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.