Figure Eights DVD

[FigureSpins]

I purchased the DVD "Figure Eights the Life Force of Figure Skating" by Karen Courtland Kelly and thought a little review might help those thinking about doing the same.

The videos are simply demonstrations with bare-bones narration by the creator.  She really didn't give any tips on how to do a particular figure or element.  It was more like she was "calling" the figures, for example on the serpentine figure she "called" the "change of edge" but didn't note the upper-body check or free leg position that precedes/follows the change of edge.

The videos are arranged by USFSA Figure test, and labeled by their ISU "Figure Number." 
If you were looking for a specific figure, such as the Loop, you'd need to know which test it was on (Third Test) and the ISU Figure Number (14a / 15a).

The lighting and color of the ice made it impossible to SEE the figures' tracings.  There is an illustration slide at the start of each figure demo.

You could hear the edges rip, but you can also hear the center push-and-change, which is like a stomp. 
She pushes loudly onto the new skating foot at each center change, which is probably why her patterns have such clean centers compared to mine, lol.
I don't know if it's right or wrong, but I might try it next time I practice Figures.

[FigureSpins]

Just for reference, here are the Figures by test and ISU Figure Number:


FTR 8.01 Preliminary Test (PRE)
Figure No. Foot Figure
— RFO — LFO Skating Edges
— RFI — LFI Skating Edges
— RBO — LBO Skating Edges
— RBI— LBI Skating Edges
1a RFO — LFO Circle Eight
2a RFI — LFI Circle Eight
— RFO — LFO Waltz Eight

FTR 8.02 First Test (1)
Figure No. Foot Figure
1a RFO — LFO Circle Eight
2a RFI — LFI Circle Eight
5a RFOI — LFIO Serpentine
5b LFOI — RFIO Serpentine
3a RBO — LBO Circle Eight
7a RFO — LFO Three

FTR 8.03 Second Test (2)
Figure No. Foot Figure
4a RBI — LBI Circle Eight
8a RFO — LBI Three
8b LFO — RBI Three
9a RFI — LBO Three
9b LFI — RBO Three
6a RBOI — LBIO Serpentine
6b LBOI — RBIO Serpentine

FTR 8.04 Third Test (3)
Figure No. Foot Figure
10a RFO — LFO Double Three
11a RFI — LFI Double Three
26a RFOI — LBOI Change Three
26b LFOI — RBOI Change Three
28a RFOI — LFIO Change Double Three
28b LFOI — RFIO Change Double Three
14a RFO — LFO Loop
15a RFI — LFI Loop

FTR 8.05 Fourth Test (4)
Figure No. Foot Figure
12a RBO — LBO Double Three
13a RBI — LBI Double Three
27a RFIO — LBIO Change Three
27b LFIO — RBIO Change Three
19a RFI — LBO Bracket
19b LFI — RBO Bracket
16a RBO — LBO Loop
17a RBI — LBI Loop

FTR 8.06 Fifth Test (5)
Figure No. Foot Figure
24a RFOI — LFIO One Foot Eight
24b LFOI — RFIO One Foot Eight
18a RFO — LBI Bracket
18b LFO — RBI Bracket
29a RBOI — LBIO Change Double Three
29b LBOI — RBIO Change Double Three
30a RFOI — LFIO Change Loop
30b LFOI — RFIO Change Loop

FTR 8.07 Sixth Test (6)
Figure No. Foot Figure
34a RFO — LFI Paragraph Three
34b LFO — RFI Paragraph Three
22a RFO — LBO Counter
22b LFO — RBO Counter
23a RFI — LBI Counter
23b LFI — RBI Counter
32a RFOI — LBOI Change Bracket
32b LFOI — RBOI Change Bracket
33a RFIO — LBIO Change Bracket
33b LFIO — RBIO Change Bracket

FTR 8.08 Seventh Test (7)
Figure No. Foot Figure
25a RBOI — LBIO One Foot Eight
25b LBOI — RBIO One Foot Eight
35a RBO — LBI Paragraph Three
35b LBO — RBI Paragraph Three
20a RFO — LBO Rocker
20b LFO — RBO Rocker
21a RFI — LBI Rocker
21b LFI — RBI Rocker
31a RBOI — LBIO Change Loop
31b LBOI — RBIO Change Loop

FTR 8.09 Eighth Test ( 8 )
Figure No. Foot Figure
36a RFO — LFI Paragraph Double Three
36b LFO — RFI Paragraph Double Three
37a RBO — LBI Paragraph Double Three
37b LBO — RBI Paragraph Double Three
40a RFO — LFI Paragraph Bracket
40b LFO — RFI Paragraph Bracket
41a RBO — LBI Paragraph Bracket
41b LBO — RBI Paragraph Bracket
38a RFO — LFI Paragraph Loop
38b LFO — RFI Paragraph Loop
39a RBO — LBI Paragraph Loop
39b LBO — RBI Paragraph Loop



Not on the video, but just for reference:

FTR 8.10 Adult Bronze Figure Test (BFI)
Figure No. Foot Figure
— RBO — LBO Skating Edges
— RBI — LBI Skating Edges
1a RFO — LFO Circle Eight
2a RFI — LFI Circle Eight
5a/5b (starting foot choice of skater) Serpentine
— RFO — LFO Waltz Eight

FTR 8.11 Adult Silver Figure Test (SFI)
Figure No. Foot Figure
3a RBO – LBO Circle Eight
4a RBI — LBI Circle Eight
6a/6b (choice of skater) Serpentine
8a/8b/9a/9b (choice of skater) Three
26a/26b/27a/27b (choice of skater) Change Three

FTR 8.12 Adult Gold Figure Test (GFI)
Figure No. Foot Figure
24a/24b (starting foot choice of skater) One Foot Eight
10a/11a/12a/13a (choice of skater) Double Three
18a/18b/19a/19b (choice of skater) Bracket
32a/32b/33a/33b (choice of skater) Change Bracket
14a/15a/16a/17a (choice of skater) Loop
30a/30b/31a/31b (choice of skater) Change Loop
— Figure of choice Creative (submit sketch of pattern prior to start of test) or any figure from USFSA structure.

[MimiG]

Thanks for the review. I've been thinking of buying the DVDs and still will as I'd mostly like to have them as a visual guide to go with the rule book patterns and descriptions and they'll definitely work for that, but technique tips would have been a nice bonus.

[FigureSpins]

I wonder if someone could put together a voiceover to include teaching and skating tips?  That would be a nice addition, I think.

I don't have that kind of knowledge, but I'll bet others do and can say "for the edge change, increase pressure on that outside edge, cross check into the circle, then reverse to effect the change to an inside edge and hug the new circle."  (I don't even know if that's right, lol.)

[MimiG]

Or even a pamphlet to refer to while watching (and then I could carry it with me into the rink...)

[FigureSpins]

I talked to Karen Courtland-Kelly at the PSA Conference last week and she has a PDF that she's emailing to purchasers.  The PDF is basically an index to the various figures, arranged by test level and pattern.

She offered to provide coaching services to anyone who wants to learn/learn how to teach figures.  She's part of the Lake Placid staff, so you could make arrangements during the summer camp weeks.