Solo Ice Dance is now an official ISU discipline

[VGThuy]

I want to see head-to-head match ups.

Pasha v. Evgeny… Pasha v. Maya… Pasha v. Sasha

Emily Samuelson v. Madison Chock…

Madison Hubbell v. Zach Donohue

Barbara Fusar-Poli v. Marina Anissina v. Ilia Averbukh

Maia Shib. v. Alex Shib.

Tessa v. Tessa’s sister

Scott Moir v. The world.

Marina Zoueva v. Igor Shpilband

 

[kwanfan1818]

Bracketed eliminations!

 

[On My Own]

I want to see head-to-head match ups.

Pasha v. Evgeny… Pasha v. Maya… Pasha v. Sasha

Emily Samuelson v. Madison Chock…

Madison Hubbell v. Zach Donohue

Barbara Fusar-Poli v. Marina Anissina v. Ilia Averbukh

Maia Shib. v. Alex Shib.

Tessa v. Tessa’s sister

Scott Moir v. The world.

Marina Zoueva v. Igor Shpilband

Eteri v. TAT v. Putin

 

[VGThuy]

Bracketed eliminations!

What if they can do tag team? It’s not quite solo but it’s not quite classic partnered ice dance either.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I had to look that up,

About tags, Wikipedia says, “As the ultimate authority over the match, a referee may overlook any of these at his discretion, and during the frenzied action, often will be more lenient with them.”

That’s right up the ISU’s alley.

The feud aspect of this could be spectacular.

 

[skateguy776]

The Skating Lesson on YouTube just posted 2021 and 2023 US Senior Champion Brooke Tufts new Paula Abdul Rhythm Dance. 2022 Champion and 2023 National Silver Medalist Lucas Appel has kept his programs a secret but rumored he is at least using 3 songs for his program. Excited to see what he is doing for his RD! Excited for these two to go head to head now on the international circuit!

 

[Mell]

Nice that there´s a category for everybody. Now the Malinina-Skorniakov fam can have two champions ?

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting here from the U.S. Ice Dance thread in GSD & Solo Ice Dance thread in the Moves In the Field forum - Solo Dance is part of the 2nd Interclub Maria Olszewska Memorial 2024 in Łódź, Poland this week - refer to page 9 of the Interclub Announcement: https://www.isu.org/docman-document...iaolsmemorial2024-announcement-interclub/file

... Lucas Appel of the USA is the first Solo Dancer to represent the country internationally at competition. He scored 68.66 points at the Łódź, Poland international today. Great representation from the USA. Also strong outings from countries like Poland, Spain, and Thailand. (Also I believe Elizabeth Abbasi in Junior representing Thailand is the countries first ever ice dancer to compete internationally)

ETA (re-posting this excerpt from the 2024 Maria Olszewska Memorial competition thread in the Kiss & Cry section):

... – For the second time in history, the Solo Dance competition appears in the competition program – says Jolanta Baryła, president of the Municipal Skating Club in Łódź. – This is a competition aimed at individual competitors who love dancing, and not necessarily technical elements. Last year, we were the first in the world to introduce it at international competitions. The competition itself is gaining popularity, as evidenced by the list of event participants. A total of competitors from 23 countries will appear at the event, including Mexico, Thailand, Argentina, Korea and the United States, she adds.[/I]

Solo Dance results page:

2nd Maria Olszewska Memorial 2024 - Solo Dance

Event results for 2nd Maria Olszewska Memorial 2024 - Solo Dance

pzlf-wyniki.pl

The first 2 ISU Internationals for Solo Dance are listed now on the ISU's Solo Ice Dance info page: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/events/solo-ice-dance

2024 Helsinki Solo Ice Dance International, April 6-7, 2024: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/...solo-ice-dance-international?templateParam=11

2024 Washington Picken Solo Ice Dance International, April 25-28 in Reston, Virginia: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/...solo-ice-dance-international?templateParam=11

 

[Winnipeg]

Great idea!

 

[Yuri]

I want to see head-to-head match ups.

Pasha v. Evgeny… Pasha v. Maya… Pasha v. Sasha

I don't think that we will ever see THESE head-to-head match ups, but I hope that you will settle for Evgeny Platov beginning to coach solo ice dancers--female and male--and travel to competitions to support them. He's told me he really enjoys coaching solo dancers! All competitors for compulsory dances must perform the female dance pattern steps to make it a level playing field.

 

[caseyedwards]

Have to learn the elements!
Like Ina Bauer element!

