How Levels & GOE are Determined in Ice Dance-Lifts | Page 2 | Golden Skate

How Levels & GOE are Determined in Ice Dance-Lifts

dorispulaski

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Curved, Straight Line and Stationary Lifts

Let's find out what the rules are for these short lifts, and then we can looks at some good ones, and some downgraded ones.

All short lifts have to be complete in 6 seconds.


The description of Levels is the same for Curved Lifts, Straight Line Lifts and Stationary Lifts. A Stationary Lift can be done as a spin in place:

Level One

Lifted Partner is held off the ice for at least 3 seconds

Level Two
has two options

The lifted partner sustains a difficult pose for at least 3 seconds, or has a change of pose
OR
The lifting partner sustains a difficult pose for at least 3 seconds

Level Three; you must have both the Level 2 options

The lifted partner sustains a difficult pose for at least 3 seconds, or has a change of pose
AND
The lifting partner sustains a difficult pose for at least 3 seconds

Level Four
The lifted partner sustains a difficult pose for at least 3 seconds, or has a change of pose
AND
The lifting partner sustains a difficult pose for at least 3 seconds
AND
A creative and difficult entry


Additional causes for downgrades:
If there is a hand or foot touching down, the level shall be reduced by one level

The heart of the curved, straight line, and stationary lifts, then, are the definitions of what is difficult, or creative:

So I will repeat these definitions, which are the same as for the rotational lift:

First the document describes the options for the lifted partner (usually the lady). She may be displaying a difficult position, or a change of position:

5.4.2. ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS, SPECIFICATIONS TO DEFINITIONS AND NOTES

Difficult Pose for lifted partner (examples):

a) Full split: when the legs of the lifted partner are extended in one line with the angle between thighs about 180 degrees;
b) full “Biellmann”: body upright with the heel of the boot pulled by the hand behind and above the level of the head;
c) full doughnut/ring: upper body arched back, with one or both feet almost touching the head in a full circle (maximum of half a blade length between head and blade);
d) upside down combined with difficult hold;
e) from a vertical position lady is cantilevered out: lady’s torso is extended away from the man and the only one additional point of support are the hands;
f) balancing in a horizontal position with only one additional point of support;
g) leaning out (forwards or backwards) with the only one additional point of support being the legs;
h) full layback with arched pose with no support from the lifting partner above the thigh;
i) extended out with the majority of body weight in a horizontal line with the only one additional point of support being shoulders and/ or upper back.

Since we now have the four lift option, there can be two of one type of short lift in a program. There also can be a short curved lift, say, and additionally, a curved l lift can be part of a combination lift. To ensure there isn't a lot of repetition of poses, the following rule is in place:

Notes:
a chosen example of Difficult Pose shall be considered for Level only the first time it occurs, whether it be in a Short Lift or in a part of Long Lift;

Examples b) (full “Biellmann) and c) (full doughnut/ring) shall be considered as the same example of Difficult Pose.


Change of Pose for lifted partner:
A Change of Pose shall be considered for Level if it fulfills the following characteristics:
lifting partner changes hold and lifted partner changes hold and body pose so that it is a significant change (i.e. a photographer would produce two different photos). A mere change of position of arm(s) and/or legs, changing to the reverse side (mirror) or changing the height of the body is not enough to constitute a Change of Pose;

the change of body pose and changes of hold occur simultaneously;
each pose, preceding and following the change is clearly defined and the first pose is attained and clearly shown prior to the change to the second pose;

....
Note: Changes of Pose shall be considered for Level only the first two times they occur, whether they are in Short Lifts or in parts of Long Lift.

For the lifting partner, all of these options are possible for a straight line or curved lift:

Difficult Position for lifting partner (examples):
a) one foot;
b) Shoot the Duck (thigh at least parallel to the ice) with any position of free leg;
c) Spread Eagle – inside: same edges (one forward one backward) on the same curve;
d) Spread Eagle – outside: same edges (one forward one backward) on the same curve;
e) Spread Eagle – on a straight line (for Straight Line Lift only): same edges (one forward, one backward) on the same line;
f) Ina Bauer: same or different edge (one forward one backward) on parallel tracing;
g) Crouch with two knees bent (thighs at least parallel to the ice) on two feet;
h) Crouch with one knee bent (thigh at least parallel to the ice) on two feet with one leg extended to side;
i) Lunge (thigh at least parallel to the ice) with any position of free leg;
j) One Hand/Arm Lift: with no contact other than the lifting partner’s hand/arm and the lifted partner.

Notes:
Examples g) h) and i) (Crouch or Lunge) shall not be considered for Level in a Stationary Lift which is not rotating;

A chosen example of Difficult Position shall be considered for Level only the first time it occurs, whether it be in a Short Lift or in a part of Long Lift (exception: Reverse Rotational Lift Levels 3 and 4 Option 2, where the One Hand/Arm Lift is considered for Level in both directions);

if the three different examples of Spread Eagle (c), d) and e)) are performed, only the twoc first performed different examples shall be considered for Level;

if an Ina Bauer (example f) skated on same edges) and an example of Spread Eagle (c), d) or e)) are performed on the same edges, only the first performed of the two Difficult Positions shall be considered for Level.

And now we deal with the entry and exit of the lift:

Creative/Difficulty Entry (Groups of examples):
a) unexpected entry without any evident preparation;
b) entry from a Difficult Position for the lifting partner: the Difficult Position must be reached before the lifted partner leaves the ice;
c) entry from a difficult transition by the lifting partner: series of at least two difficult Turns (e.g. Bracket, Choctaw, Counter, Outside Mohawk, but not progressives) before the Dance Lift;
d) significant transitional movement performed by the lifted partner to reach and establish the desired pose (Note: this is not the same as a Change of Pose, because the movement is transitional and not established).

Notes:
A chosen Group of examples of Creative/Difficult Entry a), c) or d) shall be considered for Level only in the Dance Lift where it is first performed;

A chosen example of Creative/Difficult Entry from Group b) shall be considered for Level only in the Dance Lift where it is first performed;

if the three different examples of Spread Eagle (c), d) and e) of paragraph Difficult Position for lifting partner) are performed as Creative/Difficult Entry, only the two first performed different examples shall be considered for Level;

if an Ina Bauer (example f) of paragraph Difficult Position for lifting partner skated on same edges) and an example of Spread Eagle (c),d) or e) of paragraph Difficult Position for lifting partner) are performed as Creative/Difficult Entry on the same edges, only the first performed of the two Creative/Difficult Entry shall be considered for Level.

So those are the rules.

Let's see how they work out.
 

dorispulaski

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From reading the above list, you can see that the creative and difficult entry does nothing for you if either the lifter or the liftee either does not sustain a difficult position for 3 seconds. The change of pose option for the liftee is more forgiving, because there is no time limit on it, and there are no requirements, like touching the head with the skate blade and missing, that can result in a catastrophic downgrade.

Consequently, the lion's share of curved lifts that we see are with the lifted partner changing poses.

One way to see how this works is to consider this year's experience of Capellini and Lanotte:

At Skate Canada and at TEB, they did a really cool lift that fit the street performer theme of La Strada. At Skate Canada, it got level 4, but at TEB, it was downgraded.

Capellini & Lanotte FD TEB CuLi2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z4wgqkRNF8&feature=player_detailpage#t=118s

When they arrived at Worlds, they had substituted a lift that was less interesting, but was guaranteed to earn level 4:

Capellinia & Lanotte FD Worlds CuLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTwCZHX7cew&feature=player_detailpage#t=127s

Now let's look at how the first version was a risk:

Anna has to get in that position, hold it for three seconds, and exit, all within 6 seconds, so there is a risk for losing the level, and there is a risk for an deduction for an over-long lift. Also, there is a risk that the position will not be called difficult at all, even though it clearly is difficult. Contrast that to a change of pose, which requires only that two poses are each held just long enough that a photographer would get a significantly different picture. Neither of the poses has to be difficult. Obviously, this is the winning strategy for the competitors, but kind of a loser for the fans.

There are a number of ways that Anna's TEB position fits the difficult definition, if the distance between blades and head are under half a blade length. Let's look at the downgraded lift again:

c) full doughnut/ring: upper body arched back, with one or both feet almost touching the head in a full circle (maximum of half a blade length between head and blade);

Slow Mo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z4wgqkRNF8&feature=player_detailpage#t=340s

From the replay, I doubt very much whether her blades are within a half blade of her head for 3 seconds.

Consequently, the lift was downgraded to level 2, which costs the team 1.50 in base value. However, that is not all. Doing something noticeably badly will cost you some GOE, in all likelihood.

Better safe than artistic and sorry, sad to say.
 

dorispulaski

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Chock & Bates had a similar problem.

Evan's back spiral is clearly on one foot (and indeed, considerably harder than being on one foot), so the problem is with Madison's "full donut"-her blade does touch her head though..however, she may not have held that position for the full three seconds needed. When she does hold it, at TEB, this is one of my favorite curved lifts of the season. The depth of the curve on Evan's back spiral is exceptional. Bravo! :clap: :clap:

Chock & Bates Skate Canada FD CuLi2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEke1tMFgT8&feature=player_detailpage#t=90s

Once the length of time for Madison's donut is long enough, of course jumping onto his back is clearly a difficult entry, and they get their level 4.

Chock & Bates TEB FD CuLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6T7V7fI19Q&feature=player_detailpage#t=87s.

This time art triumphs over safety!

Here is another case study from the Junior ranks.


Nosulia & Kholoniuk UKR received a CuLi3 at the JGPF. In trying to regroup after a totally failed twizzle sequence, they did this lift. Evidently, the panel felt they did not attempt a difficult entry, and so the lift can only get a level 3 at best...but that's what it earns. She is "g) leaning out (forwards or backwards) with the only one additional point of support being the legs," and he is in a crouch which definitely meets the requirement g) Crouch with two knees bent (thighs at least parallel to the ice) on two feet;"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3kn_PWfCHro#t=143s

Let's look at the specifications for a "Creative or Difficult Entry" to see why this one was not difficult, and also to see how they could make it difficult:

Creative/Difficulty Entry (Groups of examples):
a) unexpected entry without any evident preparation;
b) entry from a Difficult Position for the lifting partner: the Difficult Position must be reached before the lifted partner leaves the ice;
c) entry from a difficult transition by the lifting partner: series of at least two difficult Turns (e.g. Bracket, Choctaw, Counter, Outside Mohawk,
but not progressives) before the Dance Lift;
d) significant transitional movement performed by the lifted partner to reach and establish the desired pose (Note: this is not the same as a Change of Pose, because the movement is transitional and not established).

Notes:
A chosen Group of examples of Creative/Difficult Entry a), c) or d) shall be considered for Level only in the Dance Lift where it is first performed;

A chosen example of Creative/Difficult Entry from Group b) shall be considered for Level only in the Dance Lift where it is first performed;

if the three different examples of Spread Eagle (c), d) and e) of paragraph Difficult Position for lifting partner) are performed as Creative/Difficult Entry, only the two first performed different examples shall be considered for Level;

if an Ina Bauer (example f) of paragraph Difficult Position for lifting partner skated on same edges) and an example of Spread Eagle (c),d) or e) of paragraph Difficult Position for lifting partner) are performed as Creative/Difficult Entry on the same edges, only the first performed of the two Creative/Difficult Entry shall be considered for Level.

