Karyn presents the following notes from her seminar and demonstration held The event was held on Tuesday Evening, March 19th 2002 by the SKATELAND Figure Skating Club at Bradford, Mass.
How the dance originated:
The national office was looking for some new bronze level dances, and at that time, I was
the Northeast Regional SRSTA Chairperson so I arranged a couple seminars. I asked coaches
to come up with some ideas on new dances, and then we got together
for some demonstrations. As I recall we had a seminar at the Skate Palace in
Milford and also at Hot Wheels in Swansea, MA. After all the coaches
demonstrated and spoke about their dances, we gathered them up and mailed them to
the National Office. As I recall, it was sometime in the late 1980's.
After a meeting during the U.S. National Championships, my dance was accepted. I called it: "The Polka", being as creative as I am. The committee wanted to use the dance for a new division being created at that time called "Masters"--thus it was renamed the Masters Polka.
The tempo is a 100 2/4Polka done in Side "B" position with a partner or solo. It is a set pattern dogbone shape. The axis is 45-90" lobes should be symetrical. Step #8 is what makes the dance unique. It is a toe curtsy. On a ROF edge on count 3, the front 2 wheels of the left skate are touched to the floor directly behind and tracking the heel of the right skate. On count 4, the front 2 wheels are lifted off the floor and the left skate is extended back in prep for step 9--a cross back LIF. Both wheels simultaneously are touched to the floor, curtsy position is kept for 1 beat exacty. Close and neat footwork is a major judging point of this move. All other judging points are found on Page 183 of Artistic Roller Dance book. I used my knowledge of the Basics of American Roller dance for my concept in writing this bronze level dance.