“We’re all mad here.” - from Alice in Wonderland
Picking out the dresses and showing up for hair and make-up appointments is pretty easy. Except for the fact that Bronze heats often begin at 7 a.m., which means your appointment could be as early as 4 a.m. Ohhhhhhh, mommy, help me… but with a reliable alarm clock and a wake-up call programmed through the hotel switchboard, this too can be done.
The tough part, even though liberally sprinkled with joy, is the training. Lessons with the instructor and many more hours of dancing on your own, repeating and refining and, hmmm, one more “r” word, yes, royally screwing up. I will find a dozen ways to do a move wrong before I manage the one that is right, and then the one that is right must be repeated over and over and over and over and over and over until it’s in muscle memory. If I have to think about it on the competition floor, it’s already too late. Strength, stamina, endurance and flexibility must also be in the arsenal. So, lots of time at the gym also supports one’s optimistic ambition to be able to dance through quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
Everybody has their own training regimen. Mine is kinda figured out at this point, eight months into competing seriously. A lot of the work is done alone, just me and my shadow. I found that posting my training log where it could be seen (initially as a Facebook note) gave me a sense of accountability, the knowledge that someone somewhere sometime, other than Jiminy Cricket, might raise an eyebrow if I didn’t show up and work hard. A training log also let me track my progress and tweak the process.
At first, the log was a straight account of minutes and miles and reps. No soul. Then, in September, I started logging how all that training made me feel and what struggles & triumphs (breakthroughs & baby steps) I experienced.
Sharing this with the wider dance community solves— I hope—the problem of how isolating all that solo practice and gym time can feel. Suggestions on what has worked for other dancers will be greatly appreciated and, where possible, folded into my training repertoire. I guess I’ll have to put future entries up as blog posts to get comments/suggestions, but here’s what I’ve been doing up ‘til Oct. 14, 2010.
Practice refers to time I dance on my own. Lessons are with the professionals who partner me at competitions; and, all lessons are geared to that goal. No social dance included here, although I did some of that in the past. I dance with two pros: M.S. for American Smooth & Latin; I.G. for International Standard.
-Sunday, September 12:
-2 hours practice: Latin, Smooth and Standard Waltz & Quickstep, two dances that could have gone better at comp — especially QS. Tired from travel yesterday from Orlando.
-Monday, September 13:
-3 hours practice: Latin, Smooth & Standard. Proud that I got in my hours, in spite of waking up at 2:30 in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep. Will probably feel ridiculously tired in the evening, so trying to get physical work done early! Really should do cardio. We shall see … eh, no. Asleep at 9 pm.
-Tuesday, September 14:
-Lesson with M.S.: Reviewing Bronze Smooth technique, including timing of weight moving through stride & leftward shaping of the topline when in hold and changing direction. Working on distinctiveness of hip settling in Latin. Samba continues to elude me in an essential way. I am now thinking that if I cannot master the core techniques of Bronze Latin by January, I’ll hang up my Latin shoes and put my energy elsewhere. Kind of a shame because it’s fun, but I only have so many hours.
-Lesson with I.G.: Changing Quickstep choreography, which needs to be more expansive for a big floor; adding ZigZag pattern for the first time. Big goals: slowing down the timing of my stride from front of foot to heel when moving off the standing foot; and, making heel turns on, ahem, THE HEEL with neat feet.
-1- hour, Gaiam Yoga Conditioning for Women DVD. My goodness, such popping from my low back and hip joints! They were so bound up by muscular work, even though I’m naturally very flexible. It’s a good thing I gave them a good stretch. Clearly, I need to do this daily. Noticed that dancing has helped me a great deal in extending my spine and centering my weight. My neck looks marvelously long … like a dancer’s!
-Wednesday, September 15:
-OK, cruel irony of the day: My neck, which seemed so marvelously long when I did yoga last night, is now cramped and aching, outright hurting, on the left side. I think it came from that last, seated, twisting yoga pose. Ow ow ow! Heat is not making it better, so I’m going for massage.
