Skating Diagram Creator

Overview

This page allows interactive creation of skating choreography diagrams.

To build a skating diagram, enter move codes into the text entry box, one per line (or separated from the previous move by a semi-colon ;). A move code is typically a three letter code denoting the skating edge, optionally followed by an abbreviation for the move being performed. Blank lines are ignored, and anything after a hash (#) on a line is treated as a comment and ignored.

For example, the code LFO-Br indicates a bracket turn being performed from a left forward outside edge, thus ending on a left backward inside (LBI) edge.

As a shorthand, moves can be made longer or shorter by appending up to 3 plus (+) or minus (-) signs, for example LFO-Rk++. Moves can also be made to turn more or less tightly by appending up to 3 greater-than (>) or less-than (<) signs, for example RBI-Ctr<<.

It's also possible to more precisely control exactly how big or tightly curved a particular move is. A move can be followed by a comma-separated list of parameters enclosed in square brackets, e.g. LFO [len=350,angle=90]. The allowed parameters for each move are described in the Move Reference section below.

To sum up, skating move codes are typically made up of:

• An optional prefix, indicating how a change of foot is performed. For example:
  • a wd- prefix indicates a wide step
  • an xf- prefix indicates a cross in front
  • an xb- prefix indicates a cross behind
• An edge code, indicating the skating foot, direction, and edge. For example, indicates skating on the left foot, travelling backwards on an outside edge.
• An optional suffix indicating a move, turn or foot change. For example, indicates a three-turn from a left forward outside edge, transitioning to a left backward inside edge.
• Further optional suffices that adjust parameters for the move. These can take two forms:
  • A collection of comma-separated name=value parameters enclosed in square brackets. For example, LFO [angle=120,len=900] indicates a left forward outside edge that turns 120° and travels 900 cm.
  • Short code markers that adjust the most common parameters. For example, LFO>>++ indicates a left forward edge that curves more and travels further than the default.

So a code like xf-RFO3> describes:

• Crossing the right foot in front of the (skating) left foot, onto a forward outside edge.
• Performing a 3-turn from that right forward outside edge (thus ending on a right backward inside edge).
• With a slightly tighter turn than normal.

Diagram Commands

A skating diagram can also include commands that relate to the layout of the diagram, rather than to a particular skating move. For example, including Rink incorporates an ice rink layout on the diagram, and Title adds a title for the diagram.

The Info is worth specifically mentioning; this allows various layout helpers to be enabled, including a grid, and markers for the position and direction of the skater at the start and end of each move (e.g Info [grid=100,markers=true]).

The position and direction of the skater at each point is particularly relevant for the Shift command, because it moves and rotates the skater relative to their current position/direction. (In contrast, the Warp command moves the skater to an absolute position and direction on the diagram.)

Counts and Timing

Dance choreographies often need to display a running count of moves, or an indication of how many beats of music a step should take. This is done by prefixing the move code with:

• A move number followed by a bracket ).
• A beat count after a slash /.

For example, an input of 3) /2 RFI indicates that a right forward inside edge as the third step, which should hold for 2 beats.

The Info command includes an auto-count parameter that turns on automatic numbering of skating moves.

Examples

Example diagrams that approximately match British Ice Skating's Skills tests and dance choreographies:

• golden-skaters-waltz.skate
• novice-foxtrot.skate
• rhythm-blues.skate
• riverside-rhumba.skate
• skills1-1.skate
• skills1-2.skate
• skills1-3.skate
• skills2-1.skate
• skills2-2.skate
• skills2-3.skate
• skills2-4.skate
• skills2-5.skate
• skills3-1.skate
• skills3-2.skate
• skills3-3.skate
• skills3-4.skate
• skills4-1.skate
• skills4-2.skate
• skills4-3.skate
• skills4-4.skate
• skills4-5.skate
• skills5-3.skate
• skills6-3.skate

