New MITF tests; any feedback?

[drskater]

Seems like quite some time since somebody posted test results. I'm curious about the new MITF tests. Has anyone taken one yet? Perhaps you've seen or heard something? I'm wondering how the judges are responding to the new moves. Any feedback would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Isk8NYC]

We had a very small test session recently, but only one moves test - a Pre-Preliminary, so nothing was different.

[Sierra]

I'm taking Prelim sometime- don't know when. I've already learned the swing roll-mohawk for the crossover pattern and I had taken figure classes before so the FO-FI figure isn't a big deal.

But why does the figure need to be 3 times the skater's height? Because now my circle is HUGE.

We had a November session planned but only two people signed up. And soo many people crammed for the sessions held in August and very early September. Just shows the attitude toward the new moves, I guess.

My coach is having me take Pre-pre and Prelim moves in the same session, since the Nov. one cancelled. So now I'm going to be a wreck testing Pre-pre since I'll HAVE to pass it to avoid wasting money.

[Clarice]

Sierra, I don't know what you mean by huge, but just to clarify, it's the entire figure that needs to be about 3 times your height, not just one circle.  If you're about 5 feet tall and stand on the dot at the center of a hockey circle, your figure 8 will extend about out to that circle.  In other words, both circles fit inside the hockey circle.  Does that make sense?  If that's not what you're talking about, never mind! 

My daughter is working on both the new supplemental moves tests, and will probably take them in January.  I'll report back then.

[Kim to the Max]

I am currently working on the new Senior moves. Not too many changes at this level. Once I got the steps down, the Serpentine pattern has become kinda fun to do Soon, I will shift into "moves mode" to start really working on things to get them ready to test. Right now, I'm in "freestyle mode" since we just got done choreographing my intermediate test program and are working really hard on fixing my jumps. Doing those drills is taking some time to make sure I don't go back to my bad habits.

[Debbie S]

My club had a test session Monday night, but all the MIF tests were Pre-Pre except for 1 Pre-Juv. It was a retry. She put her foot down on one of the BI 3-turns and I think it threw her off for the rest of the test. Her back circle 8 wasn't very good - the second circle on each (BO and BI) was smaller than the first, and she was pretty much at a standstill by the time she finished the 2nd BI circle. I was helping out, xeroxing papers, and I saw some comments about circles being unequal size and subcurves (she was wobbly on the BI edge).

Our next test session is in January, and we may have a (new) Senior Moves test go out.

[icedancer]

Sierra, I don't know what you mean by huge, but just to clarify, it's the entire figure that needs to be about 3 times your height, not just one circle.  If you're about 5 feet tall and stand on the dot at the center of a hockey circle, your figure 8 will extend about out to that circle.  In other words, both circles fit inside the hockey circle.  Does that make sense?  If that's not what you're talking about, never mind! 

Not so - each circle needs to be about 3 times your height.  So a five foot person should have a circle that is about 15 feet in diameter - take a look at the diagram in the book and you will see how the circles should look in relation to the width of the rink.

It is easier to do a small circle of course - the blade will just carry you around - so the larger circle really makes you have to think about your positions all the way around the circle and you have to learn how to get enough speed through the circle to get all the way around.

I will be attending my first test session on Monday where we get to judge the "New Moves" - there is one Senior MITF and 2 Junior and I believe a couple of Intermediates and Novice - I will need to trial judge the Junior and Senior and hopefully get to judge the Novice and below - exciting!!! (and challenging - I have learned the Junior Step Sequence (albeit mostly two-footed) but that Senior one is confusing to me still - must learn it by next week in order to trial judge it!!

[momsk8er]

We are having our first test session next month. It will be interesting to see what the standard is for the new moves. If anyone can share any thoughts on this, it would be widely appreciated I'm sure. DD is taking Senior, but probably not until Jan or Feb

[Isk8NYC]

Not so - each circle needs to be about 3 times your height.  So a five foot person should have a circle that is about 15 feet in diameter - take a look at the diagram in the book and you will see how the circles should look in relation to the width of the rink.

The PSA Moves book shows it clearly and has the same notation from the Judges' school remarks.

5. Forward circle eight
The skater will push from a standing start onto a FO edge and complete one FO figure eight. Upon returning to center at the completion of the second circle, the skater will perform a FI figure eight by pushing onto a FI edge, thereby repeating the previously skated circle.