-Two hours practice, Latin & Standard, adapted for a neck that won’t hardly move! Had to stop because it was getting worse and worse. Practiced super-slow weight transference in Standard, hips in Latin — although the hips STILL DON”T MAKE SENSE TO ME AND I THINK I’M STILL REMEMBERING IT WRONG! (Sorry for shouting. That’s probably the pain in my neck talking.) Got a deep tissue massage which went a long way to alleviating the neck and shoulder problem. Laid off exercise for rest of day so as not to inflame it again. Lots of ice packs, too.
-Thursday, September 16:
-Two and a half hours practice: Latin except Paso; Standard Waltz & QS; All Smooth dances. Yesterday’s aching neck twinged just a bit when I tried for my best topline, so I backed off a bit and focused on movement. Practiced smiling — one of my biggest negatives on the competition floor is looking too serious. Doing forced smiling long enough released a flood of happy cells which induced natural smiling! OMG, I realized I haven’t felt this light-hearted at practice in too long. In working to make progress in technique, I shouldn’t let go of my baseline: I love dancing. Love love love it.
-30 minutes cardio: Cybex elliptical, 2:1 Interval program, Level 3 (high resistance of 35, low of 20), 1.52 miles.
-15 minutes stretching.
-One-hour, Gaiam Yoga conditioning for Women DVD. Took care not to stress my neck and shoulder again! Very soothing.
-Friday, September 17:
-One hour practice to warm up for lesson.
-Lesson with M.S.: Latin hips. Proper alignments and turns in Smooth.
-Saturday, September 18:
-One and a half hours practice: Latin Rumba & Cha Cha with emphasis on hip action. Turns in Smooth Viennese & Waltz. Stride in International Waltz; new choreography in Quickstep. Didn’t realize that the Zumba people took over the studios so early on Saturdays now! I’m going to have to get there by 6:15 just to get two and a half hours. Well, I’ll do extra time at the gym today, but it’s not the same…
-Cardio: 12.34 miles in 45 minutes on Matrix exercise bike, 40 minutes at Level 6 with a cool-down of 5 minutes at Level 1, Rolling Hills program. For me, Rolling Hills is more demanding than Intervals because you have to stay at peak resistance longer. Sprints seem easier.
-Upper-body weight machines: back, chest, shoulders, but no arm work because my kids were rushing me!
-Sunday, September 19:
-Two-hour lesson with dance coach, Ron Bennett, a former Latin champion and well-respected judge, brought in to the studio by the owners. Wonderful lesson, in which I learned soooooo much! Now to apply it consistently! Worked on Silver, Smooth Waltz and Bronze, Smooth Tango; then, Latin Rumba and a bit of Samba. This session re-energized my hope of accomplishing something in these two dance styles, which was languishing in a doubting phase I wasn’t sure I would climb out of.
-Cardio: 45 minutes on Cybex elliptical machine. 45 is a BIG step up from 30! Really hard. Couldn’t help slowing down the last 13 minutes, but kept going. Strength program: low resistance of 20; high resistance of 55. Covered 2.05 miles.
-Stretching: 15 minutes.
-Monday, September 20:
-Two hours practice: Rumba walks, waltz (both kinds), new quickstep choreography. Monster headache that felt like it was coming from a head-cold trying to invade my body. Advil barely took the edge off, so I stopped earlier than usual. Hoping to defeat the invader with mega-vitamin C, lots of water and healthy eating. Rest? … last resort.
