Explained: Figure Skating

Figure Skating 19 Nov 25

Figure skating will forever have a place in the British psyche thanks to the iconic exploits of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean back in 1984.

But while Bolero is synonymous with what is now Serbia’s capital Sarajevo, John Curry dazzled in Innsbruck, Robin Cousins was majestic in Lake Placid while Jeannette Altwegg and Madge Syers also struck gold in Oslo and London respectively.

In total, Team GB has won 13 Olympic medals since the sport was first included at the Games, including the aforementioned five golds.

Figure skating has been an official Olympic Winter Games sport since 1924 – having made its debut at the Summer Games of 1908 where Syers won – and with Milan Cortina 2026 ready to write the sport’s next chapter, here we answer any questions you may have...

What is ice dancing?

Ice dancing is a discipline of figure skating that emphasises musical rhythm, interpretation, and intricate footwork.

It is often compared to ballroom dancing performed on ice because of its focus on storytelling and movement quality rather than big jumps or powerful tricks.

Unlike pairs skating, ice dancing does not include jumps, throws, or overhead lifts.

Lifts are allowed only when they stay below shoulder level, keeping the discipline centred on dance and technical finesse rather than acrobatics.

What is pairs skating?

Pairs skating features a man and a woman performing together with elements that are more acrobatic than ice dance.

Pairs teams perform overhead lifts, throw jumps, twist lifts, and death spirals; skills that require strength, precision, and trust.

They also complete difficult side-by-side jumps and spins to demonstrate matching technique and timing.

Although the pairs discipline is known for its dynamic elements, skaters must also carefully choreograph their routine, taking into account the music being used.

What is singles skating?

Singles skating is performed by individual skaters in two categories: men’s singles and women’s singles.

Competitors showcase a variety of elements including jumps, spins, and step sequences.

They also incorporate choreographed transitions that connect the technical elements into a one smooth program.

Both technical difficulty and artistic quality are judged in the scoring.

How does the team competition work at the Olympics?

The Olympic team event, which was first introduced at Sochi 2014, combines the results from all four figure skating disciplines.

Each country enters skaters or teams in men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs, and ice dance.

All disciplines perform both a short program or dance and a free program or dance.

Points are awarded based on placement in each segment, and only the top five countries after the short programs advance to the free programs and a chance to win a medal.

The nation with the highest number of points at the end wins the gold medal.

How is figure skating scored?

Modern figure skating uses the ISU Judging System, also known as the International Judging System (IJS).

The two main elements that skaters are scored on is the Technical Element Score (TES) and the Program Component Score (PCS).

For the former, jumps, spins, step sequences etc are given a base value and the judges then give a Grade of Execution, ranging from -5 to 5, according to the quality of delivery.

The latter considers factors such as artistry, skating skills, transitions, performance, composition, and interpretation.

The final score is the combination of both the TES and the PCS plus any deductions.

What are the different programmes in figure skating?

Typically, there are the two programs within figure skating: the short program/rhythm dance (for the ice dance) and the free skate/free dance.

The short program contains required elements, is more structed in nature and is shorter in duration.

In comparison, the free skate is a longer skate which allows the athlete(s) to be more expressive whilst also giving them greater freedom over the elements in the routine as well as how it is choreographed.

What is an axel jump?

The axel is perhaps figure skating’s most identifiable jump due to it being the sport’s only basic jump which requires a forward take-off.

Due to the forward take-off, it makes the jump half a rotation longer than other jumps.

Both the take-off and landing see the skater land on the outside edge of the skates, landing backwards having been forwards when taking off.

What is a lutz jump?

The lutz is a toe jump known for its distinctive counter-rotational entry.

It takes off from a backward outside edge with help from the toe pick.

The jump lands on the backward outside edge of the opposite foot.

Its key challenge is that the skater travels in the opposite direction of the jump’s rotation.

This makes the lutz jump one of the most difficult jumps in figure skating.

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