The circles should be equal in size and approximately three times the skater's height. The skater may mark their center. This move may start on either foot. Focus: Edge quality and continuous flow

If the center is mid-way across a blue hockey line, the outer edges of the circles will come pretty close to the hockey dots on either side for someone around 5' tall.  Each circle has to be around 15' in diameter.  You can side-step to measure - each side-step is usually around 2' wide.

momsk8er - we're all dying to know about the Preliminary crossover circle transition with the swing roll-edge change-mohawk.  Is anyone testing that and if so, would you share your view from the judges' side of the fence after the session, please?

[Clarice]

Argh, that's what I get for trying to answer questions when I'm not quite awake.  My measurements may be off, but I'm still right about the placement on the hockey circle.  If you start on the center dot, each circle will go out approximately to the big circle.  I was remembering somebody a while back who thought that each circle had to be the size of the hockey circle.

[Isk8NYC]

You're right about the edges and the circle.  The center faceoff circle does line up within the square formed by those hockey dots.  Our faceoff dot is hard to see - it's blurry and almost the same color as the critter "chewing" on it, lol.  I assume Preliminary will be double-paneled, so each skater gets half-ice, so I never thought about teaching it from the center.  The end circles were a disaster - they just followed them to the edge of the rink, which was fine for the crossovers, but too big for the circle patterns.  I'll give your place a try; I like to keep my kids challenged and ready to deal with any last-minute adjustments.

I teach this pattern with a blue hockey line as the figure's axis.   It gives the skater a visual diameter and an easy-to-spot center once they've marked it on the line.  I find it easier to see whether it's really properly shaped.  (Says the queen of the egg figures!)

Unless the skater has unusually short or long arms, I've found that they can "spot" the edges of circle patterns when they indicate their axis.  Standing on center, shoulders over hips, they raise their arms to around shoulder height and look down their arms.  The horizon point where their fingers seem to "touch" the ice is usually the "3 times their height" outer circle edge.  Since their arms are proportionate to their body, it works pretty much every time I've checked the measurement.  It helps the skater look ahead to the next part of their circle.

[Sierra]

Unless the skater has unusually short or long arms, I've found that they can "spot" the edges of circle patterns when they indicate their axis.  Standing on center, shoulders over hips, they raise their arms to around shoulder height and look down their arms.  The horizon point where their fingers seem to "touch" the ice is usually the "3 times their height" outer circle edge.  Since their arms are proportionate to their body, it works pretty much every time I've checked the measurement.  It helps the skater look ahead to the next part of their circle.

That's what my coach had me do. When standing in between the hockey circles at the end, my fingertips reach to a little beyond the hockey dot in the middle of the circle. Really the only thing I need is more speed, so I'm not crawling back to the center.

I like the idea of the figures being put in the MITF. A couple months ago, I took 16 weeks of figure classes and was very good at it. Waltz-8 perfectly timed, no toe pushes whatsoever, nice 'figure hands.' The only figure that gave me any real trouble was the backward circle 8 Hopefully my Pre-juv test is far off in the future.

[Sk8Dreams]

If the center is mid-way across a blue hockey line, the outer edges of the circles will come pretty close to the hockey dots on either side for someone around 5' tall.  

I like this way of placing oneself and judging the circle size.  I teach the Pre-Pre edges on the line using the hockey dots and center to gauge the size of the 4 lobes, which all but the smallest skaters are capable of.  For anyone who has done the edges that way, it should be an easy step to using the dots to judge the full circle size.

[drskater]

Hmmmmmm. Interesting discussion! Clearly, my question is a bit premature!

As for the Figures on the new MITF test: From what people have posted, does this mean skaters may use hockey lines as an axis on the test? (You can't on an actual Figure figures test.)

[icedancer]

Hmmmmmm. Interesting discussion! Clearly, my question is a bit premature!

As for the Figures on the new MITF test: From what people have posted, does this mean skaters may use hockey lines as an axis on the test? (You can't on an actual Figure figures test.)

Yes you can!!  I think you can also use a line to mark your center (but don't quote me!)

[Isk8NYC]

The PSA moves book says that, on the figures, the skater mayK
. Use a line as the axis or a dot as the center;
. Indicate their axis / sight the edges;
. Mark their center.

Note: for the crossover circle, the skater can skate optional intro steps; for the figures, though, tthe skater starts from a standstill.

[Skate@Delaware]

Yes you can!!  I think you can also use a line to mark your center (but don't quote me!)

