So I have in mind for my new interp to do something like either a jazzpants or a unitard thing. (Yes, I'm finally fulfilling my DESTINY to compete in Jazz Pants instead of skating dresses!!! So sorry, skaternum!!! ) But after seeing what happened with Moves Guru at AN, I have to be careful NOT to have any costume deductions here.

So what are the rules for USFSA and for ISI these days? From what I understand for USFSA, pants are now allowed but unitard is still NOT allowed??? Would I have to wear an overdress over the unitard (like this case)? What about for ISI??? This is for an artistic program...

TIA!!!

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

LOL, well...I'm sorry, but at the moment I'm too lazy to dig out my USFSA rulebook and look up the costume rules, but I wanted to offer up a suggestion on where you can find some really nice, jazzy outfits: Leo's Dancewear (http://shop.leosdancewear.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=32). They've got a great section of jazzy costumes, like the Broadway Rhythm costume.

We ordered some dresses (the Cell Block Tango design on page 2 under "Jazz & Tap") from there for a Christmas show last year and they fit and looked awesome!

In the most recent USFSA Rule Book, Section 3553 says "Ladies in singles and pairs may wear skirts, trousers and tights (including unitards)."

So you should be good. I didn't think the costume rules in the Rule Book applied to interpretive events anyway - for that, I always check the specific competition announcement.

I competed in a unitard for my showcase at three competitions this year. All were USFS, Preliminary level. Nothing was said about my unitard and it even had a tail! Given that I medaled at both competitions, I don't think I was given any deductions. I'm planning to wear it at least two more times.

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Working on:
NOVICE! MIF
Juvenile FS
Bronze Dances

GK used to make the most awesome two color unitard. I might have gotten it for younger DD. Will take a look for you. Even if you didn't want it for competition, you could wear it for practice to get used to the feel.

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Yes, we ladies are actually freer than the men when it comes to costumes in the technical programs. Men must wear "pants" or "trousers", i.e., NOT tights or unitards. They can be stretchy and form-fitting, but they still need to look like they have actual pant legs (I think that's why Moves Guru got a deduction). And I agree with Clarice that those rules don't normally apply to interpretive. I think the interpretive costume rules are limited to what is published in the competition announcement.

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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

Which looking thru last year's AN's announcement, doesn't say anything about it... so in that case, I'll have to go with what's in the USFSA rulebook. And thinking about it, I remembered Beccapoo's costume with her "Streaker" interp. I think it's a unitard too if I remembered right.

I guess it's time for me to venture into the unknowns of "non-skating dress/skirt" costumes, then!!!

Thank you for the replies!!!

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Well, if Bebe Liang can wear a unitard in her SP at her Grand Prix events this year, it's got to be OK (I liked it, too!). Also, several skaters in Adult Gold and Masters wore pants or unitards for their technical programs at AN this year. I know Amy Entwhistle did, and she medaled in Champ. Masters.

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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

Sadly, I don't skate anywhere as beautifully as any of these ladies do. Certainly NOT Bebe or Amy!!! But I got the point and will start looking for unitards!!!

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

If you stop competing in dresses, how will I be able to blackmail you??

For an interp, there ARE no USFSA rules. You go by whatever is on the announcement.

That's the point!!! Besides, there's enough pictures of me in skating dresses out there and just about a good majority of the people on this board has seen me in a skating dress LIVE at AN, Sectionals in 2006 or Skate San Francisco!!!

Sorry to put your money making scheme to an end!!!

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

But Jazzpants, you looked REALLY good in your dresses this year! So all I have to say is you're REALLY brave to go for the unitard costume.

Personally, I kind of like having that extra fabric waving around my mid-section to distract from my thicker waistline.

Now you're going to HAVE to stay in your current-great-shape to look equally wonderful in a unitard! Of course, with all the speed drills your coaches are currently putting you through, that probably won't be a problem!

Your other option is to go with the "butt cape" with the unitard if you aren't comfortable showing it off completely.

Or go with an overdress, as in this case!!!



You'd be surprised!!! It's not just the exercises, but the diet too. I really have to watch my eating carefully now to make sure I'm staying the course. I am not exactly well endowed on the top so I have to make up for it thru undergarments. That said, I'm also cursed with a tummy that won't go down unless I actually go under the goal weight, which my dietitian would not approve of.

(I'm aiming more of a look similar to Bebe Liang in your short program this year actually...both the outfit and the figure!)

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

I'm willing to bet the incentive of competing in a unitard helps with that, doesn't it?

Well, incentive is one thing. Reality is another.

Right now I'm walking a tight rope between gaining so much weight that I can see the pooch and losing so much weight that I lose muscle (which is NOT what I want to do.) Right now I'm gaining both muscle AND fat. So now I have to adjust it to losing fat but still maintain muscle. Not an easy thing to do since a lot of foods high in protein has a lot of fats in the food.

For what it's worth, I've been reaffirmed (by my trainers) that, in a way, I can't entirely get rid of the pooch... and no way I can keep the paunch down and not lose the boobs too. That said, I'm doing my best with maintaining my new figure!!!

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

jazzpants, keep working at it and soon the pooch will go away!!!

As for ISI, it depends if you are doing an artistic program or freestyle. I don't recall any specific rule against unitards in either but I don't have my ISI rulebook handy. I know that your costume should complement your skating and your program.

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

For our (dorky disco) program for our club show, we wore pants and a funky top (well, the one guy just wore a white top). Said funky top covered the pooch and hips well (as well as can be expected on a woman who is better padded than she ought to be!!). I'll PM you another picture. Hell, you can HAVE the top. I doubt I'll ever wear it again (it has little sparklies all over it).

splitzville!

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"Go wash an elephant if you wanna do something big." -Baby Gramps