Dance Skating - The Flirtation Waltz

We have arrived at the final World Class dance for this season - the Flirtation Waltz!  Like most of the other dances I have covered, there are several version of this dance, but this dance is only skated in roller, not on ice.  This dance is skated both team and solo, with the ladies steps being used for solo in all variations.

As far as I am aware, there are three version - American, American Junior Team, and International.  Although a majority of the dance steps are the same, the steps on the last corner are different in each version.  In the International version, three running steps, a mohawk turn front to back, then back to front are the only steps before the first large center lobe.  In the American version, the mohawk turns occur first, and then a chasse step is used to push into the center lobe.  In American Junior team, three running steps replace the chasse step.

Further variations occur in the team positions.  In International and American Junior, partners skate side by side, but in American, the partners skate Tandem position, with the man directly behing the woman.

In American and American Junior Team, the tempo is 108 bpm Waltz.  In international, 120 bpm is used.




Here is an example of the International Team Style:

And here is the International style skated solo (as it will be skated this year):

Here is an example of American Team (note the different steps and tandem positions):

Here is an American Junior Team, as it is currently skated:

The American version is also used for solo dance:

This dance is used in the #13 Silver American Team Dance Test and in the #8 Silver International Solo and Team Dance Tests (using the respective styles).  For the test program, a 108 bpm tempo is used for both styles.  This American team style is no longer used in competition (only the American Junior style is used today).

So there is it - the Flirtation Waltz.  While I do think this is a pretty dance, I don't care for it as much as some of the faster Waltzes (like the Westminster).  I don't know, the faster waltzes always seem more fun to watch and to skate.  In any case, whew, we made it!  Nationals is just days away, and we got through all 8 of the world class style dances for this season!  Posts may be minimal for the next few weeks, as my precious, precious internet will be used for the (hopefully better than last year) live video feed!