I've had the opposite experience. The oldest pre juv group at competitons around here is always teens about 15-19 (and there have been skaters as old as 21 in open juv). I've registered for competitions where no one signed up for adult silver, and the ref gave me the option of a refund, skate an exhibition, or compete in either pre-juv or skate up in open juv. I know a lot of the kids usually in both of those groups, am friends with the coaches (my coach works with some of them) and know a lot of the parents, none of them would really care if there were no other options for me to compete. I'd do fine in pre-juv even without the axel because of my skating skills, but would get killed in open juv because these kids are doing doubles and I don't even have a clean axel. My coach actually wants me to do some local competitions just because he doesn't go with me to adult competitions, and therefore has never seen me compete and doesn't know how I am under pressure in a competition situation (and knowing that would help him prepare me for competitions without him, although I've done fine on my own so far). Last year I just withdrew and took the refund since the competition was the week before ANs and I was busy getting packed/ready for that, but I'll probably do it this year since I'll have to sit out two earlier competitions d/t injury.

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

There were requirements for test level for team events at Buckeye, though.

Competing ISI is nice, your coach is the one that tests you, and each Freestyle level has restrictions and mandated footwork sequences. Artistic is freer, and you have less restrictions.
You could also call it "Exhibition Class" where everyone skates their best program. No restrictions or anything. I think something like that would really catch on, provide everyone understood any judging criteria (presentation, artistic interpretation, quality of skating, etc instead of racking up points for difficult jumps).

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

That would work. A no restriction event......Of course, the judges would have no idea how to score it. Under the new system (points) of course, you'd get more credit for the higher level jumps/spins provided they were well done (otherwise negative GOEs)...Think it would work.....

Even if it was only an exhibition with NO WINNER,that would be cool by me. At least I could do a program without being forced to single all my jumps and change all my spins.....Problem is ideally there would be no test requirement to enter and I think THAT would be the big barrier. (Ice likes to divide by test levels.) But if it were only an exhibition with NO WINNER....um...Interesting.....
Think there is something like this at Lake Placid at the end of adult week, right? It is not a competition. Just an exhibition. Right? (Was going to try to put together a program for it.) Don't need to have tests and no restrictions on jumps/spins. Now, something like this would work....

I really am planning to put together some sort of proposal for when I go to Lake Placid in August. Don't know much about this stuff. Probably won't be anyone there to pitch to, but at least I can get addresses and maybe find some adults and possibly coaches/officials who agree/are sympathetic with me. Maybe take it from there. Still like the idea of a GOLD OPEN catagory. All legal moves allowed. Open to anyone who passed Adult Gold Freestyle and above. (So any level over Adult Silver could compete.) No insult intended to Silver Skaters, but ice is crazy about their test requirements. They will want some sort of requirement. (Sigh.)

It could be scored based on audience applause, like some shows you see.

A totally exhibition skate would be fun! Especially if they dimmed the lights and gave you "atmosphere" with spotlights and the like!

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

Oh........Nice!!! Me likey, likey!!! Never skated in spotlight. But would like to try...... Also, heard that you can't see the audience that way. (So it might fix nerves)..... I like it!!!

There are positives and negatives to skating in the spotlight
Positives:
-you can't really see the audience, depending on how much ambient light there is
-it forces you to focus on presentation, which is 90% of show routines in the spotlight (showy stuff can cover for many mistakes)
-because the spot focuses on such a small part of the rink (you) it's hard to tell (sometimes) how slow/fast the skater is going, which can be mostly good, in my opinion
Negatives:
-it's hard to see if you get blinded by the spot and you can take a fall if you are used to looking down when you land (haha this would be a good way to cure some people of this bad habit
-sometimes you can't see the wall until you are on top of it
-spots make it hard to see the hockey dots and lines, you can lose where you are in the rink if you are not careful
-you are the only one out there and the spot emphasizes it

I do show skating, and have skated in only spots and spots with some ambient lights....I prefer the latter, as I need a little background light to help with my depth perception. My rink has turned off most of the lights during lightly attended freestyles and public skates, it's almost like show skating! All-in-all, I believe it's a good experience for any skater to try.

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

This is an interesting conversation. If you have suggestions for the adult skating committee, please feel free to contact me.

There are no guarantees that a new idea will be accepted into the adult skating structure, but all ideas are welcome.


~ Lexi Rohner
Chair, Adult Skating Committee

Thank You!! Thank you!! I will definitely be in touch!!!

This board has been really polite. Thanks for that!!! Appreciate it!! Like this forum a lot!!! Posters very nice!!

As I said, I see the point of testing, and am willing to test if that is what ice wants. But there seems to be no way for me to compete (at my "best") without first testing relatively "high" in moves (standard Intermediate or beyond). Maybe some sort of compromise....Allowed to do an "open" event but only for 2years, then must move to "regular" adult events (or something like that.) So the moves can "catch up." I'd be willing to work on the tests, then and, I think, so would the few others I have found. (Can't speak for them, but think so.)

Why don't you contact "Burton Powley"? He actually competed in roller skating as a child & (if I remember correctly) actually won a world title in it. He competes in figure skating as an adult & has won at Adult Nationals a few times. He's a real showman, good guy & coaches ice skating as well. If you google him, he comes right up in facebook (as well as in other areas since he is the President of Capital Ice academy in Iowa).

Actually, I did contact him once a few years ago when I first tried ice. He was very nice and polite. But he seems very "into" the ice system. (Especially as he is now a coach.) He took the tests, himself. From what I know of him, I doubt he will agree with me. Willl probably lecture me and tell me to stop whining and just take the tests......

Just go have fun skating, Pandora. Hang out here and let us know about your progress in transitioning from roller to ice skating.

