Say,somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. But if I'm right that the Senior level is the highest you go in Freestyle,Pairs,etc. Were do you move up to from there? Or do you?

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FSWer

You're correct. Senior is the highest level. You don't move up to a higher level from there.

Some skaters "retire," so to say, or begin a coaching career. I know a few who even went on to tour with Disney on Ice, for instance.

Just because a skater passes their senior freestyle, MIF, etc. doesn't necessarily mark the end of the road. There are so many opportunities that skating continues to offer. For example, you could continue to skate for fun or pursue different disciplines within the sport (synchro, dance, pairs, etc.), coach, choreograph, become a show skater, official, or judge, etc.

Or continue working at the Senior level to become an elite skater.

What is the difference between Senior and Elite? Or is Elite just another word for offically famous? BTW. after Senior you just work to improve your Skating...right?

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FSWer

Pretty much- Elite just means the best of the best. All senior skaters are great, but there are some, the ones who go to the Olympics, Worlds etc who are better than the rest- those are Elite.

After Senior tests you do work to improve your skating. You can also work for more difficult jumps and spins that aren't on the senior test. The senior test doesn't cover all the hardest moves- so there is always more to work on.

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So basicly...the best the best level skater can get,right?

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FSWer

To be "elite" means to be the best, but you could theoretically apply it to many different levels. A skater could be an elite Junior or an elite Novice, for instance. So, since Senior is the highest level, I guess you could say that an elite Senior is the best a skater can get. Even they keep trying to be even better than they are, though.

So the best you can get being at any level,right?

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FSWer

You do not need triple jumps to pass Senior FS, so there is always that to work for, if you don't have them yet. Elite skaters have triples. In fact, triples become almost necessary in qualifying competition at Novice level. This year's US Novice Ladies bronze medalist, Felicia Zhang, made it without any triples, playing it safe and skating a clean program. The gold and silver medalists both landed triples. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong about that.)

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Secundy the US novice champ is solid through 3 flip. Novice, jr, sr are the 'elite" levels in the US. Skaters in the top 4 nationally would easily be viewed by many as elite. The sr free skate only requires through 2 lutz.

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Yes, sort of. The dictionary definition of elite is "the best", but when we're talking about skating there really isn't an official definition, where we could say Skater A meets the criteria for being an elite skater, but Skater B doesn't. We don't seem to use the word for skaters below the Novice level, as has been mentioned by others. Nobody talks about an "elite preliminary" skater, for instance. Having triple jumps seems to be one criteria for being called an elite skater, at least for singles. Perhaps being assigned to international competitions might be another, since ice dancers obviously wouldn't be doing those triple jumps.

I doubt there is an official definition for "elite skater", but it seems a skater who competes at nationals for his/her country could be considered elite. All of the skaters at international competitions are certainly elite.

Kay

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BTW. when we talk about NEEDING curtain jumps,etc. in Senior. Do we mean by RULES or by just what is expected?

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FSWer

When you say you need certain jumps to pass the freestyle test- you must do the jumps or you will not pass to become a senior skater. So a double lutz is a requirement. (The requirements for the senior freeskate test can be found here: http://www.usfsa.org/content/JP_FS-Senior%20Free.pdf )

When you say you "need" the jumps to win at competition (triples) it's expected- meaning if you don't have the jumps you won't be able to get enough points to beat the other competitors- but they are not required. Perhaps if everyone else had a really bad day, you could win doing only double jumps- but it's not likely that would ever happen at the senior level

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And in between would be the minimum jump content needed to meet the short program required elements at each level. Those are always more than the minimum required on the test and less than what the medal contenders at those levels are attempting.