Coach and choreographer Kate Charbonneau continues a presentation on the USFS Preliminary Skating Skills (Moves in the Field) Test. In Part 1 she discussed the Forward and Backward Crossovers and in Part 2 she covered the Consecutive Outside and Inside Spirals. In Part 3 she explained the Forward Power Three Turns and in Part 4 she shared the Alternating Forward Three Turns. In this video Kate focuses on the Forward Circle Eight pattern.
She begins by demonstrating the pattern and describing it at the same time. Although she starts by pushing onto the left foot, it is permissible to start on either foot for the outside edge figure eight. Kate starts with the free side arm forward and the free side leg behind. After half the circle, the skater switches arms and legs by bringing them close to and past the body/skating foot in a scissoring motion so the skater is set to push onto the other foot at the pattern center.
When transitioning from the end of the outside edge figure eight to the inside edge figure eight, there is no pause. The pattern simply continues and the skater pushes “immediately onto the inside edge.” On this initial push to the inside edge, again the free side arm and leg are in front and then scissor before returning to the pattern center. Kate notes, “The scissor on this is somewhat difficult” and the pattern just takes practice.
The focus of this pattern is edge quality and continuous flow, and Kate explains that skaters may initially struggle with skating foot wiggles and wobbles. The solution is to push hard enough while staying stable, and this requires “extension through the body and check” as well as a strong preparatory knee bend. To minimize loss of control at the pattern center, Kate has her skaters glide briefly on two feet before the push. Skaters should avoid pushing with the toe pick. To help skaters make all the circles the same size, Kate focuses on getting consistent pushes throughout and she also has them just brush the inside of the hockey circle at the extremes of the figure eight. She teaches this “brush” to all skaters, regardless of physical size/skill level.
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