- Joined
- Feb 18, 2012
What was it like? Do you think it's worth the time? I'm an adult skater and there really are no male partners at my age, so I wanted to give solo a try next year. Does anyone have any info?
Has anyone competed in solo dance?
- Thread starter lilicedreamer
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2012
I haven't competed but I have seen solo ice dance competitions. It's a bit of a nostalgia trip with its 6.0 scoring system. It's probably because it's too difficult and expensive to get a good technical caller for these events. A number of the skaters were former ice dancers who have broken off from their partner. The top dancers have really exceptional skating skills. I believe age and gender restrictions/segregation are relaxed for solo dance. However, the skaters I saw were mostly women in their teens and early 20s.
You can find more information here for Solo Dancing in the US: http://www.usfsa.org/Programs.asp?id=479
You can find more information here for Solo Dancing in the US: http://www.usfsa.org/Programs.asp?id=479
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Country
-
There is always solo dance competition at Lake Placid IDC in August.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2012
I've watched them at my rink too that's why I wanted to do it! But the judge asked several of the skaters to do certain things on the ice and I wanted to know exactly what that was all about before I set my sights to solo ice dancing. I do not have a coach at this point, and my lessons left me feeling like I needed a private coach that I got along with, who also Ice Danced. At my rink, some of the teenage skaters with potential have said the coaches are not doing their job as well as they could. They're teaching things wrong, and I don't think there even is an ice dance coach, so I might have to travel.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2012
Yes
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2010
Ove my skating career I have done smoe solo dance. If you like to dance then I say go for it. It'sso hard to find a partner and solo dance is a way to get to keep dancing. Also if you want to skate with a partner it's a good way to be "seen" and possibly get a partner.
If the coaches at your rink aren't pulling their weight I would suggest changing rinks. No point in learning things incorrectly only to have to be corrected at a later date.
If the coaches at your rink aren't pulling their weight I would suggest changing rinks. No point in learning things incorrectly only to have to be corrected at a later date.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
- Country
-
Used to Dance, Welcome to Golden Skate, we hope you will post long and often.
And really, I hope you still dance
And really, I hope you still dance
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2012
I'm competing in my first Solo Dance in about a month, and I'm excited! It's nice to compete in it esp. since I have passed a number of dances and I can compete in that dance w/o a partner, and when I say compete I mean a small competition, nothing major.
I'm in that awkward stage as most couples start out young, or if they're older they have had partnering experience and can find a partner at a high level.
I'm 17 and I've passed up to my first Senior Bronze dance (i'm in Canada) and I plan to test the rest of them by the end of the year, but I'm no where near good enough to compete at the national level, but I hope to find a partner in university to get a chance to try ice dancing, possibly even at the sectional level~ (which is basically regionals in Canada)
If anyone cares enough, I'll post after the competition about my experience competing in solo dance...?
I'm in that awkward stage as most couples start out young, or if they're older they have had partnering experience and can find a partner at a high level.
I'm 17 and I've passed up to my first Senior Bronze dance (i'm in Canada) and I plan to test the rest of them by the end of the year, but I'm no where near good enough to compete at the national level, but I hope to find a partner in university to get a chance to try ice dancing, possibly even at the sectional level~ (which is basically regionals in Canada)
If anyone cares enough, I'll post after the competition about my experience competing in solo dance...?
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2010
AmuChan - I'm in Canada too. I've heard they are thinking of lowering the age for adult competitions to 18 so you might be eligiblle to compete that stream. There are a few men out there who want to dance. it's so hard finding a partner. Good luck with your competition and tests.
And thanks Doris, I do still dance actually.
(enough threadjacking now)
And thanks Doris, I do still dance actually.
(enough threadjacking now)
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2012
UsedtoDance - I'm not quite sure what I what to do in my future skating career, when i go to uni i'm planning on joining the skating team/community area and see if there are any boys who could possibly be a partner - i know its a stretch, but its a dream Then again, I might just compete in solo dances, but i doubt they have solo dances in the sectional level, so i'm still a little iffy on what my future will hold =]
Are the adult competitions for solo dance or couples? from the brief research i did it looks like it is only for couples (correct me if i'm wrong). I don't know yet, maybe the adult stream might be fun to do!
Thanks! I'm really excited ;D
Then again, I might just compete in solo dances, but i doubt they have solo dances in the sectional level, so i'm still a little iffy on what my future will hold =]Are the adult competitions for solo dance or couples? from the brief research i did it looks like it is only for couples (correct me if i'm wrong). I don't know yet, maybe the adult stream might be fun to do!
