Solo Ice Dance

[Aussie Willy]

Just wondering if anyone else was aware that the ISU is going to bring in Solo Ice Dance as an official discipline with it's own set of rules and regulations.

I think this is a great move to give skaters further opportunities.

Roller sports have been doing it for years and is very popular.

 

[Sylvia]

2022 U.S. Solo Ice Dance Senior silver medalist Brooke Tufts posted excitedly about this in October: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj_lHGrLqnO/

ETA:

Solo Dance | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

Under NEW FOR NEXT SEASON - 2023 (first link of 3):

https://www.usfigureskating.org/sites/default/files/media-files/Hello%20Solo%20Dance%20Community%21.pdf

Hello Solo Dance Community!
While we were able to post the new 2023 handbook sooner than we did last year, we have recently made some pretty significant changes. This is due to the new ISU vote to include Solo Dance as a discipline for international competition that they will endorse. As one of the cochairs of the international rules committee, I have been lucky enough to get the new ISU rules transferred to our own rules to help make it easier for our skaters to one day take part in some of these events. As a result, this new version of the handbook has some important changes to take note of.

 

[myhoneyhoney]

I’m really excited about this!

It also gives me goals for my own skating. I’m not interested in learning jumps (I asked my coach for the harness when she told me it’s time for bunny hops). Learning solo ice dance and possibly competing in it would be a dream.

 

[Aussie Willy]

I’m really excited about this!

It also gives me goals for my own skating. I’m not interested in learning jumps (I asked my coach for the harness when she told me it’s time for bunny hops). Learning solo ice dance and possibly competing in it would be a dream.

I used to do solo dance here in competition. I really enjoyed it.

 

[taz'smum]

I used to do solo dance here in competition. I really enjoyed it.

Tiff started out in solo dance, as did Olivia Smart, Joe & Nick Buckland, Penny Coombs, Lilah Fear etc.
There are British, Scottish and Welsh solo dance championships in all age categories.
In 2007, Tiff competed in the Lake Placid solo dance competition.
In her first year in France, Tiff competed in the many solo dance competitions.
It was due to success in these competitions that Tiff managed to find her first partner.
Solo dance gave her great competitive experience before she even started skating with a partner.

 

[Aceon6]

Eva Pate also came through solo dance. That’s how Logan found her.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Tiff started out in solo dance, as did Olivia Smart, Joe & Nick Buckland, Penny Coombs, Lilah Fear etc.
There are British, Scottish and Welsh solo dance championships in all age categories.
In 2007, Tiff competed in the Lake Placid solo dance competition.
In her first year in France, Tiff competed in the many solo dance competitions.
It was due to success in these competitions that Tiff managed to find her first partner.
Solo dance gave her great competitive experience before she even started skating with a partner.

Which Tiff is that?

I know the UK has had solo dance for years. One of our coaches here used to compete in it as well as in couple's ice dance.

We have tried to get it happening in Australia and do have rules around it. But it is not treated with any degree of seriousness by officials, judges, coaches and skaters. It has been very frustrating for me because having done it I would have love to see more skaters use it as an option to participate and stay in the sport.

Now that the ISU has embraced it is just what we need to get it taken seriously by the skating community.

 

[parkence]

Which Tiff is that?

I know the UK has had solo dance for years. One of our coaches here used to compete in it as well as in couple's ice dance.

We have tried to get it happening in Australia and do have rules around it. But it is not treated with any degree of seriousness by officials, judges, coaches and skaters. It has been very frustrating for me because having done it I would have love to see more skaters use it as an option to participate and stay in the sport.

Now that the ISU has embraced it is just what we need to get it taken seriously by the skating community.

We have looked at solo dance in Australia but to be honest, the new dance testing pathways are a barrier, especially given the fact there is only the one competition (that I am aware of). Having the solo dance pathway completely separate to the competitive partnered dance pathway after Novice makes it difficult to practically use solo dance as a road toward partnered dance as well.

 

[Sylvia]

Which Tiff is that?

Zahorski.

Zagorski & Guerreiro share their journeys – Ice-dance.com

www.ice-dance.com

Anne Calder's article (August 2020):

Focus on Solo Dance: International Perspective – Ice-dance.com

www.ice-dance.com

 

[Aussie Willy]

Zahorski.