-Tuesday, September 21:
-Three hours practice: Not quite at the same pace as usual, but I did make it for all three, despite fighting off a head cold. Latin feet for rumba and a bit of cha cha. Samba: “show the leg,” don’t explode too far, use the right part of the foot, don’t stick out butt too much (except on whisk). Smooth: 1) waltz: hugely leftward topline, remembering to keep right shoulder with “dropping bra strap” so the line is even; lift from chest but don’t expand ribs, keep ribs closed; give partner your chin!; push and pull with the feet; don’t shape too early or step too far past partner on outside partner position; hollowing & filling on impetus turn, expressive hands in open position; oh, and, slooooooow down! 2) tango: freedom in legs, not so wrapped in partner; closer torso; slows with left leg must curve, not go straight back; not too far on outside partner; show line of trailing leg on slows; 3) Viennese: count going from pivot turn to next pattern; 4) foxtrot: dazzling smile! Standard: 1) waltz: strength & forward knee of standing leg while rolling through foot; pushing and pulling through feet; keeping topline through changes of direction; smile, smile, smile; 2) tango: using inside edges of feet; timing of final slow of patterns; angle of chin at “normal” left; 3) Viennese: strength and forward motion of knees when rolling through feet; pushing and pulling of feet on side steps; 4) quickstep: new choreography; hold big topline; heel turns ON the heel, drawing free leg on the inside edge of its heel; left side stretch! and smile, smile, smile; 5) foxtrot: left side stretch; holding big topline; heel turn ON the heel WITH sway & proper timing; smile, smile, smile!
-Wednesday, September 22:
-Two hours practice: Rumba walks and Cha Cha — almost got it, I think, just working timing of leg straightening; Smooth Waltz, Foxtrot & Viennese.
-One hour yoga: yoga conditioning for women dvd, which is getting kinda old. Going to have to switch it up!
-Thursday, September 23:
-Two and a half hours practice: rumba walks & hip motion during all choreography. Samba’s voltas & botta fuegos. Smooth: all dances. Standard: waltz & quickstep. Have successfully fought off a terrible cold, but I can tell my energy to do other things is compromised. Looking forward to full health soon! Also, I have missed my regular lessons terribly this week! I am so bored of myself! Partner dancing without the partner evinces more limited charms than the alternative.
-Friday, September 24:
-Lesson with M.S.: Tons of time on Latin Rumba and brief but critical time on Samba, the dance I love that does NOT love me! Silver Tango routine in American Smooth.
-Saturday, September 25:
-1 1/2 hours practice: Latin & Smooth. Feel guilty not practicing Standard just so I can get my hair done for a party tonight. Wonder if my instructor will be able to tell. Hmmmm… uh, yeah.
-Getting hair done early in the day (the only appointment available) severely cramps my style. Cannot sweat or move too much for fear of undoing it! Bleh! Next time: a bun or a ponytail with a shiny clip.
-Studio black-tie anniversary party: social danced for four or five dances. Got there later than planned. Found I am losing my ability to follow or back-lead an amateur male, as well as my patience threshold for not wanting to smack a man who counts out loud while leading. Sigh. There are worse things, naturally, but he was also tipsy and he seemed to think that I could not count, so he was counting for me! All-righty. Remain calm. In focusing only on competition, have I become like a kid who walks on the playground, surveys the swings and slides, and asks, “OK, how do you win at this game?”
-Sunday, September 26:
-Heavied up at gym because of no time spent dancing today. Also want to slowly but surely re-establish my gym groove.
-Cardio: Cybex Elliptical machine for 40 mins. 1:2 interval program at level 3 ( high of 32 resistance; low of 20) for 1.92 miles. Kept a moderate pace after a week of taking it really easy while fighting off a cold.
-Weight-training: did upper- and lower-body work-outs today & decided to begin tracking the weights, because it seems like forever since I increased weights:
Upper body: 3 sets of 10-12 reps: Lat/high row 40 lbs;Rear delt 30 lbs; Fly 50 lbs; Shoulder 20 lbs;
2 1/2 sets of 8 to 10 reps: Biceps 30 lbs; Triceps 40 lbs.
Lower body: 3 sets of 12-15 reps: Leg press 130 lbs; Squat 120 lbs; Leg extension (quad) 80 lbs; Prone leg curl (Hamstring) 80 lbs.
2 sets of 12 reps: Hip Abductor- gluteus maximus; gluteus medius 90 lbs. Hip Adductor (thigh) 70 lbs.
