What to Practice - September 2024
Welcome to this month’s practice schedule! All of these videos are available within the membership at
ThatNicoleFiore.com or my YouTube channel.
All levels, all ages, everyone is welcome! You do not need any previous skills to join us. If you want a more structured course to focus on all of your foundational skills, check out my Foundations Course. Please let me know if you have any questions. I am here to help!
Week 1:
Squat: Step Out, Jump, Pulse
We are going to start with some drills off skates. These drills are in the mind|body| soul section which is completely off skates. But don’t be mistaken, these drills are very specific to building the strength we need for this month’s practice. We are going to start with the Squat: Step Out, Jump, Pulse video. We will work on those fast-twitch muscles!
Video length: 8 minutes, 47 seconds
Go to the video: mind | body | soul page [Link: Website, YouTube]
Downtown
The skill we are going to work on this week is our Downtown. The Downtown is a series of crosses in front and in back. You can do it slower or you can speed it up…whatever you want! The Downtown is one of my must-learn skills that I believe everyone should learn. No matter where you are, there will be people doing the Downtown together in the middle of the floor!
Video length: 19 minutes, 22 seconds
Go to the video: Skills page (dance section) [Link: Website, YouTube]
Practice: Strong Outer Forward Edges
For our practice this week, we will be doing our Strong Outer Forward Edges. Edges are important! We will work on getting those edges stronger, holding them, and really making sure our body is in the correct position. Outer edges are extremely important. We use them in so many different things, even in that Downtown that I just talked about. When I step for the cross behind in the Downtown, I'm pressing to the outside of my skate (that's all an outside edge is - pressing to the outside). We will be focusing mainly on our forward skating, making this is good skill for any and every level. If you're just starting out, this is something I want you to work on almost every time you're on skates. And if you are a seasoned professional, this is something I want you to come back to every time you are on skates.
Video length: 24 minutes, 24 seconds
Go to the video: Skills page (edges section) [Link: Website, YouTube]
Week 2:
Never Gonna Give You Up - Beginner/ Intermediate Choreography
We are doing our choreography to Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. One of my all-time favorite songs! We are going to do so many different fun things within this choreography: a slow downtown, intro to a corkscrew spin, and a moonwalk! No matter what level skater you are, I want you to start this week with the Beginner/ Intermediate Choreography. In the fourth week, I'll have you move onto the Advanced portion of the choreography, which is a bit more difficult and quicker. I mentioned the Corkscrew Spin above. In the Choreography, we will be doing it in a more edge-like fashion, so I don't want you to necessarily think of it as a Corkscrew Spin. Don't think that if you can't do a corkscrew spin, you can't do this choreography. You absolutely can!
Video length: 30 minutes, 57 seconds
Go to the video: Choreography page [Link: Website, YouTube]
Practice: Corkscrew Spin
Our practice for this week is…the corkscrew spin. I get so many people that I work with every week saying that this skill eludes them. Not anymore! If this spin is difficult for you...edges, edges, edges, edges! We all need to practice our edges. If you want to go kind of shallow on your outer forward edge, your weight will be a little more forward, more toward the toe and the ball of the foot. When you want to tighten it up into a corkscrew spin, your weight will be back a little bit, toward the middle outside of your foot, almost to the heel. You'll be spinning around that outer back wheel. You can do the Corkscrew Spin so many different ways. No matter what level you are, I encourage you to check it out and focus on your edge.
Video length: 19 minutes, 8 seconds
Go to the video: Skills page (spins section) [Link: Website, YouTube]
Week 3:
Lunges (front & back)
We have another off-skate drills video. This one is on Lunges (stepping forward & stepping backward). The drills this month are very specific to what we are working on because we have a new skill coming up this week called the Down Pivot! Before I get into that, Lunges. In these lunges we are working our legs to get down to the ground and to come up as well as our cores to stabilize side to side. If you need to use your arms to balance, please do. If you need to take a break in between sets, go for it. Take your time. I want you to become aware of the weight you are putting into the ground. When we walk, we don't typically think about the weight we are sending into the pavement. But when we skate, we need to start paying attention to that. So, start feeling that in these drills.
Video length: 7 minutes, 21 seconds
Go to the video: mind | body | soul page [Link: Website, YouTube]
Down Pivot
We have a brand new skills video called the Down Pivot. If you know me, you know that I absolutely love this skill. I love going up to the camera, doing a 3-turn, putting my toe stop down, and dropping that pivot with my leg really long to the camera. It’s a very fun skill, but can be a bit challenging. I have a few tricks that I want to share with you. Check it out!
Video length: 19 minutes, 46 seconds
Go to the video: Skills page (edges section) [Link: Website, YouTube]
Practice: Downtown (flow)
Practice this week is the Downtown again, but a little different. Instead of focusing on the cross in front and the cross in back, I want you to add some flow to it. You can make it a little edgier. You can add some arms. There are so many different ways to make it your own and that's the awesome thing about the Downtown. Even though everyone does it a little different, the Downtown is a really fun group activity in the center of the floor or wherever you have enough space to do it with a group.
Video length: 35 minutes, 39 seconds
Go to the video: Skills page (dance section) [Link: Website, YouTube]
Week 4:
Never Gonna Give You Up - Advanced Choreography
It’s time for our Advanced Choreography to Never Gonna Give You Up! If you don’t want to move on to the Advanced, continue working on that Beginner/ Intermediate Choreography from Week 2. We have a lot of the same skills throughout both pieces of Choreography, just a bit faster and a bit more difficult in the Advanced Choreography. I want you to push yourself a little bit further. Do the downtown a little quicker, the corkscrews a little bit tighter, and the Moonwalk with more body movement and attitude.
Video length: 29 minutes, 28 seconds
Go to the video: Choreography page [Link: Website, YouTube]
Practice: Moonwalk
The moonwalk is basically a dribble while moving. No need to complicate it! But oh is it so much fun! It’s basically a skill in transferring your weight from one foot to the other. And then (of course) I want you to add some body movement to it. A moonwalk is not super cool if it's stiff. Add some hips. Add some shoulders! A little bit or a lot - it’s up to you!
Video length: 19 minutes, 53 seconds
Go to the video: Skills page (dance section) [Link: Website, YouTube]
Progress:
Lastly, I want you to take a moment to look back and see how far you’ve come. Did you learn something new? Did you progress? Did you surprise yourself? Do you have new goals for next month? Take a moment, breathe, roll your shoulders back, lift your head high, and tell yourself you’re doing a great job. Because you are.
If you would like to submit your progress for our Community Progress Video, submit your vertical video here. Submissions are due on the last day of each month.
If you are practicing on Instagram, please tag me and #quadsociety! I love to see and share your progress! Lastly, don’t forget about the wonderful community on the Discord. Everything is better with friends!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out and let me know if you would like further guidance. You can book in-person private lessons or online private lessons here!
