Rachael Flatt makes it seem so easy. She glides. She spins. She jumps. And she does it all with precision, elegance and flair. But what is she actually doing out there on the ice? What do you call it when she sits and spins or when she twirls with her back arched and her head pointing toward the ice?

Read on to discover how to tell a Death Spiral from a Falling Leaf:

Arabian Cartwheel: An Arabian Cartwheel is when a skater kicks his or her legs back and up while pushing off with the toe. For a brief moment, the skater is in the air upside down. The move gives the illusion of a real cartwheel. Many skaters do this move before going into a flying camel.

Attitude Spin: An attitude spin is a figure skating spin. It is an upright ice skating spin where the ice skater spins with the free leg in the attitude position.

Axel Jump: One of the most difficult jumps which takes off from the forward outside edge and is landed on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. A single Axel consists of 1 1/2 revolutions, a double is 2 1/2 revolutions, and a triple is 3-1/2 revolutions. The jump is named for its inventor, Axel Paulsen. It is easily recognizable as it is the only jump that takes off from a forward position.

Back Outside Pivot: Pivots resemble spins since they involve rotation of the body around a stationary axis. The skater places a toe pick in the ice and the other skate’s blade scribes a circle around the toe pick that is placed in the ice.

In a back outside pivot, the skater begins by first skating and extending on a controlled back outside edge. This edge will make a complete circle as the skater continues to reach back with the free leg. Finally, when the skater reaches an angle of about eighty-five degrees, the free toe is placed into the ice. Next, the skating knee bends a bit more. The skater continues to keep most of the weight on the moving skate and makes a complete back outside circle around the planted toe.

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