Breaking Down the Elements: Junior Short Dance

The 2012-2013 Junior short dance consists of 4 elements that must be performed between 2 minutes and 40 seconds and 3 minutes.  The main differences from the previous season are that the step sequence can be midline or circular, the Pattern Dance is the Blues and the rhythyms are swing and hip hop.

1. Short lift, maximum 6 seconds

2. Midline or Circular not-touching step sequence, both partners may cross each others tracings and may switch from matching footwork to mirror and vice versa, the partners should remain as close together as possible but they must not touch, the distance between the skaters should generally not be more than 2 arms length apart.  Dance lifts, jumps of more than 1/2 rotation, stops, dance spins, pirouettes, pattern regressions and loops are not to be included in the step sequence.  This element must be performed in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction utilizing the full width of the ice surface on the short axis of the rink.

3. Set of sequential twizzles, two or three twizzles skated simultaneously with up to one step in between twizzles, may be skated anywhere in the program except in the required not touching step sequence.

4. 2 sequences of Blues, the pattern dance elements must be skated on the Blues Rhythm, in any style of Blues.  The tempo of music throughout the Pattern Dance Elements must be constant and in accordance with the required temp of the Pattern Dance Blues, i.e. 22 measures of four beats or 88 beats per minute, plus or minus 2 beats per minute.  Step #1 of each Sequence must be skated on a different side of the ice surface.  The temp of music throughout the Pattern Dance Elements must be constant.  The Pattern Dance Elements must be skated in strict time to the music with the start of the first Step of each Pattern Dance Element on beat 1 of a four measure musical phrase.

After the clock is started with the first movement, the couple must not remain in one place for more than 10 seconds.  During the program, either up to two full stops (duration myst not exceed 5 seconds each) or up to one full stop (duration must not exceed 10 seconds) are permitted.  Any choreography appropriate to the music selelection (including a separation of no more than two arms length apart) may be included.

Blues or Blues plus one of the following Rhythms: Swing, Hip Hop.  The concept and choreography must produce the feeling of a unified dance.  The Pattern Dance Elements may be skated anywhere in the Short Dance and should be integrated into the composition of the dance so that there should not be the feeling that there are just rhythms put together without thought of how they fit together.

A spinning movement skated by the couple together in any hold around common axis on one foot (or two feet) with any number of rotations is permitted.

Kneeling or sliding on two knees or sitting on the ice is not allowed and will be considered as a fall by the Technical Panel.