Sun Valley Crazyness
I finally have a chance to sit down and update everyone while being here in Sun Valley. I showed up Tuesday afternoon to a ton of unpacking and rehearsals. Simone is here choreographing part of the for the week. As you all know I love her! So I’m not in opening because my number comes right out of it. So besides finale (foot loose), I’m in a short skit of “That’s Amoure.” You have the couple in love inside a restaurant in which I’m the fat chef who makes the pizza. So a quick trip to the gold mine (a massive salvation army store that seem to have super nice stuff since its donated from the locals, and SV is very upscale!) and a pizza pan, construction paper, white gloves, glue, and window foam, and voila! instant pizza that looks good, and stays on now matter how I hold it.
I don’t believe I have talked about my new routines yet. My first one is a bum who has a little dance that he does to woo a girl. Each girl denies him, until he bumps into a bum girl who starts to do his dance, in which he (I) jumps up and finishes it with her and runs off together happily. The song is connected to the photo above that you just need to click the play button. The picture is off my webcam as I am typing this outside with the Sun Valley rink behind me with the Zamboni on it.
So I got a call right before I came her from Frank saying the show had a theme of “Dancing.” So the second number I was going to do was Elmer/Bugs. I was talking with Marcia, asking what number do I have that may go better with dancing. She jokingly said, make up another new one...in which I said yeah, but it would maybe be just like different dancing songs...and one thing snowballed into another, and by 2a.m. I had the music cut, and Marcia and I choreographed it by 10a.m. So I’m still a bum, who runs out with my new bum girlfriend and do a fun dancing number with interaction with her. When I get it on video I’ll pop it on the website for sure.
NOW, as for the skates. Let’s see if I can explain:
1) old jackson boots are broken down
2) ordered new Jackson skates..
a) tongue was too short and lace bite
b) after sent for a new tongue, still lace bite
c) turns out they make all the tongues a new way with this lip inside and I’m the only “princess and the pea” who it bothers
d)So I took an old Graff skates, cut out the tongue and they installed them
e)Not super happy, they are just so so....and I’m leaving for Kansas seminar
3)Stop on the way to check out these new ADEA skates from Italy
a)Way lower heel, can bend completely forward like a hinge skate
b)Tried for 2 days in Sun Valley...I had to adjust my skating technique for the lower heel and ability to bend forward a lot more. The best way to describe them is put on a pair of skates, don’t lace them up, you feel wobbly and have to really try to be balanced. However, if you can believe it, lace bite. GRRR...I really wanted these skates to work, because they are super comfy, but no matter how I laced them, loose, tight, under over, over under, padding, nothing with stop the lace bite. Now if its because the sides don’t bend with it which allows this bigger range of movement, don’t know. I have an email into the U.S. distributor seeing if he has any suggestions.
4)In the meantime I went back to the old Jacksons. I think around the condo I will put on the new Jacksons to wear them in a bit, but maintain skating in the old ones. I can’t tell you how bummed I am about these Adeas not working...will keep you posted. The company created Risport boots, was bought our or sold it, had a non-compete for 5 years, and now have these skates.
So...with all that being said, I know a few people have emailed and called...and I have been SO busy figuring out what I’m doing with skates, and rehearsals, and now 8 days of some serious altitude training, I just haven’t had the time to respond, and I apologize.
Will keep you posted when I can!
Be well,
Dan