In the block element: Skaters must be attached as much as possible during the step sequence. If not, Judges will reduce their GOE.

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1 IJS Conference Call Notes November 6, 2008 Conference calls were held for all coaches of intermediate or higher teams to answer frequently asked questions regarding ISU Communication The information below was covered in the call. It is NOT a substitute for ISU Communication 1532, it is a supplement and further explains several areas addressed. PLANNED PROGRAM CONTENT SHEETS Must be done online at For Moves in Isolation, the free skating move or free skating element the team wants to receive credit for. If nothing is in the box, the lowest level fm or fe will be called. Senior free skate: Must select a free skating element. STEP SEQUENCE FEATURE Step sequences will receive their own level and base value, separate from the element in which they occur. The judges will give this step sequence its own GOE. Concept of downgrading step sequence is no longer applicable. Step sequences are called based on the requirements the team achieves. Remember, however, that turns need to be recognizable to receive credit, and the team must demonstrate lobes and edges. Be sure to review obvious and visible errors, in ISU Communication 1532, Appendix A, which describes what can cause a turn to not receive credit. In the block element: Skaters must be attached as much as possible during the step sequence. If not, Judges will reduce their GOE. Achieving Step Sequence level 1: Any two correctly executed turns count. They may be the same turn. When attempting the change of rotation feature: a) Teams may use one (1) 360 turn in each direction or b) A 360 rotation can be made up of two (2) turns. c) Between each 360: Skaters may change feet or change edge d) Between two 180 turns that constitute a 360; skaters may change feet or change edge. e) Each 360 turn or at least 1 turn of a must be from the level you are trying to achieve.

2 WHEEL BLOCK Traveling: All skaters must be doing the same steps at the same time. If one skater is seen assisting travel by deviating from the same steps (i.e., center skaters turning forward, center skater stepping on toes rather than doing crossovers, etc.); the travel variation feature will not be called. Difficult variation traveling with linking steps: The travel must include at least one (1) turn, of any level, with balance of crossovers and linking steps. No more than two (2) crossovers may be done in a row. The 3-line or triple parallel wheel or 3 interlocking wheel is not an option for teams less than 18 skaters; as at least 3 skaters are needed in each spoke. Difficult variation - changing direction in the wheel with 360 turn and not stopping: a) The turn must be a 360 on 1 foot (power 3 ok). b) The turn must be done as the skaters are changing direction; not before or after the change of direction. c) Teams may not turn on the spot. They must change the track they are currently skating on. The skaters changing the track they are on would be visible to the technical panel by the skaters pulling away from or skating towards the centers of their spokes. d) In the free skate, a change of direction may occur between configuration changes. e) In the junior short program, the change of direction must occur within the same shape. If a team didn t get their change of direction called last season, it was most likely because the skaters were not completing at least 90 degrees in the new direction, following the change. In order to achieve the change of direction feature you must not only do the turn properly, but you must also rotate in the new direction for the minimum amount the required amount of time. The total rotation of both directions skated must be at least 360 degrees. Difficult variation pivoting during a step sequence: While pivoting the block, at least two (2) turns must be included from the level you are trying to achieve in your step sequence. They can be the same turns or different turns but they must be recognizable. The pivot must be at least 180 degrees, but less than 360 degrees, and it must be continuous. Simple or difficult variation - changing configurations during the step sequence. To achieve the variation you must include at least one turn when changing from one configuration to another. This can be any turn. Closed vs. open block: A closed block is any block where all of the lines are filled in. An open block would look more like a box, or an outline, where the skaters are clearly not filled in.

3 LINE Simple or difficult variation retrogression: When retrogressing, a line must move in three directions, with the first direction repeated again at the end. For example, skate towards the judges, move it back away from the judges, then finish by skating towards the judges again. While doing this, the line should have as little movement as possible from side-to-side. There is no minimum amount of ice that must be covered during retrogression, but it must be recognizable. The line element must cover the full ice or equivalent, if choosing two shapes, the total of those shapes must cover the full ice. Difficult variation pivoting: The slow end of pivot must cover ½ the ice pivot must be a continuous 180 degrees 360 degrees. If choosing a 90 degree pivot + a 90 degree pivot, the movement must be continuous and the total of ice that the slow ends cover must still be ½ the ice. INTERSECTION Difficult variation - Back-to-back preparation and approach: At least four steps (i.e., two crossovers) must be back to back, or you can use a back pivoting entry. Remember that back-to-back refers to the skaters torsos facing away from each other, not a backwards direction of skating. Lines could be doing forward strokes or crossovers and still be back-to-back. - If the team comes to a stop before entering the intersection, the place they resume moving again becomes their preparation and approach. Angled intersection: It must have a follow the leader approach and the entry edge of turn or free skating move to be done at the point of intersection (pi) must begin 3 skaters before point of intersection. Collapsing intersection: I.e., a box or triangle. To achieve the highest level point of intersection, the team must complete two (2) 360-degree continuous backward rotations. - If the team were performing a collapsing intersection, and only completed the point of intersection requirement once, the call would be one level lower. (For example, doing a backward 360 degree rotation + a 180 rotation would result in a call of point of intersection level 2 ) Skaters do not have to reconnect after the intersection: They do, however, need to demonstrate the shape. If there is an error in the pre or post shape, the result will be a reduction in the GOE from the judging panel. There will also be a reduction in GOE for coming to a stop afterwards. -Note: While the technical panel will no longer take a ded 1 for a pre or post shape error, the reduction in GOE the judging panel will now take could result in more points being lost than were lost for the ded 1 last season. It is still important to execute the pre and post shapes well.