Zagorski & Guerreiro share their journeys – Ice-dance.com

www.ice-dance.com

Anne Calder's article (August 2020):

Focus on Solo Dance: International Perspective – Ice-dance.com

www.ice-dance.com

I became drinking buddies with Jonathon at Australian Nats this year

 

[taz'smum]

Which Tiff is that?

The Tasmanian Devil Tiffy TAZ...

 

[Icetalavista]

Question for you solo dancers - I assume the choreography is modified for moves like the one in the Golden Waltz where the man dips the woman? Or are we talking about solo FREE dance, not compulsories? Dancing the compulsories solo would be a great prep for dancing them partnered, or for dance in general. You learn balance and confidence and generating speed on your own.

 

[gkelly]

Question for you solo dancers - I assume the choreography is modified for moves like the one in the Golden Waltz where the man dips the woman? Or are we talking about solo FREE dance, not compulsories? Dancing the compulsories solo would be a great prep for dancing them partnered, or for dance in general. You learn balance and confidence and generating speed on your own.

US solo dance competitions can include pattern dances, variation dances (pattern dances in which the skater performs the set pattern followed by their own steps and same general shape of the pattern as the music continues), solo free dance (with "edge elements" in place of lifts), and rhythm dance at junior and senior levels (ditto).

There is also shadow dance for two skaters skating the same steps of the same pattern dance side by side.

Combined events juvenile, intermediate, and novice consist of one pattern dance and a free dance; for junior and senior a rhythm dance and free dance.

The pattern dance events that are not part of combined events separate "Gold" from "International" level.

According to the handbook

All pattern dances will use “Solo Dance Steps” for all competitors, so skaters are using the same steps. Please refer
to the pattern dance diagrams for the steps to be skated along with the number of sequences, Key Points, tempo
and time limits for Skater’s Choice skating time.

Male and female skaters compete against each other skating the same required steps of the pattern dances. Often the solo requirements use a mix of the men's and women's steps of the partnered dances.

I haven't been paying close attention to the dance selections over the years, but I don't think the Golden Waltz has ever been selected for the International pattern dances or as a pattern in a senior rhythm dance. If it were, I expect that the sections where the women's steps cannot be performed unassisted, the men's steps would be used instead. Or, since it's a once-around dance, if it were used in a rhythm dance, only part of the pattern would be used.

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

Solo dance is awesome.

It's also a great way to keep people in the sport.

 

[Bunny Hop]

I haven't been paying close attention to the dance selections over the years, but I don't think the Golden Waltz has ever been selected for the International pattern dances or as a pattern in a senior rhythm dance. If it were, I expect that the sections where the women's steps cannot be performed unassisted, the men's steps would be used instead. Or, since it's a once-around dance, if it were used in a rhythm dance, only part of the pattern would be used.

There was one notorious year where NISA in the UK selected Golden Waltz as a Solo Dance and just copied and pasted the requirements from the couples - i.e. no alteration in steps....

 

[skateguy776]

Well, as an avid fan of solo dance here in the states, I’ve complied a list of potential skaters that meet the ISP and Team USA requirements (unofficial, I just went off requirements posted for singles skaters and ice dance teams on USFSA page).


Based off 2022 Season and 2022 Nationals


This would be the ISP List

Emma Ambler
Lucas Appel
Shin Lei Case
Marius Driscoll
Mina Esfandari
Amal Israilova
Nicole Kirsanov
Elizabeth Lee
Anna Lewis
Sophie Lewis
Charlese Malalret
Abby Mirsky
Abby Mumby
Kiana Pan
Anugurha Pilia
Brooke Tufts
Miya Zamcho

 

[FSWer]

COOL!!! Is it going to be included in the TV. broadcast of Worlds and Nationals along with Singles, Pairs and couple Ice-Dancing?

 

[Aussie Willy]

COOL!!! Is it going to be included in the TV. broadcast of Worlds and Nationals along with Singles, Pairs and couple Ice-Dancing?

It is more about providing skaters more options for competition. But I haven't even seen any communications or documents about it yet. I only know that it is coming.

 

[FSWer]

It is more about providing skaters more options for competition. But I haven't even seen any communications or documents about it yet. I only know that it is coming.

Ok thanks.

