If you’re relatively new to the figure skating world, you’re probably confused as fuck about the program components. What do they mean? Where did they come from? Why are people complaining about the component marks for particular skaters? If you’re one of these people, this is the post for you.

After the judging fiasco that was the 2002 Winter Olympics, the ISU began measures to completely redo the judging system, which was the beginning of the end of the old 6.0 system that had long ruled over the sport. What emerged about a year later was what we know as the first iteration of the ISU Judging System; a new, open-ended scoring system where technical elements had base value points that were given bonuses/deductions for execution. Then the artistic impression mark was replaced what is known as program components: Skating Skills, Transitions, Performance, Composition, and Interpretation of the Music would be judged on a scale of 1-10, and combined to make a PC mark.

This post is going to be a very in-depth look at the program components. There have been many contentions to these marks in the past couple of seasons, so it’s paramount that, as fans, we educate ourselves so that we understand whether or not component marks actually make sense for a particular program or performance. 

Skating Skills

“Defined by overall cleanness and sureness, edge control and flow over the ice surface demonstrated by a command of the skating vocabulary (edges, turns, steps, etc.), the clarity of technique and the use of effortless power to accelerate and vary speed.” - ISU Handbook

Skating skills is the movement component. How well a skater moves across the ice and how they achieve speed and flow is fundamental to how a program is perceived. You could have amazing edges and multi-directional skating, but if you move slow as a snail, your skating skills could still use improvement, and your other submarks could be also affected (if you have judges who actually, ya know, judge).

If I had to point at any examples of skaters with skating skills, the one I immediately think of is Guillaume Cizeron (FRA). He moves across the ice effortlessly, and has such variety and beauty in every stroke and step. The Japanese skaters in general also embody everything that is good skating skills. Satoko Miyahara and Kaori Sakamoto are the two skaters that come to mind for me: they both have an amazing knee bend that allows them to dig into the ice and really create some powerful strokes. Then we have skaters like Alina Zagitova (RUS). She has some good skating qualities, but what sets her a little bit lower than, say, Sakamoto can be seen in their back crossovers: Kaori is so smooth when she does a back crossover, and can reach max speed without restricting the flow of her body (that’s where those good knees come in). But Alina’s crossovers are a lot more jagged in motion. Her feet move rather statically, and she tends to be high in the knee. This translates into her usage of her upper body in jumps, because she doesn’t get the natural spring into the air that a deeper knee bend could help with. 

Transitions

“The varied and purposeful use of intricate footwork, positions, movements and holds that link all elements.”

How do you connect the technical elements? Transitions is the mark that covers the in-between, “moves-in-the-field” (6.0 term) kinds of movements. The mark is based on variety and difficulty of movements before and after major elements. So, if a skater uses interesting entries and exits for all the jumps, or there is a seamless quality between all the elements, the Transitions mark should be high. There is also the opposite: a problem American singles skaters have is that they often “telegraph” their jumps, meaning that they will do close to no choreography and just hold a long edge before their jumps. Even if a choreographer gives them a program with built-in transitional content, you find that by the end of the season, these moments are often removed for the sake of the jumps.

This is the mark that I have the most issue with. Of all the criteria that the ISU gives for the transitions mark, the glaring omission is “movement that matches the music/phrasing”. Nowadays, transitional content is done for the mark, and there isn’t any care to really match it to the music (????). This is extremely evident in Eteri Turberidze’s skaters’ programs. Johnny Weir said about Alina Zagitova (RUS) at the 2018-19 GPF, “she’s been choreographed within an inch of her life.” And that’s why I hate her programs this year. The transitions and movements are distracting rather than enhancing or impressive. The movements are so crammed into the program, there is no time to breathe. An unfortunately, this is rewarded: Tutberidze skaters generally get a bump in the components scores, especially in this specific mark. There needs to be more relationship between the music and transitional content. The king of the transition mark is Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN). He is able to weave the elements into the program at any point, and there’s no telling when a jump or spin will begin. For example, watch his 2018 Olympics short program, and pay close attention to the triple axel. It comes out of a series of super hard steps capped off by a left-back-outside counter turn. The counter is one of the harder figures to use in front of a jump, and Yuzu does it with complete freedom.

Performance

“Involvement of the Skater/Pair/Couple physically, emotionally and intellectually as they deliver the intent of the music and composition.”