The choice they appear to be making here is "b) entry from a Difficult Position for the lifting partner: the Difficult Position must be reached before the lifted partner leaves the ice." So if Kholoniuk were in the crouch, with thighs at least parallel to the ice when Nosulia leaves the ice, it would be a difficult entry. At JGPF, he was not down far enough when she left the ice, so it wasn't a Difficult Entry, so they only got level 3.

In the same lift, as done at Junior Worlds, because Nosulia is not leaning out the full three seconds, they only get level 2. The entry does not come into this call, but it looks better to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3DY9BxVVcE&feature=player_detailpage#t=195s

Things went downhill all year, because at JGP 2011 Austria, their first outing with this FD, they received a level 4 for the lift.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J1qDU8r_sc&feature=player_detailpage#t=139s
 
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dorispulaski

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The Russians. Almost all of them got downgraded on Curved Lifts this year:

First off,
Pushkash & Guerreiro received a Level 2 at Skate Canada:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o7V07G9ckc&feature=player_detailpage#t=65s

However, they received a Level 4 for this lift at Cup of Russia:

Pushkash & Guerreiro Cup of Russia FD CuLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=4s45Y54JHh8#t=77s

There is too much going on in this lift. That is, if you look at it as a tech specialist might. First let's look at Jonathan. He apparently is supposed to do a significant one foot move, lift Katia and go back into the one foot position. Now to meet the specifications for difficulty, he has to hold the one foot position three seconds, which he succeeds at both times. However, the one foot attitude step before the lift looks perilously like a failed attempt at being on one foot for the lift. If I were a member of the panel, I would already have flagged this lift to be looked at a second time, even when done correctly.

Now let's look at Katia-she could be going for a number of the "difficult positions" in the list, but because there are so many things going on, it's easy for the tech specialist to focus on the fact that there is a doughnut in there.

c) full doughnut/ring: upper body arched back, with one or both feet almost touching the head in a full circle (maximum of half a blade length between head and blade);

At Skate Canada, her doughnut was not held for 3 seconds...however, she was draped over his shoulder and arm, facing upwards without him using his hands to hold her for 3 seconds. I had to read through the list of difficult positions several times, but recalling that the lifts are just "examples" and not the only possible difficult positions, I'm not sure they shouldn't have gotten the level at Skate Canada, too. However, the presence of the doughnut called attention to itself.

In fact, if they had hit a clear position during that complex flip up to the position that they did, they could have gone for a "change of pose" option for this lift, too, and how long she did or did not hold the doughnut would have been immaterial.

Too much going on, in my opinion, made it harder for this couple to get full credit for their lift.

Gorshkova & Butikov also got a Level 2 on their curved lift at TEB:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2_THkzw7SU&feature=player_detailpage#t=218s

In this case, the problem is the lifting partner's position. Vitali appears to be going for this difficult position:

h) Crouch with one knee bent (thigh at least parallel to the ice) on two feet with one leg extended to side;

However, he doesn't get down far enough; his thigh is not parallel to the ice.

Kristina's split is a bit sub par, too, but she appears to have gotten credit for it; if not it would have been Level One:

a) Full split: when the legs of the lifted partner are extended in one line with the angle between thighs about 180 degrees;
 
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dorispulaski

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More Russian Curved Lifts

And yes, Riazanova & Tkachenko of the original article, also got downgraded for a curved lift.

It happened in their SD at Skate Canada. He's in a besti squat (spread eagle). She flips over his head and does a doughnut position. Her foot was just not close enough to her head to get credit for the difficult position. Her foot is not that close to her head at Worlds either, but they got credit for the level there.

Riazanova & Tkachenko CuLi2 Skate Canada SD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SFXF-VXMjjU&list=PL1EFBA25C8CC87234#t=157s

Riazanova & Tkachenko CuLi4 Worlds SD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpG1bO_yqzk&feature=player_detailpage#t=141s

And Bobrova & Soloviev also got downgraded for a curved lift at Worlds.

Here's the lift done for a Level 4 at Europeans:
She flips into position (difficult entry)
She holds a position in an extreme back bend for three seconds
h) full layback with arched pose with no support from the lifting partner above the thigh;

while he is in a 2 foot crouch with his thighs more than parallel to the ice. Level 4

Bobrova & Soloviev CuLi4
Europeans FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=OW8oIRi3RRQ#t=93s

At Worlds, this got Level 2, and if you look closely, his supporting hand is on her rear end, which is of course, above the thigh, so she does not get credit for the difficult pose, and the lift is level 2.

Bobrova & Soloviev CuLi2 World FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65wBMqMqU94&feature=player_detailpage#t=104s
 
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dorispulaski

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Virtue and Moir had significant issues with Curved Lifts this year, due to the changes made in the rules for curved lifts over the summer, particularly in the Change of Pose Definition. The lift they had used in the "Temptation" part of last year's FD did not qualify for Level 4 this year as a result. Here's last year's Curved Lift from Temptation in their FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2dtFNiMKKY&feature=player_detailpage#t=134s

They first showed this year's programs at Finlandia, and they used a lift that was approximately the same as the one in last year's FD in their SD for the new season. The problem appears to me to be that they did not get credit for the change of pose. This is V&M Finlandia SD CuLi2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXS1h_wmduE&feature=player_detailpage#t=125s

The lift in the new FD at Finlandia suffered from the same difficulty, and also got Level 2 at Finlandia:

V&M Finlandia FD CuLi2-Scott is on one foot for more 3 seconds, Tessa does a change of pose that apparently didn't get credit for a change of pose? CuLi2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=oiXozAkcw2M#t=100s


Here is the current definition of Change of Pose:

A Change of Pose shall be considered for Level if it fulfills the following characteristics:
lifting partner changes hold and lifted partner changes hold and body pose so that it is a significant change (i.e. a photographer would produce two different photos). A mere change of position of arm(s) and/or legs, changing to the reverse side (mirror) or changing the height of the body is not enough to constitute a Change of Pose;

the change of body pose and changes of hold occur simultaneously;
each pose, preceding and following the change is clearly defined and the first pose is attained and clearly shown prior to the change to the second pose;

Virtue and Moir's two Finlandia lifts change continually, so it appears to me that the technical panel did not feel the first pose was attained and clearly shown prior to the change to the second pose.

(And may I say, paranthetically, that I liked the original lifts, and I don't particularly like this "Change of Pose" definition if it requires these "Snap Shot" moments.)

By Skate Canada and TEB, Virtue and Moir had changed their lifts so that they garnered a level 4, with clear changes of pose, but I'm sure the lifts were not as smooth as they would have liked.

Virtue and Moir TEB FD CuLi4 4.79 points
Here is the revised version of the curved lift in the "Basal Metabolism" jazz section of their Funny Face FD. However, Scott found it difficult to be steady in this form of the lift on one foot. He was quite wobbly at TEB, here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXuUlaXXsl0&feature=player_detailpage#t=107s

At Four Continents, Virtue & Moir used this completely revised lift for 5.21 points, and a level 4:.

Scott stays on two feet in a crouched spread eagle. Tessa goes to an inverted position for her change of pose, which is a more stable position than the one they were using before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLIY3EVh38Y&feature=player_detailpage#t=102s

At this point, I want to look at the variation in GOE of Curved Lifts this year in the next post, just as we did for Rotational Lifts.

If you have any questions about curved lifts, I hope you will ask. And please feel free to disagree!

Or to comment in any way.

I hope some of you are still reading this ;)
 
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dorispulaski

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Virtue & Moir SD Curved Lift

Just to complete the story of Virtue & Moir's adventures with curved lifts this year in the SD, following Finlandia, they changed the lift in "Temptation" to a clearly change of pose lift, which they continued to use until the Grand Prix Final. When they revised their SD program, following the Grand Prix Final, they eliminated the Curved Lift in "Temptation" and replaced it with a Rotational Lift at the end of the program. They continued to use this revised program until the end of the season.

This videos show how their SD lift changed this season:

V&M Finlandia SD CuLi2 (Lift in "Temptation" from last year's FD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXS1h_wmduE&feature=player_detailpage#t=125s

V&M SD Skate Canada CuLi4 (Lift changed to show clearly established Change of Pose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=YfAIzFJB14s#t=132s

V&M SD TEB CuLi4 (Change of Pose Lift)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t2JtlXQ9u8&feature=player_detailpage#t=137s

V&M SD GPF CuLi4 (Change of Pose Lift)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=GQCLGJoE8Ak#t=290s

V&M Canadians SD RoLi4 (The idea of having a Curved Lift in "Temptation" was scrapped and replaced by a Rotational Lift at the end of the program. They used the Rotational Lift for the rest of the season.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NC3gqKoenA&feature=player_detailpage#t=222s

Virtue & Moir 4CC's SD RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hxBoyQgZ8ZY#t=184s

V&M Worlds SD Rotational Lift RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPBOWNw3iMs&feature=player_detailpage#t=191s

V&M WTT SD RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=cgKYmocFTdY#t=175s
 

dorispulaski

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Grades of Execution for Curved Lifts (and Stationary and Straight Line Lifts)

And I want to show as many of the difficult positions by both the lifter and liftee as a I can too. When you view these lifts, please notice that a curve is skated by the man, and notice the depth of the curve. Without a curve, a lift is a Straight Line Lift instead:

To remind you, here are the descriptions of the Grades of Execution, with only the bullets that apply to a Short Curved Lift:

GOE

-3 (Very Poor)
Entry or exit: shaky or dropped
Ascent or descent: very brief
Stability: lose balance
If any Change of pose: awkward


-2 (Poor)
Entry or exit: fumbling
Ascent or descent: struggling
Stability: unstable
If any change of pose: discontinuous

-1 (Mediocre)
Entry or exit: hesitant or abrupt
Ascent or descent: much effort
Stability: variable
If any change of pose: labored

0 (Acceptable)
Entry or exit: sure and solid
Ascent or descent: some effort
Stability: stable
If any change of pose: controlled

+1 (Good)
Entry or exit: smooth
Ascent or descent: little effort
Stability: sure
If any change of pose: smooth


+2 (Very Good)
Entry or exit: flowing
Ascent or descent: with ease
Stability: confident
if any change of pose: flowing


+3 (Outstanding/Excellent)
Entry or exit: seamless
Ascent or descent: floating, effortless
Stability: relaxed and bold
if any change of pose: effortless
If any change of curve, curves equal and very deep

And adjustments can be made to GOE for these situations:

Increase one grade (each, presumably)
Body lines and pose of both partners beautiful and esthetically pleasing
Speed maintained or accelerated during the dance lift
Dance Lift with special attribute for lifting partner
Entry is unexpected and/or creative
Dance lift reflects the character of the chosen dance and fits to the phrasing of the music.

Decrease by one grade (each presumably):
Pose awkward or not aesthetically pleasing
More than 1/2 turn within Straight Line or Curve lift or between curves for serpentine lift
Dance Lift does not fit the character of the chosen dance
Dance Lift does not fit the prashing of the music.


