Interp - is that like our Artistic Skate, where you can take stuff with you on the ice and skate dressed as spongebob if you want to?

I plan to do something on heavy metal for my next programme like that, with a few dagger tricks at the beginning, some of the stuff I'm doing on this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1bCGrS3bPM and perhaps even with the music from that video.



I'd really like to see a pair dance on Cellblock Tango.

Thin Ice:
Wow thanks! Sure you can, You'd be amazed at the ideas you come up with on a coast to coast plane trip while the movie's broken and all your friends are asleep!

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So, how does one actually begin an interp? Do you just say to your coach, "I want to do this?", do you find a comp, how?

I have two songs with lyrics that I'd love to skate to:

1. My ballet recital piece is to a Queen medley, esp "Somebody to Love"-- I'm DYING to translate that onto the ice (well, the pointe work would be replaced with the appropriate skating footwork, and I'd cover more area, etc, but I can just see it...)

2. In a true showing of my geekdom, I'd love to skate to Russell Watson's "Faith of the Heart" (used as Enterprise's theme song... it's kind of lyrical-y, and I think the lyrics are inspiring. Not my favorite type of music, but it really grabbed me. And it's nice for an adult skater!)

I know that I might never become as technically perfect as everyone else and most of my coaches have recognized that my best skill is my carriage and artistry... so while competing technically is a loooooong way off for me, I'd love to "dance" on the ice!

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When asked what his "secret" to success was, Wayne Gretsky said: "Skate to where the puck is going and not to where it has been."
Is the figure skating version of this: Skate as if you're doing an axel and not just learning how to hop?

YES! It's #1. Just say to your coach "I want to do an Interp... and I've already found the music. I'm really excited about this music. What do you think of it?" If your coach listens to it and says "OK", you're part-way to Interp. competition. But if your coach listens to the music and says "THIS????? You think you can/want to skate to THIS???" , then play the other piece of music... and then ask for other suggestions the coach thinks might be more appropriate.

I find most coaches are willing to go along with a wider variety of music for Interp... unless it's something that's been used 100,000 times or something that is TOTALLY inappropriate for your style of skating.

You don't have to just take the coach's suggestions, either. Make sure you find something you REALLY love and WANT to skate to (but that the coach can also stand to work with). The Interps. I enjoy watching the most are the ones where the skater really makes a connection with the music, whether it's because of the way it makes them feel, something in the lyrics.. not just because "this is the music my coach wanted me to use". I made that mistake once. We worked on it for four months. I hated it... but decided I'd compete with it and see if I was totally wrong about it. I did one competition with it and after I collected my music, I gave it back to the coach and said something about it being better suited to another one of her skaters. She smiled and said "I know you gave it a shot.. but you're right, this is SO not you." We still laugh about it. I also gave her a piece of music she said (in a gentle and supportive way) I was not graceful enough for... so if I really wanted to use this, we could work on it.. but it might not be the best choice. I have to tell you I REALLY worked on it... and I'm still not terribly graceful most of the time, but for that 1 minute 37 seconds, I was more graceful than usual.. and skated it better than I had hoped at PCAS a couple years ago. And my coach said that proved I COULD be more delicate looking on the ice if I worked at it... so we consider wider ranges of music now. I'll never look like Flo or Daisies... I'll just have to look like a better version of me!

Thanks for this advice... I actually sucked up the courage this past weekend and asked my LTS coach (whose heavy ballet background really clicks with me! Unfortunately, that means I have to tell my outside coaches that I'm taking a break from working with them for a little bit!) if she'd be willing to work with me on an interp. She agreed (and seemed pretty excited, since she's never done adult competitions before), told me to pick out the music and get an idea of what I was looking for and we'd move forward from there.

Problem is, she's never done adult competitions and doesn't know the requirements.. and neither do I. I've seached around and haven't been able to get a clear picture of requirements (or even music... I think we get up to 1:40... but can it be shorter? Does the 1:40 start as soon as the music starts or as soon you the skater starts?)--- do I have to have passed any tests to compete in interp? Can someone do more than one program in a competition (not that I will, but I'm curious)

(and I don't know how y'all do it-- I can't decide on my music-- there are sooooo many great choices out there!)

Sorry to be so full of questions, but I know I'm in the right place to get answers!

__________________
When asked what his "secret" to success was, Wayne Gretsky said: "Skate to where the puck is going and not to where it has been."
Is the figure skating version of this: Skate as if you're doing an axel and not just learning how to hop?

It depends on the competition event. For Adult Sectionals and Adult Nationals, you have a maximum of 1:40... I believe music starts with first note... but in other competitions it's with your first movement, whether that's a head tilt or an arm wave or whatever... so to make your life simple, just don't go over about 1:39.. that way even if the ref starts the stopwatch a second early, you're STILL ok! You can always go shorter.. but aim for between 1:30-1:40.

As for what tests you need to pass, again that depends on the competition you enter. Are you a freestyler or a dancer? If you're FS, you need to have passed through your Bronze FS test (so PB FS and the accompanying Moves tests) for Adult Sectionals and Adult Nationals. At local events, they may let you compete even if you're a No-Test skater... so start reading the competition announcements from your local events.

And at AN you can only enter one Interp. event, Artistic/Dramatic or Comedy/Charachter/Lt. Entertainment... or whatever they're calling it next year. But at local events, it's possible to enter both.

