A twizzle is "a multirotational, one-foot turn that moves across the ice"
in the sport of
figure skating
Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are me ...
. First performed by David Grant in 1990 the
International Skating Union
The International Skating Union (ISU) is the international governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in Scheveningen, Net ...
(ISU) defines a twizzle as "a traveling turn on one foot with one or more rotations which is quickly rotated with a continuous (uninterrupted) action".
[S&P/ID 2022, p. 128] It is most often performed in
ice dance
Ice dance (sometimes referred to as ice dancing) is a discipline of figure skating that historically draws from ballroom dancing. It joined the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, and became a Winter Olympic Games medal sport in 1976. Ac ...
, although
single skaters and
pair skaters also perform the element. Twizzles have been called "the quads of ice dance"
because like quadruple
jumps
Jumping or leaping is a form of locomotion or movement in which an organism or non-living (e.g., robotic) mechanical system propels itself through the air along a ballistic trajectory. Jumping can be distinguished from running, galloping and o ...
in other disciplines, twizzles are risky and technically demanding.
Background
A twizzle is "a multirotational, one-foot turn that moves across the ice"
in the sport of
figure skating
Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are me ...
. It is a "a difficult turn"
in
single skating
Single skating is a discipline of figure skating in which male and female skaters compete individually. Men's singles and women's singles are governed by the International Skating Union (ISU). Figure skating is the oldest winter sport contested ...
. The
International Skating Union
The International Skating Union (ISU) is the international governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in Scheveningen, Net ...
(ISU), the governing body of figure skating, defines a twizzle as "a traveling turn on one foot with one or more rotations which is quickly rotated with a continuous (uninterrupted) action".
A
spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
, by comparison, is a stationary, multi-rotational turn. Twizzle sequences, when executed well, are often the highlight of ice dance programs.
A set of synchronized twizzles is a series of two twizzles for each partner, with up to four steps between twizzles. A set of sequential twizzles is a series of two twizzles for each partner, with up to one step between twizzles. For both a set of synchronized twizzles and a set of sequential twizzles, each twizzle should be at least one full rotation on one foot performed at the same time by both partners.
[S&P/ID 2022, p. 129] American ice dancer
Alex Shibutani
Alex Hideo Shibutani (born April 25, 1991) is an American ice dancer. Partnered with his sister Maia Shibutani, he is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist (2018), a three-time World medalist (silver in 2016; bronze in 2011 and 2017), the 2016 Fou ...
calls twizzles "the quads of ice dance"
because like quadruple
jumps
Jumping or leaping is a form of locomotion or movement in which an organism or non-living (e.g., robotic) mechanical system propels itself through the air along a ballistic trajectory. Jumping can be distinguished from running, galloping and o ...
in other disciplines, twizzles, which appear most often in ice dance programs, are risky and technically demanding.
There are four types of entry edges for twizzles: the forward inside, the forward outside, the backward inside, and the backward outside. A twizzle-like motion is a motion in which the skating foot executes less than a full turn, followed by a step forward, while the body performs one full continuous motion.
A series of
3 turn steps do not constitute a twizzle because they do not constitute a continuous action. If the skater stops traveling during the action, it is deemed a solo spin (or pirouette) and not counted as a twizzle.
Execution
Twizzles, like steps, must be executed on clean edges.
In a twizzle, the skater's weight is on the skating foot, with the free foot in any position during the turn, and then placed beside the skating foot to skate the next step.
Although the twizzle is not considered a difficult move compared to other elements in figure skating, when a twizzle is executed properly the three turns are done so quickly that it is difficult to see the turns. The skater must continually rotate and move across the ice on one foot, by executing a quickly-controlled rocking action on their blade. Skaters must have equal strength in each rotational direction while having exact synchronicity with their partners. They increase the difficulty of twizzles, and earn more points for them, by performing variations in the placements of the leg (grabbing the blade while extending the leg) and arms (moving the arm or arms over the head or behind the back). According to American ice dancer
Colin McManus
Colin McManus (born March 10, 1990) is an American former competitive ice dancer. With his skating partner, Anastasia Cannuscio, he is the 2013 Ice Challenge champion, a three-time bronze medalist on the ISU Challenger Series, and the 2016 U.S. ...
, the finesse required in mastering the twizzle makes it "very easy to run into issues like putting your foot down or hitting your toe pick".
According to Shibutani, high-quality twizzles are performed when skaters focus on gathering speed entering a twizzle sequence, which provides enough directional force to continue rotating as long as the choreography demands, and that muscle memory should carry them through the rest of the sequence. Shibutani reported that strong teams are able to adjust, make self-corrections, and follow what their partners are doing.
He also said that there is "no room for mental errors at all".
When ice dancers perform twizzles too slowly, trip while traveling across the ice, or fall out of sync with each other, it can ruin the flow of a program and "deflate the energy in the arena".
According to Shibutani, practice, relying on muscle memory, and a good partnership are the keys to performing successful twizzle sequences. He said, about he and his long-time partner and sibling
Maia Shibutani
Maia Harumi Shibutani (born July 20, 1994) is an American ice dancer. Partnered with her brother Alex Shibutani, she is a two time 2018 Olympic bronze medalist, a three-time World medalist (silver in 2016, bronze in 2011 and 2017), the 2016 Fou ...
