Reference: Rhythm Dances

Below is information on the junior and senior Rhythm Dances since the 2018-19 season.

SEASON: 2023-24

SENIOR

Rhythm/Theme: Music and Feeling of the Eighties

Music: Any music is possible provided
that the chosen version it was originally released in the decade of the 1980s and maintains the essence of the 1980s. The couple should demonstrate through dance the culture and feeling/essence of this decade.

Choreographic Rhythm Sequence: Silver Samba, steps #9, 9a, 9b to #47

Please see ISU Communication #2560 for additional required elements.

JUNIOR

Rhythm/Theme: Music and Feeling of the Eighties

Music: Any music is possible provided
that the chosen version it was originally released in the decade of the 1980s and maintains the essence of the 1980s. The couple should demonstrate through dance the culture and feeling/essence of this decade.

Pattern Dance Element:  Rocker Foxtrot

Please see ISU Communication #2560 for additional required elements.

SEASON: 2022-2023

SENIOR

Music/Theme: Latin Dance Styles

Rhythms: At Least Two (2) Different Dance Styles/Rhythms chosen from Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Mambo, Cha Cha, Rhumba, Samba.

The Pattern Dance Type Step Sequence and Step Sequence must be skated to a different Latin Style/Rhythm.

Please see ISU Communications for additional required elements.

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JUNIOR

Music/Theme: Tango

Rhythms: Tango plus at least one of the following Dance Styles – Paso Doble, Flamenco, Spanish Waltz, Fandango, Bolero, Jota, Sevillanas, Milonga.

The Pattern Dance Element – Argentine Tango – skated to Tango rhythm, with the range of tempo: 24 measures of 4 beats per minute (96 beats per minute)
plus or minus 2 beats per minute

Pattern Dance Element:  Argentine Tango.

Two (2) Sections of the Argentine Tango: skated to Tango rhythm/style, with the range of tempo: 24 measures of 4 beats per minute.

(96 beats per minute) plus or minus 2 beats per minute.

  • 1AT: Steps #1-18
  • 2AT: Steps #19-31

Two (2) Sections of Argentine Tango skated in any order or one after the other or separately. Step #1 of 1AT skated at the Judges left side. Step #19 of 2AT skated at the Judges right side.
Note: Variation of Hold is permitted. Crossing the Long Axis is permitted for Steps #13 – 15.

Please see ISU Communications for additional required elements.

SEASON: 2021-2022

SENIOR

Music/Theme: Street Dance Rhythms

Rhythms: At least two different Rhythms from the following: “Street Dance Rhythms” (such as hip hop, disco, swing, krump, popping, funk, etc.), jazz, reggae (reggaeton) and blues.

Pattern Dance Element:  Midnight Blues

Please see ISU Communications for additional required elements.

JUNIOR

Music/Theme: Street Dance Rhythms

Rhythms: At least two different Rhythms from the following: “Street Dance Rhythms” (such as hip hop, disco, swing, krump, popping, funk, etc.), jazz, reggae (reggaeton) and blues.

Pattern Dance Element:  Blues

Please see ISU Communications for additional required elements.

SEASON: 2019-2020 & 2020-2021
For more information:

SENIOR

Music:  Musicals, Operetta, Broadway

Rhythms:  ALL selected music should be recognized as from one of the following Rhythms: Quickstep, Blues, March, Polka, Foxtrot, Swing, Charleston, Waltz. The number of rhythms is not restricted. The selected music may be from the same or different Musicals and/or Operettas.

Pattern Dance Element:  Finnstep.  One (1) Section of Finnstep and skated to one of the following Rhythms: Quickstep, Charleston or Swing. 

  • 1FS: Section 1 steps # 1-33 

The tempo of the music throughout the Pattern Dance Element must be constant and in accordance with the required tempo of 52 two-beat measures per minute, 104 beats per minute +/- 2 beats.