A List of Curve Lifts in Decreasing Order of Grades of execution. All were called Level 4

P&B 5.43 at GPF, The Pharaoh and His Mummy FD. Fabian does the crouched spread eagle on inside edges (Option C), Nathalie is
d) upside down combined with difficult hold;
(Note the way the hold works. It's hard to describe. Fabian is actually not holding Nathalie at all at the top of the lift.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&list=PL5A52E69DBC48D9AA&v=IbngjuptYiQ#t=84s

D&W 5.21 at GPF, from their Die Fledermaus FD- Charlie is in the crouched spread eagle, on inside edges (Option c) for his difficult position.
Meryl is in two clear poses, one horizontal across his knee, and one, , standing on his knee.
e) from a vertical position lady is cantilevered out: lady’s torso is extended away from the man and the only one additional point of support are the hands;
I find that the pause between the two positions is probably to highlight the Snapshot 1, Snapshot 2 requrement for change of position. And probably, she could get credit for both change of pose and difficult position.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=TvF5bIfB2kA#t=219s

V&M 5.21 at 4CCs in their Funny Face FD. Scott is also using the inside edge spread eagle. Tessa does two changes of position-one draped about Scott's shoulders, and one upside down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLIY3EVh38Y&feature=player_detailpage#t=102s

W&P 5.14 at GPF in their Je Suis Malade FD. Again, Andrew is using the inside edge spread eagle. The surprise entry is the best thing about this lift. Kaitlyn does 2 changes of pose, one upright with a layback, one horizontal across his knee.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moZKIEiGPdM&feature=player_detailpage#t=145s

C&L 4.79 (third element) Worlds in their La Strada FD. Another change of pose lift. Anna stands on Luca's leg in a attitude position, and then drops to a horizontal position. Luca is in the ever popular inside edge spread eagle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTwCZHX7cew&feature=player_detailpage#t=127s

H&D 4.79 (first element)Worlds in their I Put A Spell On You FD (Change of pose with the inside edge spread eagle)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=uUwfiMogeYY#t=81s


Hurtado & Diaz ESP 4.64 earned in their Tristan & Isolde FD at Worlds. Adria is in the inside spread eagle. Sara is doing the doughnut position, but gets into it in an interesting way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YTsvqHjwEM&feature=player_detailpage#t=56s


Zhiganshina & Gaszi, GER, 4.57 in the modern Romeo & Juliet FD at Worlds (Note the really deep curve that Alexander gets into this lift in doing the Outside edge spread eagle (yes, a change, option D) Nelli is doing
h) full layback with arched pose with no support from the lifting partner above the thigh;

I definitely give them credit for doing something a bit different.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeCSmMRDGqE&feature=player_detailpage#t=263s

At this point we are getting to lifts that had problems or just were very ordinary

I&K 4.29 from their Ave Maria FD at Worlds. Nikita is on one foot, and a bit wobbly about it. Elena is doing a change of pose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9DeKi2y3Uo&feature=player_detailpage#t=240s


Huang & Zheng 4.14 in their Tango FD at Worlds. This is a very ordinary Change of Pose lift, with Zheng in an inside spread eagle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwZxb0UjbTQ&feature=player_detailpage#t=142s


Coomes & Buckland 3.93 Worlds in their Viva Elvis Medley FD. He's on one foot. She's upside down, which requires a difficult hold. However, Nick has to steady Penny before he can get into the arms outstretched "hold.". The landing is really heavy, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eUZZPSJt4k&feature=player_detailpage#t=218s


Reeds NHK 3.71 from their Lagaan Soundtrack FD. Chris is in the inside spread eagle. Cathy does a change a pose, but there seems to be a real problem with the first pose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLA9mCCCr5A&feature=player_detailpage#t=86s

And finally, the lift in a Senior FD from either GP or an ISU championship, that had the lowest Grade of Execution while still being a level 4
Bruhns & Van Natten MEX, from their 4CCs Harlem Nocturne FD 3.64 Ryan is on one foot. Corinne is upside down. This is about the slowest I have seen a curved lift skated. It is a really short curve.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dgniao2hiJ0#t=177s

So that's all I know about this year's Curved Lifts.

Next we'll discuss Straight Line Lifts, but there isn't a huge lot to say new. Everything we discussed about Difficult Positions, Entries, and Change of Pose is exactly the same as for Straight Lifts. The difference will be that there can't be any curve in the track that the lifting skater makes.
 
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dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
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Country
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As I promised, we're moving on to straight line lifts, but this time I want to start with lifts where the team did not get credit for a difficult or creative entry. I found three cases of straight line lifts with this problem:

Bad Ones-Blown Entry

First let's review the criteria for difficult and creative entries, since we haven't talked much about that yet:

Creative/Difficulty Entry (Groups of examples):

a) unexpected entry without any evident preparation;
b) entry from a Difficult Position for the lifting partner: the Difficult Position must be reached before the lifted partner leaves the ice;
c) entry from a difficult transition by the lifting partner: series of at least two difficult Turns (e.g. Bracket, Choctaw, Counter, Outside Mohawk,
but not progressives) before the Dance Lift;
d) significant transitional movement performed by the lifted partner to reach and establish the desired pose (Note: this is not the same as a Change of Pose, because the movement is transitional and not established).

Notes:
A chosen Group of examples of Creative/Difficult Entry a), c) or d) shall be considered for Level only in the Dance Lift where it is first performed;

A chosen example of Creative/Difficult Entry from Group b) shall be considered for Level only in the Dance Lift where it is first performed;

if the three different examples of Spread Eagle (c), d) and e) of paragraph Difficult Position for lifting partner) are performed as Creative/Difficult Entry, only the two first performed different examples shall be considered for Level;

if an Ina Bauer (example f) of paragraph Difficult Position for lifting partner skated on same edges) and an example of Spread Eagle (c),d) or e) of paragraph Difficult Position for lifting partner) are performed as Creative/Difficult Entry on the same edges, only the first performed of the two Creative/Difficult Entry shall be considered for Level.

Weaver & Poje GPF FD Straight Line Lift

last element FD Level 3 Entry: She just steps onto his knee. He is in a one foot position. She is upright, supported by one of his hands that is no higher than the thigh. So the questions is, why did this tech panel think the entry to the lift was neither creative nor difficult? He does use two hands to help her to stand on his knee. At the GPF, Andrew is on two feet when Kaitlyn steps onto his knee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=moZKIEiGPdM#t=259s

At Worlds, they got level 4. Let's look to see how the lift was different. Andrew was on one foot Before Kaitlyn stepped up:

Consequently, we can see that they lost the level for the entry because:
b) entry from a Difficult Position for the lifting partner: the Difficult Position must be reached before the lifted partner leaves the ice;

At Worlds, they received a Level 4, because Andrew was on one foot when Kaitlyn stepped onto his leg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtxK_IUEHdw&feature=player_detailpage#t=279s

Another example of problems getting credit for a difficult or creative entry:
Capellini & Lanotte, Skate Canada FD, SlLi3 7th element
His difficult position is a Shoot The Duck
b) Shoot the Duck (thigh at least parallel to the ice) with any position of free leg;
Her difficult position is being stretched out straigh, parallel to the ice.
f) balancing in a horizontal position with only one additional point of support;
In this case, the point of support is his knee-his hands are not supporting her.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=e3EARvMWVtc#t=220s

As with Weaver and Poje, they don't get the Level 4 because Luca is not in the difficult position when Anna's feet leave the ice (His thigh must be parallel to the ice, BEFORE she is lifted; not the case here.

At Worlds, they did receive Level 4. Luca is still not fully in position, but now the difficult entry focus is on Anna. Does she qualify for a difficult entry? She is entering the lift from a crouched position:
d) significant transitional movement performed by the lifted partner to reach and establish the desired pose (Note: this is not the same as a Change of Pose, because the movement is transitional and not established).

And, yes, she does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LBIhe0LmBA&feature=player_detailpage#t=230s

A junior couple, Anastasia Galyeta & Alexei Shumski, UKR, received a downgrade for failing to have a creative and difficult entry in their FD at the Junior Grand Prix Final. Alexei is not in the difficult one foot position when Anastasia leaves the ice. Her difficult position is the doughnut:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JPO9jOHLTts#t=46s

They had previously gotten a level 4 for this lift at JGP Brasov. Note that Alexei is on one foot before Anastasia leaves the ice. Her doughnut is better here, too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=M-OajmNQwUY#t=53s

And so, they received Level 4.
 
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gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Thanks for all the examples, Doris. It must have taken a long time for you to find them all.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
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Country
United-States
Downgraded Straight Line Lifts-What Went Wrong

Iinykh & Katasalapov's Straight Line Lift in their Ave Maria FD at TEB was downgraded to Level 2.
Nikita is in a lunge for his difficult position:
i) Lunge (thigh at least parallel to the ice) with any position of free leg;
Elena is not lifted until after Nikita is in his position.

Elena's position is the
f) balancing in a horizontal position with only one additional point of support;
(again, the knee) However, she is slow getting horizontal and so does not hold her position for 3 seconds. Level 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=iX_2RPlKfIo&list=PLBF33A53F58725F8E#t=285s


At Worlds, she holds the pose longer, and they received a level 4.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9DeKi2y3Uo&feature=player_detailpage#t=320s

Zhiganshina & Gaszi, during their Modern Romeo & Juliet FD at Skate America, received level 2
Alexander is in a straight line spread eagle:
e) Spread Eagle – on a straight line (for Straight Line Lift only): same edges (one forward, one backward) on the same line;
Nelli is attempting
d) upside down combined with difficult hold;
, but she doesn't hold the upside down position for 3 seconds. Perhaps there was some question about whether the hold was difficult, too?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLF9988657ADC88F68&feature=player_detailpage&v=XNQdF6vN624#t=143s

However, at Nebelhorn, they had gotten level 4 for the lift, and she did hold the position much longer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sRgKrS4eCWY#t=158s

At Worlds, second straight line lift, it's done as a change of pose lift, and they get level 4. It was smart to change the lift, surely.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UeCSmMRDGqE#t=163s


Riazanova & Tkachenko, at Skate Canada in their Snowstorm FD, got an SlLi2. Unfortunately, the video is not at a great angle.
Ilia is attempting the one foot position. However, he's on two feet when he lifts her. That's all to waste since she never hits a clear position, and then has trouble with the lift exit, too. So Level 2 is right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFqDUgmKES0&feature=player_detailpage#t=140s
So you see, it wasn't just Cup of Russia where Ilia & Katia had skills downgraded.

At Europeans, they have subsituted a different lift-he's in a two footed crouch, and she is stretched out horizontal. They receive Level 4. Another smart change.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=EF_Je8ez0uA#t=140s


Paul & Islam's straight line lift at Skate America in their 2046/Havana Slide SD was downgraded. Again there are problems with the video. There is no clear shot of Mitchell's feet at the critical time. Mitchell is attempting a one foot difficult position, and he is struggling with it. You can't see his feet at the critical parts of the lift, but I suspect he put his foot down?

