Until recently, I thought ice dancing was a slower, less exciting version of pairs skating. I mean—no lifts, no jumps, no death-defying throws. Where’s the fun in that?
In truth, ice dancing is extremely rigorous. Ice dancing competitions consist of three parts–compulsory dance, the most like the original ballroom dances that inspired ice dancing; an original set pattern dance, , with rhythms designated by the International Skating Union; and a free dance, which allows the greatest freedom of expression. Since 1998, dancers have been required to include certain elements in their free dances, including step sequences, lifts, dance spins, and multi-rotation turns called twizzles.
Originally, dancers never skated apart from another. This restriction has been relaxed in recent years.
For a good FAQ on ice dancing, or if you just have more questions, visit Care to Ice Dance.
