A glossary of figure-skating terms and names:
Axel: The most difficult jump in figure skating is named for its inventor, Axel Paulsen, a Norwegian speed-skating champion who became famous as an exhibition and trick skater. To execute the Axel jump, a skater takes off from an inside edge while skating forward, turns 11/2 times in the air (540 degrees), and lands on the back outside edge of the other skate. A double Axel has 900 degrees revolution, and triple has 1,260 degrees revolution.Camel spin: Also known as a parallel spin, the camel is performed by the skater in an arabesque position with one leg lifted parallel to the ice. The name reflects the humped position often displayed by novices when learning the move.
Death spiral: A popular pair-skating move with the man in a pivot position, one toe anchored in the ice. Holding his hand, the woman circles her partner, leaning backwards, her head narrowly missing the ice.
Dutch roll: The earliest known skating technique, the roll involves leaning from side to side on alternating feet using the inside edges of the skate. It is a natural movement in all skating.
Figure skating: The most artistic discipline in ice-skating sports, figure skating is also the most difficult to master. It requires great strength, technical skill, emotional and body control, a feeling for music and endless practice. The three branches of figure skating - singles, pairs and dance - all have their origins in various turns and curves that come as a natural result of movement on skates.
Figures: A series of patterns based on the figure eight or three-circle serpentine form. There are 42 figures classified by the International Skating Union. The skater traces the pattern on clean ice three times. Performed well, the tracings will be virtually identical. In 1991, figures were eliminated from international competition after 100 years.
ISU: The International Skating Union (ISU) is the international governing body for the sport of figure skating. National organizations are members of the ISU, which was founded in 1892. In the United States, amateur figure skating is governed by the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA), in Canada, the controlling organization is the Canadian Figure Skating Association (CFSA). Both the USFSA and the CFSA are members of their national Olympic Committees.
Lifts: A group of moves used in pair skating and in dance in which the man lifts his partner off of the ice. The lifts in pairs are athletic and usually overhead, while the lifts in dance must be done within limitations and are smaller and more controlled.
Loop jump: This jump is similar to the toe loop and the Lutz, but it is performed without the toe assist on takeoff. It is an edge jump in which the skater completes a loop in the air (or two or three), taking off from the backward outside edge and landing on the same back outside edge.
Lutz jump: The Lutz - named for its inventor, Alois Lutz - is related to the toe loop, with similar takeoff but is more difficult to execute. Moving backward on an outside edge, the skater picks in the toe of the opposite skate to assist the lift, makes one or more 360-degree rotations in a counter-rotational direction, and lands on the back outside edge of the blade with which he or she toed the jump. The required counter-rotation means that the revolution is against the normal rotational direction, i.e., taking off on the right foot normal rotation would be counterclockwise. In the Lutz, rotation would be clockwise. The jump can be anticipated by viewers as the skater gathers speed and glides backward in a large arc glancing over his or her shoulder.
Salchow jump: A move developed by and named for the Swedish champion, Ulrich Salchow, the jump involves one or more complete midair turns from a back outside edge of one skate to the back outside edge of the other skate. If it is done with a toe-assist, the jump is called a toe Salchow or a flip jump. Salchow was the winner of the first Olympic figure-skating competition and holder of 10 World and European medals.
Spin: A freestyle technique in which the skater revolves rapidly on his or her own axis, in one spot or one foot. In competition, all spins must include at least six rotations. Spins may be performed in many positions with some named for body positions during the spin, such as sit spin, layback spin or cross-foot spin.
Split jump: A flashy move in which the skater jumps into the air and performs a split in midair with the hands touching the ankles or toes. It is also sometimes called a Russian split. When a half-revolution is added after touching the toes, it is referred to as a split flip.
Three turn: A turn on one foot from forward to backward or backward to forward, from inside to outside edge or outside to inside edge. Named for the tracing left in the ice, looking like the number 3, often used on entrance into jumps.
Toe loop: Also called the cherry flip, the toe loop is the easiest jump to master. The skater takes off from a back outside edge, picks the toe of his or her other skate into the ice to achieve height, and does one 360-degree turn, or more, in the air and lands on the back inside edge of the takeoff skate.