Skating probably originated in Scandinavia about 2,000 years ago when skaters used blades made of bone which were shaped and polished untill them provided a flat gliding surface. Then they were bound to the feet with thongs. The word “skate” originated from a Dutch word Schaats that dates back to the 16th century. Gradually skating branched itself into different forms and now it is played either on ice or on a level floor, by means of ice-skates or roller-skates attached to the skater’s boots. Ice-skates have a steel blade and roller-skates have four wheels each.
Today competitive skating has many different forms that include figure, dance and speed skating – each of which is popular in many countries. Figure skating is one of the three main ice-skating sports, the other two being speed skating and ice dancing. It is so called because it involves skating patterns called figures on ice.
Figure skating can be aptly described as ballet on skates that demand great body control and a feel for music whereas speed skating demands strength, stamina and fitness. Figure skating competitions have two main parts: compulsory figures or movements and movements of one’s own choice. Compulsory movements involve the skating of exact movements according to a special schedule and may be skated on both skates and only one whereas free skaters can leap, skin or make any other un-prescribed movements. The compulsory movements are skated first followed by the original program or dance and then the free skating or dancing.
There are three types of figure skating: Single skating, Pair skating and Ice dancing. In Pair skating and Ice dancing there is a dance couple consisting of a man and a woman. In Ice skating the original program is treated as a separate part of an event but in pair skating it includes the compulsory moves. In the competition, the judges mark each competitor individually and the winner in each part is the skater or pair or dance couple placed first by the majority of the judges. Marks are awarded for technical merit (composition) and artistic impression (presentation). Specific time limits are prescribed for each section in each category. Music is played during the competition and the competitors are free to choose their own music.