Pre bronze programs

[DallasSkater]

Wondering if since pre bronze program says "no more than 3 jump combos" but unlimited single or half jumps...if that means to make sure you put 3 jump combos in the program. Would most people put all 3 to hit the limit? Just don't know what to expect. It is a USFSA event.

Just finished putting the choreography together but forgot that I read requirements. There are only two jump combos in my program and several single jumps...is a waltz toe tap waltz considered a combo? Will not see my coach again until next week. I have single toe loop and single salchows in it too. Information appreciated! Thanks.

[doubletoe]

Not all pre-bronze skaters are able to do jumps in combination, so if you can do two different jump combinations/sequences and do them well, go for it! :) You can do a salchow-toeloop combination in your program, even if you are already doing a toeloop and salchow by themselves.

A waltz-toe tap-waltz is not a combination, but it could be considered a sequence at PreBronze. At higher levels, only a sequence that starts and ends in a listed, full revolution jump would be considered a sequence. Examples of sequences would be:
* salchow-waltz-toeloop
* toeloop-waltz-toeloop
* toeloop-side toe tap-salchow (from LFO3)
* salchow-side toe tap-salchow (from LFO3)
* salchow-side toe tap-LFO3-RBO step down-toeloop
* toeloop-side toe tap-waltz-toeloop
* salchow-side toe tap-waltz-toeloop

[techskater]

Wondering if since pre bronze program says "no more than 3 jump combos" but unlimited single or half jumps...if that means to make sure you put 3 jump combos in the program. Would most people put all 3 to hit the limit? Just don't know what to expect. It is a USFSA event.

Prebronze events are hard ones to give that information on because there are many people who have skated with Bronze "test programs" at Prebronze which only requires a waltz jump-toe loop as a combo. Some people are "very" Prebronze where they have a harder time completing the elements solo as opposed to middle of the pack Prebronze or those preparing to test Bronze.

Do what you can do and do it well, and things will turn out OK.

[NickB]

Here's what I have in my pre-bronze program if it helps:

waltz jump-toe loop-side hop-salchow
1/2 lutz-toe loop sequence
loop
backspin
salchow-loop
footwork sequence into 1-foot spin (or maybe sit spin depending on how it's going)
waltz jump

We figured I might as well have 2 of each jump (singles plus waltz jump) in different configurations, since I can't do that many different jumps and there's no restrictios on the number of jumps that can be repeated at pre-bronze, but more than two of anything would be excessive (and as a judge, that's one of my pet peeves!). I also wanted to use all 3 combo/sequence opportunities in different ways. I could do up to 3 spins but since my spins aren't my strong point and only 2 are allowed at bronze, I figured it wasn't necessary to do 3 at this point. I was trying to think about it from the perspective of what I would want to see as a judge.

So my personal recommendation would be to go ahead and do 3 combinations or sequences if you can do them well, but I wouldn't turn a nice solo jump into an iffy combination just for the sake of having 3 combinations. Same with the spins. If you have 3 different spins you can do well, by all means put them in because it will give you the opportunity to demonstrate more variety. But if you don't have a third spin you can do well then I'd rather see a nice field move or something in place of a poor spin. You wouldn't get deducted for having only 2 combinations or 2 spins since that meets the requirements, but I'd put in as much as is allowed that you can do well (but not 5 loop jumps please! :lol: )

[DallasSkater]

Doubletoe: You are always such a great source of information. It was very helpful to have the examples provided! I have copied them down for discussion with my coach. Thanks!

Tech: Thanks! I had not even thought of how true it is that just because someone is at a level, there are major departures from where in that level they perform!

Nick: Awesome to see what you have in yours. That is definitely more than what is currently planned for mine. I cannot even do the loop yet or the back spin yet. I have just a one foot spin in mine right now. My coach would like to see if I can add a broken leg spin as I am close to being able to hold it long enough. Working on the back spin but not anywhere close enough. Thanks for sharing that! Just seems like 1:40 goes really quick. Hard to decide what to put in it and still feel confident that it does not just look like a bunch of jumps with no moves. I think that is particularly true for me since I am new to all of this. My coach wanted to make sure I had "foot work" and not just a bunch of cross overs as that is her peeve. I think it is a good idea. Since I have not even watched many of these types of competitions, I feel blind to everything. I have always watched elite skaters on TV but very few live real people ones!

All of this really helped. Thanks for taking the time to respond!