LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY, PAIR SKATING, SEASON 2008-2009
Number of features for Levels: 2 for Level 2, 3 for Level 3, 4 for Level 4
Twist Lift
1) Lady’s split position (each leg at least 45° from the body axis)
2) Catching the lady at the side of the waist without her hand (s) and/or arm(s) touching the man
3) Ladies’ position in the air with arm(s) above the head (minimum one full revolution)
4) Difficult take-off (steps/skating moves executed by both partners immediately preceding take-off)
Lift
1) Difficult (simple for juniors) variation of the take-off
2) 1 change of hold and/or lady’s position (1 rev. before and after the change, counts twice if repeated)
3) Difficult variation of the Lady (one full revolution)
4) Difficult (simple for juniors) carry (not for SP)
5) Difficult one-hand-hold of the man (see Clarifications for repetitions)
6) Difficult (simple for juniors) landing variety
7) Change of rotational direction by the man (one revolution before and after the change)
Step Sequence
1) Simple variety(Level 2), variety(Levels 3–4) of turns and steps of both partn. throughout (compulsory)
2) Rotations (turns, steps) in either direction (left and right) with full body rotation covering at least 1/3 of
the pattern in total for each rotational direction)
3) Moderate (full for Level 4) use of upper body movement
4) Changes of pos. (crossing at least twice while doing steps and turns) for at least 1/3 of the sequence
5) Not separating all the time (staying in the same position, changes of holds are allowed)
Spiral Sequence
Spirals of both partners forward and backward, inside and outside mandatory for Levels 3 – 4
1) 1 difficult variation of positions of both partners
2) Second difficult variation on different feet than the first one executed by both partners
3) Change of edge by both partners in a spiral
4) Unsupported change of free leg pos. or direction by both in spiral (3 sec. before and after the change)
5) Free leg in a total split position by one or both partners, one or both arms hold possible
6) Difficult variation of pos. by one partner (second partner in spread-eagle/shoot-the-duck/similar pos.)
7) Holding spiral position for 6 or more seconds
Death Spiral
1) Difficult entry (counts when both partners are on one foot and already on the entry curve) and/or exit
2) Change of lady’s arm hold (1 rev. with each hold)
3) Change of man’s arm hold (1 rev. with each hold)
4) Difficult variation of lady’s position during the death spiral (at least 1 full revolution in this variation)
5) Two full revolutions of the lady in the death spiral
6) Additional rev. of the lady in the death spiral after these 2 rev. (counts as many times as repeated)
Solo Spins
1) 1 difficult variation in a basic or (for spin combinations only) in an intermediate position
2) Another difficult variation in a basic position which must be:
● spins in one position – different than the first one
● all other spins – on different foot and/or in different position than the first one
3) Flying or backward entrance
4) All 3 basic positions on one foot (counts twice if executed on both feet)
5) Both edges in one basic position (in any spin both edges count only once)
6) 2 changes of foot (not for SP)
7) Both directions immediately following each other
8) At least 6 rev. without changes in pos./variation, foot and edge (camel, sit, layback, difficult upright)
Pair Spins
1) 2 changes of basic positions of both partners
2) Additional change(s) of basic positions of both partners after the 2 changes required above
3) 3 difficult variations of positions of partners one of which can be in intermediate position (each
variation of each partner counts separately)
4) Additional difficult variation(s) of positions of partners after the 3 variations required above
5) Entrance from backward outside or inside edge
6) Both directions immediately following each other
7) At least 6 revolutions without any changes in position/variation and foot
LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY PAIRS, CLARIFICATIONS, SEASON 2008-2009
LIFTS
Definition of carries and one hand holds
Basic:
Holds Hand-to-Hand, Hand-to-Hip, Hand-to-Waist and Hand-to-Armpit.
Positions Upright (lady’s upper body vertical), Star (lady’s position sideways with upper body parallel to the ice) and Platter (lady’s position flat, facing up or down with upper body parallel to the ice).
Carry Two hand Carry up to 3 seconds with no revolution of the man.
Simple:
Take off Includes but is not limited to change of hand hold on ascent of lift.
Landing Different landing foot, change of hold on descent.
Carry Duration at least 3 seconds.
Difficult:
Take Off Includes but not limited to: Somersault take off, dance lift going immediately into a Pair lift take off without the lady touching the ice between two lifts, one hand take off, Spread-Eagle by one or both partners as the entry curve.
Landing Variation of the difficult landing which includes but is not limited to: Somersaults, variation in holds, partner positions and /or direction of landing, one hand landing, Spread-Eagle position of the man during dismounting.
Carry Includes at least one of the following features: during the carry the Man for at least 3 seconds skates on one foot or holds the partner on one arm or performs crossovers or performs Spread Eagle or a similar move.
Position A movement of a leg (s), arm (s), or upper body which requires more physical strength or flexibility and that has an effect on the balance of the main body core. Only these variations can increase the Level.
One hand hold At least one full revolution in this hold.
