After scanning my music library for hours, I'm desperately seeking suggestions for a country music program that a skater of mine would like for this upcoming season. I'll be giving her a few choices to pick from, so suggest away!

This skater will be turning thirteen in July and will be competing at ISI FS 1, so we're looking at about a 1:30 +/- 0:10 program, but I can easily edit a piece down if need be.

I'd prefer suggestions be all instrumental, and while I've looked into some karaoke versions of songs, they're not always the best quality. Any good country-themed sountracks out there?

She is not an extremely fast skater, so a medium-paced piece may be best suited for her. (Sorry, no "Dueling Banjos" or anything of that speed! ) She skated to selections from Brigadoon last year at the Delta level and did quite fine with that.

Thanks in advance!

I don't know how good the music is, but I just watched the movie, "Sweet Home Alabama" and there is a suite that may work.

You could also check out the Vitamin String Quartet who has a tribute to the Dixie Chicks

There is the Soundtrack form Cars that may have something that has the country feel.

Just a few I came up with...

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"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

Yeah, this is a good one. I've used some of this soundtrack for my lower level skaters and I've been playing around with stringing some selections together for a longer program since the rest are only 1 minute long.

How about a karaoke version of "Remember When" by Alan Jackson? It's slow and really pretty, but also has an unmistakably country sound. The one by Starlite Karaoke sounds just like the song, but without the vocals, the one by Prosound is more generic sounding (not so "country")

Our lot always use the theme tune from the film "Big Country"; I think almost every male student my coach has had has used that!

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Mrs Redboots
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Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

There are some good all instrumental tracks actually on a few country albums. I know Dixie Chicks have one on an album (either the one with Earl Had to Die on it or the one that came out in 2002-ish with Not Ready to Make Nice on it). And there is one on a Brad Paisley album, I'm pretty sure it's the one with the Fishing Song (aka I'm Gonna Miss Her). They're both pretty short, I've thought of using them for skating.

Sorry I can't be more specific, don't have the iPod on me. I can also scan my music when I get home. I have lots of country music.

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2010-2011 goals:
Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything

This is a bit slow for her. I'd prefer her use something with some energy and some changes in tempo. Don't want those judges falling asleep!

Yes, that's one I have already cut and it's a possibility.

I'm a huge Brad Paisley fan, so I may have to look into some of those songs. I know which ones you're talking about. Also, I think the Play album of his, the most recent one he's released, is mostly instrumental, so I may have to listen to that. Unfortunately, that's the one album of his I don't have yet.

How about Barn Dance from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

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Luckey

I have a question..
How in the whole world are you able to have time to do anything in 1.30 min?!
I don't reallt understand the system you have? Could someone explain please? What are the children doing at that level?
Don't take this wrong - I'm just confused..

In Sweden you start to compete with a readymade program. All skaters in a group makes the same program and the same element - this is for making it as fair as possible.
After that, when you start to skate with a own program with music and choreography made for it you have a 2.30 mins program which must contain several elements. (You don't have to compete with the ready-made program at all... that's before you have done any tests for level upgrades). And you are judged with the regular competeing system - unless it's a so-called "star-competition" which means that the judging isn't "real". You split the group in two, the first half get's their real places (1st, 2nd, 3rd etc...). And the other half get to share the "last place". These competitions are good for, for example, first time competers.

Please help me sort this out?

You'd be surprised by what a coach can fit in a 1:30 program. My daughter started competing last yr and her first program was 1:00 long. At that time, she competed in the USFSA Basic 4 group. She's now in the the Freeskate levels and her programs is 1:30. She is skating at the freeskate 1 level next week and these are the REQUIRED elements:

Advanced Forward Stroking (4-6 consecutive strokes)
Forward Outside or Inside consecutive edges (either 2-4 outside or 2-4 inside)
Scratch Spin from Backward crossovers
Waltz jump from Backward crossovers
Half-Flip jump

Her coach adds in more into her program then just those elements, but the above elements are the elements she will be judged on for her freeskate/technical program. If you look on you tube, there are a lot of examples of skaters doing their planned programs.