The mark that is easiest to understand at a base level, the Performance mark is about how the skater(s) perform on a specific competition and how they project past the board of the rink. How do they carry themselves on the ice? Are the movements clear, precise, and easy to read from the rafters? If it’s a pair or an Ice Dance team, are they in unison the whole way through? Do they move as one unit? These are contributing factors to how involved a performance is. Another key factor to this mark is audience response. Does the program illicit cheers, or leave an audience breathless and captivated? If there were skaters who are the complete rulers of the Performance mark, it’s Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (CAN). They really move together, and engage the audience in a way that few skaters can. I personally believe Papadakis and Cizeron should have won the Olympics, but I can for sure see why Virtue and Moir came away with the gold: they knew how to draw the audience in, especially in the short dance. Javier Fernandez (ESP) also excelled in this particular component mark. He was the showman of the quadrennium, and was charming and engaging in any program he performed on competition ice.

Composition

“An intentionally developed and/or original arrangement of all types of movements according to the principles of musical phrase, space, pattern, and structure.”

This mark encompasses choreography. Does the movement presented cover the ice well? Are the patterns into and out of elements clean and interesting to watch? Is there a clear arc to the choreography? Is it original material? The last Olympic cycle was the catastrophe that was Backload City, Russia. A lot of Russian skaters began placing all their jumps in the second half of the program, which garnered a 10% bonus. As former ISU judge and co-creator of the Program Components Joe Inman put it, “the program is unbalanced.” Backloaded programs should have had reduced Composition marks in the previous system, which wasn’t the case. 

A good program composition evenly spreads out the technical elements, and reflects the personality of the skater. This season, my favorite program hands down is the short program from Satoko Miyahara. Known for her grace and subtleness on the ice, Lori Nichol did an absolutely amazing job bringing power to Satoko, while maintaining elegance, softness, and purity. It also helps that Satoko is one of the strongest skaters in the world in terms of pure skating skills: she is able to spin in both directions, which helps in both spins and step sequences, and is able to link very difficult steps together with ease. Every program she has done was full of variation and virtuosity.

Interpretation of the Music

“The personal, creative, and genuine translation of the rhythm, character and content of music to movement on ice.”

This component encompasses music and movement. If the other components slightly touched upon this important relationship, this final component mark has it in a stranglehold. There are some key things to think about here: does the movement match the pace of the music? Do the steps and strokes align with the emphasized beats/tempo of the music? Does the movement clearly express the emotion of the music? Does the skater match the program? This is another criticism of the Tutberidze camp. You could honestly take any Daniil G. choreography, mute the music, then put Yakkity Sax on, and the choreography would make just as much sense. The choreography is done for levels, not for presentation, which is what the components marks should be modeled for. 

  One of my favorite programs of recent years was Kaetlyn Osmond’s (CAN) 2017-18 short program to Edith Piaf songs. It’s sexy, age appropriate, and has a variety of beautiful movements that are tailored to the music. This season, though, has seen some great programs that use the music to enhance the skater’s qualities and strengths. Lim Eun-soo’s (KOR) short program this year is a complete stunner. Choreographer Jeffrey Buttle did a stellar job, interpreting the music of the movie Somewhere in Time, using it as a frame to make Eun-soo the consummate skater: powerful, yet delicate. Soft, yet strong. 

How [I think] The Components Relate to Each Other

A lot of what I’ve said so far seems like it overlaps. Sweetie, they were designed to overlap. If a skater doesn’t have a solid grasp on one component, chances are the other marks are questionable at best. The most obvious relationship is skating skills and transitions: without good skating skills, there is no chance in hell a skater can do interesting and varied transitional content. I keep on using Kaori Sakamoto as an example for skating skills/transitions, because she really is a skater who puts two and two together. Sonoko Nakano, her coach, makes her students practice figures like counters and rockers, so they understand how those steps function in their routines. The result is that Kaori has excellent knees, speed, and flow through almost any step. Take her entrance into her first triple-triple here. Only a few sweeping crossovers and some rockers and she is able to fly across the ice. Then there’s performance, composition, and interpretation of the music. They all convey the same thing: what is the program and what does the skater do it affect the audience? Let’s take a program like Virtue and Moir’s (CAN) Free Dance at the last Olympics: it’s a clear interpretation of Moulin Rouge with excellent carriage and a composition designed to bring the house down. That energy in Gangneung Ice Arena must have been so powerful. It leaps right off your TV screen and sucks you in. Even with a program like theirs, or something more nuanced and subtle like that of Gabriella Papadakis/Guilaume Cizeron (FRA), you can’t do them without good skating skills. Everything inevitably has to relate back to the skater’s athletic ability. If a skater cannot accomplish movement on the ice, the program is going to suffer indefinitely.

