International Skating Union Established 1892 The Official Home of Speed * Figure * Synchronized * Short Track

Communication No. 1022 Ice Dancing

1. RULE 587, para 5 e) - CLARIFICATION

Referees are requested when completing Reports of Championships that if a Judge is assessed as "Mediocre" or "Poor" the Referee when providing the Judge in question with a separate Judges Report must not show remarks or placings of any other Judge on the panel.

2. ISU ICE DANCING JUDGES SEMINARS

The ISU has assigned ISU Ice Dancing Judges Seminars to the following Members:

	Poland, Warsaw, held on April 16th - 18th, 1999
	Czech Republic and Slovak Republic, Brno	May 21st - 23rd, 1999
	Australia, Sydney				July 16th - 18th, 1999
	Germany, Oberstdorf				September 1st -  3rd, 1999

Please refer to ISU Communication No 967 for details of participation and expenses.

3. RULE 510, MUSIC SEASON 1999/2000 - CLARIFICATION

The rhythmic beat must be highlighted and used throughout. At the same time more emphasis is to be given to skating difficult dance steps and turns and using more difficult holds.
The Ice Dance Technical Committee (IDTC) is concerned with the current trend of Free Dances being choreographed with an overly dramatic interpretation and a tendancy to introduce too many movements normally associated with Pair Skating rather than Ice Dancing.

4. MARKING SHEETS

From July 1, 1999 new, permanent, Marking Sheets for Compulsory Dances, Original Dance and Free Dance will be available from the ISU Secretariat. In the future "annual" Marking Sheets will cease to be issued.

5. COMBINED COMPULSORY DANCES AND ORIGINAL DANCE PRACTICES

In the interest of safety, couples may not start practising their Original Dance until the last piece of Compulsory Dance practice music has ended.
When the schedule permits, a 5 minute warm-up period (without music) will be provided before the Original Dance music is played.

6. COMPULSORY DANCES FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Following the Annual Meeting of the IDTC with the Coaches held in Helsinki during the World Championships 1999 the request was made by the Coaches that it will be helpful for training purposes, if the Compulsory Dances could be announced rather than drawn at a Competition itself.
The IDTC endorsed this suggestion in principle and asks organizers of International Competitions to note this request and to comply with it whenever possible.

7. COMBINED COMPULSORY DANCES

The IDTC has viewed the Videos prepared at their request of experimental combinations and heard a sample of the music and has decided, for the time being, not to pursue this project which has been in the experimental stage since the ISU Congress held in Stockholm in June 1998.

8. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPULSORY DANCES SEASON 1999/2000 (see Attached)

9. ORIGINAL DANCE SEASON 1999/2000 (please refer to Communication 1005, para 2)

Following the meeting with the Coaches in Helsinki the following changes, modifications and clarifications have been made to Communication 1005, para 2, by the IDTC.

Latin Combination

Type: Any 2 or 3 of Cha Cha, Mambo, Merengue, Rhumba or Samba.

Para 2., Requirements/Restictions

Revised as follows:

b) Only music with a rhythmic beat may be used. Only one music selection may be used for each rhythm chosen and one of the rhythms may be used twice, if only two rhythm selections are to be used. These may be played in any order and there shall be no restrictions on the tempo or variation(s) thereof. If a rhythm is used twice it must be skated to the same tune both times.

i) No more that three full stops in total are allowed; a maximum of two stops that must not exceed 5 seconds in duration plus one that must not exceed 10 seconds. The rest of the paragraph remains unchanged.

The following elements must be included - (corrections to sub-para iii)
(sub-paras i) and ii) remain unchanged).

iii) One Diagonal Step Sequence extending fully from corner to corner or one Straight Line Step Sequence along the mid-line (center axis) of the ice surface extending the full length of the ice. Either step sequence must incorporate difficult mirror and/or matching footwork and at least one series of synchronized twizzles (two twizzles in a row skated simultaneously - see Free Dance definition). During this step sequence the partners must remain at not more than 2 arms-lengths apart and may not touch each other. Small hops or jumps (of not more than 1/2 rotation) may be included.

New Para 3.

At all ISU Championships and Competitions competitors are required to list the rhythms chosen by them for the Latin Combination Original Dance, when submitting the music to the Organizers. This information will be given to the Referee for distribution to the Judges.

10. CLARIFICATION REQUIRED ELEMENTS FREE DANCE SEASON 1999/2000

"Skaters, Coaches and Judges are advised to carefully read the Rule 510 - Season 1999/2000, pages 139-141 of Special Regulations Ice Dancing 1998 as it differs from the Rule for last year - 1998/1999 on pages 134-138"

The required elements are listed in Rule 510 para 4 l) on pages 140 and 141. In addition, the following applies:

Lifts - specified:
Senior: not less than 5 lifts, not more than 7 (2 specified, below)
Junior: not less than 3 lifts, not more that 5 (1 specified below)

Senior only: - Specified: a non-rotational lift skated on 2 different curves by the lifting partner.

Clarification of «non rotational lift»:

Senior: - Specified: a rotational lift with at least three revolutions by the lifting partner.
Junior: - Specified: a rotational lift with at least two revolutions by the lifting partner.

Dance Spins - specified:

Senior: - One in Foxtrot position/hold with at least two revolutions and at least two further revolutions in any other dance hold (two different holds are required). One change of foot for both partners is permitted.

Junior: - One in Foxtrot position/hold with one change of foot for both partners, simultaneously, with at least two revolutions on each foot.

A "series" of synchronized twizzles is defined as: at least two twizzles for each partner with up to 3 small steps between. Each twizzle shall be at least one rotation on one foot performed simultaneously (at the same time) by both partners.

For example:

The minimum requirements for 1999/2000 Season are as follows:

Senior: - 2 "series" of twizzles.
Junior: - 1 "series" of twizzles.

Step Sequences ( for both Senior and Junior) as Rule 510, para 4, l) (iv)

• One circular utilizing the full width of the ice surface
• and one diagonal skated fully corner to corner
• one in Closed/Tango and/or Open position (see Rule 505 paras 2 and 3) but not in Kilian
• the other in optional varied dance holds
• both must incorporate mohawks, choctaws, rockers, counters and other steps as defined in Rule 504, twizzles may be included in either step sequence but not as specified elements (lifts, jumps, dance spins, stops and pirouettes are not allowed during the step sequences).

Milan,						Ottavio Cinquanta, President
	April 30, 1999
Lausanne,					Fredi Schmid, General Secretary

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPULSORY DANCES
AND DEDUCTION GUIDELINES

Judges are reminded that these specific deductions are very important for certain key highlights of each Compulsory Dance, but other requirements under Technique (accuracy, style, placement, and unison) and under Timing/Expression must be taken into consideration as well. Errors other than those described for the given specific requirement (e.g. shallow, but not incorrect edges) should be reflected in the base mark.

Skaters and coaches are reminded to pay attention to correct execution of these specific requirements in addition to the other requirements (mentioned above) in training these dances for the competitive season.

JUNIOR DANCES 1999/2000

WESTMINSTER WALTZ (2 sequences; optional pattern)

KILIAN (6 sequences; optional pattern)

TANGO ( 2 sequences; optional pattern)

BLUES (3 sequences; optional pattern)

SENIOR DANCES 1999/2000

VIENNESE WALTZ (3 sequences; optional pattern)

YANKEE POLKA (2 sequences; optional pattern)

QUICKSTEP (4 sequences; set pattern)

ARGENTINE TANGO ( 2 sequences; set pattern)