Alexandra's difficult pose is supposed to be :
e) from a vertical position lady is cantilevered out: lady’s torso is extended away from the man and the only one additional point of support are the hands;
(assuming hands here means the lifting partner's hands, and not the lifted partner's hands.
The difficult entry, in this case, in Alexandra's twist before getting into the cantilevered position.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-sW_aL7HMg&feature=player_detailpage#t=93s
The lift was a little short, too.

At Four Continents in the SD, they received Level 4 for this lift.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2rMT5NgTXPI&list=PL63BA58D49521D90C#t=92s


Huang & Zheng had a blown lift at Cup of China in their Mambo SD that they recived Level 1 for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=6CfeY5RSahQ#t=123s
In fact, it was a close call whether she was in the air for 3 seconds, but they gave them credit for it. They certainly didn't get credit for either his or her difficult pose.

Here's the level 4 version at Worlds. She's changing pose. He's in a straight line spread eagle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KluvS9pf-pA&feature=player_detailpage#t=135s

The next post will be the Straight Line Lift Grade of Execution post, and I'll review the Difficult Positions and Levels of Difficulty that I have been able to find yet.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
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Country
United-States
GOE For Short Straight Line Lifts

As promised, here is a range of GOE shown in Straight Line Short Lifts.

The lifts at the top and bottom of the list are there because they represent the extremes of scoring.

The lifts in the middle are there because either I found them interesting, or they represent either a difficult position or entry that I haven't highlighted before.

The GOE guidelines are the same as for the Short Curved Lift. You might care to review them, and if you do, they are here, in the post on Curved Lift GOE:

http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...ce-Dance-Lifts&p=642445&viewfull=1#post642445

The base value of all the short lifts is 4.00.

The maximum GOE you can get is 1.50, so the maximum possible score is 5.5.
Likewise the minimum score you can get is 2.50

Because judges can only give scores of -3,-2,-1, 0, +1, +2, +3, and because only 7 judges scores count, since the high and low score are not used, scores occur in increments of 0.07 (half of one seventh, rounded to two places)

So, a score of 5.50 would be all +3's counting

A score of 5.00 would have the average judge giving +2

A score of 4.50 would have the average judge giving +1

A score of 4.00 would have the average judge giving a 0

A score of 3.50 would have the average judge giving a score of -1.

If the lift was worse than that, typically a level would have been lost.

All of these Short Straight Line Lifts are Level Four:

Davis & White USA had the highest scoring straight line lift this year. Their best score was at World Team Trophy in their Die Fledermaus FD. 5.43
(Virtue & Moir did not use a straight line short lift in their programs this year.)

It's a change of pose lift with Charlie in the ever popular straight line spread eagle. The two poses are clearly established, and done to the music. They have good speed in and out of the lift, and the lift is woven seamlessly into the dance. Check out the distance down the rink that this lift covers, because of the speed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HgYANZEt0g&feature=player_detailpage#t=53s

Davis & White USA, GPF FD 5.29 first element (they earned the same score at 4CC's)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=TvF5bIfB2kA#t=219s

Davis & White USA, Worlds FD 5.14 first element
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xQTzbGgwDDw#t=50s

Pechalat & Bourzat FRA, Worlds Pharoah & His Mummy FD, 5.07
Fabian is in a crouch, going backwards. Nathalie is stretched out horizontal, supported on his knee. The arm positions, and general body line are particularly nice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfjEGmOiQ1I&feature=player_detailpage#t=100s

Pechalat & Bourzat FRA, Europeans FD, 5.00 They received the same score at GPF, and 4.93 at WTT, 4.75 at Skate America; and 4.57 at TEB.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QCW8Naj2zkM#t=104s


Weaver & Poje CAN 5.0 4CCs Historia de un Amor SD 5.0
Change of pose lift, with Andrew in a straight line spread eagle. The two poses are nicely distinct & established.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2xkHzWNd2pw#t=130s


Sinitsina & Zhiganshin, RUS JGPF, Phantom of the Opera FD, 5.0
The entry to the lift, which is "transitional" and not a change of pose, is particularly quick and nice. He's in a crouch, she's stretched out horizontal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=96WOkIQTmdA#t=63s



Chock & Bates USA, Skate Canada, Jazz Chopin FD, 4.92
Another change of position lift. Evan in a spread eagle. I particularly like the way Madison dances out of the lift.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEke1tMFgT8&feature=player_detailpage#t=127s


Bobrova & Soloviev RUS, Europeans, Faust FD, 4.86
He's in a crouch. The entry is very fluid, and her flexibility is exceptional here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=OW8oIRi3RRQ#t=93s

Kriengkrairut & Giuletti-Schmitt USA, NHK Walking in the Sand FD 4.71
She's in a full split
a) Full split: when the legs of the lifted partner are extended in one line with the angle between thighs about 180 degrees;
and he picks her up with his leg lifting her skating leg! His difficult position is a shoot the duck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5P-JSybwGlo#t=49s


Hubbell & Donohue USA, Mambo/Rhumba/Samba SD, Worlds 4.71
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3IeuiIcnH-4#t=881s
Her assisted cartwheel into a standing postion on one leg on Zach's thigh is spectacular. She then drops into a horizontal position. He's in a straight line spread eagle. (She is doing a change of pose.)

Zlobina & Sitnikov AZE, Europeans, Derap by Rene Aubrey FD, 4.64
He pulls her through his legs and she ends up in a doughnut, he ends up in a two legged crouch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CzH4DGJaidM#t=82s


Siobhan Heekin-Canedy & Dmitri Dun UKR, Notre Dame de Paris FD 4.64
He's going backwards in a Shoot The Duck Position. She's in a
b) full “Biellmann”: body upright with the heel of the boot pulled by the hand behind and above the level of the head;
, standing on his foot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ItE61IUKmY4#t=230s

Hurtado & Diaz ESP, Tristan and Isolde FD, 4.57
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=N3u3upSHQLk#t=205s
He's in a lunge, going backward. She stands on his foot in a Biellmann

Ralph & Hill CAN, Worlds Harlem Nocturne SD 4.50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3IeuiIcnH-4#t=456s
Asher is in a lunge. Kharis is cantilevered out very nicely.
e) from a vertical position lady is cantilevered out: lady’s torso is extended away from the man and the only one additional point of support are the hands;
I think the entry is OK-Asher is on one foot when Kharis mounts by sticking one foot into his side & standing on Asher's boot-then he drops to the lunge and she cantilevers out.

Aldridge & Eaton USA, JGPF Lord of the Dance FD, 4.50
He's in a straight line spread eagle, she is upside down. In position, she is supported only by her arms around his waist. His arms and her legs form a cross.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=8jqNeFZEewk#t=25s


Alessandrini & Vaturi ITA, Worlds Mas Que Nada SD, 4.43.
She's upside down, balanced on his shoulder by her rear end. It's an awkward position, but definitely difficult. He's in a really nice straight line spread eagle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3IeuiIcnH-4#t=1735s

Hurtado & Diaz ESP, Worlds Mas Que Nada SD 4.36
Both are really cantilevered out perpendicular to the direction of travel. (He's in a straight line spread eagle cantilever, similar to Klimkin) However, technically, I'd say, she is
g) leaning out (forwards or backwards) with the only one additional point of support being the legs;
and he is in a straight line spread eagle(with extras).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3IeuiIcnH-4#t=2096s

Here's a Cantilever (from that terminology, that should be how Adria's position is described, but that's not how the document is written).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFrLtSbats8


Walden & Edwards GBR
, Europeans Gloria Estefan SD 4.50
He's in crouch. She's balanced out horizontal across his knee. Very tidy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NRspJdrzK28#t=151s

Viktoria Kavaliova & Yurii Bieliaiev BLR, Jr Worlds Tango Criminale FD 4.50
He's in a forward lunge, she's stretched out, supported only by her legs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNzNOdE1CIQ&feature=player_detailpage#t=84s


Aldridge & Easton USA JGPF I Need to Know/Mambo No 8 SD 4.43 (this element received 4.79 at jr worlds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJG5GfL4KL0&feature=player_detailpage#t=26s
Interesting change of pose lift. The positions could have been a little more refined, but the back and forth motion of the changes worked well with the music.


Mansour & Zhunussov KAZ, 4CCs Cirque du Soleil FD 2nd element 4.36
He's in a straight line spread eagle. She's doing a change of pose. The poses are clearly "established" and not "transitional".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3hPbIm8G0rk#t=115s


Lichtman & Copley USA at Cup of China, Austin Powers FD. 4.29
Two foot crouch by him, horizontal position balanced on his knee by her. Twist entry.
Charlotte & Dean show that you can put humor in lifts, but it is not something the judges reward well.
I love the disco head bopping!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjVWiFQIncI&feature=player_detailpage#t=66s

Lichtmann & Copley USA Cup of China, Austin Powers FD 4.14.
Change of Position lift (humorous positions, in keeping with the Austin Powers them). Her first position is an example of
i) extended out with the majority of body weight in a horizontal line with the only one additional point of support being shoulders and/ or upper back.
If she'd held it, it would have qualified as a difficult position on it's own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjVWiFQIncI&feature=player_detailpage#t=145s


Bobrova & Soloviev RUS, Worlds Samba/Rhumba/Samba SD 4.07
This is a very awkward change of pose lift. His spread eagle is not particularly good. The poses are not clearly "snapshotted" either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=65wBMqMqU94#t=255s

Ilinykh & Katsalapov RUS, NHK Ave Maria FD 4.0
He's in a lunge, she's horizontal, supported only by his legs. There is awkwardness getting into position, and his knee is on the ice.
It's sobering to think that the Junior couple from Belarus, Viktoria Kavaliova & Yurii Bieliaiev, do a similar lift and can score higher with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ryqNKogdAiA#t=270s

Bruhns & van Natten MEX 4CCs Harlem Nocturne FD 3.79
She's upside down with difficult hold, he's on one foot. The lift position is awkward, and everything is very slow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dgniao2hiJ0#t=177s


Pushkash & Guerreiro RUS Skate Canada Capriccio Rhapsody by Paganini FD 3.58
SC, doing a change of pose lift but having great difficult
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o7V07G9ckc&feature=player_detailpage#t=133s

Pushkash & Guerreiro RUS Skate Canada Capriccio Rhapsody by Paganini FD -much better - 3 changes of pose 4.50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s45Y54JHh8&feature=player_detailpage#t=142s

Any Straight Line Lift questions?

We are headed on to Stationary Lifts (and since few teams chose to do one, it will be a brief stop) After that we will begin to discuss Long Lifts.
 
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dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Stationary Lifts

The rules about Stationary Lifts are exactly the same as for Curved and Straight Line Lifts, except that the team stays in approximately one spot while the lift is performed. In fact, this type of lift is a rather risky proposition on the whole, and the couples who tried it, often suffered downgrades last year.

The one difference from curved and straight line lifts is that a crouch or lunge can't be used as a difficult position for the man if the lift is not rotating. In all the cases I have found, the lifting partner is spinning, while holding the lifted partner, so this rule doesn't apply to those lifts. The big trick is still to get credit for a difficult entry and/or a difficult position for the man.

Otherwise, GOE, and Levels are the same as curved and straight line lifts.


