Have to give you credit for your post. I have flown both IMAC(3rd in the Nats in Advanced) and Pattern(Masters) and can only echo, but differently, what you mentioned above. See my thing at the bottom.

The best IMAC pilots, because the plane should be judged the entire time in the box(including straight and level between manuevers) fly as though they are pattern pilots. They fly big, slow and smooth during the sequence. I had my AW37% Extra set up the same as my Pattern planes with very little throw, just enough to do the snaps with a mid rate switch, and low for everything else, nothing hurky jerky for IMAC and this is what wins.

After going to a number of TOC's and watching the big dog frees, it also is not about snappy stuff. In fact, most of the frees were extremely smooth. CPLR falling leaf, totally in control, Caglias 6" knife edge totally in control, Chips 16 pt rolls straight as an arrow and on line, QQ's blender ending at 5 feet straight into a waterfall at 11 feet with a 9 foot tall plane still in total control, Frazer's high alpha fast rolling circle with a diameter of about 40' in total control. Guess you can see the common thread with all these and also, not to leave anyone out, they all knew exactly where the plane was going to come out and then smoothly move to the next item. Synchronization with the music also means in total control otherwise the synchrony goes out the window.

If you are going with a DZ, the next question is can you build or would you pay to have something built? A 2 meter plane will fly sooo much better than something smaller, but the plane you have now is good to get started.
Aeroslave has several planes, the Aries or the Symphony. I should test fly my Symphony next week.
Russ Honea at Pattern Proz(I think) tulsa OK has a number of options and is trying to get a PL order ready for late fall and the Lazulite or Partner are good planes(Little pricy but good) Think he has an add here abouts somewhere.
PAC has the Panacea and Titan for sale. These are relatively new and current designs.
Piedmont has the focus 2 which is totally arf, and also QQ new design is in the works(can see the description at the website)

Believe all of these can be found at:
[link=http://www.NSRCA.org]www.NSRCA.org[/link]
There is a menu on the left, go to the bottom one and click on the bottom option.

Good luck and hope this helps and encourages you either way. It all is fun and we all are actually trying to fly with control, just different plane, different manuevers and different goals.

ed