Should I get dance blades?

[sk84ever]

I am a masters level bronze ice dancer and my MK double star blades (7 foot rocker) need to be replaced. I would like to purchase blades that do not require a long adjustment period but don't want to get another pair of double star's.  I don't do freestyle and have moved up the levels very very slowly.  Right now I see 3 possibilities.  1.  Coronation Dance Blade.  It has the same rocker as my Double Star.  However, nobody at my rink has one and I don't know much about them.  2.  Get a better freestyle blade like the MK Pro or Coronation Ace.  It would make for the easiest adjustment but may not be much of an improvement over what I have now.  My current blades just do not hold their edges.  Also, I really don't need the bigger toepick.  3.  Ultima Dance Blade.  Most of the ice dancers at my rink have them and love them.  However, they have an 8 foot rocker.  I worry that they will be hard to adjust to.  Has anyone used any of these blades for dance or have moved from a 7 foot to a 8 foot rocker?  Any thoughts?  Thanks.

[Clarice]

I use Ultima dance, and like them, but I was coming off Ultima freestyle blades.  I chose the Ultima dance so that I could keep the same rocker.

[hopskipjump]

my daughter moved from 7 to 8 foot rockers.  Spins were the biggest challenge.  It took awhile to get them back - but they came back better than before!

[JSM]

I believe the Riedell Eclipse Dance blade has a 7 foot rocker, and the price seems reasonable.  Perhaps that would be an option?

[sarahspins]

You probably won't notice much difference between 7' and 8' - most of the difference in the "feel" of a blade has to do with the spin rocker (which is usually very different between blade models) and relative height of the heel stanchion to the sole plate, not just the main rocker radius.

That said, if you want to stick with a 7' rocker I think you'd be perfectly happy with the coronation dance.. they technically have freestyle picks but they aren't large, they're about the same size as your double stars, and the few people I've met who had them really liked them.  Eclipse also makes a reasonably priced dance blade (also with a 7' rocker) that is very similar to the MK dance but about half the price (and only a little more than the coronation dance, and about the same price as the ultima dance).

[nicklaszlo]

I really don't need the bigger toepick.

I thought that too, but when I got one, it helped.

[FigureSpins]

I thought that too, but when I got one, it helped.

What good is a freestyle toepick for ice dance? 

[Hanca]

What good is a freestyle toepick for ice dance?

In dance there can be some toe steps and tiny toe hops (not sure how they are called, but I sometimes I am really glad that I am doing ice dance on my Phantoms and they have bigger toepick than Coronation ice). 

[SynchKat]

Wilson Blades have a bigger, pointier toe pick than MK Dance blades have.  MK toe picks are rounded and the rocker I would guess is farther forward so you will feel like you are rolling forward and off your blades.  Wilson feels more like a "normal" blade.  I have had dance blades for most of my life so to me they are really no different than other blades and MK or Wilson I would attempt jumps, etc. on them