U.S. FS launches Solo Dance

[Aussie Willy]

From a club side where you are trying to promote the sport to a whole range of people, having the solo dance events will help keep skaters in competition whereas they may have left the sport due to a lack of a partner. Those skaters also provide an income stream for the coaches who can still teach them the skills and technique.

You know, a beautiful skater is a beautiful skater, no matter what discipline they are doing. I attended a solo roller competition and there was one girl who just had it. My first thought was she should have been on the ice.

When you have the roller sports who have really developed the solo dance culture compared to the ice side of things, it probably isn't surprising of the number of roller skaters doing solo dance as opposed to ice dance. We still have this thing in ice skating that ice dancing is not dancing unless it is with a partner.

[Ozzisk8tr]

Roller has the great issue of not very many men trying to break into coupled dance (I was just discussing this with someone yesterday, because I sort of want to do coupled dance [since I LOVE ice dance!], but I love freestyle, and the lack of coupling opportunities tips the scale in favor of freestyle). There isn't really that kind of issue in elite ice dance, though.

I don't really mind; I think solo ice dance might be fun!

Actually roller has the issue of not many men period. When youngsters start skating majority of them are pushed into every discipline for the first few years or so. Solo dance was specifically started because of the lack of male partners. The issue they are having now with men deciding to skate solo dance as opposed to with a partner was a problem they did not see coming and are still trying to work out what to do.

[Mafke]

Actually roller has the issue of not many men period. ...Solo dance was specifically started because of the lack of male partners. The issue they are having now with men deciding to skate solo dance as opposed to with a partner was a problem they did not see coming and are still trying to work out what to do.

hmmmmmm why could that be? Why might many male dance skaters not want to be in close physical contact with a pretty female skater? I wonder....

[AlexDSSF]

What are the chances of solo dancing becoming part of international figure skating in the future?

[Aussie Willy]

What are the chances of solo dancing becoming part of international figure skating in the future?

I don't see it having a role in a world championship (if that is what you are asking). Although there is nothing stopping it having international type events where you could get competitors from multiple countries competing.

[victoriaheidi]

hmmmmmm why could that be? Why might many male dance skaters not want to be in close physical contact with a pretty female skater? I wonder....

Imo, roller's biggest issue is that it doesn't lead to the Olympics. I can't say why I think it gets in the way, but it's not that expensive (as sports go) and you can basically try it anywhere (backyard, street, etc.). Why else would guys rather be figure skaters?

And, for that matter, I can't figure out why roller sports (hockey, speed or any form of artistic/figures) haven't been added to the Summer Olympics.

[Ozzisk8tr]

Imo, roller's biggest issue is that it doesn't lead to the Olympics. I can't say why I think it gets in the way, but it's not that expensive (as sports go) and you can basically try it anywhere (backyard, street, etc.). Why else would guys rather be figure skaters?

And, for that matter, I can't figure out why roller sports (hockey, speed or any form of artistic/figures) haven't been added to the Summer Olympics.

I 100% agree that not being in the Olympics is roller's biggest problem. However, there were no ice rinks (or coaches) where I was growing up so what choice did I have? Abut roller not being expensive, my boots plates wheels and bearings are worth close to 1500 dollars. Skaters often have three pairs of skates (figures, dance, free) and they last about the same as an ice skate. Not to mention you need to buy numerous sets of wheels thourghout the year and they run around $150 a set. Lessons are about $50 per hour fr an average coach, costutmes are the same price as Ice. Basically Ice or Roller figure skating is extremely expensive. Roller Sports have been trying desperately to get into the summer Olympics for years. We got down to the final four last time but missed out again. Speed and Hockey would get in before Artistic, basically because artistic is based on opinion as opposed to first over the line. The argument of "look what happens with judging and results of figure skating in the winter Olympics" has been mentioned often by the Olympic comittee to FIRS (Federation of International Roller Sports).
Don't get me wrong, we know we are the ugly sister relegated to the corner. In some ways we are further ahead than ice, in other ways we lag behind.

[victoriaheidi]

I 100% agree that not being in the Olympics is roller's biggest problem. However, there were no ice rinks (or coaches) where I was growing up so what choice did I have? Abut roller not being expensive, my boots plates wheels and bearings are worth close to 1500 dollars. Skaters often have three pairs of skates (figures, dance, free) and they last about the same as an ice skate. Not to mention you need to buy numerous sets of wheels thourghout the year and they run around $150 a set. Lessons are about $50 per hour fr an average coach, costutmes are the same price as Ice. Basically Ice or Roller figure skating is extremely expensive. Roller Sports have been trying desperately to get into the summer Olympics for years. We got down to the final four last time but missed out again. Speed and Hockey would get in before Artistic, basically because artistic is based on opinion as opposed to first over the line. The argument of "look what happens with judging and results of figure skating in the winter Olympics" has been mentioned often by the Olympic comittee to FIRS (Federation of International Roller Sports).
Don't get me wrong, we know we are the ugly sister relegated to the corner. In some ways we are further ahead than ice, in other ways we lag behind.

