Free dance (ice dance)


The free dance is a segment of an ice dance competition, the second contested. It follows the rhythm dance. Skaters perform "a creative dance program blending dance steps and movements expressing the character/rhythm of the dance music chosen by the couple". Its duration is 4 minutes for senior ice dancers, and 3.5 minutes for juniors. French ice dancers Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron hold the highest recorded international FD score of 135.82 points.

Background

The FD takes place after the RD in all junior and senior ice dance competitions. The 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Rulebook defines the FD as "the skating by the couple of a creative dance program blending dance steps and movements expressing the character/rhythm of the dance music chosen by the couple". It 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, 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 4 minutes; for juniors, 3.5 minutes.
Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron hold the highest FD score of 135.82 points, which they achieved at the ISU World Team Trophy in 2019. They also hold the four highest recorded FD scores.

Required elements

The ISU announces the specific requirements for the FD each year. For example, the ISU published the rules for the 2019–20 season in April 2019. The following elements make up a well-balanced program: the Dance Lift, the Dance Spin, the Step Sequence, Twizzles, and Choreographic Elements.

Footnotes

Works cited