HEY TWINSIES...,I see the request is open...so..what I want to request is,can you make an au or anything I can read with my eyes and toes,SOO the story idea is like,y/n is Rohan sibling..sister..or you can make it anypov!,and y/n move to morioh after we graduate from a literal college at the same age as josuke,UHH YOU CAN PUT ANY REASON WHY WE GRADUTE COLLEGE/UNI,and after we move to morioh we low-key bump into the pompadour steak hair talk guy after getting an art supply for Rohan cuz he's stressing over his manga...(Better than hanging it with teenagers),and we apologize to him he said it's okay,then after that day we or y/n and josuke start hanging out..of course with okuyasu as the third wheel,after a few days or weeks or month..we both like each other and that ALMOST or probably gave Rohan HEART attack because ain't no WAY his sibling have a crush on the weird pompadour guy who burnt his house down,the rest of the story is free for your liking..you can make them both,(y/n and josuke) get together or get married or have child or live happily ever after,(basically stranger to lover trope),this is so bizarre and what a golden experience , I'm feeling ticklish

A Stroke of Good Luck

♡‧₊˚✦ Pairing ✦˚₊‧♡: josuke higashikata x fem reader

☾⚠︎ warnings: I made reader an artist woops

Graduating from a prestigious, hyper-accelerated university fine arts program at twenty-one years old was supposed to be the launchpad for a peaceful career.

The real triumph, however, was surviving the suffocating standards of an older brother like Rohan Kishibe.

ㅤtechnical components scores (tcs)

this values difficulty (base value) and execution (goe/grade of execution)

jumps

you have textbook technique on all six jumps

you have minimal pre-rotation and you never under-rotate

you have good height, travel and air position

your landings look effortless and elegant and maintain deep edges

you can save difficult landings and make them look cool or elegant

your jumps don't lose quality during the second half of your programs

you can perform jump combos without any struggles

your eulers look gorgeous

your programs have a good jump layout

spins

you have extremely fast rotation speed and don't lose your flexibility

your spins are covered and you don't travel

you can create difficult and creative variations

you maintain your speed through the whole spin

step and choreographic sequences

you have excellent body control

you don't lose your speed!!!

your stsq/chsq are creative

you can incorporate ina bauers, spirals and hydroblades beautifully and make them look effortless

ㅤprogram component scores (pcs)

this evaluates the performance quality/artistry

skating skills

you have deep edges and you use them correctly

you generate speed effortlessly and have a powerful glide

you can skate on one foot without losing balance or becoming tired

you have an impressive ice coverage

transitions

you can do difficult entrances and exits

you integrate them to the program naturally, without interrupting the flow

presentation

you have a strong stage presence

you are confident under pressure

you can emotionally connect with the audience

you receive standing ovations during your specialty (jumps, spins, choreographic/step sequences)

every single person who watches your programs becomes hypnotized by it

composition

you programs are thoroughly structured around the music and each movement matches it

you distribute elements in a balanced way

your programs are innovative, original and creative

interpretation

you can embody any character or theme

you can portray and express emotions through movement and facial expressions without looking exaggerated or weird

you tell stories through your skating

ㅤextras!!!

you never get injured, and if you do, you recover quickly. and your body is strong!!!

you never get underscored; the score system is fair!!!! with everyone

you have a signature movement (or blade? you can choose the color of your blade, if you didn't know)

you set multiple records that are never beaten

you have goat allegations (?)

your programs and/or costumes become so iconic they're part of pop culture

your costumes are related to the program without being too obvious and they never look cheap

you learn and create choreographies quickly and easily

you have a long, healthy and trustful relation with your coach and choreographer

you constantly push technical and artistic standards forward

you're never off-podium

you're known for consistency and longevity

A&R Atelier has announced Ecco the Dolphin: Complete, a remaster collection including all versions of Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time, as well as a new Ecco game that “extends the journey into the modern era.” Platforms and a release date were not announced.