4 CIRCLE Simple or difficult variation changing configuration during a step sequence: Any turn may be used to change configuration. Turns and linking steps can be used, but not crossovers. Difficult variation changing rotational direction: A 360-degree rotation turn must be included (with the exception of a loop), without stopping. a) Skaters must change the track they are skating on. This would be evidenced by the circle expanding and contracting. b) Skaters must release their holds c) A change of rotational direction may occur at the same time the team is changing configuration. d) The turn must be done as the skaters are changing direction; not before or after the change of direction. Difficult variation travel with no hold or with liking steps: In short program, teams may not do a travel in a no hold AND a travel with linking steps. That would be an additional feature and would result in a deduction. In the free skate, teams may choose to do both a travel in a no hold and a travel with linking steps. However, if the two additional features are executed at the same time, only the feature for the no hold travel will be recognized by the technical panel. If they are performed separately, each travel must meet the requirements of ice coverage of at least ¼ of the ice. - An example of how this could be done: a) form the circle and travel in a no hold ¼ of the ice. b) Re-connect the hold, pause, and resume traveling, but now with linking steps for an additional ¼ of the ice. Each time, the additional feature must be recognizable and must meet the requirements on its own. MOVEMENTS IN ISOLATION Remember to identify the free skating move (fm) or free skating element (fe) your team wants called on the planned program content sheet. The level of the Movements in Isolation awarded is based on the number of skaters who successfully complete the called free skating move or free skating element. For example, if six skaters attempt a flying camel spin (fe 3), but only five meet the requirements Movements in Isolation group 2 (MI 2) is called; + fe 3. If all six successfully completed the flying camel, the call would be MI 3 + fe 3. Group or pair lifts must glide on the exit or the free skating element will be lowered to a fe1. Example: These lifts should exit in a similar manner that a pair skater glides out of a lift or a singles skater lands a jump. Teams should avoid plopping skaters down on their toe picks. Group lifts in the senior free skate: If the team executes two group lifts for their movements in isolation, the lifts must be different.

5 All skaters must execute the same free skating move or element that is called. For example, a team could not have four skaters do a spread eagle and four do an ina bauer and receive credit for eight skaters performing the fm. In that example, the call would be MI 2 + fm 3 for four skaters completing a group 3 free skating move. Free skating moves and elements may not be executed in pairs, unless the team a designated pairs move from the list of choices in the difficulty groups. For example, the team may choose to execute death spirals in the moves in isolation. However, if the team chooses a free skating move, such as a spread eagle, that spread eagle must be done individually by each skater, not in pairs or connected to any other skaters. MOVES IN THE FIELD A Mirror pattern can only be used in free skate; it is not permitted in the senior short program. If a team is attempting a free skating move in no hold; the free skating move must begin and end in no hold. If the team is changing configuration during a free skating move, the shape they were in at the start of the configuration change must be different from the configuration they begin the next free skating move with. - For example: A spiral in two lines changes to four lines. The next free skating move cannot begin in two lines, it must begin in an entirely new configuration if attempting the difficult variation for three different configurations. NO HOLD BLOCK - Once a free skating move begins in a particular configuration, that configuration may not be used to begin any further configurations in the element if attempting the difficult variation for three different configurations. Difficult variation - 2 body movements One must be on one foot during the step sequence and without a stop. If the team begins their program with the no hold block element, in order to achieve the difficult variation not beginning with a stop, the team must cover at least ¼ of the ice as a preparation for the element. This is only a requirement when the no hold block is the first element skated. OTHER NOTE: A no hold does count as a hold towards the required number of holds in the program. Remember, however, that a step sequence within a block element executed in a no hold will result in a reduction in the GOE from the judges.