WHAT IS FIGURE SKATING
Figure skating is a sport that combines strength, elegance and artistic expression. Each discipline brings its own unique charm and possibilities to express yourself on the ice. Whether a skater embarks on the path of individual performance or teamwork, a journey full of challenges and beautiful moments awaits them. On this page you can learn more about the individual disciplines of figure skating:
solo skating
solo ice dance, dance couples
sports couple
synchronized skating
Each of these disciplines offers specific skills, elements, and competition options, which you can explore in more detail in the following sections.
.png)
SÓLO
Solo figure skating is the most famous discipline of the sport and is divided into male and female categories. Each skater performs their free skate or later a short program on the ice, combining technical difficulty with artistic expression.
In order to compete, they must first learn safe movement on the ice, control forward and backward movement, stopping, step sequences, simple spins and basic jumps. The main types of jumps include the toe loop, salchow, rittberger (loop), flip, lutz and axel – a single jump with a forward bounce. Each jump has its own variations depending on the number of turns and the direction of execution. The pinnacle of technical mastery are quadruple jumps (four turns in the air), which are among the most difficult elements and are the domain of mainly men's competitions, although recently they have been increasingly mastered by women.
Skaters also practice different types of spins – such as combined spins, alternating legs, or the famous Biellmann spin, which requires great flexibility and strength. Each spin is designed to meet the requirements of the rules while also impressing the judges and spectators with its choreography and expression.
Competitions are usually held over one day on weekends. Higher competitions, such as the Czech Championship, last for several days.
The structure of figure skating competitions in the Czech Republic includes various levels of difficulty.
Find out more here:
SÓLO ICE DANCE
Solo Ice Dance is a parallel discipline to Ice Dance. Skaters perform the same compulsory dances, rhythmic dances and free dances. Both disciplines – dance pairs and solo ice dance – are based on the basics of ballroom dancing and emphasize edge technique, fluidity and movement, while skaters must always skate to a given beat, rhythm or theme.
The individual figure skating dance program contains compulsory elements that competitors must perform to create balanced dance programs (rhythm dance, free dance); these programs include a dance pirouette, step sequence, twizzle sequence, compulsory dance element, edge elements and choreographic elements. Edge elements, which replace the lifts common in pair dances in solo dance, include moves such as spread eagle, bauer, hydroblade and spirals, which emphasize edge work, flexibility and musicality. The individual figure skating dance program follows the same elements and requirements for individual performance levels that the International Skating Union (ISU) sets annually for pair dances. New rhythms and compulsory dances are selected each year to keep the sport current, fresh and attractive.
Solo dancing is an opportunity for skaters to develop their dancing skills on ice without a partner, which allows the sport to grow. A solo dance figure skating program demonstrates artistic expression, performance, and musicality. It also serves as a tool for developing the discipline of ice dancing pairs and as an educational tool that helps develop figure skating in countries where the sport is still developing. A solo dance program allows skaters to “learn to skate to music,” which is essential in all disciplines of figure skating.
SYNCHRONIZED SKATING
Synchronized skating, often also referred to as synchro or precision skating, is a team discipline of figure skating in which 8 to 20 male and female skaters perform together on the ice. The team creates various formations, such as circles, blocks, lines, carousels or transitions with crossing tracks. The entire ride is based on the precise interaction of all team members, a uniform rhythm and coordinated movements. The skaters must move as one organism, which requires not only technical skills, but also a sense of teamwork and rhythm.
Synchronized skating is divided into several categories according to age and performance. The most common categories are Preliminary, Pre-juvenile, Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice, Junior and Senior. For example, the Juvenile category is intended for children under 13 years of age, Junior for youth aged 13 to 18 years and Senior for skaters aged 15 and over. For adults, there is the Adult category, where athletes over 18 years of age skate, and the Masters category for older adults, usually over 25 or 30 years of age. Another very popular variant is Mixed Age, i.e. mixed teams with skaters of different ages, where teenagers and adults skate together, for example.
Synchronized skating is a unique combination of technical precision and aesthetic beauty that can appeal not only to professional juries, but also to spectators in stadiums.
SPORTS COUPLE
Pair skating is a figure skating discipline in which a pair of men and women compete on the ice. Together, they perform routines that combine technical elements such as lifts, throws, joint pirouettes, twists (the partner's throws into the air) and synchronized step passages. A typical feature of pair skating is precisely the lifts and throws, which are among the most demanding elements in figure skating, as they require perfect coordination, strength of the partner and courage and confidence of the partner.
During training, pairs focus on mastering basic skating skills first individually before moving on to working as a pair. They gradually learn basic holds, simple lifts and joint rotations. Great emphasis is placed on safety, proper technique for take-offs and landings, especially when practicing throw jumps and twists. In addition to technical difficulty, the pair must impress the jury and the audience with their artistic expression and interplay with the music.
They compete in junior and senior pairs, and it is most often recommended to start preparing for this discipline at the age of 6 to 8. Before entering pairs, children usually have experience with solo skating, where they learn basic technique and confidence on the ice.
DANCE COUPLES
Solo figure skating is the most famous discipline of the sport and is divided into male and female categories. Each skater performs their free skate or later a short program on the ice, combining technical difficulty with artistic expression.
In order to compete, they must first learn safe movement on the ice, control forward and backward movement, stopping, step sequences, simple spins and basic jumps. The main types of jumps include the toe loop, salchow, rittberger (loop), flip, lutz and axel – a single jump with a forward bounce. Each jump has its own variations depending on the number of turns and the direction of execution. The pinnacle of technical mastery are quadruple jumps (four turns in the air), which are among the most difficult elements and are the domain of mainly men's competitions, although recently they have been increasingly mastered by women.
Skaters also practice different types of spins – such as combined spins, alternating legs, or the famous Biellmann spin, which requires great flexibility and strength. Each spin is designed to meet the requirements of the rules while also impressing the judges and spectators with its choreography and expression.
The dance couple Eliška Žáková and Filip Mencl, representing the Tomáš Verner Academy, have achieved several significant successes since their time in the junior category. On the domestic stage, they became two-time Czech Republic champions in the junior category, in the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 seasons. At international competitions, they managed to win 2nd place at the prestigious Pavel Roman Memorial 2024 competition in Olomouc. Other starts abroad brought them a place just below the podium, for example, 4th place at the Ephesus Cup 2025 in Izmir, Turkey.