Since this is your first time going into this, why don't you find a music you can see and feel yourself skating to, and can cut to 1:35-ish.... (which can be hard... a lot of times, I find lots of great pieces of music, but I can't cut it down to the time limit so it still makes sense musically!) and then start working on it. At the same time, start asking other skaters in your area about local events that offer "Artistic" or "Interp" events then go by those guidelines.

Have fun with the entire process.. I'm sure you'll find music that suits you and your coach wants to choreograph for you.

Thank you for all of the info, Thin Ice!

So far I'm a no-test skater and I don't exactly know where I would fall into the requirements... I think I'll have to speak with my coach and see if she thinks I'll be anywhere near passing everything if I want to go to sectionals. If not, I think I'll still run with the program and take your advice about local competitions.

Where can I find the competition announcements? Do I go through my local club or is there somewhere that adults can go to for all of this info?

I'm guessing that I need to renew my ISI membership and acutally join USFSA if I'm going to be serious about this, right?

Thanks for all of your help!

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When asked what his "secret" to success was, Wayne Gretsky said: "Skate to where the puck is going and not to where it has been."
Is the figure skating version of this: Skate as if you're doing an axel and not just learning how to hop?

USFSA.org has a list of sanctioned club comps. If you get a web saavy club, the announcement will be linked.

You only need the ISI membership if you intend to test or compete in ISI competitions.

If you're going to compete in USFSA competitions, yes you do need a membership. The new membership season starts in July. You could be an individual member, which includes a new rulebook every year, or you could join through a skating club and buy the rulebook on your own. (I like the pdf version, personally.) North Jersey FSC is a very adult-friendly USFSA club; I used to skate with the president and his wife. Montclair Inside Edge is a combination ISI/USFSA club that I used to belong to as well. Very nice people, but I don't know how many adults are skating for them. (They organize a GREAT trip to Lake Placid's ISI competition each January.) Others might have other suggestions, too.

FYI: The ISI Interpretive event is radically different from the USFSA event in that you have to make up a program to music that you hear for the first time during the warmup for the event. For the USFSA Interpretive events, you come prepared with a costume, music, and program.

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I'm learning so much! They really need "intro to AOSS" seminars at rinks to teach us all of this stuff!

Thanks Thin Ice, techskater, and Isk8NYC.

Two more questions (sorry to have hijacked the thread!):

So, like thin ice said, to compete I need to pass through Bronze--- does that mean only PB or Bronze as well? If Bronze, I'd better get my skater butt in action if I want to even aim for most competitions!

When you join a club, what does that mean, exactly? Can you not test at the club if you're not a member? Or are there perks to being a club member (beyond the joy of belonging with others?)

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When asked what his "secret" to success was, Wayne Gretsky said: "Skate to where the puck is going and not to where it has been."
Is the figure skating version of this: Skate as if you're doing an axel and not just learning how to hop?

For Sectionals and ANs it means all 4 tests - PB MIF and FS and Bronze MIF and FS or the first 6 dances (Prelim = 3 and PreBronze = 3)

Benefits to club membership vary by club. Some have ice just for club members, others are a complete social arrangement and every club I know of gives priority to its own members on test sessions (as well as not making you pay an "out of club testing" fee).

If you're talking about doing local competitions, you may be allowed to skate up a level. So if you're No Test now and you want to compete at PreBronze, they will USUALLY let you. And at least on the Pacific Coast, we have (almost?) always had No Test and PreBronze events at Sectionals.... but you are not allowed to skate up a level. But if you want to compete at Adult Nationals, you'll need to pass PreBronze MIF & FS and Bronze MIF & FS, or if you're just going to do Interp., you can qualify by passing the first six dance tests. (Sorry, techskater, I now see you'd already said that!)

And as mentioned above, USFS Interp. is what others may think of as a "Spotlight" or "Showcase" or "Comedy/Charachter" or "Dramatic" or "Light Entertainment" program, where you know exactly what you've planned to do to YOUR music with a costume you know is appropriate for your program.

ISI Interpretive they have you listen to music you've probably never heard before, 2-3 times off the ice, then they put you on the ice with everyone else in your group and play it 1-2 more times, then each of you performs your newly-choreographed program one at a time, with no help from coaches or friends.

Thank you! I have to look at all of the clubs in my two halves of the state and see which one fits me best.

I had my first "talk over music and requirements" with my LTS teacher/new coach, and put the Adult B and PB requirements in front of her, asking i she thinks I can meet them and she was very positive that I'm nearly ready for PB (I just need to clean up my MITF patterns) and will be ready to try for bronze by late fall/winter. Until then, I'm taking everyone's advice and looking into local comps-- it will be nice to try the program out this fall!

Everyone who helped me on this, thanks! And sorry for practically hijacking the post! This was very informative (can we have a sticky for first time competitors, maybe? That way, people like me can find out the basics in one spot?)

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When asked what his "secret" to success was, Wayne Gretsky said: "Skate to where the puck is going and not to where it has been."
Is the figure skating version of this: Skate as if you're doing an axel and not just learning how to hop?

I am hoping to do an interp later this year. The idea is one I'm sure has been used before but I doubt the music ever has been.

The music is by the Black Watch (British Army) Band, Pipes & Drums, called 'Song on the Wind'. I have never seen an interp performed to pipes & drums before but I'm sure it has been done before. Haven't run it by my coach yet but I think she will be happy with it.

Anyone ever seen/done a program to a pipe band? Would like to know how it went.