Spoke with my coach today about the NISA dance tests and am working on them as well as free.

Can find what is required in the free skating tests but have searched on Google, and can't find any info.

Could anyone possibly point me in the right direction as to what's involved in the dance tests, particularly the first couple of levels? I know the blues and prelim foxtrot is as I was doing that in my lesson today.

Also, are there field moves involved, or is that just for free skating?

Thanks.

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If you want the best seat in the house, you'll have to move the cat!

There are four (count them, FOUR) separate types of dance test in the UK...

1) Compulsory dance. The first level is the prelim foxtrot and the rhythm blues (not the blues, that's a much harder dance). The second is the Dutch waltz and the Canasta tango, and the third the Golden Skater's Waltz and the Riverside Rhumba. I don't know what's beyond that except that that's the last level with only forward dances.

2) Original dance. This one is a bit weird, because the first couple of levels are actually variation dances and then you start doing ODs instead at...I think it's about to be level 3, though it used to be level 4. The lowest level variation is the rhythm blues, and the second level is the Canasta tango.

3) Free dance. This is very annoying at low level because it's a 1 minute program, and competitions are always 1:30.

4) Dance moves. I know nothing about these because my daughter had already done the equivalent field move tests, and you don't need to have done both.

Hope this helps - recommend you make sure you have the very latest info, as I know it's changing at the moment (my daughter's not doing the level 3 variation because if she waits a bit she can use her existing OD for a level 3 OD).

Er, "Rhythm Blues". This is the "baby" version of the blues. It drives me mad when lazy coaches call it "The Blues".
The Blues is a Silver dance with a killer choctaw, with a test pass standard that probably takes at least six years to achieve, even for seriously able competitive ice dancers, taking a minimum of 1.5 to 2 hours tuition a week plus 6 to 12 hours practice. And a lot of people never get there.

You might be able to get the current books from NISA - www.iceskating.org.uk .

Each level has compulsory part, original dance or variation part and free dance part. There are now generic field moves tests for dance and free. Levels 1-10. These are new this year. I'm not sure if there is a list anywhere on the internet but your coach should have them.

The compulsories are as follows:
Level 1 CD - Prelim foxtrot and rhythm blues
Level 2 CD - Canasta Tango and Dutch Waltz
Level 3 CD - Riverside Rhumba and Golden Skaters Waltz
Level 4 CD - Swing dance and Fiesta Tango
Level 5 CD - 14 step and Willow Waltz
Level 6 CD - Foxtrot and European Waltz
Level 7 CD - 22 step and American Waltz
Level 8A CD - Blues and Rocker Foxtrot
Level 8B CD - Tango and Silver Samba
Level 9A CD - Starlight Waltz and Kilian
Level 9B CD - Argentine Tango and Paso Doble
Level 10A CD - Viennese Waltz and Quickstep
Level 10B CD - Westminster Waltz and Rhumba

Not sure of the Gold bar dances but I've probably given you more info than you asked for anyways!

I'm not 100% sure about the requirements for each free dance test I'm afraid. Correct me if I'm wrong but levels 1-6 are all 1min30 sec free dances now as of 1/1/07 (they got rid of the silly 1min free dances). But I don't know the required elements.

Level 1 and 2 have variation tests. Level 1 is a rhythm blues variation and level 2 is a Canasta Tango variation. Level 3 upwards then become original dance tests. Again, I'm not 100% sure of the requirements but again I think levels 3-6 are 1 min 30sec ODs. But I don't know the required elements.

You do each part of each level separately - ie you don't take all 4 parts of level 1 as one test in one go. But you can if you want too! Also you don't have to have a complete level 1 to do any part of level 2 - ie you only need compulsories level 1 to do compulsories level 2 etc etc

Hope this helps. I know most of the requirements for the field moves tests so if you want any specific levels exercises PM me (I didn't want to write out all 10 levels on here!)

Thanks everyone! You've all been really helpful.

