrot that I can only do holding on to the wall or holding my coach's hand, but not all by myself. My goal is to be able to do it just touching his hand but not letting him support me. I've been working on it for years. It gets better very slowly -- much better than 2 years ago, but not yet as good as it should be.
So just keep working on the one-foot glides, and eventually they will feel easier for you. But it won't happen in one week or one month.
BTW. I meant to ask...when holding a Partner's hand...is MY arm, and my PARTNER'S arm supposed to both be at arms-leinth straight out...OR.....pointing down at the Ice?
DO even famous Ice-Dancers sometimes support each other?
For what I'm doing,were should I have my arm?
For what I'm doing,were should I have my arm?
@FSWer the way you hold your partner's hand, or arm, depends on what you are doing. There is no special way that you would hold on to your partner depending on what level of skater you are.
But you should also remember that if you are not able to balance on one foot on your own, it can be very dangerous for you to skate with a partner - no matter how you are holding on to them. If you are not able to balance, you could fall very easily and hurt yourself or your partner, even if your partner is a coach or an experienced skater.
My own coach is just getting out of hospital this week after a knee operation - his knee was damaged several years ago when he was holding hands with a beginner skater, and the skater suddenly fell and took him down with her. That is how easily an accident can happen that can hurt even a very experienced skater.
You need to work on developing good basic skating skills, and being confident in skating on your own, before you worry about how to hold hands with a partner.
@FSWer the way you hold your partner's hand, or arm, depends on what you are doing. There is no special way that you would hold on to your partner depending on what level of skater you are.
But you should also remember that if you are not able to balance on one foot on your own, it can be very dangerous for you to skate with a partner - no matter how you are holding on to them. If you are not able to balance, you could fall very easily and hurt yourself or your partner, even if your partner is a coach or an experienced skater.
My own coach is just getting out of hospital this week after a knee operation - his knee was damaged several years ago when he was holding hands with a beginner skater, and the skater suddenly fell and took him down with her. That is how easily an accident can happen that can hurt even a very experienced skater.
You need to work on developing good basic skating skills, and being confident in skating on your own, before you worry about how to hold hands with a partner.
FSWer - I hope this might help you get the best arm position while stroking or gliding - "pat the dogs."
It's a technique I was taught and I used to use when I helped teach. Imagine that while you are on the ice, you have two large dogs like, say, German Shephards in front of you, one on the right, one on the left. Your arms should be in front of you and out to each side. Basically, your arms should be out in front slightly to each side at about waist/hip level where you could easily pat the dogs on the head without bending over.
My students always knew that if I skated up to them and said "pat the dogs" their arms were not in the right position or they were flailing them all over the place.
And I will reiterate what others are saying here. This is not the time to be concerned about getting a partner or worrying if you have "what it takes" to be an ice dancer. It's time to learn to skate. You might be getting tired of hearing us say this over and over, but you must learn to skate FIRST. Partnering comes much later.
I'm not understanding Pat the Dogs what it means.
Another image that might help is to pretend you have a table in front of you. Pretend you're putting your hands on the table, not straight in front of you, but towards the edges. That's about the right level and location for your arms--bellybutton level and not straight to the side OR straight in front but about halfway between those two points.
Believe it or not, I train with a hula hoop on my back to keep from bending at the waist and keep my arms in the correct position. Really works!
Another image that might help is to pretend you have a table in front of you. Pretend you're putting your hands on the table, not straight in front of you, but towards the edges. That's about the right level and location for your arms--bellybutton level and not straight to the side OR straight in front but about halfway between those two points.
Just keep practicing, FSWer. Skating takes a LOT of patience and a LOT of practice. And you'll trip and fall a lot; goodness knows I do!! Just keep getting up and trying and listening to your coaches' advice.
PS: And yes, "stroking" is a general term for that pushing and gliding you do on the ice. EVERY SINGLE SKATER, from beginner to world champion, works on stroking every day, doing just what you are doing, making sure you're not using their toepicks to push, putting their arms in the right place, and so forth.
So DON'T hold my hand RIGHT out. Hold it right out in FRONT,right?
Believe it or not, I train with a hula hoop on my back to keep from bending at the waist and keep my arms in the correct position. Really works!
When we talk about depending on what I'm doing...can you give me an example?