Batikat/Nicki T - question about Interpretive programmes

[TashaKat]

Hi :) I was inspired by the interpretive programmes at Bracknell, I think that I'm more suited to this than an artistic so asked coach if I could give it a go! Only problem is that NOBODY knows the rules!!!!! I phoned NISA today ....... after several 'what?'s' I eventually got an answer that "we don't do interpretive in this country" ........ erm, there was a class at Bracknell last week ........ "oh, well, you need to look in the ISU handbook then, the rules will be in there but we don't have rules for interpretive" .......... SPARE ME!!

Anyway ...... you can guess what I'm going to ask next! Can you get the rules from your club? I'm at a total loss and would like something 'different' to do!!

Ta

L xxx

[Trif Fan]

Did they mean the ISI rulebook? My copy is at home right now and I could post when I get home.

[batikat]

Interpretive - let's see. You can think of it as Artistic with no props or Free with emphasis on using the music/interpreting the mood rather than having great jumps etc. Having said that i don't think there are any specific rules that I know of - basically you can 'interpret' it as you want.
We really need a judge to give us an answer here as to what they are looking for and what aspects of skating are marked highly. I must admit I fancy it myself being a Free skater at heart who just can't manage the jumps yet - though I have finally decided to learn.
I know the Americans are having a similar problem working out what interpretive means judging by their message boards - if they find an answer before us I will post it.
I will consult our Comp sec and also ask some of those who competed in it this year and get back to you!

[batikat]

just read the last line of your message again and if you want something different try Original Dance next year. I hope we can publish the rhythms earlier next year or may make it free choice.
It's really great fun to do and you can include half rotation jumps and step sequences and make up your own steps. We had about two months to put ours together from scratch this year and I have to say I was very pleased with the results - could have done with about another year to polish it up mind!

[NickiT]

Good answer, Batikat. That's just about how I've been explained what the Interpretive class is. We do have one skater from another rink who entered so next time I see her I'll see if she can shed some light.

Nicki

[melanieuk]

And NISA don't know? :lol:
How typical. 8O
Did you get a copy of the ISU book?
I bet it doesn't tell you either.

[Mrs Redboots]

[quote:6c385b5171="TashaKat"]Hi :) I was inspired by the interpretive programmes at Bracknell, I think that I'm more suited to this than an artistic so asked coach if I could give it a go! Only problem is that NOBODY knows the rules!!!!! I phoned NISA today ....... after several 'what?'s' I eventually got an answer that "we don't do interpretive in this country" ........ erm, there was a class at Bracknell last week ........ "oh, well, you need to look in the ISU handbook then, the rules will be in there but we don't have rules for interpretive" .......... SPARE ME!![/quote:6c385b5171]

Typical NISA! I don't know if this is any good to you, but these are the USFSA rules, under which we skate at the Mountain Cup. the Dune of Flanders Cup (are you going to do that this year?????) and the World Challenge in Bordeaux:

1 ###All interpretive events shall consist of a variety of skating moves and elements selected for their value in enhancing the skater's interpretation of the music. #Axels and double jumps will not be permitted. #Costumes which enhance the performance by appropriately reflecting the character of the music and theme will be considered in the judging. #Props on the ice will not be permitted.

2 ###Skaters will be judged on their ability to interpret the music and develop a theme by using their skating skills as above. #Two marks will be used by the judges: #the first mark for Skating Technique and the second for Presentation.

3 ###In marking the skating technique of the programme the following aspects will be considered:
a) ###ease, flow, glide, sureness, power and depth of the edges
b) ###ability to vary the speed and direction of the skating
c) ###variety of expressive and innovative moves
d) ###succession of movement within the programme
e) ###utilization of space and ice coverage
f) ###style.

4 ###In marking the presentation of the programme the following aspects will be considered:
a) ####interpretation of the music and rhythm
b) ###musical timing and understanding of the phrasing of the music
c) ###use of the entire body to develop the artistic and music
expression
d) ###creativity
e) ###choreography # art of arranging movements
f) ###variation in tempo, tension, emotion, movements
g) ###suitability of music to the skater
h) ###internal motivation of movements and expressions projected to
the audience.

5 ###In all interpretive events the length of music is not to exceed 1:40. #Vocal music is permitted.

6 ###Age categories will be the same as for Free Skating events.

[TashaKat]

Thank you for all of your replies :)

NISA said the ISU 'blue' Handbook! They were pretty vague about everything else, though, apart from telling me that I couldn't do more than "two double jumps" ..... oh, so you know me then? ;)

I've already picked my music (theme from Free Willy), just hope that Madame Whiplash likes it now ;)

It all seems a bit confused, some people say that you can't use props yet someone else said that you CAN but have to hold them, wear them or have them attached to your costume!!!

Urgh ...... thanks again :)

L x

[melanieuk]

I've seen the film but can't remember the music.
What's the music like, Lynne?

