Well I was talking to this young lady at my rink today and she asked what level I'm at. I said I'm in the middle of freestyle 2. She replied saying something like, "oh! You're almost reading for a freestyle session! "

so I have some questions.

1. what level (ISI) do you have to be to get into one?

2. what is the difference between that and a regular lesson?

3. will I be coached while I skate or is it just practice time?

I am a little confused... and some help would be great! thanks!

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Different rinks have different rules, so enquire of your teacher what the rules at your rink are.

And no, you won't necessarily be coached during the session unless you are having a private lesson or are in a class of some kind. It is basically practice ice, the general public being excluded.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

It depends on your rink's policy. You need to ask the skating director or group lesson coordinator at your rink. If you have a coach, ask him/her.

Freestyle sessions are for practice and lessons. Private lessons are given on FS sessions, and you can also just practice if you're not having a lesson.

If you have a lesson with your coach, you will be coached. If you are just there to practice, then you'll just practice. Freestyle sessions are basically work sessions for individual skaters. Skaters schedule lessons during these sessions, and they also come to practice during the sessions or days when they don't have lessons, depending on how much they want to skate. Typically, a private lesson lasts for 20-30 minutes, and most FS sessions are 45-50 minutes, so a lesson will usually not take the whole session. For the rest of the session, skaters just practice.

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Terri C is a Bronze lady!
Gold Moves, here I come!

Oh and another thing, if you've got a lesson, you STILL have to pay for the FS session, the price of ice isn't included.
Lyle

And on a freestyle session, you have to be out there practicing. There's nothing worse than little kids on a freestyle playing around, and they will be told not to do it. So a freestyle is nice due to the limited number of a people and the fact that they have to working, not playing.

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- Ashley

To answer your questions:

1.) At our rink, as long as you were working at FS1 (you were in an ISI FS class), you could be in a regular FS session. The reason being, that they assume that a lot of kids start working with private coaches around that time so you need a separate practice ice to do that. You can check with your rink what their policies are though.

2.) On FS practice ice, you may have people doing their programs to music, practicing by themselves, or having a private lesson with a coach. No group lessons happen on FS practice ice.

3.) On FS ice, you can be coached for as long as you want. Most private lessons at your level do not need to be longer than 15-20 minutes. Plus, you will want some free time to be able to practice what your coach tells you to do!

At our rink, there are no rules as far as who can and can't be on a freestyle session. However, you need to be a good enough skater to change direction and get out of the way immediately when someone is skating her program and is heading your way. Skaters are almost always practicing pieces of their programs (even if their music isn't on), and that means skaters will be going all directions at all times. It can be confusing and a little intimidating at first, so you need to be extremely alert and you need to keep moving so that you aren't in the way of someone who needs to do a jump or spin right in that spot.

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

OK Leda, you coming?
Lyle

Thanks for the info! I am going to ask my teacher about the freestyle sessions when I see him next. haha now I'm all excited.

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