Skating Terms
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Skating Dictionary


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A
Adagio
A type of dance involving acrobatics, carries, and other specialized movements. Adagio is not acceptable in competitive dance.
Aim
The starting direction of teh edge of a skate, or the sequence of steps of the same lobe.
Amateur
An athlete who does not receive money prizes for performance or appearance.
Artistic
A division of competition which includes figure skating, dance skating, and free style skating.
Axel
A jump named for Axel Paulsen who invented it. The skater takes off from a forward outside edge of the skating foot, turns one-and-a-half revolutions in the air, and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. A double Axel is two-and-a-half revolutions in the air.

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B

Blues
A set-patterned dance skated by a couple to 4/4 (four beats to a measure) blues music.
Boeckl
One foot jump from the right inside forward edge to the right outside backward edge after one-and-a-half revolutions in the air.
Boot
A leather covering for the foot and portion of the leg. The boot is attached to the stanchion on the ice skate.
Border Dance
A dance whose sstips have no required location on the skating surface.
Bracket
One-foot turn involving a change of edge with thebody rotation counter to the direction of the initial edge. A bracket is opposite of a three-turn. Instead of skating into the circle at the long axis, the skater turns out of it, then changes edge to complete the circle. A change bracket is a three-lobed variation. a paraagraph bracket is a two-lobed variation.
Bunny hop
A beginning jump in which the skater moves forward on one foot, jumps onto the toe pick or stop of the other and returns to forward moving position on skating foot.
Butterfly
A two-foot jump. The skater jumps off the surface with both legs extended behind him or her and both arms thrust forward, maintaining a position in mid-air with the body horizontal to the surface. In the air, the skater resembles a butterfly.

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C

Camel
A one-foot spin with the body and free leg in a horizontal position.
Carriage
A stance in which the body is erect, held straight and supported with a firm back.
Carry
A pairs movement in which a partner is held aloft without performing a recognized movement.
Catch-waist Camel
Pairs-couple skate around a common center in camel position with legs pointing in opposite direction, bodies close together and arms around each other's waists.
Change Edge
Transferring body weight from one edge of skate to the other without a change of skate direction.
Chassé
A step in which the free foot becomes the skating foot. Variations include Crossed, Dropped, Swing.
Choctaw
A two-foot turn from a forward edge of one foot to the backward edge of the other foot, or vice versa.
Closed
A position in Dance in which the partners face one another directly, one skating forward, the other backward
Compulsory Short Program
Two minute short program consisting of seven elements of mumps and spins and combinations of footwork that are pre-determined. The same elements are presented be each competitor although the skater may use music of his or her own selection.
Counters
A one-foot turn without a change of edge while the body rotation is counter to the direction of the initial edge.
Cross Overs
A movement in which the skater passes the free foot on an outside edge around and in front of the skating foot before placing it on the inside edge. This may also be done using backward direction.
Curves
Parts of skated circle. They should be skated with clean deges and uninterrupted tracing.
Cusp
The V-shaped partion of the tracing which occurs at the mid-pint of a turn skated on one foot. It is the point of any one-foot turn.

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D

Dance Skates
Nearly the same as Figure skates, except toe stops are not used.
Dancing
A presicribed set of stips set to music and performed by a couple. All types of music may be used, except in sompulsory events when competitors must dance certain stips requiring special music, such as waltz, foxtrot, tango, etc.
Death Spiral
Three positions are used: backward outside, backward inside, and forward inside. The man skates in pivot position with free foot extended into circle while holding the hand of his partner. She leans forward or backward until her head nearly touches the skating surface and circles her partner to the conclusion of the movement.
Doubles
Specified jumps which contain two or two-and-a-half revolutions in the air: double loops, axels, lutzes, mapes, etc.
Drag
A movement in which the skater moves forward on one foot, then bends the skating leg while keeping the body erect and square to the skating surface. At the same time, the free leg is swung back to actually drag behind the skater on the surface.