-Stretching: 15 minutes
-Monday, September 27:
-Two hours practice: Latin: rumba, cha cha cha & samba, the dance that continues to elude me no matter how hard I try! It’s like falling in love with someone who doesn’t even know you are alive! Waaaah! Standard: all five dances. Feel that I got very useful direction from coach Ron Bennett in upper body posture for Smooth when he said to keep my ribs CLOSED when they are lifted. Trying this in Standard, too. This keeps my back more rounded. We’ll see if my Standard instructor likes this approach.
-Tuesday, September 28:
-Two hours practice: Latin & American Smooth. No lesson today, as M.S. is away on a climbing trip with his sister. Still wanted to get in my dance hours, though. Hoping that I.G. is in a good mood this afternoon and not jet-lagged after his trip to Spain. These dance teachers sure do get around!
-Lesson with I.G.: Standard Waltz and Quickstep. Mainly we are trying to slow me down and make my quest for world domination a bit less invasive in my partner’s space!
-Wednesday, September 29:
-Lesson with I.G.: A bit more Standard Waltz; new figures in Foxtrot and Tango! Very exciting stuff.
-30 minutes practice, warming up Latin for lesson with M.S.
-Lesson with M.S.: Rumba walks, which I thought were improving, but no they’re just changing and still not right by a long shot; Samba, the dance that hates me although I haven’t give up on it. Right now, the Latin dances are 90 percent frustration for me. New approach to swing in Smooth Waltz & Foxtrot, along with very active feet and ankles.
-Thursday, September 30:
-Two hours practice: Latin, which is now at 98 percent frustration level — watch out, she’s gonna blow!!! Smooth movement drill: set the post, swing past it, hold the shape. International Tango: new figures.
-Cardio: 45 minutes exercise bike, Random Terrain, Level 6 for 40 mins + Level 1 for 5 mins of cool-down. 10.82 miles. Worked up a sweat but did not work to maximum. Should be able to go all out tomorrow.
-Stretching: 5 mins.
-Friday, October 1 (my favorite month! quintessential autumn):
-Lesson with M.S.: American Smooth, except for Viennese. Developing better balance & use of feet in Waltz and Foxtrot by pulling back and not going quite so big — for now. Timing of developpe. 4-part turn in Waltz & Foxtrot; inside turn and control of explosive action in Tango. Lots of useful knowledge that will make a big difference when I have them into muscle memory through practice, practice, practice! No Latin today. Couldn’t face it after yesterday’s depression over Latin. M.S. thinks there’s no reason why I can’t dance this style. We shall see.
Afterthought: Two hours of American Smooth makes you sore! ow ow ow …
-Saturday, October 2:
-Two hours practice: Standard Waltz, Quickstep and Tango. American Smooth turns. Latin: rumba walks which don’t, today, make me want to tear my hair out at the roots, because they might be just kinda sorta maybe turning into what they are supposed to look like; and, some cha cha, which I am starting to really love, whether or not it’s close to what it should be, ‘cause it’s so darn snappy and happy.
-Cardio: Cybex elliptical machine, 40 minutes, Level 3, Strength program, 1.93 miles. Sweat. But I felt a bit sluggish.
-Stretching: 10 minutes.
-Two hours walking around the State Fair, not exactly a work-out, but lots of movement.
-Sunday, October 3:
-Two hours practice: Turns and passing steps in Smooth. Standard waltz, tango & quickstep. Both Viennese waltzes. Latin rumba, cha cha and a bit of samba. Overall, tired from being out so late last night for State Fair. Staying up ‘til midnight and getting up at 6 is hard on the ol’ body.
-Monday, October 4:
Terrible jaw joint pain on right side. Can’t do much of anything. Massage, Advil and lots of water (maybe) seemed to help. Miserable.
-Tuesday, October 5:
Jaw pain easing off. Can actually chew a tiny bit, but won’t push it. Back on the dance floor!
-1 1/2 hours practice. No heat in the studio when I arrived, which I wasn’t prepared for; didn’t bring enough layers to dance in 61 degrees. Had to wait until I reached owner to discuss thermostat before I could begin, so a truncated practice. Even so, felt good! Just a bit of Latin rumba to warm up; Smooth - all dances; Standard: waltz, foxtrot, quickstep and tango.
