Surf Wiki
Save to docs
arts

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Free dance (ice dance)

Segment in an ice dancing competition

Segment in an ice dancing competition

The free dance (FD) is a segment of an ice dance competition, the second contested. It follows the rhythm dance (RD). Skaters perform "a creative dance program blending dance steps and movements expressing the character/rhythm(s) of the dance music chosen by the couple". Its duration is four minutes for senior ice dancers, and 3.5 minutes for juniors. American ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates hold the highest recorded international FD score of 138.41 points.

Background

The free dance (FD) takes place after the rhythm dance in all junior and senior ice dance competitions. The International Skating Union (ISU), the body that oversees figure skating, defines the FD as "the skating by the couple of a creative dance program blending dance steps and movements expressing the character/rhythm(s) of the dance music chosen by the couple". The FD must have combinations of new or known dance steps and movements, as well as required elements. The program must "utilize the full ice surface," and be well-balanced. It must contain required combinations of elements (spins, lifts, steps, and movements), and choreography that express both the characters of the competitors and the music chosen by them. It must also display the skaters' "excellent skating technique" and creativity in expression, concept, and arrangement. The FD's choreography must reflect the music's accents, nuances, and dance character, and the ice dancers must "skate primarily in time to the rhythmic beat of the music and not to the melody alone". For senior ice dancers, the FD must have a duration of four minutes; for juniors, 3.5 minutes.

American ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates hold the highest RD score of 93.91, which they achieved at the World Team Trophy in 2023.

Required elements

The ISU announces the specific requirements for the FD each year. For example, the ISU published the rules for the 2025–26 season in May 2025. The following elements are required: the Dance Lift, the Dance Spin, the Step Sequence, Synchronized Twizzles, and Choreographic Elements.

ElementsJuniorSeniorDance liftDance spinStraight line or Curve types of Step SequencesSynchronized twizzlesChoreographic elements
Two different types of short lifts, up to eight seconds eachThree different types of short lifts, up to eight seconds
The lifted partner's difficult pose or change of pose in the FD must be different from the same kind of short lift in the RD or part of the same kind of lift in the combination lift. If the lifted partner's difficult pose or change of pose is repeated in the same kind of lift, it is considered a simple pose and/or a change of pose in the FD.The lifted partner's difficult pose or change of pose in the FD must be different from the same kind of short lift in the RD or part of the same kind of lift in the combination lift. If the difficult pose or change of pose is repeated in the same kind of lift, it will be considered as a simple pose and/or change of pose.
One dance spin (spin or combination spin)
One set of synchronized twizzles
Two different Choreographic elements chosen from:Three different Choreographic elements, chosen from:

Footnotes

References

Works cited

References

  1. S&P/ID 2024, p. 148
  2. S&P/ID 2024, p. 10
  3. S&P/ID 2024, p. 149
  4. "Dance Format 2011". Kraso Club of Havířov.
  5. (15 September 2025). "Progression of Highest Score: Free Dance Ice Dance Score". International Skating Union.
  6. (19 September 2018). "New Season New Rules". International Figure Skating.
  7. ISU No. 2704, p. 1
  8. ISU No. 2704, p. 7
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

figure-skating ice-dance
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Free dance (ice dance) — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report