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Required Elements and Protocol Abbreviations

Required Elements & Protocol Abbreviations

This guide keeps track of elements required in senior skating programs and how to identify the abbreviations used in protocols. This guide is updated along with ISU rule changes.

See also: More intro to skating guides

LAST UPDATED: Aug. 20, 2024

SINGLES SKATING

Short Program Elements:

  • 3 jumping passes (detailed rules here)

    • 1 non-axel solo triple (for women or men) or quadruple (for men) jump

    • 1 double or triple axel

    • 1 jump combination: quad-triple, quad-double (for men), triple-triple, or triple-double (for women or men)

  • 3 spins (1 flying spin, 1 spin in one basic position, 1 combination spin)

  • 1 step sequence

Free Program Elements:

  • 7 jumping passes (detailed rules here)

    • At least 1 axel

    • Up to 3 combinations or 2 combinations and 1 sequence; only one 3-jump combination/sequence allowed

  • 3 spins (1 flying spin, 1 spin in one basic position, 1 combination spin)

  • 1 step sequence

  • 1 choreographic sequence

Jumps (number of rotations before the abbreviation):

  • T: Toe loop

  • S: Salchow

  • Lo: Loop

  • F: Flip

  • Lz: Lutz

  • A: Axel

  • Eu: Euler (Non-standard, half-rotation jump only counted in Euler combinations. Also known as a “half loop”.)

  • “<” after any jump indicates an underrotation and reduced base value. “<<” after any jump indicates a downgrade (base value reduced to that of jump with one fewer rotation). “q” after any jump indicates a jump landed one quarter short of rotation; base value is not reduced but GOE is reduced.

  • “e” after a flip or lutz jump indicates an edge call and reduced base value. “!” after a flip or lutz jump indicates an unclear edge warning, but base value is not reduced.

  • Eg. 4Lze< = Underrotated quad lutz with wrong edge

  • Eg. 3Lz+1Eu+3S = Triple lutz - Euler - triple salchow combination

  • Intro guide to jumps

Spins (levels from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • USp: Upright spin

  • SSp: Sit spin

  • CSp: Camel spin

  • LSp: Layback spin

  • FUSp: Flying upright spin

  • FSSp: Flying sit spin

  • FCSp: Flying camel spin

  • FLSp: Flying layback spin

  • CUSp: Change-foot upright spin

  • CSSp: Change-foot sit spin

  • CCSp: Change-foot camel spin

  • CLSp: Change-foot layback spin

  • CoSp: Combination spin

  • CCoSp: Change-foot combination spin

  • “F” before any change-foot or combination spin indicates a flying spin.

  • “V” after any spin indicates missing requirements on the spin and reduced base value.

  • Eg. FCCoSp3V = Level 3 flying change-foot combination spin with missing requirements

Step Sequence (level from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • StSq

  • Eg. StSq4 = Level 4 step sequence

  • Old protocols may use SlSt (straight-line step sequence), CiSt (circular step sequence), or SeSt (serpentine step sequence).

Choreographic Sequence (set level of 1):

  • ChSq1

  • Old protocols may use ChSt1 (choreographic steps).

PAIR SKATING

Note: Regular jumps, spins, and step sequences in pair skating are the same as in singles skating. Underrotations, edge calls, and “V” can also apply to jumps and spins in pair skating.

Short Program Elements:

  • 1 side-by-side solo jump (any double or triple)

  • 1 throw jump (any double or triple)

  • 1 lift (group varies by season)

  • 1 death spiral (type varies by season)

  • 1 twist (double or triple)

  • 1 side-by-side combination spin

  • 1 step sequence

Free Program Elements:

  • 2 side-by-side jumping passes, one in combination or sequence

  • 2 throw jumps (different types, any number of rotations)

  • 3 lifts (all from different groups)

  • 1 death spiral (any type)

  • 1 twist (any number of rotations)

  • 1 pair combination spin

  • 1 choreographic sequence

Pair Lifts (levels from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • 1Li: Group 1 lift

  • 2Li: Group 2 lift

  • 3Li: Group 3 lift

  • 4Li: Group 4 lift

  • 5SLi: Group 5 step in lasso lift

  • 5TLi: Group 5 toe lasso lift

  • 5BLi: Group 5 backward lasso lift

  • 5RLi: Group 5 reverse lasso lift

  • 5ALi: Group 5 axel lasso lift

  • Eg. 5RLi3 = Level 3 group 5 reverse lasso lift

  • Intro guide to pair lifts

Death Spirals (levels from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • BiDs: Backward inside death spiral

  • BoDs: Backward outside death spiral

  • FiDs: Forward inside death spiral

  • FoDs: Forward outside death spiral

  • Eg. BoDs4 = Level 4 backward outside death spiral

Pair Spins (levels from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • PSp: Pair spin

  • PCoSp: Pair combination spin

  • Eg. PCoSp4 = Level 4 pair combination spin

Throw Jumps (number of rotations before the abbreviation):

  • TTh: Throw toeloop jump

  • STh: Throw salchow jump

  • LoTh: Throw loop jump

  • FTh: Throw flip jump

  • LzTh: Throw lutz jump

  • ATh: Throw axel jump

  • Eg. 3LzTh = Throw triple lutz

  • Intro guide to throw jumps

Twist Lifts (number of rotations before, level from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • Tw

  • Eg. 3Tw4 = Level 4 triple twist

  • Old protocols may use LzTw (lutz entry twist), TTw (toeloop entry twist), or ATw (axel entry twist).

