We didn't have to do this as a series. But it was part of our complex, and I recall needing it to move into a higher group at some point...maybe when I moved from 6 to 7. I can remember getting it on the high beam around the time I had BHS. Handstand forward roll also.
I don't generally like to get into absolutes, but having seen several programs...I kind of disagree about needing these things. This is a basic skill. I honestly can say I think i would have progressed nowhere with series without being proficient at those basics. It was difficult for me - I have scoliosis, not great range in my shoulders, and hip flexors not good either - but once I mastered it, and when i worked on it everyday, it helped my alignment and ability tremendously. Again gyms have different goals. But if your goal is to be one of the strongest optional programs, these basics are almost non-negotiable to me. I saw a presentation by Tammy Biggs, talking about complexes and not enough basics like this. I often agree - I see kids who can't get to forced arch fast enough, they won't be able to flip series well, lots of poor alignment, not hitting the handstands fast enough, not strong through the shoulders.
I feel the same way about giants. If you want strong level 10s, this is a very, very basic skill from that perspective. It's easier than a free hip handstand - maybe a little more "scary" because it tends to go to the high bar sooner, and it's a little less familiar, but it's a basic circling skill. The kids have to get competing this, and they need to get strong to get the endurance to do the higher level routines. This comes from doing sets of giants and free hips, etc, to me. Many gyms that are working to the higher levels, just train like this. I struggled getting giants - it took about 7 or 8 months - which probably doesn't sound long but seemed long at the time from the context of the group I was in. I was doing cast handstand free hip hand on high bar, but had some blocks with the giant. Eventually I needed it to move into a higher optional group - had the physical ability, had the other skills, needed to get over it. That group warmed with, first thing, get up on the high bar and do 5 giants layout flyaway. The HC let me work in that group for a day, we got to bars, she looked at me and said "your choice." Giants were the warm up. Assignment was 2 sets of 5. I did it in two turns. No further giant issues. I know this is a little different than what we're talking about, but I truly believe in some other programs I've seen, that I might have just never had giants - or, since I didn't start competing until I was 11, I wouldn't have had them until my senior year of high school or something. I would definitely not have won states in level 8 with a 9.6. And that all would have been okay - again, different programs, different things, different goals.
But at the time some of these things didn't make as much sense to me as they do in retrospect and from a coaching standpoint now. There are definitely some things I think might be, how to put it, a necessary evil if you want to really be a top program that consistently produces strong optionals. I know that might be controversial to say. But it's the conclusion I'm coming to. I'm not saying an individual super talented girl won't become a strong L10 in a more relaxed program that still has good coaching...but what you're going to see, I think, is that some slightly less physically talented, with still a lot of potential, or who started later, are not going to make it as far as they could have in a more intense environment with stronger expectations.