, "Hopefully, we’re rotating so fast that we can’t really see each other and it’s just kind of a feel thing".
American ice dancer
Meryl Davis
Meryl Davis (born January 1, 1987) is a former competitive American ice dancer. With partner Charlie White, she is the 2014 Olympic champion, the 2010 Olympic silver medalist, a two-time (2011, 2013) World champion, five-time Grand Prix Final ...
reported, when speaking about how detailed and exact the synchronization is in the execution of twizzles, that she and her partner
Charlie White knew the placement of each other's feet based on the sounds their blades made on the ice. Maia Shibutani stated that partners need to have strong individual skating skills and that staying in the moment is important because when skaters lose focus and think too far ahead, "then you're finished".
Gallery
File:2012 Rostelecom Cup 01d 894 Maia SHIBUTANI Alex SHIBUTANI.JPG, Maia Shibutani
Maia Harumi Shibutani (born July 20, 1994) is an American ice dancer. Partnered with her brother Alex Shibutani, she is a two time 2018 Olympic bronze medalist, a three-time World medalist (silver in 2016, bronze in 2011 and 2017), the 2016 Fou ...
and Alex Shibutani
Alex Hideo Shibutani (born April 25, 1991) is an American ice dancer. Partnered with his sister Maia Shibutani, he is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist (2018), a three-time World medalist (silver in 2016; bronze in 2011 and 2017), the 2016 Fou ...
, 2012
File:2009 GPF Seniors Dance - Meryl DAVIS - Charlie WHITE - 5632a.jpg, Meryl Davis
Meryl Davis (born January 1, 1987) is a former competitive American ice dancer. With partner Charlie White, she is the 2014 Olympic champion, the 2010 Olympic silver medalist, a two-time (2011, 2013) World champion, five-time Grand Prix Final ...
and Charlie White, 2009
File:2011 TEB Free 188 Tessa Virtue Scott Moir.jpg, Tessa Virtue
Tessa Jane McCormick Virtue (born May 17, 1989) is a Canadian retired ice dancer. With ice dance partner Scott Moir, she is the 2010 and 2018 Olympic champion, the 2014 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World champion (2010, 2012, 2017) ...
and Scott Moir
Scott Patrick Moir OLY ( ; born September 2, 1987) is a Canadian retired ice dancer and coach. With ice dance partner Tessa Virtue, he is the 2010 and 2018 Olympic champion, the 2014 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World champion (2010, ...
, 2011
File:Kristine Musademba 2008-2009 JGPF.jpg, Kristine Musademba
Kristine Musademba (born December 3, 1992) is an American former competitive figure skater. She won three gold medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series and qualified twice for the JGP Final. She is the 2008 U.S. junior national pewter medalis ...
, 2008
File:European 2011 Nathalie PECHALAT Fabian BOURZAT.jpg, Nathalie Pechalat
Nathalie is a female given name. It is a variant of the name Natalie/ Natalia which is found in many languages, and is especially common in French and English speaking countries.
Notable people with the name include:
* Nathalie, Italian singer
* ...
and Fabian Bourzat
Fabian Bourzat (born 19 December 1980) is a French retired ice dancer. With partner Nathalie Péchalat, he is a two-time World bronze medalist (2012, 2014), a two-time European champion ( 2011–2012), and a five-time French national champion ( ...
, 2011
File:2009 Nebelhorn Dance - Alexandra ZARETSKI - Roman ZARETSKI - 6319a.jpg, Alexandra Zaretski
Alexandra "Sasha" Zaretsky ( he, אלכסנדרה זרצקי, russian: Александра Зарецкая, , be, Аляксандра Зарэцкая) (born December 23, 1987) is an Israeli retired ice dancer. With her brother Roman Zaretsky, ...
and Roman Zaretski
Roman Zaretsky ( he, רומן זרצקי, russian: Роман Зарецкий, be, Раман Зарэцкі; born December 4, 1983) is an Israeli retired Ice dancing, ice dancer. With his sister, Alexandra Zaretsky, he is the 2009 Skate America ...
, 2009
References
Works cited
"Special Regulations & Technical Rules Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance 2022".International Skating Union. 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022. (S&P/ID 2022)
External links
Tessa Virtue
Tessa Jane McCormick Virtue (born May 17, 1989) is a Canadian retired ice dancer. With ice dance partner Scott Moir, she is the 2010 and 2018 Olympic champion, the 2014 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World champion (2010, 2012, 2017) ...
and
Scott Moir
Scott Patrick Moir OLY ( ; born September 2, 1987) is a Canadian retired ice dancer and coach. With ice dance partner Tessa Virtue, he is the 2010 and 2018 Olympic champion, the 2014 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World champion (2010, ...
br>
performing the twizzleduring their free dance at the
2018 Olympics
, nations = 93
, athletes = 2,922 (1,680 men and 1,242 women)
, events = 102 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening =
, closing =
, opened_by = President Moon Jae-in
, cauldron = Kim Yun-a
, stadium = Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium
, winte ...
.
{{Figure skating
Figure skating elements