Oh well, now I'm doing dance as well as free, that means even more time I'll be spending at the rink! That's my excuse anyway.

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If you want the best seat in the house, you'll have to move the cat!

But of course! And you'll find that having a free skating background really helps your dance - and, conversely, that your dancing really helps your free skating!

The Moves tests are now the same for both free and dance, so you only have to do one lot of those. Actually, you only ever did, but most free skaters did Field Moves - although a lot are doing dance moves tests quickly before the deadline to try to get them up a level!

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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!

Actually, in the US the Blues is pre-gold.

Interesting to look at your list of dance levels & see where I'd be if I were British! Also interesting to see the order, it's a little different in the States.

As far as I recall there are no required elements for free dance til about level 5 or something daft. it may have changed now like so much else of course.

I had a 1.30 free dance programme for Bracknell opens (level 2 and under at the time) and although it had a step sequence and a spin in it neither were required for the test. I did tests for levels 1 - 3 with the same dance on the same day and just cut off the last 30 secs (which had the spin in it) for the level 1 and 2 tests - and yes I did have to dance it 3 times!!! I went to the trouble of devising a nice ending for the one minute ones but lots of coaches just turned off the music at 1 minute. The level 3 one was 1.30 and I skated it a lot better as that was the version I had practiced most and was comfortable with (even though it was mostly the same!). I'd have gone for level 4 with the same dance but coach thought we shouldnt be greedy! Having heard what has passed level 4 since I wish I had, as it would not have been a problem. I will take it with my next free dance which I will be starting on soon.

I object to variations on principle (silly idea to take a perfectly good dance cut it in half and insert a lap of your own devising in the middle - aarrgghhh!)
I did do the Rhythm Blues one though, just so I'd have at least level 1 in every discipline of dance and free - I now range between 1 (free and elements, dance variation) and 4 (Field moves) with level 2 CD's adn level 3 free dance!. However I now intend to take the Canasta tango variation so I can get to take the level 3 OD as they've removed the need to do a foxtrot variation (yay!). All very confusing really!

When we did OD's for Bracknell adults (which when I first did it required a 2 minute (!) OD at level 3 and under - I was level 0 at the time) we took our requirements from those published for the adult championships. Don't think anything is specifically asked for in the tests at that level. We put in diagonal step sequences and twizzles but they are definitly not required in the lower tests.

Contrary to Mrs Redboots experience of free skaters taking dance moves tests to move up, I had only done dance moves to level 2 and then took interbronze field moves to get up two levels to level 4 - not the usual route! From now on it is just 'Moves' and free skaters and dancers take the same ones.

Aha, that's handy to know.......... Is so confusing compared to the old test system they had before. Either that or my brain isn't as good as it used to be!

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If you want the best seat in the house, you'll have to move the cat!

Q. Have the Riverside Rhumba, the Golden Skaters Waltz and the 22 Step made their way across the pond, yet?

Nope, I've never seen those.

You guys have to do Silver Samba at a fairly low level it seems; it's paired with Tango, which for us is silver level. The Samba for us is an International, which is generally not done until you're through your golds. (unless it's also a different dance than the one I'm thinking of?) Samba

Rhumba for you is paired with the West. Waltz, which does make sense; again, Rhumba is International level here, but generally the West is the last gold for a lot of people & Rhumba is often the first International they'd study.

In the US it's much less common for people to go beyond their gold medal in dance and get into the Internationals....partly due to lack of partners who can skate those Internationals, as well as coaches who can teach them. The skill level involved is WAY beyond what is needed to pass the Gold dances (Viennese Waltz, Quickstep, Argentine Tango, Westminster Waltz).

It is the silver samba at level 8B

I managed to find the gold bar and gold star tests too.

Gold bar 1 CD - Austrian Waltz and Cha Cha Congelado
Gold bar 2 CD - Ravensburger Waltz and Yankee Polka
Gold Star - Golden Waltz, Tango Romantica, Midnight Blues