-Lesson with I.G.: New patterns for International Tango and Foxtrot. Fun!
-Wednesday, October 6:
-Lesson with I.G.: Quickstep, making the slows slooooower and the quicks quick! One slow executed too fast and the rest of the steps move like a giant snowball rolling down a mountain: faster, faster, faster! Also worked on the stretch from hip to ribs on the opposite side of the body for Quickstep and for Foxtrot. Working on the Basic Weave, which we just added to Foxtrot yesterday, and he added some spectacular, choreographed, head styling for me during the heel turn & check leading to the weave. Love it! The only downer today was that my new, heavier weight practice skirt arrived via FedEx just before the lesson and I was so excited to try it out, but it kept sliding down! And, the hem caught multiple times on my heel, which could lead to a disastrous fall, so I had to change skirts. Sigh. Want to figure out some way to salvage my new, gorgeous, berry-colored skirt and make it functional.
-Coaching session with visiting coach, Rosendo Fumero, former champion and well-respected judge, brought in to studio by owners. Silver, Smooth Waltz. Bronze, Latin Rumba, Paso and a bit of Samba. So very many corrections I don’t know where to start in recording them. Perhaps I just don’t want to face the sheer volume of them, but of course that would be a waste of my money in coaching fees and of time spent by Rosendo, M.S. (who partnered me for most of the session), and me. OK, here’s an attempt at summary. Primary: Posture, individual & team; no stops or bumps on steps; use ankles. He thinks the lady should look like she is dancing independently and, often, aggressively. How to dovetail this with I.G.’s edict always to be super soft and responsive is a big quandary! Smooth frame: helix wrap, don’t lean back, don’t straighten right elbow. First step back of reverse turn, step wide to allow man room forward. Next pattern (three step? don’t even know pattern names of Silver figures … sigh): power forward, second step is forward also, third step reach back quickly but don’t transfer weight too quickly AND 1. power, 2. swing/sway, 3. recovery are ALL BIG steps. Impetus turn: he wants head turned ON the 2, not leading into it, not halfway through it and not at the end of it. Flip-flops: leading shoulder keeps moving forward and following shoulder powers through. Rumba: biggest possible steps, keeping heel down as long as possible before releasing forward; hip settling, naturally, as I’ve never done this right — before every step; even though hip goes way out there, cannot lose upright posture of body …. right… hmm, and, of course, ankle and foot articulation. Paso: independent and aggressive on every step; whip the man around on the heel turn (can’t let this leak into International Foxtrot!). Samba: remember the UP motion, but he seemed to want it only through the feet and not through the body. All valuable knowledge.
-Thursday, October 7:
-1 hour & 45 minutes practice (hair appointment cuts practice a bit short; I’m sooo high-maintenance at this age). Rumba, trying for more ankle articulation and for the huge steps and keeping the heel flat as long as possible on standing leg, as Rosendo suggested. Cha Cha is actually the most fun for me now and I wonder if it’s only because I can kid myself that it has improved and looks pretty good – because I haven’t done it in a coach’s vicinity in weeks, so there’s no one to rain on my cha cha parade. Samba: trying to get the rise without body rise, which of course sends a lot of motion into the pelvis. I can only hope it’s the right kind of motion and not just a new problem. Yep, that’s a little, black raincloud you see. Smooth & Latin lessons lately has transformed me from a Tigger into an Eeyore. Did only a few Smooth patterns from Silver.Standard: working on timing in Quickstep and new figures in Tango and Foxtrot.
-Cardio: 40 minutes Matrix exercise bike, set on Random Terrain, Level 6 for 35 mins + Level 1 for 5-minute cool-down, 9.81 miles.
