Glossary of Skating Terminology

Dance hold: A hold used by dance couples while dancing, consisting of hand-to-hand and hand-to-body holds. The common holds are waltz, foxtrot, tango and killian.

Dance lift: A lift in which the man's hands are not raised above his shoulder level.

Dance pattern: The design of a dance on the ice.

Data Entry Operator: The Technical Panel official that enters element identifications into the scoring computer hardware system during a performance, if one is in use. The Data Entry Operator also participates in vetting the elements for rule violations after each performance.

Death drop: A flying spin which begins like a flying camel by throwing the free leg, but in which the skater flips over into the back sit spin position in the air, and spins on the ice in a back sit position.

Death spiral: A pair movement in which one partner (usually the man) skates in a pivot position while holding one hand of the other partner (usually the woman), while that partner revolves in a circle around the partner in the pivot position with their body held roughly parallel to the ice, with one skate blade in contact with the ice. The motion is usually counter-clockwise.

There are four types of death spirals, specified by the skating edge and direction of motion of the partner parallel to the ice: forward inside, forward outside, backwards inside, backwards outside.

Deductions: Point values subtracted from a skater's marks due to certain error made by the skater or violations of the rules.

Delayed jump: A jump in which the rotation is delayed by hesitating on the pull in, and which rotates slowly at the start and quickly at the end. The most common example is the delayed Axel.

Detroiter: A one-arm lift in which the woman is held in a horizontal position over the man's head and during which the team rotates in one place faster than anything but an empty human stomach can tolerate.

Disciplines of ice skating: The different recognized forms of competitive ice skating consisting of figures, single skating, pair skating, fours, ice dance, synchronized skating and theatrical skating (includes showcase and theatre on ice).

Dismount: The process of returning the lifted partner to the ice in a controlled manner at the end of the lift.

Division: One of several levels of competition within a given discipline of skating, such as the senior, junior, novice, intermediate, and juvenile divisions. Many other divisions exist for younger and adult skaters. Below novice, names of divisions vary throughout the world.

Double jump: Any jump having two or two and one-half rotations in the air.

Double three: A figure consisting of two circles with two three turns on each circle, one third of the way around each circle.

Double twist lift: A twist lift in which the woman is tossed over the man's head making 1 1/2 turn in the air while the man turns 1/2 turn over the ice.

Downgraded jump: A jump which is missing 1/2 or more rotation when the free foot contacts the ice.

Drape: A dance position in which the woman reclines over the man's knee or thigh with at least one of her skates on the ice.

Draw: The choosing of the starting order prior to the skating of an event or segment of an event.

Drawing a figure: The act of attempting to produce the correct trace in a compulsory figure by drawing the trace on the ice using the skating foot, as opposed to producing the correct trace by skating the figure in the correct positions.