USFS partnered testing fees | Golden Skate

USFS partnered testing fees

eonice

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 17, 2016
Would someone be so kind as to explain how testing fees work for USFSA partnered tests? Do both partners always pay the same amount or is there a difference when you go with someone who has already finished testing (coach or other hired professional) versus someone trying to pass with you?
 

bunnybarista

If I risk it all, could you break my fall?~
On the Ice
Joined
May 27, 2018
If you are taking the test with a coach/professional/someone not trying to pass, they will not pay anything. You will just pay your own test fee (and privately you'll presumably pay your coach for partnering you). Most test forms will include a place in which to write the name of the person who will be partnering you. Here is an example: http://www.skokievalleyskatingclub.com/dance-test_2014.pdf

If both of you are trying to pass, I believe you'd each have to fill out a test form and write each other's name in the "partner" slot, and you'd each have to pay the full test fee.
 

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Are you referring to pattern dances, or to free dance or pairs freeskate?

As I understand, if two skaters both test the same pattern dance at the same time, partnering each other, they will each need to pay the test registration fee and will be judged by different judges. (If the host club doesn't have enough judges to have two different judging panels watching the two partners, then they will need to skate the dance twice.)

For free dances and pair tests, the team is judged as a team even if one of the partners has already passed that test. So only one judging panel.

Separate registration fees go to USFS for each skater actually testing, since the same amount of paperwork/data entry is necessary for each skater. Individual clubs might have different fee structures based on the amount of available judges or ice time needed for the tests, so check with the club(s) you want to test at.

And of course, if you're testing with a coach or hired partner, you'll be paying them a lesson fee or partnering fee in addition to the test registration fee.
 

bunnybarista

If I risk it all, could you break my fall?~
On the Ice
Joined
May 27, 2018
As I understand, if two skaters both test the same pattern dance at the same time, partnering each other, they will each need to pay the test registration fee and will be judged by different judges. (If the host club doesn't have enough judges to have two different judging panels watching the two partners, then they will need to skate the dance twice.)

Oh I didn't even think about that, of course! My knowledge only covers tests where you're being partnered by a coach so I went out on a limb for describing what happens when both partners want to be tested. Oops - glad you stepped in! :biggrin:
 

jf12

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Are you referring to pattern dances, or to free dance or pairs freeskate?

As I understand, if two skaters both test the same pattern dance at the same time, partnering each other, they will each need to pay the test registration fee and will be judged by different judges. (If the host club doesn't have enough judges to have two different judging panels watching the two partners, then they will need to skate the dance twice.)

For free dances and pair tests, the team is judged as a team even if one of the partners has already passed that test. So only one judging panel.

Separate registration fees go to USFS for each skater actually testing, since the same amount of paperwork/data entry is necessary for each skater. Individual clubs might have different fee structures based on the amount of available judges or ice time needed for the tests, so check with the club(s) you want to test at.

And of course, if you're testing with a coach or hired partner, you'll be paying them a lesson fee or partnering fee in addition to the test registration fee.

I’ve tested with a partner where we are both testing and always had to pay for each test. Once you get to higher levels anyway it’s so hard to even find a panel with 3 dance judges that are rated high enough, that you will probably have to dance the pattern partnered twice (one for each person) so there would be no ice time savings to argue a discount in any case. I have never been lucky enough to be at a test where they happened to have 6 gold dance judges.
 
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