FOURTEENSTEP

During Steps 1 to 7, the lady and man are in closed hold with the lady skating backward and the man forward. The dance begins with a progressive sequence of three steps forming a lobe curving toward the midline. Step 4 is a four-beat swing roll curving toward the side barrier. It is important that the free legs match on the swing roll and that the partners remain close together. This is followed by another progressive sequence for both partners during Steps 5 to 7. Step 7 is skated slightly less deeply than Step 3, after which the lady steps forward on Step 8 and skates close beside the man in open hold until he completes his mohawk.

Steps 1 to 7 should be skated along the continuous axis of the ice surface with Steps 8 to 14 curving around the ends of the pattern. After the man’s open inside mohawak on Step 9, he should check his rotation with his shoulders, and both partners’ shoulders should remain approximately parallel to the tracings around the end. During Steps 8 to 12, the partners skate in an offset closed hold with the lady’s right hip beside the man’s right hip with the lady now skating forward and the man backward. Step 9 for the lady is a crossed behind chassé, and Step 11 is a progressive. On Step 10 the man steps close beside the skating foot, Steps 11 and 12 are a progressive sequence, and then Step 13 is crossed in front. The lady gradually moves ahead of the man to skate an open outside mohawk during Steps 12 and 13. At the conclusion of Step 13, the man steps forward for Step 14. On Step 14 the partners return to the original closed hold.

Soft knee action with the rhythm of the music and easy graceful flow are necessary so that the Fourteenstep will be danced rather than walked or raced. A strong lean is necessary to achieve the required edges at a good pace.

In tests and competitions the dance must be skated as specified in the rules, but for dance sessions, when many couples are on the ice at the same time, it is recommended that there be two rolls along the side if the ice surface permits.

MUSIC RHYTHM: March 6/8 or 2/4
TEMPO: 56 two-beat measures per minute or 28 four-beat measures per minute: 112 beats per minute
ISU MUSIC INTRODUCTION: 32 beats, 17.1 seconds
PATTERN-TIMING: 1 = :11; 2 = :21; 3 = :32; 4 = :43
DURATION: Test 3 = :32 Competition 4 = :43 Adult Competition 3 = :32
SKATER’S CHOICE TIMING: See Skater’s Choice Pattern Dance Timing Chart on usfgureskating.org under the “Technical Info” link
PATTERN: Set
TEST: Pre-silver

INVENTOR: Franz Scholler
FIRST PERFORMED: Vienna, Austria 1889, as the Tenstep or Scholler March

FOURTEENSTEP — SET PATTERN DANCE