 

[SherryL]

Question for you solo dancers - I assume the choreography is modified for moves like the one in the Golden Waltz where the man dips the woman? Or are we talking about solo FREE dance, not compulsories? Dancing the compulsories solo would be a great prep for dancing them partnered, or for dance in general. You learn balance and confidence and generating speed on your own.

Yes, the choreography is modified for the solo Golden Waltz pattern dance. U.S. Figure Skating had Golden Waltz as a pattern dance at the National Solo Dance Final competition in 2021. There are no dips for the women, but all the skaters skate the same woman’s step in the Golden Waltz. There are some YouTube videos of the solo Golden Waltz dance.

 

[overedge]

Even for skaters who don't qualify for Nationals, or who have no desire to compete, I hope that having more visibility for solo dance will encourage clubs to include this in their programming. It's really sad how many women get to a high test level in dance and then basically have nowhere else to go when they can't find a partner.

It would also be great if USFS does what Skate Canada did and changed the definition of a competitive ice dance team. That would also give an option to female or male skaters who can't find an opposite-sex partner but who prefer dance with a partner.

 

[SherryL]

Even for skaters who don't qualify for Nationals, or who have no desire to compete, I hope that having more visibility for solo dance will encourage clubs to include this in their programming. It's really sad how many women get to a high test level in dance and then basically have nowhere else to go when they can't find a partner.

It would also be great if USFS does what Skate Canada did and changed the definition of a competitive ice dance team. That would also give an option to female or male skaters who can't find an opposite-sex partner but who prefer dance with a partner.

Different people have different goals. Though some ladies are seeking dance partnerships, there are plenty of solo ice dancers who are not, including those at high levels. For a single/solo skater, whether in freestyle or in dance, your time is your own. Please don’t be sad for solo ice dancers… I know many who are quite happy to free of partnership hassles.

If solo dance goes international, then that may attract more skaters to try this discipline, which I think will be great. If it encourages more people to try figure skating overall, that’s even better.

I do like what Canada did with changing the definition of a competitive ice dance team, and I hope other countries will consider it seriously.

 

[overedge]

Different people have different goals. Though some ladies are seeking dance partnerships, there are plenty of solo ice dancers who are not, including those at high levels. For a single/solo skater, whether in freestyle or in dance, your time is your own. Please don’t be sad for solo ice dancers… I know many who are quite happy to free of partnership hassles.

If solo dance goes international, then that may attract more skaters to try this discipline, which I think will be great. If it encourages more people to try figure skating overall, that’s even better.

I'm not sad for them, and I realize that a lot of skaters are happy to work on their own. But there are also going to be some that would like the opportunity to continue in a partnership.

I'm just pointing out that some clubs won't program ice time for disciplines that don't have competitions, and if USFS promotes solo dance as a legitimate discipline, that will hopefully encourage those clubs to rethink their programming.

 

[Aussie Willy]

I know many who are quite happy to free of partnership hassles.

That is actually a really good point. As much as I would have loved an ice dance partner when I was skating, dealing with the other skater can be a pain.

On the other hand I did do artistic duos with another woman and we had a great time putting our program together.

 

[gkelly]

I'm just pointing out that some clubs won't program ice time for disciplines that don't have competitions, and if USFS promotes solo dance as a legitimate discipline, that will hopefully encourage those clubs to rethink their programming.

Solo ice dancers can train on dance sessions, especially for pattern dances, and on freestyle sessions, especially for free dance.

It's not necessary to have separate sessions just for solo dancers.

 

[overedge]

Solo ice dancers can train on dance sessions, especially for pattern dances, and on freestyle sessions, especially for free dance.

It's not necessary to have separate sessions just for solo dancers.

Most of the clubs in my area don't let ice dancers (solo or pairs) train on freeskate sessions.

 

[MacMadame]

The more dancers there are, the more dance sessions get programmed. If adding solo dance as a competitive discipline means more dancers needed dance sessions, it benefits all the dancers.

 

[FSWer]

Say,is anyone here a Solo Ice-Dancer?

 

[Aussie Willy]

Say,is anyone here a Solo Ice-Dancer?

I used to do it in competition and also just skating around. I can still remember most of the dances I learnt.

 

[FSWer]

COOL!!!!