Every floor routine requires a leap series to start from a 10.0. The leap series has to include at least leap (one foot take off) with a forward or sideward 180-degree split. This leap can be directly, or indirectly, connected (through a series of steps, skips, or hops) to another leap or jump. This year, we’ve seen an uptick in D-value dance elements due to changes in how bonus is calculated for a two-pass routine as well as compositional requirements. This article will compare some of the most common D dance elements. When evaluating dance elements, judges are looking at the following skill components:
- Rotation: The athlete must be precise in their turning rotation, as there are deductions for both over-rotating (up to 0.1) and under-rotating (up to 0.2) the intended turn. For a skill to receive credit, it must be within 90 degrees (one-quarter turn) of the intended skill rotation. At the 90-degree mark, the judge can decide to either give the skill credit and take the full execution deduction or to devalue the skill.
- Body Position: Judges are looking for 180-degree splits with legs parallel to the floor when appropriate (up to 0.2). They also evaluate body posture (0.1) and arm or leg position (up to 0.1), as well as leg form (up to 0.3) and foot form…