Try one of the many options others have offered, such as show skating or ISI.

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If you passed your pre-pre FM & FS test in USFSA, you could compete "up" to Preliminary open events which allows 2 doubles + axel. You'll be competing with the kids, but heck, then you don't have to test a lot in order to try your hand at competition. If you pass through prelim FM/FS, you will be able to compete open pre-juv which is up to 4 doubles + axel (program length is 2:20). That might be able to tide you over until you figure out where you want to be in skating.

Something else you could do & it doesn't require a test in order to do it: compete in a compulsory team FS event. This is where you have 4 skaters, each does one element (no programs, no music). The only thing that determines the "level" of the group is the highest level of any skater. The rest of the skaters can be basic level for all they care. And it's great fun since it is more relaxed than regular competition. And 2 of the elements are usually jump-related (combo + solo jump) so you could do one of those.

Another thing you can do? Call up a skating judge or two & have them come out for a critique of your program with the jumps in it. Your figure skating club & coach can arrange something like this so you can get feedback on your program. You don't pay the judges, but maybe provide a gift for the judges for their time (judges are volunteers).

Just some suggestions.

He's honestly the best resource I know in terms of transitioning from roller to ice. Sorry, I don't know anyone else.

Have you come out to an adult competition before just to watch? Adult Sectionals or Adult Nats would be great because then you can see a lot more of how the levels/age groups play out. I don't know where you live, but this year's Midwestern sectionals (Mar. '10) is in Indiana & Adult Nats (April '10) is in Minnesota.

What movest tests have you actually tried and passed?? You say you're too closed hipped for choctaws and that's one of your excuses. Well guess what? There are no choctaws until junior. That's the 6th out of 8 tests on the standard track. And if the rest of the test is strong, you can get by with a flatter choctaw pattern and still pass. It's higher than any adult moves test. If you're a good jumper, and you can get through standard juvenile or adult gold moves, you can do double sals and double toes in gold. It's not like you need senior moves before you can do more difficult jumps.

I've known people who have spent YEARS working on the same test and failed it many times before they finally passed. (I have one dance I failed 4 times before I finally passed because I always choked on the solo.) Tests aren't supposed to be something easy you can just go out and pass right away the first time with little work.

Smaller competitions usually already lump all skaters over gold together into one category because there aren't enough to split off intermediate/novice and junior/senior (at least that's what they did last season at a few competitions I went to). Skaters with gold free can skate up. Still, someone with weak skating skills but good jumps would probably get killed in that group. A skater like Amy Entwistle doesn't have to jump in order to wow a crowd, most of us could sit and watch her do footwork all day.

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

OMG, I love watching Amy Entwistle skate. She's amazing. I just looked for a performance of hers on youtube, but unfortunately she's not on there.

/end threadjack. Back to our regular scheduled thread! LOL.

I wouldn't say he's a great fan of the system, but he knows that if he wants to compete, he has to take the tests.

He does, however, have students working on doubles with no MITF tests. They'll have to start working on them soon.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Not if I get my event.
Maybe I will contact Burton after all. (Wonder if he is on this board. Might be....)

I wouldn't count on you getting your event. Get a coach, learn the lower level moves and try to test.

I agree it is a long shot. Have chosen to devote myself to jumps and not moves, (only have so much time. Can't do it all. Must choose.) So if no Open Event, then I will not be competiting in USFS, so there is no need to test..... Might look into ISI... Also things that don't need tests. Christmas Shows etc.

All our time on the ice is limited, it doesn't mean that you can't take say 5mins out a session to practice moves. I use moves as a warmup before going into the jumps. Makes me do them and gets the knees bending (I also like them). 5mins every time and you can easily gets edges and turns up to test standard. Still doesn't mean that you're not devoting yourself to jumps, but it helps broaden your skills. Jumps from difficult entries to me have a bigger wow factor than those which you can see coming from the other end of the rink.

What a great idea!

I suppose bubble wrap is lighter and cheaper than [computer] mouse pads, but less flexible and durable...

Bubble wrap has a very classy aura. Like duct tape.

Ooh. Create the next fashion wave: bubble wrap duct taped to the outside of your tights...

Love your jumps and spins. Didn't realize roller skates could spin so well.

Shows and ice theater are so much classier than formal competitions. Fitting in as many jumps per minute as you can to get the points, messing up half of of them, while doing the required moves, is much more repetitive, less artistic and less interesting. Letting people show off the tricks they want is a healthy return to the proper origins of figure skating.

Would it be fun to get together with a bunch of other classy skaters, and choreograph and custume your own ice theater show?

Sugar plum fairies in purple bubble wrap?

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Mitch Grunes ModifyingBoots FallingGently HomePage

Pandora-
Even if you were able to get an event where you could jump at an advanced level without passing any MITF and would only be judged on jumps, you would most likely score very low against skaters who could do equivalent jumps but had deep solid edges and better form.

Usually it's the little jumping beans who have to be convinced that Moves makes your jumps better!! I know one other adult jumping bean (hi Tim!!) but his edges are fantastic and he just passed Adult Gold Moves. Everything has gotten better in my eyes because of his work on moves.

I say this because why bother competing unless you want to judge yourself against others, and if you do, you would probably continue to place fairly low if your basic skating skills aren't good.

But I wish you luck in whatever you end up doing, and have fun no matter what!

I want a bubble wrap skating dress. Lots and lots of soft cushy bubbles.

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It's all about the dress!

Laugh all you want. I am a jumping bean and I am NOT hurt. In fact, I have NEVER had a serious injury. I see injury threads on these boards all the time. I was just trying to help. So go on laughing ......So am I......