Our summer schedule has not been working out quite the way we had hoped. School and my work have been interfering with a regular practice schedule, as well as keeping us pretty tired so we haven't been doing the two hour practices that we wanted to do. But we're persevering anyway.
Ira gave us really great technique that I hope we can remember and do well. Our routines are being refined and becoming more competitive. Everything is going pretty well. If only we could find a way to agree in practices more, then maybe it would be more enjoyable for the both of us. As it is, we have very different opinions and usually think that our way is the right way. I'm sure that it's somewhere in between both of us most of the time, but it is hard to admit that.
In looking back at the two competitions that I have posted on here, I marvel at the differences between them, and it was maybe a month or two difference. I'm excited to see how we do this coming season! I want to do my best, and that's going to take a lot of effort. But it will be worth it I am sure!
Ira comes back from California soon, for at least a week, so we can possibly get a lesson in there somewhere. And then fall will start and competition season will be upon us. I have time to prep this year, so I am already getting excited!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
New steps, New steps!!!
Our new routines are done!!! at least I think they are, i'm not sure how we connect the quickstep yet...but that will come!
We have four walls in all of our dances, and we have refined the first two walls in most of them. Today was all about quickstep! We got a really cool jump into the corner that scared me at first, but now that I know what I'm doing I am really excited to perform it!
Scott and I are trying to practice as much as we possibly can, which is proving difficult at times. Though I no longer have school, he does, plus I have work. Working around our schedules proves tricky at times, but I think we can get through and work really hard.
It has been difficult for me to apply some of Ira's technique that he has taught us to our choreographed dances, which concerns me. I hope it's only because it's still new to me. Ira has promised to let me know when he's back in town so we can have another lesson before he leaves again. Hopefully we'll get a few more in before the next competition season starts.
We have four walls in all of our dances, and we have refined the first two walls in most of them. Today was all about quickstep! We got a really cool jump into the corner that scared me at first, but now that I know what I'm doing I am really excited to perform it!
Scott and I are trying to practice as much as we possibly can, which is proving difficult at times. Though I no longer have school, he does, plus I have work. Working around our schedules proves tricky at times, but I think we can get through and work really hard.
It has been difficult for me to apply some of Ira's technique that he has taught us to our choreographed dances, which concerns me. I hope it's only because it's still new to me. Ira has promised to let me know when he's back in town so we can have another lesson before he leaves again. Hopefully we'll get a few more in before the next competition season starts.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Drained
Sadly because of the fast approaching finals Scott and I have not been able to practice a whole lot. We are still having lessons and practicing, but not in the way that I was hoping to begin doing immediately after Nationals. I have two and half weeks left to get my school and finals stuff done, and then I will be able to fully commit to the summer training schedule that we have come up with.
Ira turned out to be a really good instructor. I think I learned more about basic technique in that hour than I have in my three or four years dancing experience. It was really what I was craving as far as ballroom goes. I have missed having strict technique to stick to like in figure skating. Now I can properly judge my progress by the technique that I am learning to master. We only have about five weeks of lessons with Ira, but they will be worth it I believe.
Right now, I am physically, mentally, and sometimes emotionally drained. I cannot concentrate completely on ballroom or school because I am usually worrying about them both all the time. I cannot wait for summer to start, then my only worry will be ballroom and work. That will be a welcome relief!!
Ira turned out to be a really good instructor. I think I learned more about basic technique in that hour than I have in my three or four years dancing experience. It was really what I was craving as far as ballroom goes. I have missed having strict technique to stick to like in figure skating. Now I can properly judge my progress by the technique that I am learning to master. We only have about five weeks of lessons with Ira, but they will be worth it I believe.
Right now, I am physically, mentally, and sometimes emotionally drained. I cannot concentrate completely on ballroom or school because I am usually worrying about them both all the time. I cannot wait for summer to start, then my only worry will be ballroom and work. That will be a welcome relief!!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Nationals conclusion
Nationals is done, and it was fairly disappointing. I expected at least a little bit more from us, maybe just one call back in Novice. There is something about our Waltz that the judges just don't like, and strangely enough they liked our Tango the best.
