2022/23 ISU Singles & Pairs Scale of Values, Levels of Difficulty, and GOE Guidelines

[VGThuy]

I know I’m in the very very very big minority, and I know spins are near technically perfect these days, but I much preferred the way good spinners spun in the 90s than the way almost every spinner spins now…yes even with the much less amount of revolutions and less difficulty. There was a sort of line, command, musicality that made it all seem more “TA DA!” Maybe the best period was when the baby ballerinas came on and spins were becoming much more emphasized and focused on in the developmental stages in training. I think spins under 6.0 were catching up in the post-figures era as the jump revolution of the 90s became more settled. Then IJS came along and rushed the development and…codified the same sort of spins every skater had to do to get level 3-4…with some growing pains, and loss of aesthetic.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

I know I’m in the very very very big minority, and I know spins are near technically perfect these days, but I much preferred the way good spinners spun in the 90s than the way almost every spinner spins now…yes even with the much less amount of revolutions and less difficulty.

I will sit in the minority with you. Spins have never recovered from IJS. It's the point where I am most likely to lookup the program music or type a comment rather than keep my eyes on the broadcast.

 

[Coco]

I miss seamless transitions to the other foot without some big windup.

 

[On My Own]

... Practically everyone is doing a damn illusion or a damn slide out of the spin for "difficult exit"... I've seen maybe one butterfly and one high kick...

 

[On My Own]

OK, Mai Mihara spiced it up a little with an acceleration on her sit spin during the change foot combo.

 

[VGThuy]

OK, Mai Mihara spiced it up a little with an acceleration on her sit spin during the change foot combo.

That spin was fire! I usually hate music changes during a spin but Mai’s was purposeful and utilized the change of music.

 

[MacMadame]

... Practically everyone is doing a damn illusion or a damn slide out of the spin for "difficult exit"... I've seen maybe one butterfly and one high kick...

I hate most choreographic slides.

 

[Theatregirl1122]

OMG I had repressed the flying upright spin. I can't believe you all brought it back for me.

 

[On My Own]

When it comes to men's skating, does anyone else think that TR being redistributed into SS and CO has seen them reduce turns and steps in favour of doing some more out-there transitions like unlisted jumps? Maybe I'm only basing it off people like Siao Him Fa and Aymoz, and Cha in his recent exhibition (genuinely can't recall other programs right now), but I think it's a trend I welcome.

Women's step sequences seem somewhat more complex in terms of body movement, too, unless I'm just not remembering correctly. Probably the new level requirements at work there.

 

[her grace]

I’d like to see a sit spin with the leg extended fully in front and the back upright.

All these bent legs, bending forward, etc. does not improve the spin. #getoffmylawn

 

[Coco]

I’d like to see a sit spin with the leg extended fully in front and the back upright.

All these bent legs, bending forward, etc. does not improve the spin. #getoffmylawn

Honestly, maintaining speed in that basic position seems more difficult. Getting into these difficult variations seems hard, but once the position is established, the skater is usually holding onto their leg so maintaining the position is probably easier.

 

[On My Own]

Honestly, maintaining speed in that basic position seems more difficult. Getting into these difficult variations seems hard, but once the position is established, the skater is usually holding onto their leg so maintaining the position is probably easier.

I think it's true for the sit spin and the camel and the layback. Basic camel absolutely.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

I think the problem with spins and IJS is that they were so focused on having levels that they had to add all that crap in to fit with their system.

 

[Marco]

I doubt the ISU intended to encourage everyone to use an ugly half illusion to exit a spin and claim a difficult exit feature. The few who opted to do an arabian exit have earned my respect. I hope the ISU gives some more guidance in the summer on how this feature should be used properly.

(I know this isn't a new feature but...) So many skaters are not actually hopping (blade barely left the ice) but claiming / intending to claim the hopping within a spin feature. I hope the ISU would again have some more guidance on this.

For both features I hope callers get a tighter grib on calling the elements and judges should also be stricter on GOEs if the (attempted) features make the spin slower / sloppier. Alas I don't see this happening at Euros and US Nationals.

 

[On My Own]

This is going back to my (vague) recollection of the rules that'd been okayed in 2020 or so, but were backtracked due to the pandemic, but I believe they had intended to remove illusion as a difficult entry and also didn't intend to see it be used as difficult exit. I hope they make these changes after this season.

ETA: Would anyone agree that illusion is a difficult entry for standard camel and standard upright (not layback), but not the rest?