 

[Simone411]

For anyone interested, I had found this Solo Dance Schedule & Results from IceDance.com and added it to my skating directory. I fell in love with Solo Dance a few years back, and I'm so happy that it's now an official discipline.

Solo Dance Schedule & Results – Ice-dance.com

www.ice-dance.com

 

[Simone411]

I was looking on my skating directory and I forgot that I had this from U.S. Figure Skating. There's a lot of info there including a pdf file for the 2024 Solo Dance handbook, a pdf file for the list of changes to the 2024 Solo Dance handbook, plus list for the Solo Dance Competitions, a 2024 Solo Dance GOE chart, Solo Dance Timing chart and the 2024 Solo Dance Official's Manual.

https://www.usfigureskating.org/skate/skating-opportunities/solo-dance

 

[Sylvia]

… Solo Dance is part of the 2nd Interclub Maria Olszewska Memorial 2024 in Łódź, Poland

Lucas Appel won the Senior Solo Ice Dance event (175.64) in Poland and uploaded both programs to his YT channel - results page: https://pzlf-wyniki.pl/2324/2MOMSD/
Rhythm Dance (68.66): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvJNr8E4gZY
Free Dance (106.98): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HSSTaXldGA

 

[skateguy776]

Thanks for posting! Really enjoyed his new programs this year! Also side note Lucas takes with Marina Zoueva in Florida… if Igor Shiplband ever acquires a top Senior Solo Dancer in the next few seasons, this could be an interesting battle between the coaching teams due to their history!

 

[Yyzskater]

Does anyone know if Skate Canada will be including solo dance in their competitions next year? Or will solo dance skaters need to travel out of country to compete?

 

[Sylvia]

Lucas Appel has made his 2nd appearance on This Week in Skating's podcast (April 2, 2024):

This Week in Skating Podcast

Listen to This Week in Skating Podcast on RedCircle

redcircle.com

Daphne and Gina were joined by 2022 U.S. Solo Dance National Champion Lucas Appel, who recently competed in his first international competition in March. He won gold at the Maria Olszewska Memorial in Lodz, Poland. It was the first time a U.S. skater has competed internationally in solo dance.

Appel says he plans to compete in the first ISU competition in the U.S. at the end of this month - Washington Picken Solo Ice Dance International, April 25-28 in Reston, Virginia.

The first ISU Solo Ice Dance international is this weekend, April 6-7, in Helsinki - ISU's event page: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/...solo-ice-dance-international?templateParam=11
Finnish organizer’s info page (“… also serves as National Finals for the Finnish Solo Ice Dance categories”): https://hl.fi/tapahtumat/kilpailut/...ns/helsinki-solo-ice-dance-international-2024

 

[overedge]

Does anyone know if Skate Canada will be including solo dance in their competitions next year? Or will solo dance skaters need to travel out of country to compete?

I think it's up to each club or section that's holding a competition to decide what events to include. I don't think Nationals would have a solo dance category without qualifying competitions in the regions/sections.

If you want to compete in solo dance, let your club or section know. There may be other solo dancers who would compete if the opportunity was there.

 

[Nmsis]

I'm curious about the situation of solo ice dance in each country.

I'm not really knowledgeable in that matter but, in France, AFAIR ie as far as the record of the french ice-dance committee (and videos) go back ie 2005-2006, the Tournois de France (8 competitions nowadays, it was close to 10 a few years ago) have always had solo and pair ice dance, plus a national solo ice dance championship since 2008-2009 (it was called Coupe de France before that season).
Nowadays, the Tournois gather 224 solo ice dancers (and 46 couples).
And there is a serie of inter-regional competitions too.

I remember Karine Arribert in 2010-2011 (a season when Solène Mazingue was 2nd in the "niveau préparatoire" and Loïcia Demougeot novice solo champion) ranting after the FFSG for their lack of vision about solo ice dance and promoting it a lot.

 

[Debbie S]

The U.S. has had a National Solo Dance Series for about 13 years now, culminating in a national "final". Skaters register for the Series and then can register for up to 3 (I think?) comps on the list of participating comps. They earn points for placement in their event/level and are ranked among the other participants in their section (East, Midwest, Pacific), with the top 6 (I think) in each section per event/level qualifying for the national Final.

Comps are over the spring and summer (regular summer club comps that happen to be participating in the Series) and the Final is in Sept.

 

[Sylvia]

I'm curious about the situation of solo ice dance in each country.

