What is artistic roller skating?
B · Beginner · The sport and scoring · 1 of 4Artistic roller skating is skating to music on roller skates, judged much like figure skating on ice. Skaters compete in free skating (singles), pairs, couples dance, solo dance, inline, figures, show, quartet and precision. A technical panel names the elements and judges mark their quality and the artistry.
How it works
- Governing body: the World Skate Artistic Technical Commission.
- Disciplines: free skating, pairs, couples dance, solo dance, inline, figures, show, quartet, precision.
- World Championships: all but figures, which have a yearly World Cup.
- Men and women: separate events in free skating, solo dance and inline.
- Skates: quads allowed except in inline.
- Surface: at least 25 by 50 m.
- Scoring: the Rollart system, except figures.
- Coaches: may not instruct from the rink side.
The glossary has the artistic roller skating, the Artistic Technical Commission, the artistic disciplines, the skates (artistic), the skating surface (artistic) and the Rollart.
Tricky cases
Is artistic roller skating the same as figure skating?
It is the roller-skate version, with its own rules and scoring system.
What are figures?
Tracing set patterns on circles, judged with the older White System.
Can show teams mix quad and inline skates?
No. Each team uses one type for all its members.
Can a coach call out to the skater during the program?
No. The coach is removed and the skater may be penalised.
Why the rule exists
One set of general rules lets very different disciplines share judging standards. Separate technical rules then fit each discipline's skills.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Free skating, inline, dance, pairs | Rollart | AG 4.2 |
| Figures | White System | AG 4.1 |
| Inline | Inline skates only | AG 3.8 |
From the rule book
World Skate, General Rules for Artistic Skating (2026), sections 1, 2.3, 2.9, 3.5, 3.8 and 4. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: the World Skate artistic technical rules 2026.