ISU Announces Technical Requirements for 2026-27 Ice Dance Season

[gsk8]

The ISU has released Communication No. 2795 outlining the technical requirements for the 2026-27 ice dance season.

Highlights include:

• "Rhythm and Waltz" selected as the Rhythm Dance theme
• Westminster Waltz assigned to juniors
• Golden Waltz assigned to seniors
• Details on the Creative Dance Element, lifts, step sequences, twizzles, and choreographic elements

Read our article:

ISU Announces Technical Requirements for 2026-27 Ice Dance Season

ISU Announces Technical Requirements for 2026-27 Ice Dance Season The International Skating Union (ISU) has released Communication No. 2795, outlining the

www.goldenskate.com

Read the full ISU communication (PDF):

What are your first impressions?

Which teams do you think will benefit most from the Westminster Waltz and Golden Waltz requirements? Are there any technical changes that stand out to you?

Discuss below.

 

[TT_Fin]

Which teams do you think will benefit most from the Westminster Waltz and Golden Waltz requirements? Are there any technical changes that stand out to you?

I don't know if they benefit most, but definitely Waltz is Turkkila and Versluis' style.

 

[gsk8]

I don't know if they benefit most, but definitely Waltz is Turkkila and Versluis' style.

The Waltz is not my personal favorite, but I agree! They are so lovely to watch and I look forward to seeing them perform it

 

[4everchan]

Well ... the ISU has their own definition of waltz. They allow 6/8 rhythm which is NOT a waltz. Can sound like one but is not a waltz.

 

[jorge2912]

It sounds 6/8 as OSP (obligatory set pattern) on roller figure skating. I think it will be interesting watch but definitely I think to Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis will benefit a lot maybe too to Canadians ice dancers

 

[4everchan]

It sounds 6/8 as OSP (obligatory set pattern) on roller figure skating. I think it will be interesting watch but definitely I think to Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis will benefit a lot maybe too to Canadians ice dancers

I know nothing about roller skating except for what they wear thanks to Matteo guarise.
If they allow 6/8 why not 12/8 or even 9/8 or even 6/4? At this point, there is something called waltz and something that can sound like waltz if one really wants it to be so.

 

[lariko]

I thought that ISU president was just commenting how they want rules of figure skating to be easier to understand for fans. Link to the official ISU communication to support this statement: https://www.isu.org/news/isu-congress-2026-live-blog-day-1/ (at 11:10 West)
In view of this, with all due respect I think for 99% of people what sounds like waltz is a waltz. I don't even know what 6/8 is without looking it up and how it's relevant, loool.

 

[4everchan]

I thought that ISU president was just commenting how they want rules of figure skating to be easier to understand for fans. Link to the official ISU communication to support this statement: https://www.isu.org/news/isu-congress-2026-live-blog-day-1/ (at 11:10 West)
In view of this, with all due respect I think for 99% of people what sounds like waltz is a waltz. I don't even know what 6/8 is without looking it up and how it's relevant, loool.

Fair enough. I'll see myself out.

 

[gkelly]

What do you think of this waltz music?

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[DizzyFrenchie]

I thought that ISU president was just commenting how they want rules of figure skating to be easier to understand for fans. Link to the official ISU communication to support this statement: https://www.isu.org/news/isu-congress-2026-live-blog-day-1/ (at 11:10 West)
In view of this, with all due respect I think for 99% of people what sounds like waltz is a waltz. I don't even know what 6/8 is without looking it up and how it's relevant, loool.

"The ISU has introduced a range of innovations designed to improve transparency and help fans better understand officiating decisions. These include live video review feeds, referee announcements and the Referee Liaison System, which provides broadcasters with additional information to explain decisions during competition."
I translate this by: forcing narratives onto the journalists who hadn't taken the PR hints and are obstinate enough to tell what they see.

As to advanced cameras, they're clearly not for the Technical Panel.

I know nothing about roller skating except for what they wear thanks to Matteo guarise.
If they allow 6/8 why not 12/8 or even 9/8 or even 6/4? At this point, there is something called waltz and something that can sound like waltz if one really wants it to be so.

As an "old" Frenchie, your remarks bring me back to Trénet's "Le Menuet c'est la Polka du Roi" (meaning, as Polka was at its time the "scandalous dance" bringing young people too close and hot)...

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Here are the lyrics and sorry for the complete digression:

Charles Trenet : La polka du roi

Charles Trenet : Texte intégral de la chanson " La polka du roi " - "Voulez-vous danser, Marquise ? Voulez-vous danser le menuet ?..."

www.charles-trenet.net

(For me, ISU is ISU and will always be approximative regarding Music? After all it's not been many decades that any music hasn't been sounding on an ice rink, like a 1890s gramophone record, allowing Skaters more delicate music but ISU yet has to follow?)

 

[jorge2912]

I know nothing about roller skating except for what they wear thanks to Matteo guarise.
If they allow 6/8 why not 12/8 or even 9/8 or even 6/4? At this point, there is something called waltz and something that can sound like waltz if one really wants it to be so.

I think there's some kind of waltz but the 6/8 for me is country waltz , about artistic roller skating there was a time that the osp was 6/8 waltz but was a true challenge because fluidity on roller skates is different to ice skates

 

[4everchan]

What do you think of this waltz music?

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libiamo is in 3/8 which is actually what one could consider a fast waltz it has the same metric mechanics as a waltz with a strong first beat and two lighter weaker beats. That works for me as a "purist"