In SP – rotation of the man using one hand hold can be counted not more then twice.
In FS – rotation of the man using one hand hold can be counted 3 times in one lift only (the first that will have 3 rev. with one hand hold). All other lifts
in FS can’t have more than 2 Level features for one hand hold.
Change of hold or lady’s position requires one full revolution before and after this change. If a change of hold and a change of lady’s position are executed at the same time, only one Level feature will be awarded.
STEP SEQUENCES
Types of turns (executed on one foot) : three turns, twizzles, brackets, loops, counters, rockers.
Types of steps (executed on one foot) : toe steps, chasses, mohawks, choctaws, curves with change of edge, cross-rolls.
Simple variety: Must include at least 6 turns and 4 steps, none of the types can be counted more than twice.
Variety: Must include at least 8 turns and 4 steps, none of the types can be counted more than twice.
SPIRAL SEQUENCES
Spiral pos. are classified according to the skating leg (right, left), edge (outside, inside) and direction (forward, backward) as well as pos. of the free leg (backward, forward, sideways). Pattern of the Spiral Sequence can be any combination of curves (on edges – spiral pos. on a straight line are ignored and not counted in the number of pos.). Only the first 3 attempted pos. are to be considered for Level features.
Change of foot and unsupported spiral pos. must also be among the first 3 pos. in order to be counted. If all these pos. are with assistance of the hand/arm or in the Short Program there is no change of foot by both partners (with a Spiral pos. before and a Spiral pos. after the change 3 sec. long), Level cannot be more than 1 (but GOE is not restricted). Minimum of 3 sec. in each pos.
Simple variation: A spiral position with limited leg or arm movement (not affecting main body core position and independent from skating edge or direction). A simple variation DOES NOT increase the Level.
Difficult variation: This is a variation that affects the main body core and balance. Only these variations can increase the Level.
Change of edge in Spirals requires minimum 3 seconds hold before and after the change with the distance used for the change not longer than 1 meter.
SPINS
Positions. There are 3 basic pos.: camel (free leg backwards with the knee higher than the hip level, however Layback and Biellmann and similar variations are still considered as upright pos.), sit (lower part of the buttocks not higher than the top of the knee of the skating leg), upright (any position with skating leg extended or almost extended, which is not a camel position) and intermediate pos. (all other pos.). If in a pair sit spin the Lady’s free leg is behind, and the Man’s free leg is in front, the Lady’s basic sit position is considered to be achieved, when her skating leg knee is bent 90 degrees or more, regardless of the buttocks position.
Solo and Pair Spin combinations: the number of revolutions in intermediate pos. is counted in the total number of rev.; intermediate pos.
can be considered as difficult variations in accordance with the definition, but going to one of these pos. is not considered as a change of pos. which can only be from one basic pos. to another basic pos. Spins in one position and flying spins: intermediate pos. are allowed, counted in the total number of rev. required by the Rules, but are not valid for Level features. In any spin change of edge can be counted only if done in the same basic pos.
Definition of Spin Variations (all comments are related to both partners).
Simple: A movement of a leg, arm, leg, hand or head which enhances, but does not change the basic pos. of the main body core. A simple variation DOES NOT increase the Level.
Difficult: A movement of a leg, arm, hand or head which requires more physical strength or flexibility and that has an effect on the balance of the main body core. Only these variations can increase the Level.
Spins in both directions: Execution of spins in both directions clockwise and counter clockwise) that immediately follows each other will be rewarded by counting this as an additional feature for every spin performed. A minimum of 3 rev. in each direction is required. A Spin executed in both directions (clockwise and counter clockwise) as above is considered as one Spin.
To be counted as a Level feature Backward entrance in any solo Spin equires at least 2 rev. on a backward outside edge by each partner.
To be counted as a Level feature Entrance from backward outside or inside edge in Pair Spins requires that each partner rotates at least 2 rev. on a bасkward outside/inside edge.
DEATH SPIRAL
Definition. Lady’s position: the lowest hip or buttock and head should not be higher than her skating knee. However for BoDs a slightly higher position of her hip or buttock is acceptable. Any part of the Death Spiral with a higher lady’s position is not valid for Level features.
Man’s position: for at least one full revolution the man should stay in a low pivot position (this is when his buttocks are not higher than the knee of the pivot foot).
The Level of a Death Spiral without one full revolution in the described man’s and lady’s simultaneous position cannot be more than 1. Change of arm hold by the lady or man requires one full revolution in the death spiral position before and after this change. However if both partners change arms at the same time, only one Level feature will be awarded.
Difficult Entry, exit: Skater(s) must demonstrate positions that affect the main body core and balance on the entry curve. Only these positions can be counted for Level features. An example of a difficult exit also: Lady exits immediately into a lift (dance or other) or into a jump
Entry commences at the beginning of the entry curve when both partners are already on one foot on the edge of the death spiral.
Exit starts when the Man starts bending his “holding” arm in the elbow and ends when the Lady comes to the vertical position.