Pattern Dance Type Step Sequence (PSt):  Must be skated to the same Rhythm selected for the Finnstep. The chosen tune may be the same as for Finnstep or different but must have the same tempo, The tempo of the music throughout Finnstep and PSt must be constant and in accordance with the required tempo. 

  • Pattern: The PSt starts immediately following the slide and stop step 33 of the Finnstep, concluding at the Short Axis (middle of the rink) on the Judges’ side. 
  • Stops: After the completion of step 33, a stop can be up to 5 seconds and is not counted as one of the permitted stops. No additional stops are allowed during the PSt. 
  • Holds: Hand-in-Hand Hold with fully extended arms cannot be established and partners must remain in contact at all times, even during changes of Holds and during Twizzles.  Separations, retrogressions and loops are not permitted.  Hand-in-Hand Hold is NOT permitted with fully extended arms. 
  • PSt is evaluated as one unit by adding the Base Values of the Lady PSt Level and the Man PSt Level and then applying the GOE.

Dance Lift: Maximum One (1) Short Lift. Up to 7 seconds

Step Sequence: One (1) Step Sequence in Hold or Not Touching or Combination of both (Style B)

Specifications to Style B, Rhythm Dance 2019/2020:

  • Must be skated to a different Rhythm than the one chosen for the Pattern Dance Element (Junior & Senior) 
  • Chosen pattern may ONLY be Midline or Diagonal
  • Retrogression – NOT permitted
  • Separations permitted, no more than 2 arms length
  • Loops NOT permitted
  • Hand in hand hold – NOT permitted with fully extended arms
  • Stops – up to one (1) permitted for up to 5 seconds

Sequential Twizzles:  One (1) Set of Sequential Twizzles. At least two twizzles for each partner with up to 1 step between twizzles.  Each push and/or transfer of weight while on two feet between Twizzles is considered as a step.  Must NOT be in contact between Twizzles. Set of Sequential Twizzles is evaluated as one unit by adding the Base Values of the Lady Set of Twizzles Level and Man Set of Twizzles Level and then applying the GOE.

JUNIOR

Music:  Musicals, Operetta, Broadway

Rhythms:  ALL selected music should be recognized as from one of the following Rhythms: Quickstep, Blues, March, Polka, Foxtrot, Swing, Charleston, Waltz. The number of rhythms is not restricted. The selected music may be from the same or different Musicals and/or Operettas.

Pattern Dance Element:  Tea Time Foxtrot.  Two (2) Sections of the Tea-Time Foxtrot (108 beats per minute+/-2 beats) and skated to a Foxtrot Rhythm.  

  • 1TTF: Section 1 steps #1-31
  • 2TTF: Section 2 steps #32-54

Section 1 followed by Section 2 with step #1 skated in front of the Judges on the side of the Judges.  

Must be skated to a Foxtrot Rhythm and in the style of the Foxtrot. The Tempo of the music throughout the Pattern Dance Element must be constant and in accordance with the required Tempo of the Pattern Dance: 27 four-beat measures per minute 108 beats per minute+/- 2 beats.  Variation of Foxtrot Hold is permitted.  Prescribed Holds in Twizzles may be different as long as contact between partners is maintained.

Dance Lift: Maximum One (1) Short Lift. Up to 7 seconds

Step Sequence: One (1) Step Sequence in Hold or Not Touching or Combination of both (Style B)

Specifications to Style B, Rhythm Dance 2019/2020:

  • Must be skated to a different Rhythm than the one chosen for the Pattern Dance Element (Junior & Senior) 
  • Chosen pattern may ONLY be Midline or Diagonal
  • Retrogression – NOT permitted
  • Separations permitted, no more than 2 arms length
  • Loops NOT permitted
  • Hand in hand hold – NOT permitted with fully extended arms
  • Stops – up to one (1) permitted for up to 5 seconds

Sequential Twizzles:  One (1) Set of Sequential Twizzles. At least two twizzles for each partner with up to 1 step between twizzles.  Each push and/or transfer of weight while on two feet between Twizzles is considered as a step.  Must NOT be in contact between Twizzles Set of Sequential Twizzles is evaluated as one unit by adding the Base Values of the Lady Set of Twizzles Level and Man Set of Twizzles Level and then applying the GOE.

