Figure Skating: Juxtaposing Pairs Skating With Ice Dancing
Of all the disciplines of figure skating, viewers are mostly confused between pairs skating and ice dancing. Because they seem exactly the same. However, there are key differences in several elements of each.

Figure skating is one of the most eye appealing sports. With fashionable costumes and stylish hairdos, the athletes on ice are sight to behold.
While figure skating looks beautiful on face values, there are nitty-gritties in the disciplines that only ardent followers might understand.
Of all the disciplines of figure skating, viewers are mostly confused between pairs skating and ice dancing. Because they seem exactly the same. However, there are key differences in several elements of each.
Advertisement
Ice dancing made its Olympic debut at the 1976 Games in Innsbruck, while pairs (and men’s and women’s singles) was introduced in the Games in1908.
Initially, pairs simply danced on ice but over time this discipline started turning into a more “acrobatic” one.
Figure Skating: Exploring the differences between Pairs Skating and Ice Dancing
Types
Competition is held in the short and free program in the pairs discipline, while in ice dancing the events are rhythm and free dance.
Routine
The glaring difference between the two disciplines is that in ice dancing, the skaters barely jump. It’s the only figure skating discipline in which jumps are prohibited. The other elements not allowed in ice dancing are throw jumps, twist lifts, overhead lifts and other moves which are close to acrobatics.
Besides that, partners in this discipline should not skate separately for a long time and partners should be no more than two arms’ length apart. In pairs skating, figure skaters can perform a number of elements at a distance.
In ice dancing the key elements are twizzle (a travelling turn on one foot with one or more rotations which is quickly rotated with a continuous action), pattern dance, lift, spin, step sequence and choreographic elements.
On the other hand, the main elements in pairs skating include twist lifts (the male athlete lifts his partner over his head and tosses her into the air; the female skater completes up to three rotations before being caught at the waist), pair lifts, throw jumps (partner assisted jumps in which the lady is thrown into the air by the man on the take-off and lands without assistance from her partner), jumps, death spirals and spins.

Music and Choreography
Ice dance routines are usually performed to rhythmic music with clear beats, such as ballroom, folk, or classical dance music. The choreography is crafted more around the music’s rhythm and flow.
The choreography in pairs can vary in style keeping in with of musical genre, including both classical and contemporary music. The movements are designed to complement the music while showcasing the technical difficulty.
Also Read: ISU Grand Prix Final 2024: The Dominance Of US In Figure Skating; Complete List Of Results
Judging Criteria
In Ice Dancing, points are rewarded based on elements like the precision of footwork, timing with the music, the quality of the lifts, and overall presentation. The focus is more on the artistry, connection between partners, and how well the performance flows with the rhythm of the music.
On the other hand, in pairs, judging criteria include technical execution of elements (like jumps, spins, and lifts) and the overall performance and artistry. Difficulty of technical elements plays a significant role.