ICE DANCE

Rhythm/Short Dance Elements:

  • Up to 3 step or choreographic sequences (requirements vary by season). Step sequences may include some, but not all of:

    • 1 or 2 sections of a pattern dance (junior & novice levels only)

    • Pattern dance type step sequence

    • Non-touching step sequence OR step sequence in hold

    • Choreographic rhythm sequence (senior level only; starting from 2022-23 season)

  • 1 short lift

  • 1 set of sequential twizzles

Free Dance Elements:

  • 2 step sequences; requirements vary by season, can include:

    • 1 step sequence in hold

    • 1 one-foot turns sequence

  • Up to 3 lifts (2 lifts for juniors)

    • 3 different short lifts OR 1 short lift and 1 combination lift (senior)

    • 2 different short lifts OR 1 combination lift (junior)

  • 1 set of synchronized twizzles

  • 1 dance spin

  • 3 of the following (2 for juniors): choreographic character step sequence, choreographic lift, choreographic spinning movement, choreographic twizzling movement, choreographic sliding movement, choreographic assisted jumps, choregraphic hydroblading movement

Pattern Dances: Please see the Ice Dance Scale of Values for a list of all pattern dances. Pattern dances are denoted by sequence/section, level, and key points. Eg. 1PD3+kpNYYT = Level 3 Paso Doble 1st sequence, did not achieve 1st key point (N), achieved 2nd and 3rd key points (Y), timing error on 4th key point (T).

Pattern Dance Type Step Sequence (level from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • PSt

  • Eg. PSt3 = Level 3 pattern dance type step sequence

One-foot Turns Sequence (level from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • OFTW: Woman’s one-foot turns sequence

  • OFTM: Man’s one-foot turns sequence

  • Eg. OFTW2+OFTM1 = Level 2 Woman’s one-foot turns sequence + Level 1 Man’s one-foot turns sequence

  • Protocols before 2022-23 used “OFStW” (woman’s one-foot step sequence) and “OFStM” (man’s one-foot step sequence)

  • One-foot step/turn sequence base values and GOE are evaluated separately for partners, then added together. Before the 2018-19 season, these sequences were evaluated as one.

Step Sequence in Hold/Not Touching (level from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • DiStW / DiStM: Woman’s/man’s diagonal step sequence

  • MiStW / MiStM: Woman’s/man’s midline step sequence

  • CiStW / CiStM: Woman’s/man’s circular step sequence

  • SeStW / SeStM: Woman’s/man’s serpentine step sequence

  • Eg. DiStW4+DiStM2 = Level 4 Woman’s diagonal step sequence + Level 2 Man’s diagonal step sequence

  • Step sequence base values and GOE are evaluated separately for partners, then added together. Before the 2022-23 season, these step sequences were evaluated as one under abbreviations DiSt, MiSt, CiSt, and SeSt.

  • Older protocols included “Nt” before the step sequence name to indicate a non-touching step sequence.

Dance Spins (level from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • DSp: Dance spin

  • Eg. DSp3 = Level 3 dance spin

  • Protocols before 2022-23 used “CoSp” for dance combination spins.

Dance Lifts (level from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • StaLi: Stationary lift

  • SlLi: Straight-line lift

  • CuLi: Curve lift

  • RoLi: Rotational lift

  • Eg. CuLi2 = Level 2 curve lift

Sequential Twizzles (level from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • SqTwW: Woman’s sequential twizzles

  • SqTwM: Man’s sequential twizzles

  • Eg. SqTwW4+SqTwM3 = Level 4 Woman’s sequential twizzles + Level 3 Man’s sequential twizzles

  • Twizzle base values and GOE are evaluated separately for partners, then added together. Before the 2018-19 season, twizzles were evaluated as one.

Synchronized Twizzles (level from B-4 after the abbreviation):

  • SyTwW: Woman’s synchronized twizzles

  • SyTwM: Man’s synchronized twizzles

  • Eg. SyTwW2+SqTwM4 = Level 2 Woman’s synchronized twizzles + Level 4 Man’s synchronized twizzles

  • Twizzle base values and GOE are evaluated separately for partners, then added together. Before the 2018-19 season, twizzles were evaluated as one.

Choreographic Elements (set level of 1):

  • ChLi1: Choreographic dance lift

  • ChSp1: Choreographic spinning movement

  • ChTw1: Choreographic twizzling movement

  • ChSl1: Choreographic sliding movement

  • ChSt1: Choreographic character step sequence

  • ChAJ1: Choreographic assisted jumps

  • ChHy1: Choreographic hydroblading movement

  • ChRS1: Choreographic rhythm sequence