SEASON: 2018-2019  

For more information, review ISU Communication #2179.

SENIOR

Rhythm/Music: Tango or Tango plus one additional rhythm.

REQUIRED ELEMENTS

Pattern Dance Element:  Two (2) Sections of Tango Romantica, skated one after the other, Section 1 (steps # 1-27), Section 2 (steps#28-49). Section 1 followed by Section 2 with Step #1 skated on the Judges’ left side. See ISU Communication #2148 for key points.  The pattern must cross Long Axis of the ice surface once at each end of the rink within no more than 30 meters (Short Axis) of the barrier. May cross Long Axis once at the entry and/ or exit to the Step Sequence and/or once at the entry to Pattern Dance Element.  

Timing:  The Pattern Dance Elements must be skated in strict time to the music. The first step of the dance begins on the fourth beat of the measure and the Helicopter starts on beat one of a musical phrase. The PDE must be skated to the Tango rhythm in the style of the chosen rhythm, with the range of tempo: 28 measures of 4 beats per minute or 110-114 beats per minute. The tempo of the music throughout the Pattern Dance Element must be constant.

Lifts:  One (1) Short Lift which is a maximum of 7 seconds. 

Step Sequences:  One (1) Step Sequence in Hold or Not Touching or Combination of both (Style B) chosen from the following types of pattern: Midline, Diagonal, Circular.  

Specifications to Style B Rhythm Dance for 2018-19 season: One stop permitted up to 5 seconds. One retrogression up to two measures is permitted and may start from the permitted Stop. Loops NOT permitted. The hold requirement is not considered for level. Dance spins and pirouettes are stops.

Twizzles:  One (1) Combination Set of Sequential Twizzles At least two twizzles for each partner with up to one step maximum between twizzles. May be skated anywhere in the program except in the required Step Sequence.

The description, chart and diagrams of the Pattern Dances are included in the ISU Handbook Ice Dance 2003.  

JUNIOR

Rhythms/music: Tango or Tango plus one additional rhythm.

REQUIRED ELEMENTS

Pattern Dance Element:  Two (2) Sections of Argentine Tango, skated one after the other, Section 1 (steps # 1-18), Section 2 (steps#19-31).

  • Option 1: Section 1 followed by Section 2 with Step #1 skated on the Judges’ left side.
  • Option 2: Section 2 followed by Section 1 with Step #19 skated on the judges’ right side.  

See ISU Communication #2148 for key points.  The pattern must cross Long Axis of the ice surface once at each end of the rink within no more than 30 meters (Short Axis) of the barrier.  May cross Long Axis once at the entry and/ or exit to the Step Sequence and/or once at the entry to Pattern Dance Element.

Timing:  The Pattern Dance Elements (PDE) must be skated in strict time to the music. The first step of the dance begins on beat one of a musical phrase. The PDE must be skated to the Tango rhythm in the style of the chosen rhythm, with the range of tempo: 24 measures of 4 beats per minute or 94-98 beats per minute. The tempo of the music throughout the Pattern Dance Element must be constant.

Lifts:  One (1) Short Lift which is a maximum of 7 seconds. 

Step Sequences: One (1) Step Sequence in Hold or Not Touching or Combination of both (Style B) chosen from the following types of pattern: Midline, Diagonal, Circular. 

Specifications to Style B Rhythm Dance for 2018-19 season: One stop permitted up to 5 seconds. One retrogression up to two measures is permitted and may start from the permitted Stop. Loops NOT permitted. The hold requirement is not considered for level. Dance spins and pirouettes are stops.

Twizzles:  One (1) Combination Set of Sequential Twizzles. At least two twizzles for each partner with up to one step maximum between twizzles. May be skated anywhere in the program except in the required Step Sequence.

The description, chart and diagrams of the Pattern Dances are included in the ISU Handbook Ice Dance 2003.