It’s worth checking out this thread for (primarily) U.S. solo ice dance info and competition video links: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/solo-ice-dance.110267/#post-6360162

From Ice-Dance.com:

Solo Dance Hub – Ice-dance.com

www.ice-dance.com

 

[Sylvia]

The first ISU Solo Ice Dance international is this weekend, April 6-7, in Helsinki - ISU's event page: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/...solo-ice-dance-international?templateParam=11
Finnish organizer’s info page (“… also serves as National Finals for the Finnish Solo Ice Dance categories”): https://hl.fi/tapahtumat/kilpailut/...ns/helsinki-solo-ice-dance-international-2024

Starting orders/Results page: https://tsalonen.net/isucalc/HSIDI2024/

Solo Senior - Rhythm Dance Starting Order
StN. Name Nation
Warm-Up Group 1
1 Alana PANG / GBR
2 Angela MARTIN-MORA / ESP
3 Ella SUOLANEN / FIN
4 Julia ZAMORSKA / POL
5 Elena WHALLEY / GBR
Warm-Up Group 2
6 Kiah WHIELDON / GBR
7 Amy WORLD / GBR
8 Brooke TUFTS / USA
9 Abby PEACOCK / GBR
10 Natasha GRIFFIN / GBR
11 Jessica MARJOT / GBR

Livestream subscription info (14.99 EUR for both days/9.99 EUR for 1 day via SolidSport.com): https://skatingfinlandlive.fi/solo-ice-2024

 

[Bigbird]

Well any videos? Who were the winners?

 

[Sylvia]

Well any videos? Who were the winners?

You can look at the results page linked above? icedancekor on Twitter/X has shared some of the top Senior & Junior videos.

ETA:

Helsinki Solo Ice Dance International - Senior final:
Result
FPl. Name Nation Points RD FD
1 Brooke TUFTS / USA 178.21 1 1
2 Alana PANG / GBR 169.57 2 2
3 Natasha GRIFFIN / GBR 162.68 3 4
4 Jessica MARJOT / GBR 162.45 4 3
5 Amy WORLD / GBR 151.00 5 5
6 Abby PEACOCK / GBR 147.44 6 6
7 Kiah WHIELDON / GBR 140.60 7 7
8 Elena WHALLEY / GBR 135.46 8 8
9 Angela MARTIN-MORA / ESP 122.55 10 9
10 Julia ZAMORSKA / POL 114.16 9 10
11 Ella SUOLANEN / FIN 90.99 11 11

Tufts' RD: https://twitter.com/icedancekor/status/1776684590041559185
Tufts' FD: https://twitter.com/icedancekor/status/1776989082796593154

Pang's FD: https://twitter.com/icedancekor/status/1776989613229330700
Alana's reply: https://twitter.com/16alana8/status/1777023798518165743

Hi just so you know, my [FD] score was amended to 104 as the first edge element was incorrectly miscalled

ETA that Brooke posted 4 photos of the medal ceremony (the podium is shown in #2 & 3): https://www.instagram.com/p/C5eS6E0RctS/

 

[NinjaTurtles]

Well any videos? Who were the winners?

Senior winning RD: https://x.com/icedancekor/status/1776684590041559185?s=46

 

[Bigbird]

I wouldn’t want to see this in the Olympics. Keep the traditional four disciplines, please (M, W, Pairs, Dance). And get rid of the Team event. Back to tradition!

Please, I'd get rid of the team event and take on the solo discipline anytime, it's contrived and primarily favours the traditionally strong. We already have WTT. Time to see new talent.

 

[Karen-W]

Please, I'd get rid of the team event and take on the solo discipline anytime, it's contrived and primarily favours the traditionally strong. We already have WTT. Time to see new talent.

I wouldn't. Solo ice dance is less interesting than solo categories at regular dance competitions.

 

[barbk]

I wouldn’t want to see this in the Olympics. Keep the traditional four disciplines, please (M, W, Pairs, Dance). And get rid of the Team event. Back to tradition!

You do realize that "tradition" did not include ice dance at the Olympics, right?

 

[Frau Muller]

You do realize that "tradition" did not include ice dance at the Olympics, right?

Right. It was the newcomer.

It all changed for me when I saw this on TV in 1967 (Towler/Ford’s ZORBA):

World Ice Skating Dance Championship (1967)

Vienna, Austria.GV. Pan of Towler and Ford on the ice, performing during the world ice skating championship - they are the World Ice Skating Champions. They ...

www.youtube.com

 

[morqet]

I really enjoyed the programs I watched - its interesting to see how innovative the skaters can be in twizzle positions when they don't also have to worry about matching with a partner. Alana Pang particularly had fantastic choreo slide & twizzle elements.