Ralph & Hill CAN did a stationary lift this year in their Tango Free Dance.
At Skate America, they received a Level 4 (StaLi4), and a score of 4.57
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NmdYWw404g4#t=149s

Asher is in a crouch spinning, and Kharis mounts and ends up in horizontal stretch. I'd give it level 4 myself.

At Worlds, they only received Level 2 for this lift and a score of 2.86
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=0u59lhwo7g0#t=158s

For Asher to be in the "difficult" version of the crouch position, his thighs must be parallel to the ice. He doesn't get that far down until after Kharis is in the air, and he doesn't hold it for 3 seconds. Level 2.
Even if he did hold it 3 seconds, it would be Level 3, since he isn't in the position when Kharis is lifted.


Carron & Jones FRA
have been doing a Stationary lift the last two years. And they still got a downgrade to level 3 at the beginning of the season at Cup of China. I have the previous lift shown, because it is part of the entry sequence to the stationary lift.:

CoC FD: However the 4.36 indicates that the panel really liked this lift. Its base score was 3.5, combined with GOE of 0.86.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-oIA8gIB2mk#t=85s

He's in a crouch, holding her with one arm, and she's stretched out horizontal from centrifugal force as much as anything.

They don't get credit for a difficult entry. He isn't into the crouch until after he lifts her. But is there anything about the entry that could be difficult?

At Cup of Russia, they received Level 4, and a score of 4.71
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-oIA8gIB2mk#t=90s

This time they do get credit for the entry-is he considered in the difficult position when she leaves the ice? I don't think so. Perhaps the tech panel gave them credit for an "unexpected" entry, because it is essentially out of the previous lift, plus a turn. Certainly the flow between the two elements was a lot better at Cup of Russia.

Carron & Jones At Europeans (They didn't qualify for the FD at Worlds this year.)The Stationary lift is the first eleement in the program, and they received a score of 4.79 for it,
They went back to the Gershwin medley FD from last year, so that the entry to the lift is different from Cup of Russia & China.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsaTijoX954&feature=player_detailpage#t=15s

The entry steps look difficult..look at this again- I believe they got credit for:

c) entry from a difficult transition by the lifting partner: series of at least two difficult Turns (e.g. Bracket, Choctaw, Counter, Outside Mohawk,but not progressives) before the Dance Lift


Alessandrini & Vaturi ITA received at Level4 at NHK and a score of 4.5

From a dance spin, they went directly into the stationary lift. He's on one leg. She's doing a doughnut.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BNus7rpVYEk#t=55s

At Worlds, they only received a Level 2 and a score of 2.86.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BNus7rpVYEk#t=47s

There is an error in the protocol which shows the lift as their final element, rather than as the third element. Apparently, the tech panel put it back in after reviewing the spin. However, I guess that she didn't get credit for the doughnut.

Kosigina & Moroshkin RUS have a Stationary lift in their FD at the JGP Volvo Cup in Riga for which they received Level 4 and a score of 4.36.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L80ipS-Qhqo&feature=player_detailpage#t=120s

Straight out of the twizzles, followed by two turns, he's on one foot, picks her up, continues to rotate on one foot, she's in a donut with her other leg matching (almost his)

It appears that the attempt at a difficult entry is:

c) entry from a difficult transition by the lifting partner: series of at least two difficult Turns (e.g. Bracket, Choctaw, Counter, Outside Mohawk,
but it may be meant to be that Moroshkin is trying to get on one leg before he picks up Kosigina, which is a hard thing to do while spinning.

Kosigina & Moroshkin FD JGP Tallin Level3 3.71 fourth element
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YSzdVxnFqg&feature=player_detailpage#t=115s

Certainly, the steps here are not as nice as in the first version. And to my eyes, both times he picked her up before he was on one foot.

And now some teams who didn't ever receive Level 4 for their Stationary Lifts:

Heritage & Fast USA in their FD at JGP Brisbane received Level 2 and a score of 2.80 (base 2.5) .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YejzhB_dspE&feature=player_detailpage#t=155s
She's in a doughnut, he's in a crouch. I don't think he stayed down in the crouch long enough, and so didn't get credit for the difficult position. Her transitional entry to this lift was interesting, and I wonder whether they would get credit for her spinning into the lift to start? I think they should get it.

Simonova & Dragun RUS, in their FD at JGP Brasov reeived level 3 and a score of 3.57 (base 3.5).http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UFXEWQ6-h6E#t=80s

They enter the lift from a gorgeous and rather unique pair spin, so you have to wait through the pair spin to see where he picks her up. She is in a Biellmann position. Apparently the tech callers here did not think entering it from a pair spin was difficult. I would say they are wrong, but what do I know?


O'Brien & Merriman AUS did a stationary lift for a level 2 and a score of 3.0 at Worlds in their Moonlight Serenade FD. He does the spin on one foot. She's in a doughnut. Since he's clearly on one foot, she didn't get credit for the doughnut. But it's really a pretty lift. Again, I'd be interested to see whether they would have gotten credit for this entry for the level 4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=K5JfMgZTaTY#t=192s

At 4CC's, O'Brien & Merriman Danielle stumbled going into the lift, so that neither was able to get credit for a difficult position. They received a Level 1 and a score of 1.14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_h6kLOJdisA#t=220s

Those are all the Stationary Lifts that were performed internationally in this season that I could find. It is not a popular move, and has become even less popular now that guidelines are strict about crouches needing thighs parallel to the ice.

And that's all for Short Lifts. The next post will be on Long Lifts and Combination Lifts.

And I wish anyone that is enjoying this series would tell me about it, and tell me what you'd like to see me cover when I finish with Lifts?
 
Last edited:

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Now that we turn to long lifts, the most important thing about them is how they have almost disappeared from ice dance in the last couple years.

And, a look at the history of scoring for lifts shows that the ice dance technical community has struggled with lifts-how many there should be, what type they should be, and how much they should be scored.

The initial thing I remember from free dance commentary was that the main difference between a free dance and a pairs LP was that there were no jumps or throws, and the lifts were to be short ones, restricted to ones where the man's hands did not go above his shoulders. Or something like that.

The first FD I remember belonged to Lyudmila Pakhomova & Alexander Gorshkov at the 1976 Olympics. I feel in love with ice dance at once! The Flamenco part was to die for :love:


Pakhomova & Gorshkov 1976 Melancholy & Spanish Flamenco Tortello
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45GO_zqT2RY

This is the longest lift in the program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45GO_zqT2RY&feature=player_detailpage#t=21s

There are perhaps 3 little assisted repositionings that wouldn't qualify as lifts today. And without any long lifts at all, it was a lovely and interesting program.

Moving ahead eight years, I want to look at the Olympic FD of Torvill and Dean, always called ground breakers in ice dance:

Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean 1984 Bolero http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zbbN4OL98

Other than the interesting stationary lifts to start the program, and whose main purpose was to allow them to stall the beginning of skating, so that they could fit the whole program, as timed, within the guidelines, there are no even slightly extended lifts until the final "Falling into the Volcano" lift at the end:

Lift One - nice Curved Lift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zbbN4OL98&feature=player_detailpage#t=129s

Lift two - straight line lift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zbbN4OL98&feature=player_detailpage#t=157s

Lift three-Rotational lift to end
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zbbN4OL98&feature=player_detailpage#t=264s

There were a couple little assisted leaps and jumps that didn't stay aloft long enough to qualify as lifts, and which are reminiscent of the Pakhomova & Gorshkov era.

By the time of Klimova & Ponomarenko, lifts are more important, and the lifts are some of the more memorable things about the program, but they're aren't a lot of them:

Klimova & Ponomarenko 1992 FD Bach Toccata and Fugue (Air)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-niom1jc8

They start with a stationary lift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-niom1jc8&feature=player_detailpage#t=41s

Lift 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-niom1jc8&feature=player_detailpage#t=80s

Lift 2 - really gorgeous curved lift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-niom1jc8&feature=player_detailpage#t=94s

Lift 3 -beautiful straight line lift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-niom1jc8&feature=player_detailpage#t=184s

Lift 4 short rotational lift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-niom1jc8&feature=player_detailpage#t=260s

Lift 5 Straight Line Lift to end
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-niom1jc8&feature=player_detailpage#t=276s

During the rest of the program were many little assisted leaps by Marina that probably wouldn't be done today for fear of being confused with lifts, but which remind older fans of Pakhomova & Gorhkov.

Things hadn't changed much with respect to lifts by 1997, when Grishuk & Platov won Europeans (and later Worlds) with this amazing free dance:

1997 Grishuk & Platov The Feeling Begins FD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLmywlzRkv0

Rotational Lift1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=aLmywlzRkv0#t=63s

Rotational Lift2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=aLmywlzRkv0#t=76s

Curve Lift with a rotation out2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=aLmywlzRkv0#t=134s

A couple of the quick assists that are not really lifts, a nod to the old days; this is one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=aLmywlzRkv0#t=236s

and their ending pose is another.

In 1998, Anissina & Peizerat's Romeo and Juliet program introduced the era of excessive lifts, which continued up to the introduction of COP:

Here it is, at Worlds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdXXk6xtFuU


For old time fans, it was either a moment to say, "Enough with the hand to hand skating and lifts already," or to say, "This is new and hugely exciting."

So when COP was introduced, ice dancing had just gone through this period of excessive lifts, best exemplified by Anissina & Peizerat. Here's their 2000 FD, Carmina Burana, which won Worlds that year, broken down by lifts:

Anissina & Peizerat 2000 Carmina Burana FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsvq-N7xAtc

Lift 1 I suppose this would be a combination lift SlLi1+CuLi2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsvq-N7xAtc&feature=player_detailpage#t=29s

Lift 2 Rotational Lift, but they pause in the middle, which 2ouldn't be done nowadays.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsvq-N7xAtc&feature=player_detailpage#t=92s

Lift 3 Straight Line Lift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsvq-N7xAtc&feature=player_detailpage#t=155s

Lift 4 This one would have to be a transitional lift these days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsvq-N7xAtc&feature=player_detailpage#t=210s

Lift 5 Gender Bender Curved Lift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsvq-N7xAtc&feature=player_detailpage#t=238s

Lift 6 Rotational Lift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fsvq-N7xAtc&feature=player_detailpage#t=244s

The lifting partner of whichever sex was seldom, if ever in a difficult position in this program. The lengths of the lifts were very varied (today, they come in two lengths. And there were a lot of them.

The first Worlds with COP was 2005, after a year of introductory competitions that did not include Worlds. Let's have a look at how COP looked, coming out of the box:


At 2005 Worlds, Tatiana Navka & Roman Kostamarov won the FD & the World Championship. with this routine to Tosca:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjv3Jzg27gk&feature=related

There were 11 elements in the FD at the time. There wasn't much time for anything but elements:
There were two twizzle sequences. STw4 was the first,
Followed by a Combination spin, CoSp3,

Then a Straight Line lift, SlLi4 (2.5+0.71=3.21)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjv3Jzg27gk&feature=player_detailpage#t=79s

And a Reverse Rotational Lift RRoLi4 (4.2+0.79=4.99)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjv3Jzg27gk&feature=player_detailpage#t=104s

And a curved lift CuLi4 (2.5+0.93=3.43)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjv3Jzg27gk&feature=player_detailpage#t=122s

And a second spin, Sp3,
Then a circular step0, CCiSt2
Diagonal step DiSt2
A second twizzle sequence, Tw4

And two more lifts
A serpentine lift SeLi4 (4.2+0.93=5.13)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjv3Jzg27gk&feature=player_detailpage#t=245s

and a final rotational lift RoLi4 3.5+0.43 =3.93
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjv3Jzg27gk&feature=player_detailpage#t=264s


Lifts were worth approximately 44% of the base value of a routine.