What I have gotten out of this Nationals is a resolve to no longer take this lightly. This is a sport, and I need to start training like an athlete. Me and Scott need to re-commit to our partnership, and set new goals. I don't know how well this is going to work, or if it will work at all, but I cannot just sit back and let us float like we have been doing. It is possible to work up to being one of the top couples by the end of next season at the latest, but it will take a great deal of hard work and commitment. If we have a lesson on Tuesday then we will consult with either Craig or Brittney what went wrong and what we should do now.
I will not accept defeat. I will work harder to achieve my goals. And if anyone gets in my way, they will feel the wrath of Katie!!!! lol
What I have gotten out of this Nationals is a resolve to no longer take this lightly. This is a sport, and I need to start training like an athlete. Me and Scott need to re-commit to our partnership, and set new goals. I don't know how well this is going to work, or if it will work at all, but I cannot just sit back and let us float like we have been doing. It is possible to work up to being one of the top couples by the end of next season at the latest, but it will take a great deal of hard work and commitment. If we have a lesson on Tuesday then we will consult with either Craig or Brittney what went wrong and what we should do now.
I will not accept defeat. I will work harder to achieve my goals. And if anyone gets in my way, they will feel the wrath of Katie!!!! lol
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Nationals approaches...
Nationals is this week!!! Time has just flown by.
The American Fork competition went okay, other than the fact that I had to stay up all night Friday night working, and then compete at nine the next morning. All in all we did fairly well. We've learned a lot and come away with a better look on our dancing as a whole.
In preparation for Nationals I had the bright idea of bleaching my hair at home. This seemed like a perfectly logical thing to do as i've been feeling that my hair needs "something" to help make my whole outfit kind of look nice. However, home bleaching can go very wrong when you have no idea what you are doing! The color is pretty close to what I wanted, but because I don't think things through, I twisted my hair up to keep off of my shoulders which resulted in dark spots all throughout my hair. Now it looks bright, and dirty! This can and WILL be fixed, but I don't want to hurt my hair anymore, so it will have to wait until after Nationals. Luckily my hair will be pulled back, hopefully no one will notice the mistake.
Now all that's left to do is practice a few more times, and have one more lesson before we attempt to look good at Nationals! I am desperately hoping that we can do our very best this time!!!
The American Fork competition went okay, other than the fact that I had to stay up all night Friday night working, and then compete at nine the next morning. All in all we did fairly well. We've learned a lot and come away with a better look on our dancing as a whole.
In preparation for Nationals I had the bright idea of bleaching my hair at home. This seemed like a perfectly logical thing to do as i've been feeling that my hair needs "something" to help make my whole outfit kind of look nice. However, home bleaching can go very wrong when you have no idea what you are doing! The color is pretty close to what I wanted, but because I don't think things through, I twisted my hair up to keep off of my shoulders which resulted in dark spots all throughout my hair. Now it looks bright, and dirty! This can and WILL be fixed, but I don't want to hurt my hair anymore, so it will have to wait until after Nationals. Luckily my hair will be pulled back, hopefully no one will notice the mistake.
Now all that's left to do is practice a few more times, and have one more lesson before we attempt to look good at Nationals! I am desperately hoping that we can do our very best this time!!!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Prep for Nationals
Nationals is next week and we have a lot of work to do between now and then. Our Fox Trot needs quite a bit of work, and i'm most certainly not looking forward to that!! I'm hoping that we will be ready for all of the added couples that we will be competing with. If past Nationals has any sway on this one, then I predict that we may make it further in Novice, and maybe one call-back in Pre-champ. Or it could go the complete opposite direction and we could get no call-backs at all. All we can do is practice and prepare as best we can. I'm not expecting too much, but I would like to make some call-backs.
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