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E

Edges
In Ice skating, each skate has four edges; an inside edge, backward and forward, and an outside edge, backward and forward. In Ice and Roller skating, edge also means the curve resulting when a skater leans to the inside or outside of his skating foot.

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F

Figures
Any type of officially recognized designs on the surface, based on two-and three-lobed forms.
Figure Skates
A type of ice skate, used for figures and free style, which has a slight curve from front to back with small spikes at the front known as toe picks.
Figure Skating
This type of skating includes figures, free style, pairs and ice dancing.
Footwork
Specialized and intricate steps used as an interpretive part of a routine.
Fourteenstep
A set-patterned dance skated by a couple to lively march time music.
Foxtrot
A set-patterned dance skated by a couple to 4/4 music.
Freestyle
That portion of competition in which the skater is free to select a routine to best show off what he or she can do as an athlete and dancer on skates and board.
Freestyle Program
A well-balanced program of a prescribed length which consists of all skating components put together with as much originality and individuality as each skater chooses. Competitors are judged on technical merit, composition and style.

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G

Gold Test
In Ice skating, the nickname for Eighth test sanctioned by USFSA. In Roller skating, the highest Proficiency test sanctioned by RSROA.
Grafström Spin
A slow horizontal spin in which the body and free leg are in a low, partly horizontal position with the upper part of the body slightly raised. The tracing leg is bent at the knee with one arm extended forward in line with the body and the other arm extended backward.
Grip
Method of hand contact in Dance. Variations include Cross Arms, Tandem, etc.

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H

Hamill Camel
Named for Dorothy Hamill, a combination move in which the skater executes a flying camel layover, then bends the skating knee and drops down into a sit spin.
Heats
Preliminary events qualifying speed skaters to advance to higher competition.

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I

Illusion
A spin performed on either leg. The illusion is done on the turn as the body bends forward and free leg is drawn back. The opposite arm of tracing leg reaches down and points toward the ice. It is usually done several times in rapid succession.
Itermediate
A division in speed skating for anyone under eighteen years old. In figure skating, anyone who has passed the Third test.

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J

Judge
An official who helps conduct a competition.
Jumps
A movement which carries the entire body and skates of the skater off the surface.
Juniors
In speed skating, any contestant under sixteen years old. In figure skating, anyone who has passed the Sixth or Seventh Test.
Juvenile
In speed skating, anyone under fourteen years old. In figure skating, anyone who is under thirteen and has passed the Second Test.

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K

Kilian
Dance position. Partners face same direction, with woman at right of man. Woman's left arm extends across man's body to his left hand, his right arm is behind her back… Both right hands held and resting at her waist. Other Kilian positions are Reversed, Open and Crossed. Kilian is also a set-patterned dance.

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L

Layback Spin
A spin on one skate while body is bent back in arch position as far as skater can bend.
Lift
A pairs' movement in which one partner assists the other aloft to perform a recognized jump. Variations include Lasso, Hand to Hand, Loop, Overhead, Airplane, Extension,etc.
Lobe
Another way of de-nothing a circle to be skated. The figure eight has two lobes.
Loop
A one-foot turn skated on the same edge, changing to the same edge on the other foot at the intersection of the axes. At the top of the lobe, the skater moves into the circle and skates a smaller loop, oblong in size, before completing the circle. Loops are much smaller than other figures, the diameter of the circle should be approximately the same as the height from the skater's shoulders to feet. Loops are skated as specific two-and three-lobed compulsory or school figures. Variations include Paragraph and Change loops.
Loop Jump
Skater takes off from a back outside edge, turns one revolution in the air and lands on back outside edge of same foot. Double loop jump contains two revolutions in the air. Toe loop jump has one toe push before the jump.
Lutz
Named for Mr. Lutz who invented it. (No one knows his first name.) Skater takes off from a back outside edge of skating foot, turns once in a counter revolution in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. A double Lutz is two revolutions in the air.

