Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
death spiral
References
Images
Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia perform a dramatic pairs figure skating move on the ice, with Volosozhar extended horizontally as Trankov supports her by one hand.
Britannica AI Icon

death spiral

ice skating
Written by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

Quick Summary

Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia perform a dramatic pairs figure skating move on the ice, with Volosozhar extended horizontally as Trankov supports her by one hand.
Death spiral Tatyana Volosozhar and Maksim Trankov of Russia performing the difficult death spiral in the pairs short program at the world figure skating championships in London, Ontario, in March 2013.

The term "death spiral" in ice skating refers to a specific element performed in pairs skating. In this maneuver, one partner (typically the man) pivots on his skates while holding the hand of the other partner (typically the woman). The woman then leans horizontally over the ice, arching her back and dropping her head towards the ice, all while maintaining her balance on a single skate edge. This move requires significant strength, balance, and coordination between the partners, showcasing their ability to work together seamlessly. The centrifugal force generated helps keep the woman in her position.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. figure skating - Spins
  2. figure skating - Spins and throws

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.