Data analysis: View my sheet on the test failure rates of MIF, FS, and Ice Dance for standard and adult tests!

[Arwen17]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14jEC2-xQrcIH4sxCimcTzujYSY_L2RFTwP0ENBSMXUc/edit?usp=sharing

I made up a spreadsheet that makes it easier to view the data at a glance. (**See 2nd sheet for Dance stats.**)

What was surprising to me is how few solo tests there are compared to partnered tests when we know there aren't that many males in figure skating. I guess most people are testing with their coaches? I admire their optimism thinking they'll get a partner some day. Or maybe they just want to learn ice dance the way its "supposed to be done", even if they never find a partner.

In the data you can clearly see why the first several levels on the partnered track have such high passing rates. Their coaches are simply dragging them into position lol.

I think you can see in the comparison chart how certain dances (that rely a lot on the partner) score higher than the solo tests. It's the partner helping them out.

The number of tests per specific dance in each level was almost the same for every level, except the International Dances. So that's why I broke out the data of the International Dances more to show how many tests attempted and the passing rate.

I didn't include the adult passing rates on this because there's only 1 or 2 people testing (with 100% passing rate), so it just doesn't provide any useful info. All of the "greyed out" boxes are where I noticed there were so few adults testing at that level of FS or Dance that it just wasn't providing any useful info. The Junior/Senior MIF data is questionable too, because some of that is people who skated as kids finishing off their tests, so the scores are skewed higher by that. The Novice MIF rate is probably much more realistic for adults.

Also vividly shows I'm not exaggerating when I complain about how difficult Novice MIF is for me as an adult, when all the tests that came before weren't that bad for me at all.

International Dances data is very interesting. You've got a high pass rate on dances like Finnstep, but very few people took that test. Whereas the ChaCha also has a high pass rate, but many people took that test.

Thoughts?

 

[gkelly]

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

What was surprising to me is how few solo tests there are compared to partnered tests when we know there aren't that many males in figure skating. I guess most people are testing with their coaches? I admire their optimism thinking they'll get a partner some day. Or maybe they just want to learn ice dance the way its "supposed to be done", even if they never find a partner.

I think a lot of it is the latter.

Including the fact that there is more prestige to passing the partnered tests and that partnered tests can be used as prerequisites for higher solo tests or solo dance competition, but solo tests cannot be used as prerequisites for partnered tests or competition. So even if they're not expecting to compete in standard track partnered dance competition, by testing partnered they are keeping their options open to keep testing partnered and to compete solo if they so choose. Once they start testing solo, they no longer have the option of continuing to higher levels in partnered tests without repeating the tests.

Also, especially for adults, although social ice dance (e.g., dance weekends) doesn't seem to be as popular as several decades ago, it is helpful to know how to partner in case the opportunity arises to skate these dances with partners in a non-competitive, non-testing context. For some clubs it may still be a regular activity.

And skaters who train dance with a coach who is unable to partner them (for whatever reason) or choose not to learn the partnered patterns may be less serious about ice dancing and more interested in just passing tests, so they sign up to test them as soon as they have some hope of passing. (E.g., if they're testing ice dance mainly to support their singles or synchro skating, or all their skating and testing is on a recreational level.)

The number of tests per specific dance in each level was almost the same for every level, except the International Dances.

That makes sense, since passing all three or four dances at a given level translates to passing the whole level.

Whereas the International dances are all independent of each other. There's no reward for passing "all" of the international dances. For one thing, the ISU might add another one at any time.

So that's why I broke out the data of the International Dances more to show how many tests attempted and the passing rate.

I didn't include the adult passing rates on this because there's only 1 or 2 people testing (with 100% passing rate), so it just doesn't provide any useful info.

"This" being International Dances?

All of the "greyed out" boxes are where I noticed there were so few adults testing at that level of FS or Dance that it just wasn't providing any useful info. The Junior/Senior MIF data is questionable too, because some of that is people who skated as kids finishing off their tests, so the scores are skewed higher by that. The Novice MIF rate is probably much more realistic for adults.

Also vividly shows I'm not exaggerating when I complain about how difficult Novice MIF is for me as an adult, when all the tests that came before weren't that bad for me at all.