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M

Magnussen Spiral
A spiral with a change direction move which takes place during the glide. Named for Karen Magnussen, Canadian champion.
Markings
Scores given in figure skating range from zero, for not skated, to six for perfect and faultless.
Mazurka
A jump in which the skater takes off from a back outside edge, strikes the free toe onto the ice, makes half a revolution in the air and lands on the toe pick of the other foot while pushing onto the forward outside edge of the opposite foot.
A two-foot turn from a forward edge to a similar backward edge. Variations include Closed, Open, Dropped and Held.

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N

Nationals
In figure and speed skating, a competition held to determine the champions who will represent the country at World's and Olympics.
Novice
In Ice skating, any figure skater who has passed Fourth or Fifth Tests. In Skateboard, a classification of ability in competition.

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O

Olympics
Compeetition, held every fourth year, between officially selected figure and speed skaters of all countries to determine the best in the world.
Ordinals
Numbers given skaters to express order in competition, i.e., first, second, third,etc.

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P

Pairs
Pairs skating consists of two persons skating in unison who perform their movements in complete harmony. Pairs' free skating consists of a well balanced program composed and skated to music for a certain length of time. Compulsory and free style competitions must be skated under prescribed rules of the governing body (USFSA and USAC) to qualify for Nationals, Worlds, Pan Ams and Olympics.
Paso Doble
A set-patterned dance skated by a couple to a Paso Doble, march or polka music. It is similar to a Paso Doble ballroom dance and typically Spanish in origin. Its origin was derived from music for the formal procession by bull fighters into the bull ring.
Patch
A portion of ice at a skating rink which is rented by the skater.
Patterns
The pattern of a dance is its design on the skating surface.
Pivot
A rotation on the toe pick or truck of skating foot on skating surface.
Polka
A set-patterned dance skated by a couple to 2/4 music. There are specific variations such as Yankee, etc.
Primary
Classification of artistic skaters who are under seven years old.
Professional
An athlete who competes for monetary reward.
Progrssive
A sequence of steps or runs in the same direction across the skating surface.

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Q

Quickstep
A set-patterned dance skated by a couple to march, two step. Schottische or other fast music. It should be skated in a lively manner, indicated by its name.

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R

Revolution
Number of three-sixty degree turns performed by skater. The term is usually used to denote revolutions performed in single, double, and triple jumps: double axel, triple toe loop, etc.
Rocker
A one-foot turn from a forward to backward direction of the same edge while the body rotation is in the same direction and the cusp is inside the original circle. The name of this figure comes from the sharp outward turn of the body from a forward to backward edge, or vice versa. Rockers are skated as three-lobed specific compulsory or school figures.
Roll
A natural movement of the body and skates from edge of one skate to the similar edge of the other. The edge is begun in an open stroke in the form of a lobe, the following edge curves in the opposite directions. The rolling movement then occurs, giving the movement its name. Variations include Cross, Swing, Scissors and Dutch.
Rotation
Change of skating direction, forward to backward or vice versa, when torso is moved around the posture baseline.