My coach told me I can't be "obvious" when I mark my center. When I did my waltz-8, I started on the center circle which has a center dot, so it was a moot point.

[icedancer]

We had our first test session where we judged the "New Moves" yesterday morning.  There were not a lot of tests but I think that there was every level except for Juvenile.  I trial-judged 2 Senior Moves and 1 Junior Move and judged a couple of Intermeidates and a Novice.

It was really fun to see the New Moves and the "new take on the Old Moves" - the Novice test went REALLY quick (instead of going on and on and exhausting both the skater and the judges) - judging the combined 3s/rocker-choctaw pattern was interesting - it all went by so fast!!

The Intermediates were interesting and it was great not to have to see those Power Circles - interesting to see the twizzles also.

I didn't see or judge any of the Preliminary or Pre-Juv so have no comments about how it went with the 8s or the new cross-over pattern.  I didn't really hear anything about those tests either so everything must have gone fairly well.

Overall I think the judges were impressed with what they saw on the tests and liked the New Moves and new order,, so to speak.  Looking forward to seeing a couple of Juveniles - maybe next time.

[Sierra]

As for the center marking- my coach has me do a T-stop and use that as my center. It's very easy to see on any color ice, and is not obvious at all.

[FigureSpins]

As for the center marking- my coach has me do a T-stop and use that as my center. It's very easy to see on any color ice, and is not obvious at all.

That's effective, especially if the ice is clean. 

It doesn't really matter on a Moves test, but using a t-stop to mark the center would be unacceptable on a figures test because the scrape would obliterate the ice, making it difficult to judge the accuracy of the figure's center. 

"Marking the center" in figures means you stand at your starting point and lightly make a scratch with your blade heel across the long axis.  It shouldn't be more than 6-8" long.  That becomes the starting line for your center push.  The skater stands on that spot and indicates their long axis by stretching arms to the side, sighting down to judge the outer edges of the circles.  Some people also indicate the short axis.  Then, they assume the proper t-position to begin their Figure.

Marking the center has always been optional.  If you had good lighting and satiny-smooth ice, you didn't need to mark the center because you could SEE your starting point.

[isakswings]

I'm taking Prelim sometime- don't know when. I've already learned the swing roll-mohawk for the crossover pattern and I had taken figure classes before so the FO-FI figure isn't a big deal.

But why does the figure need to be 3 times the skater's height? Because now my circle is HUGE.

We had a November session planned but only two people signed up. And soo many people crammed for the sessions held in August and very early September. Just shows the attitude toward the new moves, I guess.

My coach is having me take Pre-pre and Prelim moves in the same session, since the Nov. one cancelled. So now I'm going to be a wreck testing Pre-pre since I'll HAVE to pass it to avoid wasting money.

Sierra, I wouldn't worry about not passing pre-pre moves. I know of no one who has not passed pre-pre moves the frst go around. If you are ready to pass yourprelim moves in addition to your pre-pre moves, you will pass your pre-pre moves. good LUCK!!

[isakswings]

I like the idea of the figures being put in the MITF. A couple months ago, I took 16 weeks of figure classes and was very good at it. Waltz-8 perfectly timed, no toe pushes whatsoever, nice 'figure hands.' The only figure that gave me any real trouble was the backward circle 8 Hopefully my Pre-juv test is far off in the future.

Yuck... yes. I kinda wish dd could have taken that test before the changes but it will be a good thing for her to learn. I have heard they are hard! She is working on her pre-juv moves now. Her coach wants her to test her moves Pre-juv moves in Feb or March. You will get it!

[momsk8er]

We have over 40 tests for Dec. 3 and 2 of them are Senior moves. So I should have something to report after that. We don't have any Junior moves though.

[momsk8er]

Well, we had our test session today and the new moves did not go so well. We had 2 senior moves, 5 intermediate, 4 juvenile and a bunch of pre-juv and prelim. None of the higher level tests passed. Most of the skaters got retries over the twizzles and loops. I asked one of the judges what they were looking for and she said the twizzles need to be even, and not checked. She said the loops need to be loops - not scraped, not skidded. Lack of power at the end of the new senior step pattern got both our senior testers. The judges really worked with one of the pre-juv skaters on the back 8s - let her do a couple of retries even. They finally passed her. They were really concerned with the lobes of the 8s being the right shape. The lower level tests were fine, and most everyone passed.

[Isk8NYC]

Thanks for the update!