Thanks! I'm really excited ;D
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2010
You only get solo dance in Canada at a handful of competitions. Sectionals has no solo dance. No solo dance at adult competitions either. It's just not that popular here for some reason. Depending on where you go to university there might be some good clubs you can go to for lessons and there might be some guys. They are just so few and far between.
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2005
That's too bad because a lot of people in the US go the solo dance route because they can't find partners. The solo dance events at US Adult Nationals are HUGE! There are typically 2 full groups of Bronze, Silver, and Gold SD. The event got added after petitioning from the adult community. Now that SD was added to ANs, Sectionals and other adult only comps are including it as well.
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2010
Check out some of the new communications from Skate Canada re: competition restructuring. They are piloting Solo Ice Dance at a few comps this season, including Scarboro Skate, and they are indeed planning on putting in a new 18 to 25 year old age bracket. Which is very good for skaters who are university aged.
However, if you are looking to do Sectionals, you are already "aged out" for anything but Senior if you are over 18, IIRC. They changed the rules on age limits; Junior ages out at 19 now. Check SC's website for info on the restructuring based on the LTAD model.
However, if you are looking to do Sectionals, you are already "aged out" for anything but Senior if you are over 18, IIRC. They changed the rules on age limits; Junior ages out at 19 now. Check SC's website for info on the restructuring based on the LTAD model.
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2012
AmuChan - I'm in Canada too. I've heard they are thinking of lowering the age for adult competitions to 18 so you might be eligiblle to compete that stream. There are a few men out there who want to dance. it's so hard finding a partner. Good luck with your competition and tests.
And thanks Doris, I do still dance actually.
(enough threadjacking now)
I know that I'm going to sound like a conspiracy theorist, and I'm sure someone will say that in THEIR experience it's not the case, but from what I've observed it seems that in most ice dancing with couples it becomes a scenario of where the guy is just a prop for the girl. It's as if people just want to see the girl dance and that the guy is just needed to 'elevate' the girl (take that how you want). Truth be told, there are guys out there who can dance better than women, and they won't want to be a sideshow to the girl, but most folks would probably disagree with that.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2012
Check out some of the new communications from Skate Canada re: competition restructuring. They are piloting Solo Ice Dance at a few comps this season, including Scarboro Skate, and they are indeed planning on putting in a new 18 to 25 year old age bracket. Which is very good for skaters who are university aged.
However, if you are looking to do Sectionals, you are already "aged out" for anything but Senior if you are over 18, IIRC. They changed the rules on age limits; Junior ages out at 19 now. Check SC's website for info on the restructuring based on the LTAD model.
Thanks for pointing that out! I'm watching it now ;D
Well... its always been something that I wanted to compete at (sectionals I mean) and I know that there are age restrictions, but there is no limit for partnered dance for everything except junior (then again i'll be competing against little kids if I do juvenile-novice and really intense competitors on the senior level) I'm not quite sure yet. Seeing as I'm not even in the competitive dance stream now (Senior Bronze atm....) it's unlikely, but still a dream
I'll see how things go and if I'm ever able to find a partner... theres always CollegiateSkate and AdultSkate, ahahh.
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2012
I would LOVE to solo dance, but I'm just so far off for anything resembling that. It would encourage me to really put myself out there, emotionally and expressively, in ways that I can not do otherwise in this life. I will probably burst out in tears if I'm ever at the point where I do my first performance.
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2010
Hello, lilicedreamer! I've competed solo dance in the US in many small local competitions, as well as at the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships and the National Solo Dance Championships. If you have a passion for dance and a fire to compete, I would highly recommend it. I enjoyed my experiences - they gave me the opportunity to put myself out there and compare my skill level with other dancers. However, do be warned that the judging can be partial since it's not IJS and different judges look for different things. I say give it a shot in a smaller local competition to get your feet wet before you try something big. I am a firm believer in trying everything at least once, so I say give it a shot and see how you like it! Either way, at least you tried!
In terms of partnering, if you are interested in pursuing a partnership in any way, I HIGHLY recommend that you check out icepartnersearch.com. The ages and locations of some the skaters might surprise you.
Whatever you end up doing, good luck!
In terms of partnering, if you are interested in pursuing a partnership in any way, I HIGHLY recommend that you check out icepartnersearch.com. The ages and locations of some the skaters might surprise you.
Whatever you end up doing, good luck!
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2007
- Country
-
The problem with finding male dance partners is that most guys who are involved in the sport would prefer to jump and therefore are freeskaters. That's not to say there are no guys who would rather dance, but as the number of men involved in the sport is already significantly lower than the female population, the guys who want to dance would be encouraged into the competitive stream pretty quickly. Even just finding a male dance coach to partner for tests is extremely difficult as there are so few.
Similar threads
