Bronze Test - What to expect?

[dani]

Hi again!

I am not quite ready yet, but I am hoping that a few weeks can get me there. I am scheduled to take my bronze freestyle test on November 24th.

Since I have never taken a real freestyle test (I took the pre-bronze which is a pass/fail test) How is it judged? What are the standards?

Yes, remember me, I am the one who gets real nervous before I go on! ;-) (And I also did well below my capabilities on my bronze moves test, so I am a little worried here.

I am hoping I pass because this may be my only chance to make the AN deadline!

Hugs,
Danielle

[skaternum]

Hi, Dani!
Describing the standards are hard to do, especially when you're from a different part of the country. (Standards are supposed to be applied the same everywhere, but there *are* regional differences.) Having said that, I can tell you what I've seen pass Bronze lately. Everybody always worries about the backspin. 'Round here, the judges really don't expect perfection on it. They don't expect to see a lot of speed on it. They usually want to see something that resembles a backspin, without the arms flailing around and without seeing a bunch of 3-turns on the ice. The jumps don't have to be particularly high, but they do have to be pretty clean. And the judges here don't really expect to see an adult do a sit spin that really sits the way the kids' do, thank goodness. (Or I'd have never passed Silver!)

I'm sure that you WILL pass. Having seen you skate under the pressure of a competition, I know you'll be just fine. Sure, you'll be nervous and won't do as well as you usually do, but you'll do fine! In fact, I'll give you $5 at the DC comp if you don't.:P

[jenlyon60]

Hi Dani ---

Our judges (DC area) seem to like to see a good sit spin (although not necessarily as good as the kids) but definitely not a "squat spin" (I can't describe it any better... one with hardly any knee bend.

Also ours seem to want to see good connecting steps (flow), not just skating from element to element... something in between. Real stroking, no toe-pushes (not a problem with you as I recall) and properly executed jumps (no toe waltzes or "almost on the ice" salchows...again not a problem for you). And they count revolutions on spins...

Hope this helps!!

--jsl

[iceskaterdawn]

I took my pre-bronze and bronze test at the beginning of August. To say I was a nervous wreck is an understatement! My coach's concerns were my sit spin and my loop jump. I easily get 10 rotations on my back spin and it is my favorite spin, so even with nerves he was confident I'd pass that element. My sit spin is not that low, but it at least looks like I am sitting vs. squating. The judge just wrote that I needed to work on getting lower. Everything else was okay. My coach (and the judge that tested me) said that they don't expect perfection, but the elements need to be recognizable, and that you have control over them. Good luck on your test! I'm sure you'll do fine.

Also have fun at AN. I was hoping to go this year, but I fractured my shoulder in 2 places the week after taking my tests, and by the time I can start skating again in January, I don't think I will have enough time to prepare for the competition.

Dawn

[Raine]

Hi, Dawn.

I took my pre-bronze and bronze in June. I'd had my program for only two weeks. I probably practiced to the music only 7-8 times, so I felt underprepared. There was also a tricky straight-line footwork sequence, which I practiced at least 100 times during that two weeks.

The pre-bronze went without a hitch. There was another skater on the ice at the same time taking her test, which helped actually, because I wasn't the sole focus of the arena. It got a bit confusing having two judges yelling out different commands to the two of us, but it was a good distraction at the same time. I passed easily. I wasn't sure what to do for the crossover sequence, but I did crossovers in a figure eight pattern, starting with CCW forward crossovers in a circle, then a LFI mohawk to CW back crossovers in a circle, with an ta-da exit on a back edge.

I'm surprised that I passed the bronze test. I blew my footwork halfway through which caused me to miss the optional jump (the loop) on two attempts. My salchow and toe loop were way below usual, quality-wise; they were low and scratchy. I never hit the BO edge on my backspin. My spiral, sitspin, and scratch spin were quite good, though. Waltz/toe was adequate. I wasn't surprised that I was asked to reskate the loop, but I was also asked to reskate the scratch spin (the judge must have been looking down while I performed what I thought was by far the best move of the program!). The reskate was fine and I passed. The judge was really generous with that backspin, although the fact that I didn't spin on a BO edge was duly noted.

Best of luck,
Raine