I do a FO3, and then because I feel good, I do another and another, and more until I've done a circle of them and end up standing in front of Dance Coach.
I've never done threes around the circle before.
We've never even discussed them before.
Still, when I stop in front of Dance Coach I'm not surprised that he has no expression. He's got his Russian coach poker face on. He says:
"Do again, you stepped wide."
So, I do them again. This time with, I swear, nothing wrong in them I can think of. Arms. Good. Size. Good. Flow. Good. Turn forward. Good.
"No vigorous exercise, for the week," the doctor told me. So there went skating, weight lifting, yoga for a week.
I'M SO BORED!
Now, I wish I still watched TV
So, I'm doing a lot of staring. Yawning. Yeah, I read the latest Stephen King novel, and Dean Koontz, and Larry Correia. Surprisingly, I didn't have bad dreams until I started on "Too Big to Fail" about the 2008 economic meltdown.
So for a week I have a big empty life.
What to do. What to do?
Oooh, ISU Components videos! Here's one of my favorites: Flow.
Anyway, if you have time to go through all the Components videos, it's really worthwhile. I came away with a new respect for judges.
It's also interesting, that the majority of the examples are male skaters. And repeated examples using the two Brians!
A few weeks ago Dance Coach told me "You have the flow of a 16 year old."
Despite the eyerolling of my adult ice dance friends, I'm going to take that as a compliment. (Yes, someone asked, "Was it a good sixteen year old or a bad one?" I refuse to be annoyed by sniping.)
So, here's what I though 'flow' was: smoothness of stroking, transitions and change of edge. And maybe power was in there somewhere. And presence. Maybe pretty arm positions. And nice posture.
Here's what it really is:
The word “flow” is used to describe the ability to maintain a constant speed across the ice while executing various skating elements and also to refer to the length of time it takes for the speed generated from a single stroke to diminish. (source: gofigureskating.com)
Oh, it's a measure of skating efficiency.
Somehow, I thought it would be something.....more....ethereal. You know, like a skating angel.
No, not this kind of skating angel.
This kind....sigh.....
Anyway, with that definition in mind, when I was skating at the rink today, I tried to figure out while I was skating, where my 'flow' comes from.
I do move smooth, consciously not jerking my arms and legs when I switch them, and I try to keep my posture upright, and my shoulders even. Oh, and get on my edges not on the flat. How that contributes to 'good flow', I've got no idea.
No one consciously taught me 'flow'. Maybe I just picked it up from skating in hold with Dance Coach. That has to be the solution.
Otherwise, it's a complete mystery to me. It annoys me mightily when I can't figure stuff out.
So, nothing to do but watch (and listen to) the Master of Flow.
