Number of laps for dances?

[sampaguita]

How many dance laps patterns are there for the (preliminary) dances? To my knowledge:

a. USFS test - 2
b. USFS competition - 3
c. ISI test/competition - 2

Is that right? How about for other skating federations?

[Clarice]

For USFS, it depends on the dance and whether it's partnered or solo.  All this information is in the Rule Book, which is available on line through the USFS web site.

[SynchKat]

Are those laps (rounds) or patterns?

A "pattern" of the dance is 1 sequence of the steps; therefore, the preliminary dances take 2 patterns to do 1 round of the ice. 

Since you put for USFS competitions it is 3 I would assume that is 3 patterns, not 3 rounds which would be 6 patterns.

[Clarice]

Ah, I'm awake enough now to see that you specified the Preliminary dances.  So, yes, you're right, as long as you mean patterns, not laps, as SynchKat explained.  For solo dance in adult competitions, we usually do 2 patterns of the dance, but you'd need to check the competition announcement to be sure.  I don't know about ISI, sorry.

[fsk8r]

NISA asks for 2 patterns of the low level dances and possibly most of the dances (I know the Killian and possibly the Fourteenstep ask for more because they are small patterns). For competition, I've always been told to refer to the announcement which will specify what's needed.

The golden rule I was told for ice dance was that the first pattern always goes past the judges first. The starting position on the ice is optional (and they don't judge the intro steps) but the first few compulsory steps of the dance must be skated in front of the judges. Equally they don't judge the ending, although for competition everyone wants to start and end looking nice.

[alejeather]

I unexpectedly didn't have any lessons with dance coach in the last few weeks leading up to my first dance competition. The morning of, I was running around 20 minutes before the event trying to figure out how many patterns I was supposed to do. The answer was 2 patterns, so one lap around the rink. Would have been nice to know earlier, I just hadn't expected my dance coach to go MIA!

For the swing dance, two patterns is two laps because the second side is not a repeat of the first. I'm sure there are probably other dances like that, but swing dance is the first one where that occurs.

[SynchKat]

good point fsk8r.  First pattern is always on the side of the judges. 

Dances like the Kilian back in the day you had to do 6 choctaws--that was a marathon.  14-Step was 4 patterns.  European Waltz is 1 minute from the man's first 3-turn) but this roughly translates to a round and a quarter or so. 

Often the music will just be turned off when you complete the required patterns.  If you are unsure of how many times to go around just wait for the judges to stop the music. 

[sampaguita]

Oops, yes, I meant patterns, not rounds. Thanks SynchKat for pointing that out!

[taka]

NISA has the level 1-4 tests as all 2 sequences except for Novice (aka Prelim) Foxtrot which is 1 circuit.

It gets a bit more confusing thereafter with 2-4 seqs needed (depending on the dance) or in the case the both European and American Waltz it is 1 circuit on rinks 56x26m and over or 1.5 circuits on smaller rinks. Above a certain level of test, I think all dance tests must be done on a 56x26m or over sized rink. The numbers of sequences are sometimes different in competitions so you need to double check.

Our dance test manual is here if you want to have a look. (NB Our test structure is gradually changing so the manual isn't entirely accurate any more eg actual test scoring is now moving towards IJS style marks and reskates are now allowed in dance tests.)

[Hanca]

Our dance test manual is here if you want to have a look. (NB Our test structure is gradually changing so the manual isn't entirely accurate any more eg actual test scoring is now moving towards IJS style marks and reskates are now allowed in dance tests.)

Actually, reskates are now allowed in dance tests (in the UK). It changed about six months ago.

[taka]

and reskates are now allowed in dance tests.)

Actually, reskates are now allowed in dance tests (in the UK). It changed about six months ago.

Yep, that is why I said they were now allowed!!

[sampaguita]

taka -- Thanks for the link! Interesting how the Rhythm Blues is actually the 1st real dance in NISA skating structure, even earlier than the Dutch Waltz and the Canasta Tango! Any idea why? I think it's harder than the two other dances...

[taka]

Not sure. I found RB, CT and DW all about the same. I think the prelim / novice foxtrot is by far the harder "dance" to do well out of the NISA L1-3 dances. It looks deceptively easy on paper but by the time you get the hang of skating it well enough to test, you end up doing really deep lobes and travelling at petrifying speed! I hate it with a passion!

[Bunny Hop]

taka -- Thanks for the link! Interesting how the Rhythm Blues is actually the 1st real dance in NISA skating structure, even earlier than the Dutch Waltz and the Canasta Tango! Any idea why? I think it's harder than the two other dances...

The conspiracy theorist in me says it's to discourage adult skaters, but that's probably just paranoia. As Taka said, Novice Foxtrot is deceptively simple on paper (and I still use it as a warmup exercise), but it notoriously difficult to skate in time to the music. A friend of ours reckons this is because it's designed for little kids, who find it easier to fit into the rink. Not sure about that, but it's an attractive explanation. One other thing to note, is that for Rhythm Blues in the UK, you're not allowed to skip the middle cross behind, which I understand is the case in some areas of the US.

I know I've said this before, but I was esstatic when we came back to Australia and found out that Rhythm Blues wasn't even on the test syllabus. We go straight from Dutch Waltz/Canasta Tango to Swing Dance and Fiestra Tango, and skip all the other forwards-only dances. I think we could do with at least one more before being thrown into backwards stuff -just not Rhythm Blues!