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S

Salchow
Named for Ulrich Salchow who invented the jump. Skater takes off from a back inside edge of the skating foot, makes one revolution in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. A double Salchow is two revolutions in the air.
Sculling
Beginners' two-footed exercise in which skater moves by repeated in and out movements of feet as he progresses either forward or backward.
Sequence
Consecutive steps forming a section of a dance or entire dance..
Shoot The Duck
Skater's body is bent in sitting position on one skate or on skateboard, with the other leg extended horizontally in front. Skater then continues in forward or backward movement.
Singles
Free style skating performed by individuals.
Snowplow
A two-footed stop in which the skater's toes are turned in toward one another. This causes the blades to skid on the ice and bring the skater to a stop.
Spin
A series of continuous rotations around an axis that passes through a portion of the body. For credit testing, a spin must have at least three rotations. Variations include Sit, Travel, Change, Layover, Camel, Layback, etc.
Spiral
A one-foot glide with the body and free leg held in horizontal positon.
Split Jump
Skater, facing direction of travel, jumps with one leg extended horizontally in front of him and the other leg extended horizontally behind him.
Spotting
In spins, a skater will "spot" to prevent dizziness, focusing on one place a comfortable distance away and looking at (or attempting to look at) this same place during each revolution of the spin.
Spread Eagle
A two-foot glide with both feet on the same edge (inside or outside) and the heels pointing toward each other.
Sprint
Short distances, not exceeding one mile.
Stag Jump
A jump during the elevated part of which one leg is extended in split position with knee of the other leg bent to tuck foot under the body.
Stanchions
The main supporting sections of a skate, connecting the blade to the sole and heel plate.
Stroke
A step used to gain momentum, usually for a jump.
Swing
An edge held for several beats of music during which the free foot is swung forward before it is placed on the ice beside the skating foot. Variation is Swing roll.
Swing Dance
A set-patterned dance skated by a couple to 4/4 foxtrot music. Purpose of this dance is to introduce beginning dance skaters to method of changing from forward to backward skating. Variations include roll, choctaw, mohawk and rocker.

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T

T-position
Easy starting and stopping position. To stop, skater's free foot is placed on the surface behind the skating foot a right angles, employing a braking action and grinding the skater to a stop. To start, skater pushes off with foot in back and foot in front will begin to move forward.
Take-off
The moment of leaving the surface in a jump.
Tango
A set-patterned dance skated by a couple to 4/4 tango music. Variations include Canasta, Argentine, Romantica, Carlos, Progressive, etc.
Ten-fox
A set-patterned dance skated by a couple to music in 4/4 time. Steps are combination of Foxtrot and Ten Step dances.
Tests
A group of dances, compulsory or school figures, and free skating or speed skating distances intended to classify the level of achievement of individual skaters, dance couples or pairs.
Three
A one-foot turn from a forward edge to an opposite backward edge (or vice versa) with body rotation in the same direction and cusp inside the circle. Threes are skated as specific two- and three-lobed compulsory or school figures. Variations include Doubles, Paragraph, Paragraph Doubles, Waltz, Change, Change Doubles and Dropped Threes
Thrust
A manner of starting from rest to gain speed by pushing against the surface with blade or toe stop.
Toe Loop
A jump in which the skater takes off from a back outside edge, strikes the toe of the free foot onto the ice, and makes one turn in the air, landing on the original back outside edge. A double toe loop is two revolutions in the air. Also known as a Cherry flip.
Toe Pick
The sharp projections at the front of the figure skating blade which the skater uses to grip the ice during specific jumps or moves.
Toe Push
Pressure against the toe pick or toe stop of skate to aid skater in jumping momentum.
Torque
A force that produces a twisting or turning motion.
Triples
Specified jumps which contain three or three-and-a half revolutions in the air. Variations include triple toe loops, axels, lutzes, salchows, mapes, etc.
Twizzle
Rotation of skating foot through a complete revolution.

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U

Unity
Harmonious performance of skating movements by partners.

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V As far as I am concerned, there isn't any term that begins with V. Anyway,


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W

Walley
A jump in which the skater takes off from a back inside edge of the skating foot, makes one revolution in the air and comes down on the back outside edge of the same foot.
Waltz
A set-patterned dance skated by a couple to ¾ waltz music. There are many variations including American, Westminster, Viennese, Three-lobe, etc., which must be skated to pass required tests in Dance skating.

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X Again, sorry, there isn't any term that begins with X but I'm sure there will be!


Just get me back up to the top!


Y "Again" and again, nothing for this letter either!


Just get me back up to the top!


Z Okay, I think you get the point-nothing, "again". Although I'd appreciate it if you can email me words that you found that begins with Z (I highly doubt it, I mean, it's an Z!)


Just get me back up to the very top!

*If you have any terms that you don't understand that are not listed here above, you can email me and I'll try my best to answer all your questions!