Yes, I think Novice MIF has often had the lowest passing rate among standard MIF tests, although it's slightly higher than Junior and Senior in your data. Lots of new skills there, and higher expectations from the judges.

There also seems to be a jump in judges' expectations between Pre-Silver and Silver dances, which your data mostly bears out.

International Dances data is very interesting. You've got a high pass rate on dances like Finnstep, but very few people took that test. Whereas the ChaCha also has a high pass rate, but many people took that test.

Because the Finnstep is comparatively new, there are probably fewer coaches who are able to teach or partner it.

 

[Arwen17]

Including the fact that there is more prestige to passing the partnered tests and that partnered tests can be used as prerequisites for higher solo tests or solo dance competition, but solo tests cannot be used as prerequisites for partnered tests or competition. So even if they're not expecting to compete in standard track partnered dance competition, by testing partnered they are keeping their options open to keep testing partnered and to compete solo if they so choose. Once they start testing solo, they no longer have the option of continuing to higher levels in partnered tests without repeating the tests.

oooo good points. Didn't think about that..... still probably not worth it for me to do anything but the Solo tests. I'm unlikely to ever have a partner (both because of my height and lack of males in skating) and I'd really rather do Pairs stuff than Ice Dance if I did. My rink used to have one coach that knew how to teach Pairs skills, but now we have zero. Only ever saw that coach work with tiny little kid couples anyway.

Also, especially for adults, although social ice dance (e.g., dance weekends) doesn't seem to be as popular as several decades ago, it is helpful to know how to partner in case the opportunity arises to skate these dances with partners in a non-competitive, non-testing context. For some clubs it may still be a regular activity.

And skaters who train dance with a coach who is unable to partner them (for whatever reason) or choose not to learn the partnered patterns may be less serious about ice dancing and more interested in just passing tests, so they sign up to test them as soon as they have some hope of passing. (E.g., if they're testing ice dance mainly to support their singles or synchro skating, or all their skating and testing is on a recreational level.)

hmmmm the ballroom and line dancing scene is still really popular among old, retired folks around here, but definitely not skating.

I guess maybe my coach could partner me if I wanted it, but I'm not sure. Literally all of our coaches are female and around 5'2 or 5'3 in height, while I'm 5'9 in height. But this female coach does partner a much shorter young boy skater and somehow they make it work. But I've only seen this coach partner the boy, never any of the girls be partnered. All of the girls do solo track.

"This" being International Dances?

Yes

Yes, I think Novice MIF has often had the lowest passing rate among standard MIF tests, although it's slightly higher than Junior and Senior in your data. Lots of new skills there, and higher expectations from the judges.

I always thought Novice had the lower rate compared to Junior and Senior just because people are much more likely to be surprised by the level of difficulty compared to all previous tests.

 

[chiyung]

In my area, pattern dance testing is a requirement for skaters on the synchronized skating teams. These skaters have no plans to ever compete partner dance, but synchro coaches make the partner pattern dance tests a requirement so they learn skating to a set steps on a beat with another person. I guess this is important for synchronized skating.

I know several freestyle skaters at our rink who take ice dance lessons on the side to improve their skating skills. They could test with their coaches or solo and they never intend to compete dance. Even competitive solo ice dancers would often choose to test pattern dances with their coaches if they could.

Arwen17, I noticed in your data that the easiest International pattern dances (Rhumba, Cha Cha Congelado, Silver Samba) have a lot more skaters testing them. Skaters would typically start at the easier ones and may never reach the harder ones like FinnStep and Golden Waltz.

I’m personally happy that my daughter eventually got through all 11 of the international pattern dance tests.

 

[mskater93]

Chiyung - we have a similar requirement for the synchro teams in our area for pattern dance.

Also, as far as testing partnered versus solo: you can take something solo at a higher level later but not partnered, so if you can get a partner, even just to test, it makes sense.

 

[kolyadafan2002]

If you do a partnered test with a coach, you can feel their timing making that aspect easier. The coach can also support the skater on weaker steps. Generally, there is a lot of advantage to taking a test with somebody who is at a high skating level with good partnering skills, who also knows your strengths and weaknesses and can help with the timing (and also nerves etc)