Twizzles are a specific move in figure skating: they are fast, traveling turns done on one foot while gliding across the ice, rotating one or more times in a smooth, continuous motion.

Quick Scoop: What Are Twizzles?

In figure skating, a twizzle is defined as a “multirotational, one‑foot turn that moves across the ice,” meaning the skater spins while still traveling forward or backward instead of staying in one place like a normal spin. The skater keeps all the weight on one foot, rotates rapidly, and continues to glide, which makes the move visually striking and technically demanding.

Twizzles show up most famously in ice dance, where both partners perform them in sync as a highlight of their program. Because they require speed, control, and perfect balance, they’ve been nicknamed “the quads of ice dance,” echoing how hard quadruple jumps are in other figure‑skating disciplines.

How Twizzles Work (In Simple Terms)

You can think of a twizzle as a moving spin:

  • The skater is on one foot the entire time.
  • They rotate continuously (one or more full turns) without pausing, while traveling across the ice—this “continuous, uninterrupted action” is what makes it a true twizzle.
  • If they stop traveling and just spin on the spot, it’s considered a spin or pirouette, not a twizzle.

There are several possible “entry edges” (how the skater starts the move on their blade): forward inside, forward outside, backward inside, or backward outside edges. Skaters can increase difficulty by changing arm or leg positions during the rotations, such as lifting arms overhead or grabbing the blade, which earns them more points in competition.

Why Twizzles Matter in Competitions

In modern ice dance, twizzle sequences are one of the big, judge‑catching elements. A common requirement is a set of synchronized twizzles —each partner does a series of twizzles with only a few steps allowed between them, all while staying in perfect unison.

Judges look for:

  • Clean edges (no wobbling or scraping).
  • Continuous rotation with no visible stutter.
  • Good speed and ice coverage—twizzles should travel, not just spin in place.
  • Matching timing, body line, and difficulty between partners in ice dance.

Because of this, when twizzles go wrong (a stumble, a missed rotation, or partners falling out of sync), it can severely hurt a team’s score; when they go right, they are often the most replayed moment from a program.

Fun Mini Example

Imagine you’re gliding on one foot down a hallway while spinning like a top the entire time—no hopping, no stopping, just smooth, controlled rotation from start to finish. That’s essentially what a clean twizzle looks like on ice, only faster and with sharper edges and body positions.

TL;DR: Twizzles are traveling, one‑foot, multi‑rotation turns in figure skating—especially ice dance—performed with continuous rotation while moving across the ice, and they’re considered one of the most demanding technical elements in the sport.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.