I've done some roller skating, but never competitively (I don't live close enough to a rink to commit to a regular training schedule). While I love ice, I really love roller (not so keen on inlines, though) and wish there were more competitive opportunities for roller skaters.

I also don't know where I got the cheaper thing from; I feel like someone may have thrown that out when I was just getting started in roller skating (but the cost of gas to and from the rink would have killed it, anyway).

[Ozzisk8tr]

I've done some roller skating, but never competitively (I don't live close enough to a rink to commit to a regular training schedule). While I love ice, I really love roller (not so keen on inlines, though) and wish there were more competitive opportunities for roller skaters.

I also don't know where I got the cheaper thing from; I feel like someone may have thrown that out when I was just getting started in roller skating (but the cost of gas to and from the rink would have killed it, anyway).

Totally agree about inlines. They are a gimmick thing that I feel the world roller body introduced to try and build the sport and cash in (not negatively) on the inline skate craze that was sweeping the world at the time. What I've found is that the parents aren't prepared to commit the money and time to something that isn't an Olympic sport. Not all the time obviously but we've lost some really talented people because of this. In Europe (Especially Spain and Italy) Artistic roller skating is huge. At world level roller has solo dance which has been discussed in another thread, but they also have this amazing event called showgroups. It's sort of like synchro but it's completely show based. They actually say in the rules to avoid synchro tricks, I didn't think much of this event until I saw it and it's now my favourite event at worlds. Talk about being voidy!!! This is the recent World Championship Showgroup winners from Spain. They were water pipes, or something...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5vI_...eature=related

[gkelly]

they also have this amazing event called showgroups. It's sort of like synchro but it's completely show based. They actually say in the rules to avoid synchro tricks, I didn't think much of this event until I saw it and it's now my favourite event at worlds. Talk about being voidy!!! This is the recent World Championship Showgroup winners from Spain. They were water pipes, or something...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5vI_...eature=related

Cool.

What would constitute "synchro tricks"?

I can't imagine Showgroups (on ice or roller), or Theatre on Ice, ever being admitted to the Olympics if choreography is always more important than technical content.

That does make it more enjoyable for audiences though.

[allezfred]

But if she made a mistake, she would have no one to give the Stare o'Death to...

I think the only mistake I've ever seen Skary Babs make was picking Maurizio as a partner.

[Dramahkween]

I kind of like this idea, and I wish it was around back when I was a lonely dancer looking for a partner! If I had something like this, I wouldn't have retired....It reminds me of some of the very early dance tests like the Pre-preliminary through Pre-Bronze levels.

[victoriaheidi]

Totally agree about inlines. They are a gimmick thing that I feel the world roller body introduced to try and build the sport and cash in (not negatively) on the inline skate craze that was sweeping the world at the time. What I've found is that the parents aren't prepared to commit the money and time to something that isn't an Olympic sport. Not all the time obviously but we've lost some really talented people because of this. In Europe (Especially Spain and Italy) Artistic roller skating is huge.

Yeah, no need to convince me about inlines.

I spoke about "pattinaggio rollare" in my Italian class, and my teacher was very excited because roller skating is a big deal in Italy.

Kind of a shame that parents feel that way, though, because roller sports are great exercise and a ton of fun (not to mention, so few people make the Olympics).

[DORISPULASKI]

And if you reach that level in roller, you can convert to ice:
O'Connor & Millns
Tara Lipinski
Caydee Denney
Also weren't their an Italian pair who had been world champions in roller who tried ice skating in this last quad?

[Aussie Willy]

^ Yes there was and they have been talked about alot on this forum. I really liked them. However I can't remember their name at the moment.

Also I think in the 80s a lot of German skaters did both.

[beepbeep]

And if you reach that level in roller, you can convert to ice:
O'Connor & Millns
Tara Lipinski
Caydee Denney
Also weren't their an Italian pair who had been world champions in roller who tried ice skating in this last quad?

Marika Zanforglin/Frederico Degli-Espositi.
They're awsome.

And there's Matteo Guarise (I think it's him, can't remember well), also a pair skater, that took it to the ice last year.

[DORISPULASKI]

Didn't Marina Kielmann do both?

[Ozzisk8tr]

Didn't Marina Kielmann do both?

Yes. There are a few who have made the transition.

[Lacey]

And if you reach that level in roller, you can convert to ice:

Caydee Denney

Not sure I knew this, interesting.

[victoriaheidi]

Not sure I knew this, interesting.

I know Caydee Denney did make the transition, but I didn't know that she was a major competitor. I did know, however, that both of her parents were world-class roller skaters.