Artistic roller skating

Artistic roller skating is a group of roller skating events similar to figure skating on ice. The events are:
* Figure Skating (similar to compulsory or "school" figures on ice)
* single free skating
* dance (couple)
* solo dance
* pairs
* precision (team skating, similar to synchronized skating on ice)
* Show teams

Artistic roller skaters use either quad or inline skates. Generally quad and inline skaters compete in separate events and not against each other. Inline figure skating has been included in the world championships since 2002 in Wuppertal, Germany [http://www.rollkunstlaufwm2002.de/otherresults.htm] .

The sport is very similar to ice figure skating. There is some crossover between the two sports. Ice skaters such as Tara Lipinski [http://www.taralipinski.com/] and Marina Kielmann [http://home.snafu.de/figureskating/kielmann/] competed in both. However, roller figure skating is often considered to be more difficult because the ice allows the skater to draw a deep, solid edge to push off from when performing jumps such as a lutz or an axel. On roller skates it is not possible to use the same kind of deep edge in that context, because it will confuse in the rotation, making it difficult to land properly.

Equipment

kates

Artistic roller skaters most commonly skate on traditional quad skates. Skates designed for artistic skating typically have leather boots, a strong sole plate, and a jump bar for reinforcement. The plate has to be made from a strong material as it has to be able to withstand the shock of jumping and landing. Artistic roller skates usually have stainless steel or aluminum plates for that reason, even though these are heavier than ones made from other materials such as plastic. Free skaters usually use a toe stop, which can be used in the take-off in certain jumps such as the Mapes or the flip. Figure skaters substitute toe plugs which protect the skating floor or use special figure plates which have no toe stops.

Some artistic skaters use inline skates. Skates designed for inline artistic skating have leather boots (as ice and quad figure skates do), and usually have rockered wheels and a toe stop or toe "pic". Rockered wheels (wheels which are arranged at different heights so that the baseline of the wheels forms a curve instead of a flat line) are more suitable to skate the curved "edges" which are typical of artistic skating than un-rockered inline wheels are.

Roller Skate Wheels and Bearings

Roller skate wheels come in many different sizes and hardnesses. Typically a 63mm wheel is used for dance, 60mm to 63mm used for figures, and a smaller 57mm wheel used for freestyle. The hardness of the wheel determines the grip or slip of the wheel. Normally a harder wheel having more slip is used for turn figures. A softer wheel with more grip is used for dance. Freestyle skaters tend to use both on the skates, using a harder wheel on the edge they need to spin and a softer wheel on the other edges. Typically 7mm bearings are used because competitive artistic skates have a smaller axle. Most inline skates use a 8mm bearing. The abec rating determines the tolerances in the bearing and most people can use an Abec3; however, most people believe (wrongly) the extra cost of Abec 7 or 9 bearings is worth paying for a better bearing.

Roller Skating Disciplines

Figure Skating

In the figures discipline, skaters trace "figure circles" painted on the skating surface. This is different from skaters of compulsory figures on ice, who skate on blank ice, and draw their own circles on the ice as they skate. The official dimension of plain figure circles, measured at their diameter along the long axis, is 6 meters (19 feet, 8-1/4 inches). The official dimension of the smaller loop figure circles measured similarly is 2.4 meters (7 feet, 10-1/2 inches). Circles are typically painted in "serpentines" -- sets of three circular lobes.

The basic figures skated are typically referred to by numbers, the same as those skated by ice skaters, ranging from simple "circle eights" through "serpentines" (figures using one push for a circle and a half), "paragraphs" (figures using one push for two circles), and "loops" (smaller circles with a teardrop-shaped loop skated at the top of the circle). There is one category of very simple figures (111 and 112) that are unique to roller skaters; these are serpentines that begin with a half circle skated on one foot, then change to the other foot, for the next circle, then change back to the other foot for another half circle. Some of the more basic figures are numbered 1, 2, 1B, 5A, 5B, 7A, 7B, 111A, 111B, 112A, and 112B, in which the letter B means you start on your left foot. These figures are often taught as beginning figures for those just starting. They include simple circle eights, circle eights with [three turns] , and serpentines. The harder figures include counters, brackets, rockers, etc. and they are number 19, 21, 22, 26, etc.

Judges in figure events consider the quality of the skater's tracing of the circle, clean takeoffs, edges and correct placement of turns. The skater's form and posture is emphasized as well.

Dance

Dance roller skating contains three major sub-disciplines: Compulsory Dance, Original Dance, and Free Dance.