Again from 2005:

Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto's FD Shadritsa 2nd place in the FD

(For these 2nd through 5th place programs, I'm just going to highlight the long lifts, but you can always play them over by pulling the status button back to the beginning. It was a good year for ice dance at Worlds, I think, and worth watching.)

Serpentine Lift SeLi4 (4.2+0.79=4.99)
Check out the curves from the overhead camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFcRIdYbo_0&feature=player_detailpage#t=120s

And a combination lift (CuLi4+RoLi4 (4.6+0.57=5.17)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=BFcRIdYbo_0#t=162s


Isabelle Delobel & Olivier Schoenfelder's FD Frida in third place in the FD
Serpentine (4.2+0.71=4.91)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FRSXSk3yo-4#t=153s


Combination lift (SlLi4+RoLi4 = 4.2+0.64 = 4.84)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FRSXSk3yo-4#t=269s

Navka & Kostamarov had the highest scoring Reverse Rotational Lift (4.99)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjv3Jzg27gk&feature=player_detailpage#t=104s

and the highest scoring Serpentine Lift (5.13)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjv3Jzg27gk&feature=player_detailpage#t=245s

Albena Denkova & Maxim Staviyski (5th in the FD) had the highest scoring combinationation lift CuLi4+RoLi4 5.31 first element in their Bach to Africa program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r6D1UN6vQk&feature=player_detailpage#t=47s


Elena Grushina & Ruslan Goncharov were 4th in the FD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=6thwUUHHuIc

And so that was the history and starting point for lifts in COP.

Next time, we'll mosey along and see how it developed in the seven years from 2005 to 2012.

I hope someone has questions or comments!
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
So in 2005, Lifts were scored like this:

2005 elements
Navka & Kostomarov won the 2005 FD.
Tosca
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iufwGKka3M4
Base value
SlLi4 2.5
RRoLi4 4.2
CuLi4 3
SeLi4 4.2
RoLi4 3.5

Total base value due to lifts: 17.4
TOTAL base value:
45% of the base value was from lifts.

Note that the long lifts are nowhere near worth twice as much as the short lifts.

11 scored elements, 5 lifts

2006 elements
Dubreuil & Lauzon won the Free Dance that year with this Lift layout:
Somewhere in Time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtoe1lfea5w

RoLi4 4.00
RRoLi4 5.60
CuLi4+RoLi4 5.60
SlLi4 4.00


TOT program Base Value 46.50 Total base value of lifts: 19.20
Percent of base value due to lifts of total base value: 41.29%
9 scored elements, of which 4 lifts (one lift less than the previous year.)
And it was in 2006 that deductions began to be given for extended lifts.

2007
Denkova & Staviyski won the FD with their Seven Deadly Sins Program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOSF_AtGBog

CuLi4 4.00
SeLi4 6.40
CuLi4+RoLi4 6.40
SlLi4 4.00


TOT base value 44.50 Total base value for lifts 20.80
46.74%

8 scored elements, one less than the previous year.
There were still 4 lifts, two short, and two long.

And scores for long lifts are still not twice the score for short lifts.

In 2008, Virtue & Moir won the free dance
Umbrellas of Cherbourg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRjqNbM9RHM

2008 elements
V&M

CuLi4+RoLi4 6.40
SlLi4 4.00
RoLi4 4.00
SeLi4 6.40


TOT 44.40 20.80
46.85%
8 scored elements
4 lifts.
This is the same structure as the previous year.

In 2009, Domnina & Shabalin won the free dance with their Spartacus program.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGnIcRjy4iU

And the rules changed again. Only one long lift was required.

SlLi4+RoLi4 6.40
CuLi4 4.00
RoLi4 4.00
SlLi4 4.00


TOT base value 42.00 Total base value for lifts 18.40
Percent of program base value due to lifts .43.81%
8 scored elements.
4 lifts, one long, and three short.

Now that only one long lift was required, immediately teams preferred to choose combination lifts over serpentine and reverse rotational lifts. 17 of 24 teams chose to do combination lifts. 5 of 24 teams chose to do serpentine lifts. 2 teams chose to do reverse rotational lifts. A look at the last year's data, when all teams did two lifts, did not show any particular propensity for serpentine lifts to score lower, or to have an extended lift penalty assigned versus combination lifts.

I can only assume the teams just like combination lifts better.

In 2010, Davis & White won the Free Dance at Worlds with their Phantom of the Opera program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSbp36h6ky8


SlLi4+RoLi4 8.00
SlLi4 4.00
RoLi4 4.00

TOT base value 42.40 Total base value of the lifts 16.00
37.74%
There are 7 elements, one long lift and two short required. (One less than the previous year.
And this is the first year that a long lift was worth twice what a short lift was.

Three teams did a serpentine lift. One team chose to do a Reverse Rotational Lift.

In 2011, a team could chose to do either 4 short lifts, or 2 short lifts and one long lift. In 2011, the maximum points for lifts was 0.50 lift, due to a GOE miscalculation. Many teams chose the all short lift option.

In 2011 Davis & White won the FD at Worlds with their Tango Free Dance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOeoEaDcrag

Davis & White chose the four short lift option.

SlLi4 4.00
CuLi4 4.00
RoLi4 4.00
RoLi4 4.00


TOT 41.50 base value 16.00 for lifts
38.55%
7 or 8 scored elements, depending on whether 3 or 4 lifts were done.

Nine teams chose to do three lifts, with a combination long lift.
Two teams chose to do three lifts, with a serpentine lift.
Nine teams chose to do four short lifts.
No team did a reverse rotational lift.

In 2012 Virtue and Moir won the FD at Worlds with their Funny Face FD.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwbgR_PAErE

CuLi4 4.00
RoLi4 4.00
SlLi4+RoLi4 8.00



TOT 41.50 total base value, 16.00 base value points for lifts.
38.55% of the base value was lifts
7 or 8 scored elements, depending on whether a team chose to do 3 or 4 lifts

Eight of 20 teams chose to do a combination lift.
One team chose to do a Reverse Rotational Lift.
No team chose to do a Serpentine lift.

So we see that the Reverse Rotational and Serpentine Lift are going the way of the Axel Entry Twist in pair skating; a neat trick not worth the trouble.

Perhaps as we compare the requirements for the three types of long lifts, we can determine why the Serpentine & Reverse Rotational Lifts have fallen out of favor more than Combination Lifts.

I'll start with Combination Lifts, since those are now the most frequently seen types.
 
Last edited:

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
We've already discussed Straight Line Lifts, Curved Lifts, and Rotational Lifts.

Every Combination Lift contains two of the above three lifts, and is allowed to take 12 seconds, rather than six seconds. It has a base value of 8.0 points rather than 4.0 points.

In general, the rules for a Curved Lift, for example, as part of a Combination Lift, are the same as for a stand-alone Curved Lift. However, there are subtleties connected with the fact that the Curved Lift in a Combination will have either an entry, or a dismount, but not both.

Here's what the rules look like.

The first issue is what to call an attempted combination lift that does not quite come off:

COMBINATION LIFTS
1. A Combination Lift shall be identified with the first two fully established Types of Short Lifts performed forming two approximately equal parts or it shall be identified as a Short Lift of the Type forming the larger part. The Level of each of the two Types of Short Lifts shall be given separately.

And when it is so bad that it constitutes an illegal iteration of a lift, so that there is no credit at all.

ALL LONG LIFTS
1. If an error occurs in the first or second part of an attempted Long Lift, so that the second part (second Type of Short Lift of an attempted Combination Lift, reverse rotations of an attempted Reverse Rotational Lift, second curve of an attempted Serpentine Lift) cannot be identified, the performed part of the Dance Lift shall be identified as a Type of Short Lift (first Type of Short Lift in case of an attempted Combination Lift, Rotation Lift in case of an attempted Reverse Rotational Lift, Curve Lift in case of an attempted Serpentine Lift), given the reached Level and classified as “Combo”, in order to avoid that a subsequent similar Type of Short Lift be classified as Extra Element (the word “Combo” means an intention to skate one Long Lift).

Moving right ahead to COMBINATION LIFTS in particular:
Combination Lift
Any Level 3 Short Lift (except Rotational Lift Option 2) forming any of the two parts of a Combination Lift is upgraded to Level 4 if the Short Lift forming the first part of the Combination Lift is performed with a Creative/Difficult Entry.

So if you did a Straight Line Lift with a creative & difficult entry (even in not Level 4, for some reason), the Curved Lift you did as a second part of a combination lift could still be Level 4, by virtue of the entry on the first straight line lift.

And if both lifts require the creative and difficult entry on the first lift, the team may suffer a double downgrade.

Consequently, the smartest choice for a the combination would be a change of pose lift, coupled with a rotational lift that doesn't require a difficult entry to obtain level 4. It's why you don't see a lot of combinations that don't include a rotational lift.


A Rotational Lift Option 2 Level 3 forming any of the two parts of a Combination Lift is upgraded to Level 4 if it is performed with a One Hand/Arm Rotational Lift Extra Feature.

However, I haven't seen all that many teams chose the one arm option in combination lifts.

And finally:

These adjustments are the same ones we saw for rotational and curved, straight and stationary lifts:

Adjustments to Levels:
1. In a Rotational Lift or Reverse Rotational Lift, if the lifting partner rotates for a while, stops rotation, and then continues to rotate some more, if the lifted partner is in a Difficult Pose when the rotation stops, the Level shall be reduced by one Level.
2. If a loss of control with additional support (touch down by free leg/foot and/or hand(s)) occurs after a Dance Lift has commenced and the Dance Lift continues after touchdown (without interruption), its Level shall be reduced by 1 Level per touchdown (in a Combination Lift only the Level of the Short Lift where the touchdown occurred shall be reduced by 1 Level).

And because the one hand/arm option is used in combination lifts, I'm repeating its requirements:
One Hand/Arm Rotational Lift Extra Feature:
Only One Hand/Arm Lift is used to lift, hold and set down the lifted partner, and
the lifting partner is on one foot for at least one rotation;
and/or the lifting partner significantly changes the level of his skating legs (knees) with a continuous motion;
and/or the lifting partner’s holding arm is fully extended in front with a significant distance between partners.
Notes:
if performed as the first part of a Combination Lift, the setting down in One Hand/Arm Lift requirement does not apply;
if performed as the second part of a Combination Lift, the lifting in One Hand/Arm Lift requirement does not apply.

So next post, we'll look at some combination lifts.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
As I said before, Eight of 20 teams chose to do a combination lift at worlds. Only one team did a reverse rotational lift. The other 11 teams chose the four short lift option.
The GOE rules and adjustments to GOE are just the same for combination lifts as for Rotational, Curved, Straight Line or Stationary Lifts.

