Law 4: The Program Components

The whole performance is evaluated by three Program Components: Composition, Presentation and Skating Skills. Until 2022 there were five, including Transitions, Performance and Interpretation.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a; ISU Sports Rules SYS 2026, Rule 857 · recall

Composition is the intentional, developed or original arrangement of every type of movement into a meaningful whole, following proportion, unity, space, pattern and musical structure.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a · recall

Presentation is the demonstration of engagement, commitment and involvement, based on an understanding of the music and of the composition.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a · recall

Skating Skills is the skater's ability to execute the repertoire of steps, turns and skating movements with blade and body control.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a · recall

For pair skating and ice dance the criteria of the components must be demonstrated equally by both skaters.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a · recall

Connections between and within elements are among the criteria of Composition, with multidimensional movement, choreography that reflects the music's phrasing, pattern and ice coverage, and unity.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a · applied

Musical sensitivity and timing is a Presentation criterion, with expressiveness and projection, variety and contrast of energy and movement, and, for pairs and couples, oneness.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a · applied

The components evaluate the whole performance, so the judges mark them once the program is completed; the segment's scores are published after that.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 504.3 b and 353.4 b · applied

4 to 4.75 is below average, 5 to 5.75 average, 6 to 6.75 above average and 8 to 8.75 very good.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 b · applied

Pattern and ice coverage, and the use of space, are criteria of Composition: one program spreads over the whole rink, the other keeps to one end.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a · applied

Each judge marks every Program Component on a scale from 0.25 to 10 with increments of 0.25; -5 to +5 is the scale of the GOE.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 353 1.j and 504.3 b · recall

The increments are used for performances that show some features of one degree and some of the next.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 b · recall

The panel's points for each component are the trimmed mean of the judges' marks, worked out as for the GOE, and rounded to two decimal places.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 353 1.k-l · recall

The factors for the Program Components are published in an ISU Communication; for 2026/27 single and pair skating that is Communication 2786.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 353 1.m; ISU Communication 2786 · recall

Balance and glide are Skating Skills criteria, with variety and clarity of edges, flow, power and speed, and, for pairs and couples, unison.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a · applied

Oneness and awareness of space is a Presentation criterion that applies to pair skating and ice dance only.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a · applied

Marks from 7 to 7.75 stand for good; 6 to 6.75 is above average, 8 to 8.75 very good, 9 to 9.75 excellent and 10 outstanding.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 b · recall

Trimmed mean per component, rounded to two decimals, multiplied by the season's factor, rounded again, and the three factored results added make the Program Component Score.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 353 1.j-m · applied

Women 1.33 and men 1.67 in the Short Program; women 2.67 and men 3.33 in the Free Skating. Pairs use the women's factors, 1.33 and 2.67.

Source: ISU Communication 2786 (2026/27), Program Components Factors · recall

Unison is a Skating Skills criterion in pair skating and ice dance; here the two tracings run as one.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 504.3 a · applied