Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, duos, or groups perform on figure skates. The four Olympic disciplines are men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing. Non-Olympic disciplines include synchronized skating and four skating. In senior-level competition, skaters generally perform two programs which, depending on the discipline, may include spins, jumps, moves in the field, lifts, throw jumps, death spirals, and other elements or moves.
The blade has a groove on the bottom creating two distinct edges – inside and outside. In figure skating, it is generally desirable to skate on one edge of the blade and not on both at the same time, which is referred to as a flat. Skates used in single and pair skating have a set of large, jagged teeth called toe picks on the front of the blade. Ice dancing blades are an inch shorter in the rear and have smaller toe picks.
Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level (senior), and at local, national, and international competitions. TheInternational Skating Union (ISU) regulates international figure skating judging and competitions. These include the Winter Olympic Games, theWorld Championships, the World Junior Championships, the European Championships, the Four Continents Championships, and the Grand Prix series (senior and junior).
The sport is also associated with show business. Major competitions generally conclude with exhibition galas, in which the top skaters or teams from each discipline perform non-competitive programs for the audience. Many skaters, both during and after their competitive careers, also skate in ice skating shows which run during the competitive season and the off-season.
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