For those wanting a refresher, the rules for assigning levels to rotational lifts is here:
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...ce-Dance-Lifts&p=641479&viewfull=1#post641479

the GOE for rotational dance lifts is laid out in this post:
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...ce-Dance-Lifts&p=641956&viewfull=1#post641956

The rules for technical levels for Curved Lifts, Stationary Lifts, and Straight Line Lifts are here, including definitions of difficult positions and difficult entries:
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...ce-Dance-Lifts&p=642045&viewfull=1#post642045


And the rules for GOE of Curved, Stationary, and Straight Line Lifts are here:
http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/sh...ce-Dance-Lifts&p=642445&viewfull=1#post642445


In a combination lift, each point of GOE is one point of score. The base level is 8.0.

So the best possible score is 11.00. (+3)

The next best possible is 10.0 (+2)

Then 9.00 (+1)

and 8.00 (GOE of 0)

and 7.00 (GOE of -1)
Generally if the lift is worse than -1, something will have been downgraded as well.


So here are the lifts. Virtue and Moir had the best combination lift all year (perfect score at 4CC's) during their Funny Face free dance. (Davis & White did not do a combination lift this year.)

Virtue & Moir CAN received 10.71 at Worlds, and 11.0 at Four Continents for this
SlLi4+RoLi4 combination lift:

Worlds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RwbgR_PAErE#t=244s

4CC's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=VLpqRBIPTxI#t=241s


Notice that Scott switches from a straight line spread eagle to an Ina Bauer (by ice dance rules, this is rather unlike, say, Shizuka Arikawa doing an Ina Bauer) during the straight line lift. An Ina Bauer is one of the difficult positions I haven't called out yet.

f) Ina Bauer: same or different edge (one forward one backward) on parallel tracing;

Pechalat & Bourzat FRA received 10.29 for this combination lift at Worlds during their Pharoah & His Mummy free dance, and 10.14 at Europeans.
SlLi4+RoLi4
The clip here is from Europeans. I particularly like the way they enter the Straight Line Lift back to back, and that they keep the "Egyptian hands" motif going throughout the lift, and that there is no hesitation or rearrangement awkwardness between the two lifts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV_4_D6_oSc&feature=player_detailpage#t=170s

Shibutanis USA, in their Moonlight Serenade free dance, received 9.7 at the GPF for this lift.
SlLi4+RoLi4 I love the way that she rises up in the second positionof the straight line lift. And I like that a one arm position is used during the change of pose in the rotational lift. Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLCAC57355C2F0004F&feature=player_detailpage&v=6xdXfuwoAz0#t=95s

Zlobina & Sitnikov AZE got 9.57 at Europeans for this lift in their Derap ( Rene Aubrey )
CuLi4+RoLi4 Here is their Worlds version, which only scored 9.14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zx8kN3GFyEc#t=213s

And here is the Europeans version (actually the World version shows what is going on better, in my opinion)
She has an outstanding "cantilevered out" position, and he is very steady on one foot. I like the way she corkscrews down in the rotational lift, too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK6N9lDBYSU&feature=player_detailpage#t=206s


Coomes & Buckland GBR received 9.29 at Europeans for this lift in their Elvis Medley free dance.
SlLi4+RoLi4. I like the way she dives over his shoulder to do a one armed hand stand on his foot, but the rotational lift changes of pose are rather awkward.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=0eUZZPSJt4k#t=72s

At this point, the following lifts are good, but not special:


Carron & Jones FRA received 9.14 for this lift from their Gershwin Medley FD at Europeans
cuLi4+RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hsaTijoX954#t=125s

Hubbell & Donohue USA, recieve 9.00 for this lift in their I Put a Spell on You free dance at Worlds
SlLi4+RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=uUwfiMogeYY#t=220s

Kolbe & Caruso GER received 9.0 for this lift in their Love Story FD
SlLi4+RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xTy-koM_i4g#t=64s

Huang & Zheng CHN received 9.0 at Worlds in their Tango free dance. The changes of pose in the straight line lift were jouncy and not smooth.
SlLi4+RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jwZxb0UjbTQ#t=69s

And you don't see very many combination lifts without the latter of the two lifts being rotational.
Here's one:

Walden & Edwards GBR got 9.0 at Europeans during their "Love Actually" free dance:
SlLi4+CuLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=55tHJQv1tBg#t=89s

Guignard & Fabbri ITA got 8.86 at Europeans in their The Godfather FD.
SlLi4+RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wMB8aAywmB4#t=58s

And the lowest scoring Level 4 combination lift was by Yu & Wang of CHN, who received 8.57 for this lift at 4CCs in their Howl's Moving Castle FD (the main additonal problem they had is that especially during the rotational lift, this is very slow over the ice).
CuLi4+RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=U3XbNM_2kZA#t=208s




Now that we've looked at lifts that received their level, here's some that didn't.

Tobias & Stagniunas LTU (9.43 at Europeans, but their rotational lift was downgraded at Worlds)
SlLi4+RoLi4
Here's the level four Europeans version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jmI3pXkSBXc#t=138s

They got SlLi4+RoLi3 at Worlds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuibOJCEI2k&feature=player_detailpage#t=162s

Now why was this downgraded? Since they got level 4 for the straight line lift, they got credit for a difficult entry. So the problem is with the rotational lift itself. If Isabelle's split position is considered 180 degrees enough, she needs four rotations (and Deividas needs 5) to qualify for level 4. If it isn't, she needs 5 rotations, and he needs six. Her split was noticeably not 180 degrees, and she clearly didn't have 5 rotations.

Hubbell & Donohue USA received a downgrade at 4CC's on their rotational lift. Again, they got credit for a difficult entry, as the straight line lift is level four because he is in the difficult spread eagle position when she stands on his skate.
SlLi4+RoLi2 (They got SlLi4+RoLi4 at Worlds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=X8Z_6phkJkA#t=227s

Here's the Worlds version for comparison.
SlLi4+RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=uUwfiMogeYY#t=220s

It seems to me that her foot slipped off her head in the hair cutter position, so they didn't get credit for her position at 4CC's.


Demirsal & Akalin TUR 7.07 at Volvo cup had their straight line lift downgraded. She never gets into a difficult position. And he isn't in the crouch when she is lifted, so there is no difficult entry either. However, they have plenty of rotations on the rotational lift and still get the level for that.
SlLi2+RoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dxZffqZmO5c#t=142s

At worlds, they get credit.

SlLi4+RoLi4 jr worlds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=a9CGWH1lUpY#t=185s

Kubova & Kiselev CZE had their Curve Lift downgraded-she has trouble getting into the split, and doesn't hold it long enough for the level.
SlLi4+CuLi2 Europeans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zSxLsChvPJA#t=209s

And here's an example of how losing the "difficult entry" feature gets you a double downgrade, if you do a combination of a straight line and a curved lift. He's not in the difficult one foot position when she is lifted, so the question is, does her mount involve a significant transitional move for her? If not, both the Straight Line and the following Curved Lift are downgraded:

Pecherkina & Jakushin LAT 7.34
SlLi3+CuLi3 Volvo cup 6th element
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=PhY2tZAS3oM#t=175s

They received Level 4's at Baltic Cup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=PhY2tZAS3oM#t=173s

It's not a huge surprise that they chose not to do a combination at Junior Worlds.

And thereby hangs a tale.
 
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dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Not one team at Senior Worlds, Europeans, Four Continents, or on the Senior or Junior Grand Prix did a Serpentine Lift this year. And that's a sad state of affairs. They used to be common, when the teams had to include two long lifts of different types in their programs. 2008 was the last season when that was true. So to begin, let's look at some level 4 serpentine lifts from the past. I have not included the scores, because these lifts, done in different seasons, were done under different rules.

The hallmark of a serpentine lift is that it is two curved lifts, done back to back, so that the track on the ice is an "S". This can be achieved by a change of edge, or by taking a half turn between the two curved lifts without a change of edge.

FORMAL DEFINITION OF A SERPENTINE LIFT

A Dance Lift in which the lifting partner travels on two different curves of approximately similar curvature and duration. The pattern must be serpentine shaped (“S”). The change of direction of the pattern may incorporate a turn of not more than ½ rotation. After the completion of the 2 curves the couple may skate additional curve(s) or rotate (up to 1 rotation) but this will not be counted.

LEVEL ONE
Lifted partner is held off the ice for at least 3 seconds on each curve.

LEVEL TWO

OPTION 1
Lifted partner:
sustains a different Difficult Pose for 3 seconds on each curve
OR
moves through a Change of Pose on each curve
OR
sustains a Difficult Pose for 3 seconds on one curve and moves through a Change of Pose on the other curve

OPTION 2
Lifted partner sustains a Difficult Pose for 3 second or moves through a Change of Pose on one curve
AND
Lifting partner sustains a Difficult Position for 3 seconds on one curve.

OPTION 3
Lifting partner sustains a different Difficult Position for 3 seconds on each curve

LEVEL THREE

Lifted partner sustains a different Difficult Pose for 3 seconds on each curve

OR

Lifted partner moves through a Change of Pose on each curve
OR
Lifted partner sustains a Difficult Pose for 3 seconds on one curve and moves through a Change of Pose on the other curve

AND

Lifting partner sustains a different Difficult Position for 3 seconds on each curve



LEVEL FOUR

Requirements for Level 3
AND
Creative/Difficult Entry

Additional calling principles for a Serpentine Lift
Applicable to Long Lifts:
1. If an error occurs in the first or second part of an attempted Long Lift, so that the second part (second Type of Short Lift of an attempted Combination Lift, reverse rotations of an attempted Reverse Rotational Lift, second curve of an attempted Serpentine Lift) cannot be identified, the performed part of the Dance Lift shall be identified as a Type of Short Lift (first Type of Short Lift in case of an attempted Combination Lift, Rotation Lift in case of an attempted Reverse Rotational Lift, Curve Lift in case of an attempted Serpentine Lift), given the reached Level and classified as “Combo”, in order to avoid that a subsequent similar Type of Short Lift be classified as Extra Element (the word “Combo” means an intention to skate one Long Lift).


Additionally, Serpentine lifts have an additional specification in GOE judging guidelines, called Change of Curve. So I'll restate the whole GOE table, with the additions highlighted:

GOE

-3 (Very Poor)
Entry or exit: shaky or dropped
Ascent or descent: very brief
Stability: lose balance
If any Change of pose: awkward
Both curves very flat and too short

-2 (Poor)
Entry or exit: fumbling
Ascent or descent: struggling
Stability: unstable
If any change of pose: discontinuous
Both curves flat and not equal

-1 (Mediocre)
Entry or exit: hesitant or abrupt
Ascent or descent: much effort
Stability: variable
If any change of pose: labored
One curve flat or one curve too short

0 (Acceptable)
Entry or exit: sure and solid
Ascent or descent: some effort
Stability: stable
If any change of pose: controlled
Similar shallow curves

+1 (Good)
Entry or exit: smooth
Ascent or descent: little effort
Stability: sure
If any change of pose: smooth
Curves equal and fairly deep


+2 (Very Good)
Entry or exit: flowing
Ascent or descent: with ease
Stability: confident
if any change of pose: flowing
Curves equal and deep


+3 (Outstanding/Excellent)
Entry or exit: seamless
Ascent or descent: floating, effortless
Stability: relaxed and bold
if any change of pose: effortless
Curves equal and very deep

And adjustments can be made to GOE for these situations:

Increase one grade (each, presumably)
Body lines and pose of both partners beautiful and esthetically pleasing
Speed maintained or accelerated during the dance lift
Dance Lift with special attribute for lifting partner
Entry is unexpected and/or creative
Dance lift reflects the character of the chosen dance and fits to the phrasing of the music.

