Nov 12 Lesson Post--Dancing with the icePod

I have a dance test--my first skating test--in three weeks. Unfortunately, my schedule and coach's schedule don't match for freestyle sessions. So, yes, I'm doing test preparation on winter publics. This means that until Nov 12, I had never skated the Dutch Waltz to music.  Did I hear a gasp of horror from one and all? Three weeks to the test and you've never skated to music! Quelle horreur!*

Coach had the idea I should bring my iPod (the icePod let's call it) and he would listen to one earbud, and I'd listen to the other. Sorry, that was silly. I got an audio splitter, and an extra set of earbuds from the 5 and Below store. Now we each had our own set. So we're on ice, and we plug in. Music is too loud for me too soft for him. Argument over the volume setting. Just like a man with the remote, he wants to take control of the icePod.

Finally we get going. Skating through the board clingers, the hockey boys, and the clueless. Overhead, Lady Gaga is wailing away. We can faintly hear the Dutch Waltz.

It was scary a couple of times going around the rink in dance hold and plugged into the icePod. Coach is the sweetest guy in the world with kids until he's in dance hold. Then it's all  gruff "They should stay out of our way."  What can I say, he's got a dance split personality. He wants to go fast, he wants the steps accurate, and he'll put me within inches of people in our way.  We passed through the crowd like eagles through the clouds.

I. Nailed. That. Dance.

YES!

On the beat, with power, good extension, stroking in time with coach. It was excellent!

Afterwards, I asked, "Have you skated sharing an iPod before with a partner?"

"No," coach said. "First time."

The things that man will do to get me test ready.  A coach like that is a keeper.


*Tip o' the hat to whoever is beaming in from Canada to read this.