Move Reference

Example	Move		Parameters
LFO	Curving edge		angle: Angle of rotation from start to finish, in degrees (default 20). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. label: Replacement label, used if non-empty (default ""). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1).
LF	Straight edge		len: Length in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. label: Replacement label, used if non-empty (default ""). style: Style of line (default "").
LFO3	Three turn		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 90). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. delta-angle: Difference in angle for second curved part, in degrees (default 0). delta-len: Difference in length for second curved part, in centimetres (default 0). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1).
LFI-OpMo	Open mohawk		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 90). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. delta-angle: Difference in angle for second curved part, in degrees (default 0). delta-len: Difference in length for second curved part, in centimetres (default 0). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1).
RBO-ClMo	Closed mohawk		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 90). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. delta-angle: Difference in angle for second curved part, in degrees (default 0). delta-len: Difference in length for second curved part, in centimetres (default 0). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1).
LFO-Br	Bracket turn		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 90). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. delta-angle: Difference in angle for second curved part, in degrees (default 0). delta-len: Difference in length for second curved part, in centimetres (default 0). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1).
LFO-Rk	Rocker turn		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 90). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. delta-angle: Difference in angle for second curved part, in degrees (default 0). delta-len: Difference in length for second curved part, in centimetres (default 0). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1).
LFO-Ctr	Counter turn		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 90). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. delta-angle: Difference in angle for second curved part, in degrees (default 0). delta-len: Difference in length for second curved part, in centimetres (default 0). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1).
LFI-OpCho	Open choctaw		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 90). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. delta-angle: Difference in angle for second curved part, in degrees (default 0). delta-len: Difference in length for second curved part, in centimetres (default 0). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1).
RBO-ClCho	Closed choctaw		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 90). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. delta-angle: Difference in angle for second curved part, in degrees (default 0). delta-len: Difference in length for second curved part, in centimetres (default 0). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1).
LFO-CoE	Change of edge		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 90). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. delta-angle: Difference in angle for second curved part, in degrees (default 0). delta-len: Difference in length for second curved part, in centimetres (default 0). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1). flat-len: Length between edges in centimetres (default 50).
LFI-Tw1.5	Twizzle		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 60). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 200). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. pre-len: Length of entry curve in centimetres (default 100). pre-angle: Angle of entry curve in degrees (default 45). post-len: Length of exit curve in centimetres (default 100). post-angle: Angle of exit curve in degrees (default 45). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default "").
RBI-Loop	Loop figure		angle: Angle of rotation for each curved part, in degrees (default 90). Can also be modified by a < or > (repeated) suffix. len: Length of each curved part in centimetres (default 450). Can also be modified by a + or - (repeated) suffix. delta-angle: Difference in angle for second curved part, in degrees (default 0). delta-len: Difference in length for second curved part, in centimetres (default 0). style: Style of line (default ""). transition-label: Replacement transition label, used if non-empty (default ""). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage, or -1 to use global value (default -1).
Warp[x=100,y=100,dir=270]	Move skater to new location/position		x: Horizontal coordinate to warp to (default 0). y: Vertical coordinate to warp to (default 0). dir: Direction to be facing after warp, in degrees (0 is facing down) (default 0). code: Foot code to start with after warp (default "").
Shift[fwd=50,side=50,rotate=270]	Move skater relative to current location and direction		fwd: Distance to shift forward in direction of travel (default 0). side: Distance to shift sidewards relative to direction of travel (default 0). rotate: Rotation (clockwise) to perform, in degrees (default 0). code: Foot code to start with after shift (default "").
Rink	Rink depiction		width: Rink width in centimetres (default 3000). length: Rink length in centimetres (default 6100). centre-line: Whether to show the centre line (default true). centre-circle: Size of the centre circle in centimetre, 0 to omit (default 400). centre-faceoff: Whether to show the centre face-off (default true). mid-lines: Location of mid-lines in centimetres from the centre line; 0 to omit (default 800). goal-lines: Location of goal lines in centimetres from the ends; 0 to omit (default 0). goals: Whether to show the goals (default false). faceoffs: Whether to show the face-offs (default false).
Info[markers=true,grid=100,move-bounds=true]	Set diagram rendering information		markers: Whether to show begin/end move markers (default false). bounds: Whether to show overall bounds (default false). grid: Grid size to display, 0 for no grid (default 0). margin-x: Horizontal margin (default 50). margin-y: Vertical margin (default 50). move-bounds: Whether to show bounds of each move (default false). font-size: Font size for labels; 0 for no labels, -1 for auto-scaling (default -1). stroke-width: Stroke width; 0 for auto-scaling (default 0). label-offset: Amount to scale label offsets by, as a percentage (default 100). auto-count: Whether to automatically count moves (default false).
Title[text="Waltz"]	Diagram title		text: Text of title (default ""). x: Horizontal location of title; -1 indicates automatic centering (default -1). y: Vertical location of title (default 100). font-size: Font size for title; 0 for auto-scaling (default 0).
Text[text="Start",x=500,y=200]	Diagram text		text: Text to display (default ""). x: Horizontal location of text (default 100). y: Vertical location of text (increasing down) (default 100). font-size: Font size for label; 0 for auto-scaling (default 0). rotate: Angle to rotate text by (default 0).
Label[text="CoE",fwd=50,side=20]	Diagram label relative to current position		text: Label to display (default ""). fwd: Location of text relative to current position, in current direction (default 0). side: Location of text relative to current position, sideways from current direction (default 0). font-size: Font size for label; 0 for auto-scaling (default 0). rotate: Angle to rotate text by (default 0).