A Question for My Ice Skating Friends

[sigmund__freud]

What exactly is the difference between ice dancing and figure skating? I have a number of people who do things on ice on my friends list, but when I was looking up to see who would be at the world skating championships, and there was a distinction between “pairs” and “ice dancing.” So now I’m confused as to whether I should call these people on my

Comments

[jamie_s]

Okay...
First of all - we're ALL figure skaters. Ice skaters is very general and it can mean figure skaters, hockey players, or speed skaters. We're the figure skaters.
Singles skating is a figure skater, male or female, preforming their program on their own - such as Michelle Kwan.
Pairs skating is two skaters preforming FREE SKATING elements together. Free skating element are spins, jumps - just basically singles moves. They also preform PAIRS moves, such as lifts (which must be above the shoulder to qualify as a pairs lift - although other lifts are not restricted), twists, and throw jumps. An example of pairs skaters would be Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.
Ice Dancing is two skaters preforming DANCE ELEMENTS together. They preform twizzles, lifts (which cannot be above the shoulder), and dance spins. There isn't any jumping and the partners can never be seperated for an extended period of time - unlike pairs where the partners preform Side by Side jumps and spins. Ice Dancing is also the only discipline that has three phases of

[sigmund__freud]

I had a whole response typed out - and the computer ate it! Bad computer! This is why typewriters were so much better!

Thank you for explaining this, it makes much more sense now. Except for one little thing. Ice dancers can perform a TWIZZLE? Here I thought that was one of those new fangled brands of candy...

But again, thank you for explaining this.

[jamie_s]

A twizzle is a traveling (moving) spin on one foot. They can be preformed on any of the eight different edges - FRO, BRO, FRI, BRI, FLO, BLO, FLI, BLI.

Re:

[sigmund__freud]

FRO, BRO, FRI BRI...

Okay, that last one was a type of cheese!

And now you're just showing off that you're young and agile, and I'm old and ... old, aren't you?

[taralipinski]

I think she clarified it pretty well!!

[anabelle_l]

Yes she did! *claps for Jammer*

Although she forgot the part about pairs being more difficult... kust kidding dancers! *giggles*

[elenaberezhnaya]

We are just honored to have you on our friends list! :) I am happy Jamie explained it so well. She's great.

[h_grant]

My heavens, I did not know ghosts could type. It is quite the honour that you added me. Cheers!

[sigmund__freud]

What can I say? I like the Brits.