Decrease by one grade (each presumably):
Pose awkward or not aesthetically pleasing
More than 1/2 turn within Straight Line or Curve lift or between curves for serpentine lift
Dance Lift does not fit the character of the chosen dance
Dance Lift does not fit the phrasing of the music.


Clearly, a combination lift with one straight line and one curved lift is can be more easily used to get full credit for a lift than can a serpentine lift, and that alone explains why so few are done any more, now that only one long lift is allowed, and that all short lifts is a legal option.

So for old Tyme's sake, here are some nice serpentine lifts.



2006 Denkova & Staviyski BUL Adagio by Albinoni Serpentine Lift, with Maxim on one foot in second part of lift, an unusual option. The speed throughout the lift is excellent, but I have to say that the lengths and curvature of the two sections of the lift are not equal,
SeLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tads6UWmvDI&feature=player_detailpage#t=245s

2007 Davis & White USAPolovetsian Dances FD. Charlie uses the one legged crouch with one leg to the side for his second Difficult position. Again, the second section of the lift is a bit shorter than the first section.
SeLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Odrn-svt_do#t=158s


2007 Denkova & Staviyski BUL Seven Deadly Sins Serpentine Lift
SeLi4 (Enjoy their great depth of edge here. Maxim does an inside spread eagle for one half of the lift and an outside spread eagle for the other half.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=PVF0lJYcvd8#t=104s


2008 Delobel & Schoenfelder FRAThe Piano Serpentine Lift
SeLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NDBF2yUKnk&feature=player_detailpage#t=228s

2008 Belbin & Agosto CANChopin Serpentine Lift
A pretty lift, and Ben's use of a one foot position for the first lift is a nice variation. Unfortunately, the curve on his one foot lift is rather shallow.
SeLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn1CjgnMkFo&feature=player_detailpage#t=42s

2008 Virtue & Moir CANUmbrellas of Cherbourg serpentine lift.
SeLi4
Tessa's upside position in one of the two sections of the lift is special, but the curve Scott skates is much deeper on the second section of the lift than the first.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=UkrNhKEoYII#t=252s


2008 Khoklova & Novitski RUSA Night on Bald Mountain. A stunning lift, but again, the second section is on a deeper edge.
SeLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlR_0uH-gi8&feature=player_detailpage#t=33s

By 2009, very few teams were doing a serpentine lift. Two were Crone & Poirier and Pechalat & Bourzat. Three examples of their lifts:


2009 Crone & Poirier CAN YoYo Ma Perfect Day Serpentine Lift
SlLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79vYVA1KnB0&feature=player_detailpage#t=175s

2010 Pechalat & Bourzat CANserpentine lift Circus (Entry of the Gladiators by Fucik)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFPrsbdv5OQ&feature=player_detailpage#t=125s


2011 Crone & Poirier CAN Eleanor Rigby Serpentine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDp7C9Ci0SU&feature=player_detailpage#t=170s

And so, that is the end of Serpentine Lifts, both in real life, and in this thread.

The next post will be about Reverse Rotational Lifts, which have been if anything, less frequently used than Serpentine Lifts.
 
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dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Reverse Rotational Lifts.

Reverse Rotational Lifts have never been frequent, and since there is no longer a requirement to have two long lifts from different families in the Free Dance, they are even less frequent.

To be identified as a Reverse Rotational Lift, as quoted below, the lifting partner must move through more than one rotation in both directions.

Applicable to Reverse Rotational Lifts:
1. A Reverse Rotational Lift shall be identified as such if the lifting partner moves through more than one rotation in both directions.
2. In each direction of a Reverse Rotational Lift, if the lifting partner stops traveling, the rotations and Difficult Pose/Position or Change of Pose in that direction from that point on shall not be considered for Level.

Levels are called as follows:

LEVEL ONE

Lifted partner is held off the ice through at least 2 rotations in each direction

AND

Lifting partner moves through at least at least 2 rotations in each direction



LEVEL TWO
OPTION 1
Lifted partner sustains a Difficult Pose through at least 2 rotations or moves through a Change of Pose in one direction

AND
Lifting partner moves through at least 5 rotations in total (at least 2 rotations in each direction)

Or you can:

OPTION 2
Lifting partner in One Hand/ArmLift through at least 2 rotations in one direction


LEVEL THREE
OPTION 1
Lifted partner: sustains a different Difficult Pose through at least 3 rotations during each direction

OR

sustains a Difficult Pose through at least 3 rotations in one direction and moves through a Change of Pose in the other direction

AND

Lifting partner moves through at least 3 rotations in each direction

Or you can do

OPTION 2
Lifting partner in One Hand/Arm Lift through at least 2 rotations in each direction and moves through at least 5 rotations in total

Or else

OPTION 3
In one direction: Lifting partner in One Hand/Arm Lift through at least 3 rotations

In other direction: Lifted partner sustains a Difficult Pose through at least 3 rotations or moves through a Change of Pose

AND

Lifting partner moves through 3 rotations

And finally


LEVEL FOUR

OPTION 1.a)
Requirements for Level 3 Option 1 or for Level 3 Option 3

AND

Creative/Difficult Entry

OR

OPTION 1.b)
Lifted partner moves through a Change of Pose in each direction

AND

Lifting partner moves through at least 3 rotations in each direction

OR

OPTION 2
Requirements for Level 3 Option 2

AND

Only One Hand/Arm Lift is used to lift, hold and set down the lifted partner (an additional mean of support during change of direction may be used

And the requirements about one armed lifts in apply in long lifts as well as in short lifts:

Only One Hand/Arm Lift is used to lift, hold and set down the lifted partner, and
the lifting partner is on one foot for at least one rotation;
and/or the lifting partner significantly changes the level of his skating legs (knees) with a
continuous motion;
and/or the lifting partner’s holding arm is fully extended in front with a significant distance
between partners.
Notes:
if performed as the first part of a Combination Lift, the setting down in One Hand/Arm Lift
requirement does not apply;
if performed as the second part of a Combination Lift, the lifting in One Hand/Arm Lift
requirement does not apply.


So if the whole reverse rotational lift is done with one arm, then the position of the lifted partner is "difficult", by definition.


I only found one team doing a reverse rotational lift in Seniors this year.

Heekin-Canedy & Dun UKR 2012 Notre Dame de Paris Free Dance at Worlds RRoLi4 (WORLDS) 8.71
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItE61IUKmY4&feature=player_detailpage#t=68s

They used a one arm Lift in both directions, with one arm being used in the lift, the hold, and the setdown. (LEVEL 4, OPTION 2), and yes they easily have more than the minimum two revolutions in each direction and at least 5 rotations total. And, if you look, you will see that he briefly uses his other arm to assist in the change of direction. Also, because it is all done with one hand, as we learned above, her position is by definition, difficult.

Because there were no other reverse rotational lifts this season, I'm going to share some past notable reverse rotational lifts (in the earlier years, I'm sharing lifts notable for being done by really good teams, and in the later years, notable for being done at all, by any teams. Remember that the rules about what was involved in Level 4 may have been different back at the beginning of the IJS, so do not blame the technical panel if the lifts would not qualify for level 4 under today's rules:



2005 Navka & Kostomarov RUS in their Tosca Free Dance at Worlds
RRoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iufwGKka3M4&feature=player_detailpage#t=89s

I love her change of position in the second part of the lift! However, I don't see how this would qualify for level 4 in this year's rules. They have 3 or more rotations in each of the two directions. I don't see how her stag position in the first lift would qualify as 'difficult'. The entry isn't difficult either. She has a change of position in the second part, and enough total rotations to qualify for level 2. If you give her the 'difficult' position for the stag lift, then it would qualify as Level 3, option 1, and without a difficult entry, since there is no change of pose in the first section, they would be stuck with level 3 at best, in my opinion, if I am reading all these requirements correctly.

2006 Dubreuil & Lauzon CAN FD Somewhere in Time, performed at Worlds- this is an amazing lift in every respect.
RRoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zr5Lpn0UNto#t=173s

There is no change of pose. And she has the same difficult position in both halves of the lift, so Level 3 option 1 does not work.

Although Patrice uses one arm throughout the lift, he does use the other in the set down and the entry.

The fact that both rotations are one armed qualifies for Level 3, Option 2, but because he does nota two armed entry and exit, they can't get level 4 through Option 2. So they would earn Level 3 today.



2006 Drobiazko & Vanagas FD Phantom of the OperaRRoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldTE29nre2Q&feature=player_detailpage#t=234s

there are 3 or more rotations in each direction. In one direction, Albena has a change of position, and the other direction she has a difficult position. This qualifies for Level 3 Option 1. The entry isn't difficult. And there is a change of pose in only one direction, so again Level 4 doesn't work.


2006 Davis & White FD Prayer in the Night (their final year in Juniors)
RRoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rDzOD9PIVFI#t=200s
She does changes of pose in the first section, there are more than 3 rotations in each section. The 2006 rules were clearly different.



2008 Domnina & Shabalin Europeans in their Masquerade Waltz FD, RRoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1JcBm-H_dw&feature=player_detailpage#t=245s

One direction, she's in a Biellmann, in the other a doughnut. They have plenty of rotations. The entry isn't difficult.

2008 Fraser & Lukanin AZE, their Time To Say Goodbye FD, performed at Worlds, RRoLi4 6.61


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVPNAgBTZ9U&feature=player_detailpage#t=263s

She's in a split in one direction, a hair-cutter in the other. There are plenty of rotations. However, the entry isn't difficult. Apparently that requirement was added after 2008.



2008 Navarro & Bommentre USA at Worlds in their "Since I've Been Loving You" RRoLi4 7.11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmMIM3cMjc0&feature=player_detailpage#t=216s

Nice one hand lift, over 3 rotations in second sections. He picks her up and sets her down with one hand. This would still be level 4.


2010 Hoffman & Zavozin HUN , in their performance in their FD at Worlds to "So Excited", "Hush Hush", & "Rock This Party", by the Pussycat Dolls 8.50
RRoLi4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWbfqfez5Ic&feature=player_detailpage#t=57s

She has changes of pose in one direction, a difficult pose in the other, and he picks her up with one arm when she is already in the difficult position, which makes it a difficult entry.This is a very complex, but unappealing lift. Level 4.

It seems fairly straight forward, but it isn't, entirely. There are a number of questions one could ask about lifts, and that will be the subject of my next posts-a wrap up, and a discussion of questions that federations, coaches, and technical panels asked.
 
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