page_title: Glossary of figure skating terms
section_title: S
hierarchical_section_title: Glossary of figure skating terms / S
caption_attribution_description: Kristina Gorshkova and Vitali Butikov during their exhibition at the 2005 Junior Grand Prix event in Croatia
context_page_description: The following is a glossary of figure skating terms, sorted alphabetically.
context_section_description: S
  The standard abbreviation for the Salchow jump.
  Salchow jump (S)
  An edge jump that takes off from the back inside edge. Named after Ulrich Salchow.
  Sanction
  Permission to hold a competition or show, granted by the ISU or national governing body. Eligible skaters may only compete in sanctioned events.
  SBS
  An abbreviation for side-by-side.
  School figures
  See compulsory figures.
  Scratch spin
  An upright spin in which the skater has the free leg crossed over the ankle of the spinning leg.
  Season's best (SB)
  A skater or team's highest score in a particular season.
  Senior age-eligible
  A skater who has reached the minimum age defined by the ISU for senior level competition.
  Senior B
  A senior-level international competition held with an ISU sanction that is not a Grand Prix or ISU Championship event. Senior B events include the Nebelhorn Trophy.
  Senior level
  Olympic-level competition.
  Serpentine lift
  A type of dance lift in which the lifter moves in a serpentine pattern across the ice.
  Sheep jump
  A positional (as opposed to rotational) jump in which the skater jumps upwards and bends both legs backwards reminiscent of a sheep. The back is often arched.
  Shoot-the-duck
  A skating position in which the skater travels on one foot with the skating leg in a bent position and the other leg held forward, parallel to the ice. This is the basic position for a sit spin.
  Short dance
  A segment in an ice dance competition combining features of the discontinued compulsory and original dances; each team performs a required pattern from one of the pattern dances for about half the dance, then performs original choreography, with some required elements, to a theme or rhythm specified by the ISU.
  Short lift
  A group of dance lifts that may last up to six seconds in competition on the senior level.
  Short program (SP)
  The first and shorter of the two programs performed by singles and pair skaters at a competition. This program has certain required elements that must be completed.
  Shotgun spin
  An upright spin position in which the leg is held upwards towards the front of the body, but not all the way. The leg is held by the ankle or the calf, not the blade.
  Side-by-side (SBS)
  Pair skating elements such as spins and jumps that are performed with the skaters next to each other, as opposed to pair spins or throw jumps, which are performed as a team.
  Signature move
  A move that a skater is known for and frequently performs, sometimes performed in a unique or unusual way.
  Similar pair
  A pair team made up of two men or two women.
  Simple chasse
  In ice dance, a series of two edges across two steps (such as inside and outside). On the second step, the free foot is placed on the ice beside the skating foot and is then lifted parallel to the ice.
  Single (jump)
  A jump with one full rotation (360 degrees) in the air (one and a half rotations for a single Axel)
  Single (discipline)
  The skating discipline where one skater performs alone on the ice.
  Sit spin
  A spin position with the spinning leg bent at the knee and the free leg extended forward.
  Skid spiral
  A spiral variation in which the skater holds a position (usually a y or i spiral) and turns from forwards to backwards or vice versa using a skidded three-turn. This move was invented by Robin Cousins and was notably performed by Sasha Cohen and Evgenia Medvedeva.
  Slide chasse
  In ice dance, a series of two edges across two steps (such as inside and outside). On the second step, the free foot is placed on the ice beside the skating foot and then slides off the ice in the direction the skater is skating.
  Spin
  A rotation upon the ice surface. Spins are performed on the round part of the blade, just behind the toe pick.
  Spiral
  An edge skated with the free leg extended at or above hip level. Spirals are a required element for ladies' and pairs competitions. A good spiral depends on edge control and speed across the ice, not necessarily leg position.
  Split
  A position in which the legs are parallel to each other and extended in opposite directions on either the horizontal or vertical axis.
  Split jumps
  A jump in the air in
caption: Parallel spread eagles with the male on an inside edge and the female on an outside edge.
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