ROCKERS; INSIDE FORWARD AND INSIDE BACKWARD.
Although the rockers, or rocking turns, as they are sometimes called,
are very difficult and very beautiful, they are not especially adapted
to a place in theatrical skating. If I were giving an exhibition before
skaters only I would probably introduce several of these spectacular
turns. I find other numbers a little more suited to the dashing
performance expected in a programme offered a general audience.
In the last lesson, which was on rockers, we learned how to execute the
forward outside rocker and the backward outside rocker, which are
complementary figures, or one-half of a school figure. This lesson
to-day has to do with the remaining portion of the figure, a rocker on
the inside edge forward and a rocker on the inside edge backward. These
are done on alternate feet and, as will be seen, complete the series of
rockers, one on each foot and on each edge. This method of practising
all the school figures, forward and backward, on both edges on both
feet, is most important. No skater can be considered as having learned
the fundamentals of skating until he can do the school figures on both
feet and in both directions. On the stage of the Hippodrome I frequently
execute difficult spins and jumps on one foot, and then on the other
foot, not for the purpose of prolonging the number but for the purpose
of showing that I can do them equally well on either foot.
The start of the inside forward rocker is made like the start of the
inside forward circle, but a strong inside edge is taken and the
rotation of the body toward the circle is held back. When a little less
than one-half of the first curve has been skated on the inside forward
edge, the balance foot, which has been carried behind the body, is
brought close to the skating foot and at the moment of the turn is
directly over it. But the change in position of the balance foot must
not be allowed to alter the correct, if somewhat forced, position of the
shoulders and body, which should be in the right position and the
balance for the second portion of the figure even before the turn is
made. This curious characteristic of rockers has been referred to
before—that the body must be turned and ready for the new position even
before the rocker is performed. But the skating leg and foot must be
held rigidly to the execution of the first position of the figure before
the turn, even while the shoulders, the body and the turned head are
already in position for the latter half of the movement.
The rocker should be executed on a strongly bent skating knee and after
the turn there may be additional bending of the skating knee for the
purpose of adding momentum as the knee is straightened just after the
turn is made. This rocker is made on the forward part of the blade. The
inside forward rocker is one of the few skating movements where both
knees are allowed to be close together for a moment. The arms should
hang loosely at the sides of the body during the turn, with the hands
turned slightly upward and the palms down. After the turn the forward
arm should be extended in the direction of motion for both appearance
and balance. The balance foot should be carried in front, over the print
before the turn, and behind after the turn, but this is one of the
figures where there is considerable difference of opinion as to the best
if not the correct carriage of the balance foot during the execution of
the figure.
The figure is skated easiest, as are all rockers, when skated fast and
large and the turn made as quickly as possible. This requires some
daring and pluck. The inside edge backward, upon which the figure is
finished, is difficult to hold out to the true curve, but the general
directions for the inside backward circles are all that are required for
its mastery—with a generous amount of practise.
The complementary half of this figure is the inside backward rocker.
Start as for the inside circle backward; soon bring the balance foot
forward and slightly past the skating foot so that it is close to the
skating foot at the moment of the turn. The body, as in the case of all
rockers, should be directly over the turn at the moment it is made. As
the turn is made the balance foot is brought back sharply to the skating
foot; the twist of the shoulders in position for the forward inside edge
with a quick turn of the skate on the ice executes this difficult,
catchy movement. The turn should be made on the backward portion of the
blade. This is the most peculiar of the rockers and is more of a knack
which, once caught, is not readily forgotten. The figure is finished in
the usual position of the forward inside circle and the balance foot is
brought past the skating foot when about one-half of the final circle
has been completed.
[Illustration:
SPECIAL FIGURES.
]