Compulsory dance contains prescribed compulsory dances and steps that must be performed, such as the "Imperial Tango", the "14 Step"," the Keats Foxtrot ", or the "Flirtation Waltz". Some of the dances are the same as performed in ice dancing competition, while others are unique to roller skating.

American Dance is performed only at the United States National level and below, and emphasizes keeping the upper body upright and free from movement. Some of the basic American dances are the "Glide Waltz", "Progressive Tango", and the "City Blues".

Original Dance consists of a dance constructed of two rhythms chosen from a set of rhythms that FIRS changes every year . In 2008 the set rhythms will be "Spanish Melody" ( "Paso Doble", "Flamenco", "Tango", and "Spanish Waltz" ).

Free Dance is similar to the ice free dance, although with some rules changes.

Free skating

Artistic free skating traditionally emphasizes spins that are uncommon on ice, such as the "inverted spin" in which the skater leans backward with the free leg extended high in front (a sort of inverted camel spin position, similar to the spin sometimes called the Harding spin in ice skating, but with an extended leg), and spins that would be impossible to do on blades, such as the "broken ankle spin", which rotates on a deep edge on the inside wheels, and the "heel camel spin", which is only rotated on the back, or heel, wheels of the skates.

Artistic skaters also perform the quadruple, triple, double, and single jumps known from the ice skating scene, such as axels, loops, and salchows. Some elements have different names in roller skating than they do in ice skating; for example, the Mapes jump on wheels is equivalent to the toe loop on ice. Though both ice and roller skaters perform the Euler jump (called a "half-loop" by ice skaters), it is more common in roller skating programs, as lengthy multi-jump combinations are emphasized in roller skating judging. The Euler is a useful connecting jump in such combinations; for example, a five-jump combination might include double Axel, loop, triple Mapes, Euler, and a triple salchow.

Roller free skating is usually seen as harder than ice skating, due to the heavier skates, but the lower cost of roller skating compared to ice skating has allowed participation from lower income countries like Argentina and Brazil.

Free skating is one of the more interesting and "fun" events to watch due to the jumps and spins and different musics.

Precision

Precision Roller Skating is a large and fast-growing, yet little recognized discipline, consisting of 12-24 athletes skating on the floor at one time moving as one flowing unit at high speeds. This discipline of Precision Skating is named because of the emphasis on maintaining precise formations and timing of the group.

For a precision team to flow in unison, individual skaters must be competent at a variety of skating skills, including speed, footwork and presentation. The team performs a program set to music, with required formations including circles, lines, blocks, wheels, and intersections. The teams are required to perform difficult step sequences involving a number of complicated turns.

There are international synchronized skating competitions at the Senior level, and the Federation Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS) held the first World Championship in Precision Roller Skating in 2000. Teams may consist of men and women with Senior Teams having 12-24 team members and Junior Teams having 8-16 team members. Two scores are given, one for technical and one for artistic impression.

Precision Roller Skating owes its origin to Synchronized Skating on ice. The first synchronized ice skating team was formed by Dr. Richard Porter, who became known as the 'father of synchronized skating'. The 'Hockettes' skated out of Ann Arbor, Michigan and entertained spectators during the intermissions of the University of Michigan Men's Hockey Team. In the early days, precision skating resembled a drill team routine, or a precision dance company such as The Rockettes.

During the 1970's, the interest for this new sport spawned tremendous growth and development. As each season passed, more and more teams were developing more creative and innovative routines incorporating stronger basic skating skills, new maneuvers and more sophisticated transitions with greater speed, style and agility. Due to the enormous interest in the sport in North America, other countries took notice with the World Championships starting over ten years ago. With the internationalization of the sport, it has evolved rapidly, with increasing emphasis on speed and skating skills.

Although not currently an Olympic sport, fans and participants of this fast-growing discipline have begun to strive for recognition by the rest of the athletic world. Precision Roller Skating has been covered by Roller Skating and the USARS magazine since the sport's inception. It is a varsity sport at several colleges, and is being reviewed for Olympic eligibility.

ee also

*International Roller Sports Federation
*USA Roller Sports

References

* [http://home.snafu.de/figureskating/kielmann/ Marina Kielmann's official site]
* "USA Artistic Roller Skating Rulebook", 2000 edition. Lincoln, NE: USA Roller Sports. 2000.
* [http://www.uq.net.au/~zzbarneg/dancepatterns.htm Dance Skating Patterns & Notes]

External links

* [http://www.rollersports.org/artistic/index.asp International Federation of Roller Sports: Artistic Skating]
* [http://www.usarollersports.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/FIGURE+SKATING USA Roller Sports: Figure Skating]
* [http://www.fgp.org.br Federação Gaucha de Patinagem: Patinação Artística]