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Artistic Roller Skating - Dance Pairs
We could think of "Dance", as the most elegant and graceful competitive contest in artistic roller skating.
Dance Events can consist of Compulsory Dances only; Compulsory Dances plus a Free Dance; or the World Class standard of Compulsory Dances, Original Dance (OD), and Free Dance.
Compulsory Dances are thought of as the ABC's’s of roller dancing. The rhythm, steps, and pattern are prescribed, and in a competition, all teams or solo dancers are evaluated while skating the same dance or dances.
The 'Original Dance' is skated after the Compulsory Dances in team skating. The tempo and rhythm are set by the International Artistic Committee, and changes for each skating season. While the dancers must conform to the specified tempo and rhythm, they must create their own pattern of steps and choreography, interpretive of the tempo and musical selection, whilst including some requirements, (eg: a lift, and a long-axis step sequence). What makes each dance "Original" is the specific music that has been chosen, and the combination of steps and moves that should be commensurate with the skill level of the dance team. Two scores are awarded for the OD, one for Technical Ability and Composition, and the other for Artistic Impression and Style.
The Free Dance is the real crowd pleaser at roller dance competitions. Dance teams each skate a 3-4 minute "free" dance, with original choreography and music of their choice. This dance must be non-repetitive, should display the character of dancing, should include new and known dance movements, should demonstrate originality in concept and pattern, and should provide an interesting interpretation of the music selected. Free Dance moves are similar to ballroom dancing – the couples rarely separate, and there are restrctions on jumps, high lifts, and spins.
Judges focus on creativity, skating ability and step execution, and musical interpretation, when determining the best overall Free Dance. Two scores are awarded as in the O.D, and the scores are added to those of the first two elements of the competition for each skater, by each judge.
Artistic Roller Skating - Solo Dance
Solo dance is another event performed at local and international level (although not at World Championships.) Skaters perform solo versions of the above mentioned Compulsory Dances, skating the females steps only, and a 'Creative Solo Dance' (CSD) - based on similar standards as the OD, with minor differences, such as pattern which must not cross it's own tracing, and must be a sequence of one circuit of the rink which is then repeated in a second circuit - which should match the first identically.
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