Edited to add: as the skater advances and levels up, the required program time and the content changes. For example, this is a copy of the required elements for a competitor skating at the USFSA Pre-Preliminary level(I'm compying these requirements from an official entry form of a competition my daughter is in next wk. end):

PRE-PRELIMINARY: Program Duration: 1 Minute 30 Seconds (+/- 10 Seconds)
Skaters may not have passed tests higher than U.S. Figure Skating Pre-Preliminary Free Skate test.
ELEMENTS:
Two solo spins of a different nature (Min. 3 revolutions)
All single solo jumps allowed (No axels)
Jump combinations or sequences using only a Waltz jump, Toe loop and Salchow
Connecting moves and steps should be demonstrated throughout the program

PRE-JUVENILE: Program Duration: 2 Minutes (+/- 10 Seconds)
Skaters must have passed at least the U.S. Figure Skating Preliminary Free Skate test, but may not have passed tests
higher than Pre-Juvenile Free Skate test.
ELEMENTS:
Three spins in any position (min. 4 revolutions), one must be a combination spin with change of foot optional (min. 3
revolutions on each foot or 6 total revolutions). No flying spins.
Jumps with not more than one rotation (No axels). Jump combinations and sequences are allowed
Maximum 6 jumping elements
One step sequence, straight line, circular or serpentine, fully utilizing ice surface

INTERMEDIATE FREE SKATE:
Short program maximum duration: 2 minutes. Free Skate program duration: 2 minutes 30 seconds (+/- 10 Seconds).
Open to skaters who have passed the U.S. Figure Skating Juvenile Free Skate Test, but not the U.S. Figure Skating
Novice Free Skate Test. Free Skate program in accordance with 3672 in the 2009/2010 Rulebook

SENIOR FREE SKATE:
Short program maximum duration: 2 minutes 50 seconds. Free Skate program duration: 4 minutes for ladies and 4
minutes 30 seconds for men (+/- 10 Seconds). Open to skaters who have passed the U.S. Figure Skating Junior Free
Skate Test or the Senior Free Skating Test. Free Skate program in accordance with 3643 the 2009/2010 Rulebook.

I hope this helps a bit!

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You'd be surprized what you can fit. When I competed adult bronze, my 1:40 program contained:

--lutz
--layback spin
--flip toe loop
--half loop/salchow landed on L foot/salchow
--camel-sit spin
--straight line step sequence that covered about 2/3-3/4 of the ice surface
--loop jump
--back scratch spin-forward scratch spin combination

My current 2:10 program contains:
--layback spin
--lutz loop
--axel-toe
--flip-half loop-salchow
--forward sit-back sit spin
--loop jump
--straight line step sequence that covers 3/4 to almost the full ice surface
--lutz
--flying camel-forward camel-pancake spin

And my 2:40 version of my current program for when I skate up a level has all of the above, plus a full surface sprial sequence and one more jump (exactly what I haven't figured out yet, probably just a flip until I get my axel consistent enough to put another axel in)

__________________
2010-2011 goals:
Pass Junior MIF test
Don't break anything

Since my student is competing ISI, the required elements for FS1 are:
- Forward pivot
- Waltz jump
- 1/2 flip
- Spiral
- Backward outside/inside edges
- Two-foot spin

A well-choreographed program makes it fairly easy to include all these elements in a 1:30 =/- 0:10 program as well as connecting moves, etc.

Just an FYI, those elements must be for the test track, not the well balanced track.There is a difference in elements.

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I thought I pulled it from the competitive section, but I might have copied the wrong one. My daughter is still doing basic skills stuff, so I didn't pay close attention to what Iwas copying when I did it. I was trying to pull it from the competitive track. Still, there is a lot you can fit in in that itme frame.

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skating mom to 3 angels on earth and 1 in heaven