Here is an overview of the game, via A&R Atelier:

About

Ecco the Dolphin: Complete is a comprehensive new package that takes players on a journey through time and through the history of one of gaming’s most iconic franchises. In Ecco the Dolphin: Complete, Ecco swims through time itself, from the 8-bit Master System era through the 16-bit Genesis / Mega Drive generation and into a brand-new contemporary game built for the modern era. This is the complete, definitive Ecco the Dolphin experience, created by the people who made the originals. A remaster done as it should be.

Early Preview Access and Community

Ecco the Dolphin invites you for the Earth Day celebration at the official website. To participate in early access, preview Ecco content, and connect directly with the development team, visit the official website—the singular source of information and access to the team building the future of Ecco the Dolphin.

Made by the People Who Made Ecco

Ecco the Dolphin: Complete is built by original members of the Ecco development team, reunited after more than 30 years, and includes original creator Ed Annunziata along with members of the original composition, art, and programming teams. No one else can make this game. The people who created Ecco‘s world, its music, its atmosphere, and its mysteries are the ones bringing it forward. This is not an outside studio’s interpretation. This is Ecco as it was always meant to be—realized by the minds that dreamed it into existence.

Every Version. Every Era. Every Ocean.

The package includes all versions of Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time, the original, immutable games from the early ’90s, preserved and freely explorable. Alongside the classics, a brand-new contemporary Ecco game extends the journey into the modern era, weaving the history of the franchise together into a single, unified experience.

Built for Players, Streamers, and Speedrunners

Or, how I made THE WEAKPOINT CALLED TRUST! (obligatory "a comic based on an ULTRAKILL fanfic 'the 21 grams experiment' by @kivaember") (warning this post is VERY LONG, you have been warned)

Sometimes a fic tickles my brain in a certain way, and a vision sparks to life - some authors, like kiva, are very good at doing this. It tends to correlate with good writing, but not predictably so...

You see, I have a Prime Directive. A Higher Calling. A Dharma, a Purpose. And that purpose is to MAKE ART.

From The Rose of Versailles: Oscar Snow Trope 2006 Program

This production of The Rose of Versailles is billed as commemorating the 250th anniversary of Marie Antoinette's birth. However Queen Marie Antoinette does not appear in the Snow Troupe's 'Oscar' version of the show.

When I read Shinji Ueda's script, I was genuinely surprised. Even though Marie Antoinette was not supposed to appear I was genuinely surprised I could feel her presence everywhere throughout the story. Since the original production, as a junior creator, I have always secretly admired Ueda's talent for composition. Once again I am caught up in the Ueda magic and am again filled with admiration for his extraordinary talent.

When I created Oscar, the social conditions working women faced were far harsher than anyone today can even imagine. To enter the workforce alongside men was, in a sense, a challenge to society itself.

A woman could never hold a higher position than a man, nor be allowed to earn more than one. This meant stepping outside of society's norms, resolving to live a difficult life and facing all that adversity alone.

At that time, a wife still needed her husband's permission to work and men were still debating "Is women's advancement in society a good thing or a bad thing?".

I think there were many women in those days who wished to achieve self actualization, not as man or woman, but as individual human beings. I was trying to have Oscar speak on behalf of the heartfelt hopes of all those working women.

For Oscar, who strives with all her might to persevere in the face of adversity, André, who unconditionally accepts and supports her, was absolutely indispensable.

There are many women who say André is the ideal man. That is only natural, because I created André to embody the ideal man many women, particularly women with careers, long for.

I too wished to live true to my own convictions like Oscar, and I desperately longed for a partner like André. Whether such a thing is possible in real life, I will save that for another time. However on the Takarazuka stage, it is undoubtedly possible.

The beautiful, dignified, and gallant Oscar, is exactly as I wished she would be, embraced and showered with love by André, who is also exactly as I’ve always dreamed he would be.

There is Girodelle, who offers Oscar a love of aristocratic sensibility; Alain, who radiates rugged masculine charm; and there is Bernard, who triggers the shift in Oscar's ideology. I am proud that every one of the men surrounding Oscar is a role worthy of a Takarazuka star's serious effort to explore and develop.

There is endless enjoyment and things to look forward too. Who will play Alain and Bernard this time, what kind of Louis XVI and General de Jarjayes will show up on stage.