[Mrs Redboots]

[quote:cfab926666="TashaKat"]Thank you for all of your replies :)

NISA said the ISU 'blue' Handbook! They were pretty vague about everything else, though, apart from telling me that I couldn't do more than "two double jumps" ..... oh, so you know me then? ;)

I've already picked my music (theme from Free Willy), just hope that Madame Whiplash likes it now ;)

It all seems a bit confused, some people say that you can't use props yet someone else said that you CAN but have to hold them, wear them or have them attached to your costume!!![/quote:cfab926666]

What I do is to get two cuts of my music, one 1.30" and the other 2.00", and then use the 1.30" at such events as the Mountain Cup and the Dune of Flanders Cup, where the rules I posted apply. You can't have loose props there - when I did my [i:cfab926666]Fame[/i:cfab926666] routine, I cut out the bits with the free weights and the theraband for France - but you must and should have a costume that matches what you are trying to do, and a hand-held prop (e.g. a mirror, a beer "glass", whatever) is allowed. You aren't supposed to take off pieces of your costume and drop them on the ice, though (that wonderful James Bond routine we saw at Bracknell wouldn't be allowed).

I then use the 2 minute version for Bracknell, etc, although I may not bother with that another year, and do it under the heading of "Artistic", rather than "Interpretive". Then if I want props, they go into the extra 30 seconds. It works out well.

[TashaKat]

Thanks for all of your replies (did I say thank you before? sorry if I didn't ...... too much medication on board ;) ).

What I need to know now is ........ I have the whole of the Prelim Free test (is that Bronze II?) SO how long (at Bracknell, I'll use that as my benchmark) would my interpretive programme have to be? I'm hoping to cut the music that I like this weekend so would like to try and get it as near as possible to what I need :)

Ta

L xx

[NickiT]

Lynne, as far as I know, the Interpretive programme needs to be 2 minutes long. I don't think it matters whether you are Level 1 and under or Level 2 and over, but I know one girl who is definitely Level 2 and over and her programme for this class was 2 minutes. She was Elaine and if I remember correctly she came 1st in her class in this year's Opens.

Nicki

[TashaKat]

[quote:2aef6d17b5="NickiT"]Lynne, as far as I know, the Interpretive programme needs to be 2 minutes long. I don't think it matters whether you are Level 1 and under or Level 2 and over, but I know one girl who is definitely Level 2 and over and her programme for this class was 2 minutes. She was Elaine and if I remember correctly she came 1st in her class in this year's Opens.

Nicki[/quote:2aef6d17b5]

Thank you, it's better to take away than to add ;) I suppose, so I'll cut it to 2 mins and see what she thinks ....... how on EARTH will I get through 2 minutes though? Mind you, it doesn't have as many jumps in I suppose .......

L x

[batikat]

Hi Lynne,
I think Nicki is right that it would be 2 minutes - our Original Dances were 2 minutes and that was for level 2 and under!!!! In the tests you don't do a 2 minute OD until level 8!!!! I thought I would struggle to get through 2 minutes but when it's really FUN you don't notice the time so much. I know I didn't have any jumps but it was FAST!!!! The one good thing was that given the short time we had to prepare (2 1/2 months) I never actually had to practice the whole 2 minutes very often :lol:

I did ask the comp sec about the rules and she reckoned it was in one of the old NISA handbooks but was not forthcoming about getting me a copy even though I asked. she said I could get it from NISA even though I told her this had already been tried without success - and apparently the rule number quoted in the Bracknell Schedule was not the right one!
Someone else thought they might have an old book with it in and will get it to me if she can find it and then I will let you know.

Have fun - I shall look forward to seeing it at next years Adult Opens!

[Mrs Redboots]

[quote:7ba4b459ac="batikat"]Hi Lynne,
I think Nicki is right that it would be 2 minutes - our Original Dances were 2 minutes and that was for level 2 and under!!!! In the tests you don't do a 2 minute OD until level 8!!!! I thought I would struggle to get through 2 minutes but when it's really FUN you don't notice the time so much. I know I didn't have any jumps but it was FAST!!!! The one good thing was that given the short time we had to prepare (2 1/2 months) I never actually had to practice the whole 2 minutes very often :lol: [/quote:7ba4b459ac]

Goodness, 2 1/2 months! My coach thinks six weeks is plenty long enough to learn a new programme - two months, MAXIMUM! :o

If you (for any variety of you) decide to compete at the international competitions in France, or even in the USA (as more and more of us are planning to do - several of us are thinking of next year's Atlanta Peach competition which is in early September), the Interpretive programmes there are 1.5 minutes. Actually, that's not strictly accurate; they are a [i:7ba4b459ac]maximum[/i:7ba4b459ac] of 1 minute 40 seconds, so if you are elderly and wheezy, you can do a 30 second programme if that's all you can manage, and still compete.

[batikat]

Annabel you must learn very fast!!!
Actually the 2.5 months was the time from when the schedule came out so out of that came the time it took me to decide to enter and to find some music and cut it (a good few weeks), which reduced the time to devise and learn a completely new 2.0 min programme from scratch and that was in addition to devising, learning and practising (and making the props for!), the small group number, practising the 2 compulsory dances for Bracknell, the (different) compulsory dance for Swindon and my free dance which I'd barely touched since Oxford last October and we missed a week of ice time as they always decide to repaint the hockey lines the week before the Opens :roll:
Most of the arm movements went in the week before the competition and many of the footwork moves were actually quite new to me so it didn't seem like a very long time to get it competition-worthy to me.
I'm hoping that the rhythm for next years OD's gets publicised well in advance so that we get a bit more time to work on them next time!