-Upper-body weight machines: Lat 40 lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps/high row 40 lbs, 3 sets of 12 reps; Rear delt 30 lbs, 3 sets, 1 of 10, one of 7, one of 5 (decrease weight?); Fly went up to 60 lbs for 3 sets of 8; Shoulder 20 lbs, 3 sets of 12;
2 1/2 sets of 8 to 10 reps: Biceps 30 lbs, 3 sets. one of 10, one of 8, then dropped to 20 lbs for a set of 8; Triceps 40 lbs, 3 sets, one of 10, one of 8, one of 5.
Friday, October 8:
-Lesson with M.S.: 15 minutes late, because I delayed packing for today’s trip to my high school reunion: shame on me! Smooth, use of the “brake” in trailing foot. Rumba walks. Samba.
Saturday, October 9:
-No dance or exercise today. Visiting parents & attending reunion activities.
-Sunday, October 10:
-1 1/2 hours practice. Worked on Latin form and using the feet for passing steps in American Smooth.
-Monday, October 11:
-Three hours practice… fully back in the saddle again! Far too many days in a row of short or no practice. Latin, rumba walk or die trying! Cha cha with braced foot. Samba with the “up” in the right spot and never MIA. Standard: oy, I think I forgot the precede for the Natural Weave in Foxtrot and I can’t figure it out from the syllabus; waltz, feeling better use of the knee moving forward to generate stride; Viennese, haven’t done this with my instructor in forever!; quickstep, getting the new figures down but wondering why my back lock is getting so short; tango, digging the new pattern and working the thighs hard for better foot alignment and heel leads. Smooth: training my feet in “braking” so as to better control power and energy; trying for cleaner turns in tango.
-Cardio: 35 minutes on Matrix recumbent bike, Random Terrain, Level 6 for 30 minutes + Level 1 for 5 minutes of cool-down, for 8.31 miles.
-Tuesday, October 12:
-Lesson with M.S.: Latin: putting weight fully on the heel and then settling. Side steps: rib & foot, then belly & hip. Although I’m not always keeping the feet braced at the right points, Samba now seems remotely possible; hope is alive! Smooth: increasing control of foot speed and weight arrival, what, tenfold? This is a big, momentous shift for me. Not that all is perfect — far from it— but a significant shift in the way I move and shape is a major development in my dancing. Happy, happy, joy, joy! Miles yet to go? Bring ‘em!
-Lesson with I.G.: 98 percent International Foxtrot, heel turns and weaves. Then some fantastico styling advances in Tango. Lovin’ that so much I can hardly stand it! I.G. also gave me entry information for our next comp. Since Bronze Standard is on a separate day from Silver through Open Gold Standard, I can have as many entries as I want (can afford). Will research total costs AND up my cardio so I’ll be ready for anything!
-Cardio: Cybex elliptical: Intervals 2:1 program (high resistance 25; low resistance 15) for 45 minutes: 2.5 miles!
-Stretching: 15 minutes. Will need to stretch again, later tonight. This is not enough. Tight in tendons on side of right knee.
Wednesday, October 13:
-Lesson with I.G.: Most of the time spent running through the full-floor version of the new, Foxtrot choreography. Emphasis on backing power of the hip joint of the standing leg. Although I have improved quite a lot in use of the standing leg, I’m still basically trying to drag my body around with my moving leg! Arrrgh! Added a Double Reverse Spin to the Waltz choreography. Reviewed, briefly, the new, Tango styling, which works best by far when my muscles stay loose — any tension and phffffttt… nada.
Thursday, October 14:
-Three hours practice: Latin: shifting weight and settling, over and over and over and over — yes, I did spend almost an hour just on Rumba, trying to get this crucial element right, and is it right? Not quite. But, it will be! A bit of cha cha cha to break up the rumba repetitiveness. Smooth: transferring smoothly from foot to foot without breaks, stops, lurches, surges and all the other glitches that afflict these dances. Standard: heel turns! Heel turns in Foxtrot, in Quickstep and, now also, in Waltz. Powering from the hip joint of the standing leg. OMG! Breakthrough! When I do this, I almost double my stride. Amazing. (Giving exclamation marks a well-deserved rest.) If I can get this consistent, then there won’t be a ballroom floor big enough for me! (No rest for the weary.)
