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14. Inside Mohawk

While you are perfecting your eight spirals, it's time to learn the first and simplest of the turns from forward to backward. This is the inside forward mohawk (Illus. 17), a turn made from an inside forward edge on one foot to the inside backward edge on the other foot. A mohawk may also be made from outside forward to outside backward, but this is quite difficult to do well and comes at a later stage in your development. If you have practiced your spread eagle diligently, you will find, whether you can yet "spread" easily or not, that the inside mo­hawk will come off without much effort.

Stand in T-position, right foot leading and right arm and shoulder held forward. Bend and push off on a firm right inside forward edge (17-1), keeping your skating knee well bent and your weight just back of the center of your blade. Press your free arm and shoulder and your free foot back over the line of print. Now, bending the free knee, draw the free foot toward your skate, heel first (17-2).

Turn the toes out as much as possible  and touch the outside of this free heel to the inside of your skating heel. (You are in effect doing a little bent-kneed inner spread with one foot in the air!—a ludicrous position if held, but quite pleasant as part of a continuous movement.)

To make the turn, reverse the pressure on your shoulder blades, at the same instant allowing your body to turn toward the left as you shift your weight onto the front of your left skate (17-3) and slide the right one quickly out, toe first, in the direction of travel (17-4). Do not hurry the preparation of the turn—take your time to feel your balance and make each posi­tion correct—but once you start to turn, turn like lightning. This is the real secret of success. Once you begin to shift your weight from one foot to the other in skating, or to turn from one edge to another, do not hesitate.

In this mohawk the transition should be smooth but quick, with your free leg, hip, and shoulder pressing back hard as soon as your left skate hits the IB edge. The reversal of the shoulder pressure will thus leave your skating shoulder forward as you ride away backward from the turn. Keep your eyes looking al­ways toward where you are going, that is, the head is turned over the free shoulder after the turn. Maintain a steady lean to the inside of the circle throughout. The skating knee should be flexible, while the free knee and ankle are extended except just before the turn. Follow these directions to the letter and I guarantee you a smooth flowing turn. Lean out, forget to touch your heels, hesitate, forget to reverse your shoulder pressure, stiffen, and you will produce the skids and scrapes that are so common and that ruin so many ice dances. For this turn comes into dance after dance, and for real virtuosity should of course be learned equally well both ways. So turn around and work on the LIF-RIB version.

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